Chapter 07

"This is Lieutenant Commander Raymus Antilles to any loyalist Mandalorians, we are preparing to set down inside the hangar. Please respond," the holocomm crackled.

Obi-Wan Kenobi immediately hit a point on his security grid and said, "This is Commander Kenobi of the Royal Guard. I'm reading you, but be advised the hangar has been lost to us. We are trapped on the far side of the palace."

"That's terrific," Antilles answered. "Can you make it to us?"

"We can make it partway," Kenobi answered. "The Death Watch have taken control of most of the palace, but they haven't been able to get through our defensive perimeters. We're heavily outnumbered."

"Acknowledged." There was a pause, then, "We're here. Give us coordinates and I'll try to meet."

Kenobi pulled up a map of the palace and examined it carefully, "I'm sending you a copy of the palace plans. I've marked a spot just above past the dining room. This is the area we've identified as being the least defended. The palace is in lockdown mode. You will need a code I've included in the plans to open palace sections."

"Got it," Antilles answered. "Sending my commlink signal. We'll meet you there."

Kenobi acknowledged, then shut down the system. He reached a hand out and summoned his force staff before exiting back to the main barracks of the palace. Duchess Satine was inside caring for some of the wounded guards, and he smiled at the sight. She spotted him and rose, crossing the room quickly before asking, "What's happening?"

"The Alderaanians are landing in the hangar," Kenobi explained. "I've set up a rendezvous, but we'll need to break through. Which means…" He nodded to those who were too wounded to be moved.

Satine nodded, "I understand. But the best option we have to save this planet is to get to Coruscant. If we don't go they will die anyway." She grabbed a blaster rifle from one of the lockers and said, "distribute weapons to them if they wish. We must escape."

Kenobi nodded sadly, "Understood my lady," he answered. He could feel through the Force just how much was hurting Satine, but the woman was a pacifist, not a moron. She was devoted to her people more than any of them could really understand, and if saving them meant going against her beliefs, then she would.


Luke Skywalker ducked inside a nearby building as another patrol neared him. He had no idea where he was going if he was telling the truth, but the Force was pointing him in what he hoped was the right direction. He carefully reached out to the patrolling Mandalorians and subtly made them overlook his hiding place, only emerging after they had gone past and turned a corner. He could have dealt with them, but he didn't want the Death Watch swarming the area, not yet.

As he carefully picked his way through the abandoned streets, feeling the panicked civilians who huddled in nearby shelters or in their homes he felt another surge of anger at the injustice going on around him. This group of corporate sponsored terrorists was as bad as the Empire so far as he could see. He ducked around another building to avoid a tank coming his way and returned to his thoughts.

And they let it happened, he thought. The Jedi and the Republic. No wonder Ben Kenobi had gone to live alone on Tatooine. Like his younger self he must have become so disillusioned with the entire affair that he couldn't stand to live with it anymore. Yet that wasn't the answer. No, it was becoming clearer and clearer to Luke as he went along. The Empire wasn't some great overthrow of the beacon of civilization. It had been the inevitable culmination of everything the Republic had done.

He'd heard stories of the Confederacy of Independent Systems of course. A corporate dominated oligarchy which had tried to overthrow the Republic. And yet, without the Emperor in power those same corporations had simply dominated the Republic rather than a breakaway group. The answer was obvious he decided as he dodged yet another patrol. The Republic had to be rejuvenated. Those in power removed, and the people given back what should have been theirs.

His senses tingled long before he would have felt the sniper who caught sight of him. He raised his blaster and fired into the air, hitting the bolt that the sniper had fired as he did so. Luke ducked behind some cover as he wondered if he'd actually just done that, and carefully raised his head up again, and intercepted another shot with his own as he did so. He smiled at the realization of how far he'd come and lined up his blaster again. This time he fired twice. The first was a Force-guided shot to block the sniper's third shot. The final hit the sniper himself.

Luke stood as he felt the sniper die and for a moment thought on just how much he'd changed since killing for the first time. That had been the result of instinct and training, this was different. He frowned a little at the thought, but set the small sadness aside as he focused again on the mission. He had to get to the palace, and make it through. He started forward again, then paused. The others he'd killed had seen their armor damaged, but the sniper had not been wearing his helmet.

Luke sighed at the realization of what he was going to do, but quickly stripped the man of his armor It was loose, but it was a close enough fit that Luke was able to make it look fairly natural. He had just set the helmet on when he felt another patrol coming. He checked the blaster rifle the sniper had been using, but it was too specialized for him. The weapon was long and unwieldy, and its scope had been destroyed. He set the weapon aside and continued, dodging around the latest patrol.


Obi-Wan Kenobi twirled the Force staff in his mechanical hand almost effortlessly. It deflected the blaster bolts of the surviving Death Watch before him with an ease built of years of lightsaber practice. The lightsaber was one of the most skill intensive weapons ever devised, and comparatively the staff was a toy. As he closed the distance he sensed two of them realize that their shots would never make it through his defenses. Both pulled out vibroblades and charged. He met the first one before the other man even knew Kenobi was going to attack him, slamming the staff into the man's chest for just long enough to kill him before continuing his dance-like defenses.

The other was more skilled, or perhaps simply more cautious as he kept out of range and waited for some kind of gap to appear in Kenobi's defense. There wasn't one. Soresu was known as the most basic form of lightsaber combat, and it was the only one Kenobi had ever bothered to practice. And he was at least proficient in that skill.

Finally, the man lunged, only for Kenobi's staff to already be exactly in the path of his blade. The vibroblade clattered to the floor, and a moment later Kenobi's staff impacted with the Mandalorian's head. He collapsed without a sound. Through the Force Kenobi knew, without looking that he was now at almost point-blank range, but that had been the idea. He drew his legs up and leapt, sailing into the air of the dining room and landing behind the barricade the attackers were hiding behind.

As he landed the Death Watch around him whirled their blaster rifles around and as one began to fire. Less than a minute later all six of them were dead. The others seemed to have decided that they suddenly had an urgent appointment on the far side of the room, and as a group charged at the few remaining Royal Guards.

Kenobi sighed lightly and charged after them, overtaking two rapidly and striking them down before charging on. Through the Force he was perfectly aware of the situation, and lept to catch two others. There were only a small number left, and the Royal Guard was finishing those off. He smiled and straightened before the Force whispered a warning. He sensed the blaster rifle of the last member of the Death Watch rise and point directly at Duchess Satine.

He knew in that instant there was no way he could cross the remaining yards between them before the man fired. For the first time in his life Obi-Wan Kenobi felt true fear a terror deeper than any he'd known even existed, and in that fear, he raised his hand and crushed it into a fist. There was a sickening crunch as the Force crushed down on the man, his throat crushed. His blaster fired as the man fell, impacting on the wall a few feet above Satine.

Kenobi stood still as he realized what he'd just done. Struck out in fear, he had used the Dark Side. He couldn't help but remember the teachings of his youth, that once a Jedi started down the Dark Path that it would always dominate their destiny. It should have felt horrible he knew. It did, he'd never felt so shocked in his life. As the surviving Royal Guard checked on the Duchess and their own wounded Kenobi was screaming inside at what he'd just done.

He didn't move until Satine approached him and asked, "What's wrong?"

"I…" Kenobi started, but he couldn't continue. She wouldn't understand, no one but a Jedi could. Still, she deserved to know. "I used the Dark Side he said. I killed that man with my fear."

She put an arm around him and said quietly, "You saved me. That man was going to shoot me."

"Yes," he said quietly, "But…"

"Sh." She told him, putting one finger on his mouth. "I abhor violence, all of this," she gestured around the room. "It sickens me. But it is necessary if we are to prevent the Death Watch from taking this planet. You did the same thing. It was necessary." She smiled a little sadly and asked, "Or would you rather I died?"

That broke through the haze in Kenobi's mind. Satine's survival was what mattered, more than his teachings, more than anything. Without a word he kissed her, and she returned it enthusiastically. As they broke apart Satine said happily, "I've been waiting for you to realize for years." Kenobi smiled in response and knew that despite everything he had never been happier in his life than he was now.


"Halt," one of the men at the street barricade ordered as Luke approached. He did so, carefully looking over the entire position as he did so. It was on the outermost section of the Death Watch's direct positions, he was sure of that. If he made it past here he would be almost home free. It was also the most heavily fortified spot he'd yet seen. There were repeating blaster emplacements on top of both buildings, and several soldiers along the barricade itself. However, through the Force he could sense that none of them really expected trouble.

The leader of the Death Watch jumped over the barricade and advanced on Luke. He stopped a few feet away and looked him up and down. "Report," the man ordered.

Luke readied himself, reaching into the Force as he did so. He knew the theory behind a mind trick, but had never put it into practice. "The Naboo pilot died on crashing," he said, hoping no one had found the bodies of the Death Watch he'd left nearby.

"Why didn't you report via commlink?" The man demanded immediately.

"It was out," Luke answered. He waved one hand and said, "You don't need to check."

There was a pause, and Luke held his breath before the commander finally said, "I don't need to check."

"I should report to your superior," Luke continued.

"You should report to my superior," the man said. He turned and said, "He's coming through."

The guards lowered their blaster rifles and Luke started forward. He tried to keep his cool as he jumped over the barricade and started into the Death Watch's main position. The first thing he noticed was how horribly organized the camp was. At Corulag he'd had to design, and then lead the set-up of a proper military camp, and this wasn't it. Weapons were scattered near positions where people had set up to sleep, with no one watching them. Ration kits were scattered near them, most half eaten. Deciding he might need a better weapon than his own blaster he grabbed one of the rifles and checked to make sure loaded, which it was.

He smiled and started toward the palace. Halfway there he had to fight down a burst of outrage as he saw a group of civilians being shot by Death Watch troops to his right. Now wasn't the time he told himself, it wouldn't help anyone if he died here. He was past that when someone in nicer armor than his own stopped him and ordered, "Get to the palace. They need reinforcements."

Luke nodded, thankful that the Force had provided a believable way in. "Yes sir," he answered immediately, bringing his stolen blaster rifle up and beginning to jog forward.

There was a small group of Mandalorians gathering at the palace's entrance, and the lead officer ordered Luke into a position near the back as soon as he arrived. When perhaps fifty men had arrived, the officer ordered everyone forward, saying as he did so. "The corvette has allowed the enemy to take control of the hangar, and we have reports of fighting inside the palace. We will circle around to cut off access to the hangar and trap the intruders inside."

One of the others immediately asked, "What about the ship?"

"Don't worry about that," the officer answered. "The Techno Union has massed their ships in orbit. If it tries to escape it will be shot down."

Luke swore silently at that. They had hoped the ships in system would largely be deployed to defend against another Naboo assault, but the situation wasn't unsalvageable. The corvette had gained a nickname as a blockade runner for a reason, and it should be able to make it off the planet still in one piece

The group fanned out as they entered the palace's entrance, which was completely deserted. It was too large for the Death Watch to cover without devoting to many people, and there were better chokepoints further in. As the group advanced they came across some of the strong points from the initial assault, normally where the Royal Guard had been overwhelmed, and then where the Death Watch had set up their initial positions for the battle of attrition which had followed the initial failure to capture Satine.

They were almost at the hangar when the first shots came from Alderaanian soldiers who had remained behind to cover the advance of their fellows. The Death Watch's own barricades were turned against them as the Alderaanians opened fire. Luke joined the rest of the Mandalorians as they shot back, but in the narrow corridors it was easy for him to miss without seeming to be trying. One of the Mandalorians grabbed a thermal detonator and started to lob it forward, but Luke reached out with the Force and made the man miss his final step, sending him sprawling into the floor, and the detonator landed directly ahead.

As it went off Luke ducked behind a corner, avoiding the blast himself, which killed four Death Watch and wounded two others. Despite this the Alderaanians were retreating, too outnumbered to hold the line further.

When they had retreated from site the Death Watch began to advance again, and Luke could feel fighting going on as more Death Watch entered from other gates to the palace. There were hundreds of the arriving to push the Alderaanians back, and those soldiers were heavily outnumbered. The advance to the hangar continued, until one of the leaders shouted, "it's the Duchess."

As he did so blaster fire started from the far side of the corridor, and Luke smiled as he glimpsed Raymus Antilles amongst his men, and Obi-Wan Kenobi in the uniform of the Mandalorian Royal Guard. The Death Watch opened fire, and Kenobi charged at them, deflecting blaster bolts as he came. Most impacted harmlessly on the walls, but a few came back to strike the men who fired them. Deciding the time had come to drop the pretense Luke stretched out with the Force, and activated the thermal detonators of the men around him. He ducked away and felt the blast wave pass through the corridors, only looking back out when it had passed. Even in his armor he had felt the explosion of several grenades going off at once.

Kenobi was standing slightly stunned halfway down the corridor, and the Alderaanians seemed to be equally stunned. What had been the Death Watch was now just a wreck of corridor, which now opened up into the surrounding rooms. None of them were left alive. Smiling as he advanced Luke pulled of his helmet and advanced to meet his comrades.

Kenobi shook himself out of the shock he'd been in when he saw Luke and immediately ran forward, checking if his friend was alright. "I see you've been practicing," he observed wryly.

Luke smiled, "Something to do during hyperspace travel."

Kenobi grinned in response, and the pair started back toward the Duchess's party. They met partway down as Antilles said, "The hangar is just through there." He gestured at one of the rooms opened up by the blast. "Are you okay?" He asked Luke finally.

"Fine." Luke said, "Just waded through an enemy held city and destroyed a war party. Nothing big."

Antilles grinned himself and said, "You scare me sometimes Skywalker."

Their return to the hangar was quiet, but as the party began to embark another Death Watch squad burst in and opened fire. Antilles swore and ordered a group of men to stay at the ramp while the ship warmed up. Luke started to join them when his friend caught his shoulder and said, "No. We lost our main pilot coming in, and his replacement has been too heavily injured. You're the best backup."

Luke nodded and started to the bridge. As he entered he took the correct chair off of instinct and stared at the burned controls. "The ship must have taken a beating," he observed as he started up the backup systems.

"It did," Antilles confirmed. "Think you're up to it?"

Luke grimly nodded. "I'll get us out." He assured.

The engine fired up, and as soon as confirmation came that everyone was safely onboard he punched the repulsors off, and the ship roared out of the hangar. As it did so fire came from the ground, but Luke's heightened senses rapidly led him through the worst of it, but the real moment of truth was coming. The ship cleared the atmosphere mere minutes after it had launched, and laser fire from the Techno-Union transports began to bombard the shields. Luke took the ship through an increasingly intricate set of maneuvers as he fought the destroyed controls more than the enemy, until finally he said, "We need to get to hyperspace."

"Calculations aren't finished," Raymus noted.

"I can't guarantee I can keep the ship together if we don't," Luke countered. At his friend's hesitation he said plainly, "If we don't go to hyperspace in one minute the ship is dead."

Raymus nodded, "Then do it."

Luke already was, and moment later the stars faded into star lines and the ship was safe. Relatively safe anyway Luke thought as he worried about the dangers of flying through a star or similar obstacle.

Finally, one of the engineers called Raymus Antilles down to the engine room to examine damage to the ship. Luke went with him, and he could see the reason immediately. The engine was leaking fuel, not badly, but enough that they were going to have to stop and make repairs. The pair returned to the bridge and Antilles asked, "Are there any ports nearby?"

Luke checked the ship's location and answered, "Doesn't look like it. We're somewhere in deep space. No charted systems nearby. Looks like it will be a zero-gravity job."

Antilles sighed, "I was afraid of that. Bring us out of hyperspace then. We'll work on it."

Luke nodded and sat back down in the pilot's chair. He started to take the ship out of orbit, but something stopped him. He frowned, at the thought, but about a minute later the feeling passed and he brought the ship back out of hyperspace. Antilles was already issuing repair orders when Luke suddenly let out a gasp of surprise as he saw a massive ship directly ahead.

Antilles looked up and he smiled. "Looks to be our lucky day." Ahead of the ship loomed a dreadnaught. "Open communications," he said.

One of the other bridge officers tried, but after a moment said, "No response."

Seconds later another said, "Its not alone out there. I'm reading at least eight others nearby."

Frowning Luke stretched out with the Force and announced, "There's no one alive on those ships."

Antilles frowned, "Odd."

The officer who had informed them of the others finally said, "I'm ready two hundred ships total starting from here and going forward nearly half a light-year."

Antilles breathed, "Could this be?"

Luke frowned, "What?" He asked.

"The Katana Fleet," Antilles said excitedly.