"No," Luke whispered, shaking his head in denial as he retreated before the blood-red blade.
"What is wrong with you, child?" his father hissed, blue eyes blazing with an angry fire.
"Don´t do this, please. Remember Endor," Luke pleaded urgently and recognition flashed across Anakin´s face:
"I remember. I remember a certain cocky young man who thought himself a Jedi Knight. Fool. You let your fear rule your actions."
"I am not afraid."
"Yes you are. Afraid of losing me again. Is that not so?"
"You are my father."
"And what does that mean to me, son?" Luke stared at him, shocked:
"You can´t be serious." The lightsaber slashing at him missed his chest by inches.
"Serious?" Anakin roared, the unbridled fury in his tone making his son flinch, "There is no way for me to go back, Luke. No way, do you understand?"
"You came back on Endor."
"I died on Endor. That is something else entirely."
"Then what has changed?"
"Let go. Just let go. Don´t be afraid."
"I am not..." Luke began but was interrupted immediately.
"Be silent. You know the Dark Side, Luke. Do you still think about your service to Palpatine sometimes?"
"Yes," his son answered, reluctantly.
"Then tell me," here Anakin´s voice dropped to a hoarse whisper that sent a shiver down Luke´s spine, "are you really truly free of its bonds?"
A coldness settled over Luke´s mind as he finally understood what his father was telling him, what he had tried to tell him all along ever since they had met again on Onderon. "Yes, you understand," Anakin Skywalker nodded grimly and deactivated his newly built lightsaber. "But..." - "No but, Luke. There will be no more discussions on this topic." Turning away sharply he walked out of the chamber, leaving his son alone.
Luke dropped down on his knees on the cold tiles. For a year now Anakin had refused to teach him and he knew that today´s lesson was the only one he could ever learn from his father: That being a Jedi meant more than letting go of pride and selfishness. Much, much more. "I can´t do this," he intoned softly, tears now flowing freely down his cheeks. But the desperate whisper died away unheard.
Standing atop the pyramidical structure that was the Great Temple of Yavin 4, Anakin Skywalker was humming to himself. He could not recall the name of the tune, but he remembered his mother singing it to herself often while she worked. With a smile he thought back on the day she had released her son into freedom, to follow Qui-Gon Jinn into the dusty streets of Mos Espa and to his destiny. "Don´t look back," she had told him, seeking to potect him from seeing her pain and sadness. That had been a long, long time ago. So much had happened since. But to look back meant seeing the past too, and that was something one could never escape from.
"It won´t be easy for me," Luke said softly, standing behind him. He had felt his son´s approach, the aura of resignation that clouded his usually bright presence. "On the other hand you will not have to do this for long," Anakin reminded him good-naturedly, but Luke din´t react. Instead he was staring ahead over the vast jungle spreading out towards the horizon.
"Xixor is back," he told Anakin suddenly.
"Xixor? He is supposed to be dead."
"So are you."
"Well, that surely does put a new light on things. Where did you find him? On Dromund Kaas?"
"Yes. I sent Mara there to investigate further."
"Did you now. All alone?"
"No, Kyp and Gantoris are with her."
"What a constellation. And why did you come to Coruscant instead of accompanying her yourself?"
"I needed to talk to Mon Mothma and Leia about our uncoverings on Dromund Kaas."
Anakin could feel the slightest hesitation in Luke´s words. Obviously his son had revealed more to him than had he wanted to. "What uncoverings?" he asked softly. His son squirmed uncomfortably under his steady gaze. "The Sith temple. Is that it?"
"Yes," Luke answered finally.
"You do not want me to go there. Why?"
"It is....too dangerous, I think. The price for life there is not one I can let you pay."
"You cannot let me...Really. And how do you propose to stop me if I decided to take the risk?" Luke´s head came up slowly and his blue eyes calmy met his own:
"With any means available to me."
"You are learning," his father stated, satisfied, "that is good, very good. Keep this lesson in mind. It will help you understand the rest."
"About there being no Light and Dark?"
"Yes."
"And if I do not want to take that step?"
"Sooner or later you will have no other choice. The limits we come up against are those we set for ourselves."
"But I do not understand how..."
"You will understand. In time. But for now, we have other things to do. Your students, we have to find them."
Tionne led her little group through the deserted corridores of the Naboo Palace with a frown on her face. "There is really noone here," she stated at last, when they stood again on the huge terrace overlooking the plains. "I can feel the residues of a battle," Streen said suddenly, eyes half-closed. The other students turned inquisitive gazes on him. "Who was involved," Kam asked finally, already fearing the answer. "Lord Skywalker, it seems. But I cannot feel much more. It is as if the Force did not exist here for a while." - "Ysalamiri," Kam hissed," that means he´s been captured. Come on." The tall Jedi Knight stalked towards the room serving as the Jedi´s comm center here on Naboo, not far from the terrace. One message had been received in their absence. It was from Leia Organa Solo: "We could use some good news here," she said, her voice sounding tired. "Call me as soon as you´re back from Yavin." Yavin? None of the students had been sent to Yavin.
Taking the initiative Tionne keyed in the proper code and only seconds went by until they had Leia on the line. Her face fell a bit when she saw who it was. "Where is Luke?" she asked, bewildered. "Not here yet, it seems." - "But I can feel him, he´s...Oh, of course, you do not know what happened." She went on to explain the recent events on Coruscant to them, watching the faces of the apprentices become grim. "Fey´lya is actually proposing to outlaw the Jedi now. But the Senate does not stand behind him. His only chance to get his proposition through is to reveal the truth about my father to the public to create the necessary pressure on the representatives, but he does not dare to. I don´t know what Anakin told him, but it must have been an impressive speech. When they get back, tell them to call me immediately." - "That we will," Tionne promised with a smile and broke the connection. When she turned around from the comm unit her suddenly wintery cold eyes sought the Gryssnyrs´s solitary form.
The alien stood regarding her calmly. "What do you know about all this?" she asked quietly. Kam, at her side, moved his right hand to the lightsaber hanging from his belt. "We will not see the Sith rise again," it answered, revealing a row of carnivorous teeth. "There are no Sith left here," Kirana To protested. "Maybe you do not know where to find them," the Gryssnyr explained. "This is nonsense. Who told you all this?" Kam was finally losing his patience, when they all heard the snap-hiss of a lightsaber being ignited and Anakin Skywalker let the red blade fly towards the alien´s head, severing it instantly.
As the dead body tumbled to the floor the stink of burned flesh filled the room with it´s sickening sweet stench. Tionne´s hands flew to her throat and her body convulsed in revulsion. Kam caught her when she sank to her knees, holding her gently. "Father, what..." Jedi Master Luke Skywalker came charging through the doorway, took in the destructive scene and gaped at the tall man who had already called back the weapon to his hand. "Did it attack you?" Luke asked the students finally, pointing towards the Gryssnyr. "No, not at all," Kirana Ti answered slowly, "Actually it was about to tell us what is going on here. It mentioned the Sith."- "The Gryssnyr were enslaved by the Sith millennia ago," Tionne gasped from where she was still kneeling on the floor, shaking her head.
"I am sorry. I only meant to protect you," Anakin Skywalker explained calmly.
"We understand. After all that has happened..." Streen said soothingly.
"Did you talk to Leia?"
"She left a message and you are supposed to call her back immediately."
"You´d better do that," Anakin gestured towards Luke and bent down to grab one of the
alien´s arms. "We shall dispose of this. Kirana Ti, if you would take the head please."
Without another word he left and the Dathomir witch hurriedly followed, holding the severed head in front of her. "Where are Kyp and Gantoris?" Kam asked finally, helping Tionne to her feet. "I sent them on an errant," Luke explained absent-mindedly and went over to call his sister. The three apprentices shared an uneasy glance, then left him alone.
"Luke!" The joyful smile on Leia´s lips told her brother how relieved she was at seeing him again, "I am so glad you are alright. Is Father still with you?" Remembering the incident on Yavin Luke´s face soured:
"Yes," he replied gloomily," He is here. But what is going on on Coruscant? Tionne said it is urgent. Are Han and Jacen o.k.?"
"I see he told you what happened, or did he?"
"What could he not have told me?"
"Apparently he threatened Fey´lya into letting him go."
"What a surprise."
"Isn´t it? And until this crisis is settled he should keep a low profile. Tell him that rejoining the Empire now would be fatal."
"You know then?"
"Of course."
"Well, I am sorry to tell you this, but his mind is set."
"That is just stupid."
"Maybe. But I can´t stop him. And as long as the New Republic doesn´t know about it I guess it would not harm for him to work the Imperial government towards peace."
"As long as he remembers this."
"Leia..."
"What is it?"
"I need to ask you something."
"Pleae do, whatever it is."
"If Han were in danger, or the kids, and you had to chose between their lifes and the one solution that would benefit the people, what would you do?"
"That is...an unexpected question, and pretty difficult. Let me think about it, ok?"
"Sure. We´ll be here on Naboo for a while anyway, so you know where to reach me."
"Take care, brother."
"You too. And may the Force be with you."
The twins shared a brief smile, but Luke had seen his troubled eyes mirrored in his sister´s. Times were really bad for the Jedi. He wanted to kick himself for not having told Leia about their father´s condition, but what would that gain them? Eventually he would tell her the truth, of course, but for now, they each had their own little crisis to deal with.
"Luke?" he turned around to where his father was leaning in the doorway nonchalantly, but his son knew that he was only trying to mask his fatigue. "I need to leave immediately."
"I understand. Anything we need to know?"
"Nothing I haven´t already told you. Did you talk to Leia?"
"Yes."
"What did she say?"
"I didn´t tell her about...you know. But she thinks that you should take care of yourself."
"I will," the sudden smile on Anakin´s lips nearly broke Luke´s heart. He answered the smile weakly, then the two men made their way towards the Palace´s hangar. Here, standing on the ramp leading inside the shuttle they embraced and then Anakin left, his ship vanishing in the dense clouds of the morning sky.
Luke stood for a while, unsure of what to do next. something was about to happen, he knew it. And he could only hope that it was something good.
Admiral Daala sat in her apartment´s living-room, reading, when the door-bell chimed. She took a look at the screen identifying her visitor and smiled. So he had come after all. Smoothing down the front of her blouse she went to open the door. "It is an honor," she told High Admiral Palleon and the white-haired supreme commander of the Imperial forces gave her a nod and a smile. "Please, come in."
"Admiral, I must admit that I was intrigued by your call. An ally, you say? I would have thought that the Empire had none left." The amusement twinkling in his eyes made her laugh.
"Not an ally as much as a peace-keeper, I should say," she explained and offered him a seat. He took the glass of crystal-clear water she had prepared for him gratefully and took a sip. "High Admiral Palleon, you of all people should be able to tell me where the Empire really stands. Are we losing or winning?"
He gazed at her for a long time, then sighed deeply and stood, walked over to the window overlooking the streets of the Imperial capitol. "For years now we have tried to pretend that nothing has happened," he began," but this war has cost us. A lot, as you know."
"Peace?" Daala asked quietly, hoping that she had judged him right. He turned around, surprise plain on his face:
"That word, out of your mouth, Admiral? Who has tried so valiantly to persuade the government of an all-out attack on Coruscant not a year ago, as I recall. Why the sudden change?" She rose proudly and went to join him by the window:
"I am weary of the war, very weary. This conflict has gained us nothing and the people are suffering under the incompetence of those who are trying to keep the power to themselves. The Empire is dead, someone told me not long ago, and he was right."
"Your mysterious ally?"
"The very same."
"I am really looking forward to meeting him. When will he arrive?"
"Soon, I think."
"So you do not know?"
"He will come. He has no other choice."
Anakin Skywalker landed his shuttle in one of Bastion´s many spaceports. As everywhere on this planet security was tight, but nevertheless, noone bothered him as he departed his ship and took a look around. He smiled to himself. If they only knew who was coming. He had concealed his lightsaber underneath the long, black cloak he wore, to not raise any suspicions. At least not now.
"Sir, your identification?" the young officer facing him seemed not at the least intimidated by his cool gaze.
"My identification. Well, well, well. I must have lost it somewhere," Anakin mused aloud, the grabbed the man´s throat in one lightning-quick move, "You will take me to the governor´s palace, now."
"Yes, m´lord, at once," the youth sputtered and the Dark Lord let him go again.
Holding a hand to his aching throat the officer scrambled towards one of the speeders parked in the vicinity. Anakin followed, his long strides keeping up with the smaller man withe ease. It was a silent ride through the crowded streets of the city. Most buildings looked worn down, the people had an air of weariness about them that told Anakin a lot. Especially when they reached the palace the Empire´s reality became plain: it was a fortres,, designed to keep outthe truth, nothing more.
"Who shall I announce," the pale young man asked suddenly. Anakin leaned foward slowly, revelling in the waves of fear the youth exuded at an alarming rate.
"Tell them," he whispered," that Darth Vader is back."
The Imperial Moffs and Generals assembled in the grand hall of the governor´s palace were all arguing angrily with one another, while a lot of nervous glances were shot at the far door. Admiral Daala stood next to Palleon, her hands clasped behind her back, and a grim smile on her lips. "I told you he would come," she hissed and the white-haired man shook his head slowly: "This is incredible. I thought he was dead." - "I can tell you first-hand that he is not," Daala answered and her smile deepened. She thought back on their farewell in his shuttle, the bond they had shared. Very much alive indeed, she thought and felt like laughing. What is that feeling that makes your head dizzy with anticipation again? Love, wasn´t it. She still could not believe that she had fallen in love. With him. Incredible, Palleon would call it. This time she did laugh out aloud.
Then the door opened and he strode into the room in his usual energetic gait. Their eyes met briefly and they shared a quick smile.
"Gentlemen," he began without preamble," we have a lot to do."
"Really? Who do you think you are?" Governor Disra asked smoothly. Anakin´s mega-watt blue eyes nailed him to his chair.
"The question rather is: What do you think you are doing here? Administrating the Empire? Or rather the sad remains of what it once was. You sit here, secure behind your durasteel walls and star destroyers and remember the grand times that never were as grand as you would wish them to be. I can see that nothing has changed. But I will see to it that it does."
"Enough of these holy words. We were told that Lord Darth Vader is back. Do you propose that you are him?" The predatory smile on the Jedi Lord´s lips should have been warning enough.
"No, not at all," he said, his tone one of open amusement," that was just to get your attention."
"Ah, I thought so."
"Did you? Well, Darth Vader died aboard the Second Death Star, along with Palpatine."
"We know that. What we do not is who you really are," Disra interrupted him again and flinched visibly when Anakin raised a warning hand.
"Fool," he hissed," the Empire is dead. And if you do not want to die with it you will listen to my words. All of you. I am Anakin Skywalker, Jedi Knight and Dark Lord of the Sith. I am the one who destroyed Palpatine as I will destroy his Empire once and for all."
The assembly stared at him as if he were mad and Daala could not but laugh at their stupid faces.
"They didn´t get it," she told Anakin.
"No, they didn´t, didn´t they?" he answered, smiling, "It doesn´t matter."
"But it does, Lord Skywalker," Admiral Palleon cut in, "Admiral Daala told me that you want peace."
"Exactly."
"Peace?" Disra all but screamed," Noone wants peace!"
"As his lordship already has noted, the Empire is dead, you just do not want to realize it," Palleon was actually smiling now.
"This is treason,"Disra hissed.
"It is not. What you have done so far is treason," Anakin explained calmly,"You have betrayed the people of the Empire, seeking only to gain more power for yourselves. Peace is what this galaxy needs, and it will start here."
Mara Jade hated waiting. Especially when it was pouring like this. Kyp was hunched over beside her, his dark hair dripping with rainwater. Ahead of them the target of their observation squatted on a small hill surrounded by the thick swamp. It was an assembly of container-like buildings, much like the ones Karrde used on Hellson. In the gloom they could just make out Gantoris on his way towards them. Mara frowned. He should not come back yet.
"What´s the matter?" she asked Kyp in a whisper. The youth broke his intent gaze away fronm the other Jedi and glanced at her tiredly:
"They have Ysalamiri. That´s why he could not go deeper into the camp."
"And you are telling me now?" Mara nearly screamed.
"I am not that good at identifying Ysalamiri," he answered defensively. And my senses don´t work at that distance, Mara admitted to herself.
"Very well. We will leave immediately. This is too dangerous."
"Too late," Kyp sighed and pointed towards the camp, where a sentinel was just giving alarm. Down below Gantoris quickened his retreat, but he was still shielding himself at least visually from the camp. Still, he would never make it back to safety in time. Xixor´s gang was swarming out already towards the Jedi´s hiding place.
"I hate this," Mara declared whole-heartedly, then grabbed Kyp´s sleeve and dragged him towards the undergrowth.
"Hey, what about Gantoris?"
"He´s a big boy, he can take care of himself. No offense meant," she added with a smile at the young Jedi student at her side.
"None taken," he answered stiffly, "What´s your plan?"
"Get out of here, what else?"
"We could lose them in that temple," Kyp suggested.
Fortunately he did not see Mara frown. Kyp and Gantoris had succumbed to the Dark Side once already and she would not risk that again. "Perhaps we will try something else," she said and ran to intercept Gantoris. The three of them met pretty soon and Mara explained to the two men what she planned to do. They protested at first, but agreed in the end. "It certainly is a challenge," Gantoris sighed. "I still don´t like this," Kyp shrugged. "Since when are you afraid of the odds, boy?" the older man teased and slapped his shoulder. "All settled?" Mara asked sweetly and waited for their nods, "Good. Let´s go."
When the search teams returned out of the night with their prizes, Xixor felt like laughing. Of course he had expected this move of his enemies. "Mara Jade," he greeted the red-head glowering at him," what a pleasure. And your companions are?" The older of the two merely smiled and the youth did not look at him at all.
"Jedi Knights, I take it," Xixor answered his own question," this does not come as a surprise, you know."
"I imagine that´s why you did stock up your supply of Ysalamiri," Mara said coolly, jabbing Kyp with her left elbow. "Ouw," he yelped, glaring at her, "This young man here spotted it right away."
"Did he now. Well, you are still stuck here. Let´s go inside."
"Yeah, it´s at least dry inside," Kyp murmured sullenly and Mara really had to admire his
acting talent. They followed Xixor into what seemed to be his office, which was decorated with Ysalamiri nutrient cages.
"My, that does look comfortable," Mara remarked sarcastically.
"Yes, it does. And it is practical. Tell me, Mara Jade, what were you and Skywalker doing here at all?"
"We had an archeological interest."
"You are referring to that temple, I take it. It is of Sith origin, or so I have heard. Why would Luke Skywalker of all people take an interest in that? Or did his father send you?"
"So you know," Mara had to admit that she was slightly surprised.
"I have known long before Skywalker was even aware of the truth. Interesting, isn´t it, that the New Republic would protect him like that."
"Maybe it´s just practical."
"In what way, I wonder? It doesn´t matter. Fact is, that Anakin Skywalker will not bother me or anyone for much longer. My contacts have just confirmed that he has indeed returned to the Empire."
"No!" Mara´s eyes widened in shock.
"But yes," Xixor laughed," the fool. He has played right into my hand. The Empire will fall and he with it."
"What about the New Republic?"
"What about it?"
"Don´t you have a grudge against them too?"
"Not really. I have no sympathies for the rebels, but the Empire has destroyed my people and my power, namely it was Darth Vader who was responsible for that. An his son and daughter. But they will pay too."
" You must be crazy if you think you and your little gang can go up against the Empire, let alone the New Republic."
"I have found some allies, don´t worry. They are very interested in seeing the Jedi vanish from this galaxy. Forever."
Kyp and Gantoris shared a glance, but then Gantoris shrugged slightly and smiled at Xixor.
"We shall see," he said lightly.
"We shall indeed." All the while Mara had scrutinized the possible escape routes. Two windows, one door. But unfortunately the Ysalamiri made using the Force impossible for all three Jedi. That was why Mara had to rely on reputations. When Xixor least expected it she made her move. Turning her head around to face both Kyp and Gantoris she could make out five guards standing behind the two men.
"Don´t look to them for help, Mara Jade," Xixor told her mildly, "they are useless without the Force."
"I don´t know", Mara answered lightly, "but Dark Jedi usually make their own rules." On cue Gantoris smiled his fiercest smile and Kyp was grinning broadly.
"Dark Jedi?" Xixor asked and Mara could hear the five guards take a step back. Why did people always think Dark Jedi more dangerous? A foolish mistake.
"Kyp, he´s all yours," she offered and let the youth pass her. He had Anakin Skywalker´s predatory stalk down perfect and apparently Xixor had heard of the youth.
"Kyp Durron?!" he exclaimed, slightly shaken, then," But no, I don´t believe..."
Too late. The five guards panicked and opened fire blindly on the three Jedi. Fortunately those knew how to keep their heads in a crisis. Skillfully dodging the blastershots and with a great deal of luck they made it so that more and more Ysalamiri were hit until Kyp crowed triumphantly:
"I got it!"
And then the container´s walls blew outward. Mara, Kyp and Gantoris just managed to clear it´s interior before the roof crushed everything underneath. "Come on!" Mara hissed and the three of them ran towards their ship, picking up their buried lightsabers on the way.
Anakin Skywalker was bent over Moff Disra´s most recent report. The man was learning. They all were. But he knew that they would use the tiniest opportunity to get rid of him again. Permanently. Maybe I should kill the lot of them, he sighed inwardly, but that was really no solution. "Are you alright?" Daala asked and closed the door behind her. "Yes," he answered, fighting his headache bravely. She came over to stand beside him, looking over his shoulder. Her left hand ruffled his hair teasingly and then she kissed him on the cheek.
"Palleon says the military more or less sides with him."
"Good, very good. And according to this report we are making progress in relocating the economy´s income into the more necessary industries. Housing, clothing, anything but military goods. Actually there are a lot of good business opportunities out there." Daala laughed disbelieving:
"Since when are you a business man!"
"Ever since I quit being a warlord," he replied, smiling.
"The Coruscant Daily is on in a few minutes. Shall I?"
"Yes, please."
Together they faced the screen built into th wall opposite from Anakin´s desk. The image popping into existence suddenly showed a tall Twi´lek who bore a very earnest expression.
"Today at 1600 hours local time," it began solemnly," a trade convoy just outside of Chandrilean space was attacked by military vessels. Witnesses confirmed that they were of Imperial origin. President Fey´lya declared today that necessary steps will be taken to undermine any renewed Imperial hostility. Ladies and Gentlemen, Turve Glat with a detailed report and statement." When the image switched to a fat human standing apparently in front of the Senate Chamber on Coruscant, Daala turned cool green eyes on her lover.
"What does that mean?" she asked quietly, slightly confused.
"It means that we will have to postpone peace for a while," Anakin answered grimly and activated his comm. "High Admiral Palleon, I would have you join me in my office immediately."
Kyp and Gantoris barely could keep up with Mara as she stormed off the Jade´s Fire´s ramp into the Royal Hangar of Naboo. "What did he think he was doing, rejoining the Empire!?" she shouted into Luke´s face," Xixor had all this planned, you know? He´s going to play off the New Republic against the Empire. We have to warn Leia and your father before anything happens." She stopped when the young Jedi Master held up a hand, palm out, quieting her. "Too late," he said simply and shook his head, "Too late."