23ABY, Yavin 4
Two N-1 Starfighters erupted from hyperspace below the gas giant of Yavin.
"I'm tracking him now," Ali told Ghatts as he fiddled with a computer system, "He's heading for the Massassi Temple, he's landing in the trees."
"Good to know, set your course for the fourth moon," Ghatts replied as they both sped around Yavin towards their destination.
The Massassi Temple was a grand temple, built thousands of years ago by an ancient race which had gone long extinct. Ali hopped out his fighter as he watched his father look at something inside the cockpit.
Ghatts looked down and thought about the past, he thought about everything that had happened. The death of the wife he had had Ali and Aljan with, trying to raise them without a mother, Aljan going to the Republic. But, between that another he had loved so dearly, Akila Shif, she had also been a similar situation to him, raising her daughter, Camla Shif without a father. She had schooled Ali from a young age, but she had too gone, he remembered her last wish reciting it to himself. Ali had violated it. Elisa was a good wife, but his love for Akila and her last wish had been ignored. Camla Shif had gone travelling the galaxy after the death of her mother, she had been gone for several years.
Ali felt Ghatts' sadness from the exterior of the N-1 Starfighter. Something felt wrong, wrong about everything. He had a bad feeling about the coming times. The past, the present and the future, everything had changed. He hoped for Elisa's health, their child's health and his father's sadness and worry.
Ghatts jumped out of the cockpit of the N-1 Starfighter.
"I felt your sadness father," Ali enquired, "And your worry."
"I was thinking about the past, let us look to the future in hope," Ghatts inspired, "Let's get going we have a job to do."
The Massassi Temple was grand from the exterior and the interior bared the remains of a long abandoned Rebellion Base which had been hidden in the spacious temple.
"What happened here?" Ali asked, "It looks broken."
"Heh," Ghatts chuckled to himself as he remembered the past again, "I was stationed here in the Galactic Civil War, not long before the Battle of Scarif. I knew one or two of the leaders from past times, I was ranked under General Hera Syndulla, a good friend and an excellent pilot. After Scarif, we had discovered a secret superweapon of the Empire, the Death Star. They were targeting us and we attacked. Many died, but your good ol' Uncle Luke blasted torpedoes down the reactor shaft and destroyed the weapon of terror. Shortly after the destruction, the Empire came and we had to evacuate."
They had entered the main control room overlooking a sunset across the great forest.
"That's when I left the Rebellion and found out who I truly was, a Skywalker. I went after my brother Luke, but was captured by Vader and taken to the Emperor. I escaped and met your mother."
"Why are you telling me this?" Ali asked unsure of what his father was trying to put across to him.
"I've been thinking, flashing back to the past, but I've got to let go of it, the past is in the past," Ghatts told Ali.
Suddenly, a flash emerged from the sky as a Resurgant-class Star Destroyer emerged from hyperspace followed by several Imperial-II class Star Destroyers.
"The First Order and the last Remnants of the Empire," Ali muttered in worry.
"It's a trap!" Ghatts exclaimed as he turned for the exit to the room.
"Indeed it is," a voice growled from the darkness of the doorway as Van Inikian emerged brandishing the Darksaber, "When you and your son are gone, it will be a great pleasure of mine to receive an incredible pay from the Supreme Leader."
"You won't get chance to get paid," Ghatts growled in return igniting his blue lightsaber as Ali ignited his.
"Oh, we'll see shall we," Inikian smirked.
"Deploy the fighters and destroy that temple," Hux commanded as he overlooked the orbit of Yavin 4.
"Sir, Republic ships are inbound," an officer exclaimed.
"Bring me out of here, they must not discover the First Order," Hux commanded as the Absolution quickly exited the battle.
"Create a defensive perimeter and make sure no Republic ships get through our blockade," Admiral Vellus commanded from the Tector-class Star Destroyer Invincible.
"Republic ships on final sir," an officer told Vellus as he looked into space.
"Go straight in and don't let these thugs scare you!" Poe Dameron exclaimed.
"Roger Rapier Leader," Aljan replied as they emerged from hyperspace into the blockade followed by several Republic Cruisers.
Rapier Squadron opened their S-foils and flew towards the blockade at maximum speed as Green Squadron's RZ-2 A-wings formed up behind them.
"Focus forwards deflector shields," Aljan commanded as the oncoming blockade became ever closer, "Keep those fighters off the cruisers."
TIE Fighters sped towards the Republic Starfighters at speed as they opened fire. The two groups of fighters passed between each other as Green Four was destroyed.
"Rapier Two, on me," Poe commanded as Kare Kun pulled up behind him as they sped past the Imperial Star Destroyers towards the surface as Iolo Arana as Rapier Three and Aljan as Rapier Four followed in pursuit. Some TIE fighters broke off and chased Rapier Squadron towards the surface.
Ali peered up during the duel with Inikian to see the Republic arrive as they briefly paused. Ghatts stopped to take in a deep breath.
"You think they can save you?" Inikian mocked, "Your pathetic belief in your friends will result in the death of not just you but you disordered Republic too!"
"I don't think so!" Ali growled as he charged forwards meeting Inikian with rapid strikes as Ghatts ran forwards but was pushed back by Inikian's wrist rockets. They duelled through the temple which was now collapsing from the bombs the TIE Bombers were dropping onto them from above. The floor caved in around them as the remaining platform they were standing on cracked. Ghatts had managed to run into the collapsing courtyard just in time to see Inikian swing his blade towards Ali's face unbalancing him and sending the boy flying into the unknown.
"No!" Ghatts shouted, "No!"
"You knew I would defeat you just like I did your wife, now I accept no surrender, just utter defeat," Inikian snarled in glory, "And the end of your Royal House."
"Not yet," Ghatts replied, "The end is not today, hope still lives and as long as it does there is always someone to oppose you!"
Ghatts motioned in a stabbing move charging forwards to meet Inikian's strong defensive strikes. They exited the temple as it collapsed behind them. A shot Republic X-wing crashed down behind them as its fuel exploded sending shards of metal spinning in all directions. Inikian quickly ducked missing his head by inches.
This gave Ghatts a chance. He ran forwards and swung down onto Inikian as he felt a sharp pain in his stomach as blaster fire pieced it. Inikian had unleashed one of his secret tactics. Ghatts fell back in defeat. Inikian stormed forwards igniting the Darksaber.
"And now you will die," Inikian boasted, "Just like your wife and son."
"You may kill me but you will never weaken me," Ghatts replied.
"Oh, I love your last speech," Inikian joked as he brought the Darksaber down in a swinging motion and sliced Ghatts through the stomach.
He reached to pick up Ghatts lightsaber when it slipped from his hands and he was flung onto the floor. The lightsaber flew into Ali's hands as he ignited his own green lightsaber and his father's blue.
"The Supreme Leader was looking forward to this," Inikian exclaimed as he wielded the Darksaber.
"That was a mistake," Ali told Inikian.
"Why? Because nobody will have to deal with the guilt of watching you die?" Inikian mocked.
"No, because my father is now more powerful than you can possibly imagine and I have nothing left to fear!" Ali replied.
"So be it, Jedi."
Ali charged forwards swinging in wild strikes at Inikian as he failed to keep up with the young Jedi. He used his jetpack to blast away and avoid a rapid strike by Ali. He drew a flame rocket and blasted towards Ali who jumped towards him using his father's lightsaber to go spinning at the wrist device and slice it off. Inikian deactivated Ghatts' lightsaber before landing back down and reigniting the Darksaber and attacking will full ferocity. Ali met that ferocity with ferocity. They clashed across the old temple as soldiers fought around them.
Inikian kicked Ali's metallic hand sending his lightsaber flying across the yard. He charged forwards using his jetpack as a boost towards the boy. He landed swinging the Darksaber down towards Ali who grabbed it as they pulled for the Darksaber.
"I will make sure you get back to the Supreme Leader alive!" Inikian roared.
"Tell your Supreme Leader that I won't be talking to him anytime soon, neither will he you," Ali replied as he let go of the Darksaber and watched as his lightsaber span at speed at Inikian slicing through the assassin's chest.
The Invincible was crumbling as Republic fighters cracked holes into its armour. The ship caught into flames and was caught into Yavin 4's orbit.
Admiral Ackbar commanded the successful Republic fleet from the Dawn of Tranquility, he had been informed that this was the last of the Imperial Remnants. The Fifth and Sixth Remnant were not as well equipped as the earlier remnants and were being decimated by Republic ships.
"Admiral incoming transmission from Imperial ships," a Mon Calamari officer exclaimed from the control area.
"Patch them through," Ackbar commanded as the form of an Imperial officer appeared.
"We are defeated and we surrender, stop firing immediately," the officer told Ackbar in dissatisfaction.
"This is Admiral Ackbar of the Republic Starfleet, we accept your surrender," Ackbar told the officer as he transmitted the message to all Republic forces.
Poe received the message as the flew around the temple taking down a TIE fighter. The Republic celebrated but on the burning battlefield Ali knelt before his father's dead body.
He did what he could to save his father, but he couldn't do it. It was down to him and Elisa to rule Naboo just the way he did. X-wings raced overhead in formation.
They had won.
