Nellith never surrendered in the week that had passed since she'd been marked for death. Try as Darth Thea might, she could not recover the information of where Nellith had found the Jedi, or where Allana had been all those years.
In fact, Nellith had been defiant, spitting in the face of her captor, taunting her. For all her efforts, she'd been slapped and shocked with more lightning— but what did it matter?
Nellith was going to die anyway.
It was a surprise to her when on the morning of her scheduled execution, Darth Keera entered. She looked almost herself again.
"Wake up, sister," she cried in sing-song. "We have to get you ready for today."
Nellith felt the shackles on the wall. She rubbed her wrists, letting circulation flow back in. They'd been on and off throughout the week— but more often on than off.
She stared daggers up at her sister. "What do you want? Why don't you just kill me here, if you're going to do it?"
"You never did understand politics." Darth Keera rolled her eyes. "Come on, we need to pick out your dress!"
Her sister then giddily pulled Nellith up by the wrist and into her private bedroom. She practically threw Nellith down on her large bed, holding her there with the Force as she flung open the doors to her ginormous closet.
"I think blue would suit you well— but white looks so much better on the HoloNet, wouldn't you agree?"
"What?" Nellith couldn't hide her surprise or disgust. "You're murdering me in front of the galaxy— this isn't some gala or ball? You do know that, don't you?"
Darth Keera stopped. Her breathing became rapid, and she turned.
Just for a second, her eyes were no longer— rather the same hazel as their mother's—-
But as soon as it came, it was gone. Darth Keera lifted Nellith up with the Force into the air, and slammed her down onto the floor, before the paralysis set in again.
"I think the blue would be right, after all."
She then pulled out a simpler gown than the rest of what was in that wardrobe.
What ensued was perhaps one of the most normal things to happen since Nellith had awoken from the box, from the Second Purge.
Darth Keera styled her hair to allow an exposed neck, did her makeup, and helped her into her dress. If Nellith tried, she could block out all else and pretend it was the old days.
But now she was certain— Thea Organa was never coming back.
She was more certain of the fact when her hands were cuffed behind her back and Darth Keera looked her over one last time.
"You'll look beautiful," Darth Keera said as she touched Nellith's face.
Nellith shuddered under her sister's gloved hands.
"It truly is a pity you couldn't return to my side." Darth Keera sighed. "But your old self— she would appreciate that you were able to help me advance my empire."
What sort of monster had Nellith been?
But she was out of time to wonder these sorts of things. Darth Keera, surrounded by elite stormtroopers in scarlet armor, was the first to emerge on the balcony.
Crowded into the large stone courtyard were all of the inhabitants of the Royal City who could be there. Elsewhere under the Remnant's rule, the HoloNet provided a livestream.
Darth Keera stood tall and proud as the stormtroopers provided an execution block.
"Tonight, we execute a traitor to our cause— one of Skywalker blood."
The stormtroopers behind Nellith pushed her forward. She stood beside her sister, all eyes on her.
Sith and apprentices and Hands were among stormtroopers throughout the crowd.
There was no escape possible for her. Not without a weapon.
As Darth Keera droned on, in what was undoubtedly some rousing speech, Nellith was forced down onto her knees, and her head on the block. She shivered as she was forced to watch the crowd, watching her in a sick loop.
Then all sound faded out, the crowd became shadows. In the center of Nellith's vision was Jaina Solo. Not blue, but in full color— yet still translucent.
"Hang on, Nell."
Jaina then looked over her shoulder, and if Nellith squinted, she could see a figure she had not seen since the Purge.
"Mum?" Nellith whispered.
"Nellith— are you— wait—" Rey stood up, wherever she was, throwing a flimsi book down. "Are you—"
"No time for explanations," Jaina said. "You've still got my lightsaber, right?"
"I didn't have time to bury it." Rey pulled a familiar silver cylinder out of a pouch around her waist. "But what use will this do from—"
"I got this— at least, I think I do." Jaina knitted her eyebrows together, and she reached for the lightsaber— taking it from Rey.
Faintly, Nellith could hear the sound of a lightsaber being ignited above her.
"I give you the title that I was given when I was alive," Jaina whispered. "I name you Sword of the Jedi."
Nellith felt the cylinder in her hands and she ignited the indigo blade, and swung up. The lightsaber cut through the cuffs, and blocked her sister's swing. Nellith managed to stand, although she ripped the hem of the long blue gown. She held up the saber, dropping into a fighting stance.
Sith Hands and apprentices ignited their own red lightsabers in response.
Nellith's heart pounded at the idea of fighting all of them.
Then she saw it— like a lens focusing. People in gray and brown and black hoods threw those hoods down and ignited their own lightsabers.
Yellow, orange, green, blue, white, purple, pink—-
A rainbow of support.
The Jedi were there— they'd come for her.
Nellith looked back to Darth Keera just in time to block her swing.
And as she did so, she felt Jaina's hand on her shoulder, her energy pulsing through her veins as she parried and struck and blocked.
Jaina's voice then whispered into her ear. Nellith knew them— the words that Rey had used to knight Jaina at her ceremony, before she went to Chandrila.
"I name you Sword of the Jedi."
Darth Keera switched on the second blade of the saber-staff.
"You are like tempered steel, purposeful and keen."
Nellith blocked the first blade, then jumped over the second, tapping into her own power, and that of her sister's.
"Always, you shall be in the front rank—"
Nellith turned and struck, matching the first blade in a stalemate. Using the Force, she turned off the second blade, and pushed Darth Keera back.
"—A burning brand to your enemies—"
Nellith did not advance on Darth Keera. Instead, with a precise struck, she cut the saber-staff in two.
"—A brilliant fire to your friends."
That's when Nellith saw Kyp, struggling with Brakiss behind her and Darth Keera.
While her sister was vulnerable, Nellith knew what was more important now.
She charged at Brakiss, and matched his lightsaber from behind, just as he was about to hit Kyp.
It gave Kyp enough time to swing his lightsaber, readying his strike.
"Yours is a restless life—"
Unfortunately, it gave Brakiss enough time to push her down with the Force. Nellith fell to the floor just as Darth Keera rose and pulled off her elbow-length gloves.
"—And never shall you know peace—"
Nellith barely blocked her sister's black lightning.
"—though you shall be blessed for the peace you bring to others."
With each word from Jaina, Nellith found the strength to stand. She glanced behind her shoulder, at Kyp. They shared a glance, and with it, a wordless communication.
"Take comfort that in the fact that, though you stand tall and alone, others take comfort in the shadow that you cast."
At the same time, Kyp and Nellith pushed their Sith opponents with the Force.
Brakiss flew off of the platform, into the crowd as the citizens of Alderaan fled.
Darth Keera almost suffered the same, but she managed to grab the edge of the balcony, and was kicking desperately to get up.
For a moment, Nellith was tempted.
She could end it here.
But she knew her arrogance, this time. She turned to Kyp, and extinguished her lightsaber. "Come on, let's go!"
She took his hand, and followed the stream of Jedi and civilians alike.
Jedi were urging civilians to get on the ships, as many as could be carried.
Nellith saw Jacen and Allana on the ramp of the Falcon, beckoning Kyp and Nellith to hurry.
TIEs and other strange Sith-like ships soared above, and Jedi transports started closing their doors and taking off into the sky.
The Falcon began liftoff procedures, and Jacen ran up, presumably to the turret.
"Come on, Skywalker," Kyp panted, gripping Nellith's hand more tightly. "We're gonna have to jump."
"Let's do it, then!"
They ran, boosting each other with their power in a closed loop of strong energy.
Then, with everything they each had left, they leapt into the Falcon right before the door closed.
Nellith lay there for a moment as the Falcon leapt into hyperspace.
Then she looked at Kyp. "You came back for me."
Something twinkled in his dark green eyes, but before he could say anything, Allana interrupted.
"We all did." Allana then helped her sister to her feet. "Welcome home, sis."
She then frowned. "Where did you get the lightsaber from?"
"Jaina— it's a long story," Nellith amended hastily at her sister's confused look. "I saw her. I think I'm a Jedi Knight, now. She passed on her title to me."
"The Sword of the Jedi."
Everyone looked to Jacen, who smiled sadly. "We're happy to have another one of those, in our ranks. I have a feeling you'll be needed."