Chapter 16:
What Once Was Lost
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When Kane, my father, and I saw the Gozanti-class cruiser come through the crumbling hole it had created in the side of the weather funnel, we all shared the same look. Then, the ship lurched forward, all of its turbolasers veering towards all of us specifically. The steady hum of its repulsor engines keeping it moving at a slow, direct pace.
"That's Shira Brie's craft." I said, pushing my father behind my body.
"Seems that she wants to use superior fire power to melt you to slag." And now, it seems, all of us in summation." Kane said, voice flat and annoyed. "How fantastic."
"You think Hadeth called it in?" I asked. "That he is working with her?"
Kane nodded, "I would say that by this point it is all but confirmed."
The turbolasers started to whine in their depressed ports.
"Move!"
Green bolts of plasma exploded across the guardrail barely five feet to the right of our group. The resounding shockwave blew all three of us towards the massive hole connecting the wind tunnel to the control center. The one I had blown open with the Force.
Kane hit first, head clunking and saber bouncing away from his grasp. My father slammed into my chest which shielded him as my own body crashed into the metal wall, knocking the breath from my lungs.
Head spinning, I turned to see Kane rising. With a single glance, our minds connected, causing our thoughts to merge. We knew what our next move would be. What it had to be. He nodded subtly at me and I nodded right back at him.
I jumped to his side and pulled my hands back to my ribs, white electricity crackled between finger slits. Kane did the same, purple lightning summoned instead of the white variant I used.
"Don't hold back! Aim for the bridge!" I shouted as the turbolasers whine started to accelerate.
"Don't tell me what to do!" Kane snarled, reaching peak power. "Now!"
We released our combined mite in streams of white and purple, merging into a glowing, jagged arc of lilac luminescence. The green lasers shot forward at us from the ship, but once they came within meters of the Force attack, the green shine of their plasma literally faded away into the air. The bolt stream exploded on contact with the bridge top, drawing all power form the ship to enlarge its damage. Red and orange fire followed the grandeur of the display of Force energy, engulfing the neck of the ship, triggering explosions all over. Slowly, the ship started to nosedive.
"Let's go. There is a bottom to this thing, and we don't want to be here when it blows." Kane said.
"Agreed." I said, pulling my father to his feet.
"Here." Kane reached behind and pulled out an unlit lightsaber. He tossed it to my father.
"What?" He looked up. Then, he ignited the weapon, crimson energy sprouting forth.
Kane shrugged, "Don't get hung up on the color. You shouldn't have just a blaster here."
I nodded, "He's right. Just use it. You still remember how, right?"
My father gave a slight huff, "You had me practice with you all the time when the Clone War ended. I remember enough to stay alive."
"Good." Kane said. Then, he gave a bow, "My mission is complete. Let me know if you ever require further assistance."
"Kane." I said.
"Yes?"
"You came here for my father, didn't you?" I asked.
Kane gave a single nod, "Yes."
"Then, what mission have you accomplished?" I asked, a tone of suspicion creeping into my voice.
Kane chuckled softly, his green eyes sharp with known humor, "I came to kill him, believing he was a clone and has been proven that he isn't. But, you saved him. That basically did the same thing. However, I've also learned that someone used the Dark Influence on your father to create a second Dark Personality. And, someone kept him alive and had access to the Dark Influence during the Shadow War. Someone was there, Blaze. That is who our true enemy is. That is who is weaving this dangerous web of lies and deceit. I have my suspicions but…"
I gave him a look, "What?"
"I think that whoever did this had to be secret enough to avoid people from Earth. Someone who almost knew everything about this world." Kane said.
"Means he's dangerous. Whoever is doing this has been planning this for a long time." I said, starting to walk down into Cloud City's facility along with Kane and my father. "It means we have a brutal fight ahead of us."
Kane made a noise, "I think it'll be the fight."
"You're always so cryptic." I said as we approached the lift that would take us back down to the main concourse. When my father and I stepped in, Kane did not join us. As the lift door started to slide close, I held it back with the Force.
"This is where we part ways until the next time, Counterpart." Kane said. He nodded to my father, "relish in this victory and… stop trying to save everyone."
I couldn't help the smirk that made its way to my face, "I can't promise anything."
Kane smirked right back, "Next time, I might not be there to knock some sense into that bullheaded brain."
Without another word. I let the door close. After a few seconds, my father turned to me.
"That Kane." My father said, "He's a smug son of a bitch isn't he?"
"You have no idea." I said, unclipping my sabers.
My father nodded, "Yes. James?"
"Yeah, Dad?" I asked, feeling good about being able to say that again after so many years. All the time missing out on many memories that he could have been a part of.
My father laid a hand on my shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze, "When we get out of here, you're going to have to tell me everything I've missed."
I chuckled, "I promise. I'll explain. There's so much I need to tell you. But, until then, let's focus on getting back to our starfighters. I can send a transmission to the temple from my long-range transmitter. My comlink doesn't have that kind of range."
The lift came to a stop and we stepped out into the white tiled hallway. I pulled up my datapad from my pocket and pulled the blueprint data from my digital storage. We were a bit away from our exit, but there were minimal turns before we would reach the landing pad.
We were able to make it about halfway before we came to a a break in our path that split four ways. That wasn't the problem. The problem was that across the way down the left-hand side of the beak was a team of multi-species individuals with an assortment of weapons, including a shockwave pulse rifle. The team consisted of ten soldiers, one of whom was talking into a head-mic.
I held a hand to my father, causing him to stop. I held my hand up, closing a fist. My father nodded.
Remembering a part of my training by Obi Wan, I gathered the Force into my fingertips. I clicked them together and the entire team looked into the opposite direction where I made it come from. While they were unaware, my father and I dashed across the way. It wasn't long before we made it to the landing pad. I popped the canopy and turned to R9.
"Send a transmission to Obi Wan and Anakin, R9." I said. "Tell them we require transport."
R9 whistled in confirmation.
I turned to my father, "Get in."
"What?" My father blinked. "Why?"
"I'm going after my daughter now that you are safe." I said. "Get in."
"If you're going, I am too." My father said, face resolute as if he was talking to the son that had been 14 years old again before I became a Jedi. "That's my granddaughter out there. We can help her together."
"You just came back." I said softly. "Not only are you not battle ready, you just came back. Stay here." I turned to R9. "If someone comes that isn't me, take off and get into space."
"James–"
Before he could finish, I dashed off, reaching into the Force to find Mara and Luke still engaged with Shira Brie. However, both of their energies were broken and hurt, causing my chest to fill with panic.
"I'm on my way!" I muttered. "Just stay alive till I get there!"
The battle between Mara, Luke, and Shira Brie had reached its apex. When Luke had cut a hole through the ceiling of the hangar to land in the middle of Mara and Shira Brie's fight, he had been optimistic that the both of them would be more than a match now that they were on equal footing. His optimistic hopes were destroyed as both he and Mara were both shown the full power of the Dark Lady with a lightwhip.
Now, Luke was riddled with burns from the lightwhip; Mara was likewise hurt. Both Luke and Mara both also had several fractured bones and some internal bleeding that caused an almost unbearable amount of pain. The Force could only do so much to help dampen that pain.
Shira Brie was also hurt, but she had suffered far less injury both external and internal. In the short time since their first encounter, Shira Brie had either progressed exponentially or…she had been holding this much back during their first encounter. Mara thought either could be possible.
She panted heavily, clenching her lightsaber tightly. She was running out of stamina, time, and had never been so hurt in her life. She was using the Force to soothe her injuries, but there was little real comfort.
Shira struck again.
The forking tendrils of the lightwhip flashed outward at her and Mara raised her blade to block it, but, at the last moment, it changed direction. It soared to Luke, who was ready for the deception. Again, it changed direction from Luke back to Mara, and she was not ready for the double reverse.
Mara tried to backstep, but the whip was too quick and the whip carved a long gash across her stomach, scorched flesh left in its wake. She screamed and doubled over, pain soaring through her very being, white hot fire burning her insides. She cursed her arrogance. If she hadn't come here, she wouldn't be…dying?
Luke called out, "Mara!"
Luke threw his hand forward, blasting Shira off her feet across the hangar to come crashing into the side of the same ship that they first started beside. He limped over to Mara, finding her buried in her own tears and consumed by pain. A flash of danger-sense echoed in Luke's mind and he spun around to see the golden edge of the lightwhip as it came for his neck.
He blocked the strike, getting to his feet, locking the whip into the center of his emerald blade. The crackle of energy was almost deafening, but all Luke could hear was the horrid sound of Mara trying desperately to hold onto consciousness.
Luke took a step forward and pulled, hoping to disarm his foe, but he was unable. Shira was too strong, or he was too weak. His pull pushed him off balance enough for Shira to pull him back to her awaiting palm. His neck suddenly became firmly grasped in her talon-like fingers.
Shira squeezed, hearing cartilage pop. Luke groaned but he kicked her leg out, going into a tumble, nearly being decapitated while doing so.
When he came back up, Shira was gone. He turned and his blood flash-froze to ice as he saw she was now beside Mara. Using the last of her strength to swing upwards, Mara attacked. It had no real power behind the attempt and Shira plucked the hilt from her hand and buried the cyan blade into Mara's thigh, relishing the scream of mind-breaking pain.
Shira pulled the saber out, throwing the weapon away and holding the whip in Luke's direction as he took a step forward, halting his advance.
"Uh uh uh." Shira growled. "Stay."
Luke's heart broke as he saw Mara nearly pass into unconsciousness from the sheer agony from the last attack. He had to do something!
Shira shut down her whip and laid it down. Then, she pulled out a dart, no more than ten centimeters long, and held it for him to see.
"There's something poetic about this needle. One, it will kill her in twenty seconds. Relatively painless." Shira said. "If you do not disarm right now, I will end her life. Your choice, Skywalker."
Luke dropped his saber and it flew over to Shira's side. With one hand, she grabbed the back of Mara's neck. Luke could see that she was still awake, even though pain was all he saw. That and concern and sorrow.
"How sad." Shira cooed in Mara's ear mockingly. "Go on. Tell him. This might be your last chance."
Mara was silent, her mouth working but not producing sound.
"A pity." Shira said menacingly, intent spilling into the Force like a rushing river.
"Don't do it!" Luke blurted, his heart exploding in his chest with fear. "I-I love her!"
Mara's eyes found his.
Shira paused, then smiled evilly, "Finally. That's what I needed to hear."
With the eyes of someone who knew what was upon them but were powerless to stop it, Mara whispered so softly that Luke only heard it through the bond that seemed to form in those last few seconds.
"I love you too."
Shira plunged the needle into Mara's neck with a sharp pop. Mara froze in Shira's hands, panic welling up as she tried to move, but it was done.
Luke's composure and all sense of self-preservation broke, and he ran towards them. Shira, sensing all the fight leave Luke, merely dropped the stiff Mara down and walked to the side. Luke cradled Mara in his arms as he used all his Force power to kill the poison before it was…
It was too late.
The last thing that Mara did before the light left her eyes was to bring Luke's hand to her lips in a soft, final kiss. It was also an apology. A final, sorrowful admittance of the guilt for the mission gone awry. A mission that should never have happened the way it did.
Her hand fell motionless, and she died in Luke's arms.
Luke Skywalker was empty.
Shira reignited her whip once again and cracked it sharply, "Goodbye, Skywalker. You will now join the one you love. Consider this mercy that I don't leave you in your misery."
Before she was able to end Luke once and for all, she found the hilt of her whip turned to literal dust. Metal became sand in her palm. Confused, she looked right into the eyes of Blaze Marko.
His eyes weren't their normal shade of green. No. One remained an emerald jewel of the Light, but the other was the color of an orange star gone supernova. His aura radiated something primal. It was – in no uncertain terms – death itself.
She blinked and he was in front of her. She knew, right then, her end had come. She closed her eyes and accepted her fate. She had completed her mission. That's all that mattered.
When she blinked again, she found him bringing his blades to bear. They found their mark and eternal night finally claimed her.
When Luke Skywalker was a young boy and all through his life, he had referred to Blaze Marko as 'Uncle Blaze'. While he was one of the strongest beings in the universe, he was also part of his family in a different way than everyone would think. His father, Anakin Skywalker, and Blaze were brothers-in-arms, forged by the flames of war. But, in this moment, Luke couldn't look at Blaze Marko as his Uncle. He looked at him as the unrelenting warrior he was.
The Knight of the Force.
Luke Skywalker watched as Jedi Grandmaster Blaze Marko, Mara's father, removed Shira Brie's head with a decapitating arc from both his blades. She crumpled to the floor in two smoking pieces. Silence dominated the room, save for the hum of Master Marko's lightsabers. When they deactivated, there was a slight ringing in Luke's ears.
He turned back to Mara and let his anguish flow outward and into the Force. Hot tears fell from his eyes onto her face. Her face. Even forever asleep, she was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. Her fiery red hair fell against the ground, contrasting perfectly.
Her features, even though bruised and beaten, still shined like the most brilliant star. She was perfect in every way. And now, she was gone. The woman who held his heart was gone eternally.
"Luke."
Luke looked up into the soft green eyes of the Knight of the Force. Master Marko's face was awash with emotion. Luke felt anger, rage, sorrow, guilt, and anguish. They were almost physically there in waves of emotion.
"I'm so sorry." Luke sobbed, voice barely above a whisper. "I couldn't save her."
Master Marko didn't respond. He merely closed his eyes and Luke felt him reach out with the Force. His presence was everywhere all at once, then suddenly, it was gone. It was as if he was searching for something.
"Luke." Master Marko said gently, "I don't blame you." Tears in his eyes made Luke's chest ache horribly. Here he was, lost a daughter and he was still trying to comfort Luke.
"If I would have acted faster, I could have saved her." Luke almost blubbered. His heart was in his chest beating so loud it could be heard in his own ears. "You taught us better, Master. I'm so sorry."
Master Marko laid a hand on Luke's shoulder and squeezed. Luke felt his presence reassure him that he didn't need to feel this guilt. Luke looked up into Master Marko's eyes and was startled to find that his left eye had turned to the color of molten magma. The Dark Side oozed off of him like liquid pain and Luke's stomach clenched tightly.
In a moment of clarity, Luke remembered something his father said long ago.
"The Dark Side is strong." Anakin Skywalker had said. "That doesn't mean it's the right path. However, darkness resides in us all. The purpose of the Rebirth is to tame that darkness inside of you and find balance in the Force. When you achieve that, doors open to you that you thought impossible. Blaze knows this well. He, above all, is the example."
Luke understood as he looked into the eyes of his leader that the Force was a pathway to many abilities that some would consider to be…indescribable.
"I'm going to try something. Something that once was lost." Master Marko said, his voice half an octave lower than it had been. His hair slowly started to rise, the chocolate coloring of his hair being suffused with ebony tones. His dark transformation had completed. "Be prepared, Luke. Be prepared."
Master Marko took Mara into his arms with a sorrowful look. Then, his other eye flashed to gold and a wave of Dark Side energy surged, nearly blowing Luke over. He fought to keep his balance as the air blasted against his skin, needles of pain traveling across.
Master Marko let loose a yell, one full of a father's despair for their child and of the anger and rage that followed. Luke felt his chest grow heavy as those feelings amplified his own sense of despair, but he held them at bay.
Bulkheads around them started to creak and bend at the sheer magnitude of his power. The metal ground below them groaned, connecting plates of the groundwork curling back as if from degradation, as fruit would rot after months in the sun. White lightning engulfed both Master Marko and Mara, consuming them in an almost angelic glow. Luke had to shield his eyes against such intensity.
The lightning became so bright that Luke had to shut his eyes. He feared that if he looked again, his retinas would burn in their sockets. All the while, Master Marko's roar of absolute power never wavered. A desolate hollow noise of unbridled internal agony unlike anything he'd heard or experienced.
Mysteriously and all of a sudden, Luke saw with his mind what was happening. He saw on the ethereal level what was transpiring before him. Mara's body was translucent, floating just in front of her father. Luke could see tiny pinpoints of light scattered across her corporeal form. Like stars radiating energy within the body.
Master Marko's spiritual self, a literal manifestation of Force energy, was pulling those pinpoints of light to the center of Mara's chest where her heart resided. It might have been hours before he was finished or it could have been a moment. Luke didn't know. The only thing he knew is that when the last point of light was brought into the center, the accumulation of energy reached its peak and exploded outward, causing the whole hangar to shake violently.
Luke used the Force to keep himself rooted to the ground even as metal snapped, glass shattered, and everything not bolted down was blasted against the walls like paperweights. The light died down and when Luke looked up again, he saw that Master Marko looked drained, almost haggard.
His eyes were green again and hair brown, but his skin was a shade paler, almost a few shades in all honesty. The powerful aura he manifested merely seconds ago was gone, replaced by exhaustion and fatigue. But, what exactly had he been trying to accomplish?
Slowly, Luke made his way back over to them. He stared down at Mara, who looked the same as before except healed of most of her wounds. Beautiful, but she was still gone.
Luke turned to his leader, "Master…"
Master Marko held a hand up, telling Luke to be quiet. So, Luke did as requested.
Luke sat down and Master Marko laid Mara in his arms. Luke cradled her head and moved a piece of hair from her face. Then, he realized something impossible.
Her eyes…they were open!
Her shining, verdant eyes were staring right up at him! Mara was alive!
Luke flicked his head to Master Marko, but he was just smiling softly. Luke could see it held relief and joy.
A hand gently grazed his cheek and Luke looked down to see Mara crying in relief below him. Luke drew her in, holding her so tight as to never let her go again. When he pulled back, Mara pressed her lips to his in a kiss that held a thousand words. A kiss that told both of them that their lives were forever intertwined in the throes of the Force and of love.
When they parted, Luke and Mara both turned to Master Marko. Some of the color had returned to his skin and he was on his feet now.
"How?" Luke was speechless.
Master Marko held his hands up, palms facing the ceiling. He looked between both hands before answering, "Once, I had such a power. When I died, I lost it. Now, I've gained a new power that does the same thing. I never had the opportunity to test it. I'd say it was a success."
"What is it?" Luke asked.
Master Marko clenched his right fist, residual sparks of energy crackling quietly, "That is called Dark Transfer."
"How did you learn it?" Luke asked, getting Mara to her feet.
"I think," Master Marko said, "I've always had it. It presents itself similarly to the Shatterpoint technique."
"Whatever you did," Mara said, engulfing her father in a fierce hug as hot tears streamed down her cheeks, "thank you, Dad." She fell into a grateful sob.
Master Marko ran a hand through her hair, holding her tight. An embrace that was for a father and daughter as if they had been reunited after decades.
"I could never let you go like that, Mara." He said softly, then turned to Luke, "Come here."
Luke walked over and suddenly was caught in the Master's embrace along with Mara. He fell into it, absorbing the positivity and love from their collective presences. Luke cast a glance at Shira Brie's body and felt a pang of anger well up inside him.
Then, he realized her comlink was blinking on her wrist with a small white light.
"Her comlink." Luke said, breaking the embrace. He walked over and took it into his hands, looking it over once. He tossed it to Master Marko.
Master Marko tapped the circular ring and the display turned green for a moment, creating the digital connection. There was static for a moment, and the Jedi Grandmaster stayed silent, his face carved in stone.
Then, surprisingly, there was a voice that echoed through the comm channel. It was low, resonant, and it sounded professional and clipped. But, it was edited. There was something blocking the actual voice from echoing through. Some sort of modulator was being used.
"She's dead. Isn't she?" The voice asked, even though Master Marko knew it was meant to be rhetorical.
"Yes." Master Marko replied, tone flat. "However, you knew she'd die. Didn't you?"
The voice didn't miss a beat, "It was a possibility…"
"Whoever you are," Master Marko said, a darkness that Luke was now accustomed to seeping into each word he spoke, "you've lost one piece of the puzzle today. This is my promise. I almost lost my daughter forever today. Because of what you are. I promise that I will find each and every one of you. I will hunt you all down. I will destroy your organization or group or whatever the hell you all are. I know there are more. You killed Lyra. You will try to kill again and again. So, that leaves me with only one recourse. This is your only warning. Surrender, or I will kill everyone."
The silence that followed was almost deafening. For the first time in his life as far as he could remember, Luke Skywalker felt fear for the man that stood before him. Yes, he was a hero and had done more for him and his family than you could think possible. Yes, he brought back Mara from the dead. However, on the other side of that coin that he was perched upon, Blaze Marko was capable of almost anything. Whether it was good or bad, only he himself knew.
Finally, the person on the other end responded, "We shall see."
Without any warning, the comm unit gave a quiet sizzle as the internal circuitry burned itself from the inside out. Master Marko cursed to himself, throwing the smoking device to the ground as it burned to nothing but a pile of melted slag.
"We need to go." Master Marko said to both Luke and Mara. "It's time to leave this place."
"I couldn't agree more." Mara said.
The three quickly left the hangar, passing a final glance at Shira Brie's body before they finally passed through the sliding, metal doors that led back to the landing pad.
Kane watched from the corner of the leftmost upper room of the very same hangar that the fight of ages happened. He was there when the fight between the two Jedi and Lumiya reached its breaking point. In the end, Mara Jade had perished and, it would seem, that Luke Skywalker was about to join her. A very different series of events it would seem than the Original Timeline. For an instant, Kane almost took down the web of Dark Side Sorcery that hid him and attacked. There were some things that didn't need to happen at this moment.
Therefore, he was genuinely surprised when Blaze Marko arrived. He thought, perhaps, Blaze had actually listened to him for once. In fact, Kane was glad he didn't. He thought Skywalker and Mara would rise to the occasion, but they did not. Disappointing, but entirely possible.
Kane silently watched as Blaze killed Lumiya with pure bloodlust in his eyes. He then tended to his dead daughter. Then, a Force Storm of unmatched power exploded from Marko. Kane was barely able to hold his disguise as the rush of Dark Side energy almost overtook him completely. When it was over, Kane saw the dead Mara Jade awake and the three of them embraced. Luke Skywalker found Shira Brie's comlink and it was revealed that someone was on the other side. With the final say from the mysterious enemy, the comlink was destroyed and the three left the hangar.
When they were gone, Kane marveled at the scent of the darkness left behind. Blaze Marko had so much darkness deep down in his heart. Far more than Kane had originally thought possible for someone like him.
He had resurrected someone who had perished. Kane knew he had done this before with the help of Qui-Gon Jinn's Force Ghost, but this was different. This was the long sought-after technique named Dark Transfer. By finding the vital points in a being's Force Presence, you can bring those points together to allow the midichlorians to initiate a sort of spontaneous regeneration and rejuvenation. They then bend time to restore the deceased back to the living.
This technique is both miraculous and incredibly dangerous. On one hand, you could lose yourself to the almighty Dark Side you call upon. On the other hand, you and the individual you're helping share the pain of near-death to reverse the effect, effectively returning the dead to life.
However, it seemed that Blaze Marko absorbed all of that pain. He had just felt what it was like to die again to bring his daughter back to life. Kane had to admit, Blaze was most likely one of the strongest beings in the universe and they would need him for the upcoming war. Until then, Kane had a few things he needed to do…