The Force's Shepherds

Chapter 140

Heartache and Faint Hope

How many of these has he been a part of now? The answer for Chrom: too many. And now the worst one in his life was about to happen.

His heart felt heavy in his chest as he silently watched Gaius and Panne carefully place Sumia's body on a pyre made of wood. Even in the faint light of Corellia's dawn, he could still see just how beautiful she looked. But it was a false beauty. A mirage put onto the face of the woman he loved with all of his heart. She was dead now. Despite how serene she looked now, Chrom knew just how violent her end had been.

I couldn't save her.

It all flashed in Chrom's mind again. The day everything he loved, everything he fought for, was destroyed. He could still see the brilliant flashes of green light as Ylisstol exploded all around him. Could still see the Stormtroopers and their cursed armor, polished to such a brilliant shine that he could see his reflection in them if he got close. Could still see the blue, unfeeling face of the monster responsible for all of the death and destruction.

Thrawn… the name was burned in his mind. Admiral Thrawn, of the Galactic Imperial Navy; anger burned hot within him as that name bounced through his mind. Anger that continued to simmer until Brady cleared his throat.

The young priest stood alone in front of Sumia's pyre. All of the Shepherds (except for Tiki, Luke, and Nowi; who were all still unconscious at the Fuel Depot) were in the dense jungles just beyond the Antilles Residence. The clearing they found was far enough away from Coronet City's outskirts in order to avoid attracting any attention. The last thing any of them needed was another run in with Imperial authorities. All of their hearts were too grief stricken in order to deal with yet another pompous officer and stormtroopers. And if Chrom saw another Imperial soldier, he would draw Falchion, and he would kill them. That is the last thing he wanted to do on a day where he was supposed to mourn his wife and children.

Cynthia… Lucina…

He lost them both. One unborn, never even having a chance at life; the other from the future, a daughter he was just starting to know. A beautiful young woman whose strength and will he admired, and he loved being there for her.

I should have been there for her. Chrom's throat bobbed as Brady took a deep breath in front of the pyre. The Prince raised his eyes to look at Sumia's peaceful face again, I should be there… not them.

He did not hear Brady as he started to speak the rites of the dead. He'd heard them so many times in recent years, that he really did not need to hear them again. The first time he heard the words from a Priest of Naga was when his father died, though he could barely remember that funeral. He did remember Emmeryn holding his and Lissa's hands throughout the entire affair, a strong look on her face while he and Lissa sobbed beside her.

He could remember the next ones. Emmeryn's funeral was a somber affair where the entire nation of Ylisse mourned. He needed to project strength during that funeral. Same with Ricken's, Miriel's, Gregor's, Stahl's, Say'ri's, … Robin's. That last one still caused him pain, but that was nothing compared to the pain he felt now. Chrom could feel his hands trembling by his sides. He briefly glanced away from Brady, and his eyes fell on Ben and Tharja.

Part of him wanted to blame Ben. He knew this could happen. Ever since the day he joined the Shepherds, Ben knew the Empire could come to Ylisse and destroy everything. He hid it all until it was too late to do anything about it. Yes, he did feel angry at Ben. But, more than that, he felt drained. He knew his anger at Ben was misplaced. After all, what could Ben have done? What could any of them have done? The Empire destroyed Ylisstol in just a few hours, and they would have won even faster had it not been for the powerful instructors in the Mage's Academy. Ben was only one man, and he did everything he could do during the invasion. He found a way for some of them to escape.

I just wish he came sooner. Chrom thought, his eyes returning to Sumia as Brady finished giving the rites of the dead.

The young Priest turned around, plucked a torch that leaned against the pyre, and turned to Tharja, the only mage present at the funeral. Her eyes remained hooded beneath her dark bangs as her head was bowed. She cracked her spellbook open, gently waved her hand, and a small spark brushed against the torch. A flame flickered to life. Brady backed up from Tharja, turned to Chrom, and held the torch out to him.

Chrom's eyes looked into the flickering yellow flame. The shadows it cast were starting to fade from the ground as the Corellian sun slowly lumbered into the morning sky. One of his trembling hands took the torch from Brady, and everything from the past few days sank in further for the Prince.

This was real. This was not a terrible nightmare, or some evil sorcerer's trick. Sumia was dead, and he was going to burn her body. The knot in his throat tightened, and he found it hard to breathe. But this had to happen. He was the one that needed to light the pyre.

Cremation was not a tradition of the Ylissean royal family. Under normal circumstances, Sumia would have been buried in the Royal Mausoleum, alongside every other member of Chrom's family; from the first Exalt, all the way to his mother and father, and Emmeryn. But the Mausoleum was gone now. Destroyed with the rest of the city he swore to rule and protect. He refused to bury Sumia on a foreign world, where an unfamiliar sun would shine down on her, and where foriegn soil would wrap around her bones. So, she would burn instead, and maybe one day go home.

He stood directly in front of the pyre, so close he could reach out and brush his hand over Sumia's forehead. Her skin felt so cold to the touch, so unlike how he knew her. She was always so warm and bright. Forever a beacon of happiness in his life, and in the lives of the Shepherds.

"I swear, I'll get you home." He whispered.

The flames touched the pyre, and the dry tinder sparked. Wood cracked and popped as flames rushed over the pyre. Chrom stepped back, his eyes never leaving Sumia as flames licked at her skin. Soon, the flames washed over her, shrouding her form in fire and smoke. If he was capable of crying any more tears, he would have. But his eyes were dry. Sorrow sat heavy in his heart, but fury bubbled to the surface as he watched his wife and unborn child turn to ashes.

Cynthia sniffled beside him, and he absently pulled her close to him. She was all he had left now. His second daughter from the future, the only family that remained in his life, the only one that survived the massacre. At least Naga allowed her to survive. At least she made it out. But as she cried, turned her face away from the pyre, and buried into his shoulder; he felt intense fury rise in him.

I'm going to destroy them. Flashes of the Imperial stormtroopers that caused all of this misery danced in his mind. Thrawn's cruel face joined those flashes, causing a snarl to briefly cross his lips, I'm going to kill him.

His free hand balled up into a tight fist. Falchion felt heavier against his hip. The heat flames from Sumia's pyre washed over him, drying any tears he could have cried.

He was not sure how much time passed, but eventually the other Shepherds started to filter out of the clearing. The other children left first, with Severa carefully leading Noire out of the clearing. Brady remained to attend the funeral, and to make sure the ashes were properly gathered. Gaius and Panne left next. The thief did not have any lollipops in his mouth, and he gently scratched the back of Panne's head as the Taguel trudged away from the pyre, ears drooped and eyes heavy. Anna left next. The merchant carefully wheeled Cordelia away from the clearing. Both redheads paused beside Chrom and Cynthia for a moment, with Cordelia gently reaching out and grasping Chrom's hand. When he gave her hand a small squeeze, Cordelia bowed her and left with Anna.

After a few more moments, Chrom saw Ben and Tharja quietly walked towards him. The two paused next to the mourning Prince and Princess, but they were unable to say anything. Ben simply inhaled, bowed his head, and kept walking, with Tharja walking in lockstep with him. Finally, Brady quietly approached Chrom and Cynthia.

"I'll um… I'll make sure everything is taken care of." Brady muttered, his voice void of its usual gruff tone, "Why don't you all go rest. It's going to be a long day."

A reluctant sound came from Chrom's lips. Naga, he did not want to leave right now. He wanted to stay and be with his wife just a little longer. But… Cynthia didn't need to see anymore of this. He gave her shoulder a small rub, then gently turned her away from the flames. As they walked away, the heat died around them.

Chrom paused at the edge of the clearing. He stole one last look back at the burning pyre, just as the Corellian sun peeked over the jungle canopy. Brilliant golden rays of light washed over the clearing, bathing him in warmth that somehow made his heart feel just a little bit lighter. It almost felt like Sumia was somehow telling him to stay strong, and that she wasn't truly gone. She had only moved on to the next life.

Cynthia sniffled as she clung to Chrom's side, and Chrom's face turned downcast again. His heart felt like stone once more, and he turned away from the golden sun. As he turned, he caught sight of that strange woman, Ahsoka Tano, watching the funeral from a distance, the gray hood of her cloak drawn over her head. She noticed his brief glance, turned away, and went back to the depot ahead of the Prince and his future daughter.

She would beat them both there, not that Chrom minded. He was in no hurry to get back to the strange Fuel Depot; with their strange food, strange beds, and equally strange walls. He just wanted all of this to go away. He wanted to be home, in Ylisstol. Where he had his bed, in his home, with his wife and children. Where he could wake up and see his Shepherds training in the palace yard.

How many of them survived? Did any of them survive? It felt so difficult to believe that they all lived after witnessing Ylisstol's destruction first hand.

No, he refused to believe he had lost them all. His little girl, Lucina, survived. So did Lissa, and Frederick, and every other Shepherd trapped at the Mages' Academy.

Trapped… how could they have escaped the blasts?

The Fuel Depot emerged from the edge of the jungle as the trail he and Cynthia followed turned into a more defined dirt path. But Chrom hardly noticed. His mind lingered on Ylisstol. Images of her destruction played in a sickening loop within his thoughts. He could see it all still. The white walls of the palace turned black due to fire and smoke. Innocent citizens cut down violently by soldiers they had no chance of fighting back against. The desperation of the Academy Mages as they tried to hold the barrier against all of the blaster fire being rained down on them. And the final titanic explosions that signaled the end of the Halidom.

It's gone… they're gone. Chrom grit his teeth, the sorrow in his heart hardening into fury, They'll pay. I'll make them pay.

But not now. Not while his living daughter, Cynthia, still mourned. Not while the surviving Shepherds were broken. Not while he had no plan of delivering the justice his wife, his daughters, and his people deserved. The plan would come with time. For now, Brady was right. Rest was needed.

So, as quiet as they were for the funeral, Cynthia and Chrom entered the fuel depot bunkhouse, resigned to a day of somber silence and tears.

Luke's eyes fluttered open, and he found himself in a room that looked familiar, but he did not recognize. Shattered glass lay like tiny crystals along a carpeted floor, the carpet torn and burnt in multiple places. His entire body felt sore, stiff, and in pain. But he also did not feel any wounds on his body. Something that he was sure he would feel, given the beatdown he had just received from-

Vader!

He shot upright, hardly feeling the pain in his body as he stared around the ruined Ylissean throne room. Only, it wasn't the throne room. Last time he checked, the throne room did not have shards of glass, bits of stone, and specks of dust, floating in the air, unmoving- like they were suspended in time. His brow furrowed as he saw fire burning out of the corner of his eye, only the flames were not flickering. The shadows were not dancing against the walls. Most foreboding of all, Vader was nowhere to be seen.

What the hell is-

A low voice chuckled. An evil laugh that made Luke's hair stand on end. He knew that mocking laughter well. An iron ball lodged in his throat as he struggled to breathe.

"Oh, isn't this poetic?"

Luke slowly turned around, and saw Maul standing among the floating glass and stone within the ruined throne room. His stooped posture leaned heavily on his cane, metallic legs twisted, causing him to lean heavily to his left. The hood drawn over his head shrouded his terrifying red and black face in shadows, leaving only his glowing eyes visible to Luke. Luke's fists tightened, and he attempted to call on the Force so he could strike this monster down once more.

But the Force was silent. The Dark Side rejected him, and the waters spat his consciousness out. He found no comfort or aide in the Force. He stood alone against Maul. His former master shuffled closer to him, one gloved hand brushing a few floating shards of glass from his path.

"To think, you desired to flee to the past in order to prevent this level of death and destruction. Only for it to still happen, just through different means, by a different hand." Maul chuckled again, "You really never understood how hopeless that damned Princess's cause truly was, did you?"

Luke grit his teeth, "This is a vision, isn't it?"

It had to be a vision. Glass did not float on its own. Flames did not stop moving when sparked. And Maul was dead. Yes, this was all in Luke's mind. Which meant he had control. He had power over the vile creature standing a few feet away from him.

Maul hissed at him, "You think you hold power? How many times have I told you: you are mine. You will always be mine." A heavy breath left Maul's lips as he bowed his head, "You know, brat, you could have helped stop all of this."

Luke's racing heart ground to a halt. Maul's eyes gleamed beneath his hood as the apparition realized it struck a stinging blow.

"Did I not warn you? Did I not tell you that the dark side cannot be spurned or scorned? The consequences of such a thing only ever serve to leave you a weakened wretch. You are no Jedi, and no you are no Sith. You are in between, and thus you are being crushed by both. When you followed me, when you followed my teachings, you had power. You were a thing to behold!"

"Is that pride I hear from you?" Luke snarled back, "Spare me. I know you held none for me."

Maul growled lowly, "Perhaps. But I knew what you could become. I knew the potential you held. If only you had remained on the path I set before you, you would have achieved a power greater than any Jedi. You would have faced off against the Sith, and won. Yet instead, you cast everything I taught you aside. Now look… look at what has become of you, of this place. Why, it is as if Grima attacked a second time."

"Silence cretin!" Luke roared, "You are nothing. Nothing to me anymore but an evil figment of my imagination. A haunting ghost that refuses to leave me alone!"

"And yet, I am still here." Maul replied, a cruel smirk gracing his lips, "Face reality, my young apprentice. You know the truth. Your duel with the Sith revealed it to you. In the end, as much as you wish to be rid of me, you need me."

Luke's heart hammered in his chest as images of his duel with Darth Vader flashed in his mind, each detail as vivid as it was when it happened in real life. He could still feel the heat of Vader's blade as it struck his own. Could still feel the Sith's hardened fist colliding with his jaw, making the bones jostle and shift out of place with one powerful blow. Could still hear that rhythmic breathing that rattled ceaselessly, like a rattling wind through a haunted house. He stood no chance against that monster, and he was foolish to think he did.

"Yes… you are realizing the truth at last." Maul said, voice slipping into his ears like a sweet poison, "Once the Dark Side claims you, you cannot turn your back on it. Besides, why would you give up such power? Why would you decide to become a weak being, when you could dominate all? What could possibly compel you to throw away your only hope at defeating your enemies? Did you believe Kenobi would teach you? As you believed he would before I found you; before I took you beneath my wing and gave you power you never dreamed of achieving? Did you think it was possible to undo the fall?"

Luke was silent, his eyes not rising to meet Maul's as the fell creature's words lingered in his mind and sat heavy on his heart. Was he really trying to achieve something naive? Were all his efforts, all of the hard work he had put into being a better man, all for nothing? What did it all achieve in the end? Ylisstol still fell. He lost to the Sith. And now… now he did not know what was going on anymore. Was he even alive? Was he captured by the enemy? Was he lying comatose in the ruins of Ylisstol? Perhaps it all was in vain.

A happy laugh slipped into his mind. The kind only one of the most cheerful of the Shepherds could make, and one that made his heart leap in his chest. A smile trembled to life on his lips as Cynthia's goofy smile entered his mind, chasing the dark thoughts away with a carefree laugh.

Maul's face contorted into a repulsed snarl beneath his hood.

"You're wrong." Luke replied, a sense of calm washing over him as the edges of his vision started to ripple. It was as if glass began to crack in front of him as Maul's visage trembled, "The fall is over. My rise is about to begin; for reasons that you will never understand, or control."

Glass started to fall from their floating prisons. The flames flickered along the palace walls. Shadows danced around Luke, and Maul rose taller, abandoning his stooped posture. His eyes burned bright beneath his hood as he looked stronger than before, trying to intimidate the young Skywalker. Yet, no fear entered Luke. Not this time.

"I am beyond you now, Maul." Luke glowered at his old Master, "Now leave. I have friends to return to."

Maul wrenched his hood from his head, and Luke's heart skipped a beat as a brief shot of fear lanced through him. Maul's teeth were bared at him, revealing yellowed canines that were sharp as a razor. His burning eyes burned hot with rage. His face, somehow less faded and aged, contorted into the most vile of snarls. But Luke stood his ground.

More glass cracked. More fire burned. And Maul howled in fury. Luke uttered a stunned gasp as he felt the true breadth of Maul's power in the force, then the vision went dark.

He did not awake with a sharp gasp, or with a rush of panic bursting through his veins. Instead, Luke awoke slowly, his eyes gently fluttering open to reveal a paneled ceiling over his head. He felt like he had slept for ages, but he also did not feel rested. Every inch of his body felt stiff and sore. Pain throbbed in his jaw and throughout his torso. He could feel some bruises lingering deep within his muscles as he gently shifted on the bunk he lay in.

The rough sheets beneath him surprised Luke, causing one of his hands to paw at them suspiciously. He glanced at the paneled ceiling again, and realized the panels were made of metal, not wood or stone.

I'm not in the Exalt's Palace. He thought, his heart beating a little faster in his chest.

A groan slipped from his lips as he sat upright. Just as he managed to get all the way up, a small hand pressed against his chest, and he gazed into Cynthia's worried eyes. A relieved breath rushed from his lips. He reached up with his right hand and gently brushed his fingers against her cheek.

"Hey there."

She sniffled, then threw her arms around his neck. Luke's breath hitched as some residual pain flared from the sudden contact, but he ignored it as he quickly returned Cynthia's embrace. She sniffed again, drew back, and placed a soft kiss against his lips. Then she laid her head down on his shoulder and melted into his arms.

"I was so scared." She whispered as he felt some tears dribble down onto his bare shoulder.

"Yeah?" Luke muttered, one hand gently stroking the back of her head, "Me too."

As he held Cynthia, he could sense something was seriously off about her. Usually, whenever he awoke from an injury, she would surge into his arms; an absolute mess of tears, sniffles, and cries. But this time, she simply wanted to hold him. Wanted his comfort so desperately that there was no possible way he could pry her off of him, not that he wanted to anyways.

Luke gently dipped into the force, brushing against Cynthia's mind with his presence. He recoiled when he felt intense sorrow lingering within her. Cynthia seemed to detect what he did, because she raised her head from his shoulder and looked at him raw, tear filled eyes.

"What happened?" Luke whispered, concern rushing through him.

Cynthia swallowed hard, "It's all gone. And-" She sucked in a sharp breath, "Mom and Luci are- are gone too."

Her head crashed into his shoulder, and sobs wracked her small form. Luke remained frozen where he sat for a moment, her words hammering against his mind. He had a feeling the vision he just had was true. With how powerful Darth Vader was, it did not surprise him that Ylisstol could not stand against the enemy for long. But… Sumia and Lucina were… what?

"Cynthia what do you-"

"They're dead!" Cynthia wailed, her arms clinging tightly to him, "They killed them!"

Luke's heart stopped in his chest. They? Who were they?

The Sith. Luke realized, his stomach dropping as the horrible truth crashed into him as well, The Sith killed Queen Sumia and… Lucina.

Cynthia's entire body shook against his. Luke quickly pushed his own thoughts to the side and held her tight, one hand gently rubbing her back as she cried. Through the force, he did his best to comfort her. He was certainly not used to soothing anyone with the force, and clearly he needed some practice because Cynthia's sorrow was not receding very fast, but he had to try still. He had seen Cynthia cry many times before, but this time was different. These were not childish tears from a naive, innocent girl. These were tears of true heartache, of her innocence being ripped away from her in the most cruel way possible.

"You could have prevented this." The vision echoed in his thoughts, "You need me."

He drew in a deep breath. Cynthia's loud sobs shuddered down into quiet whimpering as she kept her head on his shoulder. After a few more moments, Cynthia's breath hitched and she raised her gaze to look him in the eye.

"Luke... what-" She gulped, trying to prevent herself from descending into more tears, "What are we going to do?"

Luke grimaced. That was an excellent question. One he did not have an answer for. He felt hopelessly out of the loop right now. He did not even know where he was right now. As he glanced around the room at the suspiciously advanced looking room, he couldn't help but wonder what place he woke up in. Was this some strange house in a village outside of Ylisstol? He was certain nothing in Regna Ferox looked like this place. And there was no way he was unconscious long enough to wind up back in Valm. Rooms in Chon'sin definitely did not look like this room.

"I don't know." He answered honestly. He took a deep breath, reached up with his thumb, and brushed a stray tear from Cynthia's cheek, "But I'll figure something out."

Cynthia sniffled and nodded, her arms still hanging around his neck. Luke gently put his lips to hers again, and her hand gripped the back of his head as she deepened the kiss; clinging to him desperately. Once their lips parted, Cynthia rested her forehead against his.

"I have to get up now." Luke whispered.

I need to find out what is going on.

"Do you have to?" Cynthia muttered back.

Luke snorted quietly, "Unfortunately." He pecked her lips again before she shifted off of him.

Luke swung his legs from the bed, wincing as the muscles tensed from the sudden movement. He reached out with one hand and briefly massaged his calves through his dark pants, then rose to his feet. For a moment, his balance left him, forcing him to reach out and steady himself against the metal wall. He took a deep breath, waved off Cynthia's concern, then marched his way out of the bunkroom, not caring at all that he forgot to grab a shirt.

His bare feet padded along the cold metal floor as he exited the room and entered a narrow hallway lit with bright, unnatural lights. He glanced up at the ceiling, wincing at the violent white glow coming from glowing panels in the ceiling.

"Strange." He muttered.

He heard voices down the hall, and guessed that some sort of common room was located at the end of it. When he reached the end of the hall, he smiled to himself. He guessed correct, and the common room was not empty.

It was a lightly furnished space, consisting of a run down sofa with some tears and stains in the strange upholstery. The sofa sat beneath a frosted window. The white fog within the glass hid what lay beyond the building they were in with fog. A circular, metal table sat in front of the sofa, along with a couple metal chairs. Another table was off to the side, near a collection of cabinets, countertops, and cupboards in what appeared to be a small kitchen area. Six stools sat in a ring around the table, all six of which were occupied.

Severa, Noire, Brady, Anna, Gaius, and Gerome all sat at the table; all of them munching on some food from that sat on ceramic plates. Food Luke had never seen before in his life. All six did not notice him though, which meant they were not expecting him to wake up yet. However, one person did notice him, because that person cleared their throat as soon as he entered the common room.

"Finally awake?"

Luke glanced over at the sofa, and realized he failed to notice the woman sitting on it. That is, if he could call it a woman. She certainly looked like a woman in all of the… places, but her skin was a strange shade of orange. White markings lined parts of her face, and her head was crowned with blue and white montrails that certainly distinguished her from the humans in the room. The rest of her was concealed beneath a light brown tunic, and a gray hooded cloak. Her legs were crossed as she observed Luke staring at her, confused.

The woman snorted, "I don't blame ya for staring. I mean, I'm probably the first Togruta you've ever seen."

"Togru-what?"

That elicited a chuckle from the woman. She gestured to a small, metal chair across the squat table from her. As Luke sat down, she extended a hand, her voice barely rising above the chatter coming from the other six Shepherds in the room.

"Ahsoka Tano."

Luke eyed her hand with some suspicion, then took it with his own, giving it a firm shake.

"Luke."

"Luke huh? So you're the one that got thrashed back at your home?"

A dark look crossed Luke's face, causing Ahsoka to give him a good natured chuckle.

"Relax." Ahsoka drawled as she sank back into the sofa, one arm resting on the armrest, "I didn't mean to offend you. From what I've heard from Master Kenobi and the others, the fact that you survived what happened is a miracle."

"Survived what… what happened?" Luke massaged his brow with one hand, "I don't suppose you could fill me in on what is going on?"

Ahsoka shrugged, "I can't tell you what happened on your homeworld, but I can tell you what has happened the past couple of days." She cleared her throat, "Let's see... you all crash landed here on Corellia, and me and Gerome found you-"

"Gerome? Gerome!?" Luke cried.

"Oh hey look, sleeping beauty is up!" Brady chirped, gesturing at Luke with his flask.

"About time." Noire huffed, as she folded her arms over her chest and looked over at the cupboard. Brady chuckled, gently cupped her chin, and turned her head to look at Luke, "Thank you, Brady."

"You're welcome."

"Gawds, you couldn't have worried us any further?" Severa grumbled next to Noire, "I mean, it's not like we've had enough craziness these past few days. And poor Cynthia. Ya know, you really know how to make her feel worse."

"She begs to differ." Luke replied, feeling a little offended.

"Low blow, Sev." Brady said with a tsk.

Next to Brady, Gerome munched on his food in utter silence. He acknowledged Luke with a slight nod, but said nothing to him. Much as Luke expected. He and Gerome were never that close in the future, and Gerome was never one to overreact to anything. Besides, the others probably told Gerome his story long before Luke woke up, which would have saved Gerome the nasty surprise of realizing Luke was, in fact, not following Maul anymore.

"Yeah, well, he deserves it." Severa snarked. She stabbed her fork into her food, paused, then uttered a heavy sigh, "Glad to see you up and about, asshole."

Ahsoka snorted. Luke shook his head and laughed under his breath.

"Nice to see you too, drama queen."

"Screw you!"

"Get in line." Luke replied with a smirk.

"Ha!" Gaius guffawed, nearly choking on some of his food. He coughed hard, which caused Anna to smack him hard on his back. Food spewed out of his throat and back onto his plate, eliciting a series of coughs.

"I'm sure Panne would've told you to-"

"To chew, I know." Gaius gasped, voice hoarse while he interrupted Anna. He winked at Luke, "Nice to see ya up and about kid."

"Thanks." Luke smiled back. He returned his attention to Ahsoka as the others returned to eating, "So… continue."

"Right," Ahsoka replied, "So, you crash landed on Corellia."

"And stop." Luke raised a hand, "We did what?"

Ahsoka tapped the armrest, "Kenobi somehow managed to fly a hunk of junk starship across whatever part of the galaxy you came from to Corellia. You crash landed due to power failure after coming out of lightspeed. Honestly, it's a miracle you all survived that alone. Once Gerome and I found you, I called for help, and now we are at the Antilles Residence just outside of Coronet City."

Luke blinked again, "Corellia?"

"Another planet, dumbass." Severa called over, "Gawds, keep up. I think Cynthia's airheadedness is rubbing off on you."

"Hey! Quit making fun of me while I'm not here to defend myself." Cynthia cried as she walked into the common room, her eyes still red and puffy from crying.

"You're an airhead." Severa replied in matter of fact tone, "That better?"

"Much."

Ahsoka laughed a little more at their antics. She glanced back over at Luke, who was still struggling to wrap his mind around what she explained to her. His brow furrowed as he pondered what Ahsoka told him.

"Corellia… another planet?"

"That's right." Ahsoka nodded.

Luke drew back in his seat, "How many others made it here?"

"Other than the ones you see?" Ahsoka leaned her head back as she thought for a moment, "Master Kenobi, a woman in a wheelchair, those two pointy eared girls, those two dark ladies that give me the willies, a prince, and a very large bunny."

Luke furrowed his brow, "Oh, so Kenobi, Cordelia, Tiki, Nowi, Tharja, Prince Chrom, and Panne." He had no idea who the second dark lady Ahsoka was referring to was.

"Don't call Panne a bunny!" Gaius called over to Ahsoka, "The only time that is acceptable is when I do that, because that is when I want to have some angry-"

Brady choked on a blue drink while Cynthia gasped and quickly slapped her hands over Noire's ears.

"Uncle Gaius, there are children here!"

"You're a kid too." Severa grunted.

"I'm pregnant, Severa."

"Oh… right. Stupid time shenanigans."

"Do you mind?" Luke grumbled, forcing them all to stop bickering, "I'm currently trying to figure out what the hell is going on."

He uttered a heavy sigh and rolled his eyes as the group continued to bicker in more hushed tones. Ahsoka snickered as Luke gestured for her to continue. Her snickering died though as she collected her thoughts, expression turning a bit more somber before she opened her mouth.

"Not much else has happened." Ahsoka replied, "Well, other than a day ago. Your friends held the funeral from Queen Sumia and her unborn child."

Luke felt like he was punched in the gut. What Cynthia told him was true. Sumia really was dead. On top of that, she was… she had Cynthia too? No wonder Cynthia was so distraught! Luke sank further into his chair, mind reeling from all of the terrible news bombarding him at once. He flicked his yellow eyes over to Cynthia. She did her best to put on a more chipper attitude for her friends, but Luke could see the events were wearing on her. She lacked the usual bounce in her step and chirp to her voice. He was sure the others noticed too, because both Brady and Severa were not insulting her as much.

"I'm sorry you had to wake up to such bad news." Ahsoka finished.

"Yeah… me too." Luke swallowed hard.

"You could have prevented this… you need me."

He drew in a deep breath as he did his best to drive that vision from his mind. Right now, the last thing he wanted to linger on was Maul. He needed a distraction, both for himself and eventually for Cynthia. More than that though, he wanted to know the entirety of what happened in Ylisstol. In order to get that story, he'd have to find one other person.

"Where's Kenobi?"

Ahsoka raised an eyebrow, "Why do you want to know?"

Luke scowled back, "Whether I like it or not, we're allies, and I-"

"Allies hm?" Ahsoka hummed back, a suspicious glare entering her sharp eyes, "Not friends then?"

Luke bit his lip, "A tenuous friendship, given our history."

"Oh, I see." Ahsoka replied with a nod, "I was wondering why you would be associated with Master Kenobi. I mean, you're not pitch black in the force, but the amount of shadow you do have is a little unsettling."

Understanding dawned on Luke as he looked at Ahsoka. This woman was force sensitive! Briefly, he glanced at her through the Force, trying to maybe catch a peek of her thoughts. Instead of slipping into the mind of an unwitting being, he found his consciousness smacking right into a brick wall made of light. He winced and quickly retreated, causing Ahsoka to chuckle at the attempt.

"Nice try." She said, wagging a finger at him. She tapped the side of her head, "You'll have to do better than that if you ever want a peek up here. And, fair word of warning, I'd refrain from using the Force often. The galaxy, and those who rule it, are not friendly to those of us who refuse to acknowledge the Emperor's rule."

Luke's jaw clenched a little due to frustration, then relaxed as Ahsoka gave him a smirk. She had been testing him. Goading him into taking a peak. He was not the one gauging her. In reality, she was the one gauging him. She was already well aware he was a force sensitive, and that he knew how to use the force. She just wanted to know to what extent he was capable of using it.

"Clever." Luke muttered.

"Thanks." Ahsoka replied, her smirk turning into a full grin, "And if Master Kenobi calls you a friend, then I'm sure he'll want to see you. Right now, I think he is in the second bunkroom, just across the hall from the one you were in. He and that one lady-"

"Tharja?"

"Yeah, her. They went in there to check on the two pointy eared ones." Ahsoka nodded, "They're still unconscious."

"What happened to Tiki and Nowi?"

Ahsoka shrugged, "I don't know. You'll have to ask Obi Wan. But I'd be careful, Tharja had a pretty dangerous look on her face when Gaius tried to step in and chat with them."

"She almost hexed me up to my eyeballs." Gaius called over, "I'm pretty sure that's a do not disturb signal."

"Do you have to lewd everything, Gaius?" Anna said, with a playful roll of her eyes.

"Lewd? Why the hell would they screw with Tiki nearby? She's a heavy sleeper, but I doubt she sleeps that hard."

"Gaius, children!" Cynthia cried.

"I'm old enough to know, damn it!" Noire exclaimed.

Luke rolled his eyes then nodded over to Ahsoka, "Thanks. And um… don't let them drive you crazy."

Ahsoka laughed his concern off, "I find all of them fun actually. Been a while since I've been in a room with such lighthearted bickering."

"Damn you, you bastard of a priest!" Severa roared at Brady for some reason that escaped Luke.

"Severa!" Everyone else cried.

Luke shook his head, small laughs leaving his lips as he rose from his seat. Quietly, he made his way back down the hall towards the closed door across from the one he slept in. He paused in front of the metal door, hesitating to go in as Gaius's warning lingered in his mind. He could hear hushed voices on the other side of the door. Tharja and Kenobi were definitely talking about something. Perhaps he should wait until he knew for sure Tharja wouldn't hex him?

When have I ever cared about that?

Luke quietly tapped his knuckles against the door. The voices on the other side of the door went silent. He was not sure if either of them were going to answer the door. Part of him felt sure that they would just ignore him, and he would have to just enter without being invited. A rude gesture, but one he was not uncomfortable making. After all, Luke still felt fairly confused about everything going on. And he could not go to Prince Chrom for answers, because he did not know where the Prince was, and he doubted Chrom would be interested in talking to anyone. Only Kenobi could give him the answers he sought, since all of the Shepherds were no longer in their domain, but in his.

Luke blinked, surprised, as the door to the second bunkroom hissed open. Tharja's dark eyes glared at him, a scowl clearly visible on her lips.

"What?" She growled.

Her intimidation did now work. Luke simply frowned back at her.

"I need to speak to Kenobi."

"He doesn't want to-"

"Try to stop me." Luke interrupted as he pushed his way past her.

This bunk room was similarly furnished to the one Luke woke up. It had about eight bunk beds lining the gray, metallic walls. The cramped room had a few nightstands next to the bunks, and a lone window covered by dark shades, but beyond that there was nothing out of the ordinary. Tiki and Nowi quietly snoozed in bunks near the window, both of them occupying their own bottoms bunks. Kenobi sat on the bunk across from the door. His head rose wearily as Luke brushed past Tharja.

"Tharja," Ben sighed, "give us a moment please."

Concern flashed on Tharja's face, "Are you sure?"

Ben nodded. Tharja hesitated at the door, glared daggers at Luke, then left the room- making sure the door shut on her way out. Once she left, Ben uttered an exhausted sigh and folded his hands in his lap.

"I assume you just woke up?"

Luke nodded as he remained standing a few feet from him, "Yeah. I'd love to know what the hell is going on?"

Ben snorted, "Yeah well… it's a lot to discuss."

Luke moved to the bunk bed next to Ben's and took a seat, facing him.

"We've got time."

Ben grimaced. The Jedi clearly did not want to talk right now, but Luke was not going to let him get away easily. He knew about Ben's reputation for omitting information from conversations and plans. Given the dangerous situation they were all in, Luke felt it made sense for Ben to be as forthcoming as possible. The only way that was going to happen was if Luke cornered him, like this, and forced him to talk.

"So," Luke continued, "What happened?"

"That's a rather broad question-"

"Quit dancing around it and answer." Luke snarled, his eyes flashing dangerously as irritation filled him.

Ben frowned back. He shifted uncomfortably in his seat, hands rubbing his legs as his entire body sagged.

"Ylisstol is gone."

Luke raised his brow, "Gone? What do you mean gone?"

"Exactly what I said: gone. The Empire obliterated the city using an orbital bombardment. There's nothing left." Ben exhaled a shaky breath before continuing, "Myself, Tharja, and Aversa-"

"Aversa!" Luke cried, tensing where he sat as he recognized that name.

Aversa was the Witch that served as the Grimleal advisor to King Gangrel. Luke had the misfortune of interacting with her a few times while he was still apprenticed to Maul during the Plegian War. She was a vicious, conniving woman. One that made him uneasy, even back then; and one that amused Maul, for she assumed she could politically outmaneuver him. She was a sorceress with a black heart. So why was she with Ben and the Shepherds?

"I didn't have much of a choice when it came to her presence. She was with the dark mages who crafted the ship we used to escape the planet. So far, she hasn't tried anything. But I know Cordelia, Panne, and Gaius are keeping a very close eye on her."

"And you're not."

"I've been a bit overwhelmed, to be honest with you. So no, I haven't." Ben admitted as he ran a hand over his head.

"How could you be overwhelmed? Isn't this your territory? Aren't we moving through what should be a familiar space for you?"

"Corellia is not a planet I frequented, Luke; and for good reason. There was never much conflict here, so a Jedi presence was rarely required on this world. It's also been several years since I've had any interaction with the greater galaxy, so I am just as blind as all of you are about what is going on. I've only been able to talk with Ahsoka a few times since she found us, and-" He swallowed hard, and Luke immediately sensed Ben's mental walls turn ironclad, "- and there has been some new information that I was not aware of presented to me. But, that is besides the point. We will all tackle that later; when we have clearer minds that are not so grief stricken."

"That's a tall order for the others." Luke replied. His lips pursed as he felt his heart ache a little as well, "So, what Cynthia told me was true then?"

Ben nodded, "Yes… Sumia and Lucina were killed."

Luke grit his teeth. One of his fists crashed against the mattress beneath him as anger rushed through his veins.

"She came to save me." He snarled, jumping to his feet. He started pacing, his fury building as he moved back and forth in front of the bunk bed, "Lucina came to- to-"

A furious cry erupted from his lungs, and a pulse shot out through the force. The tables in the room jostled, the walls creaked, and the bunk beds groaned as they slid a couple inches from where they originally lay. Luke balled up his fists tight as he struggled to rein in his growing fury. Finally, he exhaled and slumped back down onto the bunk bed, letting his head fall into his hands.

The two men remained silent for a few moments as Luke processed everything. He swore Lucina lived. He saw her come and rescue him. Saw her and Donnel pick him up and carry him away from Vader's fury before he lost consciousness. Something happened between then and when he woke up, but what?

"Was she-" Luke choked for a moment, raising his gaze even as he struggled to keep the tears at bay, "Did the bombardment kill her?"

Kenobi pressed his lips into a thin line, "I don't know. No one knows for certain, but I doubt the stormtroopers were the ones that killed her. Lucina is… was... too strong for that to happen to her."

"Then who did it?" Luke growled. His face paled as he quickly came to the only logical conclusion. But it still made no sense in his mind, "Vader..."

Ben's eyes instantly hardened as his gaze whipped up to meet Luke's, "How do you know that name?"

"Who do you think broke my jaw?" Luke replied. His jaw ached as he reminded himself of that injury, causing one hand to go up and rub it.

Ben visibly paled, "Ahsoka's suspicions were true."

He rose from his seat and moved across the room towards the window. One of his hands stroked his beard as the Jedi Master lost himself in his mind. Again, Luke tried to sense out what Ben was feeling, but once again he met a steel wall. That damned Jedi was guarding something. Something he did not want Luke knowing… again.

More secrets.

"What suspicions?" Luke asked, hoping that if he pressed Kenobi further he could get more answers.

Ben glanced back at him. A slim ray of sunlight slipped in through a gap in the window shades, causing Luke to see just how pale and afraid Kenobi looked. The mention of Vader caused the Jedi's entire demeanor to shift from sad and irritable, yet forthcoming, to instantly alert and secretive.

"Vader, from what I have gathered from Ahsoka, is the Emperor's apprentice. A powerful one at that. Ahsoka had been keeping tabs on him until he suddenly disappeared from the face of the galaxy roughly three years ago."

Luke furrowed his brow, "Three years ago? That lines up with-"

"With the end of the Plegian war, yes." Ben agreed with a nod. He pressed his lips together, his face changing to a more contemplative expression, "That lines up with Lucina's vision."

Luke gave Ben a perplexed look, his rage suddenly leaving him, "Vision?"

"When Lucina was killed," Guilt flashed over Luke's face as Ben spoke, "she received a vision. In it, she met Sidious, somehow. Sidious made some comments about her being special. About there being another way to something. Then she came back."

Luke's eyes widened, "You- you don't think that the Empire came because that vision was actually her and Sidious interacting, do you?"

Ben grimaced, "We cannot rule out the possibility." His frown deepened, "But if Sidious was so interested in Lucina, why would his apprentice kill her?"

"I don't think Lucina was killed by Vader." Luke blurted out, rising from his seat as well, "Because when Lucina and Donnel grabbed me, Vader was distracted by Dooku."

"What!?" Ben exclaimed, completely thrown off guard.

Luke nodded, "Dooku must have engaged Vader in order to buy us time to escape. And Dooku is no slouch with a blade."

"Neither is Vader." Ben muttered.

Luke's burning eyes glowed bright, "How would you know that?"

Ben's expression became guarded. He folded his arms over his chest, "Ahsoka mentioned witnessing his prowess."

A snarl crossed Luke's lips, but before he could press Kenobi further, the Jedi Master raised a hand, "It doesn't matter how skilled Vader is, what matters is that even with his skills, Dooku would have kept him busy for quite some time. That would have given Lucina time to gain some distance. So unless she did something foolish like go back and fight that monster-"

"Which she wouldn't do given that her father, mother, younger self, and sister were all fleeing the palace." Luke nodded.

"Precisely." Ben agreed. A mournful look passed over his features, "Maybe the stormtroopers really did overwhelm her."

Luke shook his head, "No, they would not have. Deadlords and Risen could not overwhelm her, so I doubt stormtroopers could- even with their outlandish weapons." He took a deep breath, "My instincts tell me she's alive."

"Instincts?"

Luke rolled his eyes, "Yeah, yeah. Go ahead and tell me how mine have been wrong often, why don't you."

"No… no." Ben replied, raising his hand to quiet Luke down, "Your instincts may be correct. Not only does the Emperor seemingly hold an interest in her, but Lucina also shares a bond with all of us. Usually when a force sensitive dies, that bond is severed. But I did not feel such a thing occur. Naga, how did I not think of this before!?"

Luke's mouth opened in surprise, "You're saying I'm right?"

"I'm saying your instincts are likely right." Ben remarked as he rushed past Luke and made his way to the door. Someone had to explain all of this to Chrom and the Shepherds.

"So I am right!" Luke retorted.

Ben paused at the door and glanced back at Luke, "Maybe you are. I-I wouldn't get my hopes up, but this is something we can cling to for now. Instincts are how the Force speaks to us Luke. If you truly listen to them, they will rarely lead you astray." Ben saw Luke open his mouth, but Ben gave him a slight shake of his head, "We can talk in depth about that principle later. Right now, we need to speak with Chrom."

Ben yanked the door open, nearly causing Tharja to tumble forward as she leaned against it. Ben gasped and quickly caught her as she fell forward. The dark mage glanced up at the Jedi, cheeks red with mild embarrassment.

"I wasn't eavesdropping."

Ben snorted and quickly kissed her forehead, "Yes, you were."

Tharja's head whipped around as Ben rushed past her, his pace picking up speed as he barreled into the common room. Luke was hot on his heels. As soon as both came running in, the other Shepherds at the table perked up. Tharja hesitated a moment, confused, then quickly chased after them.

"Hey Benny! You and Sunshine okay?" Gaius asked from his spot at the table while Brady and Severa gathered up everyone's dirty plates, "You all missed lunch."

"Don't care. Where's Chrom?" Ben replied.

"You don't care about lunch?" Gaius replied, aghast.

"The Prince is outside somewhere." Ahsoka informed Ben, "He needed some time alone and-"

The door to the bunkhouse hissed open. Chrom trudged inside. Dark circles surrounded the Prince's raw eyes as he glanced at the other Shepherds in the common room. Luke's heart lodged in his throat when he saw something in the Prince's hands.

It was a small, metal urn. Further evidence that the terrible events Cynthia told Luke about were true. Through the force, Luke could feel renewed sorrow and pain radiating from her from across the room. It took everything in him not to go rushing towards her in order to try and bring her some measure of comfort. But he did not have to. She quietly shuffled towards Chrom, briefly hugged him, before retreating back to Luke and resting her head against his arm.

Chrom's eyes landed on both Luke and Ben as they stood there. His throat bobbed as he swallowed hard, struggling to find the strength to say something to the two force adepts. When all that came out was a weak croak, Ben raised a hand.

"Don't, my friend."

Ben approached Chrom and placed a hand on his shoulder. His next words caused color to rush back to Chrom's face, and life to return to his eyes. A fire sparked in the Prince's gaze, one everyone feared had been snuffed out as Ben's words hung in the air.

"Lucina is alive."

Baandock Azon considered himself to be a peerless Klatooinian warrior, especially among the various thugs he was in command of in the Corellian Crimson Dawn branch. His skills with a blaster, his imposing physical gifts, and his sharp mind all made him a formidable leader of this small part of the growing criminal syndicate. A syndicate he owed his life to, for they were the ones that freed him from Hutt bondage over a year ago, when their great war against the other major crime syndicates began.

In fact, he had been freed not just by other gangsters taking over a Hutt stronghold in the outer rim. No, he was freed by the leader of the Crimson Dawn himself. A shadowy figure whom no one, not even the higher ups in the gang, knew the true name of. In fact, the only two people that might know the leader of the Crimson Dawn's identity was his direct superior, the ones in charge of running the day to day business of the entire gang: Dryden Vos. A human Baandock would soon meet for the first time in person today.

He and a group of Crimson Dawn henchmen waited out in their jungle hideout, watching the black, midnight sky for any sign of an approaching star ship. The Corellian branch received a message just a day or two ago from Vos. A message that made Baandock's heart soar with excitement, and mild fear. The Big Boss was going to pay a personal visit to Corellia. His reasons were as enigmatic as his true identity, but Baandock still could not wait to see his savior once more. Without the Boss, he would still be enslaved to the Hutts, bound to serve them (as was most of his species) for as long as he lived.

Now I make war with the Hutts. His leathery face broke out into a pleased grin as he thought about the last skirmish he was a part of. He recalled jamming his favorite weapon, a vibrolance, through the bodies of many Hutt thugs; all in the name of the Crimson Dawn. Now I kill Hutts.

And now, after months of work here on Corellia, the Boss was paying a personal visit. The visit could not have come at a more perfect time. Baandock and his men had effectively driven out most of the Shadow Collective, had started a strong black market in Coronet City, and were already taking control of several spaceports and shipping yards. A full planetary takeover of the Corellian underworld was at hand. All he could hope for was that the Boss would be pleased. He had seen first hand how the Boss handled those who crossed him, and it was a terrifying sight to behold.

"They're landing." One of his men whispered in Baandock's ear, drawing him away from his excited thoughts.

Sure enough, a dark shadow in the shape of a sleek, triangular shard silently slipped down through the thick jungle canopy and down into the secret docking bay the Crimson Dawn had built once they gained a foothold on this planet. Normally this was a place for them to reconfigure stolen craft (speeders or starships), or for them to offload smuggled cargo for the black market. Rarely was it used as a normal docking space for visitors. But the Boss could not be seen by the Imperials, no matter how incompetant they were. Dryden Vos stressed as much when he informed Baandock of the Boss's coming visit.

The ship came to rest within the docking space, right next to that hunk of junk wreck his boys found in the wilds a couple days ago. Steam seeped from the landing gear of the star ship as it came to rest. After several agonizing moments of anticipation, the landing ramp lowered.

A group of Crimson Dawn guards exited first. Baandock's dark, beady eyes widened at how heavily armed they were. They wielded some state of the art blaster rifles, the likes of which he thought were only available to specialty Imperial units, or the most skilled of bounty hunters. Following the guards was Dryden Vos.

Baandock recognized the near human from their brief interactions via hologram. His skin looked paler than he expected, so pale that he could see purple veins throbbing through his face. He wore rich and elegant black clothes that immediately informed all the other thugs within the landing pad of his status within the gang. Despite the fancy attire, Baandock knew Dryden Vos was not someone to be trifled with. No one lasted for long in the Crimson Dawn, or rose high in their ranks, without being skilled at killing. And only the best killers interacted with the Boss.

Vos stepped right up to Baandock and extended a gloved hand to him.

"Baandock Azon." The pale near-human muttered, shaking Baandock's hand before running his free hand through his thinning, blonde hair, "I trust everything is in order for this visit?"

"I think the Boss is going to be very pleased." Baandock replied, giving Vos a yellowed smile.

Vos grimaced, but said nothing back. His pale face somehow paled even further as the sound of metal feet clanking against the ship's landing ramp echoed throughout the landing pad. All of the armed thugs under Baandock's command stiffened as a sense of cold dread seeped throughout the compound. Baandock felt fear enter him as well, but he welcomed it, for he knew that fear meant the Boss really was here.

He recognized him immediately. Black robes covered his entire, athletic form as he marched down from Dryden Vos's yacht. His hood was drawn over his head, but Baandock could see the trademark horns of a Zabrak propping parts of it up like tentpoles. Glowing eyes filled with cunning and malice flicked around at the Crimson Dawn within the compound, before settling on both Dryden Vos and Baandock.

The Boss strode powerfully up to both of them, his hands folded behind his back as he walked. Dryden bowed low at the waist, and Baandock quickly followed suit.

"Boss," Baandock began, "We have all been anxiously waiting for your arrival."

"Have you?" The Boss replied, his voice growling through the air with a hint of amusement, "Do not bother me with prattling, Baandock Azon. I'm not interested in bootlicking."

Baandock gulped, "O-of course, Boss. I'd never want to waste your time."

The Boss glowered at him, but said nothing back. Instead, his gaze wandered over to the wrecked Consular Class resting next to Vos's yacht. Baandock's boys had only been working on it for a few days, and it was proving to be quite the challenge to repair, given it's unusual construction and layout.

"That ship," The Boss began, "Where did you find it?"

Baandock raised his brow, confused by the Boss's interest in the hunk of junk, "That thing? Uh, it crash landed here a few days ago. We got to it before any imperials could get their hands on it. It looks like an old Consular Class, so it could serve as a pretty good smuggler's vessel once we get it fixed up."

"Did you find any bodies in the crash?" The Boss asked, seemingly not caring about the possibilities Baandock had in mind for the ship.

"Uh… no Boss. Honestly, me and boys were just excited to get our hands on it before the Empire."

"Hm…" The Boss strode up to the ship and closed his glowing eyes for a moment, "A crash site with no bodies, and no evidence of anyone from the ship lingering nearby?"

Baandock cocked one of his leathery brows, "Uh… I don't know boss-"

"You don't know." The Boss snarled, "Why is it that the ones put in charge of my operations are so incompetant, Vos?" The Near-Human beside Baandock gulped, "Do they not possess any wits at all?"

"Hey!" Baandock cried, his pride wounded, "Corellia is almost yours thanks to my eff- eff-"

Baandock couldn't breathe. Something was gripping his throat like a vice. He could feel his windpipe shrinking as he gasped for air, gagging for a shred of oxygen as his muscular body dropped to its knees. His beady eyes bugged from his skull as he choked, and his gloved hands reached up to wrap around his throat, as if he could somehow will it to open up again.

"Did I say you could speak?" The Boss growled, his voice filled with menace, "I care not about our planetary operations at the moment. I care about who was on this ship. Do you have information?"

Baandock felt some pressure release, but the vice made sure to remind him that it still grasped his throat. His voice came out as a hoarse rasp as he replied to the Boss.

"N-no boss. Didn't think it was- was- important."

"Of course you did not." The Boss exhaled, before finally allowing the invisible vice around Baandock's throat to fade away, "It is only thanks to your other accomplishments on this planet that I am letting you live."

"Boss?"

"Put out feelers and eyes. I want information on this crash and possible survivors." The Boss ordered, his eyes never leaving the wrecked ship, "Specifically, I want to know if two of the passengers were human males. One brown haired with a beard. The other blonde haired and clean shaven. Both should be wearing attired atypical for this world. And both, if confronted, will likely wield lightsabers"

"Two human males? Lightsabers?" Baandock croaked back.

"I don't think the Boss needs to repeat himself, does he?" Dryden hissed to Baandock.

"I will speak for myself, Vos." The Boss snarled, his voice filled with warning, "And I will not repeat myself. Fulfill my orders, Baandock. Succeed in helping me find my quarry, and you will be rewarded." The Boss marched by a still recovering Baandock, not even offering to help him back to his feet. His next words made the Klatooinians blood run cold in his veins.

"Fail, and I will kill you."

And chapter! A quieter chapter, and definitely a heavier one compared to the last chapter. Finally some good news for our heroes though as they effectively figured out that Lucina could not possibly be dead (or at least they hope she isn't dead. And Luke and Ben certainly don't think she is anymore). I figured it was time to stop kicking our heroes while they were down and start to try and build them back up again. But first, they need to get off Corellia, and that is going to be an interesting little mission for them. I'm excited!
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed it! Have a nice day!

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