Chapter 15

The Shapeshifter, flanked by a squad of Verpine B-wings, streamed from the Galactic Voyager and into the enveloping space battle. Leia, Han, Cray, and over a well-armed and well-trained New Republic soldiers sat together in the rear compartment of the shuttle. It was crowded and uncomfortable, but Leia didn't complain. In the middle of a battle, when the possibility of being killed at any minute was very high, being comfortable was the least of her worries.
Leia had a blaster and her lightsaber in hand. Her hand unconsciously gripped the metallic hilt of the Jedi weapon. She could almost feel the lethal power it carried, despite the fact that it was deactivated. The last time she had used her lightsaber was when she had fought Armenia in her apartment...and because of her hesitation, she had lost. Leia bit her lip, her fingers clenching the handle.
This time, there would be no hesitation.
If she was going to beat Xizor at his own game, she had to use all of her abilities ...even the Force.
She looked over at Han, and saw that he was focusing on Cray, who sat opposite from them. Apparently, he still didn't trust the HRD, and Leia couldn't blame him. After all, she had tried to kill him, Anakin, and Callista on Coruscant. But Leia believed that Cray was on their side. She placed her hand over Han's, slightly squeezing, and that seemed to ease some of his tension. She looked over at the HRD, and offered her a silent nod.
Cray was carrying no weapons of any kind, but Leia knew that the HRD was capable of killing a person within seconds. She was more than a capable opponent, even without a blaster.
Outside the durasteel walls of the Shapeshifter, Leia could hear the sounds of battle. The B-wings surrounding the Shapeshifter began firing as they met Black Sun's TIE fighters. She could not see what was happening, but a part of her was grateful for that. A starfighter exploded near the shuttle, causing the walls to shudder. The Republic soldiers held their breaths, their anxiety palpable. A part of Leia still could not believe what was happening. The Republic had spent years--no, decades--fighting the Empire. Every time, the Imperials rose under the leaderships of warlords like Thrawn, or Daala, or Zsinj, and every time the Republic was able to drive them back. The closest the Empire ever got to true victory was when the cloned Emperor had driven the Republic from Coruscant to the moon of Da Soocha. That had been one of the most difficult battles the Republic had ever fought, but in the end, they had triumphed. And now...this had happened.
Xizor, a man the Republic had thought dead, had returned, now in the form of clones, and did something the Empire had only managed to do once. By kidnapping Hope and threatening to kill her if the Republic didn't evacuate the planet, he had gained complete control over Coruscant, had surprised the Republic fleet with implanted detonators that had succeeded in obliterating over half of their ships, and now was moving on to the final kill. Even with the Hapans, Verpines, and Barabels on their side, the Republic was still having a difficult time with the Black Sun fleet. The future of the Republic depended on this mission. Leia knew they were taking a large risk by doing this. At any moment, one of the Black Sun ships could fire a single shot at them, and the shuttle would be done for. If they failed...then all hope was lost.
"We're entering Coruscant's atmosphere," the pilot said over theintercom. "Good thing that none of Xizor's ships fired on us."
Yes, Leia thought. Very good thing. Relief flooded her as the Shapeshifter left the heat of the battle and plowed through the planet's atmosphere.
"All right, here's the plan," Leia said to everyone gathered in the room. "We're heading for the Imperial Palace. My guess is, Xizor will be busy with the fighting up in orbit, that his security will be lax. That'll give us the advantage."
"But Madame President," one of the soldiers said, "what if Black Sun has planned a trap for us?"
"We have no choice," Leia said sternly. "Trap or not, this is the only way we can defeat Xizor and regain control of Coruscant. Once we've landed, we head inside the palace. Kill anyone who stands in our way. I'm not going to take any chances."
She looked each soldier in the eye, feeling their fears at facing death...as well as their determination. "If Xizor wants a fight with the New Republic," Leia said, "then we're going to give him one he will never forget."

"Ma'am, the fighters have been launched," Commander Teridan reported to Guri. The HRD nodded as she continued watching the orbital battle grow more violent and explosive as the Verpines and Barabels joined in the fray.
"The Republic will never even see them coming." Teridan did not seem as confident.
"Um...ma'am, if I may...it seems that the Republic has reinforcements."
Guri merely shrugged. "So, what if they do? We already have the Republic fleet reeling. Just take them out, and the rest will follow."
An explosion from a Corellian corvette spread across the viewscreen, causing the Black Sun personnel to shield their eyes. Guri, however, did not budge. "It seems as if the Verpines and Barabels are no longer at each other's throats, after so many years of fighting. How amusing."
So far, the battle had gone on for over twenty minutes, and Black Sun still had the upper hand. Another corvette burst apart into flames under concentrated fire from three Star Destroyers, enveloping dozens of small fighters, enemy and ally alike, in its wake. In the space of two minutes, two more Republic ships were destroyed, causing bright, spectacular novas that lit across the bright Coruscant sky.
Guri's chest swelled as thousands of TIEs began overwhelming the Hapan fleet like piranha-beetles. Despite the violence of it all, the battle still held a certain...beauty to it.
"Oh, Xizor," she said. "If only you were here to see this."
The door to the control room, slid open, and Teridan cowered back, his eyes bulging out in shock. Guri spun around, expecting another report...and almost gasped. The HRD was rarely surprised, but this time was an exception.
"My Prince?"
Xizor entered the control room, his purple-blue robes slapping against the floor. He did not look happy at all. "My Lord, what are you doing here?" Guri asked. "I thought you were still on--"
"Apparently, Guri, you were right," Xizor cut in. "The wife of Skywalker was a far better adversary than I had anticipated."
Guri nodded, regaining her composure, as she realized what had happened. "She destroyed your clone?"
Xizor nodded, fuming. "As well as all the clones I had hidden underground. I'll have my revenge later." He turned to Teridan, who stood beside Guri, literally shaking with fear. "You, gather all the men at our disposal."
Guri and Teridan both exchanged confused looks. "My Lord, I'm not sure I understand--"
"We have visitors coming, Guri," Xizor said, masking his anger with a devilish smile. "And what kind of guests would we be if we weren't there to...greet them?"

The Imperial Palace was in plain view through the cockpit viewport as the Shapeshifter closed in on the pyramid-shaped behemoth. Leia stood behind the pilot, her brown eyes penetrating the palace. She could barely make out the shapes of people dressed in Black Sun uniforms, standing near the entrance to the palace, viewing the massive battle in the sky.
"There," she pointed. "That's where we'll land."
The Shapeshifter's blaster cannons sprung to life, firing upon the unsuspecting Black Sun minions. They barely had time to look up before they disappeared in a fiery haze of black smoke. Leia felt a brief twinge of sympathy for the people they had just killed, but it quickly went away at the thought of Xizor. He was no better than the Empire ever was. If she wanted to win this war, she would have to kill.
The Shapeshifter touched down, and the group disassembled. The pilot waited for the smoke to clear, then extended the ship's ramp, and Leia was the first one out, followed by Han, Cray, and soon the rest of the soldiers. They set their rifles ready, awaiting their next orders. Leia took a moment to look up at the clear afternoon sky, where she could see the faint signs of the space battle. The explosions looked so small when viewing them from the planet. She silently prayed that her fleet would be all right, and turned to address the soldiers.
"You know what to do," she said. "Xizor's most likely set up his new headquarters in the control room. We go there, and wipe them out." She switched on her lightsaber, causing a bright sky-blue blade to come to life. "May the Force be with us. Let's go."
With Leia leading the way, the group entered the Imperial Palace. The palace felt abandoned. The Main Hall, which normally would have been crowded with dozens of mingling people, guards, visitors, and senators, was now deserted, devoid of any life save for the group already gathered there. A cool breeze blew through the open door and into the chamber.
"I'd never thought I'd say this about the Imperial Palace," Han muttered as he walked alongside his wife, "but this place gives me the creeps."
Leia nodded. "Join the club," she added, as she grasped his hand comfortingly. Cray stepped ahead of the group, her eyes searching the entire area. "My scanners are indicating life signs," she reported, her hands clenching into fists. "To the east."
Leia looked over at Han. "The control room," she said. She turned back to the soldiers. "Okay, everyone, let's start heading over there."
But no sooner were the words out of her mouth did a salvo of blaster shots erupt out of nowhere, aimed straight for the group. "Get down!" Leia shouted as she flung herself to the floor. Han and Cray followed suit, but one of the soldiers wasn't so lucky. His head exploded in a wash of blood and gore, and his body tumbled lifelessly to the gray- carpteted ground.
Leia looked up and saw over twenty or thirty Black Sun soldiers emerge from their various hiding places, blasters trained on her and her companions. Mostly aliens, she saw, but also a few humans, and far better armed than her group was. A tall, lithe blond joined them, and Leia recognized her as Guri, the Human Replica Droid. And standing beside her was none other than Xizor.
"Well, well, well," the Dark Prince of Black Sun said in an amused and haughty tone. "If it isn't Leia Organa Solo and her band of sidekicks." His eyes burned a fiery orange as he looked down upon Leia. "It has been a long time, Leia."
Leia gave the Falleen a murderous glare that could melt quantum armor. "Not long enough, Xizor."
Xizor's smile merely widened, and Leia wanted so hard to beat his face in, if it meant wiping off that all-too-familiar smirk off. Very few people she had encountered in her life had managed to make her blood boil as much as Xizor.
"So, my dear President," Xizor said, "why, may I ask, have you decided to trespass on my planet?"
Leia almost stood at that moment. "This is not your planet, Xizor!" she snapped. "Coruscant rightfully belongs to the New Republic. And we are going to get it back, no matter what you try to do."
Xizor shook his head. "You poor dear. Still deluded, even after everything I have managed to accomplish. I'm disappointed." He nodded to his soldiers. "Kill them."
His minions opened fire. Leia rolled aside, narrowly, missing a shot that burned a hole through the carpet, right where she had been laying just seconds ago. She stood to one knee, and deflected an incoming bolt with her lightsaber, sending it flying into the wall. Her group was clearly outnumbered, but they were still determined to fight. As one, her remaining soliders stood and fired at Xizor's men. The Dark Prince himself took refuge behind the turbolift, brandishing a small hold- out blaster. The Black Sun warriors surged forth, their weapons firing over and over again. Within seconds, several of Leia's soldiers went down, burning holes in their bodies. Leia ducked as a Weequay swung a vibroax for her head, and her energy blade, slicing through the alien's stomach. The Weequay gurgled as black blood spurted from its gut, and Leia kicked him down.
"Han!" she shouted. "Cover me!"
"Got it!" Han said, as he guarded Leia's back, firing at anyone who tried to attack her from behind. He shot a Black Sun minion right between the eyes, dropping him like a fallen pillar.
The Main Hall was alive with the sound of blasters firing and the screams of dying soldiers from both sides. Leia deflected another bolt that would have struck her in the thigh, and focused on Xizor. If she could just get to him and take him down...
Not far off, Cray fought hard. With a vibroblade she had taken from a dead soldier, she stabbed it through the ribs of a Gamorrean as he prepared to strike her head off with a vibroax. As he fell, his ax tumbled through the air, and Cray caught it with both hands. She spun, and decapitated another warrior. Despite their best efforts, Leia knew that her soldiers wouldn't hold off for much longer. Already half of her men were dead, and the rest were quickly following. She had to get to Xizor...and fast.
As they moved through the battle, Leia and Han fought together, each protecting the other, cutting down soldiers left and right. Leia concentrated on the Force, and a Black Sun warrior was knocked back through the air and through the enormous glass window, sending shattered debris to the floor, showering everyone with glass.
From the corner of Leia's eye, she saw Guri, Xizor's HRD, butchering the remaining soldiers. With a single movement with her hand, she disarmed one soldier, snaked her arm around his throat, and snapped his neck in half. Another came at her, intending to impale her with his vibroblade. Guri sidestepped and snatched him by the arm, and hurled him into the air, not even breaking a sweat. Cray finished off another Black Sun opponent, and her eyes turned to Guri, who was busy mopping the floor with two other soldiers. She punched one, shattering his jaw, unclipped a ryyk blade from her belt, and slashed it across the second's ribs. The soldier screamed as blood flowed, splattering the gray carpet, and he collapsed. Guri finished off his comrade by jamming the Wookiee blade through his gut, eliciting a single pained groan from the man before he died.
She's good, Cray thought, as she shouted, "Hey!"
Guri turned and faced Cray, a smile curving at the corners of her mouth. The two HRDs faced each other, ignoring the battle that enfolded around them. "Let's say you and I throw down," Cray said as she strode over to Guri. The HRD merely grinned, and it was then that Cray saw the stun baton in her other hand. She tried to avoid it, but she wasn't fast enough. With an incredibly quick move, Guri poked the baton into Cray's ribs. She felt the stun ridges just as soon as an electrical shock ran through her body, causing her limbs to cease functioning.
Cray fell to her knees, paralyzed. No matter how hard she tried, she could not move. She barely had time to remember what had happened before Guri jammed the stun baton against her body. A new rush of electricity erupted through her body, and the HRD fell unconscious.
"Xizor!" Leia shouted over the din. Another minion came at her, and she quickly cut him down with her lightsaber. "You can't win this!"
Xizor stepped away from his hiding place, still wearing that smug grin. "Oh, that's where you're wrong, Organa Solo," he said. "Apparently, you have been so determined to win back your precious planet, that you didn't even realize that I had led you into a trap." "What, this?" Leia said, gesturing toward the battle.
Xizor shook his head, and nodded over her shoulder. "That."
Leia and Han shared a confused glance, and both turned around-- Almost immediately, an incredible wave of pain seared through her body. All her nerves screamed at once, filling her with so much agony. It felt as if someone was tearing her apart from the inside.
She and Han collapsed to the floor, convulsing, and through the pain, Leia saw a strange-looking gun had been mounted from behind a cluster of plants, with two men operating it, its nozzle pointed at Han and Leia.
A neural disruptor.
Xizor had a neural disruptor. And she had never seen it coming. The disruptor fired again, sending invisible waves of electricty toward them, and Leia screamed, quickly followed by Han. As darkness began surrounding her vision, the last thing she saw was Xizor's smile...

Xizor watched quietly as his minions finished with the battle. The New Republic soldiers had fought valiantly, but in the end, their efforts were futile. They were just simply outnumbered and outgunned. Five minutes later, they all lay dead and charred on the floor. Xizor nodded and clapped. "Excellent work, my friends," he said, as Guri came over to him, carrying the unconscious Cray on her shoulders. "Take these three to the control room, and chain them up. I want the President to be awake when my fleet wipes out the last remaining ship in her pitiful fleet."
Guri nodded, and she called for the surviving warriors to help her with the prisoners. Xizor left, never looking back.

The sounds of fighting grew louder in Callista's ears as she burst through the tangle of jungle trees, her hair almost getting caught by a branch. A thick trail of smoke rose into the afternoon air. It smelled like burning flesh. Callista wiped the sweat off her face, her hand unconsciously going down to her belt, where she always kept her lightsaber.
But it was gone, taken away by the Kerash a long time ago. The only weapon she had was the Force.
It'll have to do, Callista thought to herself as she doubled her speed. She could clearly hear the screams of the dying as she approached Semaj. If I can control my anger against the Kerash, I might be able to beat them for good. And Armenia might be with them...
Almost immediately, she felt a fresh surge of anger rush through her veins at the thought of seeing Armenia again, followed by embarrassment at having been defeated by a non-Force opponent. It quickly went away, and Callista regained her focus. If Armenia was with the Kerash in Semaj, she would have to be the first to go. She was far too dangerous to remain alive.
Callista finally reached the outskirts of the small village. Immediately, she saw the flames that were eating away at the village gates. Black, charred pieces of human bones lay scattered on the muddy ground, remnants of the once-mighty barrier that protected the village. Callista coughed as she felt smoke enter her nostrils, and her eyes teared. As she ran past the village gate, she saw the battle.
Black-robed warriors clashed with brown-robed ones--the Kerash rebels, Callista quickly realized. Bodies of slain warriors from both sides littered the ground. Most of the village huts, including the conical council building, were enveloped in flames. Blood soaked into the ground, coloring the mud a dark red.
And there, directing the battle while simultaneously slaying her opponents, was Armenia. Next to her stood a purple-robed man, who viewed the skirmish with no small amount of amusement.
"Fyorga!" one of the rebels shouted, rushing over to Callista. He pulled back the brown hood that hid his face, revealing Kieran.
"Kieran!" Callista exclaimed. "What's happening here?"
"Armenia and Gershon," Kieran explained, pointing toward the woman and the purple-robed priest who stood beside her. "They came to Semaj for the Blood of the Unknowing. Every last villager is dead." There was much sadness behind his voice as he spoke. "We came here to stop them...but we were too late."
Callista listened with quiet shock, her eyes returning to the blood that stained the ground. Every last villager is dead...
"The Kerash have the blood they need to begin the Coming," Kieran continued. "We must prevent Armenia and Gershon from returning to the temple!" He looked over at her with concern. "Did Sonya get to you?"
Callista nodded. "Yeah, she did. She...She's dead."
Kieran sighed. "She was a brave woman. She finally has received the peace she deserved." He took Callista's hand in his own, his eyes silently pleading. "Fyorga, you are the Angel of Light. You bear the Calthazar we need to stop Arak. Will you help us fight in the name of all that is good?"
Callista didn't even need to think to answer his question. "I'll help," she said firmly. "But I need a weapon." Kieran nodded, and snatched a golden staff from a dead Kerash soldier, and handed it to Callista.
"Then let us go," he said.
Callista nodded, and the two charged back into the battle.
Callista met the first Kerash warrior she saw with her staff, smacking it against the sword he carried. The warrior turned to her in surprise, and swung the deadly blade toward her torso. Anticipating the attack seconds before it came, Callista brought the staff up, deflecting the double-edged blade to the right. She spun, bringing the staff down to parry another slash. As the Kerash prepared to try a third attack, Callista brought the staff into his midsection, hard enough to bruise, drawing a groan of pain from the cloaked man. With a second blow, she struck him in the ribs. The familiar sound of snapped ribs filled the air, and the Kerash fell, for the moment incapacitated.
From the corner of her eye, she saw Kieran fighting off another warrior with his sword. As the two blades clanged loudly together, the Kerash sent a kick into the rebel leader's stomach, catching him off guard. Kieran was unprepared for the surprise attack, and he fell on his back, the wind driven from his lungs. Callista rushed to his aid, just as the Kerash prepared to deliver a killing blow to the neck that would sever Kieran's head from his body. Callista's staff struck through the air, hitting the sword directly in the handle, knocking it from the Kerash's hands. It fell to the ground, useless.
The Kerash warrior turned to face her, shocked, and Callista responded by whacking the side of her golden staff against his head, knocking him out cold. The warrior slumped to the floor against the wall of a burning hut. He would live, but it would be a while before he would wake up again. Kieran groaned as he got up slowly to his feet. Callista bent down to help him, and he gratefully took her hand.
"Thank you, Fyorga," he said, respect gleaming in his eyes. She smiled in reply. "Call me Callista," she said.
Kieran nodded, but his smile vanished when his eyes turned to Armenia. The leader of the Kerash warriors was clearly more than a match for the rebels, as she mercilessly killed anyone who stood in her way. One of Kieran's warriors charged toward her in an attempt to impale her with his spear, but the woman sidestepped, and sliced her saber across his back as he passed her.
"We have to get to Armenia," Kieran said gravely. "If we kill her, that will send her minions running."
Callista nodded, turning to face the Kerash woman. "You can leave that to me," she said.
The battle continued, growing fiercer and fiercer by the minute. The rebels were fighting as hard as they could, but slowly, the Kerash were beginning to gain the upper hand. By now, the flames had spread throughout the entire village, setting half a dozen warriors on both sides on fire. Callista struck another Kerash squarely in the hip with her staff, and then in the back, almost breaking the man's spine. The Kerash fell, unconscious. Another came at her, screaming, and Callista quickly decked him with a solid sidekick to the chest. She looked over at Kieran to see how he was doing. The rebel leader, equipped again with his sword, sliced his weapon into the ribs of a black- cloaked Kerash, causing blood to cover the rusty blade. Kieran kicked the Kerash at the base of his neck, sending him rolling over a foodstand and to the ground. Not far away, another rebel had a Kerash cornered a burning hut. She thrust her spear deep into the man's gut, impaling him against the wall, leaving him to either bleed to death or be swallowed by the raging flames. Callista turned away, the sight of the blood finally getting to her. She had not seen so much blood shed since Dathomir, and it made her sick to her stomach.
Armenia still remained unchallenged. She sent a kick into a warrior's chest, knocking him flat on him stomach. Another rebel, a young girl of no more than fifteen or sixteen, tried to fight her with a sword that looked too heavy to her to carry. Armenia's sword tangled with the girl's weapon, and she pushed her weapon to the left, knocking the girl to the ground. "Archers!" she suddenly shouted as she dropped another warrior with a kick to the gut. "Attack!"
Callista watched with horror as several dozen hidden Kerash emerged from the trees surrounding the dying village, equipped with long-range bows. Arrows began flying past the burning wall, striking down several rebels. A young boy went down beside Callista as an arrow went clean through his head, splattering blood all over the ground and Callista's jumpsuit. Within seconds, the tide had turned. The Kerash fighters began overwhelming the rebels, leaving many dead in their wake.
The Kerash archers continued firing without mercy, and more rebels fell. One got shot through the eye, while another fell with an arrow stuck in her gut. The rebels continued fighting with valor and strength...but they were losing.
"Retreat!" Kieran shouted, raising his sword high into the air. "We will live to fight another day!"
At the sound of his voice, Armenia turned to him, a small crossbow in one hand. She aimed at the rebel leader, and fired, sending a single arrow straight toward him. Callista saw it coming, but Kieran didn't.
"Look out!" she shouted, but she was too late. Kieran cried out in pain as the arrow struck him just above the left breastbone, and he collapsed to his knees. Callista ran to help him, but two other rebels were one step ahead of her. They helped support their leader on both sides and helped him out of the doomed village. Within seconds, the remaining warriors followed suit. Callista stood there, watching as the rebels took flight. Arrows continued flying from the trees, striking at the fleeing fighters. One young woman was struck squarely in the back, and she fell, ignored by her fellow comrades as they ran for their lives. You butchers! Callista thought with disgust. You've already got them on the run! Why can't you just let them go? She prepared to follow them to wherever their hiding place was--when her eyes fell upon Armenia again.
The Kerash leader's back was turned to her, as she watched Semaj burn slowly to the ground, while her warriors mopped up the last fighting rebels. She turned as a rebel came at her with a club, and she brought the tip of her sword into his face, spraying blood into the air. The man fell, immediately dead. Armenia was most likely unaware of Callista's presence. She still had a chance to take her by surprise and--Even as she headed over in Armenia's direction, a Kerash stepped in her way. She had not been expecting him that she was mometarily shocked...which was all he needed.
The Kerash sent a backhand across her face. Callista reeled, her equilibrium shot. As she turned to face him, his knee flew into her gut. Callista doubled over in pain and fell to one knee, trying to regain her breath. She looked up, and saw Armenia, standing only a few feet in front of her, her back still turned to her. She was so close--
The Kerash's fist met her face, and Callista sunk to the ground, no longer able to fight. She laid there amongst the flames, dazed, watching as the Kerash took care of the last remaining rebels in the village. She tried to get back up, but her vision swam, and she fell back down. Armenia was still there, oblivious to Callista's presence. Just give me a few minutes, and I'll be able to...
A strong pair of arms suddenly grabbed her from behind, and began to drag her. Callista quickly looked up, and regretted it in an instant. The dizziness returned full force, and she almost lost consciousness. Her eyes looked up at the person dragging her, but her vision was so blurry that she couldn't see his or her face.
A voice broke through the confusion. "I'm getting you out of here." A woman's voice, which Callista immediately recognized.
"E-Emna?" she said.
"Shhh," she whispered. "We can't let them see us. I'm taking you to the Kerash Caves."
Callista groaned as she felt the blackness return to claim her. The last thing she saw was Emna carrying her out of the dying village, and the victorious howl of the Kerash...
Callista woke to the flicker of torchlight. The sound of a rag being dipped in water filled her ears, and she turned to find herself in the Kerash caves, where she had found Sonya and the ancient tablet. The hieroglyphics written in the stone walls reflected off the reddish-gold torchlight.
Emna's face suddenly came into view, wringing a wet rag. "Are you feeling okay now?" she asked as she gingerly rubbed the rag against a wound Callista had sustained on the jaw during the Semaj fight. "You're not too badly damaged, from what I can tell."
Callista managed a nod, groaning as a small twinge of pain shot through her jaw. As her vision started to clear, the memories of the fighting came back to her: the bodies that covered the mud-soaked ground, the blood, Armenia wounding Kieran, the fire that swept through the village like a burning wave of death...
And in an instant, Callista realized something. The tablet Sonya had given to her was still in the healing hut in Semaj...
And if she was right, then that meant the tablet had gone up with flames, with the rest of the village.
Emna seemed to sense her horrified emotions, for she laid a comforting hand on her shoulder. "What's wrong?" she asked.
Callista looked around, and found that they were alone in the cavern room. "Where...Where's Armenia?" she asked.
"She's in the jungle, searching for the remaining rebels," Emna explained softly, offering Callista a ladleful of water, which she gratefully accepted. "You should consider yourself very lucky that I saved you when I did. If Armenia had known that you were assisting the underground movement-- "
Callista drank the water in one large gulp, feeling it cool down her parched throat. She looked over at Emna and said, "Armenia is a butcher. Did you see what she did to those villagers at Semaj? All because she needed their blood!"
Emna looked confused. "What are you talking about? Armenia came to Semaj because the rebels were hiding there. She knew about their plans to overthrow the Kerash, and they needed to be stopped immediately. During the fighting, a fire started and spread throughout the entire village. It was an accident. It's tragic that innocent people died, but that does not make Armenia a murderer. I'm only lucky that I was gone at the time, helping to heal the sick in Trakoa."
Callista listened to Emna's words with horror. It sounded almost as if the former Nightsister had been brainwashed. "And how did you draw that conclusion?" she demanded, sounding more vehement than she had wanted to.
"Armenia told us," the girl explained. "A few hours after the battle, after I had hidden you here in the caves, she told everyone in Trakoa, who had seen the smoke from the fire. And we believed her...for the leader of the Kerash does not lie."
"Well, she did!" Callista snapped, standing up, ignoring the pain and nausea. "Emna, do you have any idea at all what is happening here?"
"I don't know what you're talking about," Emna countered, standing up as well, her voice taking on a defensive tone. "Callista, are you sure you're feeling all right? You seem a little tense."
"That's because I am!" she replied. "Emna, Armenia is evil."
"No, she's not! She's a good woman, Callista. She may be a little harsh and merciless when it comes to fighting her enemies, but she has the best intentions. Besides, those rebels tried to oppose her and the Kerash. They all deserved to die."
Callista had no idea how she was going to convince Emna that she was on the wrong side, but she gave it her best shot. "Okay, Emna, I need you to listen to me. Armenia has been lying to you from the beginning. First of all, Cray is not dead. She's alive."
That took Emna by surprise. "Alive? The...The leader is alive?"
Callista nodded. "Yes, only she's not the leader. She too was deceived by Armenia. She and the Kerash priests plan to bring Arak into our universe."
"The Dark One?" Emna said. "But...that's ridiculous. Arak cannot be brought back from Raximidaj. The priests say that she is trapped in there for all time."
"She's not, Emna! They're lying to you. They plan to use my daughter to bring her back. They've been planning it all along." She grabbed the young woman by the shoulders. "Do you have any idea what will happen if they succeed? Arak is far more powerful than anything we've ever seen. If she's freed, she'll destroy the entire universe!" "Get your hands off me!" Emna snapped, breaking free from Callista's hold. "You're a liar. Armenia and Tsin are well aware of the dangers of freeing Arak from Raximidaj. They would never dare to attempt a feat such as that." She looked Callista over, a venomous look on her face that Callista had never seen before on her. "I think you're crazy."
"Emna!" Callista said, trying hard not to lose her temper. "You used to be a Nightsister! You know how evil they were. Armenia is just as evil as Gethzerion and Anya, maybe even more so. You can't ignore this." Her voice softened. "Look, I can't fight them alone. I need your help."
Emna shook her head. "No! I refuse to believe it." She stepped away from Callista, fear now shining in her eyes.
Finally losing it, Callista threw up her hands. "Refuse all you want. Find me when you wake up and realize the truth."
She turned and left. "Callista, wait!" Emna shouted."Come back!"
Ignoring her pleas, Callista kept running. Darkness enclosed around her as she left the room, shutting out the last vestiges of light. I have to get out of here...I have to stop the Kerash...
Callista ran, and as she ran, she could hear footsteps behind her, following her. At first she thought it was Emna, chasing after her. But something inside told her that it was not Emna. It was someone--or something--else...
A voice whispered ominously in her head. Keep running, my dear. You're never going to get out. You'll never stop what has to be done. Wherever you go, I will always follow you...
Shut up! Callista shouted in her mind, running even faster. The cave's entrance seemed so far away...Whoever you are, stay away from me!
I'm coming, Callista. Sooner than you think. You can try to avoid me, but eventually I will find you. No one can escape me, and no one ever will. For no one can escape the hand of death...
Callista suddenly broke free from the prison of the cave, and into sunlight. It washed over her skin, filling her with relief and freedom. The jungle now surrounded her, the gnarltrees stretching endlessly into the clear blue sky. Callista continued running, never looking back toward the cave. The voice in her head disappeared, its final, chilling words remaining in her mind.
No one can escape the hand of death...
After an hour, she finally stopped when she reached a river. Greenish-brown water flowed downwards toward Semaj, where smoke still rose from the remnants of the charred huts and corpses. Callista seated herself on a large rock perched above the filthy water, her breath coming back to her in large gasps, everything that had transpired since her arrival on Anasazi coming back to her all at once. I have to get out of here. I need time to think... Calming herself, she sank into a Jedi trance.
The Force surrounds us all. It binds the universe together. It is the creator of all life. All living things, from the largest creature to the smallest cell, are connected with the Force. It is stronger than the darkness, and if you follow the path of the light, you will eventually master it...
The words of Djinn Altis rang in her mind as Callista meditated, words she had not heard in decades. Djinn had said those words for the first time when she had begun her training. And now, they were starting to return to her...The Force is divided into two entities: the light...and the dark.
The dark side can give you easy power, power that will eventually destroy you from within. The light is more rewarding, but far more difficult to master. The darkness may be strong, but the light will always be stronger. Just one small flicker of light can destroy a mighty shadow. It is stronger than anything in the universe...
Even a god, Callista thought.
Her eyes suddenly opened, and she found herself no longer on the rock in the Anasazi river, but on a large plateau that looked over the endless jungle. The smoke rising from the ruins of Semaj was gone, no longer disturbing the calm afternoon sky. In the distance, Callista could see a magnificent temple.
"Where am I?" she asked aloud, looking around. Unlike the jungle, the plateau was empty. No gnarltress disturbed it; it was merely a large piece of rock, sprouting no life at all. "How did I get here?"
My answer lies here... Callista walked near the edge of the cliff, her smoke-gray eyes penetrating the deep jungle below her. It looked so far away from up there... A cool wind blew from the sky, sending goosebumps up Callista's naked arms. She unconsciously rubbed her arms, the cold feeling both uncomfortable and exhilirating. What is this?
An image flickered before her eyes. A woman's body appeared on the ground before her, her arms and legs sprawled lifelessly on all sides, her neck curved at an odd angle. In her hand was a bottle of some kind, spilling a strange liquid on the dirt. Her face was blurred, making it impossible to determine who it was. Callista stepped over for a better look--
--and it disappeared. She stepped back in shock, her brain barely able to register this. "What's going on?" she shouted, her voice carrying into the horizon. Voices began whispering in her head. Familiar and unfamiliar voices, of people crying, sobbing. A young girl's voice--Callista didn't recognize it, and yet, it seemed so familiar--rose above all of them, filled with pain and sorrow. Callista put her hands up to her head, willing for the voices to go away.
"Get out!" she shouted. "Get out of my head!"
It was then that she saw a man standing in front of her, his back turned to her. She glimpsed at the short sandy-blond hair, and she immediately recognized him. A great burst of joy blossomed in her heart. "Luke!" she exclaimed, running over to him. "Luke, is that you?"
But Luke ignored her. His back was still turned to her, and he seemed to be talking to someone. Callista tried to listen, but his words came out as indecipherable mumblings. She couldn't see who he was talking to.
"What?!" a voice suddenly said--the same voice of the girl Callista had heard. "What are you...No...No, it can't be true. It can't be TRUE!"
"Luke?" Callista asked, her voice a soft whimper. He still didn't answer. "Luke, can you hear me?" She reached to touch him on the shoulder...
But he had disappeared. Callista was once again alone on the plateau. "What is going on?" she said, to no one. Her eyes returned to the horizon, and it seemed more empty than before. "What does this all mean?"
That depends from your point of view, a voice suddenly said.
Callista whirled, expecting to see someone standing behind her--another false image--but found no one. The voice was one she had never heard before. "Where are you?" she demanded, looking around the plateau, and then up at the sky. Had it come from...
I am everywhere, the voice said, echoing everywhere around her. It sounded so beautiful and peaceful, more so than anything Callista had heard in her life.
Do not be afraid of me. I am the essence of your soul, Callista. I know all, see all, surround all, penetrate all...and bind all. I am the creator of all living things. I am the source of a Jedi's power...the source of all life. I am the Kerash's Shemra.
Callista finally understood. "The Force?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper.
That is one way I am known. The voice indeed seemed to be emanating from the sky. But there was nothing up there...other than a few white clouds. Callista's knees suddenly became as weak as water, and she felt like collapsing. Never in her life had she imagined speaking to the Force itself. She had no idea what to do--kneel, cover her eyes, or run.
"You...You are actually the Force itself?" she said, unable to believe what she was hearing. Her eyes looked up. "Why am I here?"
You already know the answer to that, Callista.
"The Kerash?" she asked.
Yes.
Callista felt some of her strength return as she asked, "How can I defeat them? How can I destroy Arak?"
I created all life in the beginning of time. The gods were my first creation. For eons, they flourished, and I watched over them, like a proud mother. When Arak became corrupt, however, and started drawing power from darkness, I had no choice but to destroy her...and the rest of the other gods as well.
Callista remembered Kieran's story of the downfall of the gods. "You allowed Sheherhera to trap Arak in Raximidaj, knowing that it would destroy the other gods as well?" It was a painful decision, one that still haunts me, and one that will always haunt me until the end of time. But I did what had to be done. If Arak had corrupted the other gods, they would have become far too powerful for even me to quell them. I had no choice...and now, it looks as if Arak wants to be freed once again.
"How can I stop her?" Callista asked.
Calthzar. It is the key to defeating Arak once and for all. The Calthazar must be part of the Sacred Trinity when the final battle takes place. When Sheherhera went up against Arak with her Trinity, she lacked Calthazar, and that led to her downfall, as well as Arak's. With Calthazar, and the Angel of Light, you will be able to fight the goddess of the sun without losing your life.
Then, and only then, will Arak be destroyed for all time.
"What is Calthazar?" Callista said, in a more urgent tone. She was so close to finding the last piece to the puzzle. "What does it mean?" There was a painfully long pause, before the voice finally replied.
It means 'hope' in the ancient Anasazi language.
Callista stared up into the sky, dumbfounded beyond belief. "H-Hope? You mean, my.."
You named your daughter well, Callista. From the moment she was born, Hope was destined to end the reign of Arak. She can bring Arak from Raximidaj, and she can also destroy her. She is a powerful being, Callista, more so than anyone ever thought. The Force is strong with her, so strong that she could become the most powerful Jedi the galaxy has ever seen...if her powers are used right. Remember...the Force is stronger than any god. Remember this, and you will succeed.
Callista finally nodded, still unable to believe that the key to fighting Arak had been with her the whole time. Kieran had been right that the Angel of Light bore the Calthazar. The mother bore the daughter.
"I have another question," Callista suddenly said, managing to surprise herself. "Those visions I had, of Luke...what did they mean? Is it a possible future, or...?"
That is a question I cannot answer. That is for you to decide. You must choose your path yourself, Callista. It has been that way since the beginning. The future is always in motion. Never forget that. Nothing is written in stone...
 The voice seemed to be growing fainter and fainter. "Wait!" she shouted. "What about...How am I going to fight Arak? If she's in Raximidaj, how will Hope and I be able to..."
You will know in time. The plateau suddenly became enveloped in a wave of bright light, and before Callista's dream vanished, the final words of the Force whispered into her ears, I will be with you, Callista...always...

The first thing Leia felt when she awoke was grogginess, followed by a fresh burst of pain. She groaned, feeling the aftereffects of being hit by a neural disruptor. Few people survived after being hit with such a weapon. She could only be grateful that the intensity had been low.
Her eyes fluttered open, and the first person she saw was Xizor. She unconsciously started to back away, then realized that her arms were chained to the wall. Her lightsaber and blaster had been taken away from her. She risked a glance to her right, and saw Han chained next to her, still unconscious. Cray had been imprisoned on the other side of the room, surrounded by guards. Apparently, she had been awake for some time, and was regarding Xizor--and especially Guri, who stood protectively next to the Dark Prince, clutching a sharp torture hook--with a poisonous glare.
"Finally awake, are we?" Xizor said joyfully, clapping his clawed hands together. "I trust the neural disruptor wasn't...too painful for you."
Leia glowered at the Falleen. "You bastard, you're never going to win this. Why don't you just surrender now, and be done with it?"
Xizor chuckled, stepping closer to her. Leia realized that she had a perfect shot for his groin--but chose to remain still. She knew that any attempt at fighting while incapacitated would only make matters worse. Her chance to escape would come later.
For now, she had to play along with Xizor.
"I guess you haven't been paying much attention at what's going on," Xizor said, and gestured toward the viewscreen with one claw. "Take a look yourself. As you can see, your pitiful fleet is losing, even with the help of the Hapans."
Leia's eyes darted over to the screen. Xizor's words rang true; the battle was not going well for the Republic. Even now, the Star Destroyers were closing in on the remaining ships, forming a deadly triangle, all weapons blazing.
"How did you do it, Xizor?" Leia suddenly asked, turning back to the Falleen. "I saw the Falleen's Fist explode. There was no way you could have survived that--"
"Indeed, I didn't," he said, tracing his finger lightly down her jawline. The long, ragged claw felt sharp and unwelcome on Leia's skin. "Before my death, I had ordered to have clones, exact replicas of me, constructed and hidden deep within the Menarai Mountains, so that in case anything happened to me...I would rise to continue reigning over Black Sun. And as you can see..." Leia could feel his allure washing over her, trying to force her into surrendering herself to him. She drew strength from the Force, and quickly repelled it away. "Don't even try it, Xizor," she snapped. "That trick's not gonna work again."
Xizor sighed in mock-disappointment. "What is with you women?" he asked. "First Skywalker's woman, and now you. I swear, women these days are becoming harder to please..."
Leia almost gasped. Skywalker's woman...
 "What did you do to Callista?" she demanded.
"Oh, not much. Tried to seduce her, had sex with her, you know...the usual." Xizor smiled at the mention of making love to Callista. Leia listened with horror. The idea of her sister-in-law lying in the same bed with this...this worthless piece of slime disgusted her more than anything. Without even knowing it, she was struggling violently against the chains that held her back, determined to break free. Xizor laughed, watching the fruitless struggle with amusement.
"Don't even bother, Leia," he said. "Those chains are pure durasteel. Even the HRD over there," he gestured to Cray, "would have a hard time with them."
"Don't worry, Leia," Cray said from where she stood. "Callista's fine; she wouldn't touch him if he gave her all the credits in the galaxy. She probably kicked Xizor's sorry, amphibian ass all the way to the Maw Cluster."
Guri went over to Cray so fast that Leia's eyes only registered a large blur. The handle of the torture hook came out, striking Cray sharply across the face. The HRD reeled, but refused to scream in pain.
"Watch your tongue, Mingla!" Guri snapped, pressing the sharp point of the hook against her throat. "Or else you'll die, just like your original counterpart did."
Cray looked over at Guri with a glare so evil that Leia almost expected lasers to burst from her eyes and disintegrate the other HRD right where she was standing. But nothing happened, and Cray lowered her eyes, unmoving. Guri nodded in approval, and went to join Xizor again.
"You can't win this, Xizor," Leia said, her voice strong. She saw Guri playfully twirl the torture hook in one hand, but refused to be intimidated by it. "You may be able to keep Coruscant for a few days, or even a week at most, but in the end, we will claim what is ours." She stopped struggling with the chains, knowing that it would do no good.
Xizor did not look pleased. "Brave words, my dear. But in the end, that's all they are...mere words. I have complete control over this planet. My fleet is winning even as we speak. What makes you think you'll beat us?"
"Because even if you defeat us, the fight will continue on," Leia shot back. "There are over a thousand worlds devoted to the New Republic. They'll know of this incident, and they won't hesitate to stop you. And they will stop you, no matter how long it takes." "Silence!" the Dark Prince hissed, snatching her by the chin. The claws almost tore into her skin. "Don't make me rip your throat out before the battle is over." He eyed her face, a devilish sneer playing across his handsome face. "Perhaps I will even make hot, passionate love to you before I kill you. I'm sure your husband will appreciate that."
At that point, Han jerked awake. "Get your hands off my wife!" he threatened, pulling on his chains. "I swear, if you lay one hand on her, I'm gonna--"
"Enough!" Xizor snapped. "Or maybe I'll make an example of your husband, Leia. Maybe the sight of seeing him die before your eyes will change your attitude." He turned to Guri. "Guri, show the good President what lies in store for her and her friends." Guri nodded and stalked over to Han, the hook pointed squarely for his stomach, a terrifying smile stretching across her red lips. Luke, Leia thought, knowing that her brother would hear her. Luke, I need your help...

"Got another one!" Luke cheered as he blew another TIE fighter into oblivion. The black-armored ship exploded as the Slave IV's blaster cannons ripped it apart, causing a fireball that damaged the solar panel of another fighter, sending it careening into the hull of a destroyer.
"Great," Leanna replied sarcastically. "Now, only eight billion more TIE fighters to go. And that doesn't even count the Star Destroyers."
Luke favored the woman with a grin. "Oh, come on. Be a little more optimistic than that," he urged, swerving the ship aside to avoid a volley of turbolasers. "Pessimism won't get you anywhere."
This time, Leanna did smile. It was dry and bitter, but it was still a smile. "You're enjoying this fight far too much," she observed. "I thought you were supposed to be a Jedi Master."
Luke shrugged. "True. But I used to be a fighter pilot for the Rebel Alliance." As he spoke, he remembered the very first time he had gone into battle: the original Death Star skirmish in the Yavin System. It had been one of the most terrifying battles Luke had ever experienced. And yet...it also brought out a sense of excitement that Luke only felt when fighting. Now, in the midst of this battle, he felt it start to return.
"Two more fighters approaching," Kirana Ti said from her console. Seconds later, the Slave IV rocked as two interceptors attacked from behind, firing their cannons. The green bolts bounced harmlessly off the ship's shields. Luke swerved the bounty hunter ship to the right, doing a complete about- face to face the attackers. The two TIEs were taken completely by surprsie, and fell victim to a hail of proton torpedoes.
"Nice flying, Master Skywalker," Kam complimented, giving Luke a nod. As Luke prepared to reply, the ship began to shudder as it suffered several more hits. Luke's stomach lurched, and he almost threw up.
"Was that a Star Destroyer?" he shouted over the din.
"It's one of the Hapan ships," Kirana Ti said. "The Song of War."
"The Song of War?" Luke said in recognition. "Isolder."
As if on cue, the Hapan prince's voice erupted from the speakers. "Enemy ship, identify yourself."
Luke frantically grabbed the comm, just as the Slave IV was hit again. "Isolder! It's me, Luke Skywalker!"
"Luke?" Isolder sounded surprised. "What are you doing on--"
"It's a long story," Luke said hastily. "I need to talk to Leia, Isolder."
"She's on Coruscant," the prince explained. "She, Han, and a few others headed down to the Imperial Palace to eliminate Xizor. We haven't heard any word from them since."
Luke exchanged concerned glances with Kirana Ti and Kam, when he suddenly felt a cold chill through the Force. Leia's voice rang in his ears.
Luke...Luke, I need your help...
"Leia," Luke said, then spoke through the comm. "Isolder I'm going down there. I think Leia's in trouble. She needs help."
"I'm going to go check on Fett," Leanna suddenly said, turning to the Jedi Master. "Is that okay with you?"
Luke looked over at her, unsure of what to say. Something inside him told him what Leanna's intent was... "Okay," was all he said. "Hurry back, though. We're gonna need you when we land."
The Slave IV left the space battle and headed toward Coruscant.

Leanna left the cockpit and closed the door shut behind her. She had seen Skywalker's strange look as she had asked to check on the bounty hunter. She knew that he had a pretty good idea what she was planning to do. And she didn't care. If I'm going to kill him, she thought, now is the best time.
She looked over her shoulder to see that no one was following her, and strode off to finish what she had started so many years ago. She took out a single vibroblade from the holster on her leg, and headed down the narrow corridor, careful not to make too much noise, for several more of Skywalker's students were taking residence in the ship's various quarters.. Her eyes focused on the single door at the end of the hallway...where Fett had been imprisoned. She knew what was going to come, and she was both frightened and exhilirated...as well as pleased. Pleased that her revenge was finally coming.
Almost there, she thought. After so many years of searching, Llia, you're finally going to be avenged...
The door slid open when she punched in the code, and Leanna strode in without a greeting.
Fett was cuffed down to his cot, staring up at the ceiling, looking almost dead. He turned at the sound of Leanna entering. "Well, well, well," he said dryly. "If it isn't the mighty Leanna Kai, come to kill the big, scary bounty hunter." Despite the sarcastic words, his voice remained flat and emotionless.
"Shut up," Leanna snapped, heading over to the bounty hunter. "If you're not much of a prayer, Boba Fett, now would a great time to start." She pressed the blade against his throat, preparing to take the mask off so she could slit his throat.
Fett sighed in resignation. "Very well. But there's one small problem."
"And that is?"
Fett brought his head up so that their foreheads almost touched. "I picked my cuffs."