One day later...

Mara POV...

"She really seems to like you a lot," Astrid observed.

"I know," I deadpan. "I'm starting to think she likes me more than Stormfly."

Stormfly's baby Nadder trotted along beside me, always looking up at me every few seconds with a happy chirp. I'd respond with a small smile and then she'd rub her head against my leg. Hiccup looked down at her thoughtfully, and Toothless sniffed her curiously every few moments.

"Well, beats me. Especially if she's Force sensitive. Have your parents offered any advice about it?" Hiccup asked.

I shrugged. "Apparently she formed some sort of bond with me, from what they can figure out."

"Any particular reason why?" he asked.

"No, but if I want to keep her as my dragon whenever we're not out fighting the Empire, then they want me to seek Stormfly's approval." I told them.

"Seek Stormfly's approval?" Astrid asks with a raised eyebrow. "That's a kind of odd way to put it."

"Well, she is her baby." Hiccup admitted.

"I know that, but how are you going to ask for Stormfly's approval?" Astrid asks.

"...With the Force?" I offer sheepishly.

"You know what, don't answer. I'm not going to understand it that much anyways," Astrid said in exasperation.

"Yeah, it confuses me too," I admitted.

Eventually, we reached Astrid's house, and walked to the side where Stormfly's stable was. Inside was Stormfly, sitting against the wall and watching her hatchlings play around with each other. Once we arrived, they all looked up and gave excited squawks, rushing over to their violet sibling, who joined in on the playing happily. Toothless warbled at Stormfly, who squawked in return before turning her gaze back onto the excited baby dragons. We watched them mess around before I thought over how to do this.

"Umm... any advice Astrid?" I ask her.

"Why are you asking me?" she asks in confusion.

"You do know Stormfly better," I tell her.

She frowns thoughtfully and looks at Stormfly before shrugging. "Well, she's not in a bad mood, which is a good start. Probably best to get her attention... Hey Stormfly!" she calls out.

Stormfly perks up and looks over at Astrid.

"You remember Mara?" she says, nudging me, and I step forward, a sheepish smile on my face. Stormfly shifts her gaze over to me and chirps in recognition. The baby Nadder also stops playing with her siblings and wanders back over to me, glancing between the two of us curiously.

"Hey Stormfly," I say. "I uhh... oh I'll just show you," I mutter at the end. I step forwards and raise a hand, placing it on the side on Stormfly's jaw when she moves forwards and close my eyes. I do my best to do what mom and dad told me, and attempt to send the message I had and my desires about her Nadder with the Force. I can feel her react to the feelings I was sending her and reopen my eyes, lowering my hand.

Stormfly chirps quietly before glancing towards her hatchling, letting out a small squawk. The baby responds with another few chirps, the mother and daughter having a small conversation between each other. The baby then trills happily and rushes towards Stormfly, and the two nuzzle each other before she glances at me, and then returns to watching her other three hatchlings. The baby Nadder trots over to me and then happily rubs against my leg.

"I.. guess I'll take that as a yes," I finally say.

"Well that wasn't too hard," Hiccup comments.

"What're you gonna name her?" Astrid asks me.

I pick up the baby in my arms, who snuggles up in my hold with another few happy chirps and think of a name. Eventually, I give a small smile as I come up with a name.

"Zenna. I'll name her Zenna," I say.

Newly named 'Zenna' gives a squawk of approval.

"You know what, I like that name. I think it suits her," Astrid said in agreement.

Toothless moves closer to me and curiously sniffs Zenna. She responds with a playful nip and small burst of purple flame, making Toothless yelp in surprise before growling quietly at her, a pouting expression on his face. Hiccup laughs in amusement while Zenna trills in victory,

"Aw what's the matter Toothless?" he teases.

Toothless snorts in response, holding his head up and looking away, much to our amusement. We all let out small chuckles and start walking into the street again, headed in no real direction. "So, what next?" Hiccup asks.

"HEY GUYS!" Tuffnut yells, and we all jump in surprise when Tuffnut suddenly appears next to us, yelling as loudly as he can. Zenna squawks in alarm before staring at him with narrowed eyes, while Ruffnut appears behind her twin. Both start laughing, and Astrid grumbles in annoyance.

"Ugh, what is your deal Tuffnut?" she demands.

"Aw, lighten up Astrid, we were just joking around!" Ruffnut exclaims with a grin.

"Joking around? More like... 'Loki'ing around!" Tuffnut says, and they two crack up into laughs again. I roll my eyes in exasperation while Hiccup grumbles to himself. Zenna huffs a small puff of smoke before shooting out a tiny purple flame, which catches onto Tuffnut's vest. He yelps in alarm and starts slapping it to put out the fire, while Ruffnut continues to laugh, this time at him. The rest of us all watch in amusement too, Zenna chirping happily.

"Not cool Z! Not cool!" Tuffnut says with a frown, and I raise an eyebrow at him.

"Z?" I ask.

"I'm calling your dragon 'Z' now, cuz,' heh, you know, 'Zenna?' 'Z?'" he replies.

"Yes, we know what Zenna's name is Tuff," Hiccup deadpans.

"Speaking of which!" Ruffnut suddenly exclaims, standing at attention. "We have a question for you!"

Tuffnut nods his head vigorously. "Yes we do! It is very important!"

"Alright, shoot," I say with a sigh.

"Will we now have to call you Mara Shan, or is it still, Mara Jade? Or is it, uh, Jade Shan? Shan Jade? Jadey?" Tuffnut spouts off, and Ruffnut slaps him upside the head.

"Not that one you idiot!" she scolds, before looking at me in interest while Tuffnut rubs his head. "But... seriously what do we call you?"

"That's your question?" I ask disbelievingly, and Hiccup and Astrid both sigh.

"Muttonheads," she mutters.

"Well?" they both ask.

I roll my eyes again. "Well, technically it's now 'Mara Jade Shan,' but you can just... stick to calling me Mara..." I tell them warily.

"Ok ok ok," Tuffnut rants. "Real question!" Ruffnut announces again. "If your name has Jade in it, why is it that you prefer purple?"

The three of us, and even Toothless and Zenna stare at her in confusion, as they continue on.

"A very important question, dear sister!" Tuffnut exclaims in agreement. "You see, Jade is an ornamental mineral, mostly known for its green varieties, which is featured prominently in ancient art. Yet you, dear Mara, do not live up to your name of green rocks! Your fire sword is purple, your favorite color is purple, and your dragon has purple fire and scales!"

"If your name was more accurate, then it should be changed to Mara, 'Amethyst' Shan!" Ruffnut adds. "Because amethyst, is a purple colored stone!:

All of us give them a blank stare, not believing they could fall to this level of stupid, and eventually I exhale with a shake of my head in bewilderment.

"That is just... the dumbest thing I have ever heard," I deadpanned.

"Dumbest?!" they both exclaimed in disbelief, ironically.

"Really though, with your logic that's like saying I should be a fish for having Haddock in my name!" Hiccup says, and we nod in agreement.

"Wait, you're not a fishbone?" Tuffnut asks in confusion. Hiccup just facepalmed.


Jarik POV...

I lay in bed and flipped the page of Satele's journal, reading through the next entry that she had listed down.

'Near the end of the Cold War, I came into contact with a strange, intelligent mechanical being. Despite appearing as a large machine over a dozen feet tall, the living Force surrounded him, proving his sentience and real life. He could not speak, but he went by the name of Bumblebee.'

I frowned thoughtfully, the description she was giving, being somewhat familiar. I then remembered that in the old Jedi texts stored at the Temple, the Prime Jedi spoke of similar beings as well, who were also large and mechanical. Could this be the same? I read through the page and saw a simple sketch of the being she had encountered. Just like the page described, the simple drawing showed a robotic creature, with yellow paint and baby blue eyes. At his side stood Satele... geez. The difference in size was shocking! He wasn't just large, he was huge! At least twenty feet!

'Bumblebee originated from the planet Cybertron in a neighboring galaxy. His home world was destroyed through eons of civil war, between his faction the Autobots, and their enemies the Decepticons.'

Things were really getting interesting now. Beings from another galaxy... does Palpatine know about this, and he is attempting to find it? Or is it still for something else?

'The leader of the Autobots is Optimus Prime, the last of his lineage, and near surrogate father to Bumblebee. His brother-in-arms turned enemy is Megatron, leader of the Decepticons. The Autobots fought for freedom, while the Decepticons dreamt of tyranny, destroying all who defied them.

Great. Another faction out there who seeks to rule everyone with a cruel fist, yet these Decepticons might be worse. The fact that their species grow to massive sizes is definitely a big factor.

'My son Theron and I, became good friends with Bumblebee, and on a mission together to the planet Malachor, we discovered a Sith Temple, as well as something within. A swirling... ever changing force... of infinite destruction. A great power the Sith have guarded for ages.'

I narrowed my eyes at that paragraph, finding a worrying connection between that and something else... Something else told to me by Snoke.

~Flashback~

"So this all powerful relic you are looking for is on the lava planet Mustafar?" I asked sarcastically.

"Beneath the ruins of an ancient Sith Temple, undisturbed for many years," Snoke replied with a confirming nod and wicked grin. "Malachor also holds a similar power of great interest..."

I narrowed my eyes at him, suddenly suspicious. I've heard plenty about Malachor, especially now that I just learned I'm related to Revan and Bastila, key figures in the Old Republic during that time.

"Malachor is off limits. No one goes there," I stated seriously.

His grin turns into a smirk, and his eyes glint eagerly as he leans forwards. "You wonder why, nobody returned alive?" he asks.

I don't answer, unsure of what to say about that.

~Flashback Ends~

The more I learn through these old books, the more worried I get, especially from what Snoke told me all those years ago in the World Between Worlds. I've never revealed that portion of the conversation to anyone, not even Yoda, because I thought it was stupid. But now... I'm almost afraid too. What sources of power out there could be so strong that even Vader himself cannot penetrate with even a scratch? What is Snoke looking for, and how much did he not tell me?

I'm starting to release the simple answer to this. If I wish to know the truth... then at some point, I have to infiltrate Vader's castle. The very idea itself is completely ridiculous and impossible, but there's no other way to know what I'm really dealing with. Forget Palpatine, Vader, and the Empire for a moment, what Snoke is searching for is growing out to be something far more deadly than I could have ever imagined. Maybe Master Yoda will know... he has to know something about what Snoke wants.

"You're worried."

I glance up in surprise to see Ahsoka sitting on the bed next to me, a look of concern on her face. There was no hiding anything from her.

I let out a sigh, closing Satele's journal and setting it aside. "It's hard not too," I admit.

"I'm getting the feeling that this doesn't have anything to do with Sidious or Vader," she assumes, and I nod my head.

"No... it does not," I say in reply.

She puts a hand on my shoulder and slowly massages it. "Then what is it?"

"The more I read Satele's journal, or the Jedi texts in the Temple, the more I start to realize how dangerous the universe is," I tell her. "And I don't mean our own galaxy."

She moves closer in interest. "So there is more outside of our galaxy," she realizes.

"Apparently. Including giant metal beings that followed an energon, or kyber comet here. They came from a planet called Cybertron," I recalled.

"I remember that from the Prime Jedi's notes," she recalls with a nod of her head. "Satele met them as well?"

"Became friends with one of them," I told her.

"Well in any case, what comes from beyond will have to have our attention later, especially now," Ahsoka says. "Vader will respond to the Action at Mustafar, and there are still two Inquisitor's out there that we know of."

"Yeah. Third Brother came out of nowhere," I admitted.

"How many Inquisitor's have we met already?" Ahsoka asks with a frown. "Grand Inquisitor, Second Sister, Third Brother... Sixth Brother. I know of them."

"When I was looking for you after Order 66 I met a 'Fourth Sister.'" I told her.

"You did say you had run-in's with them before, including the Grand Inquisitor," she recalled.

I nodded my head. "But then there's at least one unaccounted for," I realized.

"Fifth Brother. Or Fifth Sister," Ahsoka said in agreement.

"And who knows who many more..." I replied grimly.

We sat in silence for a few moments, no words needing to be said to understand the situation we were in. Two Inquisitors so far as we know have been killed, but for all the good that does there could be dozens of them, and we might never know the full number of their ranks. It was scary to think about.

"Well, I'm depressed enough to last a life time," I chimed in with annoyance.

Ahsoka gave a small laugh of amusement and leaned against me, laying her head on my shoulder. "We make a habit of letting ourselves get depressed a lot. It isn't good," she said with a small smile.

"Greatest and happiest moment yesterday. You'd never even know," I said jokingly.

"Maybe," she said, wrapping her arms around me as we lay down on the pillows. "But no amount of depression will ever let me leave you," she said sincerely.

I grimaced slightly, but chose not to express it to her. This is supposed to be a happy moment, and I refuse to let my guilt for Anakin ruin it right now. I wrapped my arm around her and pulled her closer as we got settled for the night.

"You're the wife I never deserved," I said quietly with a small smile.

"But you're the husband I always needed, and wanted," she replied, the same smile on her face.

We fell asleep for the night in each other's embrace, arms wrapped around each other. Ahsoka had her face buried in the crook of my neck, and I lay my chin on her head in between her montral's, while she had a leg wrapped around me.


3rd person POV...

Hidden location; Unknown Regions

On a large asteroid floating through space lay a small platform, a large invisible shield keeping air inside. On the platform, The Third Brother stepped out of his TIE Fighter and looked around warily. A mixture of emotions ran through him, mostly ranging from fear, dread, and trepidation, although there was also determination. He knew what would happen if he were discovered here by his superiors, but they were never truly his. Third Brother does not answer to Vader or the Emperor. He walked across the cold ground towards a set of steps taking him up towards a small meeting area with boulders and rocks, where his contact met with him.

"Are you sure you were not followed?" the figure's groveling voice asked.

"Nobody will even know I left when I return," Third Brother assured him.

The figure zoomed forwards in a flash, a scowl on his face as he stood before Third Brother who swallowed nervously, but otherwise didn't react, his wariness and fear hidden behind his mask. The Third Brother could get a better look at his contact, who wore pale blue armor of some type, and a very dark blue hood to cover his face. His mouth was blood red, teeth looking almost rotten.

"Your arrogance will cost you one day!" he warned him viciously. "Vader and Sidious are no fools, and you cannot fool them for long."

"I will be stronger than them!" Third Brother said angrily. "They're weaklings compared to what I shall one day hold!"

"You believe you are greater?" the creature snarled mockingly. "Need I remind you who it is that gave you your strength in the first place? Your position?!"

Third Brother scowled, but said nothing, as the creature stalked slowly around him. "Tell me. Where is the power we seek?"

"It is below Vader's own castle on Mustafar," he replied slowly. "Whenever he gets the chance, he seeks to retrieve it, yet has failed to do so."

"Vader cannot be allowed to retrieve that stone! Neither can our enemy Snoke! They would try to wield its power... but HE knows it workings like Sith never will," the creature states.

"If so... then why won't he take it himself?" Third Brother challenges.

The creature whips around to glare at him. "You question HIM? The one who brought you from the brink of death, and gave you purpose? You think yourself greater than him?!" he shouts furiously.

Third Brother backs up in alarm, suddenly afraid again, while the creature grins in dark amusement. "Yes... your ambition is full of a longing for power, one born of selfish greed," he says mockingly.

The creature circles him again while Third Brother looks at him, eyes flaring in yellow with rage from the dark side while the creature mocks him. "You will receive your conquest of the Emperor, Third Brother," he continues, before stalking closer. "But, if you fail... if this power within Vader's castle is not retrieved... there will be no place to go... no planet, no civilization, no barren world, where we can't find you!"

Third Brother shivers, knowing all to well the punishments for failing the missions given to him by this creature. A cold hand then slowly presses on his shoulder, and the creature whispers into his ear menacingly. "You believe you know what death feels like? HE will make you long for something as sweet as death!"

Third Brother shook lightly in fear.