Chapter 12

Hyperspace reverted back to real space as Starkiller emerged in Ossus's system. The planet loomed up ahead, filling the viewscreen as it got closer. Darth Fier meditated in his cabin and prepared for what was to come. His master had given him his orders and it was his duty to carry them out. Once he had done so everything would be in place, just as his Master had said it would be. It was only a matter of time. Fier heard the console beep as he received a message from the planet.

"Unidentified ship," a female voice said over the intercom. "You are entering Ossus airspace. Send us your ship identification and you will be cleared to land." Darth Fier got up from his meditation and sent his identification codes down to the planet. "Starkiller, you are cleared to land. Follow the coordinates sent to you and welcome to Ossus." Lord Fier smiled. This would be a day long remembered.

-

Jade Shadow emerged in Sector Lamda of the Unknown Regions.

"We're finally here," Luke said. "Is there any sign of Ben?"
"I don't know," Mara said. "But I'm sending out a message in the general area, so if he is here hopefully he'll respond."

"Something doesn't feel right." Luke said.

"What do you-"Mara started to ask when the com board began to beep. "Hold on, we're picking up something. It looks like a distress beacon."
"Can you tell where it is coming from?"

"Yes, there are coordinates here as well." Mara said.

"Then let's see what it is." Luke said and plotted the coordinates in the navicomputer and shot out into hyperspace.

-

Starkiller landed on the landing platform. Inside Lord Fier had returned to his meditation as he prepared himself. He silently repeated the Sith code. He did not bother to exit the ship as of yet, instead waiting a moment for the reinforcements his master had promised him. He felt a familiar presence approach him. It was one of his former training masters, Kam Solusar. The Master approached the docked ship and waited outside. Fier knew it was time to leave. The hatch opened.

-

"Look at that" Mara said as Jade Shadow reverted back to real space. Filling the viewport in front of her was the wreckage of several ships, including one ancient Imperial Interdictor cruiser. "The distress beacon is coming from the Interdictor."

Luke reached into the Force. "I sense something on the ship. It's weak but whoever sent the call is still alive."

"Let's see what they have to say." Mara said and sent a message to the derelict ship. "Attention cruiser, this is the Jade Shadow, we received your distress call. If you get this please respond."

For a moment nothing happened, but then someone answered them. "Thank the Force, someone found us," someone said, very happy, over the intercom. "My name is Lieutenant Koln, acting commander of this vessel."

"What happened here?" Luke asked.

"I'll just tell you the truth," Koln said. "We were pirates and were waiting here to intercept ships. We figured because we are so isolated from everyone no security forces would find us. Several months ago we intercepted a small ship and tried to capture it, but they fought us and got away. Our captain was killed during the fight. The remaining crew and I that survived diverted all remaining power to life support and sent out the distress beacon. It was all we could do to stay alive. Please, we know we're pirates but we don't want to die. Please, help us."

"Of course we will," Luke said. "But we will have to turn you over to the proper authorities afterwards."

"Yes, of course," Lieutenant Koln said. "We don't care anymore as long as we're safe."

"Stand by as we dock." Mara said as they approached the vessel.

"Lieutenant, do you remember what the ship looked like that did this to you?" Luke asked.

"Yes, I do." Koln said and described it.

-

"Ben Skywalker, welcome back to Ossus," Kam Solusar said as Ben walked down the ship's hatch. "Where have you been? Your parents have been worried about you."

Ben didn't respond but continued to look straight ahead of him, at the Temple.

"Is something wrong?" Kam asked. "You seem different."

"I am." Ben said. He ignited his lightsaber and sliced Kam's left arm clean off his shoulder. Kam screamed in pain and surprise as he grasped his severed arm.

"Ben, what are you doing?" Kam asked, doubled over in pain.

"Ben Skywalker is dead," He said. "Now there is only Darth Fier."

Ships appeared in the skies above Ossus. Not a few or several but many ships, completely filling up the sky. Kam looked up and saw the massive triangular ships. They looked like Star Destroyers but a much older and different kind. Kam recognized them from history holovids. These ships dated back to the Old Republic, judging by their appearance.

"What is going on?" Kam asked.

"Nothing that concerns you anymore." Darth Fier said and sliced off Kam Solusar's head. It rolled away, eyes open in shock. Ben deactivated his blade and made his way for the Temple.

-

"It can't be," Luke said. "Ben would never intentionally kill so many lives if he did not have to."

"For the most part they were only defending themselves," The Lieutenant said. "But in their last run the brought our own missiles down on us. That caused the most destruction."

"This isn't good," Luke said. "Now we must find Ben."

"But where should we look now?" Mara said.

Pain and surprise erupted throughout the Force. It was like a wall that both Mara and Luke had collided into. They felt the cries erupting through the Force, of pain and of death. They both collapsed to the floor and struggled to remain conscious as the wall toppled over them. It was a wave of pain and deceit, and of death. And both Luke and Mara felt it, at the center of it all, was Ben.