Chapter 2: The Shadow Hand

Author's note: greetings, or those of you who haven't read some of my fics before, in the past I've recommended sound tracks for certain parts, completely optional of course. For this chapter it is STAR WARS: DUEL OF THE FATES | EPIC VERSION which can be found on youtube. I've marked the spot of (xxx) as where I'd recommend starting it.


Luke eased his X-Wing out of hyperspace and saw the vibrant planet before him.

"Dantooine." Luke thought. He'd visited the planet once before, but this was years ago. Even from orbit, the planet's strength with The Force reached him.

R2 chirped happily, making his master nod before looking left. Sure enough, another X-Wing came out of hyperspace nearby.

"Sorry we took so long. R4 has always been too cautious since losing her head years ago." Ahsoka's astromech droid beeped, sounding almost afraid while R2 tried to ease her with reassuring chirps of his own.

"Where too then?" Ahsoka asked.

"Khoonda. The enclave isn't far from there."

As they came closer to the planet's surface, a handful of A-Wing fighters approached, guarding the entryway to a commercial lane of ships.

"Identify yourselves immediately." The lead pilot spoke in a very forceful manner that emphasized a sense of self-importance. Luke took a deep breath as he considered the situation. Despite his status as a hero of the Rebellion, and until recently, the only Jedi Knight in existence, Luke's position among many in the New Republic was dubious at best. He still had plenty of friends, most notably his sister, her husband, and many former members of the Rebellion, but Luke still wanted to keep activity concealed from unfriendly eyes. As for Ahsoka, in their week of traveling together, she'd more than once expressed her growing wariness of the New Republic.

"We're marshals here on important business. You should let us pass." Luke said, waving his hand towards the lead A-Wing.

"You'd do well not to delay us." Luke sensed Ahsoka aiding him, and both astromech droids quickly began fabricating official clearance codes from the New Republic government database and transmitting them.

"Looks like they're marshals here on important business. We'd do well not to delay them." With that, the Jedi knights moved into the commercial lane and soon glided above the grassy plains of Dantooine's surface. Rich farmland extended for countless miles with a settlement here and there marking them.

However, their destination was a small city or a city compared to the other Dantooine settlements. It resembled more of a town in scale but still the largest they'd seen so far. Khoonda's spaceport was nothing more than a series of landing zones surrounding an administration building. Luckily for them, the codes R2 and R4 fabricated allowed them priority spots.

"Nice work, you two." Ahsoka said, moving her X-Wing to the closer pad. Once there, they climbed out alongside their droids. Now a Jedi knight, Ahsoka decided to wear a suit of preserved nimble brawler armor Luke also recovered from Ossus. Both hid their lightsabers, but since Jedi hadn't worn armor like theirs in thousands of years, they didn't fear unwanted recognition.

"Best not draw any attention to ourselves." Luke said, noticing a few interested onlookers passing by them and raising his armor's hood. Ahsoka nodded, sensing something awry. Luke felt it, too, the planet's strong light side aura marred by a dark side presence.

"Welcome to Khoonda. I'm told you're both New Republic Marshals."A gray protocol droid slowly walked up, holding a datapad in hand.

"Yes, we have urgent business that requires us to visit the ruins of the Jedi enclave here." Ahsoka said without hesitation.

"I'm afraid the enclave ruins are off-limits except to those with official approval from the Khoonda government. However, as you are Marshals of the New Republic, this should not be difficult. Follow me, please." Luke and Ahsoka followed the protocol droid towards the administration building. Ahsoka didn't draw much attention, but Luke kept himself as inconspicuous as possible, earning a smile from his companion.

"Not much fun being a galactic celebrity, I suppose."

"It's not what I need at the moment."

"You say that, but like it or not, we will need support to rebuild the Jedi Order."

"Yes, but the right support."

"Ha, you are Anakin and Padme." Ahsoka laughed before noticing a faint smile grow on his face. In the last week, Ahsoka retold as many fond stories about Anakin to Like as she could remember.

"I still can't believe you froze yourselves in carbonite to break into a prison."

"I know, but Anakin was always one for unorthodox solutions. The number of times we 'bent' the council and senate's rules to win the day. I miss him so much." Ahsoka sighed, Luke's hand reaching her shoulder. Before either could speak, a loud voice caught their attention.

"War! Are we back on the brink of war? Senator Tau Looch of Corellia claims that the recent attack on our naval base is a clear breach of the treaty and that Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon must suffer the consequences for his blatant aggression!" A news broadcaster cried out to murmuring citizens of Khoonda who passed.

Both Jedi Knights sensed a considerable amount of fear among them, and for a good reason. Only recently had the last of the Imperial remnant factions submitted to the New Republic, save one.

"What do you think?" Ahsoka asked.

"I think Tau is upset his profiteering operation didn't work." Luke said. Among all the Remnant factions, the largest and most powerful was that of Grand Admiral Gilad Pellaeon, based out of Bastion. According to Imperial Records, Pellaeon had served as a Star Destroyer's Captain under Thrawn during the Galactic Civil War, but after Thrawn's disappearance and the other Grand Admirals' deaths following Endor, he appointed himself a Grand Admiral and rallied countless Imperials to him at Bastion. From there, he established direct control over a thousand systems near the edge of the unknown regions and decisively beat back every attempt by the New Republic to destroy his remnant.

"I'm surprised you were interested in Thrawn and not Pellaeon."

"Pellaeon is only interested in preserving his own space. Thrawn is the much bigger threat." Ahsoka insisted.

Considering Pellaeon's decisive victory at Bilbringi that led to the utter annihilation of the New Republic's 8th Fleet, and the fact that he possessed the last known executor class super star destroyer, Luke knew many in the Senate wouldn't agree with her.

"I understand your sister is high-up in the government, and you must have friends in the military. What do they think about this 'blatant aggression'?"

Luke took a long and tired breath.

"I can tell you that a battalion of stormtroopers from Pellaeon's remnant assaulted a new Republic navy base and that it was practically a massacre for the Republic garrison, many of whom were private contractor civilians from Corellian companies. Also that this particular base was illegally set up within Pellaeon's space, and the Senator was trying to carve out new trade routes through there without Imperial approval."

Ahsoka shook her head in disgust.

"I see the Senate is as corrupt as it was during the Clone Wars."

"It's one of the reasons I've avoided becoming the New Republic's poster child. I don't trust those senators. Most of them didn't lift a finger to bring the Empire down but are happy to reap the benefits."

"Not all politicians are corrupt. Your mother was the truest senator I'd ever met. She stuck to her values, fought against corruption, and showed fearlessness in the face of danger." Luke smiled again.

"She sounds like Leia."

Finally, they reached the administration building and walked inside to see a thin human man working on a terminal.

"Administrator Fawkes, two New Republic Marshals are requesting entry to the Jedi Enclave." The administrator looked up with a very cordial demeanor.

"Ahh, welcome. Pardon me for asking, but may I see your badges?"

"We don't have them on us at the moment, but it's very important we gain entry to the ruins." Luke said, waving his hand.

"Yes, it's quite essential you gain entry. I'll arrange a shuttle to take you in and inform the security droids you're coming." Luke and Ahsoka longed to feel eager about gaining entry, but the disturbance in the force continued to keep them on edge.

A speeder took them several miles to the Jedi Enclave, which lay before a small river and a few rock formations. A number of security checkpoints protected the temple. However, upon closer inspection, both Jedi Knights saw no security droids manning them.

"We have arrived." The droid pilot set them down at a landing pad on the western edge.

"I will await your return." Luke and Ahsoka drew their lightsabers before entering the temple interior, both droids remaining close. Luke felt the same sensation that he had in the other ruins, the long-held wisdom and tranquility of the Jedi Order still emanating from within the beautiful halls and statues of ancient Jedi.

Sleeping quarters, meditation chambers, and sparring rooms were all cleaned and maintained by service droids who paid them no mind. Ahsoka took a deep breath and gazed at the enclave's halls, memories of the Coruscant Temple flashing through her.

"It's quainter than the temple I was trained in. But maybe that's a good thing. Very well preserved too. Are you sure you don't just want to rebuild the order here?" She asked with a growing smile.

"It's tempting, I'll admit, but the Jedi Order must not repeat the same mistakes that led us to decay and near extinction. Therefore, we must return to our roots and begin anew there. Ahsoka took a deep breath and nodded. As they went further into the enclave, both still noticed no security droids among them until, at last, they reached the library. Holobookcases sat along the walls, clean and functioning, but their destination was a terminal in the center.

"Alright, the moment of truth. It's up to you now, R2." Luke aimed his hand, and both astromechs eagerly plugged in. The minutes dragged on as Luke and Ahsoka kept a close eye on their surroundings, the dark side's presence growing stronger.

After five-minutes, R2 shook in excitement, chirping so loud it echoed across the halls. The astromech droid activated his hologram projector and displayed a now completed map of the galactic core and a planet there.

"Tython." Luke spoke softly. For a brief moment, both Jedi felt a sense of hope and possibility. Yet it passed quickly. Both closed their eyes and stood back to back, lightsabers drawn.

"We know you're there. Come out." The lights dimmed, several shattering. Standing above the Jedi Knights stood twelve figures in black-clad armor with red variants of the Imperial sigils on their pauldrons.

These individuals looked roughly Luke's age and were a mixture of humans and aliens. Two feral looking twi'lek males both with a missing lekku; a monster of a human male over six-feet tall and three hundred pounds of sheer muscle; a male and female kiffar with deep scars across their faces, a fair-skinned miraluka with a cloth covering over where human eyes would be; a skinny female twi'lek; a tall mirialan with long-black hair in a samurai top-knot; a female nautolan with a cybernetic right eye; a zabrak with most of his horns missing; a male togruta with a cybernetic right hand; and finally a young human woman, long red-gold hair, yellow-eyes, and black veins across her face, the dark side's corruption. These physical attributes lay present in each of the figures, alongside a lightsaber, or two in some cases, all save the skinny twi'lek female, who stood unarmed.

"Skywalker." The red-haired dark Jedi snarled, hatred spewing from her voice like venom.

"So, you must be the last students of my father, the Shadow Hand."

"We were to be the first in a new age! More than simple inquisitors, we would be warriors of the dark side, defenders of the Empire! Bringers of justice! But now, you killed our master, our Emperor!" She continued to snarl.

"The galaxy is in chaos! Weak and corrupt leaders rule where the Emperor did!" The miraluka dark Jedi didn't roar like the human woman, but the heat in his voice nearly burned them. Despite this, Ahsoka and Luke showed no fear.

"Dark Vader is dead, as is Emperor Palpatine. You have no one left to fight for. The dark side flows through you all, but no Sith stand before us." Ahsoka said boldly, earning terrifying gazes from most of the Shadow Hand.

"Perhaps, but we were trained to hunt Jedi and all those who would threaten the Empire. We can still do our duty." The mirialan dark Jedi narrowed his eyes while raising two lightsabers.

"Please, we don't want to fight you. Turn away from the dark side. We can show you the path to true peace." Luke raised his hand, but the red-haired young-woman flashed her teeth and ignited a crimson lightsaber.

(xxx)"I, Mara Jade, leader of the Shadow Hand, disciple of Darth Vader, will finish his work, today. Die, Skywalker!" Mara Jade leaped down, coming within inches of Luke's head. At the last moment, a wave of telekinetic force power sent her sprawling backward, yet the Dark Jedi remained on her feet.

The other eleven dark Jedi leaped down, lightsabers drawn. Luke's blade glowed green, and two blue lightsabers lit up the air around Ahsoka. R2 and R4 chirped in terror as a storm of flashing light filled the chamber, lightsabers meeting each other in blow after blow. Luke and Ahsoka fought well together, covering each other with a force-meld that allowed them to battle as one. Luke's Djem So and Ahsoka's Jar'Kai kept back the fury of ataru and juyo that most of the dark Jedi utilized.

Darth Vader clearly trained them well, as each effectively used the dark side to enhance their abilities rather than attacking in feral rage. More than once, they projected pieces of the wall and holobook shelves at them, but the Jedi dodged, slashed, or hurled them back with their own force power.

Luke parried Mara and the miraluka's lightsabers and then threw both hands out, unleashing a force repulse that gave him more room. Ashoka instantly took advantage of this and leaped over Luke just in time to block the mirialan's two orange lightsabers and the top end of the human male's double-bladed lightsaber.

Luke quickly moved in and held his offhand out, freezing one of the twi'lek males in force stasis. Now immobilized, he was helpless against Ashoka's telekinetic force wave after Luke hurled his lightsaber at her opponents.

The twi'lek struck a holobook case hard and shattered the glass, knocking him unconscious. The remaining eleven didn't flinch and pressed on, fighting hard to cut off their foes' movement. Yet the Jedi Knights proved too skilled, and with a combination of lightsaber proficiency and force power, kept the Shadow Hand back.

Ashoka almost spun herself around, keeping as many dark Jedi back as possible while Luke reached out and projected various objects at them, all the while channeling the force around him in a maelstrom. The female kiffar leaped through the air, her lightsaber ready to strike, but in vain. Luke unleashed the maelstrom into her, sending the kiffar tumbling into the wall unconscious.

"Gaaahh! Split them up!" Mara roared, her hands thrust forward with the miraluka and mirialan. A combined force blow pushed Luke and apart just enough for the female twi'lek to come forward. Luke's eyes widened for a moment when he saw her hands raised.

"Look out!"

Ahsoka raised her lightsabers just in time, and two bursts of blue force lightning surged from the twi'lek's hands.

"Burn, Jedi!" She almost laughed with a maniacal expression. Ahsoka absorbed the lightning with her lightsabers while Luke contained it in his offhand, though not easily. With their attention taken, the mirialan lunged forward, stabbing at Ahsoka, who lurched back just in time. Yet, in doing so, the human male hurled her backward into another hallway.

Luke thrust both hands out and knocked every Dark Jedi off their feet with a force repulse. Yet it only gave him enough time to reach another hallway, the mirialan leading four other dark Jedi after Ahsoka.

The togruta Jedi knight found the hallways too constricting for her lightsaber form, and she fell back to a larger sparring chamber. There, the zabrak dark Jedi and the second twi'lek male came at her from different directions, slashing and projecting chairs at her.

Ahsoka slashed them apart or hurled them away with telekinetics, parrying blow after blow until she cut both dark Jedis' lightsabers apart. The aliens lurched backward, reaching out with the force, but Ahsoka struck first, launching them both into the walls unconscious.

Yet before Ahsoka could celebrate, she felt herself hurled backward, as the mirialan, human, and male kiffar rushed in, lightsabers at the ready.

Elsewhere, Luke fought on the male togruta and nautolan in another hallway, keeping their lightsabers back as they leaped acrobatically around him. One by one, their blows came closer until Luke reached out, catching the togruta in force stasis. This broke up the synchronization long enough for Luke to deliver an acrobatic kick following a perfect parry against the nautolan. With another swift force push against the wall, the togruta and nautolan both lay on the ground, knocked-out.

Even in this small victory, Luke immediately turned to the female twi'lek, who raised her hands and unleashed more force lightning. The blast knocked Luke's lightsaber away, but before it could spread, he raised both hands and contained the lightning.

The twi'lek laughed for a moment, a crazed look in her eyes, but it soon turned to fear as the lightning moved back towards her. Luke's concentrated/peaceful expression sending more terror into her than if he'd been in a fury.

With a final thrust of his hands, Luke pushed the lightning back into the dark Jedi and sent her sprawling against the wall, unconscious. Luke took a deep breath but then looked up as the miraluka dark Jedi soared through the air, lightsaber raised.

Luke reached down at his belt with moments to spare and pulled his father's lightsaber to his cybernetic hand. The saber glowed a familiar blue and caught the miraluka's lightsaber.

In two fierce parries, Luke sliced the dark Jedi's lightsaber in half, sending the pieces flying. The Jedi Knight's eyes narrowed on his foe, but yet he sensed no fear in him.

Mara Jade leaped up over him acrobatically, her lightsaber meeting Luke's.

"Die Jedi!" Mara snarled as she unleashed a continuous fury of successive blows one after the other. Yet Luke's Djem So held firm. Mara thrust a hand forward and tried to knock him back, but Luke only slid across the floor in a controlled fashion.

"Gaah!" Mara screamed as she leaped forward again, only to feel the crushing blow of Luke's force push as it sent her into a series of elevated walkways.

Luke pursued, but she'd vanished. Instead, he turned his attention to the Miraluka, who now leaped up in front of him, another lightsaber in hand, a strange lightsaber.

"Do you know what this is, Jedi?" He spoke harshly but still in control.

"Put the weapon down." Luke said.

"This once belonged to the rulers of Mandalore until Lord Vader sent Moff Gideon and us to purge their filth off the face of the galaxy. I killed the last ruler of Mandalore and claimed this weapon as my prize." The dark Jedi's lightsaber glowed black with a silvery silhouette in the shape of a blade.

"I hope you put up a better fight than Bo-Katan Kryze. She actually begged for mercy when she realized I'd decapitate her with the Darksaber." The dark Jedi spoke with terrible satisfaction and pride.

"Please, don't do this."

The Dark Jedi's lack of eyes unsettled Luke as he watched the Dark Saber aimed at him.

"I'll show you the same mercy I showed her and Mandalore." The Miraluka unleashed a thunderous roar, and Luke saw his body glow in a red aura. At that, he came at Luke with a furious Ataru that the Jedi had never faced before. It wasn't as powerful as his father's lightsaber form but far stronger than before.

Luke found himself on the defensive, countering and blocking blow after blow, but unable to do much more. With his hand outstretched, the miraluka hurled Luke off the walkway, believing for a moment that he'd sent the Jedi falling to his death. Yet only moments later, Luke flew back up and landed, unleashing a force repulse upon impact.

The blue and black lightsabers met once more, crashing and slashing until Luke kicked his foe and then hurled him against the doorway. The dark Jedi tried to get up again, but Luke sent another telekinetic wave, knocking him unconscious. Luke pulled the Darksaber and his own lightsaber back to him, now searching diligently for Mara.

Meanwhile, Ahsoka fought her way to the enclave's council chamber, barely holding back the lightsaber blows of the human and male kiffar. Both pressed forward, sending Ahsoka back. However, the Togruta Jedi smiled. Reaching towards the ceiling, she broke off pieces of debris and sent them down. To her relief, the dark Jedi didn't try to avoid them but instead reached up and caught the rubble with the force, holding it just above them.

Having a moment to channel her power, Ahsoka unleashed telekinetic force energy into both dark Jedi, knocking them down and pinning them under the rubble. Alive but knocked out.

"Impressive." Ahsoka's heard shot to the mirialan dark Jedi. His orange lightsabers raised to meet hers. Rather than attacking immediately, the dark Jedi watched his foe diligently, taking a good measure.

"This is a bad idea, and you know it. Don't make me kill you." Ahsoka said narrowing her eyes, trying in turn to understand him. She sensed a controlled rage and passion, both directed to a single objective.

"I want you to know that this isn't personal. You're just too dangerous to remain alive." The dark Jedi lunged forward, and Ahsoka hurled a nearby council chair at him. The mirialan reached forward even with a lightsaber in each hand and stopped the chair. Within moments, the debris shattered into pieces, and he slashed relentlessly at Ahsoka.

The mirialan's juyo was deadly and precise, Ahsoka found herself longing for Asajj Ventress and knew that Vader clearly trained this dark Jedi well. He probably could have killed many Jedi she knew back in the Clone Wars.

The Jedi Knight fell back and reached out for another chair, hurling it at him, yet the dark Jedi shattered it just like the last one, only this time, Ahsoka was ready. As soon as the pieces fell apart, Ahsoka leaped forward, delivering a fierce kick to his head.

The dark Jedi remained standing, but in a weakened stance that allowed Ahsoka to blast him against a wall. There, he grunted for a moment, laying on the ground before both lightsabers flew from his hands.

Ahsoka looked back at the chamber entrance and saw Mara Jade against her. Fiery hatred now engulfing her like an uncontrollable inferno.

"It's done. I can still sense Luke's presence, which means by now, you're all alone!"

Mara didn't speak. She just gathered more and more hatred, until at last, her mouth opened, and a thunderous force-scream sent Ahsoka sprawling backward. Like a tenacious krayt dragon, Mara unleashed a torrent of lightsaber blows that made Ahsoka buckle.

More than once, she tried desperately to reach out with the force, but Mara wouldn't let her. A feral smile in her eyes, the dark Jedi blasted Ahsoka's lightsabers away and ensnared her in a force grip.

The Togruta Jedi knight thrashed in mid-air, no longer able to breathe with the crushing force on her windpipe. Mara readied herself to strike but flew backward after another telekinetic blow.

Ahsoka gasped for breath, now on her knees with Luke in front of her. His green lightsaber in one hand, and his father's blue lightsaber in the other. Mara's eyes met Luke's, hatred, and peace.

"Mara Jade, that's your name. I can sense the fear in you, fear of what you'll do without your masters. Without the Empire."

"I fear nothing!" Mara snarled.

"Grand Admiral Pellaeon doesn't want ravenous dark Jedi that he can't control. The dark side has led you to nothing, but you didn't choose it, did you? None of you did. My father found you, and he made you empty promises of power and glory. That's all the dark side is, empty promises. But I can free you, all of you."

"You, will, die!" Mara Jade lunged at her Jedi foe, unleashing lightsaber blows in pure tenacity. Luke found her skill and power impressive, but before Vader, she was nothing.

Ahsoka watched in awe and Mara in fear as Luke began to glow with a blue aura similar to the miraluka from earlier. He moved faster, his blows hit harder, and the dark Jedi now buckled.

With a final repulse, Mara landed on her back, and both lightsabers sent flying. Reaching out, Luke held her in Force stasis until finally, she slipped out of consciousness.

At that, Luke exhaled and deactivated his lightsabers. Several minutes later, he and Ahsoka stood over the twelve unconscious dark Jedi of the Shadow Hand. Their hands bound by shackles while R2 and R4 chirped in excitement.

"What a day." Ahsoka almost chuckled.

"Indeed." Ahsoka noticed the growing interest in Luke's voice as he looked over the dark Jedi, Mara in particular.

"What do we do with them?"

At last, a smile emerged on Luke's face.

"We know where Tython is, now it's time to rebuild the Jedi Order, and here are our first students."


Author's note

My intention here wasn't to make the Shadow Hand look weak, but emphasize how strong Luke and Ahsoka are. I would consider them considerably more powerful than almost any of the Jedi during the clone wars with Luke being at least on par with say Mace Windu if not stronger considering by now he'd defeated Darth Vader in single combat and I'd consider Ahsoka at least on terms of someone like Kit Fisto. As I said, I don't want everyone to think the Shadow Hand was weak, Luke and Ahsoka were just that powerful.

In terms of the grammar, it does happen since I use Grammarly where the autocorrect sometimes gets things wrong, I appreciate the feedback.

So until next time,

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