Chapter 11: Front Runners

I opened the doors to the bridge and walked in, taking the front stand near the holo-projector in the center of the room. I cast an eye around, seeing Obi Wan and Anakin standing near two of the holo-maps. I walked forward to the projector and placed my hands on top of the blue-gridded circular data screen.

A bridge I had seen too many times for it to be surprising.

"So, where's Yoda?" I said nonchalantly, looking at my old master and my friend.

Obi Wan nodded his head to the side, "He's in the bridge. Alone."

"Alone?" I raised an eyebrow.

"He overheard our conversation, Blaze. He knows you wish to speak with him." Obi Wan said, walking up to the other side of the holo-projector. "I do wish you to be careful though."

"Why?" I asked, leaning my arms back and stretching them out. "I'm only going to speak my mind. Nothing wrong with that."

"No. But, I know you, Blaze." Obi Wan cracked a small smile under his beard. "I know that you'll speak your mind and it may come off as disrespectful."

MY smirk died out in that moment as I gave him a glare, "Honestly, I don't care about respect right now, Obi Wan."

Obi Wan gave me a glare back, "Well you should. I'm just advising you proceed with caution."

"I'm going to tell him what I want to tell him, Obi Wan." I said and started walking around the table, "There's a difference from the boy you found and the man I am now."

Obi Wan laid a hand on my shoulder, stopping my movements, "I know. And I couldn't be more proud."

Anakin smiled and walked over, laying his hand on my other hand, "Me too. I remember when we picked you up on Earth. Man, you had no skills."

"What about that thing with the AAT?" I smirked at the Chosen One.

Anakin shrugged, "Dumb luck." He winked at me.

I laughed, "Well, as much as I would love to reminisce about old times, I have to get going."

"Good luck, kid." Anakin slapped me on the back. "I'm gonna go find Ahsoka. I wanna see if she's ok from the bombing."

"She is but ok." I chuckled as Skywalker left the room.

I turned back to the other set of doors that led to the actual bridge. They opened automatically opened and I stepped inside, taking my first step forward as they closed behind me.

Ahead of me at the front of the ship was Master Yoda. He was staring up and out of the viewports at the vastness of space.

"Wish to speak to me, you did?" Yoda said, turning around, a soft smile on his face.

"I did." I said as I made it to him and took a seat in front of him, crossing my legs.

"About what, may I ask?" Yoda took a seat too, mirroring my pose.

"It's about this new war." I said, "Whether it is announced as a war or not, it is. We both know that much."

Yoda nodded his head, "Yes."

"You know my secret, Master." I continued, "You know about my past and about all the powers I have. You know that I knew about the Clone Wars' outcome and how I knew about it. Palpatine had a notion about it too. But, now I have no knowledge about what is going to happen, but I do have some suggestions about how to proceed."

"Tell me, please." Yoda gave another gentle smile.

The fact he was willing to listen was confidence enough to continue on, "First, we have to set up a base of operations that is fully equipped to handle long term occupation."

"Handle that, I have no doubt we will. Shipyards and planets, we have." Yoda spoke, "All of them, this Shadow Brigade does not have."

"I understand that, Master, but I don't want this war to drawl out for years on end." I take a breath, "My plan is to end this war within a year…if we do things my way."

"Listening, I am, Blaze." Yoda said, tapping his stick to the floor.

I took a breath, "This is something I thought about actually during the Clone Wars but I never voiced it. I believe that the entire Council should be actively searching for the threats in the war."

"And leave none would you, to manage the Temple?" Yoda raised an eyebrow.

Give me credit. I crossed my arms, "Of course not, there would still be Masters there that have no Padawans that could do just that. But, the Council is made up of the best of the best and we just lost some of the best of the best." I shifted my arms, "I'm saying that the way we should handle this war is this: we let the military officials like the admirals run the ships and the hyperspace lanes and the mission parameters, but every Jedi we can get needs to participate in them especially if multiple battles are going on."

Yoda looked like he was about to protest but I continued.

"Risky, I know, but this war needs to be won now. They have a few victories, so we can't let them breathe at all." I slammed my fist into my other hand. "We need to strike fast and strike hard. With that said, I'm going to get a damage report from all the systems attacked and see which ones they have taken in the last few hours because something tells me that they've taken a quite a few systems. But, I advise that the Jedi Strike Force be put into effect immediately."

Yoda was silent for a moment, humming gently to himself with his eyes closed, "Casualties there will be. Lives will be lost. But, this plan, work it might." He opened his eyes, "Backfire this could."

I nodded, "It just might, or it could make sure this war doesn't last long."

"Unsure, I am." Yoda said, "Strong, the Dark Side is. Ready, I fear most are not."

"Neither were they when the Clone Wars came about." I argued.

"And, had you not been there, dead we all would be." Yoda said.

I frowned, "That was because Sidious had integrated himself and made the war. This is a war that was instigated by a major blow to the Republic, not a twenty something year old plan that was planned to a T."

Yoda's eyes narrowed, "And, barely stopped it, did you."

"The fact is that it was stopped in a single moment by me." I emphasized myself, "The Jedi would be gone without me. I stopped one war and I promise to stop this one. I'm not saying this'll be easy and without the Senate on Coruscant, our supplies are cut short and we'll have to transport to a different base of operations, but it'll be easier to win if you just listen to me and follow my lead." I frowned harder at the wise master in front of me, "I'm not asking you to understand; I'm asking you to trust me."

"Trust you I can." Yoda said, "Unsure, I still am."

I clenched my fists, "Master Yoda." I unclenched them, "I lost my family in the Temple Raid."

Yoda's ears perked up slightly, "Sorry, I am."

"You once said letting go of everything you feared to lose was something you had to do to avoid attachment and greed and ultimately the Dark Side." I said, "But, I changed your minds after Maltus. I showed you that attachment was exactly what we needed. Love to fight for something is what drove us." My eyes burned gently as my emotions fought to take control of me, "I want to end this war for them! For my family!"

"Revenge?" Yoda asked, his golden eyes searching mine.

I gave no ground, "No. Justice."

"On the same coin, they both are. Easy to be fooled, you are. Justice, you say, revenge you might take." Yoda said.

"I will end this war for them." I corrected, staring him straight in his eyes, "I will fight this war for everybody we have lost and everyone we will lose."

Yoda's ears twitched with the fraction of a movement, but my eyes caught it. He closed his eyes once again, "Accept the appointment to the Council, you do?"

"Off topic, Master Yoda." I gave a retort.

"On topic, I assure you it is." Yoda said back, "This position, accept it will you?"

"My conditions are as I laid them out for you." I said, "Accept them or I deny the position."

"To every Jedi, this is not available." Yoda spoke softer.

I nodded my head in understanding, "I get that, but to be on the Council there were parameters. Those I met, but I feel like if people were worthy of such a seat, then the Council should have been expanded, but it wasn't and, no offense to any of the masters, there were plenty of commendable Jedi that should have been on the Council."

"Understand your opinion, I do." Yoda took a long look at me, "Accept your proposal, I do."

The weight that I had started to feel on my shoulders was suddenly lifted and I was barely able to contain my relief. I leaned back on my hands and gave a big grin, "For a second there I wasn't sure what was going to happen, Master." I ended with a laugh.

Yoda got to his feet and I did a few seconds after, "Your plans, what are they?"

I crossed my arms, "First, damage report, Second, rest from the battle. Third, all out attacks. Whatever system we have to take back we make sure to send double the firepower to take it back. Less casualties in all honesty and it will clean them up. And the Jedi will launch a much bigger strike force than just a team of one or two. We use everything we have. We use the new Knights and Padawan teams that are ready for this. Padawans below fourteen have no business in these battles. Also, a part of my own select team will go with each battle group."

"A team, have you already?" Yoda asked, picking up his wooden stick.

I gave a shrug, "Haven't talked with them about it yet, but my plan is to send the people I know that have advanced abilities with whatever Jedi team you pick out, Master." I bowed my head gently, "And I meant no disrespect during the talk."

"Disrespect, I know was not your intention. Said your mind, you have. Knew this about you, I did, when Master Kenobi took you as his Padawan." Yoda cracked a smirk. "Regret the decision to accept you, despite your age, I do not."

"Well, that's good." I chuckled, looking down at the Jedi Master, "And I don't regret accepting to become one."

"Bring your family back, will you?" Yoda suddenly asked.

"You mean with the Force?" I asked, my features smoothing out.

Yoda nodded, "Like Siri, you did."

"Something tells me it won't work." I said sadly, "It might just be my own emotions, but something is telling me that they are gone for good. It might be the Force telling me that. But, we are from a different universe, so maybe, when we die here, we go to where we were created. That afterlife. And in that afterlife, there is no Force."

Yoda nodded, then pat the side of my leg with his hand, "Sorry I am, Blaze. Turn the clock back, I wish I could."

"Me too." I smiled his attempt to show his concern and affection. I turned to look out at the vastness of space only to see four cruisers come out of hyperspace. "But, that means that I can't let anybody else die. Ziv, Lyra, and my brother are the only ones left."

"Protect them, I have no doubt you will." Yoda started to hobble down the aisle to the doors.

I matched his slow stride, "I promise that I'll win this war, Master Yoda."

Yoda continued to walk, "Good that is to hear, Master Marko."

I smiled at the use of my title. Once at the doors, I didn't let them open at first as I spoke again, "I'm going to go talk to Ziv about my plan. I would like you to inform Obi Wan and Anakin as well and talk about devising sect teams for strike forces. I prefer three to four Jedi an attack and you can judge them based on their power. I know you'll do great at that."

Yoda nodded, "Do this, I will."

I opened the doors and walked across the bridge past Obi Wan and Anakin. I gave them a smile of victory before I reached out with the Force as I walked away. I locked onto my best friend's energy signature.

He was in Medical.


After a short walk, I made it down to Medical. It was just as I left it, despite there being a few less occupants. Obviously, they had either been moved or had moved themselves as to create room for others that might need it.

My attention went straight to the back of the room where my best friend was now standing, his hand against the tank that held his sister. Even from behind him, I could feel his emotions. His power even started to fluctuate.

Then, it calmed down.

He turned around, staring straight at me. I blinked twice before I realized he could actually see me.

I made my way over to him, "Ziv, I –"

"Thank you." He said gently, his features threatening to burst at any moment. "Thank you for saving her."

I smiled, "Always, Ziv. She's my friend. I would've stayed back and fought to get her back if I had to."

"But, you didn't. You got her out of there." Ziv said, taking a deep breath before speaking again, "And my parents?"

"They're gone, Ziv. So are mine." I said, placing a hand on his shoulder and giving it a squeeze as I felt his emotions rise.

"How?" He choked out.

"A suicide bomber." I answered him, taking my hand away and laying a hand on the glass tank, "He had all of our family tied up and was taking them somewhere when I showed up. He obviously knew he was going to die, so he killed himself and our parents and Danni."

"Danni's dead too?" Ziv's voice broke.

I gave a sad nod, feeling my own heart constrict in my chest as their faces flashed before my eyes. "Even Danni, but Lyra survived." I paused, "Even though first I thought everybody died, then she called out my name and I got her out of there."

Ziv's eyes watered and he nodded. Then, he turned his head, "I should have been with them."

"No, you shouldn't have. You might be dead too if you were." I said firmly, then changed to a thoughtful tone as a thought of my own came to mind, "Speaking of that, where were you?"

"I was with Kiara." He said, looking back up at me and fixing his glasses. "I was helping her move about. Cultrous gave her a concussion and it made her a little wobbly. I was in Library with her when they attacked."

"The Shadow Brigade." I said.

"What?" He looked into my eyes.

I nodded, "You heard me. They call themselves the Shadow Brigade. Ahsoka and I faced the Shadow Apprentices on Tatooine when we went looking for Mara, then they attacked here since I was gone."

"Obviously this is war." Ziv ground out, his teeth clenched.

I proceeded to tell him about the plan I had come up with and had spoken about with Master Yoda. The explanation took just as long and soon I was at his involvement.

"I want you on this team I'm composing." I said, "You are one of the strongest Jedi here so I need you to help with this war quickly."

"I'm in." Ziv smiled, "Anything to get this war over with."

"The plan is that you and another person will go with two other Jedi that Master Yoda picks out and all four of you will go on a mission to retake any planet that the Shadow Brigade has stolen." I explained, "Thus, making it four Jedi for one mission."

"How fast do you think this war will last if we follow your plan, buddy?" Ziv asked, his voice firm and questioning.

"No more than a year." I said, "And I hope you know that Lyra is included in the advanced team."

Ziv's eyes hardened, "The thought had crossed my mind."

"Listen, obviously I wouldn't dare make her go anywhere till she was at a hundred percent again." I rationalized, making sure to tread carefully, "And she would only go on missions with your or I since we are most qualified to protect her." I cast a glance to my brother on his bed, "Same goes for Jake."

Ziv looked at him and nodded, "Of course, brother."

"But, first we are going to do some recuperation but not too much because we can't lose too much time." I spoke quickly, almost feeling repetitive. I turned back to the tank's control panel and I smiled, "She'll be done in a few hours and there will be minimal scaring."

Ziv nodded, "Ok. Anything else I should know."

You deserve to know. I thought before I spoke, "I want you to know this: Wrath and Cultrous are responsible for the deaths of our parents. When I find them, I'm going to kill them."

"I agree with you all the way." Ziv said, "Just don't lose your head and I won't either."

"Deal, brother." I clapped his hand with him and gave it a firm shake, conveying my brotherly feelings through the Force, to which he gave them right back in full. "Watch Jake for me while I go get out the damage report."

"I bet it's more than a hundred systems." Ziv cracked a smile at me.

I smiled right back at him, "Bet it's less than a hundred."

"Watch it be a hundred even." My best friend broke out into laughter. For a moment, his face transformed into the little boy that became my best friend. His rugged features he had grown into had smoothened for just a few seconds as he was completely relaxed.

"I wouldn't doubt it, brother." I said before I released his hand and started to walk away.

"Wait!" His voice echoed out to me as I made it to the entrance.

I turned around, "What's up?"

He walked over to me and pointed at my waist, "When did you get that?"

I followed his gaze to my hip, more specifically to the darksaber hanging by my side. I unclipped the weapon and ignited the black blade with white wisps with a high pitched hum. Swinging the blade around, I spoke, "Picked this off of one of the Shadow Apprentices. Apparently, he was given this as a trophy for his hard work in the dark arts."

"Well, if you have it now," He started to laugh, his glasses leaning down the bridge of his nose, "that shows just how much effort he put in."

"He was actually really strong." I said somberly, shutting down the weapon and hooking it back onto my belt, "All three of the apprentices were."

"What happened to them?" Ziv asked.

I frowned, "I killed the leader, Brax and the other two, Kanos and Vexin, escaped."

"Should we be worried about those two?" Ziv narrowed his eyes in question.

I shook my head, leaning against the doors, "No. If we face them again, I'll handle them, it's just that…" I trailed off. How do I say this?

Ziv cocked his head to the side, "What is it?"

I crossed my arms, "Kanos actually listened to me and didn't fight me. There was conflict in her, just as well as anger, when I killed Brax."

"So?"

"So, maybe she's not all the way corrupted." I said optimistically, offering a weak smile.

"I think you are reading too much into this, brother." Ziv was quick to respond.

"Maybe, but you never know." I shrugged my shoulders and opened the doors, standing straight up. "I'm off."

"Best of luck, brother." Ziv gave me a thumbs up before walking back to the tank that held his sister.

To all of us. I thought quietly as I walked away.


I held the damage report in my hand in the form of a holo-pad. I scrolled down the quickly typed up report by a master technician and analyst and I frowned to myself. There were quite a lot of planets that had been taken in the last day.

It was strange to refer to it as a day.

Communications with the Senate had ceased entirely, which was expected from the beginning. But, that didn't mean it was good. Without the Senate to back us up, there wouldn't be any official transactions for fuel or weapons.

That meant we had to use the reserves at the stations around the galaxy for refueling and for restocking on supplies. It was times like this when I was grateful for the amount of supplies that the cruisers normally came with. Obviously we would have to restock once we got low and once we set up a base of operations, but that meant we needed a suitable base.

One that isn't susceptible to an attack. I thought, scrolling through the list a bit more, then sighing deeply. But, the Shadow Brigade is really strong so they could take any of these and they did.

I continued to walk along the hallways of the ship, paying close attention to the datapad and figuring out solutions and plans. After a long time looking at the holo-pad, I closed my eyes and felt them burn. A yawn escaped my lips and I stumbled gently.

I picked myself up before I fell and I bumped headlong into someone.

"I'm sorry." I started to say, looking at the person but my words caught nothing but air as I saw who it was.

"Maltus."


Cliffhanger!

Next: Chapter 12: Return to the Past