Part VII
"We're coming up on Yavin now Leia." Mara Jade said as she guided the ship towards the planet. "I'm worried about Jaina." Leia said. "Why, what's going on?" Mara asked. "She has this connection through the force with her brothers, I guess she feels like one of them is in trouble." Leia responded. "Then, is it really her you should be worried about?" Mara replied. "I guess you're right. hopefully it's nothing. I just hope they're okay." Leia said. "Look Leia, Jaina is a strong girl, she can take care of herself, she's just like her mom." Mara said. "Thanks for that." Leia said. "And plus, she'll be fine, she's with us." Mara finished.
"Jaina, where are you?" Jacen spoke in Jaina's head. "Mama, Aunty and I are headed to Yavin to find Master Katarn, are you okay?" Jaina thought back. "I feel cold Jaina, like something is engulfing me. I feel alone." Jacen thought. "What happened on Naboo?" Jaina asked, "I let myself fall prey to the darkside, it felt good to let go. But Ben and I encountered a full fledged Sith lord. I took him out though...but he escaped." Jacen replied. "What do you mean you 'let go' you felt good about the darkside?" Jaina shot back. "Calm down Jaina, I'm not turning. Plus Uncle always says the force isn't naturally bad or good, it's the way we use it. So just relax." Jacen replied. "A second ago you said you felt cold? Stop, meditate. Become whole again Jacen, I don't know what happened, but I'm not speaking to you until you figure it out." Jaina said. Jaina clouded her mind with meditation, she felt the planet below, the lifeforms, the trees...she felt darkness, she felt cold...she felt despair. She opened her eyes and rushed to the cockpit, the blue astromech droid awoke: "beep-beep, droop zzziip!" R2-D2 exclaimed. "I'm warning my mother, stay R2."
The Sith lord dragged the Jedi through the brush, lightsaber in hand; he cut through the thicket and stomped through the mud. The rain was heavy now, pouring through the thick brush of trees. Rain drops sizzled as they hit the Sith lord's lightsaber. The wilderness cleared, a towering temple stood in the rain. "Wake up Master Katarn, we're here." Krayt said as he threw the Jedi into a mud puddle just adjacent to the temple steps. Kyle coughed and heaved up blood, he face was bruised and battered, his clothes were ripped. "Screw you, you Sith scum." Kyle shot back rebelliously. "I rescued you from the Vong's torture chambers; and this is how you repay me? Tisk tisk." Krayt said as he shot force lightning at Katarn. Kyle shrieked with pain. Rain continued to pour. "If you are powerful, strike me down Master Katarn! This planet's fate rests in your hands. Right now, I control it, if you duel me and win, this planet becomes the Jedi's property." Krayt said as he threw Katarn's saber in the puddle next to him. "I will." Katarn said through his pain. He wobbled to his feet and summoned his saber with the force, he ignited it and waited. The rain drops fell on the lightsabers, a slow sizzling sound could be heard through the hum of the sabers. "Today you die Master Katarn." Krayt said. "You know what Hett, you aren't the man I knew when we fought on Nar Shadda, you're lower than the swamp rats on Nal Hutta, today...you become even lower than that." Kyle said. "That name no longer has any meaning for me, that man is dead. I am Darth Krayt, THE ONE TRUE LORD OF THE SITH!" Krayt said as he charged Kyle, they interlocked sabers, they clashed and collided through the temple clearing, the rain continued to pour. Kyle lunged, Krayt deflected. Kyle flipped and hit Krayt on the arm, the saber bounced off of his armor. Krayt then made Kyle fly into the temple wall with the force. Kyle laid on the temple floor, he coughed up another heaping load of blood. "You are weak." Krayt said as he readied a stab to Kyle's midsection. He brought down the saber but was stopped mid drop. "Step away from the Jedi." A voice behind Krayt said. The Sith lord turned, Leia Organa Solo, Mara Jade Skywalker and Jaina Solo stood in the blasted hole of the temple, all lightsabers ignited. "Ah, so Master Katarn, you cannot handle me yourself? You called for help?" Krayt said. "I never call for help, I just get it." Kyle said as he force pushed Krayt into the adjacent wall. Kyle got up and grabbed his lightsaber. The four Jedi felt a part of the force leave them. The four stood in the middle of the temple floor, Krayt had a red and purple aura around him, a helmet grew from the armor and covered his head, an extra lightsaber was dispatched from his left gauntlet. "You Jedi will burn." Krayt said. He charged them, "AHHHH!" Krayt screamed. He simultaneously fought the four Jedi, parrying their attacks with impressive agility. Mara lunged for his leg, he caught it with his own saber and force pushed her into a wall, he slashed at Leia, she blindly defended attacks. They crossed sabers. "GET AWAY FROM HER!" Jaina said as she charged for Krayt, he grabbed her throat with the force and held her in mid-air. "Join me Leia, you are strong with the force, we can be unstoppable! Your pet is amusing, look at her squirm!" Krayt said as he juggled Jaina, then threw her, head first into the temple wall. She fell to the floor unconscious. Kyle came out of nowhere and grabbed Krayt by his armor and flung him into a statue. Mara got back up and readied herself for a fight. Leia grabbed Jaina and her lightsaber. "We gotta get outta here!" Leia said. "Artoo, start the engine!" Mara said over comm. "Go Leia, we'll cover you!" Kyle said as he and Mara stood side by side and readied themselves for Krayt. "Leaving so soon? The fun hasn't began yet!" Krayt said as he lifted himself into the air, his eyes became black, his pupil an iris, a dark red. He shot red lightning from his fingertips, Kyle and Mara blocked with their sabers. "You cannot deny my power Jedi!" Krayt said mockingly.
R2-D2 pulled the ship right next to the blasted hole in the temple. He aimed the cannons at Krayt, two giant bolts of green shot into the temple and into Krayt. The sith lord went flying out of the temple and into the forest. "Quickly! Come on!" Leia said as she hurried Mara and Kyle up the boarding ramp. The ramp raised and the ship blasted out of orbit.
Krayt was strewn across the forest floor, a giant gaping hole sat in his chest. He closed his eyes and tried to endure the pain. The armor and his flesh moved and covered the hole, he felt better. He got up and walked into the temple. He murmured ancient Sith language as he bowed in front of an altar. "Who dares awake me from my slumber!" A booming voice said in the temple. "My lord, tis' I, Darth Krayt, apprentice of Darth Nihilus. I wish to expand my knowledge of Ancient Sith alchemy." Krayt said. "Ah, indeed you are powerful, I feel it...I shall teach you. You will be unstoppable... "
Anakin looked from his balcony on Coruscant, buildings were being rebuilt, people were going about their lives, as if nothing happened. He looked at his hand, a single scar from the organic ooze he touched on Yavin. "Master Solo, your father has arrived back from Naboo. should I prepare the shuttle to the Spaceport?" A voice said from behind Anakin. "Yes Threepio, thank you." Anakin replied. "Not a problem Master Solo." The droid said as he left the room. Suddenly a giant red beam shot from the sky, hit the ground and sent Anakin flying back into his room, the glass door shattered, the balcony crumbled, he felt the building shake. "Threepio!" Anakin shouted as he raced through the apartment. "Help me Master Solo!" C-3PO yelled from the kitchen. The ceiling collapsed on the gold droid, Anakin used the force to lift a piece of debris off of C-3PO, "Oh thank the maker!" Threepio exclaimed. "Come on buddy, we gotta get to Dad." Anakin said as he helped C-3PO up. The two raced to the shuttle. "Strap yourself in." Anakin said as he pushed buttons and flipped switches. He heard the invasion alarm from the street below. "What the hell is going on?!" Anakin said as he lifted the shuttle from the port and sailed into the sky.
"Chancellor, you have to leave, NOW!" The head of security said as he picked up Borsk Fey'la and wiped glass off of his tunic. "What's happening? Is it the Empire?" Fey'la asked. "No sir, its them." "Sir, we can't hold 'em!" The head of security's comm link went off. Fey'la looked out from his now shattered window, he saw giant insects marching alongside terrifying aliens. "You must hold this area. The Senate building must not be compromised!" Fey'la ordered. "But sir-" "That is an order, Commander." Fey'la uttered.
"GET IN COVER!" A bounty hunter yelled to a crowd. Han, Chewie, Jacen and Ben ducked behind crates and barriers as people trampled each other, automatic blaster fire came from down the hall of the spaceport, citizens were being cut down by blaster fire. Jacen ignited his lightsaber and charged the aliens, he slashed two across their chests, he deflected a shot and decapitated another. "Chewie, let's move up, we gotta give the kid some cover!" Han said to Chewbacca. Han raised his pistol and fired wildly into the group of advancing aliens. Ben hopped over a barrier and charged into the fray, he cut down aliens two at a time, Jacen and Ben were back to back; deflecting fire and simultaneously hacking away at the attackers. "Anyone who's got a blaster, wanna help?!" Han yelled at the group of people fleeing the scene, a few stayed behind and fired at the aliens. "Jacen and Ben, get back here, we gotta go!" Han commanded the boys. The two young Jedi hacked their back to Han and Chewie, "We taking the Falcon?" Jacen asked as they ran. "We can't we just gotta get out of the spaceport!" Han replied as they sprinted towards the exit. The group made it outside, Republic soldiers were being killed, citizens armed themselves and shot at the aliens. "General Solo! Great that you're alive, help us please! We can't hold them back." A soldier pleaded. "Yeah we'll help out." Han said. "How many guys you got?" Jacen asked. "About ten guys." The soldier said. Han fired at an alien. "That's gonna have to do!" Han said. "Where is your command base?" Han asked. "It's the Senate building." The soldier replied. "Fall back to that point. We have to draw their fire somehow. WHAT'S THAT THING?!" Han asked as he looked at a giant beetle like insect. "We don't know, the aliens… they control them." The soldier said. "That's one of the things that attacked the Praxeum back on Yavin, they can't be stopped… they're like AT-ATs." Jacen said. "Tell your guys to fall back to the senate building." Han commanded.
"Commander Skywalker, we have word that Coruscant is under invasion." Ackbar sounded over Luke's comm link. "What, what's going on?" Luke asked. "The aliens Luke, they're back." Ackbar said. "Go, we have a garrison on the surface, once everything is done here I'll meet up with you." Luke said.
"Set course for Coruscant, tell the frigates and cruisers to stick close." Ackbar commanded. "Sir we're being hailed by Captain Endura." An officer said. "Put it through." Ackbar replied. "Admiral, we have to wait for reinforcements, we cannot just fly into another battle after this one, we have to repair our damages!" Endura said. "We can't wait, the fate of the Republic rides on our attendance to that battle! If you won't go, then this ship will go alone, one way or another. We have to fight." Ackbar finished. "In such a case like this...we will go Admiral. We have your back." The comm transmission ended. "Jump to hyperspace when ready." Ackbar said. The fleet sailed into hyperspace, Ackbar saw a giant fleet of warships above Coruscant. "Revert auxiliary power to the broadside ion cannons and fire when ready, raise deflector shields to maximum." Ackbar ordered. "Sir they're firing!" An officer said. "Brace for impact!" Ackbar exclaimed. The ship rocked. "How bad's the damage!?" Ackbar asked. "We've got our broadside cannon down sir, and they knocked out a shield generator for that side as well." Another officer said. "Bring her around port, aim for that giant thing sticking out of the their main hull!" Ackbar said. This is gonna be a long day. Admiral Ackbar thought.
"Keep going! Get to the base!" Han, Chewie, Jacen and Ben sprinted for the senate building. Blaster fire whizzed past their heads. Han went down, "Damn, I'm shot." Han said as he gripped the back of his calf. Chewbacca lifted Han on his shoulder and continued to run. The senate square was flooded with Vong soldiers. Republic and Vong forces broke into a melee battle in the square. "We have to get through!" Jacen said. "Come on Jacen, we'll lead!" Ben said as the two young Jedi charged into the fray, they cut their way to the senate steps, Chewbacca laid Han down onto a sandbag and commanded he'd stay there. Han leaned on the sandbags and fired into the bloodbath. Jacen slashed his way through hundreds of Vong soldiers, he force pushed a squad into a statue. Both Ben and Jacen hacked away at the Vong forces. "BUGS COMING IN!" A Republic soldier screamed. Jacen looked to his right to see Chewbacca fighting off a whole squadron with his bare hands, they climbed and tried to tackle the hairy brute, but Chewbacca threw them like ragdolls across the battlefield. "Get the rockets ready!" Han commanded. Jacen continued to fight, slicing through Vong soldiers like nothing. "Sir, they're breaching! They're getting in the senate hall!" A soldier yelled as he was shot to death by a Vong officer. Han fired three times into the officer's chest, the alien picked Han up by his vest and threw him over the sandbags and down the steps of the senate building.
"Chancellor, they're in." The head of security said. "Hold this room Commander." Fey'la said. He heard the cries and shrieks of terror from the hallway, the door was being bust open. Fey'la started to cry, a single tear ran down his haired face. The aliens got inside Fey'la's office, the security officers fired into the swarm. "FOR THE REPUBLIC!" Fey'la yelled as he pushed the detonator, setting off thermal detonators laid in his office…
Jacen saw the fireball, half of the senate building came crashing down, dust and debris filled the air. "NOOO!" Jacen yelled. A shuttle flew over the battlefield, Anakin hopped from the shuttle and entered the fray. "Anakin! Get out of here! It's not safe!" Jacen yelled as he cut down aliens. "We need to do this brother, the both of us!" Anakin replied as they both hacked their sabers into the crowd. A crowd of soldiers now separated Anakin and Jacen, a clearing formed around Anakin as he fought a Vong officer. The alien thrusted his blade toward Anakin, Anakin parried and flipped over him. Jacen saw the skirmish and started to sprint to Anakin's aid, the alien grabbed Anakin from mid-flip and stabbed him in the midsection, blood poured from Anakin's small body, his lightsaber hit the ground. Jacen felt his heart drop, his jaw dropped, he started to sob as he sprinted toward the officer, he jumped and kicked the alien in the face. "I'LL KILL YOU!" Jacen said through tears as he shot force lightning at the officer, the intensity grew, the alien shook, the lightning spread and spread; eventually killing an entire garrison of soldiers both Republic and Vong alike. "AHHH! ANAKIN! I'LL KILL YOU ALL!" Jacen said as he grabbed Anakin's saber from the ground and mindlessly chopped his way through the crowd… The Vong surrounded Jacen…
"All aircraft transports, retreat, any soldier transports; retreat! I repeat, RETREAT!" Admiral Ackbar sounded over comm. "Coruscant has fallen, I repeat; Coruscant has fallen!"
Han awoke in a shuttle, Chewbacca and C-3PO sat on benches, he saw a tattered Ben piloting the shuttle. "Where's Jacen? Threepio, where's Anakin?! Where are my boys?" Han asked as he started to cry. Chewbacca looked over to Han, he had a ginormous gash across the left side of his face. "Chewie, are they okay?" Han asked through his tears. Chewbacca roared out a sad holler. "No. No, no...it can't be… I lost them?" Han finally said as his tears and sorrow engulfed his speech…