Later that day on the bridge of the Galaxy Guardian

James looked out on his home planet of Dantooine. He loved

the planet.

Zure secretly redirected a call to the entire bridge,

intercom. It was familiar voice that James had not expected

to hear so soon.

"Eighty-three years old and still at the helm of a

Super Star Destroyer. I must say, James."

"Korin! Korin Blackthorn! You young space slug! I never

thought I would hear your voice again!"

"I never thought I would see your ugly face again, but

I'm going to soon. If you allow me to dock, that is."

"Of course!" He spoke to Cane Evon, the defense

officer, "Lieutenant Evon, allow the craft to land."

"All three, sir?"

James suddenly sobered to the fact that their were

three ships bearing towards them. "All Venom III's?"

"Yes, sir," Evon said.

"Yes, allow all three to dock," James said.

Minutes later three humans strolled onto the bridge

casually. A man, a woman, and a young girl, in Jedi

training, James felt. He also felt the Force-push coming his

way from the young girl. James allowed himself to be shoved

to raise the girl's morale.

"Why, Korin, how nice to see you," James said as he

turned after the push.

"Hello, James. May I present to you my wife Maia and my

daughter Syn."

"I see," James said studying the family.

"I don't," Korin said. "James, I need a favor."

James smiled, "This'll be two you owe me."

Korin pretended he never heard the comment. "I was

taken off command of any of the NN, or Neduian Navy. I need

a position in this navy."

"Well, Commodore-"

"Force Marshal," Korin interrupted.

"I'm sorry?" James said.

"Force Marshal. Now I'm only one rank away from you."

James grin was so wide Korin thought his face was going

to span the length of the bridge. Then the maniacal laughter

started. "Two ranks, Marshal. I, too, was promoted."

"Supreme Commander?"

"Close. They invented a new rank for me. Grand Marshal.

Nice superior air to it, huh?"

"Grand Marshal? You must be in your glory."

James chuckled and turned to Zure. "Lieutenant, contact

Cal Omas. I need to speak with him."

In minutes Omas was contacted. "Ah, Marshal. What is

it?"

"Chief of State Omas, I have here with me Korin

Blackthorn. He was kicked out of his navy and needs a

position here."

"What rank was he in his old navy?"

"Force Marshal."

"Hmm. What of his capital ship?"

"Uh, Chief, the Typhon was taken from me," Korin said.

"Hmm. Well, we do have an opening. I'll discuss it with

the committee, I'll be back with the answer later on today."

"Excellent, sir," Korin said.

"Omas, out," Cal said and disappeared.

Korin walked back to his family. He bent down and

whispered to his daughter, "Watch this." He stood up and put

his mental shields on as he walked up a meter from James and

instantly ignited his lightsabre and slashed, but the slash

was blocked by a forest green blade. The latter blade

belonging to James.

James smiled, "I may be old, but I'm still faster than

you."

Korin grinned in return and let his mental shields go

down as he and James extinguished their blades.

Maia handed Syn some credits.

"Told ya," Syn said with obvious delight.



Cal Omas got back to the bridge later on. "He may have

his position and create a squadron as soon as necessary. He

will report directly to Grand Marshal Lightsword."

"Thank you, Cal," James said and the Chief of State

disappeared.

"There you have it, Korin."

"Thank you, James-" Korin began.

"Not 'James' anymore. You will call me, 'sir,'

'Marshal,' or you may say, 'yes, my lord the Grand

Marshal,'" James said and smiled.

"Funny," Korin said and heard Maia and Syn snickering.

"Funny, what?" James was beginning to get serious, his

smile had vanished.

Korin snapped to and saluted. He yelled in military

cadence, "Funny, sir!"

"Don't patronize me, Marshal! You are under my command

now," James said in all seriousness, his voice taking on an

icy tone.

Korin's face showed defiance, but he gave in, "Yes,

sir. It will never happen again."

James eyes softened. "Thank you, Marshal."

The crew went back to doing what they were doing prior

to Korin's insertion.

James was watching the recorded holos of the Kurast war

in his quarters. They were recorded by the Galaxy Guardian

during all the battles.

The projected holos where on the ceiling. James was

laying vertically on his couch looking up at the battles;

his head on Reia's lap and she ran her hand through his

hair.

"Look there," James said and pointed as he paused the

battle. "That's the Fate's Nemesis. There I am making a run

on it, but trying to escape some Kurast craft at the same

time."

"I see," Reia said surveying the battle. It was the

last one where they had lost three Sage's and Kyp.

James started the battle again and thirty seconds later

switched camera views and stopped it.

"There," he said and started the holo again, "There is

Luke." The X-wing blew up and James winced. "Not anymore."

"He was a good friend," Reia said.

"And a decent Jedi. Just a little too hypocritical."

"Did he make arrangements for someone to train Ben?"

Reia asked looking into her husband's eyes, hopeful that it

was James.

James felt the hopefulness. "Yeah. Mara."

"Oh. I understand now why he didn't pick you."

"The Dark Side thing," James said.

"Yeah." Reia said.

James believed-no, he knew-that there was no dark side of

the Force. There was only a dark side to people.

James looked back at the holo. Still the battle raged

until a few minutes later. James watched from the main

hanger as the Sage's docked. He switched back to the bow

side view. The Kurast homeplanet Kuur was large in the

camera. A minute later a green beam came from the bow of the

Guardian and in an instant Kuur was gone.

Reia felt James heart sink through the Force. James had

a half-frown on his face. He hated to do it, but it had to

be done. The was over in that instant.

He sighed heavily and stopped the holo, he looked up at

his wife and managed a smile.

She smiled in return. "But we're home, now." She said

in answer to the unspoken words.

James smile became easier. "Be it ever so humble, there

is definitely no place like home." He stood up and accessed

the computer console. From there he could check on every

station on the ship.

All the stations were doing there jobs. The gunners

were waiting patiently for any sign of danger. The command

pit crewers were all performing their tasks.

James looked over to Reia and said, "Let's have a

little fun, shall we, dear?"

"By doing what?" she asked.

James grinned. "Drill."

Reia smiled. "Sure."

James looked back at the terminal and pushed a button.

An alarm bell rang out. The two of them ran out of the room

and towards the hanger.

Mere minutes later the squadron launched and the ship

was at the highest alert level.

"Excellent!" James commed. "Good job people."

"Nice drill, sir," said the Barabel Micov Tabrev.

"Just wanted to keep everyone ready," James said,

smiling. "All right, people. You can relax now. Dock."

All of the craft docked. When the fighter pilots were

dismissed Korin walked up to James.

"Yes, Marshal, what is it?" James asked.

"May I leave to create a squadron? I will be back in a

couple of days with them."

"Yes, you may go. Are you taking Maia and Syn with

you?"

"Yes," Korin said.

"All right, you may leave as soon as you are ready."

"Thank you, Marshal," Korin said and turned to get his

wife and daughter.

James' comlink buzzed. "Yes?"

It was Micov Tabrev. "Sir, we have Galactic Alliance

warship approaching. It just came out of hyperspace."

"Configuration?"

"MC90A Star Cruiser, sir."

"Name?"

"Please hold a second, sir," Tabrev said.

James started to walk towards the many lifts and

corridors to the bridge.

"The Keresarge, sir," Tabrev came back.

James didn't speak again until he reached the bridge

where he addressed Tabrev directly. "Hostility, Admiral?"

"None so far, sir," Tabrev said. "I had to contact them

to get the name, but they never said another word except

their name, sir."

"Galaxy Guardian, this is Admiral Kimgar on the bridge

of the Keresarge," a new voice said

"Yes, Admiral. Go ahead," James said.

"We are creating a task force. Chief of State Omas is

supposed to be contacting you," Kimgar said.

"Sir," Zure said, "We have a call coming in from Chief

of State Omas."

"Put it on intercom to the bridge," he said. Then to

Kimgar he said, "I'll call ya back." Kimgar disappeared and

Cal came up on the screen. "Yes, Cal?"

His voice was worried, "I'm going to play you a message

I just got from the Empire. Here:"

Cal disappeared and a holo of the new leader of the

Empire came up, "Chief of State Omas, for years now your

Alliance has mistreated our regime. We are going to start

our conquest again starting at a time of our choosing. Any

intrusion in our sector of space before our conquest will be

met with deadly force. Take care, Omas." The man

disappeared.

Cal came back. "James, I am assembling a task force

with you at the head. We are sending more ships, plus Karrde

and some other smugglers have agreed to help out."

"What about Sien Sovv?" James asked.

"He's been red-flagged."

"Why?"

"He was talking about loyalty to the Empire or

something. I think he's just getting senile."

"Ah," James said.

"Well, James. Contact me when the whole force is

assembled."

"You got it," James said. "Lightsword, out." He made a

slashing motion across his throat and the transmission cut.

A Star Destroyer fell out of hyperspace with many

support craft.

"Star Destroyer Galaxy Guardian this is Star Destroyer

Finest Caliber with escort. Orders?"

"Ah, Talon. Nice to hear from you. Just fall into

geosynchronus orbit with us. Have your escort dock with

you."

"Hey, James, what's up?" a familiar voice spoke.

"Han Solo! Hey, you old pirate, how ya doin'?"

"As well as I could be. How are ya treating my daughter

and son-in-law? Better yet, how they treating you?"

James chuckled. "Fine in answer to both questions."

"Good. Leia and I are part of your task force."

"Excellent." James saw three Venom III's launching out

of the main hangar and speed off to Coruscant. "Lightsword,

out," James to Han.

"Uh, sir," Evon said.

"Yes?"

"Blackthorn sliced into the computer and stole the

plots for these regions."

"I know, I set it up that way."

The bridge went back to its normal activity as more

ships fell out of hyperspace.

The whole force was assembled hours later. James called

Cal, "Cal. They are all here."

"Good. I want you to deal with the Empire swiftly and

efficiently, but use conventional warfare, not axial

superlaser."

"You got it," James said and Cal disappeared.