36 years later…
Chapter 3
Coruscant was bustling with activity. Not that it wasn't always, but on this particular day, it was so more than usual. On any given day, trillions of people walked the streets or flew the sky lanes, going on about their daily lives. But this was a special day. Not only was it the thirty-fifth anniversary of the founding of the New Republic, but it was also the day on which a new Supreme Chancellor would be inaugurated.
All of the preparations had been made. A large area outside of the Senate Building was cleared for millions of spectators, the planet's orbital mirrors had been positioned to ensure that the area experienced comfortable weather, holonet newsfeed stations and monitors had been positioned to provide continuous coverage of the event, and airspeeder traffic had been diverted to make room for arrival and parking. It appeared as though it would be a perfect day.
As citizens from all planets in the Galactic Alliance filled the ceremony platform, several guests of honor arrived to take their designated seats at the front of the crowd. They included dignitaries, senators, and royals from key star systems. There were also representatives of the Jedi Order present, led by the Jedi Grand Master, Luke Skywalker.
"Master Skywalker!" exclaimed a voice. Luke turned in his chair to face a Twi'lek man standing next to him. He was grinning from ear to ear and his lekku head-tails were twitching with excitement. As Luke stood to greet him, the Twi'lek bowed and offered his hand. "Senator Selvo Duri of Ryloth, at your service."
Luke shook his hand and said, "Yes, I've heard about you. Congratulations on your election."
"Well, it wouldn't have been possible without you. My people were slaves of the Empire until you freed us. The citizens of Ryloth are forever grateful to you and the rest of the Jedi for your continued service to the Alliance."
Luke smiled in humility. Over the years, he had grown accustomed to the fame and respect he had earned in his youth. He was credited with leading the Rebel Alliance to hundreds of victories, destroying the first Imperial Death Star, defeating the evil Sith Lords Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader, rebuilding the legendary Jedi Order, freeing the galaxy from oppression, and saving countless lives. "Thank you, Senator. I appreciate your praise, but I feel that it's exaggerated. I alone wasn't responsible for bringing peace to the galaxy. It was through the combine efforts of many that the Galactic Alliance has flourished."
Senator Duri laughed. "Everyone loves a humble hero."
Luke found himself surprised by this statement. Not only had he never heard it before, he also never thought it would apply to himself. He simply reminded himself that he had to get used to being hailed as a celebrity. Hoping to change the subject, he gestured toward the people sitting next to him. "Senator Duri, allow me to introduce some friends and family. This is my sister, Leia Organa-Solo."
Next to Luke, Leia stood and shook the senator's hand. Like her brother, her brown hair was only beginning to show graying at the roots, and her complexion was perfect except for some barely noticeable wrinkles. She smiled as she greeted Duri. "Pleased to meet you, Senator."
"The pleasure is all mine, Master Solo," replied Duri. "You are well known to the Twi'leks. A former Chief of State and legendary diplomat-turned-Jedi Master. I'm very impressed! Tell me, why did you leave politics to become a Jedi?"
Leia answered, "Well, once we had made peace with the Empire, I found that my services were required less often, so I decided to pursue this power Luke said that I had. It keeps me busy, but I still like to go on diplomatic missions once in a while."
Duri eyed the man next to Leia. "And this must be your husband, the famous Han Solo." With gray hair and wrinkled skin, it was apparent that age had been hard on him, yet he still wore his signature brown pants and black vest, as well as his antiquated DC-44 blaster pistol in a holster.
Han stood up with a soft grunt and shook the senator's hand. "Nice to meet you."
Duri studied Han's appearance and said, "Uh, pardon me for saying so, but you're not what I expected. I always imagined you as being younger."
Han waved his hand dismissively. "Ah, don't worry about it. Everyone says that."
"They do not," interjected Leia sternly.
Duri said, "I'm sorry, but I've always heard stories about the young smuggler who flies a derelict ship, charms women, hangs with a Wookiee, and beats everyone at Sabacc."
Suddenly frowning, Han pointed a finger at the Twi'lek. "Hey, first of all, the Falcon is not a 'derelict ship.' It's in pretty good shape. Second, I still do all that stuff… from time to time."
Duri raised his eyebrows. "Including the part about the Wookiee? You found a new friend? I'm sure everyone misses Chewbacca, but it's good that you're moving on."
Han's mouth hung open, speechless. He had never truly recovered from Chewbacca's death during the Yuuzhan Vong War. "Actually, I don't still hang with a Wookiee. That part isn't true anymore."
Duri's smile vanished. "Oh, I'm sorry; I didn't mean to upset you. I just–"
Han held up a hand to silence the Twi'lek. "Forget it. Besides, I have a family now. This is my daughter, Jaina." He gestured to the woman sitting on his right.
A young woman in her early thirties, Jaina Solo, dark-haired and fair-skinned, was more like her father than her mother. Until that point she had been attempting to ignore the conversation with Duri. But, now that she had been brought into it by her father, she stood up to shake the senator's hand. "Hello, Senator."
Duri commented, "I hear you've earned quite a reputation yourself. You were an accomplished pilot in Rogue Squadron during the Yuuzhan Vong War, for one thing. And now they call you the 'Sword of the Jedi' for defeating Darth Caedus." Quickly, Duri turned back to Jaina's parents and said, "By the way, I want to say – and I know you probably hear this a lot – I am very sorry for what happened to your son. You should know that Jacen was a very promising Jedi."
The mention of Jacen Solo made the entire family's hearts sink. A few years ago, Jacen, for unknown reasons, turned to the dark side of the Force, becoming the Sith Lord, Darth Caedus. Over the course of a single year, he used his power to seize the position of Supreme Chancellor and commit multiple atrocities on the people of the Alliance. He was eventually killed by his twin sister, Jaina.
While the Solos remained silent, Luke spoke up. "Jacen was committed to protecting the galaxy, no matter the cost. That is why I should have sensed his descent and prevented it earlier."
Duri shook his head. "You are not to blame for that unfortunate incident, nor for anything else, might I add. We all suffered losses during the Yuuzhon Vong War and Caedus' rise to power." He pointed at the Solos – "You lost your sons and Chewbacca," – and then he pointed at Luke – "and your wife. Surely, no one holds you accountable for Mara's death."
Luke answered, "Not precisely. But the Jedi have been blamed for allowing the incidents themselves to happen."
Duri replied, "Well, I speak on behalf of my people when I say, we are honored to stand up for the Jedi."
Next to Luke, a teenage boy said, "Nice to know someone doesn't hate us."
"Ben!" scolded Luke. He apologized to Duri. "Forgive my son, Senator. He doesn't fully understand the politics of the Jedi Order."
Duri shrugged. "It's never too late to learn." He moved to stand in front of Luke's son. At the age of eighteen, Ben Skywalker was shorter than the average human male. The Twi'lek senator explained, "As a Jedi, you must know of your role as a peacekeeper. When tragedy strikes, people look for someone to blame. They feel that these things happen because the Jedi did not perform their duties correctly."
Ben protested, "But we do! If people would take time to understand what we do, then they'd realize that it's not our fault."
"Not everyone will listen to things they don't want to hear, Ben."
Ben merely shrugged and left to join a group of Jedi who were closer to his age.
As Luke watched his son, he commented, "He reminds me so much of Anakin."
"Your father?" asked Duri.
"My nephew. He was like Ben in so many ways. Impulsive, strong-willed, loyal – they would have been good friends. One day, Ben will understand his role in the Alliance. And when that day comes, he will become a valuable Jedi."
Duri then noticed someone else sitting next to Jaina. She was a young girl, approximately nine years old, with black hair and gray eyes. She hadn't spoken, but she had been observing the adults' conversation. The senator smiled and said, "Hello, who are you?"
In a soft voice, the girl answered, "Amelia."
Han said, "This is our daughter, Amelia."
"Daughter?" repeated Duri. "Why, she's young enough to be your granddaughter!"
Leia explained, "We adopted her after Caedus' defeat."
What Duri did not know was that he was right. No one outside of the Solo-Skywalker clan knew this, but Amelia was actually Allana, Jacen's daughter secretly conceived with Jedi Knight Tenel Ka Djo, the Queen Mother of Hapes. Following Jacen's death, Allana was released into the care of her grandparents under the guise of a war orphan named Amelia to protect her identity while providing a safer environment in which to live.
Luke was grateful that Senator Duri had shown so much interest in him and his family. He would admit, however, that the amount of publicity was overkill. Luke's achievements, as well as those of Han and Leia, were too well-known throughout the galaxy for the trio to travel without raising too much attention. Luke often wondered if the praise would die down as they got older. In fact, he was beginning to think that they had already surpassed their age of usefulness.
Luke's train of thought was interrupted when he saw another person approaching. Only, this time, it wasn't an admirer – it was a close friend. She was an orange-skinned Togruta with white montrals and three lekku with blue stripes. Despite being in her mid-seventies, she had aged gracefully enough to appear no older than Luke. He sent her a thought through the Force, summoning her.
When she arrived, Luke introduced her to Senator Duri. "Senator Duri, this is Jedi Master Ahsoka Tano. She pretty much founded the New Jedi –"
Duri interrupted Luke and shook Ahsoka's hand vigorously. "I've heard so much about you, Master Tano. You were a Jedi in the Old Republic, survived the Jedi Purge, and joined the Rebellion. You rebuilt the Jedi Order, and were the Grand Master for twenty years."
Ahsoka laughed. "Well, I can hardly take all the credit. It was Luke who convinced me to give up my bounty hunting career and join the cause. If it weren't for him, I would still be Boba Fett's partner, or perhaps even his wife. Luke helped me train new Jedi, and I used my knowledge from the Clone Wars to help establish the new order."
Duri asked, "So why did you cede your title? You could easily have remained the Grand Master."
Ahsoka shrugged and replied, "Perhaps. But by the time the Yuuzhan Vong War had ended, I felt that the Jedi had learned everything they could from me. That's why I gave the title to Luke. I knew he would be able to provide the fresh leadership and wisdom that we all needed." She smiled appreciatively at Luke, and he returned the smile. Through everything that had happened for the past two decades, Ahsoka had always been there to support and encourage Luke. That debt could never be paid.
As more and more people began to take their seats, Duri said, mostly to himself, "I never thought I would see the day that Don Dain became Supreme Chancellor."
Luke's smile vanished. "Me, neither," he said flatly.
Duri apparently was able to pick up on the subtle signs Luke displayed at the mention of Dain. "You're not confident in Chancellor Dain?"
Luke confessed, "To tell the truth, not really. I've learned that it's difficult to trust him. From the moment I joined the Rebellion, Dain has openly opposed me. When Master Tano came, he was against her joining, as well. And then, he was one of the strongest supporters of the anti-Jedi sentiments that have arisen since the founding of the New Republic and the forging of the Galactic Alliance."
Duri appeared only slightly concerned. "Yes, his mistrust of the Jedi is, for lack of a better term, odd. But think of his reputation as a politician. Besides, of all the politicians who don't like Jedi, he isn't nearly the most dangerous."
Luke wished that that were true. He had agreed not to share this with anyone, but Dain had secretly betrayed the rebels by tipping off the Empire about a strike mission to Christophsis. As a result, all of the rebel soldiers, except for Luke and Leia, were killed by Darth Vader's Star Troopers, and Ahsoka was taken prisoner and held in the dungeon of the Imperial Palace for four years. Luke had only forgiven Dain because he helped Luke rescue her during the Liberation of Coruscant. So, contrary to popular belief, Don Dain was a very dangerous man.
Don Dain stood backstage, waiting for the ceremony to begin. He was an unusually thin Gran with wrinkled, peach-colored skin, two stomachs, and three black eyes each set within an eyestalk. At over eighty years of age, Dain had outlived the majority of his species. He had accomplished much in his long lifetime, and he was finally about to be rewarded with the greatest political honor conceivable; the office of Supreme Chancellor.
"Chancellor Dain!" called a voice. Dain turned and saw a female news reporter approaching him. It appeared as though he was about to give an interview even though he hadn't been officially sworn into office yet. The woman stopped where Dain was standing and asked, "Your Excellency, would you mind if I asked you a few questions?"
Dain leaned against his cane and smiled. "I don't see why not."
"Thank you." The reporter activated a holorecorder that picked up Dain's face. "Were you surprised when you learned that you had been elected Supreme Chancellor?"
"Well, of course. Then again, I fail to see why I shouldn't have been elected. After everything I've done for the Rebel Alliance, the New Republic, and the Galactic Alliance, it's good to know that my efforts are being appreciated."
"Everyone knows your story, Chancellor. You were one of the strongest voices in the New Republic Senate, secured aid for the refugees of the Yuuzhan Vong War, negotiated a complete and formal alliance with the Empire, and circumvented Darth Caedus when he took over the Galactic Alliance. Before that, you were a commander in the Rebellion, recognized for your tactical insight and fierce devotion to the rebels' cause. But that seems to be as far back as your story goes. Can you tell us what you did before the Rebellion?"
Dain shrugged. "Oh, well, back then I was nothing. I was merely a citizen of Malastare who was driven from his home during the Clone Wars, no different than many of my people." This was not entirely true. Unbeknownst to everyone but his closest family members, Dain had been a Separatist Admiral in his youth, fighting to overthrow the Old Republic. "After the war ended and Palpatine declared himself Emperor, I decided to join the Rebel Alliance to help create a new government free of corruption."
"I think we can all agree that you have succeeded at that task."
"Well, I'm trying!" Dain laughed, and the reporter laughed with him. "But seriously, even though we are better off today than we were a hundred years ago, there is always room for some corporate bigwig to sneak in and profit from the Senate's efforts. But know this; I will not tolerate such behavior in my administration."
The reporter glanced at her notes and said, "Lately, there had been a lot of controversy surrounding the Jedi Order. Some people blame the Jedi for the Yuuzhan Vong War and the Caedus Takeover. It's also known that you have been a strong supporter of anti-Jedi sentiments. Would you like to comment on that?"
Dain stopped smiling and adopted a more serious tone. "In many ways, yes, the Jedi are responsible. I have also observed that they do not care about the political power that the Senate holds over them. They have been aggressive, impulsive, reclusive, and, quite frankly, difficult to deal with. But I have faith in Master Skywalker. It's true that we have had disagreements in the past, but we have developed mutual respect, and I believe that he will not do anything to hurt the citizens of the Galactic Alliance."
Although Dain was speaking the truth, he neglected to mention his conflict with Luke Skywalker. During the Clone Wars, Dain had been foiled by Luke's father, Anakin Skywalker, in a very important mission. As a result, Dain was dismissed from the Separatists and forced to rebuild his life from scratch. Ever since then, he has held firmly onto a grudge towards not only Anakin, but all Jedi. It was only the courageous efforts of Luke that convinced Dain to allow the Jedi to return.
At that moment, two men wearing Jedi robes, one nearly a generation older than the other, approached Dain. The older Jedi said, "Chancellor, it is time."
Dain's smile returned. At last it was time! "Thank you, Master Fadré, Padawan Ango." He dismissed the reporter and allowed the two Jedi to stand on either side of him. "I still fail to see why I need Jedi bodyguards."
Jedi Master Sol Fadré explained, "It is merely precautionary. After Darth Caedus had Chancellor Omas assassinated, the Senate and the Jedi both agree that having Jedi assigned to protect you would reduce the chance of that happening again. I assure you, Chancellor, that my Padawan and I are more than capable of protecting you."
Dain sighed. "Very well, if everyone insists. Now, let's go." Slowly, he walked forward, climbing the steps onto the stage. The sound of overlapping conversations and speeder engines faded out and was replaced by applause. Everyone directed their attention to the stage at the front, where Dain was approaching the podium, followed closely by the two Jedi bodyguards.
Looking out over the millions of people cheering for him, Dain's mouth hung open in awe. As the main event drew closer, it seemed that the excitement only multiplied. Dain took a seat behind the podium as the lengthy inauguration ceremony began. After a long and seemingly pointless opening speech, given by the Sergeant-at-Arms, the time had finally come for Dain to swear the Oath of Office.
Dain stood up, pushing himself with his cane, and approached the podium. He transferred his cane to his left hand and held up his right. Repeating after the Sergeant, he spoke the oath that would define the remainder of his life. "I, Don Dain, do hereby accept the office of Supreme Chancellor of the Galactic Alliance, and all the privileges and responsibilities therein." And with those words, Don Dain officially became the leader of the central galactic government. After a moment of cheering and applause, Dain stepped behind the podium and held up his hands, signaling for silence. It was time for his acceptance speech.
"Citizens of the Galactic Alliance, I am honored to be elected for this glorious and invaluable position. I believe that a society is nothing without a strong leader to uphold its principles. And, may I say, this is as fine a society as can be found." Dain's praise was met with grateful applause. "The past thirty-five years have been bursting with suffering and hardship. So much of that which we have labored to build has been destroyed. Dear friends and family have been lost. We have faced crises that rival even the Clone Wars.
"But we did not fall to our knees and plead for mercy at the hands of the Yuuzhan Vong. We rallied our forces, expanded our resources, and drove the invaders away. And through our generosity, we gave new homes, food, and clothing to those whose lives were left broken by the aliens' vile conquest. And when Darth Caedus attempted to seize control of the Alliance and force his will upon us, we did not submit blindly to his rule. We challenged his authority and ousted him, at great cost.
"This Alliance has stood against invasion, corruption, destruction, and war. And let it be made clear, any who dare challenge our might will be stopped and held accountable."
As Dain spoke that last sentence, Luke couldn't help but feel like it had been directed at him. It could be taken as a warning, that if the Jedi did anything to threaten the Alliance and the safety of its people, Dain would make them pay.
Suddenly, a wave of foreboding washed over Luke. He could feel imminent danger through the Force. Frowning, he closed his eyes and began to meditate, hoping he could find the threat and neutralize it. He scanned the crowd for any negative emotions or intentions, but could find none. In fact, the amount of excitement was almost overwhelming.
Luke's trance was broken when Han shook him by the shoulder asking, "Hey, Luke, you all right?"
Luke shook his head. "Something bad is about to happen. I can sense it."
"So can I," affirmed Ahsoka. She began to mediate, as well. After a few seconds, she pointed and yelled, "There, a sniper!" Luke looked in the indicated direction and could just make out a cloaked figure on a nearby building. Closer examination through the Force confirmed that the person was holding a sniper rifle and pointing it at the stage.
"There's another one!" exclaimed Leia, pointing at the building on the opposite side of the stage. Luke quickly located the second sniper and used the Force to pull both assassins off of the buildings. Luke and Ahsoka were prepared to use the Force to cushion their impending impact with the ground, so they were surprised when the snipers twisted in midair and landed on their feet.
Recovering quickly, the snipers raised their weapons and began firing at Dain's Jedi bodyguards. As Sol Fadré and Lumin Ango ignited their lightsabers to deflect the blaster bolts, the audience began to panic. Screams filled the air and people jumped out of their chairs, running away from the stage. Dain backed away from the podium, realizing that these people were here to assassinate him. And he hadn't even been on the job for five minutes!
Luke and his companions stood up and drew their own weapons. Han fired several shots from his blaster at the nearest sniper, who dodged them with ease. The figure then threw his rifle at Han's head with enough force to knock him to the ground.
Concerned, Leia kneeled down over her husband. "Han? Han, are you okay?"
Han groaned as he attempted to sit up. "Oh, I feel like someone's pounding on my head with a hammer."
Leia sighed in relief. "You're fine. We'll get you out of here."
Meanwhile, Jaina had already charged at the now unarmed assassin. As soon as the Jedi was upon him, a red blade of plasma energy extended from an object in his right hand, blocking Jaina's purple blade. Everyone's eyes widened in shock, and the audience's screams intensified. The Jedi and Dain knew, more than anyone could know, that the only people who carried red-bladed lightsabers were Sith.
Sol turned around and said, "Your Excellency, we must get out of here! We'll cover you!"
All too eager to escape the scene, Dain turned around and let his personal guards escort him off of the stage, with the two Jedi behind them. His guards helped Dain into his nearby personal shuttle. As soon as everyone was on board, the pilot lifted the shuttle off of the ground and flew away from the stage.
Relieved that he had escaped an assassination attempt, Dain sat back in his seat. So far, his first day as Chancellor wasn't going smoothly.
Luke ordered, "Ahsoka, Leia, take the other assassin. I'm with Jaina. Go!" The two women ignited their lightsabers and charged at the second figure. Luke was about to join Jaina when his son ran up to him. "Ben, take Han and Allana and make sure those people get to safety."
Ben protested, "But I want to help!"
"You can help by protecting the civilians."
Ben looked at the distant crowd of people hurrying to their personal speeders and fighting for seats on public transportation. "But they're not being attacked!"
Luke placed a hand on his son's shoulder and said, "Our primary goal as Jedi is to protect others, not to defend ourselves. Now fulfill that goal."
Reluctantly, Ben helped Han to his feet and guided him towards the crowd with his right hand, whilst holding Allana's hand in his left. Satisfied that Ben would obey his command, Luke ran toward Jaina and the first assassin.
Meanwhile, Ahsoka and Leia reached the second assassin. Even though he was cloaked, it was apparent that he was larger than the average person. He, like his companion, pulled out a red-bladed lightsaber and stood ready for the Jedi's attack. Ahsoka, holding both of her green lightsabers in reverse-grip, was the first to make a move. Performing a jump-spinning attack, she came down on the assassin hard, but he blocked her blades with his. At the same time, Leia charged with her blue lightsaber held high over her head. As she brought her blade down, the assassin pulled away from Ahsoka so he could defend himself against the other Jedi.
By the time Luke reached them, Jaina and the assassin were locked in a duel. Whoever this person was, he was obviously well-trained in lightsaber combat. Every swing, thrust, and parry by either Jedi was quickly blocked. The assassin also performed attacks skillfully and consistent with the basic lightsaber forms. If he demonstrated Force-sensitivity, Luke would say that he may have been a Sith.
The duel raged on with all four Jedi equally matched against the assassins, who grew more aggressive with every stroke. Even with their combined skills, the Jedi couldn't gain any ground on the assassins. None of the Jedi's attacks seemed to slow them.
Thinking quickly, Ahsoka sent a telepathic thought to Leia, instructing her to use the Force at the same time she did. Leia sent back her understanding, and together, they lashed out with the Force. The assassin started to fly backwards, but he thrust his lightsaber into the ground, using the friction to counteract the Force push. However, the remaining Force energy blew at his cloak, allowing the Jedi to see him more clearly.
He was tall and muscular, and his face and visible skin, including his bald scalp, were covered with scars of various sizes. Underneath his cloak, he wore black pants and a tunic, giving him the appearance of a bodyguard for a crime lord. Ahsoka had never seen this man before, yet there was something oddly familiar about him. Staring into his face, she noticed his blue eyes. They vaguely reminded her of her former master's.
Banishing the thought from her head, Ahsoka prepared to strike at the assassin again. But the Force push had angered him almost to the breaking point, and he released his own Force blast that knocked the Jedi backwards through the air.
Luke mentally signaled his niece to coordinate her attacks with his. One's attacks always followed the other's, striking from different directions to confuse their enemy. Gradually, it began to work. The assassin's movements became stiff and sloppy as he started to lose focus. Finally, a roundhouse kick by Jaina stunned him long enough for Luke to throw him backwards with a Force push.
As the assassin tumbled across the floor, his cloak fell off, revealing that it wasn't a "he" at all – it was a "she." As soon as Luke saw her properly, he froze in place, mouth wide open. Jaina clasped a hand to her mouth as she gasped in shock. "Aunt Mara?"
Luke thought to himself, it couldn't be Mara Jade Skywalker. His wife was killed by Darth Caedus. But he couldn't deny that the woman before him bore a striking resemblance. The fair, freckled skin, the flame-red hair, and the emerald green eyes all reminded him of his lost love. Even her skin-tight black clothes were similar to what Mara wore, albeit slightly more revealing.
The woman laughed sinisterly at the Jedi's shock and blasted them both backwards with a powerful Force blast. Luke and Jaina tumbled head-over heels and landed in a heap. Once everything had stopped spinning, Luke raised his head just as Leia and Ahsoka flew right at him. The four Jedi collided and became entangled. Once they had all recovered, the Jedi saw that the two Sith were standing over them, lightsabers pointed at them.
"You disappoint me, Master Skywalker." Luke craned his head to face the source of the deep, resonant voice behind him. It was a tall man with pale skin, and dark hair slicked back over his head. He, too, was pointing a red lightsaber at the Jedi. "I would have thought that, with your reputation, you would put up more of a fight."
Suddenly, a bright light shone upon the Sith and their captives. Three gunships hovered above them with their weapons pointed at the Sith. A voice, via loudspeaker, commanded, "Stay right where you are! You are under arrest on charges of attempted murder of high-ranking officials."
While the female and muscular Sith held their weapons ready for a fight, the tall Sith merely smiled. "Peace, my siblings. If they fire, they risk hurting the Jedi. Besides, we've done what we came here to do." Reaching into his black robes, he produced a comlink and pushed a button. In response to the distant sound of engines powering up, the Jedi turned their heads to see a ship rise from behind one of the surrounding buildings. It then flew towards them at a low altitude.
The Alliance gunships began firing on the ship, but its shields absorbed the blaster bolts. As it passed over them, the Sith Force-jumped onto the extended boarding ramp and proceeded through the open hatch. Immediately, the ship accelerated to maximum speed and flew into the sky.
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