Star Wars Legacy: Family Ties
A/N: I don't own Star Wars. It is owned by George Lucas. Star Wars Legacy Comics are written and illustrated by Jon Ostrander and Jan Duursema. All Original Characters belong to me.
A/N: This fanfiction is dedicated to ChildofWinds over at JCC.
Chapter 3
Elsewhere on Socorro, around the pad where the Mynockwas docked. Cade Skywalker was paid a ghostly visit. The Force Ghost of Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, appeared, his faint blue outline around his young features, his deep penetrating eyes, dressed in traditional Jedi Master robes. "Back again," Cade asked, "What do you want from me?"
"Why do you use those Deathsticks?" Luke questioned.
"They keep you away," came the reply, sharp and to the point. Go away.
"They also deaden your connection to the Force," Luke cautioned.
"Point two," Cade replied, "in their favour."
"You've never turned a fellow Jedi over to the Sith before, Cade," Luke stated, keeping a neutral tone, though one could strain to see the chiding in there if one looked hard.
"I'm not a Jedi and I'm not a Skywalker, either, not anymore," Cade replied, not even deigning to look at Luke.
"I don't understand you. You have a talent to heal others that is unlike any I've ever known. You brought your own Master back from the very threshold of death," Luke countered.
"Do you know what it cost to do that? Do you know where it took me?" Cade questioned, still clutching the Deathstick in his hand, the thing that had become his destructive habit. "I had to put one foot in the Dark Side to pull Master Sazen back. It was cold and dark…And part of me liked it Part of me hungered for it. Not a good place for a Skywalker to be is it?"
"I know all about the Dark Side, Cade. More than YOU do," Luke retorted, "You wouldn't have to go there to heal, not if you were at peace with yourself. If you completed your training, if you just accepted your legacy."
Cade stood and faced Luke, his temper snapping, "Be a Skywalker? That's turned out real well for out family, hasn't it? Killed my father and look what it did to yours," Cade shouted, "Be a Jedi why? I've read the histories time and again the galaxy which we served, turned against us! And we keep coming back for more, that's real clever of us, isn't it."
"Spare me," Luke replied, coldly, "I lived a lot of those histories, you've read. I know what sacrifices were made. I know what the victories cost." Cade turned away from him, as Luke's next words pierced, "Every generation has its challenges to face. Its own battles to win. Why should yours be any different? Running away from your responsibilities won't solve anything!" Luke berated.
"Just shut up and leave me alone," Cade screamed, drawing his blaster.
"Cade, you can't really threaten me with a blaster," Luke replied, calmly.
"Think so? Think again!" Cade replied, bringing the blaster to his own head, "Go away or I will."
"You have a destiny, whether you want it or not, it will find you just as mine found me," Luke said, before his Force ghost faded, leaving Cade alone again, as he slumped into the couch, the blaster falling uselessly to the side. These arguments with the Force Ghost of his dead ancestor always left him drained. Ever since he had taken up bounty hunting, Luke had appeared to him, always exhorting, pleading, telling him to become a Jedi. He would always refuse. There was no point to it. In the end, the people always turned against them, they always died, suffered.
At that moment, Princess Marasiah and Astraal were still fleeing. She saw the Mynock, its hatch just opened. She heard a voice, I'll deal with this. Tell Syn to prep for lift-off. This is my chance, to get away she thought. "Wait," she shouted, as they ran up to the hatch, "We require immediate passage on your ship! You'll be well reimbursed at the other end!" she shouted, between deep breaths.
"Whoa, passage to where?" she saw the blonde man reply, "do you have the creds." Drat! Marasiah thought, looks like I'll have to revert to Force suggestions. She drew upon the Force, bringing its power to bear, as she waved her hand in front of the man's face, "No credits don't matter. You will take us." She only hoped that it would work. If Elke was here, she would have been able to do a much better job but she wasn't, it was up to her to do what needed to be done.
"Right, and you're supposed to be," came the acerbic reply, as the man grabbed her hand. She could feel the Sith coming, quickly. Her head covering came off, as she saw Cade look into the distance as Darth Talon approached.
Cade saw the Sith, and recognised the tattooing. It could only be Sith. He saw Ossus again, his father grievously injured by Force lightning. "The creds don't matter. I will take you. Get your butts on board now," Cade said, as he shoved the Princess and Astraal on board. Cade ran into the bridge, as he shouted, "Syn, Deliah, we've got passengers! Emergency Take-off procedures."
"Cade, you know that that does to the engines," Deliah complained, even as she got up to follow his orders.
"Now, Deliah," Cade snarled, ordering in a tone that brooked no argument. Cade and Jariah ran into the cockpit, and prepped the ship for takeoff. "You want to explain who these passengers are and why we're in such a damned hurry to get off this rock?!" Jariah asked as he manoeuvred the controls. Cade, his hands on the flight-stick, eyes concentrated on flying, shot back, "happy to. Once we're off this rock." Darth Talon watched as the Mynockblasted off into space. Drawing her Dark Side powers, reading the Princess's mind, they saw that they were headed to Vendaxa.
Once the Mynock had dropped into hyperspace, Sia and Astraal were shown into a room, aboard the ship. Their white Missionary robes were too conscious, and they had escaped with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Astraal was going through a box of clothes, but found nothing appropriate. Cade and Deliah barged in one with his arms crossed, hers crossed at her hips, both showed annoyance, "This room should suit your needs. Feel free to explore the closet if you need a change of clothes," the Princess heard Cade say, "mind telling me where I'm taking you?"
"Vendaxa," Astraal replied. And to safety.
"Got a location or can I just drop you anywhere?" Cade asked, obviously annoyed at the lack of specificity.
"When you need to know. We'll tell you. Just remember," Sia stated, "Your payment will come from out contacts there. So if you want to get paid, best see that we arrive unharmed." Gargh!This Captain is just so annoying she thought as she pouted. Just get to Vendaxa soon and I'll get back to Father. With a gesture, she dismissed them, waved them away.
Down the corridor of the Mynock, Deliah stalked after Cade, "Have you lost your mind? Two Imperial Missionaries on the run from a Sith and no creds? Not good," Deliah ranted, "And those are my clothes and my room!" What good can this be?
"You can bunk with the engine for now," came the cold reply. That was the problem with Cade she thought, it was always hot and cold. Right now, reconciliatory tones were needed she thought, if she was to get anything out of him, "Rather bunk with you," she said saucily.
"Yeah, sure, whatever makes you happy. Now shut up and let me check something," Cade stated as they entered into the bridge where Jariah was waiting. He went immediately over to the ship's computer and started tapping away at the holokeyboard. "Blue, please tell me he did not take on those two for no creds upfront," Jariah asked.
"Playing a hunch, Jariah. Human thinks I'm some weak willed Koochu," Cade replied, "tried a Jedi Mind Trick. Her arrogance suggests an Imperial." He continued to type, as Jariah and Blue leaned in. "An Imperial Knight? That would be worth a few creds," Jariah stated, happy for once. A picture flashed up on the holoscreen it was the Princess's bounty picture. "More than a few creds. Take a look at what I've found," Cade said, as they stared at the picture, "remind you of anyone?"
"That's former Princess Marasiah Fel, snarky attitude and all! She's worth a lot of credits," Deliah answered, her eyes wide open in delight.Maybe it is worth it after all. "What's the nearest Imp station and how fast can we get there," Jariah asked. This is too sweet. "We're not doing that," Cade answered, almost a drawl. Why? Came Jariah's question. "Think, the Sith have flushed her out. She's on the run. Where's she running to?" Cade replied.
"She's gonna run to her daddy!" Jariah replied realising that Cade was not only angling on the Princess's bounty but also the one on Roan Fel.
"So we take her back to daddy. Maybe we get creds from Fel to get the Princess back, then sell both their Imperial hides to the Sith," Cade explained, "however it works, we'll have so many creds we'll never have to work for Rav again," he continued, knowing this was what Jariah was interested in, "We can't lose."
On Korriban, the homeworld and the graveyard of the Sith Darth Krayt called upon the long dead Sith lords to help him. He recited the Sith code as be bought his awesome Sith powers to bear on the three holocrons. Lord Andeddu, Lord Nihilus and Lord Bane, three fearsome ancient Sith lords appeared their images glowing an eerie blue in the dark light of the Sith temple.
"So the would be Sith returns," Lord Bane spoke, "My knowledge is not for you! You are not a Sith, pretender, nor are your rabble," his tone was venomous, contemptuous and dismissive at the same time, "This was my lesson, two Sith should there be, no more, One holding power. One desiring it. You defy my teaching."
"I have improved on it. Instead of Two there is now only One. The Sith Order itself," Krayt maintained, "I have re-created the Sith, Lord Bane, as you once did. I have given it a purpose for what use is power without one."
"Power is its own purpose. To share it is to dilute it," Bane berated Krayt.
"The heretic comes for the same reason it came last time. Its body is failing. It fears that which is consuming it," Andeddu interjected, his rotting mouth forming an evil grin.
"Lord Bane, you mastered the parasites, the orbalisks that attacked you, that fed on your body as these Yuuzhan Vong life forms feed on mine. How?" Krayt asked, "Lord Andeddu, legend holds that your body died but you used the Force to keep it vivified. How," he continued, "Lord Nihilus, you escaped death by containing your consciousness within your armour. How?!" he demanded. Nihilus muttered something, undecipherable. Bane looked upon Krayt with contempt, "weak willed pretender, behold your destiny."
"Let the pretender's feat consume it," Andeddu stated, as Krayt's body began to morph, the Yuuzhan Vong implants taking over, turning him into more quilled-beast than man. "I take what I desire, I am the living, Lord of the Sith." Krayt snarled. He called the power of the Dark to him again, "This is not the truth, and it is not my destiny. I forge my own way, I walk a new path. And if you will not serve. Begone," he deactivated the three Sith holocrons, sending the long dead Sith Lords back to rest. I will find other teachings. I will find another way.
The Neo Rebel Alliance Spec forces arrived, throughout the day, on various shuttles and through the various ports on the Socorro. All proceeded to the safehouse on Socorro where Lieutenant Ella Falyn greeted them, as they passed out armaments and guns. On Socorro, the NRA had two wingpairs of XJ16-X Wings, along with two wingpairs of the heavier CF9 Crossfires. That would be enough, in Ella's estimation to be able to destroy any resistance from the Crimson Axe. And of course, anyone who came would suspect the Galactic Alliance Core Forces, and not the Neo Rebel Alliance, Ella thought, as her superior General Page, who would be leading the commando raid was in communication with Rogue Squadron's Colonel Darklighter, two highly placed officers within the Core Forces who were also NRA agents. Many of them, she knew traced their descent from heroes of the first Rebel Alliance and the New Republic. That was a large reason why they were all co-opted into the NRA by its High Command. She did too, though through her maternal line.
Her brown, tawny hair blew gently in the Socorro breeze as the spec force began their moves through the wastelands. They had chosen to come in under the cover of a slight dust storm, just for extra cover. As they crawled through the sewers underneath the outpost where the Crimson Axe was docked, she saw General Page, stop, wait and then move on again.
Within the Crimson Axe, the commandos emerged, throwing the stun grenade into the prison wing of the Axe, where Jedi Trey'lis was held. Warning klaxons began to howl through the corridors. The commandos came up through the sewers, firing their rifles, pumping shots into the guards. Ella rolled to one side, coming up and firing her blaster, pumping a shot into one of the guard droids. An ion grenade came flying past her face, exploding in a flash of bright light, taking out the three guard droids that they faced.
"Jedi Trey'lis," General Page said, as he came to the prison cell where the Jedi was held. "Come with us, I'm part of the Galactic Alliance forces, General Page, commando division, we're here to rescue you." He blasted the cell door. Hosk, got up from where he had been crouching when the door had been blasted and followed General Page out.
The commando team began to move through, towards the outside, where their awaiting shuttle would pick them up. Winding their way through the corridors of the Crimson Axe, they continued pumping the shots out of their blaster carbines. She saw one of her team members go down, hit in the armour by a droid's laser shot, sending him sprawling down to the floor. Wordlessly she pumped a shot into the droid, slagging its head. She threw her last concussion grenade, as she approached the main door to the exit.
In the air, Colonel Darklighter of Rogue Squadron, and his wingman flew in, a diving attack run on the Crimson Axe's defences. Red laser bolts stitched the hull of the Crimson Axe destroying the defensive cannons. As he swooped in he saw the CF9's fire two concussion missiles into the shield generators, slagging it. He gave a small comm. click to his pilots as he and his wingman dropped again, another run, this time at the hangar bays. He saw the Alliance shuttle come down from the Harbinger, ready to pick up their forces.
The commandos were engaged in a firefight with Rav's troops. Ella saw the pirate himself, and she shot her blaster carbine at him, the green laser beam catching him on his armour. She quickly rolled away from the return fire, as she saw General Page shoot down another guard. She shot again at Rav, as the commandos move forwards towards the door. She switched her carbine to stun, as she shot. A concussion grenade came flying, she dived to the side as it exploded, in the middle of the enemy guards.
She recovered quickly, pumping her carbine shots, killing the guards. She saw the rest of the commandos finish off the other guards. One went to open the blast door to the waiting shuttle. Ella had one armoured boot on Rav's chest, carbine in his face, "on behalf of the Alliance, I sentence you to death." She shot him square in the face, the blast destroying the head, leaving an unrecognisable mess. General Page congratulated her on a job well done. Can't let them know that the NRA exists. Best to leave no witnesses. The Crimson Axe exploded in a maelstrom as the commandos got away, with Jedi Trey'lis safely in their hands within the hold of the lone shuttle they had. General Page was within the hold, with the Jedi explaining the function of the Great River and that the Jedi was heading to the Alliance forces where he would be relatively safe from the Sith. The waiting starfighters escorted the shuttle back out of Socorro and into the waiting Harbinger, a Core Forces cruiser, leaving nothing for the Sith to find, but charred bones and ashes, no way for them to know who had died or not.