Dark
Disclaimer: I do not own Star Wars. This is merely a fanfiction. I gain no income from this story.
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It began with a boy in a wooden hut. Hidden, kept safe from evil by a father who would do anything to protect his son. A boy who seethed with Force Energy, chosen to continue his father's legacy of the Jedi.
But what hope could this boy bring?
Well, destiny has a way, does it not?
So as a Dark Lord of the Sith descends on Kashyyyk's wooded surface, little did he know that he was ordained to meet this boy. And though it may not seem it, though the boy was consumed by the enveloping darkness, hope was reborn that day.
It started as a small glimmer, and though the forces of darkness tried to snuff it out, though the Dark Lord fashioned him into a weapon, it grew brighter and brighter until the day it met a plucky young captain.
From there, it spread to Imperial Shipyards and a chance meeting with an aged Jedi General. It spread back to Kashyyyk, to Felucia, even to imprisoned Rebels onboard a space station with enough firepower to destroy an entire planet.
And even as the young Jedi fell on the Death Star, even as his mind was wiped and was refashioned once again into a tool of the Dark Side … destiny will still have its way.
And so a clone opens his eyes on Kamino, takes his first breath, steps out and realizes that he cannot bear to strike down the things his former self loved. Hope was reincarnated and spread once again, this time to Cato Nemoidia, to the swamps of Dagobah, back to Kamino and Dantooine. The Jedi Clone's destiny hurtled him to the skies of Cloud City, to Onderon and Naboo, to Tatooine and now … Mortis.
There was a time when the Clone didn't want to follow the path destiny had set before him. He had wanted to run and hide in the far corners of the galaxy. But the more he fled, the faster it pursued, until he realized – there was no escape.
And in the end, he realized that he didn't even want to. It was not because he was a Jedi, holding up to the ideals of the Light Side. It wasn't for his own self-aggrandizement, delusions of grandeur. No, it was because of something else.
His need to protect those he loved.
That was the driving force behind all of this, behind even his destiny.
So as the sun sets on Mortis and on the galaxy; as the Dark Apprentice's fingers twitch towards the weapons at his side, Starkiller is not afraid.
No. Even though he was plagued with his own doubts, insecurities, rage and anger … even though he had lost himself for a while to despair … he had returned.
The Jedi had finally returned …
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It was nightfall as Starkiller arrived on the outskirts of the Temple. He faced his foe squarely and without fear. His eyes flashed with righteous indignation. "I'm through fighting with you. I'm through watching all of my friends die before my very eyes. I want Juno back. I will use every means necessary to stop you. I won't back down! So stop this! Stop this before someone else gets hurt!"
The Dark Apprentice was not impressed. He circled Starkiller, smirking as he went. "It's strange. You seem almost as though you could touch me …"
"Don't underestimate my powers."
"Nor you mine."
Starkiller steeled himself. "You have to listen to reason -."
"Enough! You are in no position to make demands. My powers are far beyond your own. I have your midichlorians."
"Galen -."
"I have Juno."
"Please -."
"The power of Mortis will be mine. I hold all the cards here. And what do you have to show for yourself?"
Starkiller sighed and unclipped Kento Marek's lightsaber, igniting its fierce blue blade.
"Ah," the Dark Apprentice sneered. "Father's old weapon. Just one more token of our past I will have to destroy."
"If you sap the power of Mortis, you'll doom the entire galaxy -."
"So you say. When the Force was first discovered millennia ago, there were those who said we should not tap into its power, that who knew what it could do? But there were always those with the iron will to do what must be done. I am such a person. I will tame Mortis. It will answer to me!"
"Maybe. But if you can't control it -."
"Enough!" The Dark Apprentice was no longer amused. "I can see what this is really about. Juno. You've come to claim her, haven't you? But she no longer needs you. Not when she has me."
"Brother … please …"
"No. You are not the only Starkiller in her life anymore …"
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~0~
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Suddenly, the Dark Apprentice lashed out with Force Lightning. Starkiller braced himself, surrounding himself in a bubble of Force Energy, absorbing the arcing lightning. Starkiller compressed the bubble, exploding it outward, unleashing gale force winds, skidding the Dark Apprentice back several feet. The Dark Apprentice sneered, his gape billowing as he deflected the attack with a Force Repulse of his own.
The two stared at each other. Starkiller angled his father's blade. When he saw the look on the Dark Apprentice's face, he couldn't help but smile.
With a snarl, the Dark Apprentice unclipped his two lightsabers and ignited the twin red blades in a flash. He charged. Starkiller was ready.
The red and blue blades clashed as lightning arced down from the skies outside the temple …
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The battle to end all battles had begun …
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~0~
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Darth Plagueis stood on the bridge of his ship, lip curled, arms folded. "So … you have revealed your true colors at last."
Darth Vader stood before him, lightsaber angled at the Muun's throat. "My loyalty will always be to the Emperor."
"Your loyalty? Or your submission?"
In an instant, Plagueis' hand arched out, his fingers crooked, aimed at Vader's helmet. Vader staggered back, flashes, imagery running through his mind.
~0~
"You're a slave?"
"I'm a person, and my name is Anakin."
~0~
"Anakin, don't do anything without first consulting myself or the Council."
~0~
"You will be expelled from the Jedi Order!"
~0~
"You are on this Council, but we do not grant you the rank of Master."
~0~
"They don't trust you, Anakin. They see your future, they know your power will become too strong for them to control."
~0~
"Don't lecture me, Obi-Wan! I see through the lies of the Jedi. I do not fear the Dark Side, as you do!"
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"If once you start down the Dark Path, forever will it dominate your destiny. Consume you it will."
~0~
"What is thy bidding, my Master?"
~0~
Vader staggered backwards, his mind racing, images from his past flashing through his eyes, nearly a dozen voices all speaking at once, their words melding together. Plagueis stepped forward. He merely smiled.
"You will always be a slave, Skywalker. Whether to Watto, or to the Jedi or even the Sith … your will is destined to always be controlled by another – by a superior!"
Plagueis waved his hand, blasting Vader backwards into a control panel. Plagueis held him there with a mere flick of his finger, holding him ten feet off the ground. Vader's lightsaber clattered uselessly onto the floor, rolling away under another control panel.
"Did you honestly think me a fool?" Plagueis demanded. "That I ever trusted you? Your will is not so independent that you would suddenly turn on Sidious to serve me! And what was your ulterior motive, hmm? What did Sidious task you to do?"
The Muun Sith Lord bore into Vader's mind, tearing through the Dark Lord's mental defenses. He smiled. "Ah. Yes, the Force virus. The very one you infected Captain Eclipse with. You uploaded it to my clones … consuming their midichlorians, making my clones useless to me. As though I needed them any longer. No, not when the power of Mortis is within my grasp."
Vader struggled in the Muun's mental grip. Plagueis continued to merely smile pleasantly.
"As I said, you will always be a slave. You did everything I anticipated and more. Look out there, at the viewscreen."
Vader's helmeted gaze stayed fixed on Plagueis.
"I said LOOK!"
With a wave of his hand, he wrenched Vader's helmet, forcing him to turn and look out into the reaches of space. It was a three-way space battle. Mandalorian cruisers, Bail's Rebel Fleet and a fleet of Imperial Star Destroyers fired upon each other. A Mandalorian fighter spun out of control, blasted out of the sky by a trio of TIE fighters – which in turn were turned into smoking fireballs by a passing X-Wing.
"You brought them here – to me. The Rebels. And my old Master. Sidious has come out into the open, just as I knew he would. He would never be able to pass up a chance like this – a part of him has always regretted killing me in my sleep, unable to show once and for all who the more powerful Dark Lord is. He has come to me. You brought him to me. All of my enemies destroyed and the power of Mortis in my grasp, all in a singular, glorious day! And I have you to thank for it. You have helped give me the gift that you have always craved but will never possess for yourself … You have given me the gift of eternal life …"
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"Where?! Where could she be?!"
Maris Brood was floored. The medbay aboard the Mandalorian flagship was empty. Juno's bed was neatly made. Only no Juno.
"He took her," Pooja breathed. "Down to Mortis."
Maris punched her fist into the wall in frustration. "All this – for nothing! The Beast Riders sacrificed themselves for no reason!"
Pooja lowered her rifle. "We have to get down there."
Maris perked up. "To Mortis?"
"Starkiller needs us! And if the Dark Apprentice has Juno -."
"Alright." Maris scratched at her head. "I remember the layout of this place – the hangar. We'll grab a fighter, a shuttle – something. Brace yourself – it may be a bumpy ride."
"Trust me, all we've had have been bumpy rides. Come on!"
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Bail Organa stared from the bridge of his cruiser, watching his Rebel forces get absolutely decimated in a three-way space battle. What was left of Hammer Team was being pulverized. He could hear the screams through the intercom, see the explosions.
"I can't shake him!"
"Pull up!"
"I can't, my stabilizer's fried!"
"Hammer Three – Hammer Three!"
There was the sound of static. Bail watched as a one of his cruisers began exploding from the inside, spinning like a large pinwheel, crashing into a blockade runner, enveloping them both in an explosion. An X-Wing veered past his viewscreen, followed by a phalanx of TIE Fighters and Mandalorian cruisers.
An aide approached him. "Sir – we have to order a retreat …"
Bail didn't seem to hear him. For the first time, the Rebellion had moved out into the open, engaged the enemy toe to toe in open warfare.
And they were losing.
All on his watch.
He was about to preside over the most devastating military defeat of the century.
"Sir …?"
More voices over the commlink.
"You've got one on your tail!"
"Several! I can't shake them! I –"
Static.
The aide nudged him. "Sir?"
Bail seemed to see him for the first time. "Captain?"
"Sir – we have to order a retreat! We've already lost half the fleet!"
Bail turned, wide-eyed. He wasn't staring at the battle. His eyes were focused on the planet before him.
"Come on, Starkiller …"
He prayed the Jedi Clone would hurry. They wouldn't be able to hold the Empire and the Mandalorians back for too much longer …
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Even from a distance, you could tell the world was ending …
Earthquakes rattled the mountain ranges of Mortis. Landslides tore up the rocky mountainside. Lightning forked down in all directions. Fire and magma bubbled up from the ground. Clouds spun and massive tornadoes swirled down around the temple. Flashing lights of blue and red exploded across the landscape.
The final decisive battle had come at last. Two fighters, each other's mirror image. Both followed each other's movements perfectly. Move for move they were the same. The same twists, clashes, slashes, punches, kicks. It was like two watching two dancers synchronize, blue and red streams of light perfectly meeting each other. Two halves of a whole.
Only one would be left standing. There was no dispute there. The only question that remained … was who?
The Dark Apprentice jumped into the air, lightning swirling around his fist. He slammed down onto the ground, punching through the rocky outcroppings, lightning racing along the ground, bursting up under Starkiller's feet, sending him flying off the edge of the mountain. Starkiller plummeted, twisting his body, grabbing a rocky outcropping. Summoning his power, he kicked himself off the side, back up the mountain, bringing Kento's blue blade down – it was met with a red X as the Dark Apprentice crossed his sabers. Starkiller flipped away, landing catlike. His head darted up.
"What? Tired already?" the Dark Apprentice quipped.
Starkiller's eyes widened as a fist, engulfed in lightning, sprung for his cheek. He reached out, grabbing his foe's arm, flipping him over his head. The Dark Apprentice repulsed himself in the air, slamming down. He snarled as a droplet of blood ran down from his lip. He wiped it with his gloved hand and then clenched his fist.
But Starkiller was nowhere to be seen.
The Dark Apprentice's head darted in all directions, looking around.
"What – stupid already?!"
The Dark Apprentice spun around – Starkiller had popped up out of the ground behind him and blasted him into the temple wall with a Force Push. The Dark Apprentice recovered, snarling, swearing that whatever Starkiller gave him, he would give back a thousandfold.
And the battle resumed again …
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"Sir – Imperial troops are storming the headquarters …!"
Plagueis turned his head for an instant, staring at a viewscreen. His Mandalorian troops were being gunned down by an elite squadron of Imperial Stormtroopers. He merely smiled, no remorse for his own men giving their lives for him.
"My old master is here at last … prepare my quarters and my shuttle –"
CRASH!
Plagueis was thrown from his feet by a surprise Force burst. He slammed into a control console and looked up.
Vader landed on his feet. He reached a gauntleted hand out, slamming Plagueis with another Force wave. The Muun stared as Vader rose to his full height, his helmet glowering.
"You underestimate me, Muun," Vader spat. "Now you will join all the old Sith before you …"
"You will try," Plagueis mocked.
With a burst of energy, Vader summoned his lightsaber, igniting its crimson blade, striking downwards to slice Plagueis head from toe – to be met by Plagueis' own bloodred lightsaber. Sparks ignited between them, illuminating both Dark Lords in a hellish red light …
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~0~
"Death is a natural part of life. Rejoice for those around you who transform into the Force. Mourn them do not. Miss them do not."
~0~
Death comes for us all. Sooner or later the natural laws of the universe come for us. Most have it visit when they are older. When their hair has greyed, their faces are wrinkled, the heart slows … death comes to meet them as an old friend and many embrace him as such.
Others … are not so fortunate.
Cut down in the midst of life, before their prime.
So much left unfinished. So much left unsaid.
Such was the case with Padme Amidala. For many of the Jedi, many younglings, Padawans, cut down before their time. Such was the case for Vis and many others touched by the journeys of Starkiller.
Such will be the case for Obi-Wan Kenobi soon, in fateful encounter on the Death Star.
But for now …
Right now …
Death has come to visit Captain Juno Eclipse …
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Cough.
It was a dry, throaty cough. Not the kind one has with a cold or allergies. Not when a fountain drink hits your throat the wrong way.
This was rattle. A death rattle.
The kind that hacks and gags and lingers … the kind that tells you that the phantasm of Death is at the very door.
Juno was in the final stages of expiration …
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Why is the ground so hard?
Where am I?
Why is it so cold?
These were the thoughts of Juno Eclipse, as she lay weakened on blankets on the temple floor. Her vision swam, but she could make out statues. Thrones? Two of them? Next to her was a pit … a pit that pulsated with energy. Warm energy. An energy that invited her to itself.
She tried to move her arm. It was like lifting lead. It sunk to the ground. Her head ached, she was bathed in a sweat. Her heart felt like it was going to explode. It struggled to pump thick, sluggish blood to her organs. Her mind was racing, her knowledge of physiology - imparted to her by her instructors at the Imperial Academy so long ago – knew what was wrong. Her oxygen levels were low. Dangerously so. Her heart only had a few beats left in it … how many was just a matter of guesswork.
She couldn't even move. She had no choice, but to lay there, alone on the cold, solid floor as the virus wrapped its final, icy tendrils around her heart.
Her head lolled, and her eyes closed …
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"Juno!"
"Look what I can do, Mommy!"
"Get down from there!"
A little blonde girl was on a tree overlooking a pond on the outskirts of a city on Corulag. Mair Eclipse was scolding her daughter.
"Juno – get down this instant!"
"But I want to show you a trick!"
"No tricks! Get down here!"
The little girl named Juno looked down at her mother. Mair had her arms folded. Behind them, sitting on a rock puffing a pipe, was an older man in a hood. How long had he been there? Well, Juno was one for an audience. She stretched out her arms and jumped off the tree.
Mair's hand went to her mouth. She nearly screamed. She ran to her daughter – and stopped.
Juno was floating an inch off the ground. Her arms were splayed out and concentrating. "See Mommy – it's my powers!"
"Stop that! Stop that this instant!" Mair was more horrified by the display she was seeing than relieved that her daughter was not hurt. "You can't use … it. If anyone saw you –"
Juno landed on the ground. She crossed her legs and raised her hand. Several small pebbles floated off the ground. She laughed. "See Mommy!"
Mair reached out and slapped the little girls' hand down. "Enough!"
"Ow, Mommy! That hurt!"
"You promised me, Juno! You promised you wouldn't use your … powers …! Do you want to be taken by the Inquisitors?! And your father …!"
Juno hung her head. "I'm sorry, Mommy."
"You must never use yours powers, Juno. You must promise me -."
"I -."
"Promise me!"
"I promise, Mommy."
"You shouldn't restrain such a gift …" The voice came from behind them. Mair jumped in front of Juno defensively, trying to use her body as a shield. She stared at the owner of the voice – it was the hooded man from before.
"I have no idea what you're talking about," Mair sneered.
"The Force," the hooded man said flatly.
Mair grabbed Juno's hand. "Come Juno – we're leaving … you are not to speak of this to your father …"
"They'll find her, you know."
Mair stopped, holding Juno's hand. Her back was to the man.
"I don't know what you're talking about. Leave me and my daughter alone."
"Had she been born a decade earlier, the Jedi Council would have identified her."
"The Jedi? Juno be taught by them? By a child-marauding cult of sorcerers and traitors -."
"I hear the words of your husband in your mouth. But the Force runs strong in families. Your mother had it. You have it. And … your daughter has it. The Jedi are not traitors. We were betrayed. But you know this, Mair. Your own mother was a Jedi as well, wasn't she? Before she went into hiding after Order 66 came down."
Mair stood silently. Juno looked up at her, mouth agape.
"I'm sure I have no idea what you're talking about. Please leave us alone."
Mair continued walking. The hooded man puffed his pipe as he stared. He finally spoke to them after a moment.
"The Force works as it will … there will come a time when the Jedi will return. And your daughter will play a pivotal role before all is said and done."
Mair spun around. "My daughter will forget these powers even exist!"
"I see her future," the man said. "And the Empire won't always be Juno's master. I see only … me …"
Mair tightened her grip on Juno's hand and stormed off, cursing and forcing Juno to swear she wouldn't breathe a word of this to her father.
A younger Rahm Kota puffed his pipe and turned. He hadn't come to Corulag for this. No, his team of mercenaries needed supplies and he had a meeting with a smuggler to get to.
But something – the Force – told him that he hadn't seen the last of young Juno Eclipse …
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The adult Juno's eyes focused on the pit in the center of the room. She was drawn to it. Something was compelling her, that if she could just make it there, just siphon a little bit of energy, it could stave off her final moments. Extend her life for just a few minutes … just enough time to see her beloved Galen one last time.
Summoning her energy, her will, the powers that she had for so long suppressed, memories repressed, she flopped herself onto her stomach and crawled for the pit at the center of the temple.
The Wellspring of the Force was calling to her …
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Machinery was sliced in all directions. Darth Plagueis and Darth Vader dueled on the bridge of the Mandalorian flagship, their sabers clashing and slashing and slicing. Vader Force Pushed Plagueis into a console. The Muun spun up, his body moving with agility and grace that was astounding for his wiry frame.
Vader held his ground. He spread his legs and held his weapon with both hands, angled out away from his blinking chest plate. He turned his helmet to a large console. The console freed itself from its casing on the wall and sliced through the air, flying at Plagueis at top speed. Plaguies flipped in midair. His weapon was a wheel of red light that sliced the console in two. He landed.
Vader angled his blade down. More consoles tore free, flying at Plagueis at top speed. The Dark Lord repulsed them, hurling them back at Vader who swiped them away with his own weapon.
Plagueis landed and turned. "I may have misjudged you, Lord Vader. Yes … you still retain some semblance of your old powers … before your unfortunate accident at the hands of Master Kenobi."
Vader glowered at him.
"But I wonder –," Plagueis continued, "is that all you have retained of your old self?"
The helmeted Sith Lord stepped towards him, slashing down. Plagueis effortlessly batted his attacks away. He smiled pleasantly. "Yes, I wonder how much of Anakin Skywalker still resides in you, Lord Vader?"
"That name no longer has any meaning for me."
"You say that with such sincerity. I almost believe you. But then again – no Sith Lord ever truly abandons their old identity." Plagueis lunged, thrusting forward. Vader turned him aside – the Muun feinted, slashed up, slicing up along Vader's robotic leg. Vader grunted, limping backwards as sparks shot out of his leg. Plagueis spun back up, weapon held aloft.
"Back, many years ago, when I was training Lord Sidious, I retained my original identity as Hego Demask," Plagueis continued. "Hego Demask was a useful mask to hide my true nature. To the galaxy, I was just a financier, a kingmaker. And Lord Sidious, ever the politician, to this day retains his identity to the galaxy at large as Sheev Palpatine."
"Is there a purpose to this, Muun? My patience is wearing thin."
Plagueis nodded. There it was – that sarcastic smile. "We Sith found it useful to maintain our old identities to the galaxy at large. Our Sith persona – our true selves – was hidden behind the mask of respectability. We deemed stealth and subterfuge the best way to enact the Grand Plan, the Sith Imperative. But you … you are an anomaly among the Sith."
"I am the heir to the Sith throne!" Vader thundered.
"Oh, you have Sith ambition, no doubt about that. The desire of each Sith to kill their master and take their place undoubtedly beats in your chest. But I wonder if your feelings are clear …"
"Enough words. I have tolerated your inanities long enough!"
"In your case, the opposite appears to be true. Darth Vader is simply the mask you wear publicly, to hide your true identity as Anakin Skywalker!"
"Skywalker is dead! I killed him!"
"You nurture him! You keep him alive, resuscitated each day that you pine for your long-lost love!"
"You will not speak -."
"Your love for your wife is and will always be your greatest weakness, tethering Anakin Skywalker to life. Until you learn to let go of the things you love, you will never truly be Darth Vader!"
"I said enough!"
Consoles exploded around them, whirling around Vader in an explosive vortex of energy. With a wave of his gauntlet, the machinery flew at Plagueis. The Dark Lord was unimpressed. He summoned his energy, creating an explosive Force barrier that vaporized the equipment in a fiery burst.
Vader was on him, lost in his rage, giving in to his anger. "I will show you the power of the Dark Side!" He summoned all his strength and lashed out at Plagueis. The Muun Sith Lord evaded his attacks, turning them all aside.
"You have strength, you have anger, I will grant you that," Plagueis spat. "But you remain unfocused. Your rage is wild, unleashed in all directions, unable to direct it, focus it. Your emotions are too scattered to be directed in the concentrated passion needed to fuel a Sith's power. You are a slave to your emotions and as such you will always be a slave to a superior Sith Lord."
The word slave hammered into Vader's skull. He slashed, tearing through a console. Static electricity wired upwards, exploding. He walked through a wall of flames, batting aside broken machinery. "I will show you a superior Sith Lord."
Plagueis remained unperturbed. "A superior Sith Lord already stands before you. But your Master is already en route to my ship. Yes, you have sensed his arrival, haven't you? He has come to collect you after you have faithfully obeyed his will. Yes, your love for Padme Amidala has served Lord Sidious well. It caused you to seek me out – for him."
Vader stopped, staring down. Plagueis merely grinned.
"As long as you love her, he will always control you."
With a roar, the armored titan lashed out, his weapon a crimson blur spinning in all directions. Plagueis simply smiled, batting Vader's attacks away effortlessly without even moving from his spot. He feinted, saw Vader stagger – a weak joint in his damaged leg – and sidestepped, slicing up along the Dark Lord's back. Vader staggered forward, turned – saw Plaugeis' elongated fingers in his face. A pulse in the Force blasted Vader into a wall. He raised his helmeted head.
Plagueis had deactivated his lightsaber and was holding both arms outstretched. The Muun Sith Lord concentrated. Lightning arced from his fingers – but it didn't immediately strike Vader. Instead, it struck the computer console at the far end of the room. The console exploded, electricity coursing throughout the bridge, blasting into a series of consoles, charging up each one – with Vader directly in its path.
Vader stared behind his mask as each console exploded with shrapnel, flame and lightning. The blasts hit his console, consuming him in a wall of flame. Electricity flowed up his suit and smoke issued from his ventilator as though from a furnace.
With a swipe of a hand, the smoke cleared and Plagueis was there. With a simple gesture, Vader was sent flying into the ceiling, through the hard titanium floors above – and then stopped, suspended in midair. Plagueis jerked his hand down and Vader suddenly found himself spiraling, plummeting and slamming into the hard floor. Another console came his way, smashing Vader's head into a wall, pinning it in place. With a flick of his finger, Plagueis withdrew the console – then smashed it again into Vader's head. Again. And again. And again. Like a jackhammer into cement.
Vader lay there at Plagueis' feet, utterly defeated. His cape was torn and tattered, his suit ruptured, his helmet dented. Instead of his usual mechanical breathing, his breath machine had taken on a weak wheezing sound. Plagueis kneeled down beside him, speaking to him softly now, as a father to an ignorant child.
"The light side remains in you, Lord Vader. A small speck that clings to Anakin Skywalker, holding the full darkness at bay like a small candle wick. You will be your own undoing. You failed to save Padme Amidala in life. And you have failed her in death."
Vader lay there, struggling for air. A squadron of Mandalorian troops burst in, rifles at the ready. Plagueis gestured for them to lower their weapons as he stared down at the shell of his beaten foe. "That won't be necessary. Transport him to my throne room. I sense it's time for a … family reunion of sorts …"
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"We're pinned down!"
Maris and Pooja ducked down behind a corner as Mandalorian troops appeared at the far end of the corridor, lancing the open hallways with red laser fire.
"Can't get out that way," Pooja remarked as she traded fire from her cover. "Any ideas?"
"They've cut off access to the hangar."
"So fight our way out?"
Maris looked down at Pooja. "There's too many of them!"
"Has that ever stopped us before?"
Maris whipped out her shoto-mounted lightsabers, igniting two blue blades. "It's been an honor serving with you and with Starkiller."
"On the count of three," Pooja said. "One. Two. Three!"
They burst out from their hiding place, Pooja screaming as she unleashed hell with her rifle, Maris preparing to cut a blue swathe through the Mandalorian forces.
The Mandalorian squad was gunned down by unseen foes.
Pooja and Maris stood there, faces surprised. "Well that was anticlimactic," Pooja remarked.
"Don't count out a fight yet," Maris replied. "Look."
The Mandalorian squad had been replaced by a regiment of Imperial Stormtroopers. The Stormtroopers walked over the Mandalorian carcasses and opened fire. "Back to cover!" Maris yelled, spinning her blades, sending laser bolts back into the armor of several Stormtroopers. "Good thing these guys couldn't hit a blind gundark even with two suns!"
A hideous voice came from behind them. "No, my young Jedi friend. But I can."
Maris and Pooja turned to see the grinning, rotting features of Emperor Palpatine, his face illuminated by flashing alarms on the walls. With a wave of his hand, they were sent flying across the hallway. The Stormtroopers trained their weapons on them as the Emperor ambled over. He held up a withered hand to his forces. "Oh no … I do not wish them to be spoiled yet. I prefer an audience for my final victory over my old master …"
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Starkiller cried out as he hit the stone pavement outside the temple doors. Blood hung from his mouth in long strands. His face was bruised. He was exhausted. He was already pushing himself to his limits. And the Dark Apprentice … the Dark Apprentice seemed just as refreshed and energetic as ever.
"You know," the Dark Apprentice mused, "I was hoping you would have put up more of a challenge …"
Starkiller looked up – a boot connected with his skull. He saw stars, rolled down several feet towards a rocky ledge. His arm scrabbled out, his lightsaber rolling several feet away. He gripped the ground, stopping himself at the edge, before going over. He turned, rolling away onto his stomach, trying to push himself up.
Thunk!
Another kick to the skull, followed by a stomp onto his spine. Starkiller cried out as he was pinned to the ground under his foe's boot. He felt the pressure relieve as the Dark Apprentice's foot left his back.
STOMP!
Starkiller cried out as his head was forced into the ground under the iron weight of the Dark Apprentice. His face was ground into the stone.
"Now this is exactly where you belong, Brother." The Apprentice grinned down at him, relishing this moment. "Face down in the dirt. At the feet of the superior Galen Marek. You could never live up to his potential, to his legacy … But I will!"
"You … have to remember … " Starkiller breathed … "Who … you are … You are Galen Marek – the original! Not … a clone …!"
"I tire of these games, Brother. You will not cloud my mind."
"Juno …"
"Hmm?" The Dark Apprentice removed his boot. Starkiller turned up to him, flopping onto his back. "You … love her … that's why … you brought her here …"
"I need a pilot," the Dark Apprentice shrugged.
"You lie to yourself … your thoughts betray …you …"
"Yes, you can 'feel the good in me,' 'the conflict,' blah blah blah." The Dark Apprentice knelt down at Starkiller's side. He whispered into his ear. "Perhaps you are right. Maybe I do have feelings for Captain Eclipse. Maybe I am trying to save her life. But where will that leave you? She will reign at my side as I rule it all! The Empire, the Sith, the galaxy! Sidious may enjoy a sole rule, but I – well, if I am to be Emperor, I will need an Empress won't I?"
"She'd … never join you …"
"We'll see."
The Dark Apprentice stood up and turned to walk back into the temple.
"She loved the real you … not this mask you wear …"
The Dark Apprentice stopped short. He stood there, his back to Starkiller.
Starkiller continued to reach out, trying with every fiber of his being to reach the real Galen Marek hidden behind the façade of the Dark Apprentice. "You're not a clone … she knows you … she loves you … you remember … please … I share your memories … I've seen what you've seen … felt what you felt … Anakin Skywalker destroyed the very woman he loved … for power … you're about to make the very same mistake … turn back!"
The Dark Apprentice was frozen in place. Starkiller's vision was swimming. But he could still sense something stirring in the Dark Apprentice … was it conflict? Was he getting through to him?
The Dark Apprentice clenched his fist. "Vader failed because he allowed his emotions to cloud his judgment. I will succeed where he failed. I will have it all!"
"Please …!" Starkiller was weakening. The power of the Dark Apprentice had been too much for him. He was taxed beyond his limit. Now words were his only weapon left.
"You have always been my greatest opponent," the Dark Apprentice conceded. "A pity you had to die. But I'm afraid there is only room for one of us in this galaxy. And destiny has chosen me it seems."
He began walking towards the entrance of the temple. He stopped at the entryway and spared a glance over his shoulder. "Goodbye … Brother …"
Starkiller stared as the Dark Apprentice vanished into the darkness of the temple. His vision swam and blurred … and went out …
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~0~
"No! You mustn't give in to despair! Give in to despair and the Dark Side will have already claimed you!"
~0~
"In our darkest moments, hope is a gift that we give ourselves."
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Starkiller sat upright. He was no longer lying on the hard pavement of the outer court of the temple. He was in another temple. A different temple.
His mouth was agape as he looked around at the circular room with seats arranged around him. "The Jedi Temple?"
A shimmering figure appeared in its center. Starkiller shielded his eyes, backed away as the light took form and receded - - Qui-Gon Jinn!
"Starkiller … you must not give up …"
He looked around, and saw Rahm Kota emerge, solemn faced. He was joined by Kento and Mallie Marek.
"We died," Kento said, "so that you may live …"
Starkiller turned. Other Jedi were appearing around him. Ki-Adi-Mundi. Plo Koon. Adi Gallia. Aayla Secura. Others had faces he didn't recognize.
He felt a tug on his tunic. He looked down to see a bright-eyed, sad Youngling. "There were too many of them … we thought he would protect us."
"The Sith didn't even spare the Younglings," Qui-Gon said, his voice cracking.
The Youngling tugged on Starkiller's sleeve again. "Please … don't let our deaths be in vain …"
Starkiller looked up at Qui-Gon.
Qui-Gon spoke reverently. "We are luminous beings. Not this crude matter. The physical – the material – is immaterial."
"Master Jinn, I can't … he's too much, even for me. I didn't even slow him down."
Mallie smiled warmly at him. "You may think that you have been outmatched, that the gap in your powers is too wide … but you have the legacy of a thousand generations behind you. You are stronger than you think, more powerful than you can imagine!"
"We are with you and in you, boy!" Kota nodded. "Whether you like it or not!"
"But I -."
"You are a Jedi," Qui-Gon said. "Look upon us, all of your brethren who lie dead because of the Dark Side, because of the Sith!"
"Think of all the people they've hurt," Kento urged. "The millions of innocents they've killed. Now make that your power!"
The Youngling tugged on his sleeve again. "Please … Master Skywalker – Darth Vader - killed us … don't let them hurt any other children …"
"As we told you," reminded Qui-Gon. "You are not the Last Jedi. You are the First. And now that you are the First Jedi, the time has come for you to bring justice to the galaxy once and for all!"
"You have the power in you," Kota smiled. "I always knew it, always sensed it. You M'Boy … you are the only hope now …"
And all of the Jedi coalesced around him, placing their ghostly hands on his torso, closing their eyes, filling him with warmth and encouragement ...
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Starkiller's eyes blazed open. He was back on Mortis, lying on the ground outside the temple. Rain was lashing down around him. He raised a wet arm, found it warm with newfound strength. The arm reached out and gripped the hilt of Kento Marek's lightsaber.
In the midst of the rain, Starkiller stood up. There was a snap-hiss as the blue blade in his hand sprung to life.
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The Dark Apprentice walked into the heart of the temple, where he had left Juno's body. There, in the center of the temple, sat a gaping pit. The Wellspring of the Force. And Juno – Juno was on her stomach, determination on her face. She was pulling herself with the last of her strength to the pit.
The Dark Apprentice approached her. "You should not be up." With a wave of his hand, he gently lifted Juno, wrapping her body in a blanket and lying her down next to the pit.
"Please …" she breathed. She was on her last few minutes.
"No need to worry." The Dark Apprentice stood over the side of the pit. He reached out a gloved hand, preparing to siphon the power of the Force from the very heart of Mortis itself. "In just a moment, I will be all-powerful. And you and I can rule the galaxy together …"
"Galen … please …"
"Have a little faith, my love. Soon, everything will be set right."
And the Dark Apprentice began siphoning the power. Juno's eyes glazed over, his glowing, demonic form reflected in her pupils …
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"That's enough!"
A blast threw the Dark Apprentice across the temple. He slammed into a wall. His head darted up and his eyes widened.
Juno's breath was a rattle … but even she, on her deathbed, was amazed at the sight before her.
"I broke you," the Dark Apprentice growled. "How do you still have such power?"
"The Wellspring of the Force isn't Mortis' only source of power," Starkiller stated, his face glowing blue from the energy of Kento's blade.
"Enough! I'm ending you now!"
There was a blur of light, twin red lightsabers were ignited, and the Dark Apprentice flew across the room like a phantasm, bringing his weapons down. Starkiller stepped back, parrying the blow. Their weapons crossed, sparks flying between them.
And on the floor, between their feet, Juno lay dying.
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.
Darth Vader was thrown unceremoniously onto a cold floor. A hellish, red haze filled the throne room of the Mandalorian flagship. The helmeted Sith struggled for breath, his machinery damaged. He looked up.
Darth Plagueis sat on a high-backed throne, his arms dangling over the armrests. He was now wearing the traditional black robes of the Sith, a thick hood and cowl covering his head. His eyes and narrow jawline were all that were visible.
"This is your place, Lord Vader. At the feet of a true Sith Master. Groveling, as you have always groveled before your superiors."
Vader didn't respond. He lowered his head, shame filling him. And rage too. Rage that he still wasn't strong enough, rage that Plagueis had bested him. And rage – most of all – that Plagueis was right. That deep down, despite Vader's best efforts to crush it underfoot – there remained a kernel of his old self.
Anakin Skywalker was still alive and that simple fact drove Darth Vader to new heights of fury.
And there was nothing he could do.
"I sense your rage, but it will be of no help to you." Plagueis' voice was filled with mock sympathy. "But get up, Vader. We are about to have guests. Come now – stand and greet our new guests! I SAID STAND!"
The Dark Lord's palm jerked forward, fingers curled. Vader's helmet was reared back by an invisible hand. He was forced, despite the groaning of his mechanical legs, to rise awkwardly to his feet.
"There," Plagueis sneered. "Was that so hard? One way or another, you will always be a servant Vader. Now you can stand at attention and watch your Master finally be humbled."
A door on the far end of the throne room slid open. Several Imperial Stormtroopers entered, carrying two figures – Maris Brood and Pooja Naberrie. The two of them were unceremoniously thrown onto the floor. Pooja stared back up at Plagueis who merely smiled.
"Ah, Representative Naberrie, an honor to see you again." He gestured with a long finger. "And I'm sure by now you're familiar with your long-lost Uncle 'Annie.'"
Vader turned his head, staring at Pooja. She stared back at him defiantly.
"They say she has quite a resemblance to her Aunt Padme," Plagueis mocked. "Though I've never seen her but in holovids. You though Vader – tell me. Is there a family resemblance?"
Vader just stared at Pooja, breathing weakly.
Footsteps echoed throughout the throne room. Plagueis' face grew solemn and the Stormtroopers stood at attention. Vader, unable to kneel, lowered his head.
Emperor Palpatine stepped into the red light. His face was absolutely beaming as he stared at his old master on his throne.
Plagueis had nothing but mock courtesy. "Lord Sidious – welcome! It has been some time."
"Nearly three decades," Palpatine grinned.
"Since you killed me in my sleep."
"A job that I should have been more thorough in, I see."
Another moment of silence. Palpatine's rotted teeth gleamed as his eyes scanned the throne room. "You have done quite well for yourself, my Old Master. Unfortunately, I cannot allow your operation to continue."
Plagueis laughed. "And who are you to allow me to do anything?"
"Your arrogance blinds you Lord Plagueis. Everything you have done, every plan you have formulated, every step you have taken – has been according to my design. Or did you honestly think me so blind as to not have foreseen your return?"
"Omniscient as always," Plagueis replied.
"From the very beginning I have planned this," Sidious gloated. "Lord Vader became my servant through a desire for your powers and it was that that I manipulated. His desire to revive his beloved Senator Amidala led him to search for you, using that boy clone as a proxy. And the Clone's desire to save Captain Eclipse from certain death brought him to you, and he has brought you to Vader … and to me. Now that you have openly declared yourself, it is time that I establish my rights to the Sith throne once and for all!"
For the first time since Palpatine appeared, Plagueis smiled. "The old tradition?"
"Master versus apprentice." Palpatine returned the smile. "A part of me has always regretted killing you in your sleep. But now, the Dark Side has allowed me a second chance to assert my right to the Sith lineage as an act of providence."
"For the Sith throne …" Plagueis said as he slowly stood up from his seat.
Pooja could see what was about to happen before it did. She saw Plagueis stretch his wiry arms, Force Lightning racing from his fingertips towards the second Dark Lord.
Sidious was unperturbed. The Emperor merely raised his arms, lightning shooting from his fingertips. The two streams of lightning met in midair, arcing past each other, creating a wall of pure energy from which random bolts of energy lashed out.
The two robed Sith Lords drew closer, increasing their energy output. Lightning arced out in all directions. Pooja and Maris covered their heads. Random bolts lashed out at the ceiling and walls, raining broken shards of glass down on them. Maris created a Force Barrier, protecting her and Pooja from the debris.
"By the Spirits," Maris breathed as she saw the never-before seen clash of two legends.
A gale force wind swept through the throne room. Plagueis' lips were narrowed, his brows furrowed. Sidious seemed amused as the winds lashed at his robes. He was cackling now, his face illuminated by the flashes of Force Lightning.
And Darth Vader stood to the side, weakened, helpless, the lightning flashes reflecting off his black mask as he stared at the Sith Masters.
The two increased the intensity of their lighting. Their bodies were glowing. The room was awash in a vortex of limitless energy.
And Palpatine continued cackling. "You were never anything to me but a simple steppingstone," he sneered. "A tool – a utensil – to teach me the powers of the Dark Side and nothing more!"
"I will be immortal!" Plagueis spat back. "You had only two decades of rule – I will have eternity!"
"Mortis?" Palpatine was laughing. "A waste of time, a fable! A bedtime story for the feeble-minded like you!"
"Then explain why my apprentice is about to have its power?!"
"I shall tend to him after I have tended to you!" Palpatine's power seemed limitless, as though he himself were a wellspring for the Force. "Oh no, my Old Master! I will not kill you! In a way, you have always served me! And you always will!"
"Enough!" Plagueis wrenched his hands up, the beams of lightning striking the ceiling, raining broken glass down on them all. Palpatine swept it away with a wave of his hand. "Your rule is at an end," Plaguies sneered.
"I've heard those words before, my dear Old Master."
Plagueis reached down into his cloak, producing a lightsaber hilt. Its crimson blade erupted from the Muun's long fingers.
Sidious cocked his head. The smile never left his rotten features. He flicked his wrist – a lightsaber slapped into his palm from his sleeve and his hand spat a blade the color of blood. The two Dark Lords of the Sith stared at each other – before they surged forward, their red blades clashing.
The first battle of its kind in decades. A ritual carried out for millennia.
Sith Master versus Sith Apprentice.
Plagueis versus Sidious.
Winner take all.
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"My friends are out there!" Starkiller yelled as he parried a feint, flipping over his foe, ducking beneath a red swing. "Our friends! They're fighting to end this war! You have the power to save them, Galen!"
"That is no longer my name!" The Dark Apprentice kicked Starkiller in the gut, hurling him across the temple.
Starkiller rose to his full height, holding his side. "You've only forgotten! Vader robbed you of a life once before! Don't let the Sith do it to you again!"
The Dark Apprentice faltered.
"You can leave here and be with Juno! Have a family! A son, even! Or a daughter!"
The Dark Apprentice pressed his fingertips to his forehead. Images of a boy, in a wooden hut. Kento Marek lovingly playing with him and telling him of adventure tales and mysterious sightings in the woods. And the Force.
"We can all leave!" Starkiller yelled. "Together! We can destroy the Sith once and for all and return the Jedi!"
"The … Jedi …?" More emotions … The Dark Apprentice howled, his hands going to the sides of his head. His neck snapped, his eyes boring right into Starkiller's. "NO! Not when unlimited power is within my grasp!"
"Is it really worth Juno's life?" Starkiller asked.
"A moot point! With the power of Mortis, I can keep her alive! Forever!"
And the Dark Apprentice launched himself at his brother. Their blades spun and clashed.
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Juno had spent the last few moments gathering the last ounces of her strength. Her mind had been racing. Memories of her childhood … of her mother and father. Her father, who demanded strict obedience to the Imperial Order, unwavering loyalty to the Empire. And her mother … her mother who had forced her to suppress, hide – forget about – her Force potential.
But not now. The Wellspring of the Force in the center of the temple was calling out to her.
Juno coughed. Droplets of blood landed on the stone floor. Her vision was swimming. Oh, the cold tendrils of death were on her spine, whispering in her ear that it was time to go. That it was the end. That even the stars burn out.
She ignored the voice, ignored death's call. With every fiber of her being, despite her pain, despite her nerves screaming in agony, despite the virus having now reached her brain … she willed herself to the pit. She reached the edge and peered over. Summoning the last of her strength, she reached her hand into the pit and called out to the Force …
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The Dark Apprentice parried a blow, then responded with a headbutt. Starkiller staggered backwards, seeing stars. His foe was coming again – Starkiller rose up, prepared to block –
The Dark Apprentice dove between his legs, sliding along the floor, rising up behind Starkiller, slicing upwards. Starkiller cried out as the tips of his enemy's red blades burned long lines along his back. He turned –
Two red blades were there, in an X-formation like a scissor.
Snip.
And Starkiller cried out as his right hand was snipped clean from his wrist, his blade rolling along the floor. He fell to his knees, holding his cauterized stump, crying out from the blinding pain. He looked up. The Dark Apprentice was towering over him, a frown on his face. Then the two blades crossed again in an X-formation at Starkiller's neck, prepared now to snip his head free from his shoulders.
Starkiller lowered his gaze. It was over, he knew.
He had been beaten.
The Dark Apprentice had won.
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Juno rose to her feet, empowered with the Force energy from Mortis. Her body was still devasted, weakened from the effects of the virus. She was not cured, no – but she did siphon some of Mortis' Force energies. But not for herself.
In an act of complete selflessness, knowing that she was throwing away the last chance for curing herself … she limped behind the Dark Apprentice and gently placed both hands on the sides of his head.
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Starkiller rolled onto the ground, away from the pit. He turned, his back to Juno and the Dark Apprentice, the agony of his severed hand being the only thing occupying his attention. He held onto the stump, crying out for the pain to stop.
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The Dark Apprentice cried out also. But in a different way.
Moments ago, the power of Mortis' Force energies had reawakened Juno's hidden, repressed childhood memories. And if it could do the same for her, maybe it could do the same for the Dark Apprentice … for the real Galen Marek.
And the Dark Apprentice screamed, batting Juno's hands away from himself. Her arms dangled at her side. It was a struggle for her to even remain standing.
And the Dark Apprentice cried out as a sudden surge of memories flooded his brain.
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~0~
"PROXY – who's that?"
"Ah yes, your new pilot has finally arrived, Master. Accessing Imperial records. Captain Juno Eclipse, born on Corulag where she became the youngest student to ever enter the Imperial Academy.
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~0~
"Vader thinks he's turned you. But I can sense your future. And Vader won't always be your master. I sense only … Me?
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~0~
"You always knew who he was, didn't you?"
"I suspected, yes."
"Then why did you help him? After all the things he had done?
"When he came to me in the bar, among all his dark thoughts, I glimpsed one bright spot. One beautiful thing he held onto, even at the end."
"What?"
"You."
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~0~
The Dark Apprentice lowered his hands. His eyes appeared to demist, as though a curtain had been pulled of his pupils. He stared hard at Juno, as though seeing a very old friend for the first time in a long time.
He reached out and touched her face. "J-Juno …?"
She smiled.
"You're sick," he said.
She was trembling. Her body was weakening. Each second now was precious – death was creeping back, his voice back in her ear, his fingers on her spine. Even the stars burn out, Juno.
"W-we don't have much time …" she breathed. "But it's you. You're back … aren't you …?
The Dark Apprentice looked into her eyes. When she looked back, she didn't see the Dark Apprentice anymore. She saw Galen Marek.
The Dark Apprentice – no, Galen Marek – Galen Marek stared back into her eyes. It was as though waking from a very long dream. "It's me …" he said finally. "I … I remember … I remember everything! You! The Death Star! … your sickness … Oh Juno, I gotta help you!" He turned, his face back to the pit, reaching out for the Wellspring of the Force.
Juno's hand found Galen's face and drew him back to her. "You already have," she said. "And this time, I won't have to live anything down." She drew him in … and they kissed. Long and passionate, just like the first time on the Death Star.
And she cried out. The pain of the virus had returned. She had only siphoned enough energy from Mortis' Wellspring to prolong her life for but moments. She was going limp in Galen's arms. He gripped her shoulders, keeping her standing. He cried out in anguish.
"No! Juno, please don't do this! I've only just remembered who I am, please -."
"Even … the stars burn out … Galen …" she looked into his eyes and smiled. Through tears, Galen smiled back.
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Starkiller rolled onto his side, hearing none of the conversation going on beside him. He looked up – through blurred vision, he saw the Dark Apprentice standing at the edge of the pit, his hands gripping Juno's shoulders.
His mind went to the only reasonable conclusion – the Dark Apprentice meant her harm!
"Juno!"
Summoning his energy, ignoring the pain in his arm, he reached out with his remaining hand. Kento Marek's weapon slapped into his palm.
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"Juno, I can't lose you again," Galen was weeping. "Please, there's got to be a way, something …!"
She leaned into his ear. "I will always be with you … there is no death … there is the Force …"
The two leaned in, their lips meeting for a final time.
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Snap-hiss!
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Galen Marek stiffened. His face went blank. Juno fell backwards onto her back, slapping her head on the stone surface. She looked up.
Kento Marek's lightsaber was embedded deep in Galen Marek's gut, the blue blade burning away a hole in his stomach. Starkiller held it there, twisting the hilt. He made eye contact with Galen … and when he no longer saw the darkness in his brother's eyes – he realized he had made a terrible mistake.
Juno cried out his name. "GALEN!"
Starkiller backed away in horror, deactivating the lightsaber in his hand, his mind racing as to how hideously he had misread the situation. "I … I'm sorry … Galen – Juno – I didn't …"
Galen reached out, gripping Starkiller's shoulder. "Brother … I'm the one who should be asking you for forgiveness …"
And Galen Marek backed away, holding his wounded stomach. He smiled at Juno. It was a repeat, he realized, of their final moments together on the Death Star. He knew they would never see each other again. He fell backwards.
Starkiller and Juno both cried out together. "GALEN!"
And Galen Marek – the redeemed Dark Apprentice – plummeted into the Wellspring of the Force …
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