The Force's Shepherds

by TheBobcat18

Obi Wan thought he was dead. The Empire had found him and baby Luke as they sped away from Polis Massa. Yet here he is now, alive, breathing, and force knows where. Desperate to find the baby boy, he finds help in some of the unlikeliest of people. All the while, a calamity brews on this strange planet that he now calls home.

98. The Fallen Master

The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 98

The Fallen Master

The Millennium Falcon burst out of hyperspace. Kjelle braced her body against her chair's armrest as the hunk of junk lurched forward. Her harness kept her from flying out of her seat in the cockpit. A long sigh left her lips as the blue tunnel returned to its normal state. That normal state being a sheet of darkness speckled with stars. Which still did not feel normal to her. Space would never feel normal for her. The day she returned to Ylisse was going to be a wonderful day indeed.

In front of her, Han Solo uttered a long sigh.

"Finally." He breathed. One hand ran through his thick, brown hair, "Good job, Chewie."

The Wookie in the co-pilot's seat uttered a small grunt.

"Hey, I'm complimenting you now." Han grumbled as he undid the straps over him, "No need to be so defensive."

"Where are we?" Kjelle asked as she peered out of the cockpit.

Han furrowed his brow. He glanced over at a screen to his left. One that had a star chart mapped out on it.

"Just outside of the Naboo system." Han replied, "We should see the planet… any… moment."

He trailed off as Naboo came into view. Kjelle sucked in a sharp breath.

Awe filled her as she saw a bright, green and blue jewel suspended in space in front of her. A breathtaking sight. Clouds swirled over the surface of the planet. A breathtaking sigh that filled the young Ylissean with wonder.

"A lot better looking than Ord Mantell right?" Hondo chirped as he sauntered into the cockpit. His mirth faded as he looked at what Han was looking at, "Oh shit."

Kjelle arched an eyebrow, confused, "What is wrong?"

"Chewie, please tell me we have enough fuel to-"

Chewie threw his massive paws in the air and uttered several frustrated roars and snarls. Han sank further into his seat. He ran a hand over his eyes.

"Our luck sucks." Han groaned, "It really sucks.

"What is wrong?" Kjelle rose from her seat and leaned past Han's chair.

Her breath got stuck in her throat. A massive ship lumbered over Naboo. The size of the ship blew Kjelle away. It easily could swallow the Millennium Falcon whole.

"Star Destroyer." Hondo whistled, "Imperial too."

"All Star Destroyers are Imperial." Han groaned, "And we don't have any fuel to run away from it at the moment. Blast it!" He smacked a hand into the cockpit wall. A long breath ran out of his nose as his mind race, "Chewie, set us down somewhere remote on the planet. We'll have to hunt for fuel the old fashioned way."

"Why can't we land at a port?" Kjelle asked, still a little confused.

"Because we are technically criminals, sweetheart." Han replied, "And the Empire does not treat criminals kindly."

"The Spice Mines of Kessel." Hondo shuddered, "Nasty place. Very nasty place."

Chewie groaned out his agreement. Han's lips sputtered.

"Get us close enough to a major settlement. But not so close that we are detected, alright Chewie." Han ordered. He glanced back at Kjelle, "You feel like hunting for fuel with us?"

Kjelle nodded, "I'll go get my armor on."

"Armor yeah- wuh, wait!" Han's voice faded as Kjelle rushed down the corridor towards the bunk room. He let his head fall back against his seat. Chewie chortled at him, "Yeah, yeah. I should be used to her not listening to me."

Chewie groaned.

"Why?" Han parroted, "Why? Because I have gotten plenty of practice when it comes to you." He glanced over at Hondo, "You get ready as well. You'll have to keep an eye on Miss Naive. I don't want her and her damn armor getting us into trouble."

"Will do, Han." Hondo patted Han's shoulder. Han suppressed a scowl, "I have a feeling that everything will work out in the end. Don't worry so much."

Han arched an eyebrow, "Yeah?" He glanced out at the Star Destroyer as it lumbered over the dark side of the planet, "I wish I could share your optimism."

---

The sun rose. Bright orange rays kissed her pale cheeks. Morgan's big, green eyes shot open as the sun's warmth washed through her bedroom window. A loud yawn escaped her little mouth. Normally, she struggled to wake up in the morning. What could she say, she enjoyed sleeping. Her mother's blood made sleep both the most essential and most enjoyable part of her day.

Well, the second most enjoyable part. The most enjoyable part was actually about to begin for her.

Today was the day. Her father was going to train her in magic. She was so excited. She jumped out of her bed, hastily threw on her little coat, and bounced her way out of her room. Her small feet scrambled against the wooden floors in the cottage Morgan and her family called home. She bounded for her parents' room. One little hand reached up and turned the brass doorknob.

Morgan paused when she heard her parents talking frantically beyond the door. She frowned and pressed her ear to the door.

"Are you sure, love?" Her mother asked, worry thick in her voice.

Morgan froze at the sound of her mother's voice. It tugged at her heart. A sense of longing lingered in her chest. She could not put a face to the voice for some reason. But she knew that voice anywhere. A sweet sounding tone. Kind and patient.

"Positive. Chrom wouldn't be calling an urgent council otherwise. Ben's even going. That doesn't happen often." Her father replied. His own voice calm and collected.

A small silence.

"I knew this day would come. I just prayed it wouldn't be so soon." More shuffling beyond the door, "Do you need me to come with?"

"No. It is likely just some problems with King Validar. I'm sure it'll work itself out, hopefully. Stay with Morgan."

"She's going to be so disappointed."

Her father was silent, "Damn it. That was today, wasn't it?" Morgan heard her father sigh heavily as her heart slowly dropped, "I promised her too."

"Well, this gives you a reason to make sure you come back."

Her father chuckled lightly, "I will always come back for both of you."

Heavy footsteps neared the door. Morgan gasped and scrambled back just as the door opened.

"Morgan!" Her father cried, surprised to see her up and moving already.

She looked up at his face. Kind brown eyes looked down at her. Slightly spiky brown hair crowned her father's head. A small smile crossed his lips and he crouched down to her eye level.

"What are you doing up already?" He asked, brushing a hand over her shoulder.

Morgan gulped, "Magic lessons."

Guilt filled her father's gaze. A heavy sigh left his lips, "I'm sorry sweetheart. Daddy needs to go to work."

Tears welled up in Morgan's eyes. She stomped her foot, "You promised!"

Her father recoiled, "I know I did. And I'm sorry." A spark danced in his eyes. He snapped his fingers. One hand reached into his coat. Morgan's eyes widened as he withdrew his spell book. A worn, weathered tome with cracked leather binding and yellowing pages. He paused for a moment, dark eyes running over the cover. Then he held it out to her. "Tell you what, you read up on everything. And when I get back, we can get to work. What do you say?"

Morgan's heart pounded in her chest. Father was giving her his spell book! Her small hands shook as she took the heavy tome from him. She grunted as she struggled to hold it in her arms. Her eyes widened as she gazed down at the cracked leather cover. It felt so dry in her arms. It smelled like an old book. But she could practically feel the power radiating inside of it.

"Are you sure that is a wise decision, Robin?" Her mother asked.

Morgan did not take her eyes from the book. She wanted to tear it open right now. But she waited. Too stunned to move. Her father trusted her with this book. She would make sure it was ready for him when he came back.

"Yeah. It's just a small council meeting then likely a diplomatic mission. I doubt anything will go horribly wrong." Her father shrugged.

Morgan glanced up. A sudden pain lanced through her head as she tried to see her mother's face. She caught a glimpse of a red robe. Some messy green hair flashed behind her father's head. She saw her father lean back to kiss her mother. Then he sighed.

"I won't be gone long." He said.

"I know." Her mother replied.

Her father uttered another heavy sigh. He stooped down and wrapped his arms tight around Morgan.

"Be good for mommy, okay?"

Morgan felt a wave of emotions hit her. For some reason, this all seemed way to familiar.

An image flashed in her mind. Her mother kneeling out in front of the cottage. Tears cascaded down her face. A man wearing a brown cloak stood beside her. One hand on her shoulder as he awkwardly tried to comfort her. Another woman with jet black hair and a terrifying gaze lingered to the side. Eyes downcast. Filled with sorrow.

Her father could not leave. Something bad was about to happen. His hand rubbed her back.

"Study up." He smiled before tapping her nose.

---

"Father!" Ragana cried as she jerked awake.

The hum of the Star Destroyer's engines filled her ears. Her own breathing ran in and out of her lungs in ragged gasps. Sweat caked her body. Drenched her clothing and caused some of her dark hair to stick to her forehead and neck. She uttered another ragged gasp. One hand ran over her face as she shook her head.

A dream. She thought. Nothing more than a dream.

She swung her legs out from her small bed. Her feet touched the cold, metal floor. She closed her eyes and exhaled. Her mind called out to the force. The Dark Side rushed to her. It steadied her mind. Gave her focus once again. Drove away any thoughts of that strange dream.

Was it dream? It all felt so real. Hell, she felt like she was living a memory. Every detail was so vivid. Every sound lifelike. And she knew what her father looked like. His face was unmistakable to her.

She shook her head again.

Just a dream. Don't dwell on it.

She furrowed her brow and opened her eyes. Burning irises landed on the hologram disc by her bed. It sat still. No lights blinked on the side. No messages. Her lips creased into a slight frown. Strange, normally she woke up with more messages than she wanted.

Ragana rolled her shoulders. Muscles and tendons popped. She winced.

"I miss my bed on Coruscant." She grumbled as she reached for her boots and pulled them over her feet.

She rose to her feet and stumbled for a second as sleep tried to claim her mind once again. With a sharp shake of her head, she trudged her way over to the bathroom in her quarters. A bright white light winked on above her head. Morgan leaned up against the metal sink and stared into the mirror.

Her new eyes still gave her a fright every now and then. The yellow seemed so unnatural for some reason. Her Master called it a sign of her growing power. A sign that the Dark Side of the Force was growing within her. That she would soon be unstoppable. But Morgan only saw them as disconcerting. With great effort, and some happy thoughts, they flickered back to their normal emerald color. A small smile crossed her lips as a now familiar face stared back at her in the mirror.

"Hello gorgeous." She chuckled to herself.

She turned on the sink and splashed some cold water on her face. Immediately refreshing her body and mind.

Her mind returned to the dream. It still puzzled her. It could not have been an ordinary dream. Something so mundane would not bounce around her skull like this. She sucked in a sharp breath.

Was it a memory? A memory re-lived as a dream? It had to be. There was no other explanation. She saw her father again. Heard her mother for the first time since she lost her memories. An ache filled her heart. She gripped the sides of the sink and let out a long breath. Her head remained bowed.

"What is going on?" She muttered.

Something like this had not happened before. Did this occur because her powers were growing? Was she finally beginning to unlock her memories like her Master told her she would? If so, how did she do it? She gulped.

Or was it complete coincidence?

Knuckles rapped against her door. Morgan exhaled again and raised her gaze to the mirror. The emerald green in her eyes retreated away as someone interrupted her thinking. Blazing yellow engulfed her eyes. An angry snarl crossed her lip.

This better be important.

She turned on her heel and marched to her door. She tapped the control panel on the side. The door whooshed open. Commander Cody stood on the other side. His expression weary but focused.

"Lady Ragana." He held a datapad out to her with one hand, "We are about to exit hyperspace. Here is the battle plan I have come up with."

Ragana blinked, "Oh." She let out a small yawn, "That time already." She nodded for Cody to come inside. The old Clone hesitated at first then stepped inside. The door hissed shut behind him.

Ragana looked down at the datapad. Her finger brushed along the glass screen as she scrolled over a map showing Naboo's capital city, Theed.

"Aggressive." She muttered as she sank into a seat near the window. She glanced outside, still seeing the blue tunnel that marked hyperspace travel.

Commander Cody nodded, "It takes advantage of our superior firepower. I debated whether or not we should even bother with putting boots on the ground and instead executing an orbital bombardment."

"But?" Ragana asked, one eyebrow quirked.

"But that would be bad optics in my opinion, ma'am." Cody sank into a chair across from her, "This is the Emperor's home planet. Annihilating the rebels along with innocent civilians would be perfect propaganda for rebel extremists. So we will have to deal with the insurrectionists and Jedi the old fashioned way."

Ragana nodded, "Good. I was right to trust you." She brushed some hair from her brow and poured over the report some more, "We will have aerial support?"

"Absolutely. TIEs will keep the Naboo security forces's fighters from harassing our soldiers as they land in the city. If intelligence is correct, we should be able to gain air superiority immediately with our overwhelming numbers."

Ragana pinched the screen, showing the suggested battle formations. A slight smile crossed her lips when she saw that she would be leading the main attack.

"Our main thrust will cut straight into the heart of Theed. A company of stormtroopers led by you and I will secure the Royal Palace and the surrounding district." Cody continued, "Snipers will take up positions along the many causeways and balconies in the area. The Queen will be holed up inside her palace. Once it is surrounded, we can work on forcing surrender."

Ragana nodded, "I'd rather not risk destabilizing the planet by assassinating a monarch. I doubt my Master would be entirely pleased by that. It would turn his own people against him." She hummed to herself and pointed at the two flanking formations, "I assume the inquisitors will be leading these formations."

"Away from the main battle? Yes."

Ragana eyed Cody. The Clone shifted in his seat and cleared his throat.

"You said you did not trust them, so I made sure their role is relatively minor. It won't harm our main attack. The Naboo security forces are well trained but very small in number. They won't be able to execute a proper flanking maneuver on our main mass. Not with TIEs in the air. The inquisitors will negate any attempt to flank anyways."

"The fighters will keep the enemy from exposing themselves along the city's main arteries." Ragana correctly surmised, "And the Inquisitors will divert enemy manpower away from our main attack."

Cody nodded, "Correct, ma'am."

She nodded, "Good. This is very good."

The Star Destroyer lurched. The blue tunnel outside of her window disappeared. Stars twinkled in the vast, dark expanse of space. Some of the light from those stars faded as a planet lumbered into view. A beautiful, blue and green jewel suspended in a sea of inky blackness. Under any other circumstances, Ragana would have marveled at the beauty she witnessed above the planet's atmosphere. But in this moment, she was focused on calming her nerves and gathering her power.

"Are the Inquisitors prepared?"

"Briefed and ready for battle. Although the two underlings are not happy about their role in the strategy." Cody informed Ragana.

Ragana rose from her chair. Cody followed her. She extended a hand as she marched to her door. Her coat jumped to her outstretched hand. She threw the comforting fabric over her shoulders as she stepped out of her room.

"And the Grand Inquisitor?" Ragana asked as she sidestepped a pair of Mouse Droids.

Both she and Cody marched towards the turbolift.

"Ready for battle. Eager to spill Jedi blood, if I recall what he said correctly."

She shook her head as they stepped onto the lift. She punched in the code for the ship's main hangar.

"See?" She said as the turbolift doors shut, "Told you he was nothing more than a sophisticated animal."

Cody gave her a sidelong glance, but said nothing in return. His mind remained focused on the upcoming battle. He adjusted his helmet beneath his arm. One hand tugged on his glossy, white breastplate. He took a deep breath as the lift came to a slow stop. Both Ragana and Cody stepped off of the lift.

The main hangar buzzed with activity. Shuttles were flooded with crewmen. Some pumped fuel into the shuttle's vast tanks. Others finished making the final flight checks. Above the shuttles, TIE pilots scrambled along catwalks towards their ships. Their black armor a stark contrast to the white armored stormtroopers standing in formation below them.

Ragana saw the Inquisitors standing near the lead shuttle. As she approached, the Seventh Sister scowled, the Fifth Brother remained utterly quiet, and the Grand Inquisitor gave her a small nod of his head.

The scum should be bowing to me. She thought. She frowned to herself, Huh… where did that come from?

"Lady Morgan." The Grand Inquisitor breathed, "Ourselves and our soldiers are prepared for battle."

Ragana eyed the Grand Inquisitor. Razor sharp teeth smiled back at her from behind thin lips. He knew that name irked her. She would not give him the satisfaction of seeing her angry. Not right now at least. She gave him a small nod.

"Good. Stick to the plan and the Jedi should reveal themselves. They won't allow so many innocents to be killed without intervening personally."

"We should be hunting them down." The Seventh Sister grumble.

Ragana's eyes flashed, "Well, you are more than welcome to." She gave the Mirialan a twisted smile. One that made Cody gulp, "But good luck fighting an entire group of them on your own. The Jedi want us to be separated from our soldiers. That gives them the advantage. That is something we will not allow." She stared dangerously at the Seventh Sister, "So I suggest you do not deviate from your role. There are worse things than meeting a group of Jedi."

Her two Deathtroopers waited for her at the base of the shuttle's ramp. Ragana glanced past the Grand Inquisitor and smiled at both of them.

"Mount up." She told the Inquisitors. She marched up the ramp to her shuttle, "We have a rebellion to put down."

---

There has always been a calming beauty on the little planet of Naboo. It was one of the few planets in the mid rim that the weathered, old Jedi Master genuinely found beautiful. From its lush plains to its humid swamps and jungles, the planet flourished with natural phenomenon that would make any being's jaw drop. When he first laid eyes on the planet decades ago, he found the entire place to be breathtaking.

Especially the capital city of Theed. It's stone spires, arches, and domes were architectural marvels, even by today's galactic standards. Each wall intricately designed and meticulously crafted. Every paving stone lining the city streets had love, care, and passion poured into it. The Naboo loved their city. They took great pride in being a shining beacon of peace and prosperity to the rest of the galaxy.

For a split second, the Master felt guilty about ruining that peace. He ran a gloved hand over his dark, bald head. The cold leather over his mechanical right hand still felt strange against his scalp. He likely would never grow used to the sensation.

He sniffed. The scar tissue along his nose caused him to wince. A burn ran up the bridge of nose towards his forehead. His gloved hand reached up. Unfeeling fingers prodded the spiderweb scars along his face. He hissed at the touch. Could still the pain from the unnatural force that caused the injury.

Good. He thought to himself, hand falling to the side. That same hand clenched into a fist while his other hand dragged a dark brown hood over his dark head, I will use that pain.

He cast his eyes to the dark skies above Theed. Thunderclouds rumbled nearby. Bright flashes of lightning lit up the unusually silent capital. Everyone inside the city knew what was coming. The Master knew what was coming. He could see Naboo security forces scrambling to their stations. A few laser cannons lined the streets and pointed up at the stars above them. Waiting for the coming swarm. The Master's hand twitched near his hip, where a beat up silver and gold lightsaber hilt rested.

A blast of cool wind hit the balcony he stood upon alongside the palace. The Naboo Queen hid deep inside of the palace. Hoping to ride out the coming storm. Likely praying that her brave security forces would be able to repel whatever force the Empire sent to crush them.

The Master hoped that they could. But after years of hardship and loss, he knew better.

The door to the balcony opened, then quietly closed.

"Master." A young Zabrak Jedi Knight said as he cautiously approached the older Jedi Master. The Master did not even bother to turn his head. His dark eyes remained focused on the rolling clouds obscuring the atmosphere. He frowned. They would not even know when the Empire arrived until they broke through the storm.

"Master?"

The Master sighed, "Yes?"

"We are ready." The young Knight informed him, "All of us are ready to defend the palace and the people within. We shall avenge the Jedi and defeat the Empire."

The Master did not say anything back. He had to admire the boy's optimism and determination. But he had yet to grasp the true nature of this battle. If he was smart, he would avoid the front lines. The Empire had already proven themselves capable Jedi killers. And given the alarming number of Jedi now present in Theed, the greatest Jedi killer would be leading the Stormtroopers into battle. And the young Zabrak stood no chance against him.

Vader. The Master clenched his jaw.

The Sith Lord responsible for all of this. The monster that betrayed the Jedi. The damnable man that betrayed him. The Master relished the opportunity to finally face him. To destroy the traitor that doomed the galaxy to the Sith's carnage and tyranny.

"Master? Where will you be?"

His dark eyes glanced over at the young Jedi Knight. In that moment, he realized that the boy had to be nothing more than a Padawan Learner when Order 66 occurred. Likely a survivor on one of the outer rim worlds. His Master probably sacrificed his life so that he may live. The Master's lips pressed tightly together. In this moment, while he respected the boy's courage, he would have rather he died and his master lived. The newly minted Knight stood no chance against the darkness coming. If he were wise he would see Vader and retreat.

But none of them are wise. All of them are arrogant. All of them think that, if they fight as one, they can defeat the Jedi Killer. The Master snorted to himself, They are wrong, of course.

A part of his mind felt conflicted by that thought. He should not feel so callous about this. These Knights with him on Naboo were likely the last Jedi Knights in the galaxy. Very few survived Order 66. Even fewer survived the subsequent purges led by Darth Vader. The lucky ones remained off the Empire's radar. The smart ones stayed there.

But the Master was no longer interested in just surviving. He was not interested in being smart or caring anymore. For nearly five years he had bided his time. Waited until he was absolutely certain of his enemy's identity. Waited until he was certain he could defeat Darth Vader.

TIE fighters screamed down through the clouds. The Jedi Knight behind the Master gasped as the security forces opened fire with what little anti-aircraft weapons they had. Several TIEs exploded in the air. Pinwheeling down into the once calm city below. Several streaked by the red lasers fired at them. Green blaster bolts rained down upon the anti-air positions. In the span of several seconds, the TIEs cleared a landing zone for the dozens of shuttles behind them to land.

"They need help." The Zabrak hissed.

The Master did not stop him as he rushed out of the balcony in order to join the battle. The other young Jedi would probably join him. Only the Master would remain behind. There was no point in foolishly charging into the coming storm. Why do that when it would come to him.

His dark eyes turned to the Mausoleum district just a few blocks away. Within that solemn section of the city rested the one place the Master knew for certain Vader would not destroy. The resting place of Queen Padme Amidala.

He glanced back out over the rest of the city. Stormtroopers poured out of the shuttles. He frowned as he saw three double bladed, red lightsabers burst to life within the blaster fire.

Inquisitors. He scowled, The coward Sith does not even want to sully his hands. He turned on his heel, cloak twirling in his path behind him. When he learns where I am, that will change. He will come for me.

He marched through the palace halls. Outside he heard the screams of dying men. The horrid screech of blasterfire filled the air. Explosions shook the ground, but he paid the tremors no mind. The sound did not bother him, even as he stepped outside of the palace and calmly strode towards the mausoleums. Several security forces soldiers followed him. He did not need them, did not want them. But at this point, he did not care if they followed. They would probably die, like the others. Let them, so long as his own quarry arrived their deaths would be worth it.

The Master felt the heat of fires beginning to burn throughout the city. More explosions rocked the once silent city. More shuttles landed. More stormtroopers swarmed. He felt the presences of his Jedi Knights flare to life as they moved to engage the enemy. Moved to defend the palace and the Naboo Queen that sheltered them.

And he strode into the untouched Mausoleums, a confident smile on his face. He stopped in front of the mausoleum of Queen Padme Amidala and turned around.

"Go to the battle. You won't be needed here." He ordered the security forces.

The maroon clad men nodded and rushed away from him. Hurrying to rejoin the main battle.

The Master glanced up at the marble building. Once again marveling at the sheer scale of the architecture. The love and care devoted to such a beloved queen's burial place. He even admired the lovely stained glass window that allowed the burning city's light to filter into the main chamber.

He used the force and gently nudged the doors open. Then he stepped inside the dark main chamber. The stench of death hung heavy in the air. Whether from the corpses of the Amidala family or from the many deaths outside, the Master could not tell. But there would be more death to come. He reached to his hip and grabbed his lightsaber. With a final sigh, he knelt down on the ground and placed the hilt in front of him. His dark eyes closed and he sank into the force.

Come to me. He let his force signature flare to life. Drowning out the presences of his Jedi Knights. Any Inquisitor, any dark acolyte, any Sith Lord, would know he was here. They would be drawn to him like a moth to a flame. And he would destroy them all. And he would continue to kill them all until the one he desired arrive.

Come to me, Skywalker.

---

Ragana's eyes were closed. She could hear the roar of the her Shuttle's engines. A dull, thrumming sound that permeated the entire cramped space within the shuttle. The shuttle jostled. Loud cracks sounded outside of the metal walls. Several stormtroopers near her shuffled nervously. She cracked one eye open and glanced at her two Deathtroopers by her side.

They did a good job projecting an aura of confidence, but she knew better. She had been around these two long enough to know their mannerisms. Deathy One (the shorter one to her right), as she liked to call him, stood rigid. Back straight. Head held high. One hand rested across the blaster rifle strapped over his torso. His other hand gripped the handhold above his head. Ragana saw that hand flex, relax, then flex again as the shuttle shuddered.

She glanced at Deathy Two (the taller one to her left). His head seemed slightly bowed. The tinted lenses on his black helmet were focused on a small point on the floor. His comms were off. If Ragana were to take a guess, he was muttering to himself. Likely trying to calm his mind by talking to himself. Giving reassurance to an anxious mind about to step foot onto a battlefield. Ready for combat, but not ready for death.

She tightened her grip on the handhold over her head. As long as they stuck close to her, they would not die. She would not let them.

The shuttle shuddered again. Massive booms sounded outside the thin metal walls. The overhead lights above them went dark. Emergency red lights winked to life along the floor. Some of the stormtroopers shuffled nervously around her. Ragana herself, did not feel worried. If she was in danger, the Dark Side of the Force would warn her. So far, no warnings. No strange feeling crawling up her spine. No nagging thoughts at the back of her mind or a sinking feeling in her gut.

Deathy One leaned close to her ear.

"AA gun." He whispered to her.

"Guns." Deathy Two clarified, both speaking only so that she would hear them.

Ragana furrowed her brow. The Naboo really were prepared for an assault. She was not aware a planetary security force would have such firepower.

An alarm blared through the cabin. The stormtroopers around Ragana let go of their handholds and primed their blaster rifles. She reached into her coat and withdrew her spell book. A speaker crackled to life over their heads.

"Touchdown in ten seconds!"

Ragana glanced around her, "You know the strategy." She reminded the two dozen stormtroopers around her, "Land, move immediately towards the palace. Use the buildings along the main road as cover. Allow the TIEs to clear the road."

"Yes ma'am." They all replied in unison.

She took a quiet, calming breath. Her blazing eyes closed once again. She allowed the force to come to her. Allowed the Dark Side to pour into her veins as a shot of fear hit her heart. She gripped that fear in the force. Tightened her fingers around it like a vice. Held onto it, allowed it to fester, let it trigger the primal urge to fight within her.

The shuttle touched down. Wind and rain rushed into the cabin as the ramp lowered. Thunder clapped outside. The Stormtroopers around Ragana surged out of the shuttle and charged into a hail of red blaster fire. Ragana took a breath and stepped off after them. Her Deathtroopers flanked her as she marched onto the battlefield

"COVERING FIRE!"

"GO! GO! GO!"

An explosion hammered the ground to her right. Ragana flinched. Deathy Two grabbed her by the arm and pulled her out of the open towards several columns lining a large administrative building.

As she reached cover, the Inquisitor's shuttle landed. The three hunters were the first off of their ship. As soon as their dark boots touched the rain soaked ground, their dual bladed lightsabers burst to life. Red blaster bolts bounced off of the blades as they marched up the road, their platoon of stormtroopers following close behind. As they reached a fork in the road, the Inquisitors and their men broke off from the main point of attack. The two underlings rushed down a road to the west. The Grand Inquisitor took his men east. Both groups would flank then encircle the palace. Relieving pressure from the main front. And if they listened to her orders, they would not chase after the first Jedi they found.

Ragana took a breath.

"Lady Ragana!"

Ragana glanced over her shoulder. Commander Cody ran up to her. He ducked his head to avoid rounds of blaster fire. One round shrieked over his head and slammed into the wall behind him. He skidded to a stop beside her.

"Reinforcements are loading up back on the ship. But we need to begin the main attack now."

Ragana furrowed her brow. She glanced down the road. Her men were starting to return fire now. But the Naboo were dug in. Several turrets opened up on the street. Peppering the ground and pillars that served as cover with blaster bolts. Ragana ducked behind her pillar as three rounds smacked into the stone.

"Get some snipers up high. I want them taking out whoever is manning those turrets." She ordered Cody, "And someone call a TIE strike on those positions up ahead!"

One stormtrooper followed her orders for the TIE strike. Cody barked at a trio of snipers. Those three soldiers scrambled towards a set of stairs that led to a balcony up high. Ragana peaked out from her pillar. A loud rumble filled the air.

"Tank." Cody cursed.

Ragana arched an eyebrow as a metal behemoth lumbered into view. An old looking thing. A circular turret rested on top. The front part of the tank was designed like a shield. Curved to deflect glancing blaster bolts. Several smaller turrets lined the base. Cody let another curse slip.

"AAT." He informed Ragana, "Where the hell did they get one of those?"

"Does it matter?" Ragana's eyes flicked across the street as the Tank opened fire with its cannon.

A fiery explosion engulfed a pair of pillars across the road. Stormtroopers fell to the road, dead. Fire consumed the stone around them.

"Heavy infantry has not landed yet." Cody hissed.

"We don't need them."

Ragana stepped out from her source of cover. Blaster bolts shrieked around her. She ducked her head to the side, narrowly avoiding one. The Force gave her a warning whenever one came close. In a way, the Force slowed the battle down for her. It allowed her to focus on any imminent threats without overwhelming herself.

Her eyes narrowed on the tank. The pages to her spell book fluttered open. The Dark Side howled in her ears as a massive thunder spell gathered in her hand. She balled up her fist and charged up the yellow bolt. Then she let some force lightning leak out of her fingertips. The blue bolts crackled along the outside of the yellow core. Ragana grinned.

Let's try something new.

She thrust her hand out. The thunder spell wrapped in a cloak of force lightning exploded from her palm. It shot down the street and slammed into the tank. The blue bolts arced around the metal shell. No doubt short circuiting the tank's primary systems. The main bolt punched through the metal. Tore a hole clean through the center of the tank. It's propulsion systems died. The tank stopped hovering and slumped to the ground like an exhausted giant.

Ragana grinned.

"Forward!" She bellowed.

As she marched up the road, TIEs shrieked over her head. Green blaster bolts soared down from the fighters. Explosions erupted down the road. Screams followed. Ragana's lips curled into an even bigger grin. A perfect strike.

"Turrets are down!" Cody barked as he rushed out ahead of Ragana, "Move towards the Palace!"

Ragana smirked as she let her men rush past her. The Naboo were already crumbling. The small band of rebels could not hope to stand up to the firepower the Empire had at their disposal. And the rebels's main defenses seemed much weaker now. No doubt thanks to the Inquisitors actually holding up their end of the plan and diverting enemy resources away from the main thrust.

Blaster fire roared around her. The remaining Naboo security forces rained as much fire as they could upon her soldiers. Ragana flinched a little bit as several of her men cried out and fell dead. Smoking holes punched into their armor from blaster bolts.

She shook her head. It did no good to stop for the dead. Not when the battle had yet to be won. And while the Empire clearly held the upper hand, anything could go awry at any moment. And in the back of her mind, a voice reminded her, the Jedi were still unaccounted for.

Perhaps they fled? It would have been the smart thing for them to do. Then again, Jedi were not necessarily known for their self preservation skills. Ragana frowned to herself. If they were not on the battlefield now, then where were they?

"Lady Ragana." Deathy Two leaned close to her, "Seventh Sister reports Jedi contact made."

Ragana blinked. Of course, the Jedi would be attracted towards the red lightsabers. She sighed a little bit. Why couldn't she have one yet?

"Where at?" She asked her Deathtrooper.

"Near the Mausoleum district. Three Jedi have engaged the inquisitors there. Another three recently showed up as well. The Grand Inquisitor is moving to rendezvous with the other inquisitors."

Ragana clenched her teeth. Of course he was. Killing Jedi seemed more important than actually winning the battle to him.

"Six Jedi in total?" She asked.

"We suspect seven. One scout reported a lone figure retreating into the mausoleums."

Ragana pursed her lips, "Odd." She breathed. She glanced ahead. Cody was still commanding the battle. Still directing traffic as the Naboo retreated closer and closer to the Palace. "Commander!" She snapped.

Cody glanced back at her, "Yes ma'am?"

"Take over from here. Surround the palace, do not enter it. I want the queen alive and unharmed. I have Jedi to take care of now."

Cody nodded, "Understood."

She did not hear his orders as he assumed full command of the assault. Ragana diverted her attention to a nearby avenue that led towards the Mausoleum district. She took a few steps then paused as she noticed her Deathtroopers still flanking her.

"Coming along?" She asked, somewhat surprised.

"Our orders are to protect you at all costs." Deathy One said. Deathy Two nodded in agreement.

"Aw," Ragana cooed with a slight smirk, "How sweet."

She chuckled as they walked down the silent avenue. Fire illuminated the dark sky. Not even the rain could put out the blazes near the palace as more explosions rocked the gorgeous city of Theed. TIE fighters streaked over the city. Less anti-aircraft fire soared through the dark skies. Meaning the TIEs' bombardment of the city had been effective so far.

Ragana puffed with pride. So far the strategy had worked to perfection. The Naboo were in retreat and the battle had hardly begun. Their firepower had been diminished by the Empire's aerial superiority. She did see a few yellow colored starfighters attempt to fend off the swarm of TIEs. They did not last long.

She furrowed her brow as her and her deathtroopers drew closer to the Mausoleum district. Everything around her remained eerily silent. The only battle noises came from the main road to the Palace. Where the din of blaster fire and explosions hung over the entire city.

That silence came to an end as she heard the distant whirring of lightsabers. Their hum crescendoed through the air as more rain tapped along the stone streets and buildings around her. Ragana turned a corner.

At the entrance to the Mausoleum district, six Jedi surrounded three Inquisitors. The Inquisitors held their own by spinning their lightsabers like pinwheels in front of them. Creating a wall of deadly red light that kept the Jedi from encroaching upon them. But that would only hold for so long. Eventually the half dozen blue and green lightsabers would penetrate the meager defense and force the Inquisitors to fight or die.

A part of Ragana wanted to see that happen. She did not care if the Fifth Brother died. He seemed to be nothing more than a mindless brute. Useless in the grand scheme of things. The Seventh Sister despised her for some reason. Ragana grew weary of insolence the more she interacted with the Mirialan. And the Grand Inquisitor still drew Ragana's ire thanks to his unceremonious destruction of her naivete on Coruscant. She could still hear the cries of those two prisoners as he slaughtered them, despite her promise that they would not be harmed in the end.

Her anger flared at the memory. The Dark Side pulsed around her. A pulse that alerted the Jedi to her presence.

Two spun away from the Inquisitors in order to gaze upon their new opponent. A Rodian Jedi with a green lightsaber and a Bothan Jedi with a blue lightsaber. Their eyes narrowed as she quietly walked forward. Her two Deathtroopers hesitated as they caught sight of the deadly lightsabers in the Jedi's grip.

Ragana paused a few meters away.

"So," She said, a small smile crossed her lips, "who wants to try first?"

The Rodian charged. Green lightsaber raised over his dark green head. Massive, black eyes focused solely on her. Ragana felt both fear and excitement surge through her body. Finally, she had the chance to engage a Jedi in combat.

She stretched out a hand and blasted the Rodian away with a powerful force push. The foolish Jedi Knight slammed into the wall of a nearby mausoleum. The stone cracked where he impacted.

The Bothan charged next. Ragana twirled to face him. Her two Deathtroopers dashed to the side in order to avoid the deadly blue lightsabers.

She ducked beneath a slash aimed at her neck. One of her feet snapped out and slammed into the Bothan's knee. A wet snap filled the air. The Bothan howled. His howl was cut short by Deathy One's blaster rifle unloading several shots to the back of his head.

That got the attention of the others. The last four Jedi were fairly simple to figure out. Three humans, all of whom appeared rather nervous, and a Zabrak who appeared more determined than afraid.

Perhaps he is the leader.

The distraction she created allowed the Inquisitors to end their defensive posture and attack. The Seventh Sister furiously hacked at one of the human Jedi. The Fifth brother bashed a massive, stone like fist into the gut of another Jedi. The Grand Inquisitor moved to engage the Zabrak Jedi. Meanwhile, the Rodian Jedi recovered. He and the third human Jedi, a young woman barely older than Ragana, took aim at the young Sith apprentice.

Deathy One and Two opened fire on the two charging Jedi. Both Jedi's blades twirled as they stopped their charge and focused on deflecting the blasterfire. Ragana's eyes widened as several bolts shrieked back towards her. She rolled out of the way, gathered magic in her hand, and unleashed a hellish fire spell upon the Jedi.

A fiery explosion hammered the ground between the two Jedi. Smoke billowed up from the scorched stone, some of which had turned to slag from the sudden, intense heat. Ragana quickly followed up with a pair of wind spells that took the Jedi off of their feet and threw them backwards.

Lightning danced in her palm. A thunder spell rocketed from her hand. A large smile crossed her lips as she watched the lightning rush towards the Rodian Jedi. Before the Rodian could recover from the wind spell, the thunder spell tore through his hip. The Rodian let out a loud cry then slumped to the ground, one hand clasped over a large, bloody patch on his robes.

The human woman stared stupefied at Ragana.

"What are you!?" She cried.

Ragana smiled, "Come find out."

The woman pointed the tip of her blade at Ragana then charged. Ragana grinned as she balled up another lightning spell in her hand. She fired another salvo.

This time, the Jedi raised her blade and deflected the blast right back at her. Ragana's sucked in a sharp breath. It rushed back towards her. Faster than she could hope to move.

"Morgan!"

Deathy Two stepped in front of the blast. His body shuddered as the lightning bolt burrowed into his chest. With a long breath, he sank to his knees then fell limp onto the rain soaked stones.

Ragana's eyes widened. Beside her, she heard Deathy One utter a furious roar and unleash a hailstorm of blaster fire on the Jedi. The Jedi easily started deflecting the blaster bolts back at her and her Deathtrooper. But Ragana did not move. Her eyes remained focused on the corpse near her feet.

He… took that for me? Ragana blinked rainwater from her eyes.

Pain filled her heart. Why would he do that? She probably could have handled a spell like that. If she could cast them, then she could probably shrug off a little bit of their damage. Why would he jump in front of one? Why would he sacrifice his life for her own? When did she ever deserve such a thing?

She raised her gaze to the human Jedi. The woman still tried to bounce blaster bolts back at her other Deathtrooper. One blaster bolt grazed a black patch of armor on Deathy One's shoulder.

Ragana's eyes blazed.

"No." She hissed.

Force lightning crackled on her fingertips. The Dark Side of the Force howled in her mind. The voice of Marka Ragnos whispered in her thoughts.

"Anger is power. Hatred is strength. Use these emotions as fuel. Let them focus you." Ragana focused her hate filled gaze on the Jedi Knight, "Let them destroy your enemies."

She roared. Blue lightning jumped from her fingertips. The Jedi Knight gasped and raised her blade to block it.

Too late.

Blue lightning bolts slammed into the Jedi Knight. They force of the lightning lifted the woman into the air and threw her against a mausoleum wall. She likely did not even feel the impact. Her body fell limp to the soaked ground. Her blue lightsaber clattered out of her grasp and hissed off.

The Inquisitors and Jedi paused as Ragana sank into the Dark Side's depths. The other two human Jedi, both very young males, paled as the Dark Side of the Force creeped out of Ragana like a steady fog. The Seventh Sister and Fifth Brother both gulped and took a step away from Ragana as the young Sith stalked towards the Jedi Knights.

One human Jedi tore away from the Seventh Sister, determining that Ragana was the greater threat. Ragana's eyes flashed as the Jedi dared to raise his blade against her. Blue lightning danced on her fingertips. Instead of arcing from her hand like small tree branches, she gathered a small ball of it into her palm. The ball pulsed with energy as she waited for the reckless Jedi Knight to get closer.

As the Jedi Knight raised his blade to cleave her in two, Ragana launched the ball of lightning. The ball hit the Jedi's chest. A storm of blue lightning engulfed the Jedi Knight. Bright flashes revealed his skeleton through his flesh as he screamed. His body fell backwards, dead. Small streams of smoke billowed up from his charred corpse.

The final two Jedi moved quickly. Both gained separation from the Inquisitors, who were now more focused on staying out of Ragana's way rather than engaging the Jedi.

The last human Jedi grit his teeth. The Zabrak Jedi tried to stop him from charging, but he did not listen. Whether out of pure arrogance, or pure fear, he charged. Ragana did not care why.

She reached out with the force, bashed his defenses away, and grabbed him by the throat. The Jedi gasped as she hoisted him into the air. His lightsaber fell from his grasp. Before Ragana could snap his neck, the Zabrak attacked.

Ragana snarled and ducked beneath a slash. She hopped back from a thrust and drew her spell book once again. Meanwhile, the human Jedi remained suspended in the air. A ghostly fist clenched tight around his throat.

The Zabrak uttered a furious growl as he failed to connect with another slash. Ragana bounced back again, creating enough distance to unleash a devastating spell. One she had yet to use, but had been eager to try for a long time. A blast of shadowy, indigo energy soared from her hand and slammed into the Zabrak. An explosion engulfed his body as dark energy pulsed through the air.

He flew back from her and into the waiting blade of the Grand Inquisitor. A red bar of light thrummed through the Zabrak's back and out his chest. He shuddered for a split second, then perished.

Ragana flicked her eyes over to the last Jedi Knight. With a careless flick of her wrist, his neck snapped. The body fell into a large puddle with a wet plop.

Ragana paused. Her eyes darted between the six corpses in the rain soaked street. She waited for any of them to move. Even just a slight twitch of muscle, and she would pounce with the force once again.

The Grand Inquisitor cleared his throat as he cautiously approached her.

"Lady Morgan?"

She growled and raised a hand, allowing sparks to dance on her fingertips. Her burning eyes bored holes into the Pau'an. Causing him to stop in his tracks. He gulped nervously.

"There is still one more." He nodded behind him at the various tombs lining the streets in the Mausoleum district, "In there."

Ragana glanced past him. One more Jedi. One more enemy. One more corpse.

She turned her gaze to her Deathtrooper.

"Remain here." She ordered him.

She did not wait for a reply. Ragana strode past the dead Jedi and marched into the mausoleum district. The inquisitors followed her. Their red lightsabers remained on. The hum of the deadly blades rang in her ears as they marched among the various stone buildings that housed the greatest of Naboo's dead.

Queens, senators, rich merchants, and heroes; those were the dead that occupied these hallowed grounds. Another corpse would be added to their number tonight. Ragana clenched her fist as she sank into the force. Determined to sense her prey.

She expected him to be hiding. Instead, she detected the last Jedi right away. A blinking light in the force. Beckoning her to find him. She followed the pulsing light until she came to a stop in front of one of the newer tombs. She glanced up at the building.

If she did not feel so infuriated, she would have marveled at the marble columns and stained glass window on the building's front facade. But her rage blinded her to such beauty. The Jedi killed one of her Deathtroopers. One of her only friends in the galaxy at the moment. And he would be avenged. The Jedi responsible for this petty rebellion would pay for their actions.

She marched up the marble steps. The inquisitors boots clacked against the stone behind her. Their lightsabers hummed as they reached the door. A red glow engulfed the air around her as the lightsabers lit up the doors.

Ragana placed one hand against the heavy doors, took a breath, and unleashed the force.

---

Somber silence speaks loudly. That is something the Jedi Master learned long ago. In the silence, a Jedi could tune out the chaos of the universe around him. He could sink into the force, sink into his thoughts, and hear the currents within the invisible cosmic realm. To love the silence was a simple task, but a difficult one for young Jedi to learn. Young Jedi were always enamored by their powers. Arrogant in their abilities. Some, whether they liked to acknowledge it or not, believed themselves to be superior to non-force sensitives. But those same Jedi that thought that way could never suffer the silence. They never had the will or discipline to listen to the quiet whispers of the Force.

Anakin Skywalker had been one of those very Jedi. Arrogant in his own abilities and power. Smug about his skills. Incapable of truly understanding the mysteries of the Force, despite his Master's best efforts to teach him otherwise. The Jedi Master scowled as he meditated on the boy turned traitor.

Now that he looked back on the years leading up to the Jedi Purge, the Master realized that he hated Anakin Skywalker. He may have denied it at the time. He may have genuinely felt that his dislike for the boy stemmed from a purely juvenile reason that he failed to grasp. But now, after years of hardship and heartache, he learned he deeply hated the so called Chosen One.

Who was he to be the Chosen One? Nothing more than an arrogant brat who thought he should always get his way, no matter what. A disobedient boy who never heeded his wisdom or the wisdom of the Jedi High Council. Who even ignored the wise council of Master Yoda, in his arrogance. And ultimately, Skywalker's actions led him down a dark path. A path that the Master could now act upon. A path that allowed the Master to feel no remorse when it came to his vengeful desires.

Explosions rocked the city of Theed. He heard the dull whine of TIE fighters leak through the thick stone walls of Queen Amidala's tomb. With every explosion, the great stone building shuddered. Dust drifted down from the ceiling as several explosions came rather close. The Master did not budge in the face of such danger. He simply remained kneeling, eyes closed. Mind focused on the task at hand.

This entire battle, the entire Naboo Insurrection, had one goal in mind. The Queen's goal was to break free of a tyrannical empire. But that was not the Master's goal. True, he would like to see the Naboo succeed against the Empire. To see such a small planet become a shining beacon of hope and justice to the rest of the galaxy. But he was a realist. The Naboo stood no chance. Only one goal was tangible in this instance.

Kill Darth Vader. The Emperor's personal attack dog. The dark specter that had consumed Anakin Skywalker and made him turn his coat. The greatest Jedi Killer in galactic history would lead the Imperial response to the Naboo rebellion. The Emperor would make certain of that. And when Vader came for the Master, the Master would be ready. The Master would kill him.

He furrowed his brow as several force signatures burst to life outside of the mausoleums. He sensed three dark presences. Small shadows in the force surrounded by flickering flames of bright light. Six Jedi facing down three Inquisitors. The Master suppressed a small smirk. It should be no problem for the six Jedi Knights. True, some were only Knights now because they survived the Jedi purge. A few barely had the skills of a well trained Padawan. But he trusted them to take care of the Empire's hunters. Inquisitors trained in the bare minimum in the dark side would be no match for six Jedi working in tandem to defeat them.

The Force howled. The Master's breath hitched. A tenth presence entered the melee. Completely different from the six Jedi and the three inquisitors. The Jedi's flickering flames paled in comparison to it. The Inquisitor's shadows were drowned out by an inky darkness that consumed any light around it. The Master knew this presence. He felt it before with the Emperor. He felt it inside of Anakin Skywalker when the boy first fell. The presence of a newborn Sith.

Vader had arrived. It could only be him. The darkness was not as deep as Lord Sidious's. If Sidious himself arrived, the Master would have felt much more worried. But Vader, he could handle with practiced ease.

His face flinched a little as he felt one Jedi's light die away. A second was quickly snuffed out afterwards. Then a third and a fourth. Two lights lasted longer than the others. The Dark Side screamed, the two lights quivered, then died. The Master's scowl deepened. His companions were dead. Vader killed them. More names to add to the list of beings slain by the dark monster.

I will avenge them. The Master thought as he clenched his jaw.

He sensed the four dark presences approach the tomb. The darkest lead the way. He furrowed his brow as he investigated the leader further. For some reason, the strength of Vader seemed a tad… small, compared to when he last met the traitor. Anakin Skywalker had been many things, weak was not one of them. The Master gave credit to the traitor in that regard. Vader was immensely powerful.

Was he holding back against his Jedi companions? Why did his presence seem much more fragile? The Master's flicked his eyes open as he sensed the Inquisitors and their leader reach the doors to the tomb. Something was wrong.

The Force blasted against the heavy, stone doors. They groaned off of their hinges and collapsed to the marble tiles with an enormous boom. The doors cracked against the ground. Four silhouettes stood in the doorway as fire consumed the Palace district of Theed behind them. The Master's dark gaze narrowed beneath his deep hood.

He recognized the three inquisitors. They seemed overconfident about this entire situation. But the one in the front was someone he did not expect. He expected to see the towering form of Darth Vader marching into the tomb to confront the Master. Instead a human girl, shockingly young, led the Inquisitors into the dark mausoleum. And even stranger, she did not carry a lightsaber. Instead, a weathered, old book rested in the crook of her right arm. Glowing eyes glared through the shadows at him.

The Master raised his brow, perplexed.

"This is the last one?" The girl asked the Pau'an inquisitor to her right.

The Pau'an nodded, "Apparently so." His dual bladed lightsaber hummed in his grip. The other inquisitors gripped their blades tight. Ready to do battle, "Shall we eliminate him?"

The girl inclined her chin as she regarded the kneeling master. The Master narrowed hid dark eyes at her.

A pressure hit his mind. One that caught him mildly off guard. He grunted and threw up his mental defenses. Ironclad and unbreakable. The girl sucked in a sharp breath as the pressure in the Master's mind retreated away.

Before the girl could say anything, the Mirialan Inquisitor and her gray skinned, hulking companion, snarled.

"Enough waiting!" The Mirialan snapped.

Her and the hulking Inquisitor beside her charged. The Pau'an uttered a sharp command for them to stop, but their blood lust consumed them.

Typical dark siders.

The Jedi Master raised his left hand. He flexed his fingers. A force push rocketed from his palm and slammed into the Mirialan. The Inquisitor let out a stunned cry as she flew back out of the mausoleum. Before her companion could realize what happened, the Jedi Master grabbed him with the force and threw him against a marble column within the tomb. A wet snap sounded throughout the cavernous space at the gray skinned alien's neck broke.

The Pau'an's eyes widened in shock. He leaned towards the girl at the front.

"L-lady-"

"Call me the wrong name again, and I'll let him kill you." The girl hissed. She took a step forward and addressed the master, "Impressive. I have yet to encounter a Jedi of your power."

The Master frowned at her, but said nothing. Where was Vader? Why was the Emperor's fist not here to face him?

The girl tilted her head to the side, "Is this one a mute?" She asked the Pau'an.

"How am I supposed to know that?"

The human girl shrugged, "I don't know. You're more experienced at this than me."

The Master's scowl deepened. The girl was not just a child, she was an inexperienced child at that. The Empire did not even deem him a worthy enough adversary for Vader's personal attention. Perhaps he should have been so secretive about his involvement in the insurrection.

"I think he might be mute." The girl muttered to the Pau'an.

"I am not mute." The Master finally spoke, voice even and calm.

Instantly, the Pau'an's eyes widened.

"I know that voice." The Inquisitor gasped.

The girl's eyes brightened, "Do you? Is the Jedi an old friend of yours? Oh do tell!"

"Master Windu." The Pau'an breathed, shock radiating out of him.

The girl raised an eyebrow, "Who?"

"Typical dark siders," The Master removed his hood, revealing a dark, bald head with ribbons of scar tissue running over his skin, "You never know your opponent until it is too late."

The girl regarded the Jedi with some curiosity. The Pau'an took a fearful step back.

"It is him." The Inquisitor trembled, "That is impossible! The Emperor killed you!"

Mace Windu glared at the cowardly Pau'an, "In a way he did. I certainly am not the Jedi I once was. Perhaps, you could say he murdered my once brighter spirit. But that is not good news for you. That means I will have no regret or remorse when I destroy you."

The Pau'an paled. His sharp teeth chattered behind clenched lips. A proper reaction to Mace Windu's presence.

The girl chuckled, making Mace give her a puzzled look. Her laugh sounded almost amused. Of course it would be though. She had no idea who he was. Had no idea who she faced and the power he commanded. An ignorant fallen brat.

"I'm all for reunions like this, but I have a job to do." The girl nodded at Mace, "I guess since I know you're name, I'll give you mind." She bowed at the waist. Gold and purple coat fluttering over her small frame as she dipped towards the ground, "Ragana."

"Not a typical name for a little human girl." Mace frowned.

"Well I'm far from typical, Macey." Ragana smirked back.

The Pau'an glanced at Ragana, stunned. She seriously did not understand the danger or the gravity of the situation. This was not a fight they could win. This was a fight the Grand Inquisitor doubted Lord Vader could win. And at this moment, the Grand Inquisitor wished Vader was by his side and not this upstart human that the Emperor seemed amused by.

"But so aren't you." Ragana's smile remained, "You are very different from those dead weaklings outside. I tried to take a stroll through your mind and you promptly kicked me out. Only my Master has ever really managed to do that."

Master? Windu felt some caution enter him. The Inquisitors likely believed the Emperor to be their master, but they would not so brazenly declare it to a Jedi. Mostly because it was not entirely true. They were not Sith. They did not have the privilege of referring to Darth Sidious as master except when said as a sign of submission.

But the word left Ragana's lips so casually. As if she worked closely with Sidious. As if she actually thought she was his apprentice.

"You are a deluded one, aren't you?" Mace hummed.

Ragana's smile wavered, "Deluded?" She uttered a dry chuckle, "I think you are the deluded one. I mean, who in their right mind convinces a planet to rebel against the Empire? Let alone a planet with absolutely no military might. Honestly, sounds both deluded and stupid to me."

Mace narrowed his eyes, "Winning was not my goal."

Ragana furrowed her brow as she thought for a moment. Then a small gasp left her lips. Her smile broadened.

"Oh! Oh!" She threw her head back and laughed loudly. The Grand Inquisitor gaped at her, "You wanted to draw us to you." She wagged a finger at Mace, "You are looking for a fight. You are looking to kill us all off, damn any allies that help you in the process." She clicked her tongue, "From what I have studied, that is not very Jedi of you."

Mace clenched his jaw, "Clearly the Jedi way has not worked in wiping your kind from existence. Perhaps a new approach is needed."

"Oh and I commend it." Ragana beamed, "You know, I think if you and I wanted to sit down and chat this whole thing through, you would find that we might have some common ground. That being said, clearly you do not want to do that. I mean, judging by your rising power and that nasty snarl on your lips, you are about ready to try and kill me."

The Master snarled. He grabbed his lightsaber in front of him and rose to his feet.

"Trust me." A purple blade hissed to life in his hands, "There will be no trying when I kill you."

Ragana's eyes flashed, "Oh, ominous."

"Is this some kind of joke for you?" Mace asked, still semi-perplexed by her strange excitement.

"No." Ragana shrugged, "But I do plan on having some fun while I fight you. Is that so wrong?"

Mace's eyes widened briefly as yellow lighting erupted in her hand. A bolt flashed from her palm. He ducked to the side. The lightning slammed into a stone monument behind him, shattering the white stone into rubble. As he rolled back to his feet, another lightning bolt arced towards him. Mace called out to the force and whipped a large piece of rubble in front of him. The rubble exploded as the lightning bolt hit it. Hit hissed as dust flew into his eyes.

Heat washed over him. Flames licked at his robes. A fireball followed the lightning bolt and plowed into him. He uttered a short cry as he stumbled backwards. But the Jedi Master quickly recovered and shed his smoldering cloak. He leveled his purple blade at Ragana.

"You're a tough one." Ragana grinned.

Wind whipped up around her. Mace's eyes widened. What kind of power was this? This felt like the Force. But at the same time, it felt uniquely different. The closest thing he could compare it to was the Nightsister's magic on the planet Dathomir. But even their magic did not involve such physical spells. They were mostly illusions. As far as Mace could tell, those lightning bolts and fire were not illusions.

Blue lightning danced on Ragana's fingertips. Mace narrowed his eyes.

There is something familiar.

He raised his blade and caught a blast of Force lighting. The purple blade absorbed the energy, surprising Ragana a little bit. The young girl glanced at the Grand Inquisitor.

"Are you going to keep staring? Or are you going to fight?"

The Pau'an shook his head as Mace's eyes bored into him.

"We can't win this fight." The Grand Inquisitor gulped.

Ragana's eyes widened as he shut off his lightsaber and ran.

"Hey! Hey!" Ragana stomped a foot, "Coward!"

"If you were smart, you'd do the same." Mace bent his knees, ready to attack, "This is your one opportunity."

Ragana uttered a heavy sigh, "Why must I do everything myself? Honestly these inquisitors are useless."

She lashed out with the force. But instead of carrying Mace away with a powerful push, Mace threw up his defenses and simply slid a few feet back.

He dashed at her. Ragana's eyes widened as his purple blade hummed towards her. She ducked beneath the lightsaber at the last second. One of Mace's boots slammed into her gut. With a slight pulse from the Force, she flew into a pillar and lost her grip on her spell book.

Ragana groaned and pushed herself up to her hands and knees. She shook her head.

"That hurt." She groaned.

"This will hurt more." Mace slashed down at her.

She rolled out of the way. The purple blade dug into the pillar, turning the stone it hit into molten slag. Ragana used the force to quickly propel herself away from Mace. But he followed her still. Closing the gap rapidly.

She let out an alarmed cry as he unleashed his fury upon her. She managed to dodge, but as he fought, he grew stronger. He learned her tendencies, her strengths, and her weaknesses. And he noticed one thing curious about her. Ragana did not possess a lightsaber. She did not know how to fight with one.

Mace smirked to himself. He had already won this battle.

He drove the butt of his lightsaber hilt into the girl's chin, catching her off guard and causing her to stagger backwards. Just before he could drive his blade into her heart, she called on the force and snatched the Fifth Brother's blade away from his body. The lightsaber ignited in her hands and she parried Mace's thrust. An awkward parry, but one that saved her life as the purple blade sank into the wall beside Ragana instead of into her flesh.

Mace noticed something in her eyes as he glared at her. In those yellow irises, he saw a flash of fear. A sudden realization that she was out of her depth against him. That fear quickly twisted into anger. She uttered a roar and slashed at Mace. He bounced back from her wild slash and parried another wild chop at his hip.

Ragana had some blade skill, more than he thought. She fought aggressive, that much was certain. And he detected inklings of Form One in her combat style. But it was an amateurish application of the form. Easy to predict and counter. Within a few seconds, Mace turned the tables once again. He caught her blade by the circular handle and slashed through it, destroying the lightsaber in the process. Then he pushed her with the force. The little girl flew out of the Mausoleum and back into the rain soaked streets of Theed.

She landed in a heap outside. Rainwater soaked into her coat. She gasped and scrambled away from the Queen Amidala's tomb. She slipped as she tried to get to her feet. Then resorted to crawling as she tried to create distance. Distance Mace would not give her.

He stalked out after her. One cursory glance outside, and Mace knew the greater battle was lost. TIEs screamed overhead as thunder rumbled in the dark clouds above. Fire roared around the palace. But few blaster bolts shrieked in the air. The Empire put down the rebellion and were now trying to get to the Naboo queen.

He could not even have a victory. Vader still did not show his traitorous face. The Naboo lost their rebellion and the queen would likely be executed. Six Jedi lay dead in the street around him. Anger flared inside of Mace Windu. Was all of this for nothing?

He growled and grabbed Ragana with the force. The girl yelped as she was dragged along the cobblestone street back towards him. She reached out with a hand and snagged a Jedi's lightsaber with the force. An emerald blade came to life in her hand. She swung with all of her might at Mace.

Mace bashed the pathetic attack away. And his anger only grew as he kicked Ragana flat on her back.

"You dare to use a Jedi blade, Inquisitor?"

Ragana let out a ragged gasp, "Why does everyone think I'm one of those idiots?"

Mace snarled and shoved her with the force. She rolled along the ground. Several small cuts opened up on her hands. A gash appeared above her right eye as her head cracked against an out of place stone in the road. She bit back a sharp cry then struggled to get to her feet as her head swam.

"You're correct, you are not one of those idiots." Mace snarled as he marched towards her, "You are weaker."

Ragana let out a small, manic chuckle, "If I'm weaker, how have I lasted longer than those cowards?"

"You are a coward as well!" Mace slashed at her.

Ragana weakly dodged to the left. She hit him with a small punch across his face. Pain flared up in the scars that spiderwebbed along his skin. He hissed and paused as she bounced back from him.

More thunder rumbled overhead. Lightning danced in the dark sky. TIEs screamed over their heads once again.

"I'm the coward!?" Ragana's manic chuckles continued, "I led my soldiers into this battle." She wiped at the blood running from the gash above her eye, "I'm bleeding for them right now. What about you? You hid away while others died for your own ends." Her laughter died in her throat. Furious eyes glared at him. A snarl crossed her lips, "Who's really the coward, Jedi?"

Mace scowled. He did not want to listen to this little brat anymore. He rushed at her. Before she could raise her emerald blade to defend herself, he grabbed her left arm and slashed down.

Ragana screamed as her hand fell to the ground, blade still gripped in her pale fingers. She crumpled to her knees. Body hunched over her wound.

Mace glowered down at her. For a split second, he felt… remorse. This girl was young. Probably led astray by the Emperor and his poisonous words. She could be innocent after all. Nothing more than a pawn in Darth Sidious's twisted game.

She claims to be a Sith. Mace reminded himself. He tightened his grip on his lightsaber and raised it to cut her down, I show no mercy to Sith.

Ragana stared defiantly at him. Just as he was about to bring his blade crashing down, he paused.

A fifth dark presence entered the Mausoleum district. At first, Mace thought he finally got his wish. This darkness felt impenetrable. This darkness felt like a Sith.

Vader. Mace thought.

But when he spun around, his gut dropped.

An old man in dark robes stood in the rain soaked road. A deep hood sat over his head. Burning eyes glared at Mace from beneath that hood. Gnarled, knobby hands rested in front of him.

The Dark Side of the Force did not just surround this newcomer. It penetrated him. It lived and breathed inside of him. Mace's eyes widened and he took a small step back.

"Well, well, well." Darth Sidious cackled, "I am most impressed to see you have survived, Master Windu."

Mace swallowed hard. All of his attention diverted away from the young girl kneeling on the ground behind him and instead focused on the Dark Lord of the Sith calmly shuffling towards him. Mace pointed the tip of his blade at Sidious, causing the Sith Lord to pause in his approach.

"You seem… confused, Master Windu." Sidious said, voice filled with amusement, "Were you expecting someone else to come and put down your little rebellion?" His yellow eyes glowed, "Were you expecting Lord Vader to come and face you?"

Mace snarled back.

"If he were available, I might have sent him." Sidious admitted, "But… I have another apprentice that needs to gain much needed experience. An apprentice I aim to nurture into a true, Dark Lady of the Sith."

Mace blinked. He glanced back at Ragana. She remained kneeling in the rain soaked street. Her face was pale. Breaths left her lungs in ragged gasps as the pain from her injury washed over the rest of her body.

This little girl was the Emperor's apprentice? Where was Vader?

Mace clenched his jaw as the Emperor cackled more. A pressure slammed into Mace's mind. And unlike when Ragana tried to break into his thoughts, he could not force Sidious out. The Dark Lord flexed his power. And within moments, Mace's mental walls crumbled.

"Oh, you are not just confused." Sidious laughed, "You are furious. You are consumed with a lust for vengeance. How far the mightiest of the Jedi has fallen."

Mace snarled. Sidious's presence retreated from his mind.

"Tell me, Master Windu. Do you believe you can defeat me?" Sidious spread out his hands, "If you do, this is your chance to try."

Mace narrowed his gaze. The Emperor was willingly letting him strike? Why? There had to be some other motive for this. An angle he was not seeing.

But could he pass up the chance to strike down the Emperor? Could he pass up the opportunity to end his tyranny once and for all? No, he could not.

Mace surged forward, calling upon all of his power, all of his rage, all of his anger and hatred towards the Sith, so that he might end it once and for all. Like he should have done all those years ago on Coruscant.

He raised his lightsaber. The Emperor's eyes gleamed with delight.

Something grabbed Mace before he could strike the tyrant down. He flew to the side and rolled along the ground. When he came to a stop, he shook his head and glanced back at Ragana. The girl's right hand was stretched out towards him. She stopped him.

Mace grit his teeth. And Sidious laughed.

"Foolish Jedi. So focused on revenge that you failed to notice the other Sith ready to stop you. Even if she is not as powerful as you, even is she is not able to fight you now, she will come to my aid. Although, I do not really need it."

Windu jumped to his feet. He spun around to face Sidious. The last time they fought, Mace gained the upper hand using Vaapad. A variation of the seventh form of lightsaber combat. One that allowed him to channel the dark side inside himself as well as all around him, and force it back onto his opponent. A way to ricochet the power of the enemy into them. He did not think Ragana was worth such effort. But Sidious more than warranted his best.

Windu charged. His purple blade arced through the air. Raindrops hissed against the superheated plasma as he took an aggressive approach to the battle. Sidious grinned. The old man stepped to the side. Lighting erupted from Sidious's fingertips, catching Mace off guard.

His charge skidded to a stop as he raised his lightsaber. The bolts of lightning crashed into his lightsaber with vicious flashes of light that nearly blinded Mace. He grit his teeth as the sheer power crashing into him caused him to slide backwards. His arms shook as he struggled to keep his blade raised against the torrent of lightning coming from the Emperor's gnarled hands. All the while, he tried to channel it back. Tried to do what he did before Order 66.

He failed.

Mace uttered a loud cry as his defenses crumbled. He flew backwards, lightning arced over his body. His lightsaber flew from his grasp as he collided with a lamp post.

Sidious's cackles filled his mind as he groaned and pushed himself back up to his feet.

"Vaapad, Master Windu?" Sidious mocked, "You seem to have forgotten what your own philosophy requires, a balance within. It requires you to channel the dark side, not give into it. And well, my old friend, you have given into it."

Mace grit his teeth. He stumbled to his feet. Sidious did not move closer. Mace eyed the Emperor. He could not move for his lightsaber, the Emperor would not let him get near it. He could not attack, or he would die. He did not want to admit defeat.

A voice whispered in the back of his mind. One that told him the hard truth. He lost. He failed in his objective to draw out Vader. And he failed to defeat Sidious once again. Now six Jedi were dead, and he needed to flee or he would join their ranks.

"Maybe." Mace admitted, "But-"

"But you thought that would give you an advantage?" Sidious laughed, "Foolish thinking. You thought that by using the Dark Side, you could destroy me?" He leveled his fingers again, "The Dark Side will not go against its master. Least of all to aid a Jedi like you."

Lightning rocketed towards Mace. Mace gathered what strength he had left and dashed out of the way. He ran as quickly as he could. Boots carrying him down rain soaked streets, towards the alleys that would guide him out of the city. The entire time, he heard Sidious's laughter echo over the whine of TIE fighters and the roar of fire.

He skidded around a corner, right into a squad of stormtroopers.

"Jedi!"

"Blast him!"

Mace pushed them away. He gathered the force to him and jumped to the nearest rooftop. Blaster fire raced after him. He did not turn to fight back. He kept running. And in his mind, Sidious kept laughing.

He neared the cliff where the Naboo royal palace rested on. Below that cliff rested endless jungles and swamps. He did not even hesitate as he sprinted towards the edge. With a loud cry, he jumped into the darkness.

"Run while you can, Jedi." Sidious's voice said mockingly in his mind, "We shall meet again."

The treetops rushed towards Mace. The Jedi Master gathered the force around him. Using its power to try and cushion his fall.

He hit the first layer of branches hard. Wood snapped beneath his body as he tumbled down through the upper canopy. He kept his focus through the bruises and pain. Kept the force swirling around him as his fall slowed even further.

He still hit the forest floor with a loud whack. Thankfully, the rain softened the ground. His body sank into thick mud instead of colliding with solid dirt. Mace groaned as he lay face down in the mud. He had enough strength left to roll over and stare up at the smoke filled sky. The Force ran away from him as his consciousness started to fade. Exhaustion rushed flooded his mind.

Muffled voices sounded near him. He could not make out who was speaking. But he knew they were not stormtroopers. As his vision started to fade, he noticed a human girl in large, metal armor approach him. Beside her was a Wookie, a human male with an apprehensive stare, and a Weequay male with a worried expression on his face. The Wookie reached for Mace.

He could not fight these people. His body felt too weak, too bruised, too exhausted. His vision started to fade. He heard the human girl say something about a bird. A falcon?

Sidious's cackling entered his mind again as the Wookie carried him deeper into the swampy jungle.

"When we meet again, Master Jedi. You will die."

Mace's vision turned dark.

"You will die."

And chapter! Holy crap this was a behemoth to write! So much I had to do in such a short amount of time. Honestly amazed it turned out as well as it did. I always liked to think that Mace Windu survived his battle with Sidious. Mostly because it is a fun thing to think about. And I do think if he did survive, he would do everything in his power to go after Vader and Sidious. Including goading Vader into attacking him by starting a rebellion on Naboo.

I got the inspiration for the Naboo rebellion from Star Wars Battlefront II btw (Not the EA one. The original one). I thought it would be fun to bring in some elements of the Empire actually being effective, and quite frankly devastating to any opposition.

As for Morgan, well, she continues her descent. And Sidious continues to prod it along. I have a feeling he knew she would be severely challenged on this mission, and that is why he showed up in the end. I did mention in the previous chapter that he wanted his ship readied for take off. Perhaps he expected her to lose and need his help? We shall see, won't we.

Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!