The Apprentice

Remnous smirked to himself pridefully as two Inquisitors dragged Palpatine's gaunt remains out of the subterranean Throne Room, the Sith Lord was stood atop the dais overlooking the small cavern, Starkiller at his side. The Invasion of Lothal was over, the back of the Remnant's strength had been broken; without their leader, the few surviving Imperial Star Destroyers would quickly turn on each other as the surviving Remnant commanders tore each-other apart trying to establish dominance. True, Mara Jade had managed to slip off-world before the Regime's troops could catch her, but she was nothing without her Master, the Sith pretender would be no threat.

The Galaxy, at last; was finally totally under his thumb. The true work could now begin. He spared a glance down the dais as he casually pocketed the Silver Holocron, for the briefest second, he heard Palpatine's wail of anguish.

His guard had busied themselves setting up floodlights to properly illuminate the gloomy artificial cave. The surviving members of the Inquisition had also set themselves to work; sorting the bodies of those that had fallen in the fight, respectfully carrying off their own while roughly dragging the still-warm corpses of Palpatine's guards over to an ever-mounting pile to one side. The Emperor's brow furrowed as he watched the Sixth Sister and the Tenth Brother gently lifted the still body of the Seventh Brother onto a stretcher, the Twi'lek turned to momentarily stare up at him, the visor of her helmet flashing blindingly as the floodlights flicked on. He had never asked Vera what punishment she had deemed fit for the Inquisitor's interference on Hoth, he'd also never seen the disgraced agent without her helmet on after she had returned from Bespin.

A sinister gleam appeared in the Emperor's eye as he turned to face Palpatine's throne, well, it was only the right of the conqueror to claim the spoils of war. Starkiller drew himself up to his full height as Remnous swept passed him and ran a hand over one of the arms rests of the throne.

"And so I take your throne once again, 'Master'." A Loth Wolfish grin spread across Remnous's face as he turned to take in the vanquished Palpatine's throne room, the titanic space seemed so much smaller now it was properly lit, slowly, he sat down. "In the end, you were nothing but an inconvenience." His smirk widened as he felt his belt rock slightly as the Holocron shuddered gently. "All that was yours is truly mine now." Remnous's eyes shone sinisterly as he inspected the control panels mounted on armrests. "What secrets do you have for me? What ancient power did you desperately attempt to evoke to stop me?" The Emperor's scarred face was lit up with the light of a holographic display as he randomly selected a button, his golden eyes darting to and fro as he greedily absorbed the information, his smirk somehow managed to widen. "Oh Sidious, were you so desperate to defeat me?" He turned to face Starkiller. "Get my personal LAAT ready, it looks like Palpatine was digging for something." The Sith Assassin stepped forward and loudly thumped his right fist to his chest.

"As you command, your Majesty." The Emperor rose to his feet as Starkiller extended his arm towards him.

"This may be just what I need to secure my reign once and for all!"

"Remnous!" Both Sith turned to stare down the dais; the clone of Sabine Wren had run into the cavern, Remnous rolled his eyes.

"What's it doing here?" He groaned in the back of his throat, Starkiller paused, his helmet turning to stare at the young Emperor.

"Your Majesty!" The clone had reached the foot of the dais and had begun to take the stairs three at a time. "They said you'd been injured!" Starkiller felt something in his chest that might have been actual pity, the look of genuine concern on the girl's face made what was coming all the more painful.

"The reports are greatly exaggerated," Remnous rolled his eyes as he raised his left hand, the clone of Sabine froze in place on the last step of the dais. "Needless to say, I am unharmed." The Sith Lord glanced down at his right arm, a red light was flashing in the centre of his palm, his brow furrowed as he curiously tapped it with his middle finger. A small holographic projection of Boba Fett appeared over Remnous's palm.

"My Emperor." The Mandalorian bowed his head slightly.

"Fett?" The Sith Lord casually released the clone and let her drop roughly to the ground. "This had better be good."

"My apologies your Majesty, I just wanted to inform you that Sabine Wren has been taken prisoner by the Hutts." Remnous's spine stiffened slightly, the clone stared up from the ground, her expression an indecipherable display of emotions of all kinds. There was a moment of tense silence.

"Is she dead?" The hologram of Boba shook its head.

"No, Jabba has paid me to keep this from you, but he plans to make her his next plaything." There was a moment of silence as even the Sith Accolaytes felt a shudder of revulsion run through them. Remnous nodded.

"Very well, join me on Lothal."

"Your Majesty?" The Emperor ignored the clone Manda'lor and continued to stare at the hologram.

"She's restrained and out of play, exactly where I want her. I was planning on dealing with Jabba in short order anyway, his cooperation has outlived its usefulness."

"As you command." The hologram flickered and vanished; Remnous rolled his head around on his neck before slipping on his grandfather's helmet and turning back to Starkiller.

"Shall we continue?" He turned back to the staircase, pausing in his step as he did so. The clone of Sabine Wren was gone. "Where'd it go?"

##

The door of Jabba's Palace rumbled open, no one had activated it, brilliant desert sunlight began to pour into the gloomy entranceway as a lone figure crossed the threshold, a dark cloak billowing around them in the wind; the two Gamorrean guards that were stationed by the door lurched forwards, their axes rising clumsily.

The black-clad intruder paused in his stride as the aliens crossed their weapons in front of him, casually he raised a hand, the two sentries stumbled back towards the walls, their axes clanging loudly to the ground as they clutched their throats. The figure continued onwards into the fortress.

Bib Fortuna frowned perplexedly as a shadow fell over the wide entrance of Jabba's throne room, a sleepy atmosphere hung over the chamber, C3P0 stood idly at the back of Jabba's dais as the bounty hunters and mercenaries that made up the crimelords court lounged dazedly about amidst clouds of spice smoke. The Hutt himself was sleeping soundly, his fat fist loosely gripping a length of chain, the steel links trailed down the Hutts fleshy side and linked to the intricate golden collar that was wrapped snuggly around the neck of Sabine Wren.

The Mandalorian lay on the gangster's dais, her head resting one arm and one leg crossed over the other; her face vacant but her eyes gleaming with intense fury. She had been stripped out of her armour and redressed in a skimpy slave-girl outfit; consisting of a brass brassiere with a deep, plunging neckline. Strings attached to several small golden arms that snaked around her sides and up her chest lashed the metal dressing to her bare chest, leaving her toned stomach uncovered. A golden arm wrap shaped to look like a snake devouring its tail was wrapped around her upper right bicep and two golden bracelets had been clasped to her left forearm. She wore a heavy copper belt around her waist, a purple loincloth had been attached to the back and the very front of the belt, which somewhat covered her bare legs.

Sabine's burning eyes flicked away from her armour, which had been mounted on a display stand where the block of carbonite Han had been sealed in once stood, and onto the growing shadow as Fortuna hurried towards the entranceway; irritably waving off the steadily approaching Luke Skywalker.

"I must speak with Jabba." The Twi'lek irritably shook his head.

"His eminence has already refused your offer! There will be no bargain, leave this place!" Luke rolled his eyes exasperatedly under his hood as he waved a hand slowly passed the servant's face.

"You will take me to Jabba now." Fortuna's eyes drifted out of focus and he numbly repeated Luke's words.

"I will take you to Jabba now." The Jedi smirked as he followed the Twi'lek into the throne room, its occupants rousing suddenly as he strode passed them.

"You serve your master well."

"I swear my master well." Luke spared a glance down at Sabine as Fortuna mounted Jabba's dais, the Mandalorian made eye contact with him for a second; Luke quickly broke it and kept his gaze focused on the gangster, he'd suddenly decided he would be polite and not look again. 3P0's head twitched upwards weakly, then he raised his arms.

"At last! Master Luke has come to rescue me!"

"Master?" Fortuna boldly took Jabba by the shoulder and shook him in an attempt to rouse the crimelord. The alien's eyes rolled open and he snorted irritably as his bulbous head swung from side to side, on reflex his arms jerked slightly and Sabine glowered as she was pulled roughly to one side as her chain was yanked on. Fortuna proudly presented Luke to Jabba as the Hutt's irate eyes swiveled up to glare at him. "I present Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight." Jabba's pupils dilated as he turned his glare on his Luke.

"I told you not to admit him!"

"I must be allowed to speak." Luke's eyes narrowed under his hood, his brows arching as he focused his mind; Fortuna turned back to Jabba.

"He must be allowed to speak." Jabba rolled his eyes and lunged forward, seizing the Twi'lek by the front of his robe.

"You weak-minded fool!" The Hutt shook the Twi'lek back and forth. "He's using an old Jedi Mind Trick!" Jabba tossed Fortuna aside, glowering as the Twi'lek tumbled to the ground.

"You will bring Captain Solo and the Wookie to me." Luke lowered his hood as he took an assertive step towards Jabba, his gaze set firmly on the massive Hutt. The crimelord chuckled darkly, an amused smile spreading across sluggish features.

"Your mind powers won't work on me, boy." Luke's eyes narrowed as a brief look of annoyance flashed across his face.

"Nevertheless." The Jedi let his cloak fall open as he took a few more steps towards Jabba's dais. "I'm taking Captain Solo, and his friends." The guards and mercenaries of the crimelord's court began to close in around the young Skywalker as he stared cooly up at Jabba. "You can either profit by this, or be destroyed." Jabba snorted as he glared down at Luke. "The choice is yours, but I warn you not to underestimate my powers." 3P0 took a few hesitant steps forward as the Hutt puffed himself up, an indignant growl building up in the back of his throat.

"Master Luke, you're standing on-!"

"There will be no bargain, young Jedi." Jabba yanked on Sabine's chain again, rocking the Mandalorian back as he glowered at Luke. The Jedi briefly glanced over the throne room and momentarily made eye contact with one of the guards before turning back to the gangster. "I look forward to watching you die." The crimelord chuckled as he raised a hand, Luke's eyes narrowed, then his hand flew up and a blaster was pulled from the holster of one of the nearby mercenaries, but before he could catch it one of the Gamorreans grabbed him, then Jabba roared with fury and the ground came out from under him.

##

Tandi raised an eyebrow as she peered through her binoculars at Jabba's Palace, three Kom'rk-class starships were settling into place on the desert plain in front of the crimelord's lavish dwelling. The redhead ran an eye over each of the ships in turn, each was marked with both the symbol of the New Regime and Mandalore.

"So, Remnous sends his concubine to collect?" The Grey Jedi sighed as another wave of regret washed over her, she should have guessed what Remnous was doing to Sabine all those years ago, another failure to add to her ever-growing pile. But she didn't have time to sulk about and regret her blunders, it was time to act. "Time to call in the cavalry." The redhead tapped the comm in her ear. "Fulcrum to Ghost, can you hear me Hera?"

##

A blaster went off Jabba's Throne room, the gangsters of the criminal court; still shaken from Luke's defeat of the Rancor panicked and hurriedly cleared the entrance. A dozen Mandalorians strode assertively through their ranks. Jabba glowered down at the intruders while below him; Sabine's eyes narrowed and her nostrils flared with rage and humiliation as she recognised the armor of the leader, it was her clone.

"What is the meaning of this?!" The Hutt roared indignantly as the Mandalorian leader stepped up to his dais, her helmet turned to stare at his newest slave girl. "Answer me!" There was a long moment of silence, then the leader finally tore her gaze from Sabine and turned to face him.

"Greetings exalted one." Jabba's eyes narrowed and flitted down to his slave for a second at the sound of her voice. "I am Manda'lor Wren, one of Emperor Remnous's closest advisors." The scum in the room flinched at the mention of Remnous, heads turned to each-other worriedly, they were well aware of the Regime's mounting strength in the Outer Rim. With the Remnant broken the young Emperor would need a new enemy to unify the Galaxy against and the crime families of the Outer Rim were a prime candidate. Jabba's eyes had narrowed as he stared cooly down at the Mandalorian, a cloud of smoke poured slowly from his gaping mouth as his thoughts raced, then the Hutt laughed. Sabine flinched as the loud laughter echoed off the sloped walls of the throne room and crashed back over her, a tense few seconds slipped by, then the rest of Jabba's thugs began to laugh too. The Mandalorian's glanced at each other, some rolling their eyes under their helmets, the leader turned her gaze back to Sabine. The prisoner glared back venomously, her clenched fists trembling with fury.

"You should simply have said so!" Jabba grinned deceptively down at the Mandalorian, "any friend of Remnous is a friend of mine!" The Hutt spread his arms warmly, yanking Sabine's chain again in the process.

"Is that so?" The leader said, her helmet still staring at Sabine. "That is a curious thing to say, as you appear to be keeping one of his most wanted fugitives on a leash." Jabba's eyes narrowed as the Mandalorian chuckled. "Though I must admit, you have found a role she is suited to." Sabine's lips peeled back in a snarl; Jabba's brow furrowed slightly as he glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. These two knew each other, not just that, they loathed one another.

"Who are you?" The leader snorted.

"I've already told you, I am Mandalore Wren." The Hutt shook his head as gripped Sabine's chain tightly in his fast fist.

"Show me your face." The leader's guards stiffened slightly, their helmets turned to glance at each other as the leader turned her helmet back to the Hutt. There was a long moment of silence, then the leader slowly reached up and pulled her helmet off. Jabba chuckled depravedly as he stared down at the clone of Sabine Wren. "I see why Remnous is so keen to capture this one." The Hutt glanced down at Sabine before turning back to her clone, his tongue ran itself languidly along his bottom lip. "He must be very fond of her if he was willing to invest such resources into creating you." The clone's lips tightened as she took a deep breath through her nose.

"No expense was spared."

"Clearly." Jabba leered down at the Manda'lor, "I wonder, how would a matching set look?" The clone's eyes narrowed, behind her, her guards brazenly drew their weapons.

"I wouldn't recommend trying to find out." The Manda'lor's tone was cold, her anger more than obvious in her eyes. "I didn't come here to exchange pleasantries Jabba, I'm here for the Rebels." Jabba sneered as his court began to draw their weapons.

"Impossible I'm afraid their lives belong to me now, and I will see them punished for their transgressions!" The clone tilted her head to one side, her eyebrow raised curiously.

"You intend to feet them to the Sarlacc I presume?" Jabba scowled at the Mandalorian before nodding once curtly, the clone smirked, a sadistic gleam in her eyes. "Toss this one in after them and I think we can accept that." She pointed at Sabine.

"No." The clone glared up at Jabba; the Hutt pulled on Sabine's chain and yanked the captive Mandalorian back against his side, her face twisting with revulsion. "She is mine now."

"You dare refuse me?" Jabba snorted as he ran a hand through Sabine's green hair.

"You have no power here, 'Manda'lor Wren'. You have entered my court unannounced and uninvited. You are lucky I haven't ordered your guards killed and you be placed by your original's side." The Manda'lor's eyes narrowed as her irises flitted from one side of the room to the other, taking in the Hutts cronies as they closed in on them. "The Rebels will die, and Sabine Wren will never again leave this world, she cannot come between you and the Emperor anymore." A ripple of cruel laughter ran across the throne room. "Treat this as a victory and leave now, while you still can." The clone glared coldly up at Jabba for a few seconds, her brow knitted as her thoughts raced, then she shrugged.

"Very well." The Mandalorian knelt in front of Sabine so they were on the same eye level. "I wanted you dead, but I suppose this is a worse fate for you, isn't it?" Sabine glowered through clenched teeth as Jabba's pudgy fingers caressed the bare skin of her shoulder. "Left trapped and helpless, reduced to an observer in this war for the Galaxy." The clone ran an eye over Sabine's outfit one last time before she stood up, smirking down at the other Mandalorian as she took her helmet in both hands. "This look suits you." The Manda'lor turned on the spot and strode away as she pulled her helmet on.

"Don't scowl, my pretty." Sabine let out a startled grunt of protest as Jabba pinched her cheeks between his thumb and forefinger. "Save your face." Murder flashed in the Mandalorian's eyes and her scowl deepened as Jabba held her face. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lando Calrissian glance pityingly at her from across the room before he slipped his mask back into place. "Ready my barge!" Jabba bellowed as he roughly released Sabine's cheeks. "We're taking a trip to Sarlacc pit!"

##

Jabba's Sail Barge flew over the slopes of the desert dunes, accompanied by two small land skiffs. Luke Skywalker shrugged irritably as the suns burning light lashed over him, he had no idea what he'd been thinking when he'd missed this place back on Hoth.

"My eyes are getting better." Luke raised an eyebrow amusedly as he turned to face Han, he and Chewie were stood to his side at the end of the skiff, Lando was stood behind them. He had managed to infiltrate the Palace some time ago and had been posing as one of the guards. "Instead of a big dark blur, I see a big light blur."

"There's nothing to see." Luke shrugged. "I used to live here you know."

"You're gonna die here." Han turned to face his general direction, his old sardonic smile in place. "Convenient.

"Just stay close to Chewie and Lando, I've taken care of everything."

"Oh, great."

##

Sabine kept her eyes on the sand skiff her friends were on as she leaned against one of the sail barges open windows. The interior was decorated lavishly, Jabba was fond of the finer things in life and his barge reflected that fondness. The gangsters of Jabba's court lounged on plush couches, jeering to each-other and joking cruelly about her friend's fate. She shuddered to herself at the thought, being fed to the Sarlacc was probably the worst way in the galaxy to die, the creatures could live to be tens of thousands of years old and could grow to a massive size, using scents to lure in prey and large tentacle-like appendages to drag helpless creatures into its gaping maw. Once the Sarlacc had you, its body would cocoon you against the lining of its stomach walls and keep you alive as it digested you over the next thousand years.

Sabine's grim train of thought was derailed as Jabba roughly yanked on her chain and pulled her cleanly across the barge and into his arms. The Mandalorian snarled as she pulled against the Hutt's grip only for Bib Fortuna to appear behind her and press an insistent hand into the small of her bare-back, keeping her in place.

"Soon you will learn to appreciate me," Jabba smirked lecherously at her as he held up a glass to her, Sabine squirmed, wishing now more than ever that she was with her friends about to be fed to the Sarlacc.

"Master?" Jabba glanced over Sabine's shoulder questioningly, Fortuna bowed his head respectfully. "We have arrived." Jabba released Sabine and let her stumble backward into Fortuna's waiting arms.

"Where is my interpreter?"

"Here I am!" 3P0 appeared from the crowd and rushed to Jabba's side. "What may I do for you?" Jabba pulled a microphone from a compartment on his couch and held it out to the droid.

"Tell the prisoners, if they want to beg, now is the time."

"Oh." 3P0 stared at the microphone hesitantly, then hurriedly took it as Jabba growled in the back of his throat. "Of course, mighty lord Jabba." Sabine rolled her eyes as 3P0 hurried to one of the open windows.

"Victims of the almighty Sarlacc, his excellency hopes that you will die honourably, but if any of you wish to beg for mercy, the great Jabba the Hutt will nowhere your pleas!"

"Threepio!" The corners of Sabine's mouth twitched upwards as Han's indignant voice echoed up to them from the sand skiff. "You tell that slimy, worm riddled piece of, filth! That he'll get no such pleasure from us!" The gangsters chuckled at the smuggler's words, Luke gently pushed passed Han and stared up at the sail barge.

"Jabba, this is your last chance. Free us or die." Jabba chuckled darkly as he beckoned 3P0 back towards him and held his hand out expectantly. The protocol droid quickly handed the gangster the microphone.

"Move him into position!" Luke was shoved roughly by one of the guards to the edge of the sand skiff as a short walkway extended over the Sarlacc's chaws. Sabine tensed as the Jedi calmly strode out over the creature, then he glanced up at the barge and casually saluted with two loose fingers. The Mandalorian's eyes narrowed, then the corners of her mouth twitched upwards as she noticed a figure wearing a light grey cloak making their way through the crowd out of the corner of her eye. "Put him-!" Jabba stopped mid-sentence as the harsh sound of a lightsaber activating cut him off, the Hutt stared down at the amethyst plasma blade that was hovering inches away from his throat.

"This party's over." Sabine grinned as Jabba glowered at the grey cloaked woman that was holding him at the lightsaber point.

"Tandi Thurinos I presume."

"Huh." Tandi raised an eyebrow as she pulled her hood down. "My reputation proceeds me." Below them, the land skiffs had erupted into chaos, Luke's plan had worked and R2 had managed to get his emerald lightsaber into his hands. "I'll be taking Sabine." Tandi raised her left hand, a detonator in her closed fist. "The barge is rigged with explosives, so don't even try to stop us." Jabba blinked as the plasma blade slashed away from his throat and cleanly cut through the chain in his hand. Sabine immediately scrambled away from the gangster and to Tandi's side, the Grey Jedi shrugged her cloak off and offered it to the Mandalorian along with Ezra's old lightsaber, her eyes still fixed on Jabba. "Sorry, it took so long." Sabine shook her head as she swung the cloak around her shoulders and clipped it in place.

"Don't worry about it, let's just get the hell out of here." Tandi nodded as the Mandalorian activated her blue plasma blade.

"Threepio!" The protocol droid waddled hurriedly towards them as Tandi held the detonator over her head and jabbed her thumb onto the switch. "This detonator has a three-mile radius, so I'd advise you all to make sure nothing happens to make my thumb come off this switch." Jabba chuckled lowly as the rebels turned to leave.

"Very clever Grey Jedi." His eyes turned to linger on Sabine. "I shall miss you, my dear, you were by far my favorite, it will take time to find another as beautiful as you." Sabine froze in place, her lightsaber held tightly in her trembling hand, then she turned back to Jabba and began to advance on him menacingly. Tandi shook her head as the Mandalorian raised her lightsaber.

"Sabine, don't." Her words were ignored as Sabine drove the blue plasma blade straight through Jabba's fat throat. There was a moment of horrified silence as the lightsaber was yanked free of the bloated Hutt's corpse. Sabine turned back to Tandi and shrugged.

"Sorry, I couldn't resist."

##

Luke glanced up at the sail barge, with Lando and Chewies help he had quickly taken the sand skiff, though Jabba's men on the other skiff had proved bothersome from a distance he had swiftly dispatched of them once he had managed to leap the gap between the two skiffs and get in close.

"I think you got 'em all kid!" Luke glanced up at Lando and grinned, Lando cupped his hands around his mouth as he called to him. "Come on! Let's get the others and get out of here!" The Jedi nodded as he stored his lightsaber on his belt; then frowned and glanced upwards. A lone figure, clad in battered green Mandalorian Armour stood atop Jabba's sail barge, for the briefest of moments, he could swear he was looking at him. Then the figure activated a jetpack and flew away, disappearing into the horizon. "Luke!"

"I'm coming!" The Jedi broke into a run as he crossed the skiff; then leaped into the air, soaring over the Sarlacc's gaping maw and grasping tentacles. Han blinked at the Jedi's general location as he landed heavily in front of him.

"You alright kid?" Luke grinned as he clapped his old friend on the shoulder.

"Don't worry about me, any sign of Tandi and Sabine?" Han scowled; after a second of silence, Luke flinched slightly. "Sorry." Han rolled his blind eyes as he groped around for Chewie's arm.

"None taken kid."

"To answer your question." Lando sidled up next to Luke, his eyes on the barge. "Look there." Luke turned to the barge just in time to see Tandi scoop Sabine into her arms bridal style and leap off the top of the barge, the Jedi raised an eyebrow as a glimmering humanoid figure appeared where they'd been standing. "Well, that's fine for them, but what about the droids?" Then he laughed, R2 had rolled up behind the protocol droid and tipped him off the barge, quickly rolling after him. "I really love that little guy." Tandi landed in the centre of the Skiff, Sabine looking more than a little indignant in her arms.

"You didn't have to carry me." The Mandalorian rolled her eyes as she wiggled out of the Grey Jedi's grip. She glanced at Han as she pulled her grey cloak more tightly around her. "You still blind, flyboy?" Han nodded suspiciously.

"Pretty much yeah, why?" Sabine grinned mischievously at the smuggler.

"No reason." Luke turned to Lando.

"Now that we're all here?" Lando grinned as he took the controls

"We're on our way."

"Good, don't forget the droids."

Sabine glared back at the barge as the sand skiff took off across the dunes, R2 and 3P0 dangling from magnetic clamps below them. Tandi appeared at her side and raised an eyebrow, the detonator still in her hand. The Mandalorian nodded once.

Luke glanced back as a huge boom raced after them, just in time to see Jabba's barge go up in flames.

##

Remnous chuckled darkly in the back of his throat as he and Vera stepped off his personal LAAT, Starkiller following a few steps behind them. Around them, more LAATs were hovering just off the ground, a steady stream of 501st Clone Troopers pouring from their open blast doors. Next to the Emperor, Vera frowned uncertainly and glanced up at her master.

"Where are we?" Remnous smirked as he took in the walls of the crude fortification that had been built around the deep crater that had once been Lothal's, Jedi Temple.

"This used to be a Jedi Temple." Remnous raised his hand and closed his fist, the fortification's gate crumpled in on itself. "Palpatine's been doing some remodeling." The two Sith Lords strolled through the destroyed gate, Starkiller and the Clone Troopers close on their heels. The small contingent of Stormtroopers that had been assigned to guard the facility had already thrown down their weapons and surrendered at the first sight of the approaching LAATs and their progress was unimpeded. Remnous ran an eye over the excavations, a vague sense of disgust ran through him as he wrinkled his nose. The Lothal Jedi Temple had been built on top of a natural wellspring of Force Energy which pulsed through an intricate tunnel network that ran underground, or at least it used to. The Remnant had been hard at work, most of the temple had been gutted. Huge pits had been dug deep into the ground and enormous piles of stone littered the excavation site.

"Why would they tear apart a Jedi Temple?" Remnous glanced across at Vera, his apprentice was scowling as she examined the destruction. "The Jedi have no power hidden away that's worth all this trouble." The Emperor smirked, his golden eyes gleaming knowingly as a squad of unarmed Stormtroopers approached them, a hooded old man in tow.

"Just you wait and see Apprentice, just you wait and see." The Sith Lord raised a hand in greeting as the distance between them and the surrendering Imperials began to close. "You were wise to surrender Captian."

"Emperor Remnous." The Commanding Stormtrooper bowed his head respectfully. "My men are yours to command, you will have our full cooperation." On cue, two Stormtroopers seized the old man by the shoulders and dragged him forward. "This is Veris Hyden, he was in charge of the operation." The Emperor golden eye gleamed as he ran them over the trembling old fool.

"I formerly accept your surrender."

##

The sand skiff settled into land in front of Jabba's Palace, its engines still humming as some of its passengers leaped back down to the ground. Sabine glanced back up at Luke and Tandi after helping Han down, the Jedi smiled down at her bashfully.

"You're sure you won't need our help?" The Mandalorian shook her head as she pulled her borrowed grey cloak around her more tightly.

"No, we're only going in for my armor, it shouldn't take too long." The Mandalorian glanced up and at the sky and a faint smile spread across her face. "And anyway, Hera and Kanan will be here soon, we'll be fine, go see your Master." Luke nodded once, then glanced at Tandi and gave a thumbs-up; the redheaded Grey Jedi glanced down at the Mandalorian as the sand skiff rose into the air.

"We'll see you all back at the fleet, try not to win the war without us."

"I promise!" Sabine called back as the skiff sped away, she turned back to the others, the cloak still drawn tightly across her body. "Well, let's get this over with, you still a blind flyboy?"

"Kinda?" Han blinks heavily as his head turned to and fro. "I'm beginning to see shapes, just outlines though, no details."

"Alright, so Han's out." Sabine turned to Chewie, "Chewie, will you stay out here with Han and the droids? Keep an eye on them while Lando and I go in by ourselves." The Wookie growled lowly in agreement as Sabine turned to Lando, "watch my back in there Calrissian?"

"Baby, I will be behind you every step of the way."

"Don't call me baby." Sabine rolled her eyes, then froze in place. "Get down!" The Mandalorian lunged forward and tackled Lando to the ground as Chewie died on Han, sending them both down into the dust; seconds later, an explosion rocked the stone beneath them.

"What the hell was that?!" Han called out indignantly from under Chewie, the Mandalorian scowled as she glanced upwards.

"Trouble." A Mandalorian Warrior in black and purple armour was descending on them from the sky, her jetpack carrying her gently downwards.

"I knew it was only a matter of time before you gave Jabba the slip." The clone of Sabine Wren taunted cruelly as her feet touched the ground, the darksaber springing to life in her hand. "So all I had to do to get my chance at killing you was wait for that moment, and here you are!"

"Calrissian!" Sabine snarled through gritted teeth as she rose to her feet, her lightsaber in hand. "Keep an eye out for her guards, I'll handle her myself!" The Clone laughed behind her helmet as she raised the darksaber.

"Don't worry about them, I sent them back to Lothal, I wanted to handle this personally." The clone fired the thrusters on her jetpack and let the momentum carry her forwards towards Sabine. The original tossed her cloak aside as she dived away from the inky black blade, her own plasma blade coming to life in her hand as her lips peeled back in a vicious snarl. Raw hatred was coursing through her as she glowered at her doppelganger, she remembered the Kaminoans intrusive medical exam, the feeling of utter violation as she had stared at the clone floating in the tank, and the fury that had bloomed to life in her heart as she'd watched herself cut down her mother.

"That's fine by me! This is my job anyway" Sabine took her lightsaber in both hands and swung to meet her clone's. "For my mother!" The impact sent a jolt through her, but it didn't knock her back like the last time they fought; Sabine's eyes narrowed as she glared at the clone. 'Has it gotten weaker?' The two Mandalorians broke the lock and lunged at each other again, clashing back and forth across the hot sand as their blue and black plasma screamed into the growing dusk.

"You're nothing!" The Clone howled as she knocked the original Sabine's blade aside and aimed a kick at her exposed stomach; Sabine threw herself backward, her lightsaber sliding back into its hilt as she tumbled head over heels in the sand. "I'm stronger than you!" The Clone darted forwards and slashed at Sabine; who barely managed to pull her legs into her chest and roll away from the black plasma blade. "I'm faster than you!" Sabine snarled as she flung herself back to her feet and activated her lightsaber once again, the Mandalroian's chest rose and fell heavily as she panted, the hilt of her lightsaber was slick with sweat. "I'm better than you in every way!" Sabine growled in the back of her throat as she lunged at the clone, her lightsaber slicing up at her neck. "I was created to be the perfect Manda'lor." The Clone scoffed as she raised the darksaber and effortlessly blocked the strike. "I've knocked the Emperor onto his ass!" The Manda'lor lunged forward and aimed a punch into Sabine's naked stomach with her left fist, grinning madly under her helmet as her opponent's cry of pain was cut short by a brutal cough, flecks of blood flying from her mouth as she tumbled to the ground, her hands gripping her stomach as her face contorted with pain.

"Sabine!" The Clone drew one of her blasters and leveled it at Han as he surged forward.

"One more step, and you all die!" Lando pulled the Correllian back, his lips pressed to his ear; the clone turned back to Sabine, the tip of the darksaber lowering to hover over her throat. "I win." Sabine gasped weakly as she stared hatefully up the clone, her eyes glaring daggers up at the imitation of herself.

She couldn't beat it. It was too fast, and it's skill with a lightsaber far surpassed her own, that coupled with its enhanced strength and reflexes made it the perfect warrior. She was better than her. The Clone tilted its head to one side as it stared down at Sabine, the tip of the darksaber shivering as it hovered over her neck.

"Say it." Sabine frowned bemusedly as she propped herself up on her elbows, she was beginning to get her breath back now. 'Say what?' The Clone shuddered slightly and her helmet jerked slightly as her head twitched to one side. "Say 'You win!' Say, You're better than me!'" Sabine's frown deepened as the clone swayed violently in place. "Admit that I've always been better than you!" The Clones voice rose with every word, each syllable becoming more hysterical than the last. "Say it!" The darksaber snapped back into place and held steady over Sabine's throat. "Do it! Or I'll kill you and the smuggler!" Sabine's eyes widened and just for a second flitted away from the clone and over to Han; a lump formed in her throat, she gulped.

"You win, you're better than me, you've always been better than me." The Clone froze, then the darksaber hissed back into its hilt as its wielder swayed ever so slightly in place; the hilt shaking in her trembling fists.

"Then why doesn't he see it?" Sabine stared dumbly up at the clone, clueless as to what to say. "I've done everything he's asked of me!" Sabine's eyes slowly began to widen with surprise as the clone began to shake, this is not how she'd expected this to go. "I stayed by his side! You abandoned him! Scarred him!" The clone reached up and pulled her helmet off, tossing it aside as she stared down at the other Mandalorian with wide, tear-filled eyes. "But he loves you and not me. Why?" Sabine shook her head, her eyes still fixed on the clone, her disbelief more than obvious on her face. "Why?!" The clone tossed her lightsaber aside and dropped to one knee next to Sabine, raising her balled fist. "Why!?" Sabine grunted as the clones fist connected with her nose, knocking her head back into the sand. "The things I've done for him! The things I've let him do to me!" Sabine felt a shudder run through her at her doubles words, he was in shock, she'd never imagined that the clone even could feel, let alone be capable of the obvious despair and anguish in her voice. "He's nothing to you, he knows that that's why I was made this way! I have to love him!" Sabine's eyes widened and she raised her hands as the clone leveled her blaster at her face. "But he doesn't love me, he can't not while you're alive, because you're real and I'm not." The clone's face twisted painfully as the barrel of the blaster trembled violently. "But if I kill you, I'll be the only Sabine Wren left." Sabine gulped as the clone's finger began to tighten around the trigger.

"Sabine! Wait!" Both Mandalorian's froze, Sabine's eyes flitted to the left and lit up at the sight of Hera Syndulla and Kanan Jarrus. The two Spectres had just finished climbing off a pair of speeder bikes, the Jedi followed a few steps behind the Twi'lek as she cautiously approached the kneeling Manda'lor. The clone's shoulders had slumped and her face had contorted in an effort to hold back tears.

It had been so long since someone had called her Sabine.

"Stay back Hera." The Twi'lek's pace slowed slightly, the clone shook her head, sniffing loudly as she turned her gaze back to Sabine. "I have to do this."

"Killing her won't make Remnous love you." Hera's tone was gentle, filled with the concern of a mother who's seen her child in pain. "Nothing will ever make him love you." The doppelganger screwed her eyes shut as she wiped them with the back of her right hand, her blaster still pointed at Sabine in her left.

"He loves her!" Sabine shook her head, her arms still raised, her gaze firmly set on her double, she could see Hera slowly approaching out of the corner of her eye.

"No, he doesn't love me, he's obsessed with the idea of me!" She sat up a little straighter. "I'm the only, thing, he's ever wanted that he hasn't been able to take for himself. He wants me because he can't have me."

"If you kill her he'll simply cast you aside, he will never love you, because the only person he's capable of loving is himself." The clone flinched and glanced over her shoulder to see Hera crouched next to her, the Mandalorian's lip quivered as the Twi'lek gently reached out to caress her cheek. "You're nothing to him." Tears began to slide down the Manda'lor's face as she lowered her blaster.

"Than I have nothing."

"That's not true." Both Hera and the clone turned to Sabine, the Mandalorian sat up and offered the other Sabine her hand. "You have us."

##

"The excavations have been extremely thorough." Veris Hyden flinched as Remnous pushed passed him to glance down a deep pit, the Emperor had insisted on taking a tour of the dig site, as well as a detailed briefing of all they had learned from the findings, so far he had been enthralled.

"Thorough doesn't even begin to describe the work you've done here Hyden." The Emperor turned back to the pit and raised his metal hand, his eyes slipping shut. Vera gripped the hilt of her sword, her eyes hadn't left Hyden the entire time.

"Where are the artifacts you've salvaged so far?" Hyden bowed his head meekly as the Sith Lord glowered at him, her yellow eyes gleaming sinisterly.

"They have been carefully packaged and stored for transport, and none of the crates have been shipped off-site!"

"Good." Both their heads turned to look at Remnous, he was pointing at the pit. "Why have you been digging here?" Hyden frowned bemusedly for a few seconds before clearing his throat.

"Palpatine ordered further excavations on his single visits to the site." Remnous chuckled dryly as he turned back to the pit, the rubble from the excavations had yet to be cleared and was piled up next to the hole.

"There's nothing here, I can sense nothing worth the time it took." Hyden's face fell.

"Ah, my Emperor, my apolo-"

"I don't want to hear your begging, you aren't at fault." The Sith Emperor raised his hand the rubble slowly began to rise into the air. "I'll deal with it, leave me." Hyden turned and shuffled away on command, Mel closely following a step behind him, Vera remained. "You also, my Apprentice, I'll join you shortly." Vera frowned, then nodded slowly.

"Yes, my Master." Remnous turned back to the pit as Vera walked away, it was about fifteen meters deep, the Sith Lord reached into his pocket and retrieved the Silver Holocron, he turned the relic over in his hands as the rubble began to drift over the pit, its edges had been heat sealed shut, it would never open again.

"This seems as good a place as any." The Emperor smirked to himself as he heard a faint voice scream.

"You can't do this to me!"

"Oh but I can, and now I will." Remnous tossed the Holocron into the pit. The rubble dropped, clattering noisily as it crashed down back into the ground, filling the hole in seconds, for an instant, Remnous heard Sidious's final melancholy scream, then it was cut off as the last of the rubble collapsed back into the earth. "And so ends the tragedy of Darth Sidious the Prideful." He glanced down at his synthetic palm, the red light was flashing, Remnous rolled his eyes as he tapped the centre of his palm with his middle finger; a projection of Thrawn was beamed over his hand.

"Thrawn?" The Chiss bowed slightly.

"Forgive me for disturbing your inspection, my Emperor, but I have a report here that may be of use to you, pertaining to one Zare Leonis."

##

Boba Fett sat back in the pilot seat of Slave One as the Firespray 31 was propelled into hyperspace, he'd stuck around long enough to see if Jabba's execution worked out, so he could make a complete report to the Emperor, he'd made his exit as soon as Wren had stapped Jabba in the throat.

"I hope you're ready for hell Remnous," Boba muttered as he pulled his helmet off. "Because with Jabba gone, that's what's coming to the Outer Rim."

##

Dhara Leonis squared her shoulders as she strode through the dig site that had once been the Jedi Temple, the Inquisitor had no idea what Palpatine had been looking for, that was well above her paygrade, not that she got paid.

Clones swarmed about the excavation site and two Venators hung overhead, their lower hanger bays opening as they prepared to deploy their portable fortifications. Remnous was waiting for her in a secluded corner of the dig site, his arms folded behind his back as he examined a large painting of three figures, a man wearing long robes and some sort of grown stood in the center, on his right stood a woman wearing white robes and flowing green hair, there was some sort of bird perched on her shoulder; a man with red eyes and white skin in black robes stood to the men left, his clenched fist raised.

"A fascinating piece, don't you think?" The Grand Inquisitor nodded quickly.

"Beautiful, your Majesty, what is it?"

"it's none of your concern." Remnous turned away from the painting, his golden eyes stormy. "Inquisitor, I summoned you here because I received a troubling report from Grand Admiral Thrawn regarding your brother Zare." Dhara's eyes widened as a scuffling sound broke out behind her, she turned to see a squad a Clone Troopers marching towards them, two of them were dragging a struggling Zare between them.

"Zare!" She moved to run to him only to freeze in place as Remnous raised a hand, Dhara shook her head as she ran a worried eye over her brother, he looked like shab, his left eye was bruised shut and his bottom lip was broken, blood was still dripping down his chin.

"It would appear that your brother approached two of your subordinates about instigating a coup against me." Dhara's eyes widened with panic as Remnous scowled at the disgraced commander. "Two of the very Inquisitors who stood by my side at the birth of the New Regime." The Grand Inquisitor grimaced as Zare was dumped at Remnous feet. "I thought it fitting you be present at his execution." The Clones gripped Zare by the shoulders and hauled him to his knees.

"Execution?" Dhara's heart raced as Remnous activated his lightsaber and advanced on her brother, the bloodred plasma blade humming menacingly. "Your Majesty!"

"That is the penalty." Remnous glared down at Zare as he raised his lightsaber, "and since he has made it abundantly clear he won't reveal his co-conspirators there's no reason to keep him alive." The Sith raised his lightsaber.

"Wait!" Remnous glanced back at her and raised an eyebrow, his lightsaber still held in mid-air. "Kill me, I'll take his sentence." Remnous frowned as he lowered his lightsaber and turned to face her again. "I'll die for him."

"A curious proposition." The Emperor deactivated his lightsaber and raised his left hand, his fingers closing into a fist. "But that wouldn't be justice." Zare's neck snapped as the Sith Lord jerked his fist to the side. Dhara screamed as the clones released his shoulders and let her brother's body dropped to the ground. "Let this be a lesson," Remnous smirked as the Inquisitor dropped to her knees and cradled Zare's corpse. "I had to lure the Galaxy with the Jogan, now Palpatine's gone, I get to use the stick."

Authors Note: Hiya guys, I'm back. I needed some time to sort my life out, long story short; meh? But The Apprentice is off hiatus and on the go once again. Five chapters left. I'm not going to lie, the burnout was real. I mean, if I'm honest, this story is kind of a mess, so much nonsensical shit has happened, why was Baris on that asteroid? How did she get there? How did she know they were going to be there? I gave Ezra a finger gun, then blew off his arm before he could use it. it's honestly amazing so many of you have stuck with me for so long and that new people keep discovering this bloated trainwreck of mine and decide to stick around, I killed Vader! I turned Ahsoka into a bad guy, motivated solely by the promise of her own death! And I broke a lot of Sabezra shipper's hearts and consequentially created, Habine? This whole thing is a flaming trainwreck and I love it all the more for it.

The Captain never abandons his ship, and though we may have already hit the ice-berg, you can be damn sure I'm going to make sure the deck chairs look spectacular as we go down!

Please be sure to leave a review, it doesn't have to belong, just tell me what you think. I'm always open to suggestions and all criticism is invited. I'll be frank, the more you review, the more motivated I'll be to get the last five chapters done, otherwise, it'll take way longer since I won't feel a sense of urgency.

So, until we meet again.

Regards

Nighttrek.