Chapter 7 (Chapter 25)
There the rebels stood, almost hopeless, against the two most powerful men alive. The rebels readied themselves for their final fight. Darth Vader, and Bando Roscoe's clone, against the Ghost crew, Maul, Aang, Geoff, and untrained Padawans.
Vader and the clone approached them, and the rebels started walking backwards at the same pace. Maul and Geoff were held in place, not by the sith, who noticed and were confused. The doors behind them closed, leaving Maul and Geoff with the sith.
"What?! No!" Ezra shouted, against the doors, which had windows.
Geoff turned to Ezra first, "I may not have gotten to know you very well, but it's been an honor serving beside you."
"Despite our differences, I feel the same." Maul said.
Then, one red lightsaber came in through the wall, worrying the rebels even more. The blade circled around until a hole was pushed out. Then out came that all-too-familiar helmet wearing former-Imperial, relieving the rebels.
"Bando!" Ezra shouted, then noticed something different about him.
(See the chapter on Archive of Our Own for the picture to be seen here)
"You guys aren't going anywhere." Bando told Geoff and Maul. He approached Geoff and held out his hand. "Together?"
Geoff took it and shook. "Forever."
"Friends?"
"Until the end."
Bando ignited his lightsabers and stood alongside them. He then looked back at the Ghost crew, and said, "It has been an honor knowing you all. Ezra, even Sabine, Zeb, Hera, Aang, all of you."
"Bando! Let us through."
"I can't do that. You guys need to go while you can, bottom line. Go." Bando then used the force to quickly pull a chunk from the roof to block the door and the window. He then turned around and faced his allies. They nodded at him, then faced the sith with determination.
(See the chapter on Archive of Our Own for the picture to be seen here)
"I admit, I did not expect you to show up again." The clone said.
"I could say the same."
"Although, I again forsee the result of this confrontation, as I have forseen Phoenix Squadrons' Ghost crew's moves."
'He's gonna start monologuing again.' Bando thought.
"I foresaw what you were going to do at the citadel, but I was too late to catch you. But, I obviously made the right move at my castle."
"What?"
"I foresaw and played out everything that happened. I peered over to you and temporarily blocked any trace of the dark side from you so I could give it back to you full blast after that stormtrooper brought up you-know-who to get you to leave the rebellion. And this was the result of everything proceeding the way it was planned. Three die, one survives."
"Check your math. There's five of us."
"They're stalling." Vader interrupted impatiently.
"My apologies, Lord Vader. Let's get this over with shall we?" And the two sides lunged at each other, starting their fierce duel.
The rebel crew was back at the Ghost, preparing to take off.
"Kanan, you know Bando and Geoff wil die. We can't leave them there." Ezra said in panic as Hera started taking off.
"Ezra, this sacrifice is for the greater good. We can blow this station up and Vader and Bando's clone will die too."
Ezra didn't want to admit or think that Kanan was right, but submitted anyway.
"You are all going to die, don't you know?" Maul asked aloud as he and Bando were fighting Bando's clone, and Geoff was occupying Vader.
"I think not. Did you not hear what I have said?" Bando's clone asked. "I foresaw everything you did. After you all left the reactor core, I had your detonators removed."
"But you wouldn't forsee me putting them back, would you?" Bando asked.
"What!?"
"I've been on a journey recently, and I've gained much, and I am now more than you. I can overcome your predictions and most importantly," Bando knocked him down -and Maul helped fight Vader- and continued, "I am better than you."
"No. I still know more than you." Bando's clone disappeared again, but Bando immediately used the force to bring him back and knock him down again. "But our arrogance still blinds you."
"No! I will not be beaten by the likes of you, my greatest enemy."
Bando leaned in close and said,"You're your own greatest enemy." Then stabbed the clone through his chest, slowly killing him. Bando remained and sensed as the life in his clone drained bit by bit. "It's ironic." He then pulled up a detonator switch and pressed the button. Several 'booms' erupted throughout the ship.
"You all go, I'll hold him off." Maul said to Bando and Geoff, who didn't argue, who obeyed his command. Tried to, anyway. Vader kept them there, using the force to knock them out. Maul focused back on Vader, raised his lightsaber, then said, "This is how you die."
Vader just swung down on him, but Maul dodged and carried on with his array of attacks, varying all over. They traded strikes for a short moment, then Maul punched Vader, making him stumble back. Then the 'booms' grew louder and closer and knocked them to the ground. Maul, being older, took more time recovering than Vader did. Vader simply got up and headed to one of the escape pods. He chose to do so, knowing he would rather have all three of them die and he survives, than take more time killing Maul himself and die along with them.
Bando and Geoff woke to the sparking hallways and loud-growing booms. They stood and all three of them looked around.
"This is where our paths come to an end, I'm afraid." Maul said.
"Despite being so nervewrecking, it was fun working with you all. Even, uh, sorry, hornhead." Geoff said.
"My name is Maul."
"Geoff. It was a remarkable experience fighting with you."
"Likewise."
Bando faced Geoff, "Friends?"
"Until the end." They shook forearms, then awaited their fate.
The Ghost crew, pirates, and the rebellion saw the star destroyer explode, and they were deeply sorrowed for their loss.
Yet cheerful for their victory over the Empire.
But it wasn't meant to be.