METACORN

"Kira!" Tahiri shouted as her friend continued to slam her fists onto the table, her head sunken, "Stop it!"

Kira could not register the sensation of physical pain in her hands and forehead- to her, everything was sinking into a black hole and was doomed to fall forever.

"I can't believe I told him," Kira cried, "Just for Sam, after he left us! I hate him!"

Even as she ranted, Kira knew that she didn't mean it, but she could not stop picturing Ben, her mother, Luke, and all of the other Jedi who would inevitably find out what she had done.

She only barely felt Tahiri shake her by the shoulders.

"Kira, there's nothing you can do now. We have to get out of here."

Kira limply allowed Tahiri to pull her up to her feet, stumbling in her wake over the bodies slumped in the chairs and on the floor.

Two foreign ships hovered over the tiny settlement whose residents and tourists were now fleeing as fast as they could in speeders and small freighter ships

Through the aerial traffic, Sam's Blue Harvest and Ben's Jedi StealthX began to descend towards the street, not bothering to land in the docking bay which was now buzzing with activity.

Kira felt nothing but dread at her brother's arrival, acutely aware of the lump protruding in her throat. He would hate her now, certainly, after she'd doomed them all.

"It's going to be okay," Tahiri whispered, pulling Kira along towards the two descending ships as they docked in the middle of the street.

Sam and Ben exited their vessels at the same time, rushing towards the women as they approached.

"Kira, are you okay?" Ben asked, taking his sister's arm gently.

"Ben," Kira replied, trying to fight back another round of sobs. She felt so weak and foolish and pathetic all at once, she almost wished she would die to escape the terrible thing she had done. "Ben, it's all my fault, everybody is in danger now and it's my fault!"

Sam backed off slightly and looked away, feeling guilty for his role in the turn of events.

"It's my fault too," he said in Kira's defense, "I should have taken the hit before Kira said anything. My life isn't with more than all the Jedi in the academy."

"You don't need to remind me!" Kira lashed at him, relieved that he was okay, hating him for leaving and getting himself into such a perilous situation, and hating herself for being blinded by what had felt like a shallow crush, not even true love.

"Both of you, stop blaming yourselves," Ben instructed Kira and Sam, "We have to move on and do what we can to help the others."

"We'll have to tell Master Skywalker," Tahiri said, "and contact the Jedi Council on Ossus."

Kira's heart sank at her friend's words- the idea of facing Luke and her parents when they knew what had happened was more than she could handle.

"He already knows," Ben replied, "He sensed the disturbance right when I did. He's going back to the Academy with Mom and Dad."

"Are you going to tell him how?" Tahiri asked on Kira's behalf. Kira couldn't even bring herself to ask Ben to keep her secret.

"No," Ben promised, "He doesn't have to know."

Kira managed a tearful smile of gratitude in response to Ben.

"I want to go with you, Ben," Kira said petulantly, "I'm tired of running from Skyler and the Coalition."

"Kira, you went after him once, and look what happened!" Ben replied, harsher than he had meant to.

Kira looked away shamefully, silently letting the tears stream down.

"I'm sorry," Ben said, placing a comforting hand on Kira's shoulder, "I didn't mean that. I just don't think you should be taking any more risks."

"I'm a Jedi," Kira choked through her tears, "And this is my responsibility. I need to fight him and stop him from destroying everything."

"No," Ben told her, "I know you want to make things right, but you aren't ready. You shouldn't seek him out just to fight. Not while you're feeling so vulnerable."

Kira looked at her older brother through her watery eyes, trembling as she hugged him.

"I don't want him to hurt you," she said, "Like he did last time. I want to be there with you."

"Uncle Luke and Mom will be there," Ben promised, "They can handle just about anything."

He lowered his voice and guided Kira a short distance from the others.

"I don't know everything that happened between you and Sam, but I know that going with him instead of me is the best thing for you right now. We have to think about the bigger picture, right?"

Kira nodded, knowing that her brother was right. "I guess so."

"Good," Ben patted her gently on the back and led her back to Sam and Tahiri.

"I guess you're in for a rough ride," Sam said forlornly to Ben. Kira cringed just thinking about it.

"I don't know how much of his own dirty work Skyler will do, but this will be a personal errand for him. I'll be able to get him alone, no problem."

"Good luck," Tahiri said.

"Thanks," Ben replied, "May the Force be with you all."

He leaned closer to Kira one more time and whispered, "It'll be okay, I promise. Just stick with your friends and it'll be okay."

Kira silently nodded and foolishly threw her arms around her brother, holding him tight as he returned the hug before pushing himself off.

Without another word, Ben quickly started back to his StealthX and climbed in. He wasted no time in taking off, lifting out of the trading post avenue into the horizon.

The three who remained couldn't bear to look at one another, not after everything that had transpired since they'd arrived in Metacorn.

"I guess we'd better get going too," Sam said, finally breaking the silence.

"Yep," Tahiri replied, silently taking Kira's arm, "Come on."

Feeling empty and numb, Kira limply followed Tahiri and Sam as they returned to the docked Blue Harvest and climbed aboard the ramp.

She dragged herself into the cockpit and plopped into the seat behind Sam's as he pulled the lever to take off.

It was only when they exited the range of Metacorn's atmosphere when Kira's strength and willpower returned.

Feeling a fresh wave of resolve and vigor, Kira stood up behind Sam and Tahiri and said, "Don't even think about taking us to Coruscant."

"I take it you want to follow Ben to the Jedi Academy?" Sam asked resignedly, retaining his aura of remorse at Kira's action on his behalf.

"I gave them up to save your life," Kira reminded him, "It's the least you could do."

Sam looked Kira in the eye for the first time since they'd spoken in the bar, meeting her stony gaze. He then looked to Tahiri, who had silently risen and stood with her arms crossed.

"I do owe them that much, not to mention you for giving them up," Sam decided, "I guess we're going to Ossus, then."

Kira sat down again, feeling a tighter knot inside her every time somebody mentioned her betrayal. This time was no exception. She wondered how soon she would have to face the wrath of the Jedi who she had just sold out.

OSSUS

Three Masters waited as Tionne's StealthX flew over the forest canopies towards the Academy's main landing hangar.

Landing her ship in line with the other Jedi fighters, Tionne climbed out to greet Masters Nodlad, Sebatyne, and Hamner as they approached.

"I hope the mission was a success, Tionne?" asked the reptilian Barabel Sebatyne.

"We managed to liberate Ord Mantell, and we rescued the Padawans from the Dark Master's lair," Tionne confirmed, "But something is still very wrong."

"I sensed the same disturbance," Glut Nodlad replied, "As did the rest of the Masters and most of the Knights that I've spoke to."

"We'll have to see what Master Skywalker has to say," Kenth Hamner chimed in.

Inside the dome-shakes council meeting room on the eighth level of the Academy's eastern tower, the four Masters spoke to the holographic figure of Grand Master Skywalker, who was transmitting from the passenger hold of the Millennium Falcon, seated next to the dejarik table. His only companions at the moment were the droids See-Threepio and Artoo Deetoo, who were intently listening to the conversation.

"Have you felt the shadow in the Force, Grand Master?" Tionne asked.

"I'm afraid I have," Luke replied, "The Jedi are no longer safe on Ossus."

"How?" asked Nodlad, "Nobody could know where we are unless somebody gave the secret."

Luke's holographic expression darkened, as if he knew how the information had slipped and was trying not to let it preoccupy him.

"What matters is that the students get offworld safely," Luke replied, "Leia and I are on our way from Coruscant to help protect the Academy. Master Tionne, you'll be in charge of the evacuation. Do you remember the plan, in case something like this happened?"

"Yes," Tionne whispered with a nod.

"Masters, you'll watch over the Younglings and Padawans as they evacuate, and stand guard over the Academy," Luke instructed, "Tell the more experienced Knights that they can stay and fight. But the young ones have to get out now."

"We understand, Master," Sebatyne said.

"Good luck," Luke replied before fading from view.

CORUSCANT

At that moment, the Falcon was grazed by a shot from an incoming Syck fighter. Chewie roared as he fired with the back cannons from the turret, reducing the Hutt Cartel fighter into a ball of flaming gas.

"Good hit, Chewie!" Han yelled from the cockpit, "Now if we could just get out of here!"

With Leia's help, he steered the Falcon as fast as he could through the underworld portal that led to the surface and the Galactic City metropolis built upon it.

However, the Falcon still had to fight its way through the occasional dogfight between Republic and Coalition fighter throughout the levels spanning the tunnel filled with spaceports, landing platforms, and boarding stations. Civilian traffic was rare at this point, especially compared to the exchanges of laserfire.

Fortunately for the Millennium Falcon crew, most of the Coalition vehicles were concentrated on making it down to level 1313, where the guerrillas and mercenaries were forcing the Republic battalion survivors to retreat away from the new Hutt Cartel base of operations.

The five Sith apprentices in particular had sliced up many Republic troopers and police patrollers throughout the old downtown, leaving a mess of severed heads and limbs along with burning Interceptors and command shuttles scattered across the boulevard and alleyways.

Inside the main reception hall of the former nightclub, the entire Hutt Council spoke with the hologram of Darth Nihl, who was speaking to the small, blue figure of Gorga, accopanied by TC-70 and Krunge.

"This is a glorious day for the Hutts, and for the cause of the Coalition," Nihl said, "We have struck the heart of the Republic and shown the galaxy that the underworld of old is here to stay."

"Our next target will be Tatooine," Gorga said, "My uncle Jabba's most powerful stronghold was there, before the Jedi brought waste to it."

"Your loss will be avenged," promised Nihl, "But for now, let us lay waste to the Republic."

The Prime Command Station was built only a short distance from the modified Senate, being a much newer structure. Its barracks hosted most of the Republic's battalions of soldiers and its complex of hangars stored dozens of fighters, shuttles, and small cruisers, while the few larger command ship remained in orbit of the planet.

Supreme Commander Omas was accompanied by Chief Fey'lya along with a small team of officers as he strode into the Prime Station's main strategy room, consisting of workers operating the communications technology and loading weapons to ship to the military transports.

Omas stepped up to the green screen that surveyed the scope of Galactic City and changed its focus into the depths of the underworld.

"The battle does not seem to be going well," he observed, "We've lost about half of our defense force and our men are constantly on the run from the guerrillas."

"The Jedi went down into the underworld to confront the Coalition," Fey'lya wondered, "Why have they not had more success in keeping them at bay?"

"Our intelligence reports that the Coalition army was lead by a small group of lightsaber-wielders similar to the Jedi," Vice Admiral Praxium chimed in, "They seem to be largely responsible for the Hutt's victory."

"It's not a victory yet," Omas replied, scowling determinedly at the surveillance footage.

They were joined by a junior officer who hurried into the strategy room.

"Chief, Grand Vizier!" he said, "General Solo and his Wookiee companion have stolen the Millennium Falcon from our squad keeping it in custody. I've gotten a report that he has joined his wife the Senator and her brother Skywalker, and that they are now fleeing the battle through Underworld Portal 314."

"So, the Jedi betrayal is complete," Omas sneered, thoroughly disgusted, "They are forsaking us to this Coalition terrorist attack."

"What do we do, Vizier?" Praxium asked.

"Stop them from escaping the planet," Omas ordered, "If we can't recapture the Underworld from the Coalition, we can make sure that Solo and Jedi don't get away with their desertion."

Back in Portal 314, Leia had taken the piloting role while Han was in the copilot seat, with Chewie still manning the back guns.

The Coalition presence was now largely contained to level 1313, but a fresh wave of Republic Interceptors and Howlrunners were now filling up the space between the Falcon and the end of the long tunnel that opened into the city.

"More Republic reinforcements," Leia observed, "I hope they can help down below."

"Something isn't right about them," Han replied, watching suspiciously as the Republic fighters assumed an attack formation.

As the Falcon approached the Republic fighters, the Interceptors and Howlrunners opened fire on them, causing the back hull to catch fire as the ship shook from the shock of the blast that had hit it.

"They're attacking us now!" Han yelled, "Chewie, get them off our backs!"

Chewie increased the speed of his firing, as did Han, who now controlled the guns on the front of the ship.

"Try not to blow any of them up," Leia cautioned her husband, "We don't want to make enemies out of the Republic."

"I think it's a little late for that," Han replied. Leia picked up speed in order to get them through the small Republic blockade, using her Jedi reflexes to guide the Falcon away from the line of fire.

"Luke, wanna give us a hand?" Han called down from the cockpit.

Luke awoke from his meditation and climbed up into the cockpit.

"Why is it always us?" Threepio asked.

Luke took Han's place in the copilot's seat and swerved towards the metal wall that divided one level from the next. Two Republic fighters fired in pursuit of the Falcon, but the shots bounced off the metal and impaired an Interceptor wing.

"I hate having to do this," Luke commented.

"Don't look back," Leia urged, "Don't look back."

Finally, the Falcon was able to bypass the fleet of Republic vessels blocking its escape, speeding out of the underworld portal into the skylanes of Galactic City.

"That wasn't so hard, was it?" Han asked.

"We're going to have to be quick here," Luke said. Leia pulled the accelerator, whisking the Falcon through the thick clouds over the metropolis and out of Coruscant's atmosphere, leaving their pursuers far behind.

"To Ossus, then," Leia said.

"You know what to do," Han replied.

The Falcon sped into hyperspace a moment later, making the fast and crucial trip towards home.

OSSUS

The two Sith ships were wise enough to enter the atmosphere of Ossus a safe distance from the Jedi Academy. It was about a mile away in the orange and yellow canopies of the forest where Darths Ultor and Talon landed their SuperStealther and Infiltrator.

As soon as they exited their crafts, the hooded Ultor drew both of his curved lightsabers as a preemptive measure.

"Do you think the Jedi know of our attack, Master?" Talon asked.

"With any luck, Skywalker himself will be on his way," Ultor replied, "And the Solos. Any other Jedi is fair game, but I want you to leave the Skywalker family to me."

"Yes, my Lord," Talon replied, smiling with bloodlust.

The two of them made their way through the forest silently towards the clearing where the ancient temple was built.

All of the sudden, Ultor dropped his lightsaber hilts and staggered sideways, groaning in pain as he gripped his forehead.

"Master! Are you all right?" Talon asked with uncharacteristic concern.

"Never...you...mind!" Ultor shouted, nonetheless writhing in agony. In truth, he was seeing something far away from the enchanted forest of Ossus- he saw clearly the visage of Luke Skywalker, sitting aboard the Millennium Falcon, speaking to him through the Force.

It does not have to end like this, Skyler. You do not have to follow the path you started.

You mean nothing to me, Jedi scum. I have found my true purpose.

You had one, when I took you in. When you swore to defend the goodness of the universe. You can stand down and end the violence.

Ultor balled his gloved hands into fists and wound up to aim a punch at the thin air.

"You don't think I see through this ruse?" he growled, "I know what you and your Jedi are planning."

You will still have to face justice, but you can face it peacefully, Luke replied through the Force, Your apprentices, they follow your teachings. You can tell them to stand downand let go of the dark side.

"Master, who are you talking to?" Talon asked with alarm.

HAD ABADDON

A squadron of Imperial stormtroopers stormed through the village on the acidic world of Had Abaddon, built away from the rivers and falls of burning poisonin the southern pole.

"He's here," the lead stormtrooper said to his squadmates of the 501st Legion, "along with the Emperor's family."

"What do we do with them?"

"You heard our orders. Take the kid and kill anyone else."

A young woman played with her son, a small, red haired toddler, on the floor of their humble brick dwelling.

Her husband came running in, shouting, "They know we're here!"

The man is gunned down by the stormtroopers, and his screaming wife follows a second later.

The young boy cried loudly, scarred for life at what he has witness. The commander approaches to pick him up, but he flies against the wall and crumples unconscious.

The rest of the squad opens fire on the young Jedi who has entered, and he ignores his green blade to defend himself and subdue the Imperial Loyalists.

Luke Skywalker is six years removed from the battle of Endor and the defeat of the Empire, on a mission to protect the village from the Imperial Remnant attack.

Only when he sees the crying toddler does Luke realize his true purpose on HadAbaddon. Gently he picks up the boy and whispers soothingly, carrying him awayfrom the scene.

OSSUS

"Do not think this sentimental appeal will work on me, Skywalker," Ultor growled, "I will slaughter all of your Jedi, and then I will kill you and the ones you love."

Darth Vader once thought as you do, Luke replied from the Millennium Falcon, even he was able to reject the dark side in the end.

I am stronger than Vader ever was, Ultor said, this time choosing not to say his thoughts aloud, Enough of your Jedi sorcery.

Ultor saw quick flashes of his life as Luke transmitted them though their now-severed bond in the Force.

He saw himself slightly older, playing with a training remote, with a young Luke laughing in the background.

He saw himself crying outside the steps of the Jedi Academy, and Ben Solo coming to comfort him.

He saw himself fall down from the hovering tree logs in the air, to the amusement of his fellow trainees.

Only Ben showed concern for him, pulling the young Skyler to his feet.

Skyler saw himself come across the Sith Holocron in the Jedi archives, feeling its beacon calling to him.

He heard the voice of his ancestor Palpatine, and saw his visage as a kind, white-haired man glowing from the Holocron.

I know you've been feeling inadequate with the Jedi, my dear boy. You've been missing family, you have never known true love.

I don't feel like I belong, the young Skyler replied, I don't have a place with the Jedi.

You will always have a home with me, Palpatine replied, The Jedi took you from your real family, and now I am here to guide you to a better path.

Having seen this last vision of the past, Ultor now found himself able to block Luke's Force-visions.

"Master?" Talon asked uncertainly, feeling slightly afraid. "Are you ill?"

"I feel better than ever," Ultor replied, truly meaning it, "I know my purpose, and where I really belong. Now, let us finish the job our predecessors began!"

The main hangar of the Jedi Academy were busy with activity, with the Masters and Knights preparing the StealthXs and children being ushered into Jedi consular ships, with an occasional astromech droid assisting.

The six Masters of the Council were vigilant, scanning the forest floor below the hangar to see what would happen. They sensed the danger approaching, but the invaders were doing a good job at keeping themselves cloaked.

Most of the Knights were under the age of thirty, and even the Masters were younger than Luke, given the youth of the new Jedi Order. However, they felt confident that they could repel an attack from two dark siders, neither of whom had been practicing the ways of the Force for much longer than the Jedi's first and second generations of trainees.

About fifteen Knights stood guard as Ultor and Talon appeared from the woods, striding onto the grass with their sabers drawn.

"Master, they have us outnumbered," Talon pointed out.

"They are nothing next to my power," Ultor replied savagely, "We will show them just how much stronger the dark side is."

He pointed both his lightsabers forward towards the young Jedi standing on the steps of the Academy leading into the main entrance.

About a third of the Jedi came down the stairs onto the grass to confront Ultor and his disciple, while the rest stayed back uneasily.

A young woman named Nelani Dinn was the first to address Ultor.

"Look who came back," Nelani said, "The traitor."

Ultor smiled at his former classmate and said, "The failure of Skywalker is complete."

As Nelani swung her blade in a Makashi stance, Ultor used one of his sabers to block her strike and the other to fatally impale her before she could adjust her position.

Nelani gasped as she collapsed onto the ground, dying quickly.

Jedi Valium was the next to move against the two Sith, raising his blue blade with a battle cry.

The rest of the Jedi advanced on Ultor and Talon.

Ultor was upon Valium next, plunging both of his red blades into his chest instantly.

Ultor briefly looked back to see how Talon was faring. She had managed to stab one Togrutan Jedi and was now clashing blades with a short Lannik.

Ultor poked his right saber into the Lannik's skull before turning to rebuke the human and the Kel Dor who were next, slicing them both in the stomachs with a rapid motion.

"This was very well worth the wait," he remarked, beckoning Talon to follow him as the other Jedi began to retreat into the main lobby.

Ultor suddenly sensed a new presence, one he had recently encountered on Metacorn.

Standing on the blood-stained steps leading into the Jedi Academy, Ultor saw a StealthX cross paths with a consular ship that was flying out of the hangar.

"Ben!" Tionne said into her radio from the pilot's seat of her carrier, "We're executing the emergency vacancy protocol. The Knights are holding them off as we get the Younglings out of here."

"It doesn't look good from up here," Ben replied, "Skyler's already got a lot of blood on his hands. I felt the deaths as soon as I arrived."

"So did I," Tionne replied, "I'm taking the children to the rendezvous point now."

"Good luck," Ben replied as he hovered over the high towers of the Academy, looking down to see the trail of Jedi bodies. He cringed and felt his insides turning upside down as he vaguely recognized many of his own classmates who he had grown up with.

"How did we get to this point?" he muttered with grief and sorrow heavy in his voice, "How did it ever come to this?"

Ben knew would find out soon enough. Passing Master Nodlad piloting another consular ship carrying another group of young trainees, Sam steered his StealthX downward into the hangar, preparing to land and join his fellow Jedi Knights in the battle to defend the Order.