NJO14

Disclaimer:

See Chapter 1

A/N: Special thanks as always to my beta/editor Fallenstar2.

Chapter 14

Arrival on Zonama Sekot

Soundtrack - Arrival to Earth (Transformers Score)

Zonama Sekot

Nom Anor stared in shock at the boy - no, man - before him. The man whom he had refused to fight more than once and who he'd seen die on Myrkr.

Anakin Solo smiled coldly. "What do you say, Nom? Third time a charm?" Nom Anor growled.

"You want me? Then come and take me!" And with that, he let out another blast of poison from his plaeryin bol. Anakin leapt to the side and cursed at not seeing that coming. Harrar was forced back to avoid the wild swing of Anakin's lightsaber while Tahiri, still completely stunned with her love's sudden reappearance, caught a boot to the chest courtesy of Nom Anor and tumbled over the railing into the seemingly bottomless pit below. Anakin cursed and leapt towards the railing, swiping at Nom Anor with his lightsaber but barely missing as the Vong operative darted out the door. Harrar screamed in frustration and took off after him, but Anakin paid him no heed. He reached the railing and reached out over it, catching Tahiri with the Force and slowly started bringing her back up.

Tahiri stared at Anakin in amazement, her mind barely processing what was happening. He's alive, she thought, dumbfounded. It wasn't a lie! He was really ali— her thoughts were cut off as Nom Anor's boot slammed into her gut sending her tumbling over the railing and into the access shaft beyond. As she tumbled down into the inky darkness, she despaired in not being able to say anything to her friend, her love - and then suddenly she slowed to a stop in midair. Tahiri looked around in confusion as she started to float back up, turning in midair so that her feet were now pointed down instead of her head. As she reached the railing, she gasped once more as she spied Anakin, with an impish grin on his face sand his hand outstretched to her as he directed the Force to put her down gently in front of him. After a moment, she was finally able to speak.

"A-Anakin?"

The boy smiled warmly at his friend, his love. "Hey, Ri," he said, using his old nickname for her. He seemed to be thinking for a moment before he spoke again. "Don't kill me for this, but as I've been waiting for nearly two years…" he trailed off as he gently grasped her behind the head and pulled her into a searing kiss. Tahiri's senses exploded as their old bond flared to life once more; feelings and sensations flooded both of them, overwhelming their senses. Finally he pulled away, a goofy smile on his face. "Definitely worth the wait."

"Anakin," Tahiri repeated, looking up and down at the young Jedi. "How…"

"Long story," he interrupted. "I'll tell you as soon as we take care of business here. What Was Nom Anor doing?" he asked, suddenly all business. His question snapped her out of her daze.

"He was sabotaging the planet's hyperdrive," she began. "Master Horn and I came to investigate. Corran when down…" she stopped as one of the lifts at the end of the hall opened up, revealing the Corellian Jedi Master.

"Tahiri, where's—by the Force!" he exclaimed upon seeing the other Jedi. "Anakin?!"

Anakin grinned again. "Hey, Master Horn. What's new?"

"You…you're… you died!" he exclaimed. Anakin frowned.

"Just for a minute," he protested. "Anor bolted and that other Vong—"

"Yuuzhan Vong," Tahiri corrected absently.

"Took off after him," Anakin picked up smoothly. "Did you find what he did?"

"Well, no…"

"Then we should get him fast so we can convince him to reverse it," Anakin finished. "Let's go."

"WAIT!" Horn thundered. Anakin turned back around, slightly exasperated. "You died! We felt it! Tahiri saw it! And how you're here, chasing after Yuuzhan Vong like nothing's happened…"

"It's a long story," Anakin repeated. "I promise, I'll tell you later."

"You'll tell us now," Horn insisted. Anakin sighed.

"Fine. I died, became one with the Force, but was pulled back to the land of the living by the Force ghost of a Force-sensitive witch who had died a few years ago and then I spent the past year and a half in another dimension on a planet called Earth recovering from my injuries and being re-trained to deal with this threat by an organization called the Watcher's Council along with a group of Jedi from a third dimension who lived there and assisted them." He took a breath, smirking slightly at the dumbfounded look on both Corran's and Tahiri's face.

"Or you can tell us later," Corran finally conceded.

"Good idea," Anakin replied with a grin. "Now, shall we go get Nom Anor?"

"Let's," Corran agreed, moving towards the exit.

"Anything new?"

Mara shook her head. "No. The ship's been sitting there for the past ten minutes, doing nothing," she addressed her husband, who was leaning over her chair. Jacen sat in the co-pilot's chair and Saba Sebatyne and Danni Quee sat in the chairs behind them. They were flying the Jade Shadow towards a clearing where Sekot had detected a Yuuzhan Vong ship landing a short time ago. Sekot had been unable to do anything as it had been suddenly felled by alien programming. That alone was enough to worry Luke, but the presence of the Vong ship indicated that said programming was Vong in nature and that the alien menace had been able to sabotage the living world. How successful they had been had yet to be determined.

"I'm going to land in the forest, about half a click from the Vong ship," Mara stated, already starting the descent. "We can make our way to the clearing on foot from there."

"Wouldn't it make more sense to take the Saber in?" Danni asked.

"If they have support craft in orbit, as soon as we make an attack run on the grounded ship they'd start pounding us," Mara replied. "I want to keep it out of harms way as long as possible. Danni, I'll want you to stay with the ship. IF we run into any major problems," she swallowed, then continued reluctantly, "I want you to take this ship and come rescue us."

"You'll let Danni fly your ship?" Jacen asked with wry amusement. Luke chuckled, but Mara scowled.

"She's better suited to fly the ship then to fight the Vong hand to hand," Mara reasoned, looking at the scientist. "That being said, if you put so much as a scratch on my ship, you'll learn in intimate fashion exactly what I was taught by Palpatine. Understood?"

Danni gulped. "Yes, ma'am."

Mara sat the ship down and the four Jedi rose. "Keep the ship sealed and the shields up," Mara told the scientist. Danni nodded.

"Good luck."

Luke gave a small smile. "In my experience, there's no such thing as luck."

The four Jedi departed and took off at a dead run towards the clearing. They stopped at the edge of the trees. Luke looked over to his nephew. "Do you feel anything, Jacen?"

While the Yuuzhan Vong were invisible to the Force, Jacen's extended captivity by them, in addition to the slave seed that had been implanted in him, allowed him to feel them with what he termed his 'Vong Sense'. But in this case, on this planet - he found himself unable to accurately judge the life forms around him.

"I can't tell," he admitted to his Uncle. "I'm sensing danger all around us, but I have been since Sekot first took ill." He shrugged helplessly. "I've got nothing."

"Well, we won't find out anything by hiding behind the trees," Luke reasoned. "Let's go say hi, shall we?"

"This one is ready for a fight," Saba hissed, tightening her grip on her lightsaber. "Let's go."

The four Jedi ignited their blades and rushed out into the clearing towards the ship. About halfway there, though, they stopped as a Vong coming out of the forest caught their attention. He was one that the Skywalker family in particular was intimately familiar with.

"Nom Anor!" Mara snarled. "Oh, my day just got a whole lot better!"

"Skywalker!" Nom Anor shouted in surprise, stopping short. "How many Jeedai must I eliminate before I get off this accursed planet!"

Luke's eyebrows rose at that, but otherwise he didn't let his feelings show. "It's over, Nom Anor. Surrender and tell us what you have done to Sekot."

Nom Anor grinned maliciously at the four Jedi as he stalked towards them. He pulled a coufee from his belt. "I think not, Jeedai! I believe it is you who will surrender!"

"You think we're going to surrender to you?" Mara scoffed. Nom Anor's grinned widened and almost as if on cue some sixty Yuuzhan Vong warriors emerged from every part of the clearing, encircling them all. Mara closed her eyes and let out a frustrated breath.

"Well, I did say I sensed danger all around us…" Jacen noted

"You were not kidding," Saba replied, a feral grin on her reptilian face. "This shall be a glorious battle!"

"It is time for you to die, Skywalker!" Nom Anor said confidently as his troops closed the gap.

Almost at the same moment Anakin, Corran and Tahiri arrived at the edge of the clearing. They stopped and looked at the large number of warriors advancing slowly on their comrades. Anakin frowned, then reached down to his belt and pushed the little blue button and a small red light began blinking.

"This isn't good," Corran said softly to the two. "It's possible we could defeat them all, but not before the planet is destroyed by whatever Nom - what are you doing?" he asked Anakin, seeing him play with a small device on his belt.

"Rigging the fight," he replied off-handedly, smiling slightly when the flashing red light turned to a solid green. "Perfect. Okay, here's the plan - stay right behind me and get ready to fight."

"That plan sucks," Tahiri said plainly. Anakin merely smiled.

"Trust me, it will work." Before either of them could say anything else Anakin strode confidently out into the clearing. Cursing, Corran and Tahiri followed right behind.

"It is time for you to die, Skywalker!" Nom Anor was saying. Anakin shook his head and sighed.

"You know, people have been saying that for years," he said loudly, drawing everyone's attention to him. "Trust me, it never ends well."

"YOU!" the Executor screamed in shock.

"Me," Anakin agreed.

"But you're dead!" Anor protested. Anakin shrugged.

The four Jedi stared at the boy in shock - Saba most of all. But despite knowing that he was alive, to truly see Anakin in front of them now - Luke, Mara and Jacen were all equally stunned.

"Anakin…" Luke mumbled quietly.

"I got better." At the look on his face, Anakin laughed. "What can I say, Nomie? Maybe I keep hanging on hoping that you'll actually take me up on my challenge to you, instead of running away like a scared little bitch."

Despite the gravity of the situation, Tahiri couldn't help but let out a soft whistle. "Damn…" she added quietly.

Nom Anors' face twisted with rage. "You have overplayed your hand, Solo," he spat. "You think to challenge me here? You forget that we outnumber you! Why would I deign to accept your challenge, when my warriors can wipe you out in an instant? After all, there are sixty of us and only seven of you!"

Anakin let out a short laugh. "From what I heard, one of us took out a few hundred of you - and that was Ganner, of all people. I think we're more than a match for you." He paused, his smile widening. "But, then again, why take the risk? After all—you brought your friends," his grin turned wicked. "And I brought mine."

Suddenly there were twin flashed of light and when the white and purple energy clouds faded an instant later everyone stared in shock as two more Jedi stood before them. But while the Vong could only stare in awe and a little fear because of how the Jedi arrived, Luke stared in shock at who the Jedi were. Because on the right was the instantly recognizable, if somewhat younger looking face, of Obi-Wan Kenobi. And on the left stood the tall form of the man whose face Luke had only seen in person once - in the hanger of the second Death Star. For the person on the left was none other than his own father, Anakin Skywalker.

"Impossible," Luke whispered, but further protestations were cut off as suddenly flash after flash after flash of light and energy appeared all around them. More Jedi and strangely garbed young girls and men appeared. They were armed with what appeared to be wooden stakes and metal swords, one had a crossbow, while another had a hunters bow with a quiver of arrows strapped to her back, along with a long sword.

Tahiri stared in wide-eyed shock as person after person appeared and gasped as the last two people formed - one was a girl about her own age, maybe a bit younger with long brown hair, the other-

The other was Mara Skywalker, lightsaber lit in hand and a green hooded cloak upon her shoulders. The other Mara's eyes twinkled and she winked at her counterpart who could merely stare back in shock.

"Just like old times, eh?" Anakin Skywalker asked of his friend and sister. Buffy shot him a glance.

"What you mean when we were fighting droid armies, Palpatine was taking over the galaxy and my best friend became a Sith Lord and had my fiancé and about a quarter of the population of Corellia murdered? I hated those days."

"Indeed," Obi-Wan agreed.

Anakin Solo stared at the shocked Vong and smiled. "Now, I'm only going to say this once. Surrender now and you will all be treated with honor." His gaze shifted to the warriors. "Fight us…"

"And we'll make you our bitches," Faith finished. The Slayers all snickered, while Buffy let out an exasperated sigh.

Anakin shook his head good-naturedly, then turned back to Nom Anor. "So what's it gonna be, Nom? Yes…or no?"

For a moment - just a moment, mind you - Anakin through Nom Anor might actually surrender. He was outmatched, if not outnumbered, and Anakin knew that he knew it. But then the familiar look of contemptible loathing sank back onto the Vong's face and he snarled.

"Kill them all!"

Anakin sighed even as he quick-drew his blaster and downed two Vong immediately. "Here we go…"

Chaos wasn't a kind enough word to describe the fight that broke out between the Vong shock troops, the Jedi and their newfound allies. FUBAR might be a more appropriate adjective. The Vong that were closest to the four surround Jedi attacked at once, but here battered away mercilessly by the four Jedi; that left the remaining Vong which numbered about thirty five, to attack the Slayers and the newly arrived Jedi. Wesley wasted no time in shooting the first one that came his way in the head with his shot gun, then continued to pump rounds into the crowd of alien warriors. Giles utilized a saber along with his own acquired magic to cut down the enemies that came into his path. And the Slayers - well, they were just having a ball, cutting loose like they never had before. Kate was dropping Vong warriors faster than Legolas could rip Orcs with her bow and when they came in to close she dropped the bow in favor of a long sword she pulled from a sheath on her back. Cassandra, in contrast, eschewed weapons; instead, favoring dropping the warriors with well-placed strike from her iron-like fists. She moved with a fluidity and grace that even few Slayers had - a result of a lifetime of training by a brutal father.

Anakin waded into the warriors, taking on two at a time with well-executed blocks and strikes from his lightsaber, constantly blocking every shot they took despite not sensing them in the Force. He found that a bit odd at first, since he had developed a 'Vong-sense' before his untimely departure from this mortal coil, but realized shortly that it had been the lambent crystal in his original lightsaber that had allowed him to sense the aliens. He filed that away in the back of his mind as he saw his brother tackled by a Vong and took off towards him, dispatching the two warriors he had been fighting with ease. The Cong was on top of his brother, its thick hands around his throat, trying to choke the life out of Jacen. Anakin jumped over the two of them, gracefully swinging his lightsaber in a downwards arc that cut cleanly through its head. Anakin landed and rolled, coming up to another warrior and splitting it in hale with another upward swing of his violet blade. He looked at his brother and smirked.

"You just gonna lay around there all day, big brother?"

Jacen put aside the unreality of the situation and smiled wryly. "Just catching my breath. Say, aren't you supposed to be dead?"

Anakin raised an eyebrow at his brother. "Don't you people check the mail once in a while?"

Luke found himself tiring, but he called on the Force to replenish his strength as yet another warrior took the place of the one he had just killed. He didn't notice the Vong coming up behind him until a spear of blue plasma hurled right past his ear and into its face. He killed his opponent just as the lightsaber - a very familiar lightsaber- was called back to its owner, and Luke could only stare in shock and wonder as his father nodded at him.

"I've got your back, Luke," Anakin Skywalker said. Luke could only nod in return as he turned his attention back to the battle at hand.

Nom Anor screamed in frustration as he pushed past his remaining warriors towards the transport. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen! He thought furiously to himself. These – creatures - shouldn't be here! His warriors should have killed the Skywalker family here and now! What - his thoughts were cut off as an armored fist slammed into his face, sending him crashing to the ground. He looked up and blanched at the site before him - a fully armored Mandalorian warrior. He knew of their reputation and had seen them fight. Indeed, early in the war he had hired the traitorous scum to do his dirty work, but when they had seen just what the Yuuzhan Vong had in mind of the galaxy, they had turned on him.

"You must be Nom Anor," the Mandalorian said in an accented, feminine voice. "See, I figured that out because you were the only hut'unn trying to get away." With strength that surprised even him, the woman reached down with one hand and jerked him to his feet, then off his feet by a good two inches. She then laid into him with several left crosses. "I'd beat the crap out of you for no good reason, but considering what you did to my people - both of them - I think you earned an extra special beating." She drew back to hit him again and Nom Anor did the only thing he could do - he let loose with another blast from his plaeryin bol.

Joyce saw the blast impact against her helmet, but thought nothing of it. After all, her visor was treated specifically to resist acids. But to her surprise it started eating through the visor. Hurriedly she threw down the Vong Executor and tore off her helmet. Nom Anor scrambled back to his feat and drew a small holdout blaster and fired, but the blast impacted harmlessly against her chest plate. Cursing, Joyce kicked the helmet hard at the Vong. It got a glancing blow - which was lucky for Joyce, as his next shot grazed her cheek. Startled, Joyce dove for the ground, rolling to avoid his next two shots as Anor ran past her towards the ship. He had just reached the entryway when Joyce came up on one knee and pulled out her Model 500. The report sounded like a canon and literally tore the blaster out of Nom Anor's hand - along with his hand and most of his forearm. His screams of pain were silenced as the sphincter closed shut and the dovin basals awoke, sending the ship up into the air and the space beyond. Joyce screamed in frustration and kept blasting away at the ship, hoping to at least put a few holes in it that would vent atmosphere before they were out of range. Unfortunately she couldn't see how successful she was as within moments the ship was out of site.

As the battle finally ended around them, Anakin Sr. took a moment to look around and gauge everybody's immediate health. He was pleased to see that, aside from a few cuts and bruises, everyone was fine. Then the loudest noise he had ever heard caught his attention (and made his ears ring), and he turned to see Joyce firing impotently up at the retreating Vong craft.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Anakin Sr. called out to his niece with some worry in his voice. "Nice shooting, Tex!"

"Joyce!" Buffy's approach was more direct. "I think he got away."

Joyce angrily slammed the gun into her holster and glowered at her mother. "The hut'unn actually managed to get me!" she exclaimed, pointing at her cheek. "And he ruined my buy'ce!"

"Women and their accessories," Anakin Sr. muttered, then blanched as all the women assembled turned to glare at the Jedi Master. "I shouldn't have said that."

"Master Qui-Gon always taught me to mind my surroundings," Obi-Wan said dryly. "Apparently, I never taught that lesson to you."

Their banter was cut off by the snap-hiss of a reactivated lightsaber and all eyes turned to Mara - both of them. For Willow's daughter stood looking at the blue blade of the other Mara's lightsaber which was held just under her chin.

"Hmmm…" she said dryly, her eyebrow arched. "I really should have seen this coming…"

"Shut up," Mara growled. She looked over at Anakin - the boy who claimed to be Anakin, at least. "Answers. Now," she demanded simply.

Anakin groaned. "Seriously, does nobody check the mail anymore?" he looked around, then back at Mara. "Aunt Mara, it's me! It's really me-"

"Prove it," she hissed. Anakin sighed.

"What, you want a blood sample?" he thought for a moment. "Or better yet, how about I tell you all about Dantooine - how you tried to teach me not to rely to heavily on the Force, how I had to defend you from the Vong because of how weak you were at the time?" Mara's eyes teared up, and she deactivated her lightsaber. The other Mara nodded and put her own weapon back onto her belt. Anakin turned to Jacen. "Want me to recount the argument we had in the hold of the Falcon on the way to Dubrillion? About our rolls in the galaxy as Jedi, when you barely beat me in that duel?"

Jacen smiled. "I seem to remember that win being rather decisive." Anakin scoffed.

"The Vong really must have scrambled your brains." Jacen snorted and Anakin turned to Tahiri. "Do you want me to tell you what we talked about, crammed into that equipment locker, with air running out?" He reached out and brushed away the tears that were flowing freely. "It's really me. I died, I was brought back. And now I'm here to help." He turned and looked to his Uncle. "These people who came with me have pledged to help us fight and end this war. You can trust them - after all, some of them are you." He looked pointedly at Mara, who deactivated her lightsaber. With that concluded he flashed an impish smile and turned back to Tahiri. "So, what'd I miss?"

Anakin Sr., Buffy and Dawn all groaned as Tahiri's eyes flashed. Suddenly, without warning, her hand shot out and smacked against Anakin's cheek hard. The impact spun his head sharply to the right and stunned him momentarily. He turned back to her, only to be slapped again.

"What did you miss? WHAT DID YOU MISS?" she slapped him again, eliciting a yelp of pain from the boy. "I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! FOR TWO YEARS, I THOUGHT YOU WERE DEAD! I THOUGHT THOSE MESSAGES WERE SOME KIND OF SICK JOKE! ANE WHULE YOU WERE GALAVANTING AROUND-"

"I was hardly gal-" Another slap.

"WE WERE HERE, FIGHTING THIS WAR! I LOST MY MIND BECAUSE OF WHAT THEY DID TO ME AND YOU WEREN'T THERE TO HELP!"

"Did you leave it on the nightstand?" Anakin attempted to joke, then quickly blocked another slap. "Ha-OWW!" His head spun to the left as her other hand impacted with the other cheek.

"Anakin, you idiot," Vi muttered. Jacen nodded in agreement and winced as the angry young Jedi delivered another slap.

"You know, anger is the path to the Dark Side…" Anakin tried. Ducking another slap. "Will you stop hitting me?! What are you trying to do, kill me again?"

Tahiri's composure, or what little she had of it, finally broke then and she collapsed, sobbing, into Anakin's arms. Anakin hesitantly wrapped his arms around the girl, even as a look of fear and trepidation settled onto his face. He looked over to the group of half amused, half stunned Jedi and Slayers with a look that clearly said 'Help!', but Anakin Sr. just smiled and shook his head.

"Son, you're on your own," he said. Buffy snorted.

"Good thing, too. 'Cause if you gave him advice, she'd probably end up sticking that lightsaber of hers up his kiester."

Both Maras looked at each other with a wry grin. "Young love," they said at the same time. Dawn shuddered.

"Great, now there are two of them…"

Vi looked at her mom. "You think you've got it bad? I have to take orders from her…"

Spike had been watching the reunion with amused detachment, but something caught his eye. He looked down in the valley at the tall, metal spires and saw energy crackling about them. "Not to be a killjoy," the vampire started, pointing to the spires. "But what the bloody hell is that?"

"Hyperwave antenna," Corran explained. "We caught Nom Anor messing around in there, but I'm not sure what he was doing."

"He sabotaged the planet," Anakin explained. "I saw Sekot when I arrived; he said he was trying to repair the damage…"

"I don't think it worked," Spike noted with a tinge of worry in his voice. The energy had gathered onto the tall spires, from tip to base and pulsed once before erupting outwards with a tremendous bang. Corran cursed and yelled "Hit the deck!" even as Mara threw up her hands and incanted in Latin. A bright, blue dome of mystical energy enveloped them all in the nick of time as a blast wave of fire and energy swept over them. It crashed into the barrier and Mara buckled to her knees with the strain of keeping the shield up. Finally the wave passed, leaving a leveled, charred landscape. The shield flickered and died and Mara collapsed to the ground. The other Mara went to check for a pulse when Anakin's panicked scream stopped her.

"Don't touch her!" Mara's hand jerked back and Anakin scrambled over to the doppelganger. He was joined shortly by Vi, who placed her hand on the unconscious woman's forehead. While Vi checked her over, Anakin looked at his aunt. "Never touch your double. I found that out the hard way."

"She's fine," Vi announced. "Just exhausted. Nothing a little rest won't…cure… holy shit!"

"Vi! Language!" Dawn started, then followed her daughter's eye line. "Holy shit!"

All eyes turned to the far sky, and to the most amazing site any of them had ever seen. Instead of the night sky, instead they saw the unnatural site of hyperspace streaking over head.

"And now for something completely different," Spike quipped.

"That's just wrong," Tahiri put in.

"Why are we in hyperspace?" Buffy asked.

"It was Nom Anor." All faces turned towards the new, yet familiar voice - and saw the visage of a young Anakin Skywalker standing there. Luke nodded in greetings.

"Sekot."

"Master Skywalker," Sekot replied, then looked to Anakin Sr. "You're not my Anakin, are you."

The elder Jedi shook his head. "No, I'm not. And you're not my Zonama Sekot. But despite all of this," he gestured to the bodies of the Vong warriors. "We do come in peace."

"And left them in pieces," Faith mumbled, earning a jab in the gut from Buffy's elbow.

"I'm afraid I was forced to make a blind jump in order to negate the effects of Nom Anor's sabotage," Sekot began. "I do not know where we are going or how long we will be traveling. But eventually we will come across another planetary body or gravimetric anomaly and will be pulled from hyperspace. Once that happens, we will set our course for Coruscant." Sekot paused, considering its words. "We are connected to the Yuuzhan Vong and they to us. How, I do not quite know - but I feel that I am close to discovering the reason." Sekot smiled. "I would recommend seeking shelter in the caves at the base of those mountains." He pointed to a massive range to the east. "Soon, because of our transit, the weather patterns will become dangerously unpredictable." With that, the image of the young Anakin Skywalker faded from view. Anakin Sr. Looked at his sister in bemusement, as the elder Slayer was still staring dumbly at the spot where the apparition had been.

"Never expected to be taller than me again, eh?" he mocked light-heartedly. Buffy scowled at him.

"You, shut up." She turned to Luke. "Don't suppose you got a ship or something…" At that moment, the Jade Shadow broke over the tree line and made their way towards them. "Never mind."

"I still can't believe you let Danni fly your ship," Jacen remarked. Anakin looked at his Aunt in shock.

"You're letting someone else fly your ship?"

Mara smiled thinly, then held up a small remote. "Actually, I have the autopilot set to come to me whenever I set this off." She chuckled. "I just wanted to make Danni sweat a bit."

"You sure you're not evil anymore?" Anakin asked in jest.

Mara's smile grew, but she said nothing as the group made their way towards her ship as it set down gently on the charred ground.

TBC

Mando Grammar:

Hut'uun- Coward

buy'ce- Helmet