Hello, everyone, and Happy Halloween! It is I, the one and only SuperHeroTimeFan, now coming back to you after all this time with a brand-new Chapter for my Ahsoka Saga story, Journey of the Knight: Honor Bound! I know it has been another long while since I last updated, but there have been some complications since the Fourth of July, which, was the best one I had, thanks to all the support you gave. I will try to update when I can like I used to do, but with things getting complicated here, there's no absolute guarantee. Anyways, thank you all. That goes for MinuteMan76, MartyrFan, The Mandalorian Terminator, Jacqueline Karst, Logan GC, FusionBase27A, Ezra Wren, Ultimate Advent Story Dude VII, Eubulon Zenith Extreme, Geo Hikari The 2nd, Cycomatrix Eternal, fire-storm-amagi, Jack Sparrow 475, Hay Lin x Tsukasa Kadoya, Ross Blum the IV, Rebel Sabine Bridger, HarmonyGirl567, Riku Soncazenosee, Dwayne McDuffie, Bowser3000000, animebella09, Slade The Terminator, High Supreme King Of Awesome, Tines Sensahthe, Ultra Neo Kamen Rider 15, Awesometacular Extravaganza, 17lakect, Tristan Riddle, Hodges Jaxon, the conman w, Dark Knight Discord, PHL360, Maximum Rhapsody. Spartan of Chaos, Tristan Riddle, GundamTachiagate, Phily76, WanderingMD, crea9587, dragonslayerajahn, LadySerentity22, Draco91, DJ Meltdown of Ground Xero, Dragon Slayer John, rspendragon, SuperFlarrowLover, Houndini, Just a Crazy-Man, SethBloodFallen, The Dark Warden, Wolfman2010ism, ItsJustABook, StoryBrookFields95, Joey Lumbley, Mr. StrangerMan98, Rebecca Chambers Rules, Sleeping Skeleton, Nibra Ha Rishon, Mr. FNAF Fan-Gamer, LadyStar10, Neos the Final Builder, wolf579, Kat1017, Maniiikz, 1049, Taiski, ToLegitt2Quit, RebeccaSnow23, Carlos Jacob, Armando Andres Romero Lozano 7, Wolfslick, CT7567Rules, Outplace, TheGreatGodzilla, Darth Sicarius, AbbyDobbie, Maximus Potter, Darth Khan, Virgil1989 The Crossover King, and of course, all of you Guest Reviewers. This really means a lot. Thank you so much. Now, before I start, please let me address the questions you had from your reviews. To the Guest Reviewer, please stop sending me all those story requests. It will never happen. To Carlos Jacob, I know you now use the name T-Bone, but this is what I remember you most by. Anyways, I did see the test footage for Star Wars Underworld, and it looked really good. I will think about Obi-Wan giving his red Mandalorian armor to Red Arrow, since I have not thought about that, but no promises. I could try to do a hand-to-hand fight with Mace Windu and Vrak, but that's another maybe. I will think about Jessica Cruz giving the Young Justice equipment from Shei'Ten Kar like from the Breath of the Wild game. Not sure about Ahsoka having all the same powers as the Daughter. I have finished all the crossover Chapters, at least for now, so that's a maybe. I'll think about that one-shot idea. I have something in mind for the anniversary, don't worry. I'll think about Rex and the Clones getting those upgrades, and as for Echo joining the Bad Batch, I will have to think on it. Thank you for all of your questions and reviews, especially on everything Star Wars and DC. I saw all the trailers from the Fan Dome, and they were awesome. I also like the new material leaked for Star Wars too, so I hope to see that in the future. Also, to the insistent Guest, please stop requesting me to do all of these characters based on who you want. I will never do it, as I have stated beforehand. Now, with all reviews addressed, here is my newest Chapter! Please be sure to review, rate, and as always, please be sure to enjoy!
Chapter 32: Sabers of the Old Republic
In Memory of Chadwick Boseman (November 22nd, 1976 – August 28th, 2020). Wakanda Forever.
It is not the object that makes the person special, it is the person who makes themselves special.
Unlimited desire! Throughout the time that Jedi Knight Ahsoka Tano and her friends from Earth, the Young Justice, have been in the Expanded Universe, relics dating back to the days of the Old Republic have constantly been sought out by all sides. While a select few were used for the plans of Gemini Rouge and Darth Maul, many more have started to fall into possession of either the sides of justice or evil. With the discovery of all these new artifacts, a power struggle is in play. But a new set of relics will catch the eye of the Jedi and the Sith, a set that will change the ways of Jedi and Sith forever.
On a Planet with several markets, one group was gathering with a Weequay with a briefcase in her hands. The group facing her was armed with gold and red versions of Clone Trooper Standard Blaster rifles, and were wearing masks over their eyes.
"Do you have them?" the leader, armed with a saber in addition to his rifle, asked. "Keep in mind, these items are not easy to secure through ordinary means. Knowing your skills, you probably secured them easily."
"Found them right on Elphrona before it was placed under heavy watch," the Weequay said. "Made it past the ships in the blockade. No one even batted an eye at my presence."
"Good. This will do quite nicely." The leader said as he prepared to open the case.
All of a sudden, several smoke grenades were thrown. Everyone looked to them before they went off, causing them to cough. Someone donned in a cloak ran in and kicked the leader away before grabbing the case. The figure opened it just as the Weequay aimed a blaster and opened fire. The figure suddenly took out a crossguard lightsaber hilt and activated it, letting out blue blades. Swinging it, the figure deflected the blasts with ease before suddenly seeing the Scimitar fly in. The figure ran to another ship and flew off, activating a stealth mode before making the Jump to Hyperspace.
Out from the Scimitar as soon as it landed were Darth Maul, Lady Shiva and Tiber Saxon. All three walked to the smoke and used the Force to clear the air, showing the Weequay mercenary and the other group.
"What has happened?" Lady Shiva asked.
"Someone stole the case and its contents," the Weequay said. "Had a lightsaber too. An old one."
"Lysandre… is this true?" Darth Maul asked.
"The thief was cloaked heavily. I couldn't tell," Lysandre said. "I will send my forces to recover them. No one steals from my organization."
"I will hold you to that," Darth Maul said. "We cannot send any of our own forces. We are compromised as it is, and our other operation could be exposed."
"So what do we do?" Tiber Saxon asked.
Darth Maul looked around before growling, an idea coming into his head.
"Get me in touch with the Syndicate."
Aboard the Equinox, Anakin was walking to the Bioship. Ahsoka came out, now wearing her old Jedi Knight attire.
"I see you've opted for the old look." Anakin noted.
"The other one was damaged from my fight on Nevarro," Ahsoka explained. "I'm using this again for now."
"Good call," Anakin said. "Got news from Ringo Vinda. Master She has the situation under control. They won't need me for a while."
"Guess that means I have more time to work on this," Ahsoka said, gesturing to a rebuilt Crucible ship nearby. "I've been meaning to show this to you for a while now."
"What is it?" Anakin asked.
"Come on, you'll see." Ahsoka said with a smirk as she led Anakin into the Crucible II.
Inside, Miss Martian was making some adjustments to her lightsaber while Barriss was doing the same. Katooni was there too, looking over her lightsaber while Serra was helping Katana in checking her Shadow Saber. As Huyang watched over them all, Ahsoka came in with Anakin.
"Remarkable, the way you handle that saber," Huyang said as he walked over to Katana. "When I was told you weren't a Jedi, I had my doubts. Now that I see you in person, I can see why you're a great wielder."
"I do my best," Katana said with a smile before looking to Anakin and Ahsoka. "Back for that project?" she asked.
"You know it," Ahsoka said as she led Anakin to a table. "You see, when I was modifying your old lightsaber, I had my own ideas. I've been looking over your old lightsaber, and I think I've come up with something of my own."
"What did you have so far?" Anakin asked.
Ahsoka smiled as she walked up to one of the work tables. On it was a copy of her first lightsaber and a restored version of Anakin's first lightsaber. However, they were not separate from each other. Rather, the two hilts were connected, acting as a Double-Bladed Lightsaber hilt.
"I thought of trying my hand at this new style," Ahsoka explained as she started to get to work on the new double-bladed hilt. "I only had a limited time of using a Double-Bladed Lightsaber before during my time on Earth and a little bit during my return to here, so I think that if I got to get back to that fighting style, we could come to a way to understand how to defeat Maul in combat."
"Good thinking," Anakin said before he noticed some other lightsaber hilts on the wall. "These ones look familiar…" he said.
"I've been helping Ahsoka with other lightsabers, using schematics of your designs, even those of Obi-Wan Kenobi and Mace Windu," Huyang explained as he walked over. "She thinks you could use some sort of extra edge when fighting the Shadow Collective now that they have stepped up their game."
"Precisely," Ahsoka said as she got up, showing off the two lightsaber hilts connected to each other. "Now, let's see how this goes."
"Here it comes." M'gann said with a grin.
Barriss and Serra turned as well while Katooni and Katana looked up. Ahsoka motioned for Anakin to step back before she activated the new Double-Bladed Lightsaber she had created. The hilt that resembled Anakin's first lightsaber let out a blue blade while the lightsaber resembling her first one let out a green blade. Grinning, Ahsoka spun around her new Double-Bladed Lightsaber before splitting it apart, Anakin's saber in one hand and her old one in her left.
"Most impressive." Anakin complimented.
"Maybe even better." Ahsoka said before deactivating both lightsabers. She connected the bottom ends together and twisted them, allowing for them to become a Double-Bladed Lightsaber hilt again.
All of a sudden, Metamorpho walked in. "Hope I'm not interrupting too much," he said. "But we've all got a guest."
"As in what kind?" Ahsoka asked.
"The 31st Crime Investigatory." Metamorpho clarified.
Everyone looked to each other, all with concerned looks on their faces.
In the Hangar Bay, the Young Justice, Anakin and Obi-Wan stood together as Yejyo Vanzig walked over with Ringa Shi by his side.
"Evening, Inspector," Obi-Wan said. "To what do we owe this pleasure?"
"Business matters, Master Kenobi," Yejyo said. "I am here to enlist your assistance in the investigation of a recent theft."
"What kind of theft?" Robin asked.
"The theft of Jedi relics." Ringa said.
"Jedi relics?" Barriss asked. "Doesn't sound good."
Yejyo sighed. "Indeed," he agreed. "Five hours ago, Ringa has a spy discover that a trade of old relics, identified as Jedi relics from the trader she tracked down, were being sold. We didn't know what was in the case until an unidentified individual managed to confiscate them. We now know…" he went on. "That the case held a Crossguard Lightsaber."
"Whoa, like mine?" Miss Martian asked.
"This is what it looked like," Ringa said as she stepped up, showing a hologram of the hilt. "It's a Jedi weapon, but we don't know who it belonged to."
"I do," Katooni said. "That hilt was one of the two Crossguard Lightsabers of Jedi Master Dazh Ranos, who lived during the age of the Eternal Empire and early through the High Republic."
"Dazh Ranos?" Anakin asked. "If my history is correct, she was a Chiss Jedi who left the old Jedi Order."
"That's what I learned too." Ahsoka said.
"Rare for her people," Obi-Wan added on. "At the time at the fall of the Empire, she abandoned her weapons to teach a new generation. When she passed, her weapons remained hidden, but no one knows where."
"Yejyo," Paula said as she looked to the two members of the 31st Crime Investigatory. "Who were the buyers for these weapons?"
"We do not know for certain, they are not in any records," Yejyo replied. "All we know is that they wore face masks and their leader held a saber, a normal one."
"You think it could be Maul?" Kid Flash asked.
"Possible. He could be trying to bleed the crystals." Serra said.
"Not likely," Mace Windu said as he walked over. "I had heard about the situation and came over as soon as I could. The lightsabers of Dazh Ranos cannot be bled or corrupted."
"Even by the strongest being with the Dark Side?" Zatanna asked.
"Dazh Ranos knew of the technique to bleed crystals. For this reason, she chose special crystals for her lightsabers," Mace Windu explained. "The Zophis Crystal."
"Those ones are rare indeed," Ringa said. "Many bounty hunters died trying to get them."
"And Jedi too," Anakin said. "I once considered using a Zophis crystal before settling on the one I have now."
"So what's so special about these ones?" Connor asked.
"Zophis crystals can't be bled or corrupted through any means," Mace Windu said. "While dangerous in nature, if a Jedi is able to properly harness its powers, it will be attuned to the Jedi, and the Jedi only."
"Then what good is it to a Sith?" Artemis asked.
"He cannot corrupt its power, but he can probably corrupt it's use," Aqualad deducted. "It is a corruption of power by any other name."
"That would be my guess," Yejyo said. "The times when we ask for help from the Jedi are rare, but given how this crime involves Jedi weapons, we must ask you for your help."
"We will assist in any way we can." Ahsoka reassured.
"Let's just hope we're not too late." Lux said.
At the spire of a high building on the Planet of Kijimi, a woman with a white bodysuit and violet hair was walking into the room. Behind her was a male with blue hair and a slightly darker suit, both wearing combat boots and fingerless gloves. Walking next to them was a Loth Cat, only more feral-looking.
"This seems to be the place, Jessilina," the male said. "Where is he?"
"Don't question his actions, Jeeves," Jessilina remarked. "You know it's rare he calls on us."
"So you're here too, huh?"
Jessilina and Jeeves, with their Loth Cat, turned to see a Rodian woman with a silver poncho, a black cap, goggles and what appeared to be missile launchers on both of her arms. Slightly towering over her behind her was a muscular Duros man with brown sleeveless armor, black combat boots, blue bands on his arms and a bronze Cortosis Blade.
"If it isn't Argus and Mesira Steel," Jessilina said with a roll of her eyes. "Don't you have spices to be extorting?"
"We were called here by the same person who summoned you." Argus said, patting the pommel of his sword.
"Then you won't mind my presence."
Everyone turned to see another woman emerge from the shadows. She looked somewhat Hispanic, and had a black suit with blue detailing, as well as a sword on her back.
"Hello, Aviva," Mesira said. "I thought you were locked away."
"I served my sentence. If anything, I'm surprised any of you are here," Aviva said. "They don't call me the Shadow Thief for nothing."
"Why any of you here is always going to be a mystery," a woman said, walking out from another hallway door. She had a black suit and blonde hair. "Hello, Jessilina."
"Kah-Si-Di, I might have known," Jessilina scowled as a muscular Devaronian wielding an axe walked in. "Of course you're never without the Butcher. Take him away and no one knows who you are."
"Care to test those words?" The Butcher asked, aiming his axe as it started to glow.
"Go ahead and try, I dare you." Jessilina challenged as she readied a dark-looking scimitar with multiple curves on it.
"Never been one to like you all anyways." Jeeves said, readying a set of gauntlets with spikes on them.
"Enough."
Everyone stopped to see Darth Maul walk in. Immediately, but hesitantly, they lowered their weapons as he made his way to the center of the room.
"Lord Maul," Jeeves said. "Welcome."
"You all know why you are here," Darth Maul said. "Because I have another operation going on, one that will enhance my forces, I cannot spare any of the known members of the Shadow Collective, nor my own troops or Vaapad Rage."
"Which is where we come in." Mesira said as Aviva remained quiet.
"You are all the representatives of the many new crime families I have gathered since the revelation of Operation Hell Saber," Darth Maul said as everyone grinned. He turned to Jeeves and Jessilina. "Jeeves, Jessilina, and of course, your attack pet. As part of the Raxus Guild, you have managed to pull off successful heists that not even Luminara Unduli could sense before it happened," he said before looking to Mesira and Argus. "Mesira, and your father, Argus. As part of the Steel Syndicate, your tracking and hunting skills were second only to Embo. Only you could take a thousand shipments of spice within a single day," he mused as he turned to Aviva. "Aviva Metula, the Shadow Thief. There was a time when even Xion was impressed with your skills enough to grant you all level clearance to all ORDER weapon vaults," he remarked before looking to the last two. "And the Raticate Cartel representatives, Kah-Si-Di and Bortel, dubbed the Butcher by the Black Sun. Your methods were so sadistic that Count Dooku and Moralo Eval refused to let you participate in their scheme to kidnap the Chancellor at the celebration on Naboo. They would have succeeded had you been there," he admitted. "Your superiors have already received the compensation I promised. Your task is simple."
"A kill and grab job?" Aviva asked.
"Two ancient Jedi artifacts were stolen from me and a group," Darth Maul explained. "A tracker was placed on the case and the relics themselves. Each of you have a tracking fob to locate it and bring it to me on Garel. You are free to use any means necessary," he advised before looking to Argus specifically. "No decapitations."
"Of course." Argus complied while letting out a groan.
"The last known location was on Nal Kapok," Darth Maul said. "Start there, and remember, since you are all paid already, there is no need for competition."
"Of course." Jessilina agreed.
"As you wish." Kah-Si-Di said with a nod.
"Yeah, yeah." Mesira drawled.
"Then you won't mind that I have a head start," Aviva said before suddenly disappearing into the shadows. "Later."
"Move out, all of you," Darth Maul ordered. Everyone nodded and ran to their respective ships. As soon as they were gone, a hologram of Bemulaire came up. "How goes our second operation?"
"I am watching over the prison area as we speak," Bemulaire said as she watched over the Coruscant prison. "In twelve hours, it should go down."
"Good," Darth Maul said as he walked out. "Remember the plan. And remember… endure nothing goes wrong." He said before ending the transmission, the door behind him closing.
Later on, the Martian Bioship, Anakin, Obi-Wan and Mace Windu's Starfighters emerged from Hyperspace, followed by Yejyo's star cruiser. Inside of the main cruiser, Yejyo was showing a charted map, displaying several planets with red crosses over them.
"What are we looking at here?" Saw asked as everyone looked to the map on the Bioship.
"These are Planets our lads have tracked the stolen lightsabers to, but have always come short," Yejyo explained. "We were able to hack into a tracker placed on both the case and its contents, and based on the flight path, the thief will have not any Planets to escape to."
"Why's that?" Rocket asked.
"They started at the market with approximately three quarters of a gallon of fuel," Ringa explained. "That's enough to last at least sixteen planet travels without refueling. They've made the jump to thirteen planets already."
"Which means there could already be three remaining planets for the thief to go to," Anakin realized. "And since your agents almost caught them, they didn't get a chance to refuel."
"Exactly," Yejyo said. "We have narrowed down the flight course to Nal Kapok, Shei'Ten Kar, and Christophsis."
"Okay, we have some good head-starts," Ahsoka said. "Masters, we will investigate Christophsis. If you can, check out the signals that are coming from Shei'Ten Kar and Nal Kapok."
"Nal Kapok was where Naare was held by Darth Maul, and the site of several Jedi deaths before the Battle of Naboo," Mace Windu said. "I feel it would be safer if I investigated there."
"I will take a look at Shei'Ten Kar," Jessica offered as she got up from her seat. Clenching her fist, she glowed green and flew out. "I'll let you know what I find."
"Good luck," Ahsoka said before looking to Christophsis up ahead. "Skyguy, Master Kenobi, let's check out Christophsis together."
"The signal is stronger there, but we'd better be careful," Anakin said. "We don't know what we could find."
Miss Martian nodded. "Bringing the Bioship down now." She said as she flew the Bioship down to the surface, Anakin and Obi-Wan following right behind her and the rest of the Young Justice.
"So, what else is there to know about this Dazh Ranos?" Zatanna asked. "She sounds like a pretty big deal to me."
"That's the understatement of all time," Jaybo said. "I heard that she was the first Chiss to ever be inducted into the Jedi Order at the time."
"She studied the old style of lightsaber combat, and adapted it to her own style," Ahsoka explained. "During the times of old Jedi, when crossguard lightsabers like the one M'gann built, were used, it was believed only one could be wielded at a time. She started out with standard lightsabers at first before achieving the rank of Jedi Knight, and creating dual crossguard lightsabers over her old ones."
"She left the Jedi Order after some disputes with the Council," Serra went on. "And before you ask, she never turned to the Dark Side. Rather, she wanted the Will of the Force to guide her on her own path. She thought she could do better as a Jedi without being affiliated with them."
"Then she joined the Eternal Alliance to fight against the Eternal Empire," Ahsoka went back. "She helped it become a strong force against the Eternal Empire, and even lived a little doing through the time of the High Republic."
"And by the way Mace was talking about her lightsabers, I'm betting there's some sort of great reason why they've only been discovered now." Rocket said.
"I guess we'll find out soon enough," Ahsoka said as all three ships started to settle down on the ground. "Here's where the old base used to be, we'll set up here."
As everyone was getting off, Connor suddenly stopped in his tracks and looked around.
"Connor?" M'gann asked. "What's going on?"
"Another ship just landed," Connor said, getting everyone's attention. "Ten clicks away."
"Maul and Shiva?" Katana asked.
"Couldn't tell, but let's not take any chances," Superboy said as he floated up. "I say we split up and look around."
"Good idea," Ahsoka agreed before looking to the rest of the Young Justice. "Three groups. Robin, Zatanna, Katana, M'gann, Jaybo, and Katooni are with me. Anakin takes Artemis, Serra, Saw, Kid Flash and Aqualad while Obi-Wan's group will consist of Connor, Lux, Metamorpho, Rocket and Barriss. Signal any of the Jedi if you found the lightsabers. If you find the Shadow Collective after them, do not engage until we are all together."
"I'm establishing a Psychic Link." Miss Martian said as she pressed her hands to her head.
Soon, everyone was connected through the Psychic Link. Everyone got into their groups and soon ran off, with Yejyo and Ringa landing afterwards.
"I hope they find these weapons," Ringa said. "I may have been a former Bounty Hunter, but even I am revolted as to what people would do if weapons like lightsabers were to be sold on the black market."
"Hopefully it won't come to that," Yejyo said. "The Young Justice are professionals. I think it is wise to put our trust in them, considering all they've done."
"Let's hope you're right." Ringa said as she walked out.
"Indeed," Yejyo replied. "Now let's get a move on."
Elsewhere, on Coruscant within the holding cells, someone was delivering a tray of food to one of the cells. Inside of it was Gar Saxon. He looked to his tray and took a bite out of a Jogan fruit. After taking a few bits out of the fruit, he stopped. Upon seeing something inside of it, he tossed aside the rest of the food and pulled out what appeared to be a circuit board. Looking to it, he grinned before going to the wall of his cell. Opening up a secret compartment, he pulled out a metal cylindrical object before placing the circuit board inside.
"I don't trust how we're holding Saxon," Commander Fox said to Lenny in the Mess Hall. "We're basically letting him walk around with his weapons."
"A standard was set up in case we ever got Mandalorian Prisoners," Lenny explained, showing off a hologram from his 31st Crime Investigatory badge. "As per the tradition of Mandalorians, they are allowed to keep their armor and weapons in custody, under the conditions that their functions be disabled. We have done that for ages. Even the Supreme Chancellor and Valorum before him have agreed to such rules."
"He's a terrorist with Darth Maul," Commander Fox said. "Tradition or not, we should be removing all ways he has to escape."
"I was not the one who made these rules," Lenny said. "They are only to be followed."
"Well I'm gonna assess the situation, and then do something about this violation." Commander Fox said before walking to the holding cells.
Back on Christophsis, Paula was patrolling through the skies. Evading her sight was the same individual in the cloak from earlier. The individual ran down a flight of stairs as soon as Huntress flew down to Ahsoka's group.
"You know, I'm starting to wonder if Nomad had the right decision to go and check out that signal with Jessica," Zatanna said as she turned to Ahsoka on their way through the streets. "He does tend to act out on his own, ever since we met him, of course."
"I'm sure that there's some reason behind it," Ahsoka said before looking ahead. As she did, she let out a smile. "How could I ever forget this place?"
"Why?" M'gann asked, looking to see Ahsoka near a fallen wall with a hole in it. "What's so special about it?"
"It was my first mission, I was with Anakin to disable the Separatist Shield Generator," Ahsoka started to recall. "Large droids were surrounding Anakin, so to help him out, I pulled down a wall that destroyed them all. This one, specifically. The hole managed to miss him while I saved his life."
"Guess that must have been quite a field day," Jaybo said before seeing Paula arrive. "Now, what have we got here?"
"I'm back," Paula said as she landed on the ground. "So far, I've got nothing. The signals Yejyo and Ringa supplied us with aren't showing up."
"There's gotta be something we're missing," Ahsoka said as she and Miss Martian looked around. Suddenly, she sensed someone watching her and turned to the side, seeing the figure in the cloak. "Over there!"
Everyone turned to see the cloaked figure, who was now walking towards them. They all stood ready, especially after seeing a case in the figure's hands.
"M'gann, turn off the Psychic Link," Paula ordered. "Let's see what this one wants."
Miss Martian nodded and closed her eyes. As soon as she opened them again, Ahsoka walked up to the figure.
"That's far enough," Ahsoka warned, getting the figure to stop walking. "Who are you?"
The figure removed their hood, revealing a female with dirty-blonde short-cut hair, a magenta bandana with a black stripe on it covering said hair, and blue eyes.
"My name is Serena Ranos," the girl said. "Descendant of Dazh Ranos, but not a Jedi."
"She was a Chiss." Katana pointed out.
"And you didn't come to any conclusion that she may have had romantic feelings for someone else? Someone of a different species?" Serena asked. "I grew up on Elphrona, the holy place of the High Republic. Though I wasn't aware of my powers until I reached the age of ten, I knew of my lineage. When the years passed, I trained myself to fight in the ways of the Force, but decided against joining the Jedi Order. Only when your Vortex opened did I decide to leave."
"Let's go out on a limb and say your story checks out," Ahsoka said as M'gann placed her hands to her temples. "Who were your parents?"
"My mother died giving birth, but my father was a Jedi who left to join the Jedi Order, but died on Naboo," Serena said as everyone began to realize what she was talking about. "His name was Qui-Gon Jinn."
"Master Qui-Gon… he was a father?" Katooni asked.
"That was his name. Fourteen years before his death, he met my mother, and together, they would meet in secret. A while later, they had me, but my father left to join his Padawan on one final mission," Serena said before letting out a tear. "One he never came back from."
"He was killed by Darth Maul," Robin said. "I'm sorry for your loss."
"And she's telling the truth too," M'gann said. "I've been sensing every word she's been saying. None of it is a lie. Qui-Gon Jinn was her father."
"If you are looking for the lightsaber, here it is," Serena said as she placed the case on the ground. "I picked up a few Bounty Hunter tactics to grab this before it could be traded." She said before revealing a crossguard lightsaber hilt. Getting back up, she showed it off.
"She wasn't kidding around." Drol mused.
"Your ancestor's lightsaber." Ahsoka awed.
Serena nodded and activated the lightsaber. "I had both with me, but I was ambushed coming here," she said. "I knew the one who attacked me would try to take back the lightsabers, so I sent beacons to the two Planets close by."
"Who attacked you?" Zatanna asked.
"A Mandalorian fighter," Serena said. "But it was no Mandalorian."
"Then who was it?" Katana asked.
"Me."
Everyone turned to see several blasts head their way. Immediately, Ahsoka, M'gann, Katana and Katooni all activated their lightsabers to deflect the blasts while Artemis and Paula used their Vambraces to create energy shields. Flying down in jetpacks were Jessilina and Jeeves, their mutated Loth Cat growling as it ran in.
"Who are you?" Katana asked.
"The Raxus Guild, at your service," Jeeves said, lowering his blaster. "A high price has been set for the lightsabers. We'll be taking that one, and the other too."
"Bad news," Serena said, swinging her lightsaber down. "You forced me to lose it."
"Ah, so Aviva hit her mark after all," Jessilina mused. "Guess she wasn't kidding about her skills after all."
"Who's Aviva?" Katooni asked.
"Oh, boy," Paula said. "The Shadow Thief."
"You know her?" Artemis asked.
"Rumor through Will," Paula said. "She came from Shei'Ten Kar and is able to pull off any job, murder, heist or espionage, without getting caught. Never thought she would end up here, though."
"We'll be happy to introduce you to her," Jessilina said as the mutated Loth Cat advanced. "After we have some fun first."
"Should be easy now that you're all divided." Jeeves added on.
"Oh no," Ahsoka said as realization hit her. "The others!"
Investigating the remains of the old Separatist Base, Anakin led Artemis, Serra, Saw, Kid Flash and Aqualad through the area.
"This is where Ventress attacked us while Slick was making a mess of our own base," Anakin said as he looked around. "Looking back, I'm starting to see my reckless mistakes in my fight against her with Obi-Wan."
"You must have made a lot," Kid Flash joked before looking to the ground. "We're not alone."
"How can you tell?" Serra asked, only for Saw to get down and inspect the ground as well.
"He's right, someone else is here," Saw said. "Fresh tracks. Hidden, but not too well. They used some sort of terrain vehicle to cover it up."
"Wait, there's the box," Aqualad said, seeing the box before inspecting his tracker. "But the signal's lost."
"Gee, I wonder how?"
Everyone turned before scattering just as several missiles were launched down. Anakin and Serra activated their lightsabers while Aqualad let out his Water-Bearers. Coming from a high ledge were Argus and Mesira, the latter with her arms aimed out.
"If it isn't the Steel Syndicate," Serra said, spinning around her Double-Bladed Lightsaber. "Maul must have hired you to collect the lightsabers."
"Well, aren't you smart?" Argus asked before letting out his sword. "Lucky for you, Maul has more important matters than dealing with the Allied Forces."
"Personally? That stings." Kid Flash said.
"But don't worry," Mesira said before several Shadow Troopers emerged with lightsabers activated. "He let us borrow his friends."
"Well, isn't that prime?" Anakin asked before placing his main lightsaber in his left hand. "Time to test out that other lightsaber Ahsoka made." He said before taking out what appeared to be a crossguard version of his lightsaber.
Activating the new crossguard lightsaber with his own blade, Anakin and everyone else charged, the Chosen One slashing down two of the Shadow Troopers before Argus charged in and locked with him.
"Guess the lightsaber wasn't here," Mesira said, looking around. "Maybe the others found it."
Elsewhere, around the location of several destroyed Separatist Tanks, Obi-Wan was with Connor, Lux, Metamorpho, Rocket and Barriss.
"This was where the fight against the Separatist Forces ended before we were alerted that Jabba's son was kidnapped," Obi-Wan told everyone as he looked around. "Fortunate that we were able to deal with the problem swiftly at the time. Our reinforcements came in just after the last second."
"Quite a site," Superboy said as he scanned around. "Let me guess, you were surrounded here?"
"And negotiated too," Obi-Wan said before looking to a certain slab. "That was the table."
"Oh, so that's where you got it from," Rocket mused as she looked to Lux. "When Vertigo was attacking Vlatava."
"Yeah, that tale spread through the Separatists," Lux admitted shyly. "Picked up a few things, and that was one of them."
"When did this happen?" Obi-Wan asked.
"See, it was my first time on Earth…" Lux started out, only for one of the tanks to move.
"That shouldn't be active." Barriss said before she activated her lightsaber.
Obi-Wan looked to his belt, seeing his normal lightsaber before grabbing another one that seemed to be a crossguard version of his own. "Ahsoka made this for me. Best to test it out now." He said before activating the crossguard lightsaber.
The tank fired, only for Superboy to punch the blast away and send heat vision at the top. Kah-Si-Di emerged with a rocket launcher and fired, causing Rocket to put up a shield.
"The Raticate Cartel?" Obi-Wan asked. "I haven't seen you since that fiasco on Jakku."
"Hello to you too, Kenobi," Kah-Si-Di said. "I'm sure your toddlers have learned of us."
"Unfortunately." Metamorpho chuckled before absorbing the ground. Picking up the table, he tossed it at the nozzle of the tank, causing the next shot to take out one of the rooms of a building.
"Well," Barriss said upon seeing some civilians, who had been directed to stay clear of the area upon the Republic arriving. "No one else was in the room where it happened."
"Too bad no one will be there to see you die," Kah-Si-Di said before looking to the building behind the group. "Come on out, Butcher."
The Butcher growled and ran out, just as Lux and Connor fired on him. He simply shrugged off the blasts and spun around his axe.
Rocket ran in and slashed at his blade, blocking it. As she pushed him off, Obi-Wan used the Force to lift off the table from the ground before throwing it at the tank. Kah-Si-Di leapt out and fired several shots, all of which were deflected by Obi-Wan and Barriss before Shadow Troopers leapt out.
"New friends," Barriss said as she and Obi-Wan stood back to back. "Great…"
Connor punched at the Butcher while Lux fired at several Shadow Troopers. Three of them fired back as Metamorpho attacked the rest. Barriss locked blades with two more before Obi-Wan clashed with another one. As he parried off his attacks, Kah-Si-Di fired at him again, forcing him to dodge each blast. He got back up again and started to deflect the shots before seeing the female leader of the Raticate Cartels fly at him with a Vibro-Blade. Keeping his new lightsaber at the ready, he slashed back, locking with her.
"You'll have to do better than that, my darling." Obi-Wan quipped with a smirk.
"You haven't seen anything yet!" Kah-Si-Di yelled before slamming him away. As he was regaining himself, she took out a plasma revolver and shot it at him.
Back on Coruscant, Commander Fox was going by each of the cells. Floating by each one of them, many of the prisoners started to sneer and glare at him, one even giving him a rude gesture. Raising his blaster for retaliation and to force him to stand down, the prisoner scowled and turned around before making his way to where Gar Saxon was being held.
Gar Saxon looked up from a book he was allowed to keep. "Can I help you, Captain?" he asked.
"Don't try anything if you know what's good for you." Commander Fox threatened.
"Why would I? I am without my weapons." Gar Saxon pointed out.
"That doesn't mean you're not a threat." Commander Fox countered.
"I'll be here when you get back," Gar Saxon said with a smirk. "Have a good day."
Commander Fox mumbled and floated back to the lift. As soon as he did, Gar Saxon pulled out the parts he had, and started to work once again. As he did, he tapped lightly on the floor.
"What have we got on that Grievous lookalike?" a Clone Trooper asked as Commander Fox arrived.
"Locked beneath Saxon," the other Clone Trooper said. "We took his weapons."
"The moment something happens with those two, alert me immediately." Commander Fox ordered before going up in the lift.
"I really don't like listening to him." The first Clone Trooper remarked.
"Who does? I hear he practically told a group of suicide droids where to go to short-circuit the whole planet." The other Clone Trooper retorted.
Up above, Malcolm Merlyn stood watch, seeing Vrak in a cell. He tapped on his wall lightly and in a pattern, as if he were trying to spell something out.
"Lord Maul, they're ready," Malcolm Merlyn said over his Comms. "We are ready too. Commencing the next phase."
"I expect good results," Darth Maul said. "Now… I have a weapon to retrieve."
On Christophsis, Miss Martian backed away as Jeeves slashed at her. Spinning around her crossguard lightsaber, she slashed back before allowing Robin to toss some Birdarangs at him. He spun his electrostaff around and shattered them before locking with Katana.
"Not a bad style," Jeeves said as he broke off. As soon as he did, he took out a blaster. "Let's test your speed, shall we?"
With that, Jeeves started to fire at the three. M'gann deflected the blasts while Katana and Robin ran out of the way. As they did, Katooni was using the Force to keep the mutated Loth Cat at bay. As she was, Artemis and Paula shot at it. However, it used its claws to slash each of the blasts to pieces before using a golden jewel embedded onto its forehead to deflect another. It charged at the two, only for Zatanna to blast it.
"Etativel!" Zatanna incanted, causing the Loth Cat to be lifted off of the ground.
"These guys don't play!" Artemis exclaimed before firing several arrows. They all made impact on the Loth Cat before Katooni slashed at him, only for its jewel to glow and have no effect from the attack.
"That's a new one." Katooni said, readying her lightsaber again as soon as she landed on the ground.
Jessilina spun her sword around and slashed at Ahsoka. Ahsoka held her lightsaber at the ready before using Soresu to block each of the strikes. As she did, she held her blade in her left hand. She backflipped away and took out her new Double-Bladed Lightsaber, managing to parry off more attacks.
"Serena, now!" Ahsoka called out.
Serena spun around her lightsaber and slashed at Jessilina, only for a sword to appear out of the shadows and block it.
"Don't count on it."
Serena gasped as Shadow Thief appeared from the shadows, hence her name. She grabbed Serena and reached for her lightsaber, but Serena kicked her away and gracefully leapt into the air, landing next to Ahsoka as Jessilina fired at the two of them.
"About time, Aviva." Jessilina remarked.
"How could I interfere?" Aviva asked stoically. "You looked like you had it all under control."
"The Shadow Thief, I take it?" Ahsoka asked, spinning around her Double-Bladed Lightsaber.
"Aviva Metula, at your service," Aviva said, readying her sword again. "If you don't mind… we'll be taking that lightsaber now."
"Unless you somehow have the other hilt, this one's meaningless to you." Serena scoffed.
"We don't have it yet," Aviva said. "But I can assure you, when we do, we'll let you know."
"So it's a group effort, huh?" Ahsoka asked. She turned back to Serena. "Please tell me your ancestor had a way of keeping her lightsabers out of the hands of Bounty Hunters and criminal scum."
"She had her ways," Serena said before removing her cloak. "But I'm not gonna spoil the surprise just yet."
Ahsoka's eyes widened, seeing what Serena really looked like. Underneath her now-gone cloak was a magenta dress top with a red vest, the waist divided by a brown utility belt. Covering her legs were black stockings and over her feet were brown combat boots. She also had fingerless gloves, which were able to show off some blue nail polish, and a braid from her hair, indicating her status.
"You're a Padawan." Ahsoka realized.
"Unofficially, yes," Serena confirmed with a nod. "Now… let's show these scum we mean business."
"We can do this the easy way… or the hard way." Jessilina said dangerously.
"I choose hard." Serena said before sending a Force Push that knocked Jessilina and Aviva back a few feet.
"Nice move," Ahsoka said as she readied her lightsaber again. "What say we do this together?"
"Good idea." Serena said before she and Ahsoka started to advance.
"Jeeves, some help!" Jessilina called.
Jeeves backflipped away and blocked an attack from Miss Martian and Katana. "Sorry, Jess! I'm a bit busy!" he called.
"Of all the—" Jessilina growled before pressing her headset. "We could use some help now."
All of a sudden, Aviva's comlink went off. Placing her sword into her left hand, she pressed her comm. "Report." She ordered.
"Shadow Thief, this is Specter," the voice of an individual wearing Shadow Trooper Armor said. "We've combed half the Planet, as you requested."
"Good, very good," Aviva said as Ahsoka and Serena started to close in on them. "Alert me when you find the other hilt."
"That's the thing," Specter said. "I have some… news…"
"News?" Aviva asked, starting to get slightly annoyed.
"We've finished our search, but there's one small problem…" Specter said.
"Get on with it…" Aviva ordered in an irked tone.
"It's not here."
"What?!" Aviva yelled.
"What's wrong?" Jessilina asked.
"When I shot the ship, the lightsaber we thought that flew down…" Aviva started out as Serena reached for something behind her back. "It's not on the Planet!"
"That's not possible. It fell to the Planet, we all saw it!" Jessilina exclaimed, still trying to remain calm.
"Then where… is it?" Ahsoka asked, having overheard the conversation.
"I said the lightsaber came in two," Serena said with a smirk as everyone turned to her before revealing some sort of Kyber Crystal. "I never said they came in two together."
"What are you rambling on about?" Jeeves asked.
Serena opened the lightsaber and placed the crystal in. As soon as it was placed inside, another hilt emerged from the bottom. She grabbed it and spun it around as it suddenly gained two emitters on the sides. Soon, it turned into an exact duplicate of the lightsaber already in her hand before activating it, letting out a blue blade like the original. Now, she stood in a stance similar to that of Dazh Ranos.
"A Duplicate Lightsaber," Ahsoka deducted. "I knew something was off when you said the single lightsaber is useless, especially when it was working just fine when you were using it on its own."
"Like I said, Dazh had her ways," Serena said as she readied both her lightsabers. "This was one of them."
Jessilina growled and lunged at Serena with her sword, only for the descendant of Dazh Ranos to hold up both lightsabers with ease. Spinning gracefully again, she slashed her back towards Aviva.
Aviva stoically stepped to the side before Jessilina could hit her, causing her to hit the ground instead.
"You couldn't have saved me?" Jessilina groaned.
"Sorry." Aviva apologized sarcastically.
All of a sudden, a thundering sound was heard. Everyone looked around before seeing something red and black in the air. It landed on the ground, revealing itself as Darth Maul, now with his old gold and black lightsaber hilt, the claws shining to show off how sharp they were on the emitter. He looked up and growled as rocks and metal around him started to lift up.
"Maul!" Miss Martian exclaimed.
"That's the guy," Ahsoka said as Serena readied her lightsabers, this time more steadily. "The killer of Qui-Gon Jinn."
"Him?!" Serena exclaimed. She narrowed her eyes and held her right lightsaber close to her face.
Anakin, with led Artemis, Serra, Saw, Kid Flash and Aqualad, ran into the area, with Argus and Mesira right behind them. Coming in from another area was Obi-Wan with Connor, Lux, Metamorpho, Rocket and Barriss, the latter in the air with her jetpack. As soon as they arrived, Kah-Si-Di and the Butcher arrived in another tank.
Once everyone entered the area, they all stopped at the sight of Darth Maul. He got up and cracked his neck before using the Force to call his lightsaber to his hand. As soon as it was there, he walked towards Ahsoka and Serena, who held their lightsabers in tandem with each other.
"Who is this?" Darth Maul asked, pointing to Serena.
"I too am curious." Obi-Wan said.
"Master, meet the daughter of your old Master," Ahsoka said, surprising both Obi-Wan and Darth Maul. "Serena Ranos, ancestor of Dazh Ranos… and daughter of Qui-Gon Jinn."
"Qui-Gon had a daughter?" Obi-Wan asked.
"Okay, this changes everything." Anakin said in surprise.
"How?" Serra asked.
"Never mind," Anakin quickly refuted, remembering to keep his marriage with Padmé a secret. "It's not important."
"So, a Jedi trained by Kenobi, and the daughter of the Jedi I slaughtered," Darth Maul mused. "Only fitting that I finish what I started here… and now."
Ahsoka and Serena both readied themselves for battle as Darth Maul activated both red blades of his lightsaber. He called his Double-Bladed Crossguard Lightsaber, the same one he used on his most recent attack on Naboo from Jaune Stormrunner, and crossed both of his blades.
Ahsoka called a crossguard version of her lightsaber to her left hand to match the soon-to-come dual-wielding bout.
Back at the Coruscant Prison, Gar Saxon was finished with what he was working on. Tapping on the floor, he revealed what appeared to be a lightsaber with an emitter that resembled the horns from his helmet, and by extension, of Darth Maul.
In the cell beneath Gar Saxon, N-K Necrosis heard the knock and chuckled. He had also received the same circuit board and constructed himself a lightsaber as well.
Vrak heard the knock before revealing another secretly-built lightsaber hilt. Together, all at once, the three imprisoned members of the Shadow Collective cut holes through the back walls of their cells. As soon as they were made, they ran to the middle level and gathered together.
"First phase is complete," Vrak said. "Now, we find where 3PX is held."
"Droid Holding Cell 1977," N-K Necrosis said. "I overheard the guards talking about it when they were sending me in."
"We have fifteen minutes before the next shift ends," Gar Saxon said. "Hurry, or we'll be put under more heavy surveillance!"
The three ran across the hall before coming across a lone Clone Trooper. The three looked to him as he glanced at them. A simple glare from Vrak was all it took for him to back away into the other hall, allowing them to continue on with their plan.
"You see anything there?" another Clone Trooper asked.
"Nope." The Clone Trooper said before marching off in the opposite direction.
The other Clone Trooper looked back before activating his comlink. "I want a team down Hallway 24-D," he said. "Shock Rods recommended."
"Acknowledged."
Back on Christophsis, Ahsoka and Serena circled with Darth Maul as they held their lightsabers at the ready. Soon, with a twirl of his crimson lightsabers, the Sith Lord leapt at Ahsoka and Serena, getting them to stand ready.
As soon as Darth Maul landed, Ahsoka and Serena backflipped away from his strikes. Swinging his lightsabers down low, Ahsoka and Serena made sure to perform as many backflips and cartwheels as best as they could before Ahsoka Force-Pushed him back.
Darth Maul stabbed his lightsabers into the ground and stomped his mechanical feet hard, causing him to barely move, before Serena leapt over him and slammed her left lightsaber at him. He swung his lightsabers up and spun them at her, only for her to cartwheel backwards, clashing with his blades the entire time. However, a kick to her chest forced her back on two feet, where she spun her right blade in a reverse-grip to avoid the four blades attacking her. Using Shii-Cho when she had the chance, she blocked Darth Maul's main lightsaber before pirouetting around and using one of the side emitters of her left crossguard lightsaber to damage his Double-Bladed Crossguard Lightsaber.
Darth Maul growled before breaking off with Serena, elbowing her in the face. As she was sent back, she held her lightsabers close to her head, all too familiar to how Qui-Gon used to do.
"You certainly put up a better fight than your father," Darth Maul said as he and Serena circled each other. "Shame. He was a worthy opponent."
"I really hope you told him that." Serena said with a glare.
"Be sure to let him know when I let you two reunite!" Darth Maul yelled before tossing his damaged, but still active, Double-Bladed Crossguard Lightsaber at Serena.
Serena knocked the lightsaber to the side before slashing at the ground. A slab was slashed up, which she used to send at him. As he slashed it apart with his remaining true lightsaber, Ahsoka leapt in and slashed at Darth Maul using her new Double-Bladed Lightsaber. Locking her blue blade with his red one, the two stared each other down.
"Hope you didn't forget about me!" Ahsoka spat.
"You certainly know how to collect lightsabers." Darth Maul mused.
"What can I say? I like to adapt." Ahsoka quipped before using her crossguard lightsaber to throw Darth Maul off. As he spun back, she crossed her lightsabers and stabbed at him, but he split his lightsabers apart and blocked the attack. He growled and slashed at Ahsoka again, only for her to block the attacks with the green end of her Double-Bladed Lightsaber before levitating his left lightsaber to attack from the side.
Ahsoka noticed both lightsabers and swung her three blades at both it and Darth Maul. The two struck at her high and low, but Ahsoka placed herself in a position to block the low attack and the high strike. Breaking off, she kicked the left lightsaber back to Darth Maul, who caught it in time to block a strike from Serena.
Ahsoka sheathed her crossguard lightsaber and spun around her new Double-Bladed Lightsaber. As she did, Serena lashed with her left crossguard lightsaber, forcing Darth Maul back. As he evaded each of her strikes, he struck at her right lightsaber, knocking it out of her hand. However, she deactivated her left blade to that she could grab her lightsaber in a reverse-grip. Reactivating her weapons, she slashed at him from the side, sending him spinning back to lock blades with Ahsoka. The two stared each other down as she and Serena forced him to where the other representatives of the Shadow Collective were gathered together.
"Lord Maul!" Jeeves called out. "Shall we attack?"
"No, this is my fight," Darth Maul said sternly as Serena and Ahsoka advanced on him again. "Stand where you are."
"Thinking I would be as easy as my father?" Serena asked, keeping her stern glare on the Sith who killed Qui-Gon Jinn.
"No. Only that this would be entertaining," Darth Maul said as he readied his Double-Bladed Lightsaber again. "It has been a while since a Padawan of all people gave me a challenge. I hope you are remembered after you die."
"Look at you. So proud, so cocksure," Serena said, getting a grin from Ahsoka. "Prancing about with a head full of horns."
"Looks like an unhappy ending for you now, Maul." Ahsoka said, keeping her Double-Bladed Lightsaber at the ready.
Darth Maul looked at his opponents. Aside from Ahsoka and Serena, he also noticed Yejyo, Ringa, and several members of the 31st Crime Investigatory advancing on them with Anakin, Obi-Wan and the rest of the Young Justice ready to move in. Looking up, he saw Jessica and Nomad fly in with Mace Windu in his Starfighter. He looked down and spun around his lightsaber, creating sparks on the ground.
Ahsoka spun around her own Double-Bladed Lightsaber, doing the same as she created a flashing lightshow of blue and green lights. Both blades from both ends slammed against each other as she and Darth Maul collided with each other, starting a flashing melee of colorful lights like an aurora of colors. Eventually, Ahsoka managed to push Darth Maul back before Serena leapt in, slashing at the center of Darth Maul's Double-Bladed Lightsaber, forcing the two hilts apart. With him slightly stunned, Serena Force-Pushed him back.
Ahsoka stabbed down and pulled her lightsaber back up again. Slashing down, she had now created two SokaTan Trinity symbols with her Double-Bladed Lightsaber before sending them at Darth Maul. However, before they could hit, Jessilina tossed a blue sapphire-coated shield in the way, causing it to glow before the attack was redirected back at the two.
"What?" Ahsoka asked.
Serena pushed Ahsoka and herself out of the way of the redirected attack. As soon as they recovered, they saw Darth Maul on top of the Scimitar, and other ships around him, where the representatives of the other crime organizations boarded as soon as their pilot droids lowered the ramps.
"You win this round," Darth Maul said. "But the full picture is yet to be completed." He said grimly.
Everyone readied for an attack before Darth Maul crossed his arms across his chest. As he did, he sank into the cockpit of his fighter and flew off, with the rest of the ships following behind him. Having not yet even exited the Planet's orbit, they already made the Jump to Lightspeed and disappeared.
Aviva chuckled. "Another day." She bid before crossing her arms across her chest in the same way. With that, she fell into her own shadow and disappeared.
"They're getting better," Ahsoka said as everyone walked over. "I don't like it. It's a sign that they're getting stronger too."
"And we shall as well," Obi-Wan said before looking to Serena as Mace Windu walked over. "So you're the unmentioned daughter of Master Qui-Gon, then?" he asked.
"Qui-Gon had a daughter?" Mace Windu asked in uncharacteristic surprise.
"Yes, and the descendant of Dazh Ranos," Serena said. She and Ahsoka deactivated their lightsabers, but while Ahsoka placed her lightsabers on her belt, the former looked to both of her own reclaimed hilts. "And by law and right of inheritance, these belong to me."
"You would make your father proud," Obi-Wan said as Mace Windu approached. "I suppose since you trained yourself, you would either need time to consider joining the Jedi Order, or would rather not join at all?" he inquired.
"Actually, I think I would better honor my father… if I joined," Serena said. "Serena Jinn Ranos, at your service, Master Kenobi."
"We will talk about your induction with Master Yoda," Mace Windu said. "It will take a while for you to join."
"Indeed," Yejyo said before looking to Jessica and Nomad. "You didn't find anything, I take it?"
"Actually, I did," Nomad said. "Not a lightsaber. It was an abandoned base by the Shadow Collective during the time of Operation Hell Saber. Plans for something, but I don't know what."
"Big?" Robin asked.
"In a language that not even I could decipher," Jessica clarified. "And the base was abandoned after the Battle of Crait."
"Most troubling," Ringa said. "But not as much as the news I received from my spy."
"Which was?" Anakin asked.
"While she was the one who made the trade in order to lure out Darth Maul and his new collaborators, we learned something else," Ringa said. "More Jedi artifacts had been smuggled off from the Planet of Elphrona."
"And now, we must discover where they are," Yejyo concluded. "You can trust us when we say we can find the rest, as well as who was behind their trading."
"Sir, we have received news from Coruscant," a Clone Trooper said, getting everyone's attention. "There's been a breakout."
"By who?" Ahsoka asked.
"The Shadow Collective," Lenny explained to everyone once they reached the Coruscant Holding Facility an hour later. "Someone smuggled hidden circuit boards within the food handed to the prisoners Gar Saxon and Vrak while a similar one was placed directly in the cell where N-K Necrosis was being held."
"Any suspects?" Yejyo asked.
"We're questioning all the personnel and hired Bounty Hunters," Commander Fox reported. "They made their escape without sounding off any alarms. I took Carefree off duty because he stated he was threatened with death upon being the first to spot the three escaping. Been sent to Kamino for therapy. The experience for that Shiny was enough to traumatize him."
"Well, the Battle of Crait wasn't a complete loss," Anakin said with a sigh. "I mean, we beat the Shadow Collective there, and still have their troops as prisoners."
"But now they have some of their major leaders back in their ranks again," Ahsoka said as she looked up. "I have to wonder… what game is Darth Maul playing at?"
"I'm sure we'll get them later," Jessica said. "Right now, we need to focus on getting back what the Shadow Collective stole from us."
"That's right," Nomad said. "No point in quitting while we're still ahead."
Serena smiled. "Your friends seem to have some spirit to them," she mused to Ahsoka before letting out a chuckle. "I can't wait to join the Jedi Order now."
"You'll like it," Ahsoka said before walking to Anakin and Obi-Wan. "How did my presents to you work?" she asked, placing a hand on her hip.
"Very well-done, I must say." Anakin said as he looked to his crossguard lightsaber.
"Indeed," Obi-Wan agreed as he looked to his own crossguard lightsaber. "Your skills have certainly taken leaps and bounds, Ahsoka."
"Thank you, Masters." Ahsoka said happily with a bow.
Serena walked up to Obi-Wan. "I may not be the same as my father," she said. "But I hope that with enough training, I can live up to honor his legacy."
"You shall, Serena," Obi-Wan said. "That you shall."
On Drazkel, Darth Maul approached a Gunship, where Gar Saxon, Vrak, N-K Necrosis and C-3PX were coming off. Malcolm Merlyn and Bemulaire emerged from the cockpit as Jeeves, Jessilina and their mutated Loth Cat, Argus and Mesira Steel, Aviva Metula, and Kah-Si-Di and the Butcher watched from afar.
"The plan worked," Mesira said. "While we got the attention of the Jedi and the Young Justice…"
"No one was left to answer the prison break," the Butcher finished. "Guess that's what happens when all the Jedi are deployed to fight our forces. They don't see the best of the best escape."
"Not used to being second best," Jessilina admitted. "But for this, to free the rest of the leadership… I'm okay."
A distance away, a ship landed. Out from it came Lysandre, along with the rest of his forces.
"I trust you got my gifts?" Darth Maul asked as Gar Saxon, Vrak, N-K Necrosis and C-3PX approached him.
"The fruits were a nice touch," Vrak said. "It is good to be back."
"You might be wanting this back then," Gar Saxon said as he stepped up, handing his makeshift lightsaber to Darth Maul. "As much as I enjoyed wielding this for a while, Lord Maul, I believe this belongs in your hands."
"No, it does not," Darth Maul said. He held out his hand, causing all the lightsabers created from the Republic Prison to float. "N-K Necrosis, step forward," he ordered. "I have something for you."
The second Kaleesh warrior stepped forward as requested. "How may I serve you, my Master?" he asked.
"Your lightsabers were taken from you when you were arrested," Darth Maul started. "I now give you new weapons to fight with," he said as he placed them at the belt clips on N-K Necrosis's sides. "Welcome back to our ranks, all of you."
"It is good to be back, Master." C-3PX said.
"Seems everything went as planned after all." Bemulaire said as Lady Shiva, having come out of the shadows next to her, nodded in agreement.
"Now, as for our guests," Darth Maul said as he turned to see Lysandre and his group approach, still cloaked. "Suffice it to say, the lightsabers are already in the possession of the descendant of Dazh Ranos. However…" he started out as he showed the remaining half of his now-broken crossguard lightsaber. "The workings of a lightsaber given to me from a more advanced group should be enough to satisfy your works."
"This will do," Lysandre said as he was handed the lightsaber. He put a mysterious plating on it and activated it, letting out the dark crimson blade once more. He deactivated it and removed his hood, revealing the face of a Corellian with red hair, golden eyes and partially-blue skin. "My group is grateful for your donation, Maul."
"And as promised, we shall remain in contact, for if you need us for any of your further research," Darth Maul said before making a certain motion with his hand. With that, the Raxus Guild, the Steel Syndicate, Aviva Metula and the Raticate Guild all walked forward, their weapons aimed out. "I need to know exactly who I am working with. You never gave me your exact title."
"We secure, contain, and protect," Lysandre said as he revealed his logo once again. "Our foundation stands on the survival of all things through the supernatural. That includes the Force… both the Dark Side… and the Light."
"So… that's who you are…" Darth Maul growled before letting out a chuckle. "I should have known."
"You will be hearing from us in future." Lysandre said before he and his forces walked away.
Darth Maul chuckled before turning to Lady Shiva. "Keep an eye out for their… later visits," he said. "I wouldn't want a surprise again… from the SCP Foundation."
"As you wish, Lord Maul." Lady Shiva complied with a bow.
"Now, as for you who have returned, we have a new objective," Darth Maul said. "Our targets have changed. Focus our plans… on the Apprentices of Sidious."
"Who are you talking about, Lord Maul?" C-3PX asked.
"Dooku of Serenno… and Anakin… Skywalker."
Author's Notes: What do you think of my newest Chapter? This one took me a while to do, so I hope you like it. I hope you can spot some of the Easter Eggs I put in, and I hope that the twist I put with a certain organization caught you by surprise. I've been working that out for a while now. I'll be sure to try to have a new Chapter out by Thanksgiving. Please be sure to review, rate, and if you can, Private Message me for anything on the Story. After all, I am always keen to hear from you, so long as what you say to me is positive. For now, this is SuperHeroTimeFan signing off. Have a Happy Halloween, everyone! I'll see you all soon!