Chandrila, 4 ABY

Mara Jade strode down Hanna City's main thoroughfare, her crimson hair pulled into a tight bun. She shook the sleeve of her tunic away from her wrist comm, and she turned away from the busy street into a quiet alley. She glanced up through the gap between the two buildings at the occasional speeder drifting above through the city's traffic lanes. A heavier rumble turned her attention skyward, and she frowned as a T-6 shuttle in a red-and-white paint scheme drifted overhead in the direction of Hanna City's political center. She closed her eyes, feeling a disturbance. As the ship passed, the impression it left was clear; the ship conveyed somebody powerful in the Force.

She knelt to the ground and unslung the pack from her back. Glancing behind her to make sure she was alone, she removed a black and red probe droid no larger than a songbird. She keyed in a code on her wrist comm, and the probe droid fluttered into life, buzzing quietly above the ground. She entered a second code, and the buzzing ceased, leaving the probe silent beneath the thrum and drone of the city center's incessant traffic. After entering a third code, the probe droid shot skyward, cresting the tops of the buildings containing the alley before shooting off toward the city center.

As the probe droid flew away, she walked briskly down the alley way and entered a code into a door. She passed through the doorway, entering a darkened room with a mat on the floor and a chair in the corner. She ignored the nominal furniture and settled to her knees, keying another code into her comm. A projection of the probe's view emerged, and she heard her wrist comm projecting the sounds of the traffic above as it soared through the speeder lanes toward a platform jutting from a residential tower. The probe droid's viewfinder showed the T-6 docking at the platform, and a lone human, cloaked and hooded, waited at the platform.

The probe droid reached the rim of the platform, and it fluttered to the railing encircling the edge. The probe perched atop a light, and the woman turned up the volume on the feed. The T-6 powered down, leaving only the ambient noise of the city beyond. The boarding ramp lowered with a hiss of steam, and two figures emerged – one a Mandalorian in black armor with vivid orange and purple highlights. The other woman wore a white robe draped over a pair of montrals. A thrill passed through the woman as she watched the probe droid's feed; she recognized the Togruta from the Empire's files. She had vanished inexplicably, and now had re-appeared suddenly and just as inexplicably. She tensed, thinking, complications.

Turning her thoughts from her apprehension about the Togruta, she listened as the Togruta approached the man in the cloak.

"Welcome back, Ahsoka Tano," the man said, his voice tranquil and mild.

"Thank you, Luke," she said before turning to the Mandalorian. "Please allow me to introduce Sabine Wren of Clan Wren."

The video showed Luke nodding to the Mandalorian, and the Mandalorian said, "Nice to meet you. Are you here to take me to Mon Mothma?"

"Threepio will show you the way," Luke explained, and the probe droid shifted toward a golden protocol droid shuffling toward the trio.

The droid reached the trio and declared in its prissy voice, "I am See-Threepio, human-cyborg relations. Mistress Wren, if you permit, I will bring you to Mon Mothma."

The Mandalorian nodded and followed the protocol droid as it shuffled off. The probe droid shifted its view back to Skywalker and the Togruta.

"I'm sorry to hear your journey was unsuccessful," Luke said.

"Thank you," the Togruta said, adding, "Sabine left a beacon. Should anything come through, we will know."

"No sign?" Luke asked.

"There was," the Togruta said, strain and confusion in her voice.

"What did you find?" Luke asked.

The Togruta did not respond immediately, instead gesturing toward the railing. The probe droid tracked them moving toward the railing, against which they leaned, glancing across the city.

"A great disturbance in the Force. It was Ezra, but not like I had ever felt him," the Togruta explained.

Bridger, Mara thought to herself, recalling another target that had vanished along with the Grand Admiral. A shiver ran through her spine as she remembered the Emperor's fury that day.

"Do you know what it means?" Luke asked.

"I wish I did," the Togruta said, her voice weary.

The two remained silent, studying the skyline for a while. The woman keyed in a code, and the probe droid fluttered off of the lamp it sat upon before coming to rest on the side of the T-6 above where the pair stood. The droid's viewfinder looked down on them from above.

"Luke, I would like for you to come with me to Tython," the Togruta said.

The woman looked away from her wrist comm, and the feed switched from the video of the two to a map leading to Tython. She studied the map as the audio feed continued.

"I'm not familiar," Luke explained.

"It's not far from here. It's a planet rich with Jedi history and powerful in the Force," the Togruta explained. "From there, Jedi once called to each other from the great seeing stone. I know that you wish to restore the Jedi Order, and from there, you may call to what few Jedi remain."

"Wow," Luke said. There was a pause, followed by, "I wasn't sure you would want to help with that."

"I'm still not sure I do," Ahsoka said. "But for the sake of the Jedi that still remain, I think it best we come together. The disturbance in the Force – I'm alarmed. I've never felt anything like it."

"What will you do?" Luke asked.

"Well," she said, pausing thoughtfully. "Perhaps from there I might be able to reach Ezra."

"Do you think you can reach into the Unknown Regions from there?" Luke asked.

"I honestly don't know," Ahsoka said. "But I have to try."

"Alright," Luke said, a note of eagerness in his voice. "When do we go?"

"As soon as you're ready," Ahsoka stated.

Mara shut the feed down and ordered the probe droid back. She stalked from the room and back out into the alleyway. Minutes later, the probe droid fluttered onto her shoulder as she stalked down the street toward the hangar bay where her ship awaited. Her jaw clenched as she flexed her fingers into and out of a fist.

The Emperor's voice whispered through her mind, or at least she imagined it to: Kill him. Kill them both.

Ahsoka Tano and Luke Skywalker stood together under the light of a setting sun, gazing at the rounded seeing stone set in the center of a ring of large stone pillars set at intervals. Ahsoka felt the rich currents emanating from this spot, and she turned to Luke, who stood with his eyes closed, also feeling the strength of the Force around him. In the valley below, the T-6 and Luke's X-wing sat parked on a grassy flat. A pair of tents stood on opposite sides of the flat where the two Jedi had laid their beds down for the night.

Luke opened his eyes and turned to Ahsoka. She smiled and nodded, gesturing to the stone.

"What do I do?" Luke asked.

"Seat yourself upon the stone," Ahsoka instructed. "Open yourself to the Force."

"What happens then?" Luke asked.

"If any Jedi remain, perhaps they might sense you. Instruct them to come here, to find you. Let them know that the Emperor has fallen, and his agents are gone," Ahsoka explained. "When you are done, I will take my turn."

"Ok," Luke said uncertainly. She nodded in encouragement, and Luke stepped forward to the seeing stone. He climbed onto the spherical stone and settled into a cross-legged position. He closed his eyes, expecting a shift in the Force. When nothing happened, he opened his eyes, looking expectantly toward Ahsoka. She tilted her head and raised her eyebrows. Luke relaxed his shoulders and closed his eyes again. He placed his hand on the stone and breathed.

A quiet rumbling from shook the earth below, and Luke felt the Force swelling within. The rumbling subsided, followed by a rush of energy. The energy flowed from the stone, rising into the dusky sky, casting a dull light over the platform. As the Force flowed through Luke, he felt his awareness expand. Savoring the feeling of the Force flowing through him, he called through his mind: I am Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight. The Emperor is dead. Darth Vader is dead. The Jedi have returned. Find me on Tython, where I will await you for the next fortnight. May the Force be with you.

From her perch on the mountain on the opposite side of the valley, the woman watched as the light shot into the sky from the platform on the hilltop. She closed her eyes, feeling the Force swelling beneath the temple. Her own sense of the Force expanding elicited a quiet thrill of awe, but she quelled the feeling, keeping her mind locked on her singular purpose. She glanced through her binoculars and saw the bubble of energy encompassing Skywalker. The Togruta stood by, watching. In her mind, she heard Skywalker call out: I am Luke Skywalker, Jedi Knight. The Emperor is dead. Darth Vader is dead. The Jedi have returned. Find me on Tython, where I will await you for the next fortnight. May the Force be with you.

Murderer, she thought to herself. Through the binoculars, she saw the Togruta turn her head, and realizing that her emotions might be carrying, she quelled the anger swelling within her. The Togruta continued to gaze in her direction, a confused expression on her face. After seeming to search for something indistinct, her frown relaxed, and she turned back to Skywalker seated on the seeing stone.

Luke had remained seated on the seeing stone for fifteen minutes when the energy field suddenly ceased. He slumped, exhausted from the effort, leaning against his hand to keep his weight propped up. Ahsoka stepped toward him, and offered her hand to help him down from the stone. Luke accepted her help, sliding off of the stone and landing softly on his feet. She handed him a flask of water, and Luke drank deeply.

"What did you see?" Ahsoka asked as Luke finished draining the flask.

"I wouldn't call it seeing, necessarily. But I felt them. They're out there. Not many, but I think heard me," Luke explained.

Ahsoka smiled. "Well done. If they are there, and if they haven't cut themselves off from the Force to protect themselves, they will have heard. I felt the message loud and clear."

"Good," Luke said, his voice soft from exhaustion. "Your turn, now?" he asked.

"Not just yet. Let's get you down the hill. I'd like to eat before I make the attempt," Ahsoka explained.

She allowed Luke space to take several tentative steps, and his exhaustion subsided enough for him to walk without help. They picked their way over boulders down to the valley, and Artoo twittered and beeped excitedly as they approached. Ahsoka smiled, walking past the droid as Luke knelt beside it.

"I'm alright, Artoo," Luke assured as Ahsoka knelt beside a heating lantern.

Ahsoka fired up the lantern, over which she laid out the rations they had packed. With their dinners heating, Luke settled into the grass, leaning against a boulder. Luke watched as Ahsoka doled out their portions, and she leaned over to hand Luke his plate and spoon. Luke leaned forward, accepting the dinner. Ahsoka settled into the grass, leaning into her own boulder, and the two ate in silence, contemplating what their experiences on the seeing stone.

With most of their portions consumed, Luke gazed into the lamp, and the question that had been lurking in the back of his mind surged to the forefront. Ahsoka turned to her right as he wrestled with his question, placing her hand on the domed head of Artoo.

"R2-D2," Ahsoka said, smiling fondly.

"You know him?" Luke asked, astonished.

"Know him?!" Ahsoka laughed. "There was rarely a time when Artoo wasn't trailing after your father."

"Wait," Luke said in disbelief. "Are you telling me?"

"That Artoo belonged to your father?" Ahsoka grinned.

Luke nodded, his mouth open in shock.

"Yep," Ahsoka affirmed.

Luke looked to Artoo in wonder, then said, "Why didn't you tell me, you bucket of bolts?"

Artoo tweeted indignantly, followed by a rolling discourse.

"Alright, alright," Luke said appeasingly. "I get it. Bail Organa made you promise." Luke laughed, then said, "But you better start pulling up some memory files."

Artoo twittered excitedly, and an image of a young boy appeared, his hair cut short and a small ponytail jutting out from the back of his head, settled on cross-legged position with other young children, listening to Master Yoda delivering a lesson. Luke laughed, exclaiming, "Is that him?"

Artoo twittered an affirmative, and Ahsoka joined in the laughter.

"Boy I bet you got some stories to tell," Luke grinned. He turned to Ahsoka and said, "You, too."

Ahsoka's smile faded, and Luke's faded as well. He wondered whether he had offended her, but her sense was more contemplative. Her gaze settled onto the lantern, and he gazed into the light as well, basking in the warmth. In the silence, they finished their rations, each chewing as they considered their separate, disparate memories of Anakin Skywalker.

After some time, Luke broke the silence. "Can I ask you something?"

Ahsoka nodded, chewing her food thoughtfully.

"Why don't you want to rebuild the Jedi Order?" Luke asked.

Ahsoka continued to chew thoughtfully, then swallowed. She gazed into the light, contemplating its warm glow for nearly a minute before she answered. "The Jedi Order failed a lot of people."

The image of his father's face, chalk white and ruined flashed through Luke's mind. "Like my father?"

"Especially your father," Ahsoka affirmed. "But not just him. Myself, as well. Many factors contributed to the fall of the Jedi Order, and most of them were self-inflicted regardless of Darth Sidious's manipulations."

"It's been hard piecing together what happened," Luke admitted.

"Yes, the Emperor went to great lengths to cover it up. He portrayed Anakin Skywalker as a hero who tried to stop the corruption of the Jedi from spreading. The truth lives on only with the Jedi who survived," Ahsoka explained.

"Why did the Jedi fail?" Luke asked.

"Hubris," Ahsoka stated vaguely, a cryptic smile on her face. "Inflexibility, dogma, a failure to adapt. Moreover, the Jedi allied themselves to the Republic, subverting their greater purpose to the whims of politicians."

"Hence the Clone Wars?" Luke asked.

"A war we never should have fought. Sidious orchestrated it all, and the Jedi were pawns in their own destruction," Ahsoka explained. Luke listened, noting the rich cocktail of emotion in her voice. Her eyes stared into the glow of the lamp, and Luke was unsure whether she was bitter, angry, sad, regretful, or relieved.

"That's exactly why I want your help," Luke said.

Ahsoka looked up from the glow and frowned.

"Ahsoka, I had a few weeks of training with Master Yoda, and the rest I put together on my own. I don't know how to train Jedi," Luke said, voicing the insecurities that had festered in his mind as Mon Mothma and others had elevated him in esteem before the entire galaxy.

"Maybe you don't have to," Ahsoka said.

"What? And let the Jedi Order die out?" Luke asked, confused.

"Maybe," Ahsoka said, her eyes gazing deep into the lantern.

"But Yoda said," Luke began.

Ahsoka interrupted, saying, "Yoda said. Obi-Wan said. From what I can gather, their guidance put you through a horrible ordeal without clearly explaining why you should go through it to begin with. At this point, Luke, I think you've earned the right to decide your own destiny."

Luke frowned, staring into the lantern. It felt imperative to rebuild the order. With a few adjustments and adaptations, as Ahsoka had inferred, perhaps a new, enduring Order free of the previous iteration's flaws could arise.

"It doesn't have to be the way it was," Luke pleaded.

"And how do you know the older Jedi will allow that?" Ahsoka asked.

Luke had no answer for her question, but as he considered his role in the Rebellion and the loneliness he experienced, his thoughts drifted to tales he heard of other Jedi, including his father. For all of their flaws and weaknesses, the Jedi had been, for a long time, a force for good in the galaxy.

"This is what I want, and I think it's what the galaxy needs," Luke said, conviction in his voice. "But I can't do it alone. I don't know how."

Ahsoka raised her eyebrows and nodded, mulling something over to herself. She straightened up, making eye contact with Luke, and said, "I think you might be underestimating yourself," Ahsoka said encouragingly.

"I've searched for the past few years. There's almost nothing left. No lore, no books, no Jedi. It was hard enough even finding a crystal for my lightsaber. How am I supposed to build an order from this?" Luke asked, his anxieties swelling.

"Luke," Ahsoka smiled. Luke looked up, holding her gaze. She raised her eyebrows. "You can't solve tomorrow's problems today."

"You sound like Yoda," Luke grumbled.

"Agree with Yoda, I do," Ahsoka chuckled.

Luke's sour expression lightened at Ahsoka's imitation of Yoda's syntax. The moment of levity passed, and something heavier emerged in Luke's mind. He slumped against the boulder, gazing into the lantern.

"What is it?" Ahsoka cajoled.

Luke closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Come on, Skywalker. Spit it out," Ahsoka said, her voice kind.

"Leia," Luke said. "What if I screw it up? What if I can't train her right?"

"Something tells me she's going to pick everything up in a hurry," Ahsoka affirmed.

"But what if I. . ." Luke began.

"I think the first thing you need to do is quiet that mind and listen to the Force," Ahsoka smiled.

"Please, Ahsoka," Luke said. "At least with Leia. Help me do this right."

Ahsoka did not answer, instead continuing to stare into the lamp. Luke waited patiently, and after several minutes had passed, Ahsoka looked up. "I think that I'm ready to go to the stone now. You've given me something to think about, and I'm going to sit with it for a bit. I'll let you know soon, Luke."

Luke exhaled, accepting that the conversation would not go any further. He raised himself up as she did, saying, "I can accept that."

Ahsoka smiled and nodded, and Luke said, "I hope you find him."

"Me, too," she said as she stepped away from the lantern. Luke watched her walk into the darkness, then followed her light bobbing over the rocks as she climbed back up to the temple. As he watched her go, he felt fatigue settle over him, and finally ready to succumb to exhaustion, he walked to his sleeping bag and settled in, eager for a deep, heavy sleep.

Darkness fell at the campsite as the Togruta ascended the hill and Skywalker settled into his bed. Mara waited until a blue glow emerged from the seeing stone atop the hill, and feeling confident that the Togruta was occupied, she emerged from the boulders she had hidden within, stalking silently toward Skywalker as he drifted into sleep. She placed her helmet over her head, inhaling as the breathing mechanism kicked on. Memories of dozens of assassinations drifted through her mind, and her adrenaline sharpened her focus.

She crept through the boulders, feeling the whispery caress of fountain grass brush her pants as she prowled. The blue light shimmered above, and she felt the Togruta reaching, calling, straining, her focus occupied elsewhere. She mounted a boulder and peered down at Skywalker, fast asleep in his bed. She unclipped the weapon from her belt, feeling the Emperor's lightsaber's cold weight in her hand. How fitting, she thought as she gripped the weapon, prepared to spring, to strike – a silent knife plunging into the heart of the Rebellion's great hero; the man who took everything from her.

She reached out her senses to ensure Skywalker was well and truly asleep. Her sense of him suggested that he was slipping into a deep sleep. She tensed, then leapt.

As she somersaulted through the air, she ignited the crimson blade with a snap-hiss, and she dropped down toward him. She saw his eyes fly open in terror, and she felt a rush of sadistic glee, knowing that he would be awake when she cut through him. His hand reached out, and something silver flew toward his outstretched hand. As she rushed toward the ground, a green blade erupted, thrusting forward to block her crimson blade.

She hissed in rage that he had been able to block her initial attack, but she also sensed his wariness and fatigue. Drained as he was from his time on the seeing stone, and with the Togruta occupied, he would make easy work.

Despite his fatigue, he pushed, and she felt herself lifted off of him. He was out of his bag and on his feet faster than she expected, and he crouched into a ready position, wary of her next attack.

She twirled her blade, cursing herself at missing her chance at a surprise attack. She imagined the Emperor's scorn and contempt at her eagerness, but instead of blanching, she channeled her shame into rage. I won't fail you, my Master.

She lunged forward, slashing at Skywalker. He blocked her attack, but just barely. Her secondary attacks followed rapidly, and she brought the Emperor's blade across her chest, slamming into his blade and knocking him backward. He stumbled over the lantern and came down hard on his back, his head grazing the boulder he had lounged against only minutes ago. She felt his pain through the Force, savoring it.

She reached out her free hand, remembering the Emperor's training. A cascade of red lightning erupted from her fingertips. She watched his eyes go wide as he brought his lightsaber about. He caught most of the blast with his weapon, but several tendrils of electricity tore into his bicep and chest, and he shouted out in pain. She doubled her effort with the attack, but having acclimated to the force of her attack, Skywalker was able to deflect it. With an effort, he raised himself to his feet, swaying slightly as the pain surged in his arm and chest.

She abandoned her electrical attack and launched herself forward. Luke braced himself, taking her full impact. He tripped over the lantern and stumbled, his lightsaber tumbling into the bushes as it deactivated. Luke called to it, but his sense of its location was hazy. She leapt the distance, rushing toward him with her weapon raised. Luke looked up, prepared to feel a terrible burning sensation that echoed in his right wrist.

A faint whirring sound caught his ear, and something shadowy arced across the grassy flat. Before Luke's assailant reached him, a boulder slammed into her shoulder, knocking her off course. She grunted from the pain as she staggered into the brush. A pair of brilliant white lights erupted in the darkness, and Ahsoka Tano leapt into the space between the two of them.

Mara straightened up and stepped out of the bushes, reigniting her lightsaber.

"Get out of the way, Togruta," she growled, her voice distorted by the mask.

Ahsoka settled into a defensive posture, shifting as the woman stepped forward. As Ahsoka shifted, Luke raised himself up and closed his eyes. He felt his lightsaber nearby, and he called to it. It landed in his robotic hand, and he ignited it before stepping to Ahsoka's side.

"I thought the Inquisitors were all dead," Ahsoka taunted.

"Move! The Skywalkers are mine!" the woman shouted.

Luke felt her surge of rage. She pointed her weapon toward Luke, threatening with the gesture. Luke raised his weapon, ready to defend. In a sudden movement, she hurled a circular object into the space between them, and she leapt backward.

Ahsoka's eyes widened as she recognized the thermal detonator arcing toward the grass. She reacted instantly, waving her hand to the left and sending the detonator into the air. A fireball erupted, too far to burn them, but close enough to knock them down. As they struggled to their feet, they heard the sound of ship firing up beyond the ridge to their right. Moments later, a sleek freighter rose into the air, and their assailant leapt from boulder to boulder toward the ship.

"I got this," Luke said as he jogged over to the X-wing. "Artoo!" he called.

Artoo, having witnessed the attack, had already fired up the X-wing. The cockpit shield rose, and Luke rushed over, leaping to the nose. He settled into the cockpit as their attacker's ship soared away. The cockpit lowered and Luke nudged the ship forward, launching into the night as he tore off after his attacker.

Once in the air, Luke gunned the throttle, shooting after the freighter.

Artoo beeped a question, and Luke said, "No, set them to ionization. We need to find out who she is."

Artoo beeped doubtfully, but switched the cannons to ionize as ordered. The fighter shot into the sky, and Luke followed, locking his S-foils into attack position. As they neared the planet's atmospheric boundary, the freighter swerved, and Luke matched its movement. As Luke settled into a pursuit vector, he switched off his targeting computer and allowed the Force to guide his aim. He squeezed off several ionizing blasts, and the blue discharge erupted from the four wingtip guns. The fighter swerved as the blasts lanced harmlessly through the air.

Luke turned, marking her vector as her fighter launched upward. He fell behind her, and a proximity warning on his dash began to ping. Artoo beeped frantically, and Luke's eyes went wide as he saw something drift out of the back of her fighter directly toward him. He cut power, allowing the ship to bank hard to the right, but it was too late. A sonic blast erupted, and the blast radius knocked his X-wing over, shearing through two of the back engines. Artoo went dormant as the sonic surge knocked his systems offline, and the ship cartwheeled, tumbling toward the earth rushing up at him.

Luke gripped the controls, flipping the engine switch to re-engage the engines. One of the engines went back online, but one remained dormant as the other two had been destroyed.

"Artoo!" Luke called, but Artoo remained dormant.

With the ground rushing up toward him, Luke fired the engine at full throttle and pulled up on the steering. The ship leveled out slightly, even gaining a bit of altitude. Luke closed the S-foils as the engine faltered. As the ship leveled out, Luke killed the engine, unwilling to risk it burning out and incinerating the ship. The X-wing glided toward a hill rising above a long, arcing coastline. Luke tilted the nose upward, and the X-wing glided over the crest, just grazing the boulders on the top of the hill, sending a shower of sparks into the brush.

With the obstacle of the hill gone, the ocean loomed ahead. Luke reignited the engine and gave it a single pulse – just enough to clear the coastline. He grabbed the ejector and yanked, and the cockpit flew open. His seat ejected from the X-wing and he shot into the air. He looked down as the X-wing tore toward the water, coming down in the darkened waves with a violent splash.

Luke's parachute opened, and he drifted toward the beach.. As Luke drifted down, he heard the scream of his assailant's fighter as it dove from the skies above before leveling out over the ocean. The fighter tore straight toward him, and Luke heard the sonic boom as its pilot gunned the engine into full throttle.

Luke settled to the ground in bump, entangled in the cables for the parachute. The bright orange chute presented a large, obvious target, and as the roar of the freighter grew in his ears, Luke felt the Force screaming of danger. Struggling to disentangle himself, he heard the bark of a blaster and expected to feel the wall of flame and heat engulf him. He tore the vest of the chute harness aside, and to his astonishment, several green blasts lanced through the night sky into the water, knocking the fighter off-course. The freighter swerved away as a second, heavier engine roared overhead.

The freighter, seemingly realizing that it was now outmatched, tore off across the ocean and rose into the sky, screaming toward space. The heavier engine rumbled, and Luke felt the parachute flapping and fluttering as a second freighter of a Corellian make that Luke could not identify hovered nearby. Luke felt another surge in the Force and knew that somebody was approaching. He wrenched himself out of the chute and unstrapped himself from his chair. He fumbled through he chute, managing to poke his head through a space to see a tall man with long hair and a beard approaching.

The man stopped shy of Luke, looking him up and down while suppressing a grin. As Luke began extricating himself from the tangle, he heard the man say, "Skywalker?"

"Yeah, I'm Luke," Luke affirmed.

"I heard your call," the man said. "My name's Cal. Cal Kestis."