Emperor's Shadow 7
Disclaimer: I don't own Star Wars
GFFA intelligence chief, Belindi Kalenda, looked at the report on her table, outlining the existence and the location and purpose of Project Byss. She whistled when she read up on its mission. A mission would be needed soon, she had already heard of the strike against Twin Suns squadron and Chiss Squadron. Perhaps they were connected somehow, though it was Clawcraft in the first and Uglies in the second.
A new war may arise but the chance to remove a potential enemy cheaply appealed to her. She would accept the offer, she only had the commanding officer to remove from this soon to be ex-imperial group. They were ready to turn on him anytime, however, the datapad specifically requested the presence of Jacen Solo. Belindi had considered this a hoax or a trap but his last bizarre request convinced her that it was genuine.
The datapad outlined the defences of Project Byss and also said that insertion would not work, they would have to bring a fleet in. It took two weeks to get the necessary ships and the necessary people to come, a shuttle bought Master Jacen and his apprentice, Jarec to the Harbinger, as it and its taskforce set out for the Fydir Star Cluster and Project Byss.
"Who has betrayed me," an enraged Kroder demanded, the fire burning in his eyes, full of rage, "who led the Rebels here?" His feelings were a storm of anger and hurt. He could barely keep control of his battle meditation, as he saw the Rebel battle fleet emerge from hyperspace, just as they were preparing to launch an attack on Rebel space.
"We all did," his senior officers all spoke, "this is for the best, we understand that you grieve personally for the Emperor, but the reality is different, and we have to make do with what we have."
"Understand", he bellowed, his emotions so close to boiling over, "You understand nothing," grief and anger were pouring over into his words. Outside the other ships of Project Byss transmitted its surrender. "If you will not fight them, then I will fight them alone." He let his emotions rule, as he dropped his control over the battle and unleashed the fury of the Force, pushing everyone out of the way slamming them violently as made his way to the Shadow.
Once onboard, he powered up the yacht and blasted out of the hangar. Part of him wanted to blow the Dark Avatar into smithereens but it was his ship, after the Rebels were repulsed I will control it once more, with an iron fist. So he looped around under it and dropped towards Fydir Prime, intending to take out any troops the Rebels would land, he knew that they were soft and would not risk an orbital bombardment as long as the Fydirians were there.
Meanwhile, the senior officers on board the Dark Avatar were regretful, they did not like betraying their Captain, who had lead them for so long and had supported and treated them fairly, but they knew that they were right and the Captain was overwrought with emotions, they saw the Shadow slip down towards Fydir.
Captain Falayn the troop commander, signalled for communications to open with the Alliance fleet, he saw the face of Jedi Knight Jacen Solo on the other end of the holo-transmission. He spoke in his crisp military tone, "All of our ships are now passive, the Captain has fled onto the planet's surface, you should be able to engage him there. Please save him…" the words stopped from his mouth as he saw a young man emerge from the side of the holo.
"Captain, what is the matter," Jacen asked as he saw the hologram of Captain Falayn stop mid-sentence as his apprentice Jarec came to stand next to him.
"That young man, next to you, he, he looks exactly like the Captain, Jedi Solo," Captain Falayn replied.
"What is the Captain's last name?" Jacen asked, slowly forming a conclusion in his mind, as facts started falling into place.
"Our leader, is Captain Kroder Dermayil, codename Emperor's Shadow," Captain Falayn replied, wondering why Jedi Solo would ask such a question.
Jarec at the other end, next to Jacen heard Captain Falayn's revelation, "We have to go and save father, I can't lose him." Master Jacen agreed, and they both ran off leaving the Captain of the Harbinger to negotiate with Captain Falayn, whilst they boarded a shuttle and went planetside.
Kroder stormed into the keep where the Council of Seers were, flinging the guards and anyone who blocked his path out of the way. Even the Fydirians trained in the Force were no match for Kroder's raw power fuelled by his emotions. The wooden door to the chamber where the seers sat burst open into splinters each of them flying straight towards one of the seers who tried in vain to block or deflect the splinters, but couldn't. The splinters embedded themselves in the bodies of the Seers, killing them. Kroder then proceeded to mangle their bodies, tearing them apart and scattering them with the Force, as the visceral beast of his feelings within was given control.
Rage and pain clouded his mind, he saw two Jedi, two enemies who were coming to kill him, to cause more pain more hurt, they had to die. He activated his black lightsaber, its shimmering blade extending in front of him, as he assumed the deadly Vapaad Form VII stance. He called the Force to him and then attacked, taking on both Jedi at once.
Jarec saw his father, the fire in his eyes, the light of a madman, he saw his father draw his lightsaber and assume a fighting stance, no please don't, don't do this to me father, he tried to send through the Force but all he saw was choking emotion, all he felt was the anger and the hurt radiating from his father through the Force. Then he saw his father leap, assisted by the Force, bringing lightsaber down in a crowning blow, had Jarec not scrambled and blocked with his verdant white lightsaber in time. His father kept on attacking pushing forward, deadly, Jarec had hardly any time to react between attacks, he saw his father's saber lash out at Master Jacen as well, his father was taking on both the Jedi at once and winning but not scoring any hits.
Suddenly a fourth lightsaber, a deep cerulean blue joined the dance of sabers, in the hand of his father, as Kroder switched to the formidable double lightsaber style favoured by Master Revan. The four blades danced forwards and backwards, as his father attacked and Jarec and Jacen kept on getting pushed back.
The rage drove Kroder on, he needed to kill, he needed to make others feel the pain that he had felt, the anger he had felt, mostly he needed his liege lord. His jet black and cerulean blue lightsabers flitted around like dustmotes as they struck the Jedi's verdant white and green. He concentrated his attack on the green lightsaber user, distracting him long enough with the blades such that he could extend fully and kick the Jedi in the stomach, extending beautifully, taking the air out of the enemy Jedi's stomach sending him sprawling on the ground twenty metres away with the Force, the lightsaber clattering away.
He turned his attention back to the white, swirling both lightsabers in intricate patterns he attacked forcing Jarec back step by step, inch by inch, until he launched a furious riposte, disarming his son. His next blow with elbow knocked Jarec to the ground. Kicking the now deactivated white lightsaber away he walked over and stood over his son, his black lightsaber ready to stab downwards, to end the life of the enemy Jedi. Destroy them, his emotions clouded his eyes and his sense as he prepared to stab downwards viciously.
Jarec lay there, beneath his father, stunned at the ferocity of his attack, he saw his father raise his lightsaber high, ready to kill him. Jarec had no choice, he was too hurt to get up, he felt the Force pin him in place, there was no more chances after this, he had to get his father to stop. No don't do this father please, DO NOT DO THIS! Using the last reserves of the Force that he had, he tried he pushed the image of himself lying there about to be decapitated by the crowning blow that Kroder was going to give him.
The fog of anger and hurt was still swirling through Kroder's head as he began to stab downwards, it was then that Jarec's last-ditch effort penetrated the veil, No don't do this father please, DO NOT DO THIS!, he heard it in his mind a faraway echo but there, and then he saw the image, the scene he was about to kill his own flesh and blood, the blade had already started its descent he could not stop it, so he deflected it, slightly to the right he saw that he missed and then there was a heavy blow to his head and he fell forward and everything went black.
Jarec saw his father's lightsaber move to the right and miss his ear by the barest of margins, and then his father's prone body fell on top of him, as the black lightsaber's deadman switch deactivated it. He saw Master Jacen standing above the both of them, the hilt of his lightsaber held as if it were a hammer.
"Master Jacen, thanks for saving me," Jarec said, as he rolled his father's prone body to the side and lay it on the ground. He saw that his father's face was still contorted in pain and agony, even though he was unconscious.
"It was you who saved us," Master Jacen replied, a small smile on his lips formed, "you did it, you saved your father and both of us."
"Thank you, Master," Jarec replied, "but is there anything we can do for father, he looks to be in so much pain."
"It will take time but he will get better," Jacen reassured his apprentice, "right now we will need to remove him from here, move him somewhere where he can find peace, somewhere away from others. He needs to reconnect with the wonders of life."
Meanwhile, the native Fydiri had arrived and peeked inside the hall seeing Jacen and Jarec, one of them approached and spoke, "It is as was foretold by the Seers; they foresaw their own deaths. But the One from the Stars will leave, it was foretold that he would. You must take him with you when you leave. May the Force be with you."
"The Force be with you too," Jacen replied, "Come, we will take the Shadow, and find a place for your father." Using the Force, they carried Kroder's unconscious form out of the castle and onto the Shadow, where they lay him on the bed. His features were still contorted in anguish. How am I going to help you?, Jarec helplessly thought as he held his father's hand between his own as Master Jacen flew the ship into hyperspace, the brilliant stars elongating out the viewport.
Deep in the Unknown Regions, the red-eyed Chiss sat at a computer terminal, reading the transmission from its spy. Her eyes lit up as she read the information, it was time, the fleet elements are in position, time to strike!
Meanwhile, back in orbit around Fydir Prime, the peace agreement between the Alliance and the members of Project Byss were being finalized. Project Byss would become Fydir Engineering Corporation, and would become a major shipyard installation, after being granted membership in the Alliance. The peace treaty was signed by the scientists, and the space navy commanders of Project Byss and the Alliance navy commander, with formal alliance to be sealed within one month.
Kroder still lay unconscious after three days, his face still twisted in agony, Jarec had kept his beside vigil, for three days, drawing on the Force to sustain him, but now fatigue was starting to tire him. He could feel the Force rage through his father's body almost screaming. His father seemed to be drawing on the Force to sustain his body unconsciously. He felt his eyes droop, almost close, he sought to draw on the Force to sustain him once more, but before he could do so he caught a glimpse of a vision, he had somehow linked to his father's dream, his father seemed to be broadcasting his nightmare through the Force, though weaker than it was last time, Jarec caught a few fleeting glimpses, before the Force woke him again and the visions passed.
It seems like that I can only see his dreams in a semi-conscious state, Jarec realised, so I'll have to somehow use the Force to keep myself in this state so that I can see. Drawing on the Force, even though he was now bone-tired, he eased himself into a state of semi-consciousness and then he saw, he saw his father's nightmare, transmitted through the Force.
It was like a raging storm, images flashed by, some were mundane, snippets of life on Byss. He saw his father's graduation from Carida, the happiness he felt when he had been rewarded by the Emperor Reborn with his personal command, the Dark Avatar. He saw the missions that the Dark Avatar had been on, he saw the satisfaction on the Emperor's face as his father reported a success. Then there was a scene where his ships had battled some Republic Forces, another montage of the Emperor giving his father new mission orders and then a gift, a small dodecahedron which seemed familiar somehow, he heard the Emperor outline the parameters of Project Byss, he felt the adoration his father had felt for Palpantine.
He felt the anger of his father against Masters Luke and Mara. He saw the vision from Denon again, he saw what had happened to his father again, it bought tears to his eyes, knowing that his father had lied to him about his past, but he was mature enough and wise enough to know it was for his own protection, he understood enough that his father's links to Palpantine should never be revealed, but he felt his father could have at least trusted him with the truth. The visions continued.
He saw his father's torture by Republic interrogators, he felt the pain and the hurt. He witnessed his father's time in prison, he saw the beating he received at the hands of the guards, the prison fights, he felt the blows that he received, but most of all he felt pain. He sensed his father's feelings of anger in fistfights, he felt pain and helplessness and rage as his father had been shot with a blaster set on stun, shocking all his nerves at the same time. The rage pierced through, overlay this whole period of his life.
Physically and mentally exhausted, Jarec could not keep up his effort any longer as his body demanded rest, he feel asleep, wondering how he could help his father, the same way Jacen had helped him past his rage and hurt.
Jacen wondered into the ship's quarters where Kroder lay cataleptic, he saw Jarec had fallen asleep on top of his father's prone body. Jacen reflected on the events of the past few days, he had to make some important decisions. He only hoped that the Force would guide him to make the right choice.
Images flashed within Kroder's mind as a panorama of images, flashes from the Force replayed themselves through his mind. He saw the images of his life, his devotion to his liege, his realisation of the death of his liege, but most of all the torture of having his mind raped against his will replayed itself over and over again, the pain becoming more intense each time.
The waves of pain could be felt emanating from his prone body throughout the ship. Jacen had to fight and concentrate to keep the pain from overwhelming him, as the ship went on autopilot to Denon.
Jarec, awoke, saw that he had fallen asleep. He called to Master Jacen, "We need to do something, the pain it is hurting, almost blinding out all other feelings, all other sense."
Jacen replied, "I know, but with a mind hurt like that, it would take one very strong in the Force and closely bonded to heal him."
Jarec knew, it would all be up to him to do it, "I will do this, I will heal my father." He steeled himself as he gathered the Living Force to his body channelling it, refining it until he entered into his father's mind.
You can't die! You have to live! For me! For yourself! Jarec concentrated and tried to push through the formidable shield blanketing Kroder's mind. He pushed forwards, triying to break through to his father, who was drowning in his own pain and anger. He swam through his father's pain. He pushed harder and harder, as the bond between them grew stronger and stronger, harder to break and withdraw. It required giving up his whole being. Finally he saw, there at the centre, huddled in a foetal position; he saw his father, shivering, alone, lost. He stretched out his hand beckoning to his father who did not notice. He pressed on, until he was floating next to his father, he tried to gently lift him up, called on the Force, using all of his strength he lifted, to save his father, he pushed exerted himself, let the joy of the Force fill him as he lifted.
And his father moved, up along with him, up through the barriers of pain and anger, until once again they were at the surface, he let the link snap, as he returned to his own body, and left his father again. He woke bone-tired but successful. His father's face was on longer in pain, indeed it was peaceful.
Days later, Kroder's body had healed, he was no longer in danger, but a gloom of melancholy hung over him, he got up and proceeded to the pilot's room, "I have to go away, somewhere, to think, to see where I fit into the scheme of things now," he said to Jacen and Jarec. "I will drop you at Denon and then leave again, I shall take the Shadow."
When he got to the spaceport he dropped the two Jedi off, and blasted away to wherever the Force would take him. It was his journey now, he was free of the past, hesitant but hopeful about the future. He knew he had a son to return to, as soon as he found himself, but he knew it would be a hard and long journey, to reconcile what he had been, what he was now, and what he might be in the future. The Force would guide him, that he knew.