Episode XI.- The Forbidden Empire

Imbalance in power is spread across the Galaxy as the House of Bane has turned Neutral Zone into the ground for off-the-record research and development of an anti-midichlorian weapon race. Meanwhile, the Republic is using all resources available to circumvent the influence of the rouge House of Bane. Rouge soldiers Poe Dameron and Finn have been arrested by Republic Forces for a purported attempt to infringe the now weakened peaced achieved by the Imperial Accords.

ACT I.- Nature of the soul

Commencing midichlorian extraction procedure in 3, 2, 1… Midichlorian extraction procedure failed. Anti-midichlorian generator shutting down. "What about this?" Lord Bane asks. "Patience, My Lord," the Force Ghost of Vader says. "She's been trained to annul imbalances in the Force. She could be useful for later." Bane turns and sees a Force Ghost that has been guiding him for long, but is raising ever more suspicions. "She'll be sold then," Bane says. "As a slave."

The best place to sell a slave for a good place is within Republic Territory, and that place is Tatooine. Of course, to say that Tatooine is under Republic control is an overstatement. Is more of a nominal protectorate. The dark side of a democracy, of a free people, that decides to shove their darkness towards the Outer Rim.

And in that intelligence, slave trade has been growing better than ever. But Rey can't be sold for a good price. She's invaluable, but as a slave… She's useless. It can be seen in her eye, she's a second hand slave. And has probably killed or won her freedom otherwise. But there are always brutes that buy anything, including cheap scum like Rey. Such are the Tusken Raiders.

A race of looters that can't even see each other on the face are now masters of Rey. But for how long will she remain asleep to the great disturbance in the Force surrounding the Tusken village? She's watching it… pain, hatred, genocide.

MOM!

Rey's invaded by someone else's feelings, and her Force awakens. She creates a grey lightsaber out of sand and Force. But this time, she remains still, unlike their new masters. Apparently, they remember tales of the last time they've seen lightsabers. So the Tusken Raiders run away, and Rey's simply free again. "Shmi…" she says, without knowing the meaning of that word.

ACT II.- Revelation of the Soul

A mystery Bane has come across is being studied. And that is Rey's lightsaber. How it has been built and designed. "My Lord," a scientist says. "This lightsaber is mostly midichlorians. It could even be harvested, if it weren't for that anti-midichlorian annulling functionality." The Force Ghost of Lord Vader is watching this too. "Is it possible that the girl is correct?" Bane asks. "That you are not Lord Vader?"

SHE IS INDEED CORRECT. LORD VADER IS MY GRANDFATHER, BUT HE IS VADER NO MORE. HE'S CHOSEN A DIFFERENT PATH IN THE FORCE.

Bane looks at the fake Vader with even more distrust. But he understands. Only someone who has reached the balance of the Force could design such a lightsaber. "Is the true Vader our enemy?" Bane asks. "I don't know," the new Vader answers. "I'm only here here to unleash the Forbidden Empire, Exagul."

THAT IS MY EMPIRE.

"I know you have the Royal lineage of Exagul," the new Vader says. "That is why I chose you... Together we shall rise your Empire!"

THEN I WILL HELP YOU BECOME THE TRUE VADER.

On the edge of the Republic Territory a duo of heroes has been arrested by the Republic. Extra-official missions mean you get treated like an outsider. Whatever is going on on planet Lyd has caught the eye of Chancellor Amidala. And the worst fears are confirmed… Anti-midichlorian technology, forbidden things are being developed by the Dark Side.

"Chancellor," a Stormtrooper says. "Your informants have given a report akin to your predictions. Bane has developed forbidden technologies."

"And the others?" Gyné asks. "The ones you captured trafficking in Tatooine."

"They are loyal," the Stormtrooper says.

"Let them face each other," Gyné orders. "They will start spilling beans when they see Poe and Finn's face!"

The order is carried out. Finn and Poe are imprisoned with purported Bane traffickers. And Finn is immediately recognized.

"You," a prisoner says. "I thought Bane harvested every inch of you."

"Well, I've been saved," Finn says.

"Such a shame…" the prisoner says. "You were so rich in midichlorians…"

Gyné closely observes the Bane followers spill the beans one by one. They just can't keep their mouth shut when in front of a Jedi. So, she decides to call a session on the Senate to expose the dangers of Lord Bane and the Dark Side. Special motions are granted to Gyné Amidala to end the Bane threat.

"What's the matter, Chancellor?" asks Luke Skywalker.

"I summoned you on the issue of Lord Bane," she says sitting in her office. "He's developing Anti-midichlorian technology."

Luke starts having visions of an impending doom. The fall of Gyné, the fall of the Republic. The rise of Lord Bane, the Second Galactic Emperor.

"I suggest not to attack," Luke warns. "The peril is high."

"A higher peril would be letting them continue developing that technology," Gyné says.

"Chancellor, don't do anything rash, and reach an agreement with the Trade Alliance first," Luke advises.

Of course, Gyné has made her mind up. Crush Bane, destroy him fast and without warning. He's not part of the Trade Alliance, and rogue elements should be cancelled before they rise as a major threat. Thus an Order is issued under number 67: activate Skyblazer.

The development of Anti-midichlorian technology of course has led to a weapon race. The Republic just can't afford itself to be left behind upon such a threat. The Skyblazer Program is the top secret response to Anti-midichlorian technology, a full Republic developed Death-Star type II Warship. A vessel akin to a Destroyer capable of sucking out life from a planet.

Skyblazer is activated, and fired upon planet Lyd. However, this is expected. Bane forces orbit the planet as Skyblazer is fired. Apparently a cloaking technology designed by the Jedi knights has been shifting the surface of planet Lyd, and this wasn't an innocent design. It was meant to hide a Sith Fortress that could not be taken down, it's name: Exagul; it's heir: Lord Bane.

AT LAST, EXAGUL IS MINE!

And the incident hasn't gone unnoticed. The Trade Alliance has become aware that an unknown mass destruction has been fired, and an intelligence team is deployed to investigate the negative flow of the Force at planet Lyd.

Poe and Finn are separated from the other prisoners in the Republic Starship. Separation by execution. Poe and Finn remain in the same prison cell as the corpses of the arrested Bane slave traffickers.

"The Chancellor has orders for you two," the Stormtrooper says. "You are to go to planet Lyd. Someone fired a mass destruction weapon on the planet."

"Do you think I'm going to buy that?" Finn says. Well he clearly felt the shock in the Force. He knows that the Republic fired that. And if he knows, so does the Trade Alliance. Gyné has put herself in a rough spot now.

"You will obey the commands," the Stormtrooper suggests.

"I will obey the commands…" Finn repeats, as if he has lost his freewill.

"What happened to him?" Poe asks scared.

"He's a Stormtrooper serving the Republic under Order One," the Stormtrooper informs. "Total compliance to the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic." Now, Poe realizes he's fully screwed. He's forced to accept a suicide mission provoked by a bad call.

The Millenium Falcon flies again to planet Lyd, and Anti-midichlorian technology seems to have faded away.

"Atmosphere is breathable," Poe says. "These Sith have a proper management of Anti-midichlorian technology."

"Do you remember Lyd being like this?" a free-will stolen Finn asks.

"You are right," Poe says. "Landscape is completely different."

Rey has been meditating for a long, long time, and has seen the dangers Poe and Finn are facing. She feels something for them, a sense of loyalty, of camaraderie. They are the closest she has to friends, to a proper family. She's still sitting in Tatooine. Meditating about Shmi and what it means. "You've seen my pain, haven't you?" a familiar voice asks.

"Master Anakin!" Rey says. "What's Shmi?"

"Shmi's my mom," Anakin explains. "Family, Rey. Your biggest dream, my biggest dream. Only that I wasn't trained to face my fears, and wound up ruining it all."

"It was your first fall to the Dark Side," Rey says. "You've come and go at least twice from the Dark Side."

"You are correct," Anakin says. "So, what will you do now?"

"I'll break my illusion, Master," Rey says. "And I will build a proper family this time!"

ACT III.- Incarnation of the Soul

Exagul was once considered the Forbidden Empire, and not without a proper reason. In its wall enchantments to give a proper physical form to Force Ghost have been created. And Bane seems to know how to properly conjure them.

BEHOLD, EVERYONE! THE PHYSICAL REBIRTH OF THE CHOSEN ONE! DARTH VADER!

Everyone bows in front of the new and false Vader. He breathes like the original, his Force signature is almost identical. There's only one difference though, the light saber. It's the only link to false's Vader true identity: Kylo Ren. A man who's fulfilling his illusion, and only wishes to reinforce it.

I FOUND THEM! SPIES FROM THE REPUBLIC! THEY WILL SHOW US THE TRUE FACE OF THOSE TRAITORS!

The first words of Lord Vader reinvigorate the morale of Bane's men. And to complete the circle, Lord Vader bows in front of Bane. "I will follow your command, Emperor Bane!" he affirms. And thus, the illusion of Bane takes place.

WE SHALL LEAD EXAGUL INTO VICTORY!

A meeting of the Sith Council is summoned by Lord Bane. The issue: the treason of the corrupt Republic, who has illegally developed an Anti-midichlorian mass destruction weapon. The exhibits: testimonials of the imprisoned spies. They cannot elude the truth serum developed in Exagul. But it isn't actual testimony, it's conjectures and hearsay. But soon, suspicions are confirmed by the Trade Alliance intelligence. The weapon was fired from outer space, and isn't controlled by Lord Bane.

And then, the wild card is presented: the recovery of Exagul and the resurrection of Lord Vader. The delusion is now complete, and everyone jumps on the ship. Lord Bane is now a member of the Trade Alliance, and the Imperial Accords have been deemed violated by the Republic.

"Lord Bane, I know you want to execute those men," Lord Plagueis says. "But I wish to buy them as slaves. I propose a proper punishment until I come for them."

"Agreed, Lord Plagueis," Lord Bane says.

Rey appears in the entrance of Exagul. The heads of Poe and Finn are stuck in spikes, but they are still animated. They are feeling actual pain, and Rey cannot withstand it. She wants to undo the pain. She wants to kill Bane.

SAVE US, REY!

"Don't undo it," Lord Plagueis says. "Unless you actually want them dead."

"Why shouldn't I break this illusion?" Rey asks.

"It's the condition I agreed to buy them alive and unscathed," Lord Plagueis says. "Of course, I had to leave a scar in their minds. If you want to be of use, distract them. And then run away."

And so, Rey appears before Bane's throne to challenge him.

"I challenge you to a deathmatch, Bane," Rey says.

"Only if you can defeat my newest incorporation," Bane says.

And thus, he appears, the fake and physical Darth Vader. With his mechanical breathing, albeit a less menacing presence. A lower emotional charge and, most certainly, less pain. And the new Vader turns his lightsaber on.

"So now you show your true face, Kylo Ren," Rey says.

I AM LORD VADER! YOU SHALL CALL ME BY MY NAME!

A lightsaber duel starts. Kylo Ren versus Rey. And a balanced match this time is, for Rey is gearing towards balance for herself. Each strike steers her away from the Dark Side, back to her normal self, back to where Anakin taught her to stay.

SO YOU BROKE YOUR ILLUSION… IT'S A SHAME YOU WILL NEVER MASTER THE FORCE AGAIN!

NOW!

The command is heard by Rey. The rescue of his friends has been completed by Lord Plagueis, and so the retreat strategy starts. Now, she takes the risk to use the Force instead of annuling it. A small, but dangerous debris is flung at a strong speed unbeknown to everyone but Kylo Ren.

EMPEROR BANE!

The debris has hit Bane's head and left him unconscious on the floor. Everyone gets distracted by the unexpected tactic.

SHE ESCAPED!

The new Vader is infuriated, he's been tricked by Rey again.