The Apprentice
The Tantive IV flew through space, firing it canons at the pursuing Venator class Star Destroyer. The shots were intercepted by the Venators shields, causing no damage. The bigger ship returned fire, striking the Blockade Runners engines, rocking it violently in the void.
On the Tantive's bridge, Leia Organa grimaced as the hum of the ship's engines died, they were dead in space.
"Your Highness!" Captain Antilles re-adjusted his helmet, which had been knocked askew in the turbulence, "what are your orders?"
"Send troops to the hatch and prepare the escape pods, we have to get the plans off the ship." Antilles shook his head.
"Your highness, the Empire will blast any pods with life signs aboard before they can get close to the surface, we'd never get an operative down to the planet safely.
"Then don't send a person." Leia and Captain Antilles glanced over at Sabine Wren, the Mandalorian was stood in the corner, she had a sombre but determined look on her face as she checked one of her blasters. "Send a droid."
"A droid?" Antilles glanced at Leia with obvious disbelief, "you want to trust the fate of the Rebellion to a droid?"
"The Empire always ignores droids." Sabine shrugged as she put her helmet on. "They'll probably assume the pod shorted out and ignore it if there are no life signs aboard." Leia nodded.
"Alright, I don't like it, but I don't see what other choice we have given the situation." The Princess turned to Antilles. "Captain, have your men hold the Empire as long as they can, I'll find a suitable droid and get them to an escape pod."
"Yes, your Highness." Antilles bowed his head stiffly before hurrying away, Leia sighed as she turned back to Sabine.
"What do you think our chances are?" The Mandalorian shook her head.
"Depends on the droid, got a particular one in mind?" Leia grinned.
"Oh, I have just the droid in mind."
##
Rebel soldiers gathered at the Tantive's airlock, doom hung in the air and each man was grimly aware that the approaching firefight would likely be their last.
A red lightsaber blade stabbed through the airlock and began to cut through the metal, a ripple of fear ran through the Rebels as they glanced with each other with worry, none of them ran though, there was no where left to run to.
The lightsaber withdrew from the door and there were a few tense seconds where nothing happened. Then the airlock was blown inwards with so much force it flew the full length of the corridor, colliding with several of the Tantive's stunned defenders on its journey. The confused rebels opened fire as a blur of black and red leapt through the hole in the airlock, laser bolts flew back at the rebels, striking many of them and spooking the ones they didn't into a retreat.
Smoke hung in thick clouds as the Starkiller clone surveyed the corridor with cold yellow eyes, the clone was dressed in a jet-black hooded, sleeveless robe over a black suit of clone armour, the robe was belted at the waist with a tactical harness which was littered with an array of equipment. Starkiller sunk to one knee as two Clone Troopers stepped through the hole in the airlock and took up positions on either side of the doorframe. Darth Remnous smirked down at the kneeling clone as he boarded the Rebel ship.
"Well done my friend." The Sith Lord gestured for Starkiller to stand, "this isn't the time to kneel, take a dozen troopers and find the rebels leaders."
"It will be done my Lord."
##
"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope." Leia bent forwards and switched off R2's recorder, the droid waited patiently as Leia slotted the data disk into one of his storage compartments. "You take good care of this Artoo." Leia patted the side of the astromech affectionately as he beeped out a reassuring response.
"Artoo-Detoo where are you?" Leia glanced up to see a gold protocol droid stood at the far end of escape pod bay, the princess glanced over at Sabine.
"We need to get moving your Highness, it's best we're as far away from here as possible when they find us."
"Right." Leia nodded at the Mandalorian before smiling down at R2 again. "Good luck little guy."
##
The fighting had died down, surviving rebels were either making their last stand or were being herded towards the centre of the ship by Clone Troopers. Remnous couldn't help but marvel at the efficiency of his legion, why Clones had ever been phased out was still a mystery to him. A pair of Clone Troopers marched a group of rebels passed him, one of them paused and turned to the Sith Lord.
"The Death Star plans aren't in the main computer, sir." Remnous nodded to the trooper before turning to face Antilles. The rebel captain was suspended several feet in air, weakly grasping his throat as he struggled in vain for breath.
"Where are the plans, Antilles?" The rebel glowered at the Sith.
"Go to hell." The words were spluttered and half formed, but filled with venom. "Traitor." Remnous rolled his eyes and closed his mechanical hand into a fist. There was a sickening crack as Antilles fell to the ground.
"Tear this ship apart until you find those plans, and bring me the passengers, I want them alive!"
##
Sabine kept her blasters raised as she led Leia down a corridor towards the engine room, Leia suddenly froze in her tracks.
"Leia? What's wrong?"
"Don't you feel that?" Sabine frowned as she glanced up and down the corridor, they had to keep moving.
"Feel what?"
"The cold." Sabine's eyes went wide as she glanced up and down the corridor again, a figure in a hooded black robe was stood at the far end of the corridor behind them, Sabine gulped.
"Get behind me." The Mandalorian shoved Leia behind her as she holstered her blasters.
"What is it?" Leia shivered as another wave of cold ran over her, she glanced down, her arms were covered in goose bumps.
"A Sith." Sabine grimaced as she unclipped her lightsaber from her belt, the blue blade came to life as she started towards the Sith. "Stay back, don't try to help, run if I die." The Mandalorians walk turned into a jog as she gathered speed. The Sith Assassin activated a crimson lightsaber blade and marched forward to meet her.
Sabine broke into a run as she deactivated her lightsaber and raised the hilt, four stun bolts flew from the top of the knuckle guard. The Assassin halted in his tracks as he raised his lightsaber to block the stun bolts. Taking advantage of her enemies' confusion; Sabine dropped to the floor, she allowed her momentum to carry her as she slid through the Assassins legs, spinning back onto her front and onto one knee.
The Assassin turned to face the Mandalorian, his face still hidden by his hood, Sabine activated her jetpack. The Mandalorian flew at the Sith, her lightsaber coming back to life. Her opponent took a few steps back and raised his hand. Sabine froze in mid-air, her jetpack straining as it tried to carry her forwards.
"That's impossible." Sabine gaped as she hung in the air, the Assassin chuckled.
"You have no idea what's possible." Sabines eyes widened under her helmet.
"It can't be, Galen?" Starkiller thrust his arm upwards and Sabine was sent flying into the ceiling. The Mandalorians cry of pain and surprise was cut short as all of the wind was knocked out of her, replaced by a startled grunt. Overhead lights exploded and a shower of sparks rained to the ground as Starkiller brought his arm down, smashing Sabine into the deck plate.
The Mandalorian groaned and weakly tried to ger back to her feet, only to feel the Force seize her and once again yank her into the air. Starkiller smirked as the Mandalorian crashed into the ceiling, he held her there for a second before letting her go.
Sabine blinked dazedly a few times before surrendering to the creeping darkness and blacking out. Starkiller smirked down at the unconscious Mandalorian.
"You've come a long way since Lothal Sabine, but if you reuse the same trick too many times it gets predictable." Starkiller whipped around and raised his hand as the sound of a blaster going off reverberated up and down the corridor.
Just in time, the Sith Assassin managed to deflect the bolt off his hand. Leia gaped with terror as Starkiller chuckled.
"Shooting a man in the back? Not very ladylike of you your Highness."
"I know that voice." Starkiller pulled his hood back, Leia gasped.
"You." The clone shrugged.
"Sort of, still getting yourself into trouble I see." Starkiller deactivated his lightsaber and gestured with his raised hand, Leia's blaster was plucked from her hand and sailed through the air into Starkillers waiting grip. "I would have thought a princess would be kept as far away from the frontlines as possible."
"I fight for those that cannot." Starkiller rolled his eyes.
"Spare me the sanctimonious speech Princess." The Clone raised his hand and Leia was pulled into the air. "You're coming with me, Lord Remnous is very eager to meet you."
##
The Loth Wolf hung over Tatooine, Remnous had taken inspiration from Grand Admiral Thrawn's flagship The Chimera and had had the profile of a Loth Wolf's head emblazoned across The Loth Wolf's underside. Though not as imposing as an Imperial class Star Destroyer, it still was a chilling sight for her enemies.
Tandi stood on the refurbished Venators bridge, her arms clasped behind her back as she surveyed the planet below her. Any other Imperial Officer would be baffled by the Rebels decision to flee here of all places, but Remnous had told Tandi who was hiding in the wastes below them. How like the Rebels to run to a Jedi when the going got tough.
"Ma'am?" Tandi turned to face one of the gunnery officers. "An escape pod has been launched from the rebel ship."
"Any life signs?"
"No Ma'am, might've shorted out, should we target it?" Tandi frowned, an escape pod launching couldn't be a coincidence, it had to be a droid.
"No, the Empire has expended more than enough on the Rebels today."
##
Two clones carried Sabine's prone form into the Tantive's bridge, each keeping one of her arms wrapped around their shoulders. Remnous beamed when he saw her.
"Oh Sabine." The Sith pulled off the Mandalorians helmet and gently caressed her cheek. "Was it really even worth escaping in the end?" The Sith pinched Sabines cheeks and raised her head, tilting it from side to side as he examined her face. "No noticeable damage, good job." The Sith let go of Sabine, letting her head loll forwards. "Take her to the brig."
"Yes Sir, right away." Remnous turned to Starkiller as the clones dragged Sabine away.
"What else do you have for me?" The clone smirked.
"You're going to love this." Starkiller snapped his fingers on his right hand, after a moment of silence the door opened and two more clones marched in, Leia Organa's eyes narrowed with fury when she saw Remnous.
"So, it's true then?" Remnous smirked with pure delight as he stared at Leia. "The great Ezra Bridger really did turn traitor."
"I would never have called Bridger great." Remnous's eyes ran up and down Leia, drinking in the sight of her, it was eerie seeing her a Bridger remembered her, he was used to seeing her as the Sith Warrior he would re-forge her into. Leia fidgeted uncomfortably under Remnous's gaze. "You feel it, don't you?" The Princess rolled her eyes.
"Feel what?" Remnous snorted.
"You don't even know what you are." The Sith Lord shook his head, "what?" Didn't Bail ever tell you who you really are? Where you really came from?" Leia felt her breath catch in her throat as her eyes widened. "I'll take that as a no." Remnous shook his head as he rolled his eyes. Leia stayed silent, her mind was racing, she had faint memories of her mother. She had no idea how, her adoptive parents had told her she'd come to live with them as a baby, she hadn't been old enough to remember her mother.
But she could still see her face when she closed her eyes. She had been a very beautiful woman; beautiful, but sad. She had been crying, and somehow, nineteen years after their ever so brief meeting, she could still feel her mother's pain.
"Do you know who my mother is?"
"Yes." Remnous smirked, he knew full well who her mother was, he also knew her twin brother was hidden away on the planet below them, but a wise Master doesn't reveal all of his secrets at once. Leia rolled her eyes impatiently, Remnous couldn't help but admire her nerve. She had a long way to go, but he was glad to see he was going to be building on strong foundations.
"Well? Who is she?"
"Cooperate and you just might find out." Leia scowled as Remnous laughed cruelly. "Take her away." The Clones pulled Leia out of the bridge as Remnous turned to Starkiller. "Did you find the plans?"
"They aren't onboard." Starkiller shrugged. "We can go through with a scanning crew but I doubt we'll find them."
"You're right, Sabine would have made sure to get the plans off the ship." Remnous tapped his comm. "Brigadier?"
"Yes, my Lord?"
"Has the Rebel ship made any transmissions?"
"No, my Lord, but an escape pod was launched in the fighting, no life signs were aboard."
"Droids."
"I thought so too my Lord." Remnous turned back to Starkiller.
"The plans are on the surface, no doubt the droids have been tasked with finding Kenobi."
"It should be a simple matter to deal with him, an old man alone in the desert?" Starkiller grinned, relishing the thought of killing the real Obi-Wan Kenobi. "It will be child's play." Remnous shook his head.
"Kenobi isn't alone, if the old man was wise and followed my suggestion, he has an Apprentice, I want the boy unharmed. I have greater plans for him."
"Of-course my Lord." Starkiller bowed his head and placed his right hand on his chest.
"There's a race of creatures that scavenge droids and other tech from the surface, start with them. Put on a good show, terrorise some locals, burn a few houses, all in the Empires name of course." The clone smirked.
"Of course."
"But the plans must leave the planet and find their way into the Rebellions hands." Remnous grinned. "This presents an excellent opportunity to remove the Death Star from play."
"Let the Rebellion do the legwork." Starkiller nodded at the Sith Lords words. "An excellent plan my Lord, what will you be doing?" Remnous rolled his eyes.
"Until the Death Star is neutralised, we can't make a move on the Emperor, I must maintain the illusion I'm Palpatine's loyal lap dog until we can strike." The Sith Lord and the Sith Assassin left the bridge and started making their way back to the Loth Wolf. "I'll take Sabine and the Princess to the Death Star, Tarkin can waste time interrogating them." Starkiller gave Remnous a worried look; the Sith Lord shook off the concern. "They're strong, they won't give up the Rebellion."
"If you think it best my Lord, but what of the Clones?"
"I do. I can pass off the Clones as the personal guard Palpatine granted me permission to create." There was a hard edge to Remnous's tone. "Take the Scimitar and go to the planet, return to The Loth Wolf when you have completed your task."
"As you command." Starkiller bowed his head as Remnous swept away, the Sith paused and looked over his shoulder.
"Do not question me again."
##
The base at Yavin IV was in chaos as the Rogue Shadow set down, most of the fleet had been wiped out at the Battle of Scarif, the bigger cruisers and most of the corvettes were gone, a healthy number of fighters and a few larger ships had slipped through, but the Alliance's capacity to operate in space had been crippled. It would take time for them to rebuild their strengths, and time was something they were sorely lacking.
The Shadow's loading ramp hissed downwards, a squad of rebels lead by General Syndulla hurried to meet the crew. Juno was the first one down the ramp, followed closely by Admiral Raddus, his bridge crew and the few other crew members they'd managed to save brought up the rear.
"It's good to see you all alive and well." Hera grinned, "Where's General Kota?" The Pilot shook her head.
"He didn't make it."
"Damn it." Hera shook her head, the war as taking a toll on them, losing Kota was a heavy loss. Raddus cleared his throat.
"General Syndulla, has Princess Leia returned with the plans yet?" Hera turned to the Mon Calamarian with a look of horror on her face.
"You don't have the plans?" Juno grimaced.
"The Profundity was too damaged to jump out of the Scarif system, we had the plans transferred to Princess Leia's ship, she got them away from Scarif." Hera slapped her forehead with an open palm.
"Karabast!" Juno cleared her throat and nervously readjusted her weight.
"There's, something else we have to tell you." The Twi'lek raised an eyebrow, then frowned, she glanced up at the Shadow, the frown slipped away.
"You." Galen Marek strode down the loading ramp, the Jedi wouldn't meet Hera's glare and bowed his head slightly. "You son of a bitch!" Hera brought her fist up and thrust it with all her strength into Galen's face.
"General Syndulla!" Raddus put a hand on Hera's elbow and held the enraged Twi'lek back as Galen thudded to the loading ramp. Juno dropped to his side as the Jedi tenderly pressed two fingers to his cheek.
"Like Mother like Daughter."
"Are you alright?" Juno helped Galen sit up, the Jedi nodded, he'd been expecting this.
"How are you even alive?" Hera took a deep breath as she shrugged Raddus's hand off her shoulder. "Kanan said he felt you die."
"I did." Juno took one of Galen's arms and helped the Jedi to his feet. "It isn't the first time."
"What?!" Hera's hands balled into fists.
"You'd be amazed what the Empire can put back together." Galen sighed. "I came to on Kamino a few months ago, I spent most of them in isolation." Hera frowned at the mention of Kamino.
"Go on."
"Remnous tried to brainwash me, he had the Kaminoans replicate and alter my memories, but it didn't work."
"How'd you get out?" Hera crossed her arms over her chest, Galen shook his head.
"I didn't, Remnous let me go."
"Why would he let you go?" Juno shook her head, "if the brainwashing didn't work why didn't he just kill you?"
"He said he owed Starkiller." Hera snorted.
"So, he owed you?"
"I'm not Starkiller!" Galen's tone hardened. "Not anymore. Especially now."
"What's so special about now?" Galen grimaced.
"There's something else I have to tell you."
##
"Thank the Maker! This oil bath is going to feel so good!" Luke Skywalker didn't pay the golden protocol droid any mind as it descended into the oil bath. The young Padawans mind was focused on a small titanium ball bearing resting on the work top in front of him. "I've got such a bad case of dust contamination I can hardly move!" Luke rolled his eyes, training would have to wait.
"It just isn't fair!" The boy got to his feet "Biggs is right, I'm never going to get out of here!" The Padawan knelt next to the blue astromech that was stood next to the oil bath and began to clean it.
"Is there anything I might do to help?" Luke glanced back at the protocol droid and scoffed.
"Not unless you can alter time, speed up the harvest or get my uncle to treat me like an adult?"
"I don't think so sir, I'm only a droid and not very knowledgeable about such things, not on this planet anyway." The droid paused, then looked around the workshop curiously. "As a matter of fact, I'm not even sure what planet I'm on."
"Well," Luke paused to think for a moment. "If there's a bright centre to the universe, you're on the planet it's farthest from."
"I see Sir."
"You can call me Luke." Luke got up and retrieved a new tool from a worktop.
"I see Sir Luke." The Padawan chuckled.
"It's just Luke."
"Oh, and I am See-Threepio, human cyborg relations." Threepio gestured at the astromech as he rose out of the oil bath. "And this is my counterpart, Artoo Detoo." Artoo beeped friendlily.
"Hello." Luke frowned, "you got a lot of carbon scoring here, looks like you boys have seen a lot of action."
"With all we've been through I'm amazed we're in as good condition as we are, what with the Rebellion and all." Luke jumped to his feet.
"You know of the Rebellion against the Empire?!"
"That's how we came to be in your service sir, if you take my meaning."
"Were you in many battles?"
"Several, I think." Luke looked at Threepio expectantly, the droid shrugged. "But I'm only an interpreter and not very good at telling stories, well not at making them interesting anyway." Luke sighed.
"I met a Rebel agent once, well I thought he was a Rebel, he turned out to be something else." Luke turned back to Artoo, one of his storage compartments was blocked up. "Well my little friend, you've got something jammed in here?" Luke but the point of his screwdriver against whatever it was and tried to leaver it out. "Were you on a star cruiser and-" Luke was cut off as the point of the screwdriver slipped and he lost his balance, Artoo's holographic projector activated as he toppled over.
"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope." The image of a young woman wearing a lose white robe hovered over the floor next to Luke.
"What's this?" Luke got to his feet frowning at the projection, Artoo beeped mischievously.
"What is what? He asked you a question, what is that?"
"Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope." The woman looked over her shoulder, then bent forwards as if to end the recording. "Help me Obi-Wan Kenobi, you're my only hope." Artoo let out a low series of beeps and chimes.
"He says it's nothing sir, old data."
"Are you sure?" Luke got to his feet, "because I know Master Kenobi, and if someone needs his help…" Artoo let out an excited string of beeps as the projection shut off, his third leg descended and the astromech began to roll around Luke in a circle. "Ok I guess it's important." Luke chuckled as he starred down at Artoo.
"He says you must take him to him immediately, apparently it's very important to the Rebellion." Threepio shook his head. "I'm not sure what he's talking about sir, with all we've been through this little Artoo unit can get a little excitable."
"No, Master Kenobi should see this." Luke had opened a trunk and was hurriedly emptying its contents, he stopped when he found a small bundle. The Padawan got to his feet as he unwrapped the lightsaber Obi-Wan had given him. "Come on!"
##
Sabine's cell door opened, the Mandalorian felt a wave of hatred as Remnous walked in.
"Oh great, you again." Remnous scowled, he was starting to resent Li's failure to successfully reprogram a living subject. "I'm not talking." The Mandalorian lay back on the torture device she'd woken up on a glared defiantly at the Sith Lord.
"The night is young," Remnous smirked as he descended the short flight of stairs into the cell.
"What did you do to me?" Sabine's fists clenched as she strained against her restraints. "Why did you need my blood?" The Mandalorian flinched at the memory of their last meeting. "And everything else you too?" Remnous chuckled darkly.
"I wouldn't concern yourself by thinking about it, you won't be alive long enough to see why." The Mandalorian snorted.
"You can't kill me." Remnous's smirk slowly turned into a scowl.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Exactly that." Sabine sat up straighter in her restraints. "You had your chance to kill me on the Death Star, but you didn't."
"Only because Marek interrupted." Sabine laughed.
"We both know you had more than enough time before he tackled you. All you had to do was bring the saber down and that would have been it, but you hesitated." Remnous flicked the middle and index fingers of his mechanical hand to the side, the electrodes mounted on the device shot forward and sparked to life.
Sabines body went rigid as her muscles reacted to the electrical current flowing through them and locked up. Remnous rolled his head around on his neck and took a deep breath as Sabine howled with agony. The Sith Lord cocked his head to the side and frowned, it was only just occurring to him that he quite liked the sound of her pained cries. The Mandalorian let out a loud gasp followed by a fit of coughs as the electrodes retracted.
"You will give me the plans, you know I have no qualms about killing my loved ones." The Mandalorian glared at him.
"I never loved you, I loved Ezra Bridger. You're a monster with his face!" Remnous's left eye twitched.
"You keep saying that, but we both know it isn't true. Bridger would never have survived the training that created me. He would have come back to you a broken husk, he could never have told you how he felt." The Mandalorian shook her head fiercely.
"Shut up!" Remnous smirked cruelly.
"Have I touched a nerve?" The Sith Lord chuckled. "Admit it, you miss the passion, the rush, you miss me." Sabine bowed her head, Remnous grinned with triumph. Tentatively, the Sith reached out with his robotic arm and gently caressed the Mandalorians cheek. Sabine flinched away slightly, then relaxed and allowed the Sith to take her chin between his thumb and fingers and tilt her head up to look at him. "There's my girl." Remnous leaned forwards, Sabine closed her eyes and let out a long breath. Just as their lips were about to meet; the Mandalorian thrust her head forwards into Remnous's nose.
The Sith Lord stumbled backwards with a startled grunt, his metal fingers flying to his face. Sabine laughed.
"You actually fell for that?" The Mandalorian snorted. "Don't ever touch me agai-" Her words were cut off as Remnous flicked two fingers upwards. Sabines chin was forced upwards, smacking the back of her head into the metal table.
Sabine blinked dazedly a few times as stars danced before her eyes, then her head slumped forwards her eyes closed.
Authors Note: I have a lot more written, but after looking at what I had I realised it was far from done and I hadn't posted in a month. So I decided to split a New Hope into parts.
So, until we meet again.
Regards
Nighttrek