Part IX:

"Jaina! Jaina where are you?" Luke poked around the Falcon, he tried to feel her through the force, he suddenly felt cold…

"Yes Uncle?" Jaina appeared from the cargo hold.

"We've been looking for you everywhere, I have news; Jacen is alive."

"Wait, what?! What do you mean he's alive? What about Anakin?" Jaina rushed towards Luke's side.

"Anakin is with the force, but Jacen is still on Coruscant, trapped in its depths, we received word of this through an emergency distress signal coming from Kanar the Hutt's palace."

"We have to go get him!" Jaina responded,

"We can't Jaina." Luke urged.

"What do you mean we can't? We have to! He's my brother!" Jaina's eyes filled with tears. Luke embraced her,

"We're not strong enough yet Jaina, they've locked down Coruscant- blockaded it, we have no access to that system."

"Use your power! Uncle, you're strong enough to destroy a planet! Use that power now!" Jaina thrashed through her tears.

"It's too risky, I could die doing such things Jaina. Don't worry, we'll get him." Luke caressed her hair, embracing his niece.

Jacen felt himself being dragged, he slowly opened his eyes, soldiers surrounded his body- bloodied and battle hardened. He looked up to see who was dragging him, a Wookie; brown and gray fur, a long braid coming down from the top of its head. "Where am I trooper?" He let out with a cough.

"We're headed toward a police outpost in sector 45, you're okay sir, minor damage." One trooper replied.

"Let me stand." Jacen fidgeted, the Wookie released his grip. Jacen slowly rose to his feet, he felt a sharp pain rise through his spine, he felt for his lightsaber; Anakin's was in it's place. He gripped the lightsaber until his knuckles turned white. The squad urged Jacen to follow, "How many of you are left?"

"Not many Commander, the legion was broken up when the Vong reached the Senate building. Comm links have been down, we got no word from any survivors. For right now, it's just us." The trooper replied,

"That's just great. Who's the Wookie?" Jacen pointed at the beast.

"Lowbacca, a Jedi actually. I'm surprised you don't know him."

"I was never really on Yavin, General Skywalker and I were always on assignment, I never got to meet many of the trainees." Jacen clipped the lightsaber back on his belt. Lowbacca led the squad, he stomped his way through the ghost town that was the Coruscant underworld. He signaled for the group to halt, he ignited his lightsaber, the troops raised their weapons. Jacen looked around, he heard clicking, louder and louder...clicking. He ignited his lightsaber. The ceiling lights above the group short circuited, and burst. Darkness, the humming of lightsabers sounded through the street. The clicking stopped, Jacen felt nothing through the force, not even the soldiers.

"Rwar unggh rwaarrr!" Lowbacca yelled as he thrust his lightsaber forward, he cut a giant bug in two. The clicking grew louder, Jacen heard the clicking around him, closing in.

"Enemies! Fire!" Blaster fire lit up the street, flashes of insects appeared before Jacen and he sliced, slashed and ducked as the squad fought. Suddenly, the insects stopped dead in their tracks, they turned and scurried away.

"What the hell is going on?" Jacen said under his breath.

"Commander, we have wounded!" Jacen ran over to a trooper, he was huddled over another. "He was bitten badly, acid is seeping into his skull."

"Can we save him?" Jacen said. Lowbacca put his hand on Jacen's shoulder, Jacen looked up- Lowbacca shook his head. The soldier's face had look of pain and terror perpetually carved. Green liquid made it's way through his skin, disintegrating it. Jacen put his hand on the trooper's chest and sobbed.

Thrawn looked at Leia, his eyes peered up and down. Her face showed her grief, pale- dark circles under her eyes. "Tell me Chancellor, why should I allow my forces to join yours after those skirmishes- how could we work together. We fought against each other in the war Chancellor Organa, tell me; could you call me an ally?" Thrawn leaned on his desk with his elbows.

"Not allies- associates. Admiral, the galaxy is at risk. Even your Empire can be destroyed. The Vong will not cease, they've seized three systems the day of the invasion. We can't stop them alone, we need allies- associates. We need associates."

"Do you think, even with my help… you can stop them? Chancellor, you and your Republic are doomed. We're all doomed. I've studied them Leia, in my travels- I've gotten to know them. We have nothing, you have nothing- we can't stop them. The sooner you realize that. The better." Thrawn swiveled his chair to face the window behind him.

"We have to try Admiral, that's all we can do, is try." She got up from the chair and started to walk out of the office,

"Your son died trying Leia." Thrawn said. Leia turned to him,

"He died a hero. You will die a coward, that's what separates the people who try and the people who don't. Goodbye Thrawn, may the force be with you." Leia walked out of the Imperial HQ. She lifted her hood and boarded her starship. C-3PO greeted her,

"Mistress Leia, we received a transmission from Master Skywalker, he has made contact with the Hutts on Nal Hutta. He requests you to return to Corellia with the rest of the remaining Senators. Oh my, look out behind you!" Leia turned and ignited her lightsaber, she locked sabers with a hooded figure.

"Who are you?" Leia threw the assailant from the boarding ramp and onto the landing platform. "How dare you attack the Chancellor of the Galactic Republic!"

"Your treachery ends here!" The attacker lunged at Leia, she deflected and countered. Sabers crashed together, "You are weak, your Master has not taught you well enough. I will destroy you Leia." They unlocked sabers, the attacker hacked at Leia's head, she ducked and foot-swept the attacker's feet.

"I know your voice, it's familiar, cease and you will be spared." Leia pointed the tip of her lightsaber at the attacker's throat. The hood covering the attacker's face was removed, Viqi Shesh. "Senator Shesh! You wanted me dead?"

"I want peace. You Skywalkers bring destruction wherever you go, the Jedi bring destruction wherever they go. All of you must be destroyed." Shesh spit at Leia's feet. Stormtroopers sprinted out to the landing platform.

"We will take Senator Shesh to a holding facility." The Stormtrooper commander said.

"No, cuff her and bring her on board." Leia glared at Shesh.

"I don't take orders from you Chancellor." The Stormtrooper grabbed Shesh, they formed a circle around her and walked off the platform. Leia looked down, Shesh's lightsaber. She had seen that exact design before, Palpatine.

That's it! Leia thought to herself as she sprinted on board her ship and sailed into the sky.

"Stay close to me you two, Nal Hutta is a dangerous place, especially for Jedi." Luke, Ben and Jaina walked through an open market, the stench of sewage and obscure food whiffed in the air. Gammorean guards watched the Jedi's every move, Luke sensed a dark presence on the planet, he felt cold. "Do you two feel that?"

"Yes father I do, it's the same feeling I had on Naboo." Ben replied.

"It's coming from the palace, I sense it." Jaina said. The three Jedi walked up to the giant blast door of the Hutt palace, six guards were placed along the entrance.

"What's your business here Master Jedi?" One of the guards sneered.

"We have a meeting with your bosses. You will let us see them." Luke twirled his hand.

"I will let you see them." The guard complied, muttering something into the comm link. The blast doors slowly opened. "They're waiting for you."

"You will be rewarded." Luke twirled his hand again,

"I will be rewarded." The guard responded. The smell of alcohol and death sticks, coupled with the slight stench of dung filled the nostrils of the Jedi. Luke felt colder, he felt the darkness become greater as he made his way to the throne room. A figure stood at the door to the throne room, Luke recognized him.

"Fett, what are you doing here?" Luke reached for his lightsaber,

"Calm down Master Jedi, I'm on your side." Boba removed his helmet.

"I can't trust you, what do you mean you're on my side?" Luke replied,

"The Hutts are making an alliance with that Sith lord in there, I don't like him- the Vong must be destroyed; I'd reckon he won't use their forces for that- you will."

"Fett, there's a Sith lord in there? Who?" Luke grabbed his saber.

"He calls himself Krayt." Boba looked at Jaina and Ben. Luke shoved Fett aside and burst through the door into the throne room. The four mighty Hutts glared at Luke and his Jedi, Krayt turned to greet them,

"Master Skywalker, what an honor for you to join us."

"Ch'irci Tocu'ren'mur, csei cart nah cseah ch'at vosis veo ch'ircr." [Master Jedi, that is no way to treat your hosts] Challa the Hutt said.

"Your highnesses, I demand to know what this scum is doing here, he was not apart of our discussion." Luke said, still gripping his saber.

"Cseah viz cart ch'a lin'he'ah can ttin'i, Krayt csarcican't cart vun'bovah ch'acuzah nah tsuzepah vah. Cart cseah ch'a tsuntahn bah cseo ei?" [There has been a change in plans, Krayt will lead the forces we provide you. Is there a problem with such things?] Challa continued.

"Yes Skywalker, is there a problem? I hate the Vong as much as you do- oh excuse me, ha! The Jedi don't hate, they merely dislike." Krayt chuckled.

"We don't trust you Krayt. You're Sith." Luke glared at Krayt.

"Ooh, I feel your anger, just do it, show your pets your power." Krayt reached for his saber,

"Taskust hsr'ah nah g'evipah can csei s cssun'i sicnr! Ch'irci Tocu'ren'mur, Ch'ah ch'urci bacin'bah vah ch'at tir. Vah viz ch'atvun'bovah vun'ur ch\'it ch'at to Vot han'ci." [Violence shall not occur in this throne room! Master Jedi, I must ask you to leave. You have brought dishonor to the Hutt clan] Challa looked at the other Hutts in agreement, they nodded their heads in approval.

"That will be the last mistake you'll ever make." Luke stormed out of the throne room.