THIS IS IT! The final confrontation between the Rebels and the Empire!
Sorry this took so long. I wanted to make sure to include everything.
I don't own Star Wars.
Chapter 45: The Final Battle
Inside his shuttle, Darth Vader waited for the commander to report to him, though he could already sense the bright, powerful presence in the Force that was now upon his shuttle. The steal metal door opened and there stood Anakin and Luke Skywalker, hands shackled.
"These are the rebels that surrendered to us," the officer said as he and four storm troopers escorted their prisoners inside the shuttle.
"While they deny it, I believe their may be more of them, and I request permission to conduct a further search of the area. They were armed only with these," the officer said as he handed the two lightsabers to Vader.
"Good work Commander, conduct your search for their companions," Vader ordered. The Officer nodded.
"The Emperor has been expecting you," Vader said the two Skywalker men.
"I know, brother," Anakin replied. Vader glanced at him in silence.
"So, you have accepted that notion?" he asked.
"I accept that you suggested it, and you could still be a Skywalker," Anakin replied.
"That name has no meaning to me," Vader spat. Anakin turned to look at him.
"Then you are nothing but an expendable copy," Anakin replied. Vader was silent for a moment.
"You are both powerful indeed," he said as he inspected each of their sabers. "But you know nothing of true power. The Emperor will show you the true nature of the dark side, Luke. He is your Master now. And you will not escape him again, brother. This time you will meet your destiny."
"I will not turn," Luke insisted.
"Then you will suffer the same fate the Emperor has planned for your father as well," Vader said harshly as the shuttle took off en route to the Death Star that loomed in the near distance.
Little did they know, Galen had also snuck on board, masking his presence like a silent assassin.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rex, Ahsoka, Aisha, Cal, Merrin and their group met up with the others around dawn and they gathered near the base the Ewok scouts had led them to.
Chewie motioned Han, Leia, Padmé, and Obi-Wan to the ridge where he was kneeling. They watched as an Imperial shuttle took off from the platform, heading for the Death Star. Leia surveyed the heavily guarded premises.
"This is not going to be easy," she said.
"Chewie and I have gotten into more heavily guarded places than this," Han replied. One of the Ewoks spoke to Threepio.
"What's he saying?" Padmé asked.
"He says there is a secret entrance on the other side of the ridge," Threepio announced.
"Then that's where we're going," Ahsoka stated.
"New allies?" Cassian asked.
"We need all the help we can get," Jyn replied.
"They're so cute~!" Aisha exclaimed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Rebel fleet gathered at the meeting point.
"We're in position. All fighters accounted for," Lando announced from the Millennium Falcon.
"Proceed with the countdown. All groups assume attack coordinates," Admiral Ackbar ordered from his large ship.
Nien Nunb, Lando's co-pilot, asked something in his native language beside him.
"Don't worry, my friend's down there. They'll have that shield down on time," Lando insisted. "Or this will be the shortest offense of all time."
"All craft, prepare to jump into hyperspace on my mark," Ackbar ordered. The entire rebel fleet made the successful jump.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rex, Ahsoka, Han, Leia, Padmé, Obi-Wan, Mara and the rest of the strike team quietly and carefully made their way to the other side of the ridge. The secret entrance was in sight.
"A back door, good idea. There's only four of them," Han said.
"It only takes one to sound the alarm," Leia argued.
"Then we'll do it real quiet-like," Han replied.
The Ewoks conversed among each other and decided to send one to create a diversion. Before anyone knew it, one of the little Ewoks was already headed for the troopers.
"Excuse me Miss Padmé, but I'm afraid one of our furry companions has gone and done something rather rash," Threepio said.
"Oh no," Leia said.
"Blast, there goes any chance of a surprise attack," Obi-Wan said as he grabbed his saber from his belt.
The little creature climbed on one of the speeder bikes and took off through the forest.
"After him!" the commanding trooper ordered. Three of them hopped on their bikes to chase him down. Han smiled.
"Not bad for a little furball, there's only one left. You stay here," he pointed at Threepio as the leaders of the strike team made their move.
"I have decided that we shall stay here," Threepio announced.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Talon followed the Rebels a good distance away, masking her presence so the Jedi wouldn't sense her.
She was worried about Galen; she wasn't able to talk him out of trying to take revenge.
She hoped Anakin could help him.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anakin and Luke, followed by Vader, approached the Emperor's Throne. Palpatine turned to face them, a devious grin on his weathered face. The Emperor raised his hand and the shackles dropped off their wrists.
"You no longer need those. Guards, leave us," Palpatine ordered. "I'm looking forward to completing your training, young Skywalker."
"You're a little late. My father has done that already," Luke replied.
"Oh, but this will be a re-education for you...in the ways of the dark side," Sidious cackled as Vader handed him the lightsabers.
"Their lightsabers," he said.
"Good...by now you must realize that no one can ever be turned from the dark side. And so shall be the case with you," Sidious goaded.
Anakin clenched his jaw and stepped forward, intending to take Sidious on himself. But he was suddenly stopped when a ray shield surrounded him.
"I will deal with you in good time Anakin, but for now; I cannot have you interfering," Sidious said.
Anakin glared at the Sith Lord, "Coward."
"No, I'm just simply making sure you don't interfere with my plans even more than you already have. Believe me, I shall soon deal with you myself. I'm looking forward to it," Sidious hissed as he turned his attention back to Luke.
"You're wrong, I will never turn. And soon, you'll be dead," Luke told him. Sidious cackled gleefully.
"Oh yes, you're talking about the feeble attack that your Rebel friends are planning. I assure you, we are quite safe from your friends here!" he spat.
"Your overconfidence is your weakness," Luke said.
"Your faith in your friends and family is yours," Sidious replied coldly as he sat back in his throne. "Everything is proceeding according to my design. Your friends and family on the moon are walking into a trap, as is your Rebel fleet."
Luke was alarmed and looked at the troubled face of his father.
"It was I who allowed the Alliance to know the location of the shield generator. I assure you that the shield will be quite operational when the arrive," Sidious goaded as he cackled. "Look out there, you have a front row seat to witness the end of the Rebellion. Soon, the Rebel fleet will be destroyed. Your mother and sister have already been captured along with your friends. And soon, they will die as well."
Anakin closed his eyes and concentrated on pushing his anger away. He focused his thoughts and feelings on Padmé and Leia. He could clearly feel them and they were still okay for the moment. But Luke was letting his fear and anger overwhelm his senses.
"Yes, I can feel the hate swelling in you. You want this..." Sidious patted Luke's lightsaber.
"No Luke, your mother and Leia are still okay. So is Mara, Ahsoka, Rex, Obi-Wan and everyone else. Don't let him do this. I let him do it to me for years...and I almost ended up in Vader's place because of it," Anakin warned.
Sidious raised his hands and shot Force lightning at Anakin through the ray shield. Anakin cried out in agony as the painful attack dropped him to his hands and knees. Sidious cackled evilly.
"I've waited a long time to deliver your death sentence and I will take care of you soon enough," he told Anakin, before turning back to Luke. "Take your weapon. Strike me down with all of your hatred and your journey to the dark side will be complete!"
"No," Anakin groaned as he picked himself up off the floor.
"It is unavoidable. It is your destiny, Luke. Don't be weak and pathetic like your father," Sidious spat.
"No Luke, don't listen to him!" Anakin pleaded.
Sidious snarled and poured more Force lightning into Anakin. He screamed in agony as the attack threw him to the floor, writhing in agony. The dark emotions swirled powerfully inside Luke as he witnessed the Emperor torture his father...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Han quietly approached the remaining trooper. He tapped him on the shoulder and ran.
"Hey!" the trooper called as he gave chase.
He was met with the blasters of Jyn, Cassian and Baze. Han, Leia, Padmé, and Obi-Wan snuck into the back entrance and headed to the control room, where they seized control, while Rex, Ahsoka, Aisha and Mara kept watch.
Rex shot the returning Troopers and Ahsoka took care of the ones that got past him. But they were alarmed to see themselves suddenly surrounded by the Imperial Fleet, like someone had alerted all personnel on the planet that they were there, plus some reinforcements.
"Shit..." Rex cursed as he was forced to surrender.
"The whole thing was a trap...this entire mission..." Ahsoka said as dread filled her, especially when she thought of her Master and Luke, who were in the hands of the Emperor now.
Aisha and Mara looked down in worry.
'Please be okay, Luke,' Mara thought, looking up at the Death Star.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~At The Control Panel~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Han opened the panel and started working to get the door open.
"Han, hurry, the fleet will be here any moment," Leia said. But it was too late as they were all surrounded by the Imperial Fleet.
"Freeze Rebel scum," the commanding officer ordered.
Padmé, Leia, Han, and Obi-Wan were forced to surrender, but they hid Artoo with their bodies so he could keep working at the terminal.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Rebel fleet exited hyperspace.
"Get a lock on the Death Star and prepare for battle. May the Force be with us," Ackbar said into the comm.
"I can't get a reading," Lando said, looking at his co-pilot. Nien Nunb suggested something.
"But how could they be jamming us if they don't know if...if we're coming..." Lando's eyes widened. "Break off the attack! The shield is still up."
"I've got no reading, are you sure?" Wedge asked.
"Pull up! All craft, pull up!" Lando cried.
"All craft, take evasive action," Ackbar ordered.
"Admiral, we have enemy ships in Sector 47!" Greez reported.
"It's a trap!" Ackbar exclaimed.
"Fighters, draw the enemy fighters away from the cruisers!" Lando ordered.
It was now clear that this entire operation had been a set up, cleverly devised by the Emperor himself. And now, the future of the galaxy and their fate was in serious jeopardy...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Drop your weapons and come out with your hands up!" the lead Trooper ordered.
Slowly, Han, Leia, and Padmé set their blasters down on the ground, as Obi-Wan and Cal followed suit with their lightsabers.
"We found these four on the other side trying to infiltrate the base, Sir," another Trooper said as he led Rex, Ahsoka, Aisha and Mara to join their other prisoners. The Trooper handed him their weapons, a blaster and a lightsaber.
"Your little operation is over, Rebel scum," the lead officer spat. A legion of storm troopers waited to take them into custody.
"Hello! I say, over there! Were you looking for me?" Threepio called.
"Bring that droid down here!" one trooper ordered. The troopers surrounded Threepio.
"Please don't shoot, I surrender," he said.
With a battle cry, the Ewoks attacked, throwing stones and jumping on the troopers. The Ewoks sounded their battle horns, calling all to arms. Hundreds appeared and began to attack the Imperials.
Seeing that the timing was right, Obi-Wan plucked his saber from an officer's hand and ignited it. Ahsoka, Cal, Aisha and Mara followed suit and they began taking out several troopers in their vicinity.
Padmé wrenched away from the officer, who was holding her arm. She punched the man and stole his blaster. She aimed at the Storm Troopers around her daughter and shot them.
Han obtained a couple blasters as well and handed one to Leia. The three of them headed for the bunker to open the control panel. Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Rex stood their ground, dealing with the oncoming enemies.
Cal, Merrin, Aisha, Mara and the members of Rogue One ran out to assist the Ewoks.
"Keep working Artoo. We need to get in and get that shield down," Padmé said. Artoo whirled and kept working.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Galen snuck through the corridors of the Death Star without much difficulty.
He'd already probed an officer's mind to find out the location of the Throne Room, where he knew Vader was.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Good...I can feel your anger. It makes you strong," Sidious encouraged to Luke as he opened a comm channel. "You may fire when ready, Commander."
"Yes my Lord," came the reply.
"Now, you will both witness the power of this fully armed and operational battle station!" Sidious announced.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A powerful blast struck one of the Rebel cruisers, obliterating it. The blast violently rocked the Millennium Falcon.
"That blast came from the Death Star. That thing's operational!" Lando exclaimed.
"All craft, prepare to retreat!" Ackbar ordered.
"We'll never get another chance at this, Admiral," Lando argued.
"We have no choice, General Calrissian," Ackbar replied. "Our cruisers can't repel firepower of that magnitude."
"Han will have that shield down. We've got to give him more time. Let's turn our attention to those Star Destroyers," Lando said.
"We will not last long against the fire power of those Star Destroyers," Ackbar argued.
"We'll last longer against them than we will against that Death Star. And we might just take a few of them with us," Greez replied.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"How is it coming, Artoo?" Padmé asked. Artoo whirled nervously.
He was working as fast as possible, but they were running out of time and he needed more to get in. But their luck would take a turn for the worse as a trooper with good aim shot Artoo. The little droid squealed and was thrown against he opposite wall, where he short circuited.
"Artoo's out. What now?" Leia asked. Han ripped open the panel.
"Well, I suppose I can hot wire this thing," he said.
"We'll cover you," Leia replied as she and Padmé continued to fire at the oncoming foes.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Your fleet is lost. Your family on Endor will not survive and the alliance will die," Sidious goaded. Luke's anger began to boil over. "Good...I can feel your anger. I am defenseless...take your weapon and strike me down!"
"Luke...listen to me. This isn't the way. Losing your temper won't help things, believe me, I know," Anakin tried to reach his son.
But Luke's anger was blinding him now. He turned away, but then turned back suddenly, calling his saber. He ignited it and his saber met with Vader's. Sidious cackled victoriously.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mara stopped fighting and looked up at the Death Star in worry. She could feel Luke's anger...
One trooper fired at her while she was distracted, but someone leapt out of the vegetation and deflected the blaster bolt back at him.
"Don't get distracted during battle, or you'll leave yourself open," The mysterious rescuer chastised.
Mara saw it was a female Twi'lek with red skin. She wore an outfit like Aayla's, only black and completely sleeveless.
"You're Talon!" Mara got in a battle stance.
"Hey, don't get your panties in a wad. I'm no longer a Sith," Talon held her hands defensively. Her eyes widened, "We have company!"
Mara looked around, "I feel it too!"
Two figures stepped out of the vegetation, wearing black Imperial suits. They both drew disc lightsabers from their sides and ignited them.
"Ah, new Inquisitors," Talon revealed who they were, igniting her own saber, which was a pink-magenta color.
Both of them were female.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cal cut down a Trooper before he rolled to the side as someone swung a red lightsaber at him!
"Nice dodge, red," the attacker taunted, referring to Cal's hair color.
Cal saw his attacker was a skinny young man with black hair, wearing a black Imperial uniform. He didn't look like much, but Cal knew not to judge a book by it's cover.
"Another Inquisitor? I thought you assholes had disbanded," Cal said.
"They did, we're the new Inquisitors. Since Skywalker, Kenobi and so many others survived that we didn't know of," The Inquisitor said.
"So, what do I call you?" Cal asked.
"You may call me, Raze. Or rather, the one that'll make you draw your last breath," Raze smirked evilly as he swung his saber at Cal.
Their sabers hissed and crackled, as they clashed furiously. After several minutes of sparring, Cal was trying to figure this guy out. It was clear that he was far more skilled than the Inquisitor, but Cal knew that there had to be a reason the Emperor and Vader had recruited him.
Their sabers clashed in a deadlock and Raze's bleeding yellow eyes stared out at him. Cal couldn't figure him out.
Raze had been shadowboxing him and clearly unable to match him, yet he seemed completely confident. And then, suddenly Cal knew exactly why this man had been chosen. In a lightning fast move, Raze removed the glove on his free hand and grabbed Cal's wrist...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"I think I got. I've got it!" Han exclaimed as the blast door closed. He frowned and went back to working furiously. Suddenly, a blaster bolt clipped Leia's arm. She cried out in pain and Han went to inspect it.
"Leia, are you all right?" Padmé asked.
"It's not bad," she insisted.
"Hands up!" the trooper ordered. Padmé had no choice but to obey. Leia concealed her blaster, ready to take the trooper out. Han put his hands up and smiled at her.
"I love you," he said.
"I know," she replied as he moved out of the way.
When he did, Leia shot the trooper. Han smiled, but suddenly frowned as an AT-ST Walker approached them. It stopped and the top hatch opened, revealing Chewie inside. He rawled in greeting.
"Chewie! Get down here, she's hurt," Han said, but changed his mind suddenly. "No, wait!"
"I've got an idea," he told them as he looked slyly at Leia and Padmé.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Luke fought Vader furiously, slashing wildly and letting his anger control his movements. His father's cries for him to stop fell on deaf ears as he kicked Vader, who went tumbling backwards down the steps. Luke jumped down after him, hovering over the momentarily vulnerable Vader.
"Yes...use your aggressive feelings, boy!" Sidious goaded.
"Leave him out of this and fight me! You and I are the ones that have a real score to settle!" Anakin demanded furiously. But Sidious paid him no mind. "LUKE, STOP NOW! If you kill him in anger, it will haunt you for the rest of your life!"
"I've had quite enough of you!" Sidious growled in rage as he poured more Force lightning into Anakin, who writhed in agony.
"Luke...please!" Anakin cried through the pain. Sidious' attack ceased.
"Open your mouth again and you'll be seeing your lovely wife, who I assure you is moments from death, sooner than you thought," he spat in annoyance.
Sidious' words struck Luke and he remembered the rest of his friends and family on the moon. He could still feel them and they were still okay, despite what the Emperor was telling him.
And then he remembered his father telling him about how Palpatine would do this; how he would make him see a possible outcome and make him believe that it was inevitable unless he enlisted the Emperor's help, which would mean giving in to the dark side. But the reality was that if he did give in to the dark side, hoping to gain more power to save his loved ones, he would only ensure all their deaths.
Luke regained his senses and pushed his anger away.
"I will not fight you," Luke relented. Vader stood up and circled him.
"It is unwise to lower your defenses!" he said harshly as he struck at Luke again.
Luke parried and spun away, before flipping up onto the platform above Vader. Sidious frowned as he felt the boy gain more control of his anger and started to let his positive emotions fuel his actions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aisha rushed through the forest toward her mother's direction, when her path was blocked by a slim woman with dark brown hair, wearing a black Imperial uniform.
"You lost, little girl?" she taunted.
Aisha could sense the dark side in this woman, so she drew her saber,
"Who are you? What do you want?"
"My name is Serra, a Inquisitor for the Empire," she responded, drawing her disc-saber. "And what I want, is for you to die."
With a fierce battle cry, she charged at Aisha. Their sabers hissed and crackled as they met again and again in a series of deadly strikes...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Imperials inside the control room received a transmission from one of their Walkers telling them that they had captured and secured the Rebels. The commanding officer smirked.
"Send three squads. Open the back door," the commanding officer ordered as they filed toward the exit to receive the troopers responsible for taking down the Rebel offense.
Unfortunately for them, it was trick. The transmission had come from the Imperial Walker that Chewie had taken forcefully and now, the officers were surrounded by the Rebel fleet.
Han, Leia, Obi-Wan, Ahsoka, and Padmé invaded the control room and took over. Han and Ahsoka began wiring the charges and placing the explosives in the necessary places. Padmé, Leia, and Obi-Wan stood guard, making sure their Imperial captives remained still.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Vader slowly ascended the stairs and approached Luke on the bridge.
"If you will not turn...then perhaps your sister will," Vader said, knowing it would strike a chord.
Luke pushed the rage he felt away at the suggestion of Leia being infected with the darkness that threatened to consume him as it had consumed Vader. So when that didn't work, Vader, having searched Luke's vulnerable feelings, struck an even lower chord.
"I doubt she would make a worthy choice anyhow. She is weak, like your mother. But there is...the little ones, isn't there? What are their names? Aiden and Isabella…so young and easily molded into unstoppable weapons of darkness, they would be," Vader goaded. That broke the dam that was holding Luke's rage at bay.
The young Jedi's anger surfaced again and he began to slash furiously at Vader once again. He lashed out harshly against Vader with intent to destroy him for daring to speak about his baby siblings.
"LUKE!" Anakin screamed as he watched his son lose control of his anger and rage at Vader again.
He had to somehow reach him, he had to! Watching his son lose control and fight Vader was something that pained Anakin more than he ever thought possible. It was killing him to watch Luke make the same mistakes that he had made at his son's age.
Luke viciously kicked Vader back. The man in armor faltered, as Luke brought his saber down on him again and again. He slammed his emerald blade against Vader's weakening crimson blade with repeated rage filled strikes. Finally, Luke sliced through Vader's arm and the Sith cried out in pain. The Emperor cackled gleefully.
"Good...now finish him and take his place at my side," Sidious ordered.
"Luke no...think of your mother and your siblings! Think of all the children in the galaxy that are growing up without their parents, because of this monster! He thinks he's doing what's best and bringing peace, as deluded as it sounds, but he's a monster with no sense of morals!" Anakin called. "But you know what's right and what's wrong...and you know you can't kill someone defenseless in anger! It will destroy you!"
Sidious sneered evilly at Anakin, who had been a prevalent thorn in his side for far too long.
"I've warned you for the last time, you sentimental fool. It sickens me how weak you have become. Such potential wasted on that drivel you call love," he spat in disgust as he raised his hand preparing to torture Anakin until he took his final breath. He wanted the Jedi to suffer immensely before he finally drew his last breath. Once Anakin Skywalker was dead, there would be no one worthy to challenge his rule.
Luke heaved air into his lungs as he realized what he had just done. He had come so close to losing everything and himself by killing in anger. He was done.
It was time to take out the root of the problem and he was not too arrogant to know that he wasn't ready to face Sidious one on one. He turned and tossed his saber. It went sailing end over end and hit the control panel on the wall, successfully deactivating the ray shields around his father.
"Never...I'll never turn. You've failed, Your Highness. I am a Jedi, like my father," Luke said proudly.
Anakin smiled and called his lightsaber into his hand and sunk into a battle stance, challenging the aging Sith Master.
Sidious rose from his throne, "So be it...Jedi."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Han and Obi-Wan finished linking the explosives together and the Jedi nodded to Han, as he pressed the detonator. As he did, they went sprinting out of the control room.
"Move!" Han called as he pushed Leia and Padmé along ahead of him.
They ran clear of the bunker as the explosives went off. The satellite controlling the shield exploded, successfully destroying the deflector shield around the Death Star.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Lando spotted what looked like a tiny explosion down on the planet surface from his vantage and he knew what it meant.
"They did it! The shield is down!" Lando called into the comm.
"Commence attack on the Death Star!" Ackbar ordered.
"Red Group, Gold Group, all fighters follow me," Lando laughed in victory. "Told ya they'd do it!"
Nien Nunb laughed as well as they maneuvered the Falcon toward the Death Star. A few X-Wings and A-Wings followed them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"If you will not be turned, you will be destroyed," Sidious said as he prepared to pour Force lightning into Luke. Anakin stepped in and blocked it with his saber.
"No, Your Highness. It is you who will be destroyed," Anakin replied.
"Is that so? You know Anakin, I was once your friend," Palpatine taunted.
"My friend? You tried to manipulate my fears to change me into a monster! And you cloned me when you realized that my love for Padmé would never allow me to become your willing servant! You are no friend of mine and you never were," Anakin replied.
"It seems that he liked the choice quite well," Sidious goaded.
"He never had a choice, thanks to you," Anakin spat.
Sidious cackled, as he hurled more Force lightning at Anakin again. He caught it with his shimmering sapphire blade and stood his ground, fighting against the attack. Sidious snarled as he ceased the lightning attack and ignited his blood red lightsaber, then charged Anakin, swinging his blade around. Crimson and sapphire clashed and crossed, sizzling violently as they deadlocked.
"I've been waiting a long time for this. Today, we get justice for what you did to our family," Anakin stated. Sidious laughed in amusement.
"Your clone has been a part of something grand. And I'll save your son from a meaningless life with you and that woman. When you and the rest of those insignificant fools down on the moon die, nothing will contain his anger and rage. He will join the dark side," he goaded.
"You're wrong about him, just like you were wrong about me. Love saved me and it will save him too," Anakin growled.
"Love...such a fleeting notion. You are such a fool! You turned down ruling the galaxy at my side for that...WHORE!" Sidious spat out in disgust as if the words were rancid.
Anakin clenched his teeth in anger at this man calling the woman he loved, his angel, such a despicable name. But he pushed the anger away and focused instead on his love for her as he had learned to do over the years.
When Sidious saw that Anakin was not slowing and would soon overpower him, his own rage exploded in a bout of powerful lightning. Anakin caught the attack with his saber, but Sidious howled in rage, and poured everything he had into the attack. The lightning, as it had many years ago, was shriveling his skin, searing through his being.
Suddenly, purple lightning struck Sidious and knocked him back. Anakin turned to see a young man a couple years younger than Luke, with a blue lightsaber.
"Need a hand, Skywalker?" The young man asked.
Anakin recognized him from Aayla's description, "You're Talon's apprentice..."
"I'm Galen Marek. You finish the Emperor, Vader is mine," Galen growled and was about to stalk over to the Sith, who was still recovering, but Anakin grabbed his arm.
"I sense your anger, your hatred. You're not a Jedi, but you're not a Sith either. Don't become one," he urged him.
"You don't understand! My mother and I had to struggle to survive, because of him! I'm nothing but a mistake to him," Galen exclaimed. Anakin looked back and forth between them, then it suddenly hit him.
"Talon's you're mother...and...Vader is..." he stammered.
Sidious cackled gleefully, "So, my apprentice had a son with that alluring Twi'lek. She managed to seduce you."
Vader remained silent as he got to his feet.
"That explains why she disappeared all those years ago. I feel your anger, it gives you focus, makes you more powerful than even Anakin," Sidious said. "Strike your father down, and take his place at my side!"
"Don't listen to him, he tried the same thing with me," Anakin whispered to Galen.
"You know the galaxy won't be free unless Vader AND his Master die," he argued.
"I know, but how do you wanna end it? By being like him?" Anakin questioned.
"By being stronger than him," Galen replied.
"Then be stronger, be better. It's easy to give in to hate; true strength is letting it go," Anakin told him.
Galen took a deep breath and calmed down. As he did, Vader secretly searched through Galen's memories. He saw Talon, raising him, not as a Sith apprentice, but as her son. Her eyes weren't yellow anymore, and her black tattoos were gone.
Seeing the love between them made him remember some images he'd did his best to suppress. During many of his meditations, Vader had seen Anakin's memories of his time with Padmé.
He'd been told that because he was a clone of Anakin, some of his memories were likely to appear in his mind. Sidious told him to ignore them and remember they weren't his own memories. But, he always felt the intense love that Anakin and Padmé felt for each other.
Sidious snarled in disgust and launched more Force lightning at Anakin and Galen! Not knowing what came over him, Vader rushed over to intercept the attack!
"NOOOO!" he cried before he got between them.
Everyone was shocked by this turn of events. Vader fell to his knees, his breathing sounding labored.
"YOU DARE BETRAY ME LORD VADER?!" Sidious roared. "WHY?!"
"He's my son..." Vader replied, shocking Galen to his core.
"That wretched Skywalker gene corrupted even YOU?! So be it," Sidious snapped his fingers, and a tall male landed in front of him, wearing black Imperial armor.
"Grand Inquisitor Nox, deal with that Marek boy."
"As you wish, my Lord," Nox responded, drawing a black disc with a handle from his side. A red lightsaber blade ignited from it.
Galen held his sapphire colored blade, ready to fight. Nox charged at him with Force enhanced speed and Galen jumped away, so Nox gave chase.
Anakin turned to face Sidious again.
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Mara's lightsaber clashed furiously with her opponent, Zana's.
The Inquisitor growled in frustration as she struggled to keep up with the beautiful redhead.
Eventually, Mara grew tired of toying with her. She kicked her in the abdomen and she fell flat on her back.
"You've been defeated. It wouldn't be right for me to kill you when you can no longer defend yourself. Why don't you surrender?" Mara offered.
Zana's eyes blazed yellow and she glowed a little red.
"I hate you!" she screamed as she hurled Force lightning at her.
Mara caught it with her saber easily and deflected it. She swung her saber and brought it down on her. The last thing she saw was her derelict-purple blade coming toward her neck. Zana's headless body fell to the floor.
"Thank you for making my decision to kill you much easier," Mara said as she extinguished her saber and headed off to assist Talon, if she needed it.
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Talon clashed furiously with her opponent, Malina.
"Your thoughts betray you, Talon. Your worry and concern for your son are distracting you. This is not at all the fight I expected from you," she taunted.
"You talk too much," Talon retorted as she struck at her in earnest.
Their sabers locked in an arc and they fought for control for several minutes. Sweat beaded down Talon's face as she fought her. Talon pushed her up and back flipped away. She regained her footing and charged at her. Malina snarled and met her saber in a series of furious blows and strikes.
"Give up, you're no match for me," she snarled.
"I beg to differ," Talon retorted as she spun her saber furiously and slipped into Vaapad. She learned it a little bit after she turned away from the dark side.
Malina fought defensively just to keep up with him and she had no room for any offensive attacks.
Malina screamed in frustration as she launched Force lightning at Talon. But she was horrified when the lightning bounced off a mysterious shield emanating from the Twi'lek. Her own lightning seared through her, burning and scaring her face horribly. She fell to the ground, unconscious, smoke rising off her body.
Talon could sense that she was still alive, but she was defenseless now.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Cal's breath came in ragged gasps now as he felt the life energy literally leaving him. He looked into the Sith's bleeding yellow eyes as the man smirked evilly at him.
"An interesting ability, wouldn't you say? Some call it a curse. Others, like Lord Vader, call it a gift. There's a poisonous chemical in my skin that makes my touch deadly to any living thing," Raze said.
Cal jerked his arm away, but was already too weak to pull away. He sunk to his knees and became deathly pale.
"You're finished," Raze said as he tugged the glove off his other hand and grabbed Cal around his neck.
"Let him go!" Merrin exclaimed as she appeared in a flash of green, and threw Raze back with a Force push. She worriedly approached Cal and checked him.
"Merrin?" he asked weakly.
"Stay still," Merrin told him.
"Don't...let him...touch your skin. His skin...it's poisonous," Cal rasped.
Merrin used some of her magick to null the effects of the poison.
BD-1 gave Cal a healing injection while Merrin stood ready to fight Raze. She waved her hand and a lightsaber appeared out of thin air from her green magick.
She ignited it, revealing a metallic copper-orange colored blade.
"A Nightsister? Must be my lucky day," Raze laughed before launching Force lightning at her. It was a strange green color that Merrin had never seen before, but she knew to block it.
As she did, she sensed poison in the lightning, "So, you're able to add your poison to your Force lightning?"
"That's right witch!" Raze boasted.
Deciding to us this to her advantage; Merrin used her Force magick combined with her lightsaber to reflect the green lightning back at it's user. As the poisonous lightning was deflected back at him, Raze realized that he was about to be killed by his own poison.
He let out a blood curdling scream. The screams soon ceased as the Inquisitor was killed.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Aisha blocked and parried Serra's every blow. She eventually got the chance to go on the offensive, moving really fast.
Serra's eyes widened in fear as she found herself shadowboxing.
Deciding to use something she'd worked on; Aisha used the Force to enhance her speed and started jumping from tree to tree, like a bouncing ball.
She moved so fast that Serra couldn't even keep track of her. And since she wasn't as highly trained, she couldn't focus on sensing her.
Aisha vaulted off a tree behind Serra, flying towards her back, then decapitated her.
The young girl rolled to a stop on the ground as the headless Serra fell to the ground.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Galen and Nox's sabers swirled and clashed at a break neck speed, neither willing to give an inch of ground to the other.
They met in a deadlock, and their sabers hummed and crackled on contact. They fought their way up an incline and to a higher platform, above the main level of the bridge.
Nox Force shoved Galen back hard against the wall. The Inquisitor's hands glowed with blue energy as he hurtled Force lightning at the young man. Galen raised his saber and began absorbing it. Once the attack was deflected, Galen charged at Nox, kicking him over the railing.
He hopped over, after the Inquisitor. Their sabers clashed in a dead lock with the familiar hums and crackling pops.
Nox ignited the second blade on his disc-saber and began to spin it like a buzz-saw. Galen jumped back and drew his second lightsaber.
He ran straight at the Inquisitor, throwing both of his sabers around him, like boomerangs. Nox swung at him with his double-blades, but Galen side-flipped over his head and fired his own Force lightning at his back.
Nox was knocked back as the flying lightsabers returned to Galen's hands and he swung at the Inquisitor, cleaving him in half at his abdomen.
Galen sighed and calmed his breathing before turning his attention to Anakin's fight.
Anakin took a breath and brought his saber over his head, before bringing it down fiercely on Sidious, who met it with his own saber. Their sabers continued to clash, before meeting in struggle again.
"Still formidable for an old man, but you rely too much on your Force lightning," Anakin taunted.
Sidious growled and jumped back, before launching more lightning at Anakin. Once again, pouring all the anger and hatred he felt for the boy into his attack.
The sight grew more and more gruesome as he let all the anger he held for Anakin Skywalker erupt from his fingertips. How he hated this man! He was supposed to have been a malleable tool, one Sidious could have molded into the perfect apprentice. But he had defied him, time and again!
He had nearly killed him once before, but somehow, this stubborn CHILD had hung on, only to come back when he least expected it and more powerful than ever! He would not lose to this Jedi scum...this former slave, Chosen One or not! He was Darth Sidious, the most powerful Sith in over a millennia! He would not be beaten by LOVE of all things!
Galen ran over to help, but Luke held him back.
Anakin cried out and clenched his eyes shut as he tried to hold the immense attack at bay, but he was losing ground fast. His feet were sliding back on the floor and with another roar of intense rage from Palpatine; the lightning bypassed his saber and struck him. Anakin cried out in pain, as he writhed on the ground in agony. His saber deactivated as he dropped it. Palpatine cackled as he reveled in Anakin's tortured screams.
"Padmé…" Anakin cried as the blinding pain seared violently through his entire body.
He softly cried his wife's name again, reaching out to her through their bond. This made Palpatine laugh at him.
"You truly are pathetic. That weak woman cannot save you. Some Chosen One you turned out to be," Palpatine spat. Little did Palpatine know, down on Endor, Padmé would hear her husband's voice calling to her...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
For the next ten minutes, the Rebels began rounding up the remaining Imperial forces.
Chirrut stood surrounded by Storm Troopers, but he remained calm, quietly chanting,
"I'm with the Force, the Force is with me. I'm with the Force, the Force is with me..."
Using his staff and the sounds around him, he quickly took down the Troops. When more came, Baze shot them down.
"You almost shot me, again," Chirrut griped.
"You're welcome," Baze remarked, smiling.
Chewie and the Ewoks took care of destroying the rest of the Imperial Walkers.
Obi-Wan and Ahsoka sensed that their fellow Jedi were in battle with wielders of the dark side, so they were heading toward them to help.
Jyn and Cassian made a great tag-team in shooting Troopers.
The others were simply waiting as the dogfight between the Rebel forces and the fighters protecting the Death Star unfolded.
Padmé was visibly nervous, as she paced the ground, waiting for any word from her husband and son. And then suddenly and unexpectedly, she heard Anakin's voice in her head. Her breath caught in her throat as she stared up at the Death Star.
"Anakin!" she cried out suddenly. She fell to her knees, gasping for air. "I'm here, my love."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anakin slowly found the strength to lift himself off the floor.
"I'm here, my love," he heard Padmé speak to him through the Force. Anakin let her love wash over him and strengthen his resolve. Sidious snarled and channeled more Force lightning at Anakin, but he was stunned when it was stopped by a strong Force shield around the Chosen One.
Momentarily, Anakin gazed at his hands and the glowing white energy around him in awe. Like Sidious manifested his Force lightning as a physical form of his dark side Force energy; Anakin, with the power of his love for Padmé and his children, was now doing the same, only his was a pure physical manifestation of his light side Force energy. Anakin stared at Palpatine with an icy gaze.
"Your reign of terror ends today, Your Highness," he said as he used a strong Force push, which was enhanced by the light energy around him, to hurl the lightning back at Palpatine. The Emperor screamed in agony as he was hit with his own attack and hurled over the railing and down the shoot. Emperor Palpatine was dead at last. Anakin sunk weakly to his knees, breathing heavily, as the Force shield faded.
Luke rushed over to his father's side, "Are you alright?"
Anakin panted and looked at him, "It's over...it's finally over..."
Galen went over to Vader, who had collapsed completely to the floor. His breathing was shallow and labored. Galen knelt down and helped him sit up.
"Galen...help me take this mask off," Vader requested.
"But you'll die," Galen protested.
"Nothing can stop that. Just, let me...look at you with my own eyes," Vader said.
Galen gently removed the helmet, looking at his father's burned face. He smiled at him, then looked at Anakin and Luke as they approached.
"Forgive me...brother..." Vader asked.
Anakin looked at him with curiosity, "How did you turn away from the dark side?"
"I saw your memories...during some of my...meditations..." Vader responded. "I felt your...feelings. I admit...I know the feeling..."
Tears fell from Galen's eyes as his father's gloved hand caressed his face.
"Forgive me, my son...tell your mother...I'm sorry, and that I...love her..." Vader managed to say before taking his final breath.
"Father!" Galen cried. Anakin put his hand on his shoulder.
"I'm so sorry, but we need to go," he told him. He and Luke lifted up Vader's bulky form. Together, the three of them boarded a shuttle and left the Death Star.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Padmé calmed down as she felt Anakin was no longer in distress. But then she looked around, on high alert.
"Mom?" Leia asked.
A female Inquisitor swung at Padmé with her disc-saber, but she back-flipped out of the way and drew her own lightsaber.
"Well, this is a surprise! Lord Vader expected you to be nothing," the Inquisitor said.
"People should know not to underestimate me. Who are you?" Padmé asked.
"Call me Tavira," the Inquisitor introduced herself before charging at her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Ahsoka and Obi-Wan met up with one more Inquisitor. This one was a brutish man with two mechanical hands.
"Hello Jedi, the name's Severus," he introduced himself, igniting his double disc-saber. Ahsoka and Obi-Wan ignited their own weapons as be brought his weapon down on them.
Both of their arms shook as they pushed up against the Inquisitor's crimson blades. Their sabers crackled from the contact as they struggled against his brute strength.
"Incredible, aren't they?" Severus asked, referring to his arms. "They are triple the strength of a human and they never tire like yours. You can thank that bastard, Vader, since he is the one that did this to me."
Severus kicked Obi-Wan away and wrapped his metal hand around Ahsoka's neck. She cried out as the Sith began choking him. Thinking quickly, she thrusted her knees upward into the Inquisitor's chin. Severus reeled back in pain, releasing Ahsoka as he held his sore jaw.
"You'll pay for that bitch," Severus growled.
"We'll see, you bastard," Ahsoka retorted as she gasped in air. With a fierce battle cry from all three of them, they leapt at each other again, sabers blazing.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Padmé's emerald blade collided again and again with the Inquisitor's. Every move she made was calculated and deadly, but Padmé was able to keep up with her.
Tavira aimed a kick for Padmé's abdomen. She avoided it, but she was ready for that, as she swept her feet out from under her with a low drop spin kick. Padmé fell on her back, but used her momentum to leap to her feet again.
Tavira brought her saber up over her head and then down on Padmé. She blocked with her own and pushed up. She broke the deadlock and landed a spiral kick to Tavira's chest. The force of it knocked the wind from her and sent her crashing back into one of the trees.
Tavira screamed in rage and leapt at Padmé. Her energetic style of saber technique was grueling, but Padmé still kept in step with her. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she met her saber time and again. Her muscles burned and sweat soaked her hair, but she didn't let up in the least. Tavira was becoming winded too, but didn't show any signs of letting up either.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Obi-Wan and Ahsoka struggled against the Severus' brute strength.
"Face it, you are no match for my power," Severus boasted.
"Your strength will only get you so far," Obi-Wan said as he used the Force to lift a big tree log. He hurled it at Severus and the Inquisitor laughed at him as he dodged it easily. What Severus hadn't counted on was Obi-Wan's expert control over the object he was lifting. Once he missed, he reversed the object's course and sent it slamming into Severus' back.
The Inquisitor growled angrily as he was sent sprawling to the ground. Severus growled in rage as he picked himself up. Angrily, he lifted the heavy storage container with one hand and hurled it at Obi-Wan. Obi-Wan easily dodged it by flipping it over.
Ahsoka enhanced her speed with the Force and used her second lightsaber to slice off Severus' right hand, then stabbed him with her other saber.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Tavira's speed was mind boggling, but Padmé met her every thrust and strike, parrying expertly as Tavira drove her back toward a large tree.
Knowing that Tavira was trying to corner her; Padmé turned to her hand-to-hand combat skills that she'd learned from Anakin and Qui-Gon.
She locked sabers with Tavira and implemented a move Anakin had taught her. She flicked her wrists, bringing Tavira's saber down. Before the woman could react, Padmé used a Force push and caught her off guard as she went stumbling back.
Padmé took advantage of Tavira's surprise and spun around with a crossing kick, hitting her in the jaw. Tavira had no time to recover before Padmé stabbed her square in the chest.
"I'm sorry, but I had no choice," she said before she extinguished her blade. She then headed back to rejoin the others.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wedge and an A-Wing went into a tunnel into the Death Star, followed by the Falcon and few other fighters.
"Lock onto the strongest power source. It should be the main reactor," Lando told everyone.
"Form up, and stay alert. We could run out of space real fast," Wedge said. The interior of the super structure was getting smaller.
Some TIE Fighters and TIE Interceptors followed after them and shot down one of the X-Wings.
"Split up and head back to the surface. See if you can get a few of those TIE Fighters to follow you," Lando ordered.
"Copy Gold Leader," the A-Wing pilot responded before he and the Y-Wing went in another direction, while Wedge and Lando continued toward the main reactor.
The TIE Interceptors kept after them.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"We've got to give our fighters more time. Concentrate all fire on that Super Star Destroyer," Ackbar ordered.
Greez flew at the ship and shot down one of it's shield generators.
"Nice shot Greez!" Cere exclaimed.
Greez laughed, "Look at us; risking our necks for the galaxy again!"
An A-Wing spun out of control and crashed into the Star Destroyer's main bridge, effectively destroying it.
Everyone on Ackbar's ship cheered as it went down.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"There it is!" Wedge said before he shot down the power regulator on the reactor, deactivating it's shield.
Lando fired at the reactor, destroying it, then flew out as quickly as he could as the Death Star began to explode.
Wedge made it out first, then Lando narrowly managed to escape as it exploded.
"YEE-HA!" Lando cheered in victory.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Han and Leia watched, as the Death star exploded above Endor. The Ewoks and Rebels cheered in victory.
"They did it!" Threepio exclaimed to Artoo, who beeped happily.
Han put his hand on Leia's shoulder.
"I'm sure they weren't on there," he assured her.
"They weren't, I can feel it," she replied. And by now, Han knew better than to question this mysterious Force that so prevalent in the Skywalker family.
Padmé returned and stared up at the sky.
"Do you think your mom knows that?" Han asked. Leia smiled.
"She knows too. She would know if something bad had happened to daddy," she replied as she leaned into his embrace and he held her contently in his arms.
~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Word of Emperor Palpatine's and Lord Vader's death spread through the galaxy like wildfire. Celebrations and parades commenced everywhere on the now free worlds. Huge celebrations broke out on Cloud City, Tatooine, Naboo, Coruscant and many others, as fireworks lit the skies on planet after planet.
~~~~~~~~~~~~Scene Change~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Fireworks also streaked across the night sky over Endor. Celebratory music played as the Ewoks danced in victory. One was even using some Trooper helmets as drums.
Lando and the remainder of the Rebel fleet had arrived and were greeted warmly by the Alliance personnel. Lando hugged Leia and Han, before hugging Padmé to assure her that Anakin and Luke would return. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka had gone to wait for them on the landing pad and assured them all that he would return with them.
Chewie hugged Lando and Threepio danced with an Ewok. Baze and Chirrut sat together, smiling. Jyn convinced Cassian to dance with her, but he was having some trouble.
Cal hugged Cere and Greez, even though the Lateron got embarrassed about it. He still hugged back. Merrin and BD-1 joined in on the hug.
Talon stood against a rope railing, off to the side away from everyone. She moved somewhat to the music and was smiling, looking truly happy.
Everyone was still hesitant about trusting her, which she completely understood. The only people who accepted her were Mara and Aisha. Mara, because Talon saved her life, and Aisha was accepting of pretty much everyone.
Padmé stood anxiously waiting for her husband and son to return.
"He'll be here. I can't rid of him that easily," Rex joked as he hugged her. Padmé nodded.
"I know. They're okay," she said as a few tears of joy slipped down her cheeks. Her head turned as she spotted four familiar figures trekking toward them through the forest. She immediately recognized her son and embraced him as he ran to greet her.
"Oh Luke..." she cried as she hugged him as tightly as she could.
"Everything is fine mom, we did it," Luke said before he moved to hug Leia, Han and Mara.
Padmé saw Galen as he ran over to Talon and hugged her tightly. Obi-Wan and Ahsoka's faces was a mixture of awe and shock as they each kept glancing at the two of them.
Obi-Wan and Ahsoka both gave her a smile, before joining Luke, who kissed Mara passionately before hugging Aisha.
Finally, she saw her husband return and they ran toward each other. Padmé leapt into his arms and began planting kisses all over his face. He chuckled and spun her around.
"You did it, Ani. You saved us all," she said.
"But everyone should really be thanking you for my victory," he told her.
"What do you mean?" she asked.
"The Force gave me the power I needed to defeat him, angel, but your love gave me the strength I needed to use that power," he told her. Padmé melted in his arms as he crushed his lips against hers in a hot, passionate kiss.
"Oh Anakin," she breathed, just before he crushed his lips against hers again. "It's over, it's finally over."
"It's over angel...it's over..." he promised as he held her close.
Leia came up beside her father and hugged him. Luke came up beside his mother and placed his hand on her shoulder, then Mara moved to stand next to him. Han and Ahsoka gathered around Leia, along with Aisha. Rex and Obi-Wan gathered around Luke's side, completing the family embrace.
Luke sensed something familiar and turned his head, only to see Master Yoda's spirit watching them with a smile. Standing to the side of him was Yan Dooku. Everyone but Han and Rex saw them as well.
"You have fulfilled the prophecy Anakin and I am very proud of you. We all are, Chosen One..." Dooku's ghostly voice said.
Anakin and Obi-Wan smiled as many of their fallen Jedi comrades appeared behind Qui-Gon and Yoda.
The dark veil over the galaxy had lifted and the light of the Force shined once again. The celebration around the Skywalker family continued, but they were content just being together with each other.
But they were even more eager to return home to their other little ones and knew that would soon be possible as they saw Mace Windu arrive, leading the Alliance leaders, who had been in his protective custody during the battle.
He nodded to them in acknowledgement, promising they would talk in detail later, as there was much to be discussed now. But for tonight, they would celebrate with those they loved around them.
IT'S OVER! The war, not the story. There'll be a few more chapters.
I wanted most of the other characters with lightsabers to have their own battles, so I made some new Inquisitors.
I hope Vader's change didn't come too much out of left field.
Read and review, please!