Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. This is merely a fan fiction.
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Rahm Kota stood in the center of a small dueling ring. He exhaled as his green lightsaber sprang to life. From the other side, a training droid entered, a yellow lightsaber hissing in its metallic grip.
Kota smiled.
While not as sophisticated as the Proxy-model, this droid was a skilled dueling unit all the same. It lunged for the aging Jedi Master.
Kota could not see the droid's attack. His duel with the original Starkiller had left him blinded. At first he had sunk into depression, drinking his days away at Bespin. But Galen Marek had given him his sight back in a new way.
Kota did not need his eyesight; in many ways, relying on the eyes limited a person. Kota had grown to rely on his other senses, such as hearing.
And so as the droid's weapon whirred towards him, Kota allowed his ears to guide his movement, deflecting the attack. The droid spun around in a full arc, reversing its grip. Kota parried, and countered, nicking the droid on the arm. Sparks sprang out from the exposed circuity.
The grin on Kota's face grew wider.
The training droid moved in from the opposite direction, and as it did, repulsor lifts built into its feet allowed it to glide into the air. Kota could no longer hear its footfalls.
But even hearing limited a person.
The Force was beyond the five senses. As the levitating droid moved in for the kill, Kota heard the Force echoing its movements. He slid under its defenses, bringing his lightsaber up between the droid's legs and upwards through its head. The droid separated into two halves, and collapsed in a sparking heap.
Kota slowly turned as the doors to the training room opened. "General Kota."
"What is it, Juno?"
"We ... have a situation, sir."
Mechanical breathing filled the room as Kota sensed a dark presence enter.
"Vader."
But how? He was restrained, the Force suppressors binding him.
The answer came with a second dark presence. The Man in Black, the spy they had captured earlier. But of course! He had wanted to be captured! Kota cursed himself for his oversight.
Kota angled his lightsaber up in a defensive stance. "I spent years trying to lure you out of hiding, Vader. And when you made your move, you sent a boy to face me. I've always regretted not having the opportunity to face you myself."
"A regret you will have to live with," Vader replied. He raised his hand, and Juno was lifted off the ground. Her hands went immediately to her throat as she gasped for air. "You will surrender yourself to me. Or have this woman's blood on your hands."
The Dark Lord tightened his grip.
Kota tossed his saber aside. "As you wish."
Vader dropped Juno to the ground as the Man in Black moved to secure him. Kota, meanwhile, only smiled. "Starkiller's on his way back here. He'll finish what he began on Kamino."
The Sith Lord used the Force to lift Kota off the ground. "I am counting on it, General Kota."
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As Starkiller and Proxy reached the outskirts of the Academy, they could already see a battle raging outside. Rebel troops fought against dozens of Imperial stormtroopers. Scout walkers were already on the move.
"Vader. He's free." He turned to the droid. "Proxy, get to the hangar. Get the Rogue Shadow primed."
"Yes, sir. And what about you?"
"I'm getting Juno."
Proxy turned and headed away from the main fighting. Starkiller ignited his twin blades, and jumped into the fray.
As he crossed a bridge over a small creek, the first stormtrooper never saw his dual-sabers coming - until the blades jutted through the front of his armor from behind. Starkiller tossed the trooper aside. The rest of the stormtroopers turned their attention away from the Rebels to face this newest threat.
Starkiller made short work of them.
He looked up to see a squad of Rebel troops holed up near the entrance to the academy sublevels. An AT-ST walker was headed right for them. Starkiller sprinted towards it, blasting it with Force Lightning.
The walker turned around to face the young Jedi.
Starkiller leaped out of the way as its cannons raged, before jumping up, blasting the walker with lightning from midair. He then Force Pushed himself backwards off of the walker's head, before landing and tossing both sabers. The weapons cut through the wiring of the walker's legs like butter, throwing it off balance.
Starkiller gathered more energy, before using the Force to lift the AT-ST into the air, and literally began tearing it apart at the molecular level. The Imperial pilots inside scrabbled out, and watched in horror as the walker was literally shredded in midair. They were quickly taken captive by the Rebels. Starkiller approached the Rebel leader, Wedge Antilles.
"How did the Empire find us so soon?" he asked.
Wedge shrugged. "I don't know. It was a surprise attack. A Star Destroyer appeared on our scopes out of nowhere and began dropping troops. That was only the first wave. We have to evacuate quickly."
"Where is Juno?"
"I'm not sure. Last I saw Captain Eclipse, she was scrabbling to get a defense coordinated."
Starkiller felt a pulse in the Force. "Vader has her." He turned to Wedge. "Continue with evacuation procedures. I'm going into the sublevels."
"I wouldn't recommend it," Wedge replied. "This Academy is rigged with automated defenses. They've been hacked somehow. If you go down there, you'll be facing a number of Jedi training droids."
Starkiller wasn't fazed. "Then I'll cut a swathe right through them."
He walked past Wedge and with a wave of his hand, entered the sublevels.
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Vader and the Man in Black led Juno and Kota into the chamber where Vader had been kept prisoner. Inside was the Force-suppressing unit. The Dark Lord motioned for Kota to get in.
Kota hesitated.
"Enter that machine." Vader began Force Choking Juno again. "Or she dies right now."
Kota bit his lip, and then entered the machine that once held Vader prisoner. The Man in Black waved his hand, and the machine sprang to life. Kota was unable to move.
The aged Jedi glared at the helmeted Sith Lord. "You wanted to get caught on Kamino, didn't you Vader? What's your game?"
"None of that is your concern. For now, pray that Starkiller gets here."
"You're luring him to you. Using me and Juno as bait."
"Starkiller will come for you," Vader answered. "The fear of loss will motivate him."
"And then you kill him?"
"We will see who the stronger of the two truly is," Vader replied. And it was then that Kota realized that Vader was not speaking of himself.
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It's too quiet, Starkiller thought as he wandered through the hallways of the sublevel. After the destruction of this enclave during the First Jedi Civil War, salvagers would venture in to find valuable Jedi artifacts. Once again, after the Jedi Purge nineteen years ago, the sublevels had been picked clean.
Except for the training droids that General Kota had commissioned for practice.
Starkiller's weapons flared on as two training droids rushed him from the sides. Starkiller thrust both his weapons out, parrying the lightsabers of the two robots. He flipped out of the way, reversing himself so as to prevent them from surrounding him.
That's when the snap-hiss of another lightsaber sent a shudder up his spine. He spared a glance behind him to see another training droid advancing on him. This one was larger than the other two and wielded a green double-bladed saber.
All three droids attacked at once.
Starkiller Force Repulsed them, trying to keep a distance, trying to keep from getting surrounded.
He then tried to fry the nearest droid with Force Lightning.
The droid merely absorbed the lightning, which had no effect but to merely recharge it. Starkiller's eyes widened. "That could be a problem."
The three droids moved in on him, hacking, slashing, parrying. The darkness of the sublevels was illuminated by flashes of blue, green and yellow. Force Lightning didn't affect them. Repulsing them only kept them at bay for a moment.
There has to be a way to take them all down at once.
That's when his eyes fell on a computer console in the nearby room. Starkiller whirled around, and Force Pushed himself backwards off a nearby wall into the computer room. The door slammed shut after him.
I'm only going to get one chance at this. Gotta make it count!
Starkiller sliced into the computer console behind him. He began entering the overload program.
Behind him, the tip of a green blade stabbed through the door. The droids were breaking in.
Come on, come on, he mentally urged the computer.
The door was thrown clean across the room, nearly decapitating Starkiller. He looked around as all three training droids entered the room, encircling him.
Starkiller hit the final button on the console, which began sparking with energy.
More energy built up.
About to blow.
And nothing happened.
The droids simultaneously attacked, hammering into Starkiller. The young Jedi parried the two regular droids, before sliding between the legs of the larger one.
Now he was back out in the hall, and the droids were in the room. Starkiller raised his hand and lightning tore from his fingertips.
The droids stood there, unfazed.
But no. He had not aimed at the droids. He aimed at the console. The lightning ran through it, overloading the terminal.
Starkiller holstered his weapons and raised his second arm, pouring even more energy into the computer.
KABOOM!
The force of the explosion threw Starkiller back into a wall as the entire computer room exploded in a shower of light. Droid parts were flung everywhere. As he rose up, the head of the larger training droid landed at his feet. He kicked it aside.
A tremor in the Force.
"I'm coming Juno!"
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The Man in Black turned away from a holofeed featuring Starkiller. "He is more resourceful than you gave him credit for, Lord Vader."
"Then let us hope that he is not as resourceful as you. For your sake."
The Man in Black chuckled. "We're about to find out, aren't we? He is here."
The door to the room was blasted off its hinges as Starkiller stormed in. His lightsabers sprang to life. "VADER! Where is she?!"
The lights to the room flared on. Juno was hanging from the ceiling by her wrists, energy binders keeping her in place. Kota was encased in the very same Force suppressor that once housed Vader.
Starkiller pointed the tip of his lightsaber at the Dark Lord. "YOU LET THEM GO!"
"Your anger has served you well. Now surrender yourself completely to the Dark Side."
Starkiller twirled his swords. "I will never serve it or you again!"
"You will always serve me." The Dark Lord motioned to the Man in Black, who stepped forward. He reached up, pulling back his hood and removing the black mask.
His face looked exactly like Starkiller's.
Starkiller's mouth was agape. "H-how?"
"I lied when I told you that the cloning process had not been perfected," Vader thundered. Next to him, the second clone, the "Dark Apprentice", folded his arms and smirked.
"Impossible," Kota yelled. "Jedi can't be cloned! This is a trick!"
Vader turned to Starkiller. "You still have great potential. And I still may have use for you." He nodded to the Dark Apprentice, who, with a flick of his wrists, ignited two red lightsabers. "But first I have to determine which of the two of you are worthy to be my apprentice." The Dark Lord made for the door. "In the meantime, I have other things to attend to." He exited, and Kota could only watch as the Dark Apprentice menaced on Starkiller.
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TIE Bombers had begun strafing runs on the enclave, thundering the inside with falling walls and flying shrapnel. Wedge Antilles thrust his way through some burning columns as he reached a newly outfitted hangar.
Several Rebel troops and officers were boarding a Medium Transport as Wedge made his way towards a Y-wing. He was greeted by two other pilots.
"Is everyone out?" he asked.
The larger pilot shrugged. "I think so. We have to move quickly, the bombers are making another pass."
"What about General Kota?"
"I haven't seen him. I would assume he got out."
"And Starkiller?"
Again the large pilot shrugged. "To be honest, I haven't seen him since he went down into the sublevels."
Wedge wrung his hands. "You two - go on ahead of me. Protect the transports. That Star Destroyer out there isn't going to just sit there twiddling its thumbs." He turned and began heading out of the hangar.
"Where are you going?"
"I'll be along in a minute," Wedge called over his shoulder. "Just protect those transports at all costs, you hear me Porkins?"
"Yes, sir."
Wedge made sure his blaster was secure as he made for the sublevels.
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Sparks flew as Starkiller and the Dark Apprentice violently clashed sabers. The two circled, their arms never slowing in a frenzied dance.
More sparks.
The Dark Apprentice sliced a panel free of the wall, which he then threw at Starkiller. Starkiller deflected, just in time to parry a sideswipe from his foe. They circled again.
Kota could not believe what was happening before his eyes. It was like watching two halves of a whole fighting together. They knew each other's moves, techniques, weaknesses.
But how? It was impossible to clone a Jedi, wasn't it? But yet, there the Dark Apprentice was, an exact replica of Starkiller. With a nastier disposition to boot.
But what did this mean for Starkiller? Could the original truly be dead then? Could the Starkiller he had fought alongside with on Kamino truly be a clone as well?
The Dark Apprentice blasted Starkiller back with Force Lightning, before unleashing a Force Repulse, blasting him straight through a wall into the next room. He leaped after him.
Starkiller pushed debris from off of him, and rolled out of the way as the red saber nearly made its mark. He sprung to his feet, spinning into another attack. The Dark Apprentice lazily turned his swords aside, before charging again, knocking Starkiller through some equipment.
"You know," the Dark Apprentice said as he stood over Starkiller. "I was expecting something a little more ... grandiose."
Starkiller pushed himself to his feet. "Don't worry, I'm not done yet."
"Good."
The Dark Apprentice used the Force to pull the wall behind Starkiller down. Starkiller whirled around, blasting the debris away.
One second two slow.
The Dark Apprentice nicked him in the shoulder, and Starkiller yelped in pain. He spun his sword, narrowly parrying another attack.
The Dark Apprentice blasted him back into the third room - what appeared to be a library. Ancient artifacts littered the large room. The Dark Apprentice didn't give Starkiller the time to look around. He tore into him, and their four sabers clashed again.
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Kota was beginning to abandon hope when someone appeared in the doorway. "That you, kid?"
"Depends, General. Which kid are you talking about?"
"Antilles?"
Wedge approached the Force-suppressing unit. "Don't worry, General, I'm going to get you out of here."
"Don't worry about me, just yet." Kota nodded his head towards the half-conscious Juno, who was hanging by her wrists. "Get her first, before her arms dislocate."
"Yes, General."
And Wedge began the work involved in freeing her from the energy binders.
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Starkiller pressed his back against a large shelving, filled with hundreds of holobooks. He was on the second level of the library. He reached out with his feelings, sensing for his opponent.
His eyes widened as the tip of a red blade carved through the shelving, melting away several holobooks. The shelving was then tipped over; Starkiller rolled out of the way. The Dark Apprentice was there instantly, crossing both blades in a scissor attack. Starkiller lashed out with his foot, kicking the Dark Apprentice over the edge of the balcony.
As he fell, the Dark Apprentice Force Pulled Starkiller with him, nearly impaling the Jedi clone. Starkiller repulsed him in mid-fall, and the two landed on their feet, facing each other.
And their swords clashed again.
Starkiller's face dripped with sweat. The Dark Apprentice grinned as he turned aside an attack. "You are growing weary. As for me, I am as energized as ever. This is the power of the Dark Side, the power that you could have wielded."
The Dark Apprentice Force Pushed him, smashing Starkiller into a Jedi statue. Starkiller dropped to the ground, his lightsabers rolling away. Force Lightning tore through Starkiller, blasting him further across the floor. He winced as the Dark Apprentice casually strode towards him.
Starkiller reached out, trying to summon one of his fallen lightsabers. The Dark Apprentice's boot crushed his wrist, grinding it into the cold, metal floor.
"How could you possibly be a clone of Marek?" The Dark Apprentice shook his head, his nose wrinkled in disgust. "The original Starkiller was able to take on both Lord Vader and the Emperor by himself. But you ... your compassion and love for that woman have made you weak."
"Sometimes a person's friends are their strongest assets!" The voice rang out from behind. Kota, Juno and Wedge appeared in the door of the library.
The Dark Apprentice laughed. "All of you in one place? Good. Then you can all die - TOGETHER!"
The Dark Apprentice raised his arms, and a giant cave-in ensued. Kota held up his arms, holding back the ceiling from caving in. "Blast ... I can't ... hold it for long!"
"Now that he's preoccupied ..." The Dark Apprentice Force Pulled Juno into his grip.
Starkiller's eyes flashed. "Let. Her. Go."
"Oh the familiar places," the Dark Apprentice mocked. "You never learned the first lesson of Lord Vader's training. You must hate what the original loved." He looked at Juno, and his face was filled with contempt.
Starkiller struggled to pull himself to his feet, but the Dark Apprentice's other boot pinned his chest to the floor. "The difference between you and me is that I gleefully followed that lesson. Allow me to demonstrate."
The Dark Apprentice sheathed his lightsabers, before procuring a strange-looking, black vibroblade. Juno's eyes turned into saucers at the sight. The Dark Apprentice slashed her across the chest, before hurling her across the room.
"NOOOO!"
Starkiller Force Repulsed the Dark Apprentice off of him, before summoning both of his lightsabers and charging. The Dark Apprentice merely smiled. "Good. Feed into your anger. Just like on Kamino."
Starkiller hesitated for a moment, realizing how nearly he had fallen on Kamino.
The Dark Apprentice took advantage of it by blasting Starkiller back into a wall, then running him through the shoulder with a lightsaber. Starkiller let out a tiny gasp, and then slid to the floor in a heap.
The Dark Apprentice blasted a hole in the wall, making his triumphant exit.
Kota, unable to hold the ceiling back anymore, collapsed as the entire building caved in.
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And Starkiller lay there, covered in debris. His pupils dilated, as he finally surrendered to oblivion.
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"No! You mustn't give in to despair! Give in to despair ... and the Dark Side will have already claimed you!"
The voice came from everywhere and nowhere at once. Starkiller saw only white surrounding him. But as he slowly lifted his eyes up, he saw a figure in Jedi robes. A man with long hair was approaching him.
"In our darkest moments, hope is a gift that we give ourselves. Once a person gives up hope, they might as well be a machine. Like Vader."
"Who ... who are you?" Starkiller asked weakly.
"I am Qui-Gon Jinn. And I've come to save a lost soul. Your friends need you. You must stand up."
"I can't. Too ... weak. Covered in ... debris."
"Don't think. Feel."
"But I -."
"There are no buts. There is only the Force."
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"YAAAARRRGGGHHHH!"
The debris from the collapsed ceiling blew apart, shredded into nothing as Starkiller blasted it clean away. There - Juno! He saw her, and, despite his wounds, picked her up. She exhaled ... she was still breathing!
And there - Wedge Antilles. He had managed to escape the cave-in. Starkiller nodded at him. "Get Master Kota."
Wedge had been standing there, mouth agape at seeing the Jedi blast himself free like that. Starkiller's words brought him back to reality. "Oh, right!" Kota had taken a hit on the head and lay unconscious. Wedge scooped the aged Jedi Knight up, and they exited the room.
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Outside, the TIE Bombers blasted what was left of the Rebel Base/Jedi Enclave into oblivion.
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Starkiller and Wedge stood on a hilltop overlooking their base, watching the explosion. Starkiller turned away, his anger at his former master growing. No, I reject my anger. There is no emotion. There is peace.
Wedge looked worried. "I think all the transports got away." He glanced over at Starkiller. "But how are we getting off planet?"
A blast of wind engulfed them as the Rogue Shadow descended. Starkiller managed a smile. "That answer your question?"
In the cockpit, Proxy flipped a switch and a landing ramp opened. Starkiller and Wedge, carrying Juno and Kota, climbed aboard. And the Rogue Shadow took to the stars.
Starkiller carried Juno towards the rear of the ship, Wedge in tow. "We need to get them to the medbay."
"And what about you? You literally got impaled with a lightsaber. How are you still functioning?"
Starkiller frowned. He had been so fixed on rescuing Juno and Kota that he hadn't even thought about his wounds. Now all the pain from the wound in his shoulder came screaming back.
He delicately placed Juno on a cot, Kota next to her.
Starkiller, then overcome with his wounds, collapsed to the cold floor of the ship into unconsciousness.
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The Imperial Star Destroyer, the Devastator, hovered in space. Darth Vader stood on the bridge, arms folded. The droids in the Star Destroyer's medbay had furbished a new droid hand to replace the one Vader lost on Kamino.
And now the Dark Lord watched as he felt the Rebel base get wiped away.
Behind him, the Dark Apprentice entered the bridge and knelt down. "It is done, my Master."
"And you have made sure not to kill him?"
"He won't be doing any action for a while, but he'll be alright. The Rogue Shadow departed Dantooine not even ten minutes ago."
"Good. And you made sure to use that vibroblade I gave you on the woman?"
"I have, my Master."
Vader turned around to look at his new acolyte. "You have done well, my new apprentice."
"Forgive me, my Lord, but why go to all this trouble? Why not just kill him?"
"That does not concern you. You are dismissed."
"Very good, my lord." The Dark Apprentice turned and walked away, fists clenched that Vader's orders were for his "brother" to continue to live.
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