It was night on New Alderaan when the Millennium Falcon landed in the royal spaceport. After a tense exchange with Tahiri working the radio, they managed to end up in the correct lot to meet their mole.
Tahiri fronted the group as the loading ramp descended. They entered the New Alderaanian night. A full moon shone overhead like a floodlight, illuminating the white spires and durocrete so that there was no shadow to hide in.
"Zekk!" Tahiri couldn't hold back her smile. "It's good to see you again."
Nellith felt stupid for not guessing it sooner. He'd gone to live with Thea after her coronation as her official lover and future consort. Indeed, he wore one of the highest-ranking uniforms in the Remnant.
"We'll have to move quickly— if the Empress has discovered I've betrayed her, we'll have to make a fast escape, and I knew I could hide my true loyalties for only so long." Zekk's bright green eyes ran over the group, taking in each member. He stopped at Ben. "Master Solo— I'm thrilled that you're here."
"I'm thrilled that you weren't actually relapsing into the dark side again," Ben said.
Zekk shook his head. "I'm happy I was rescued from Tavion— I have no need to go back to the dark."
His eyes then found Nellith, and his gaze softened. "I'm happy you got to the Princess Leia safe and sound, kid."
"Wait— you put me in the cryogenics?" Nellith frowned.
"We'll talk about it later— but we both agreed to the arrangement, before your memory— but again, we need to get a move on," Zekk amended hastily. "Come on, I disabled the security sensors in the laundromat. It won't last long."
The party huddled close to Zekk as they headed inside the Mirrorbright Palace.
Dressed in uniforms of teal and black and gray, in contrast to the white setting, the party continued onwards.
They were familiar to Nellith, and of course, there were many reasons why. Even from what she could remember, she'd been there once, for her sister's coronation.
The Mirrorbright Palace was a labor of love. Every nook and cranny had a beautiful detail, showing the designs and artwork of Alderaanian artists. The halls were well-illuminated but not harsh, to display everything in glows of beauty.
Zekk led them across the corridor from the first lift to the second. Nellith frowned.
"There wasn't a lift there on the lower levels."
"Clever," Zekk said. "Although you wouldn't remember this anymore, it's a security measure to protect the Empress against any threats."
He then pulled out a keycard, and inserted it into the panel beside the lift.
The doors split open for the party, and Zekk gave off a gentlemanly gesture.
"Ladies first."
Tahiri snorted as she took him up on that.
After the party crowded into the elevator, Zekk joined them, and the lift shot up to Darth Keera's personal apartments.
Zekk was the first to enter, and he beckoned the others to join him after a quick sweep of the area. Darth Keera wasn't there.
"Master Zekk, is that you—"
Never was Nellith so relieved to see the droid.
"Mistress Nellith! It is a surprise— after the way Mistress Thea carried on, I thought you were never coming back— and you have brought friends!"
"We've come to get you out, Threepio," Ben said. "But first, where's Jacen?"
"Why, Master Jacen is in his room, as usual."
Zekk pulled out a different keycard. "Thea's gonna be pissed when she realizes this is missing."
Nellith's heart beat faster, and she could feel her brother's presence. It was like a jungle on Yavin IV, busy and always moving— but yet there was serenity. History was there.
But now there was more darkness and hurt in her brother's heart, she sensed.
She only could fear that Jacen was not like whatever she'd been in those years when Darth Keera had her in her claws—
Zekk opened a door to reveal a windowless room with just shackles and a white floor.
Jacen was there, not shackled, but sitting in a corner. His hair had grown out. There were cuts on his cheek and hands, blood stains on the white cloth tunic and pants he wore. There was a dazed look in his eyes, and he refused to look up.
"You're not real, you're not real," he mumbled.
"Jacen!" Tahiri gently pushed Nellith out of the way, and cupped his face in her hands. "Jacen, it's me."
"Thea, stop." His words slurred together. "Thea, please, just stop doing this."
Valin came in next, kneeling beside Tahiri. "It's me, bud. We're really here. We've come to get you out."
Jacen frowned. "Thea, where are you going with this?"
Then he looked up and saw Nellith. His disappointment was cutting. "Nellith, please— you're not like her— I know you never meant it—"
"They're not projections." Nellith stood awkwardly at the precipice of the small room. "I came to rescue you. I don't remember everything— I know I'm the reason you're here, and I want to fix it. I even found Dad. We're gonna go home."
"Dad?" Jacen craned his neck, and then squinted. "You're— you're here?"
Jacen then swallowed thickly. "I didn't think—"
"Come on," Tahiri interrupted gently. "The Jedi on Coruscant are waiting for you. We've been trying to figure out where you went all this time. We love you— we never planned on leaving you here."
Zekk then frowned as he pressed his commlink. "Hey, I hate to interrupt a touching moment, but we've got to run. Darth Keera's coming for a surprise inspection."
Tahiri and Valin then practically leapt out of the room as Ben entered, lifting his adult son like it was nothing.
"We need to leave, now."
They crowded into the elevator with Threepio, and descended into the level where the other lift was. Moving quickly, they entered the second lift, entering the corridor that would take them straight to the spaceport.
However, as Nellith was about to exit through the doors into the open night, she sensed an icy presence. It was a warm night on New Alderaan.
She whirled around as Darth Keera turned the corner.
Her sister was beautiful, in her sleeveless scarlet gown and golden diadem with a single red teardrop in the center of her forehead. Her golden eyes cut through even the brightness, a horror unto themselves. She reached for the long scepter-style lightsaber at her golden belt.
With a quick, switching moment, the scepter unfolded to reveal its true nature as a double-bladed red lightsaber.
Nellith in that moment was overcome with rage. Her sister had taken so much from her, from her other siblings, from her friends.
Her whole life had been changed and turned upside down. It was time for Darth Keera to pay.
Nellith pulled her blaster rifle and fired on the Sith Empress.
As if it were child's play, or a training game from the Praxeum, Darth Keera reflected the bolts with her saber without flinching.
She continued her advancement, forwards, towards Nellith.
"Nellith, wait—"
"Nellith, no!"
"Come on—"
She could hear her friends' shouts and pleas. But it was too late. She could end this here, she was sure of it. And if she died trying— then at least she died trying to atone or her mistakes.
"We have to leave her, let's go—"
It was then that the blaster flew out of Nellith's hand, and she was paralyzed. She felt an invisible hand shove her down on her knees, force her hands behind her back.
"So my Hand returns," Darth Keera sneered. "And you brought me new prey."
It was a guilt-ridden punch to the stomach.
Whatever else happened, she couldn't let the Remnant take her friends.
She reached out in the Force, and pulled at a structural beam.
Down it went crashing behind her, blocking off the door.
Darth Keera let out an animalistic snarl as she started to raise it back up.
That was all Nellith needed. She broke free of the paralysis, and pulled down another beam, right between Keera and herself.
Darth Keera darted back in surprise. She snapped back the other end of her saber-staff, and whirled it just like their mother would in fights with her yellow lightsaber.
Nellith reached out and pulled the beam by the other doors back down, and leapt over the first. She ducked under Darth Keera's swing, and managed to kick Darth Keera's legs out from under her.
The red saber-staff came to her hand like a loyal Kath-Hound when called.
Darth Keera propped herself up on her forearms, and stretched out one hand. Black lightning emerged, and Nellith was quick to block the strike with the saber-staff.
The handles shook and vibrated with the new charge of energy. Nellith thought it might just shatter in her hands.
Let it shatter, get rid of one of her weapons, Nellith thought numbly as she fought to stand her ground.
Darth Keera rose to her feet as stormtroopers filled the corridor. None dared to fire, however, in fear of hurting or disobeying the secret wishes of their Empress.
Nellith gritted her teeth, and swung.
The lightning was redirected, and bounded down the hallway before sizzling out, consumed by its own energy.
Before Nellith could take a swing at her sister, however, Darth Keera clenched her fist and raised it into the air.
The lightsaber dropped to the ground, hitting the button that turned it off with a clatter.
Nellith clawed at the invisible hands around her throat. Her vision was already going spotty, all she could hear was a dull roar.
This was how it would end, she realized. She reached out for the last time, and could feel that the Falcon had left the atmosphere of New Alderaan.
At least they were safe. At least all they had lost was the Skywalker daughter that didn't matter, that wasn't as important.
Then Nellith fell to the ground, gasping for breath as Darth Keera stared daggers into her with golden eyes.
"I may have lost my Hand and my bait," she murmured. "But I can regain what I lost. Take her to my chambers— I will personally recondition her."
Before Nellith could get up, attempt to fight back, Darth Keera waved a hand over her body. Then all faded to black.