The New Jedi Knights: Fate of the Force

Chapter 4: Defenders of Earth and the Knights' Future

By MagicMansion

Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars, Yoda, Obi-Wan, or Luke Skywalker. The characters Josh, Jarrod, Kyle, Victor, Shawn, Mary, Rebecca, and Abby belong to me.

"Ok everyone, attack formation," Luke said. He pressed a button and put the X-Wing into attack mode. He saw the other X-Wings and the B-Wing do the same. They flew out in front of the cruiser, and soon saw squadrons of Tie Fighters flying towards them.

"Ok everyone, be careful and take care of those Tie Fighters. Watch for Tie Bombers, they'll be make runs for the cruiser."

The fighters flew past each other, and then turned around, and the battle started.

Luke quickly took out a squadron of five Tie Fighters himself, and his Padawans were very good, among each other, they took out three squadrons. He saw Shawn and Victor fly off together, headed for the cruiser. He saw two Tie Bombers in front of them, and, as he had guessed, they were headed for the cruiser.

"Victor, they'll be heading for the engines. We've got to take them out before they get there."

"I know that Shawn. I'm getting the one on the left."

The two fighters pulled up behind their targets, and fired at them. As Luke had guessed, the bombers were quite good at narrowly avoiding the lasers. But Victor and Shawn kept on them, hitting the cruiser with every missed shot, but Luke knew the lasers would not damage the ship's armor, only bombs would. The two kept getting closer and closer to hitting their target, but they were getting close to the end of the ship. Victor finally hit his, but Shawn's was still going. Victor pulled out and rejoined the battle away from the cruiser. Shawn finally hit his, and took an extra shot, and Luke saw a bomb explode just before hitting the cruiser. It would do a little damage, but the cruiser would be ok for the jump to light speed.

"Good job Green 1 and 2," Luke said.

The battle raged on, and the Tie Fighters finally began retreating into a Star Destroyer. Luke suddenly knew what was going on.

"All units, prepare for a jump to light speed. That Star Destroyer has a weapon on it much like the Death Star's. We need to get out of here before we get caught in the blast."

"Master Skywalker, we can take out that weapon," Shawn said.

"Padawans, do not disobey me. Prepare for light speed."

But Luke saw himself in them as they did exactly what he had told them not to. They pulled away from the cruiser, which was preparing for a jump. The pilot of the cruiser sent Luke the coordinates to meet at, and jumped to light speed. Luke followed the fighters to the Star Destroyer. Lasers fired at them as they flew over the surface of the Star Destroyer.

"Ok everyone, let's do this," Josh said.

"Ok then," Luke said. "Red Squadron, in front to clear out the laser, Yellow Squadron behind them and to the left and right. Green Squadron; get a lock on those two laser generators. They are your targets."

The X-Wings pulled to the front and shot the laser stations, the Y-Wings destroyed the opposing fighters headed for them. At the rear of the Star Destroyer, the Red and Yellow Squadrons pulled up, and Victor and Shawn veered off to the left and right. They shot the now glowing laser generators, which exploded when the laser blasts hit them. The fighters flew away from the Star Destroyer, which was quickly blowing up from the rear. All of the fighters jumped to light speed, except for Luke, who watched to be sure the Star Destroyer blew up completely instead of crashing into the planet. After it had been disintegrated by its own power, Luke jumped to the coordinates. When he came out, he heard cheering from the cruiser.

It seemed the people from Earth in the cruiser were cheering for his Padawans. He knew they deserved it though; they had just saved their home planet from being destroyed. Luke felt the Empire would not go after Earth for a while anymore, since it had nothing of a threat to them. Luke knew the Empire had gone after Earth solely for the purpose of destroying the rumored Jedi there. Now that the Empire knew the Jedi were in the Republic, they would send their armies to Republic systems to draw out the Jedi.

"Great job my Padawans," Luke said. "I'm very proud of you all. I'm also sorry that I told you to jump to light speed. Thinking on it, I myself would have done the same a long time ago."

"Master, you did do the same thing when Yoda told you not to save your friends."

Luke sighed. They were right. He had indeed cut his training short despite his master's orders, just as they had disobeyed him to save their planet.

"Okay everyone, let's land on Coruscant. My Padawans, we will land at the Jedi Temple, the Rebel Cruiser will unload in an area around the temple, so everyone from Earth will be around the temple."

His Padawans landed at the Jedi Temple, which was mostly ruins, except for a few areas where Luke had told the droids to rebuild. The cruiser landed in a section of the city which had been closed off for the people of Earth, and Luke saw the crew attempting to get families together and to their new houses.

Everyone got out of their fighters, and the eight of them started towards the temple with Luke leading the way, R2 by his side.

"Okay everyone, you'll be staying in the Jedi Temple from now on. Since you have no lightsabers or anything of the sort right now, you may go spend some time with your families. Your immediate families have been gathered at a meetinghouse in this section of the city, and one of my close friends will explain everything to them upon your arrival."

They all bowed. "Yes Master," they said.

"Oh, before you all leave…" Luke walked over to a set of sliding doors. He pressed a button, and the doors slid open. A bunch of robes hung in the small closet. He smiled. "What's a Jedi without his robes?"

Everyone laughed, and they each grabbed their robes before heading to the meetinghouse. Luke admired them as they left: they'd had a destiny thrown at them, and he knew they had mixed feelings of leaving home, coming to train with him, and not being able to see their families as often as they would like.

"Luke," a familiar voice said.

Luke turned around. "Ben."

Obi-Wan's spirit appeared behind him. "Luke, you've done a wonderful job. I assume you will begin their training tomorrow?"

"Ben, they've already surpassed all of my training. I sense the Force has been quick with them. The only training they need is using a real lightsaber. I believe they are otherwise capable of their abilities."

"I see." Obi-Wan sat down. "And you believe they are ready to handle the threat at hand?"

"I'm not sure. I don't know if I'm ready."

"Hm, ready you do not think yourself?"

Yoda's spirit appeared next to Obi-Wan.

"Master Yoda, my Padawans and I, I don't know if we're ready to handle the return of a Sith."

Obi-Wan nodded. "Luke, I remember when I fought Darth Maul as a Padawan. The Jedi Order had no idea what sort of abilities he possessed until after he was dead. But, the Force will guide you in your battles, remember that. If the Sith present a challenge to you and your Padawans, the Force will guide you through it, as it did I and Qui-Gon."

"But Ben, I can't take my Padawans into battle if I think they are in danger of being killed."

"Hm, ready are your Padawans for battle young Skywalker," Yoda said. "Faith, I have in them. Strong is the Force on their side. Invincible, they may become. But beware: their future, I cannot sense. Leads to the dark side, overconfidence does."

"I understand Master."

"And," Yoda said. "Sense do I, love among your Padawans. Not for their families, no, but for each other. Stronger is some love more than others. When separating them, cautious your decisions must be."

"Separating? I was going to keep them together."

"You can't do that Luke," Obi-Wan said. "Just as with the old Jedi Order, Jedi were only in large groups during large battles where all of them were needed. If Master Yoda thinks they are capable, they will need to be separated in order to take down the new Empire."

"But what if a Sith attacks one of them?"

"Hm, clouded is the Dark Side. Focused on power is the Dark Side. Care, however, the Sith do not, for anything but destruction. Care for the safety of those they love, your Padawans do. Lead them to victory, I believe, love will."

"But what if one of them does get killed."

Yoda nodded. "Hm, the worst fate, death is not."

Obi-Wan nodded in agreement.

"I understand Master."

Yoda nodded after Luke bowed, and disappeared.

"Luke, you must be confident in what the Force tells you. The Force will guide you in your decisions, and destiny will take its course. There is nothing you can do to change destiny, and if it means one of your Padawans has a grim fate, it is necessary to bring balance back to the Force."

"I understand Master."

Luke bowed, and Obi-Wan disappeared. Luke sighed, and began construction on practice sabers and real lightsabers.

Well, I hope everyone liked the chapter. I'll put up more soon. Oh, and for my friend Trooper, I'm sorry, but the way we update on this site is one chapter at a time. If that's a problem for you, let me know, and I'll just have to put the whole story up.