So here I am at the end of my Spring Break getting this chapter out to you my faithful readers.

Disclaimer: If only.

Chapter 19:

True Allegiances

"What is he doing here?" Juno asked incredulously as Starkiller helped PROXY onto the Rogue Shadow.

"He's harmless," the apprentice said as he lowered his friend into the jumper seat.

"Harmless? Would you call this harmless?" the pilot asked as she unbuttoned her color and pointed to her neck. The bruises from PROXY's strangulation were a sickly purple as Starkiller peered at them.

"Here," Starkiller said, placing a lightsaber into the pilot's hands. "Push the button and stab him if it will make you feel better."

"That's it?"

"Yes," Starkiller said, heading towards the meditation room.

"Hold it!" Juno yelled, outraged that he showed little concern for her well being. Should he not at least yell at the droid? Sure the prototype was not programmed to kill her, but it sure as hell came close and almost gave away their connection to the Empire.

The warrior spun back towards Juno and swiftly closed the gap between them. "I just forced a Star Destroyer into an ore cannon, had to fight my only friend, and nearly died from rubble falling on top of me. So I would be careful with your yelling."

Juno had no response. Only friend? What was it that they had then? Was she more to him than that or was she still only a simple pilot? No, Juno refused to entertain that thought. All the progress he had been making just as a…person was surely for her. Wasn't it? Frustrated, Juno turned towards PROXY and activated the weapon in her hands. Her impalement of the droid was sloppy, but the stress did indeed seem to roll off of her back.

"Feel better?"

With a deep breath to calm herself, Juno withdrew the blade and handed it back to Starkiller. "Yes."

"Good," the warrior said before picking up the droid. "His primary programming has been fried. So no more sneak attacks."

"Oh master," PROXY groaned. "Don't remind me."

"Come on, let's fix you up," the man said with a determined smirk on his face.

"What about you master?" PROXY asked. "Don't you have wounds of your own? I noticed that you are favoring your leg."

Starkiller chuckled. "Are you sure that you didn't acquire any kindness processes?"

"I hope not," the droid replied.

"I'll be fine," he said before turning towards the meditation room.

"Starkiller," Juno said causing the warrior to pause and look over his shoulder. "I just wanted to say…well…PROXY isn't your only friend. You've got Kota."

"Kota?" he snorted. "Sure, he's such a pal."

"Well, there's always…me," Juno finished lamely.

Starkiller chuckled. "I suppose you're right…I barely know what a friend is. I…care…uh, about you that is. I don't know what I'd do without you," he said and exited the cockpit.

In truth, Juno was unsure what she would do without the man. She could barely recall her old life. It all seemed so distant and almost unimportant. So it came as no surprise when she whispered to herself, "And I don't know what I would do without you."

Kota came through the door, startling the pilot. "Lost in your own thoughts Captain?"

"I guess," she answered truthfully before settling into her chair.

"Don't be too long, we're off to Corellia as soon as possible," Kota said with a smirk on his face.

"Is that where we are meeting with the rebels?" she queried.

"We're waiting for specifics and PROXY needs to be working so that we can transmit Organa's daughter," the Jedi explained. "She's as much a part of this as any of us."

"I'll let him know," Juno replied after punching in the coordinates for Corellia and putting the ship on standby.

Starkiller was still tinkering with the prototype droid when Juno sat next to him. "I hear Corellia will see the birth of the Rebellion," he said.

"Will it?"

"What do you mean?" he asked after turning PROXY back on.

"You know exactly what I mean," Juno hissed. "Vader."

Starkiller shuddered and stared at the floor. "I am due to contact him soon," he said dejectedly. "Is Kota asleep?"

Juno paused before Kota's snoring interrupted the silence. "Yes, let's contact him."

"Better stand behind PROXY, you're supposed to be dead," the apprentice said.

"Am I?"

"I was told to cut all my ties with the Empire except for PROXY," he explained.

"But I was put on the Empirical on purpose," Juno reasoned.

"A test perhaps, or maybe Vader wanted all of this. I can never tell," Starkiller said, obviously frustrated.

"Whatever was supposed to happen, I'm glad you stopped for me," Juno said as a smile found its way on her face. Do

"I couldn't just let you die," Starkiller said before placing a hand on the pilot's shoulder.

"Thank you," she said quietly before walking behind PROXY.

The droid stood and his form shifted to the form of Darth Vader. "Your actions on Raxus Prime have left the Emperor most displeased," he said in his metallic drone.

"The Emperor's enemies are still scared," he lied. "I am just now earning their trust. If I am ever discovered talking to you, if they even suspect my past…all that will be destroyed."

Vader's form seemed to mull this over. "Do not wait too long to contact me."

With that, PROXY shifted back and took a seat. "Can you trust him?"

"Trust? No. But Vader won't risk my mission, even if he does have any doubts," Starkiller reasoned.

"Does he have any reason to doubt you?" she implored.

"I…I…"

"You have your Rebel Alliance. What are you going to do with it?" she pushed. "These people trust you, what will you do with it?"

"I DON'T KNOW!" Starkiller shouted. "I just…don't know."

"I'll make the jump," Juno said bitterly. "Maybe you can figure this all out."

"Juno," he called, stopping Juno at the door. "I will do the right thing…for both of us."

"Let's hope your decision comes before we all get killed," she bit off before stomping towards the cockpit.

The trip in hyperspace was quiet. Kota had disappeared to the cargo hold once more, and Starkiller was meditating. Even when they came out of light speed, Starkiller only quietly handed the pilot a thermal snow outfit. "It'll be cold," he said simply.

The coordinates that were transmitted led them to an old ruin of some sort, and of course it was snowing. Prepped and ready, Juno, Starkiller, and PROXY made their way inside. "Where is Kota?" Juno asked.

"No idea," the apprentice said with a shrug. "Ready?"

"As I'll ever be."

Organa was waiting for them, and introduced the trio to Garm Bel Iblis and Mon Mothma. Pleasantries were exchanged and PROXY shrunk to the form of Leia. The three senators approached the large table and Starkiller joined them. Juno just stood back, observing her surroundings. Iblis appeared nervous, his eyes shooting back and forth as if expecting an attack. Mothma's face radiated hope but her eyes showed pure determination. And then there was Organa. He had a grin firmly set on his face, as if ready and raring to get into the fight.

"We agree that the time for diplomacy and politics has passed. It is time for action! If you're willing to lead us," he said, looking pointedly at Starkiller. "Then we'll join your alliance."

"As will I," called a voice.

Juno turned to see General Kota minus his dirty bandages. Instead, grey implants replaced the burned eye sockets. "I thought you were passed out in the cargo hold," Starkiller said kindly.

"I came to."

"It is settled then. My wealth will fund the Rebellion, while Garm provides our fleet, and Mon Mothma our soldiers. And with you leading us, we have the power of the Force on our side. Therefore, let this be an official declaration of rebellion! Today, we all vow to change the galaxy, and one day the galaxy will indeed be free," Bail finished.

It was a nice speech Juno thought. It was the kind of thing that should have been recorded. And then all hell broke loose. An explosion rocked the ruins sending snow and debris everywhere. "No," Starkiller said incredulously before shooting an apologetic look at Juno.

There was another explosion, and stormtroopers began pouring in. Mothma's soldiers began firing as the senators were fleeing. Juno grabbed her pistol, but PROXY grabbed her instead and pushed her towards what looked like a secret passage. And then came the worst of it all. Vader. "Take them alive. The Emperor wants to execute them personally."

Kota yelled and charged at the Dark Lord, but it was no use. The Jedi was easily tossed aside like Vader had done so many times before. "You have done well my apprentice," he declared.

One sentence. That was all it took to undo everything that had been "accomplished." Iblis and Organ shot death glares at Starkiller while the warrior and Mothma wilted.

And then the large stone table was thrown towards Starkiller. Again PROXY pushed Juno away. The pilot hated to abandon Starkiller, but the droid gave her no choice. The passage led straight to the Rogue Shadow's landing pad. Sneaking inside, Juno quickly activated the stealth systems and dove into the nearby valley. Things were quickly circling the drain. Starkiller could very well be dead, and the rebels would soon join them. What could she do? And what was going on between Vader and Starkiller? It was clear that Starkiller was surprised to see Vader and the Empire there. Perhaps he envisioned leading the Rebellion and Vader helping to overthrow the Emperor. Obviously, the young man was mistaken.

Juno waited for hours until she was absolutely sure that the Empire was gone. She was still steering in the valleys hoping to avoid any patrols. And then her console pinged. It was Starkiller's beacon! The signal was faint, but he was alive. The pilot approached carefully, wary of any lingering presence of the Empire. There the body of Starkiller lied, seemingly from a horrendous fall.

As soon as she could, the pilot rushed out to the fallen warrior's side. "Starkiller?" she queried, praying he was still somehow alive.

"J-Juno?"

"Come on," Juno said, pulling him up and supporting his weight.

"They're gone…Vader took them all," Starkiller said dejectedly once settled in the ship. "The Emperor will kill them all."

"I don't understand," Juno said as the broke atmosphere. "Why would Vader allow us to attack so many imperial targets?"

"To sell the deception," he replied, grabbing his head. "Credits, starships, Imperial lives; they're all meaningless to Vader. He needed me to find the Emperor's enemies, no matter the cost. How could I have been so stupid?"

"You couldn't have known."

"I should have!" he said angrily. "It's how the Sith operate. Deception, betrayal, they are all tools of the trade. I did exactly what Vader wanted."

"Yes you did. But now, the fate of your alliance and then the galaxy rests only with you. The question is: What will you do?" Juno urged.

A determined look passed over Starkiller's features. "We're going after Vader, and the Rebels."

"I thought so," Juno said and she turned to check her console and grab the kolto supplies. Instead, the kolto floated away from her. As she looked around the cockpit, various object were also floating before they began to revolve around Starkiller. Soon, Juno felt herself being lifted into the air and she joined the items circling the warrior. As she passed Starkiller, she grabbed onto him quickly to steady herself. "What are you doing?"

"Meditating," he said slowly. "Jedi can sometimes see visions of the future."

"Have you done this before?" she asked nervously.

"Never been a Jedi before," Starkiller said with a snort. "No…No! Kota!"

"What did you see?" Juno asked as the objects clanged to the floor.

"A massive…space station."

The End is Nigh! The End is Nigh!

Look for a whole hell of alot introspection by Juno in the upcoming chapter(s) i haven't decided yet.

Yes i know how i will end it, and no i won't tell you.

Review for better or for worse!