Chapter 2

At first, this predicament seemed like this would have been a worse nightmare of mine, but now that I have been thinking about it, being inside of the Star Wars universe is quite frankly just cool.

Whereas some may have tried to take advantage of being Darth Vader's servant, whereas I may have once before I met all my friends in high school, I know that deep down that me - the other version of myself who struggled with darkness for years - is morally a good person.

That version of me is flawed and has issues, and while they may carry over to this body now, I know that deep down I would rather be a good person instead of having greater death on my conscience.

Thus, I have been left in a debate.

The original Starkiller - before he was redeemed - was a brute with a little mind of his own.

The thought of becoming a complete Sith is out of mind because I would never be able to commit such atrocities.

Yet, I rather not become a Jedi either. While the Expanded Universe Jedi post ROTJ is better, I would rather live a life free of rules and responsibilities.

And there is darkness inside of me. It is just the core of who I am, but it's even more intense in this body, undoubtedly due to Vader's efforts.

I will accept that I am Starkiller now, that this has happened for a reason, and that weird things always happen in my life.

Entering the hangar bay, I walk through the familiar maze of crates, weapons racks, and starfighter parts. The ambient lighting is dim, with shadows pooling in every corner. The air tastes of metal and ozone—a sharp stink that is remarkably familiar for the original Starkiller, as odd as it would have been for my other self. Raising Starkiller in the underbelly of a Star Destroyer is one of Vader's weird ideas, but it had been strangely a comfort for him to be surrounded by such unambiguous symbols of technological and political power. These ships have been behind insurgents and quashed hundreds of worlds for the past many years.

At that moment, a familiar snap-hiss sounds to my right and a glowing blue-white blade springs into life in a dark corner of the hangar. A brown-robed figure dash forward; weapon raised.

Instincts pour through me, this body falling back to its old defensive tactics. I would not have been able to even think of doing this in my original life.

Instantly in a fighting crouch, I reach for the weapon and ignite it, blocking the blow, my teeth bared in a delighted snarl.

Me and my adversary hold the pose for a bare second, lightsabers locked across our chests. I quickly size up the being who has attacked me. Human male, fair-haired and bearded, with calm, serious eyes and a firm set to his jaw. Anyone within living memory of the Clone Wars - or possessing free access to the Jedi Archives — will recognize him immediately.

Obi-Wan Kenobi. Or at least that is what it seems at first thought as he slides his deadly blade down and to the right, ducking at the same time to avoid the inevitable counter sweep. Sparks fly.

I grin, perhaps fervently. I know who this really is, but I will appease him. PROXY.

I have found him attacking Starkiller quite frankly hilarious, but the droid has later served as a useful asset. I can always reset his programming to serve my uses.

Calling back to Vader's training, I never have felt so alive...

I look at the crates and Force-leap high into the air and land with perfect agility on top of a stack of crates. I reach out with my cupped left hand and sweep a metal tool kit across the hangar bay, toward the opponent's head.

"Kenobi" ducks and leaps up after me, deflecting a flurry of blows that would have left an ordinary man in pieces, then responding with a sweep of his own that send me dodging backward, jumping from one stack to another in temporary retreat.

I do fear what will happen if I ever cross the real Obi-Wan Kenobi as an enemy. Fortunately, I am not planning to walk down that path.

So the duel proceeds for almost a minute, with "Kenobi" dancing ever so acrobatically from stack to stack, lightsabers spinning and clashing, racks and tools turn into temporary weapons as we engage in combat. The racket is enormous, and the threat very real.

I make a minor flaw, one that almost cost me. "Kenobi" slashes a new rip in the sleeve of my combat suit with a move that would have taken my arm off at the elbow had I not moved in time. Twice I feel rather than see the Jedi's blade sweep over my head.

I want to clutch my new wound, but it strangely fills me with more gratification.

Immediately, anger fuels me, the size of a battering ramp. Unlike in the real world, it doesn't result in me having to hold it in. Something incredible - the Dark Side - rushes through me, makes me strong and resilient. This power is amazing, one of the best feelings that I have ever felt.

I throw myself forward, slamming my blade down against "Kenobi", the supposed Jedi falling back, lightsaber whirling around.

Time to show what I am truly made of, of the potential that is hidden beneath.

My murderous intent clear, I charge forward, red blade angling to finish the job.

I briefly block another attack before finally ramming my crimson lightsaber through the chest of my opponent. Defeated, the older man drops to his knees, a look of shock spreading across his face.

The form of the older man begins to spark and flicker like a hologram. Arms, legs, torso, and face sputter and dissolve, revealing the bipedal form of a droid beneath. He stirs and falls forward with a clatter of metal on metal.

"Ah, master. Another excellent duel." The droid states.

"You almost caught me by surprise, PROXY," I say with an easy affection that belies my former yet also newfound ferocity before deactivating my lightsaber. "I haven't fought that training program in years. I assumed you'd erased it."

The droid struggles to stand but succeeds only in losing his balance and almost falling again. I catch him in time and help him straighten.

"Easy, PROXY. You're malfunctioning."

"It's my fault, master," the droid says with an electronic sigh, looking down at the smoking hole in his chest. "I had hoped that using an older training module would catch you off guard and allow me to finally kill you. I'm sorry I failed you again."

I actually grin. Another reason why I would have to alter the programming when I get on the Rogue Shadow. I don't want to have the programatic menace continue to threaten me throughout my missions in the future.

I feel a signature, one unfamiliar, yet I'm pretty sure I know...

I turn to the cover with that grin still intact. "You can come out now."

Alarm flashes through the Force. Blast I will have to get use to that.

The woman comes out slowly, and truth be told, she is more beautiful up close. Her angelic features is simply perfect...

"Am I going to see you again?"

"If I can free the Rebels, they're going to need extraction... probably not, no."

"Then I'll never need to live this down."

She had been the light of his life indeed...

"Mind giving me a brief introduction of yourself?"

The woman bristles slightly but regains her stoic status. "I am Captain Juno Eclipse. I was handpicked by Lord Vader's Black Eight Squadron but have since been reassigned to serve you on a top-secret assignment."

"Serve me by watching me battle my psychotic droid in a training module?" I tease, arching one eyebrow. "If you ever want to see what I am truly made of you could just ask. I am always welcome to share a bed with a woman."

Her cheeks become hot at that.

"Oh, master," PROXY says, some form of exasperation in his tone.

"What? She is the one who is watching us spar," I say, shrugging slightly. "Anyway Lord Vader never told me I was not allowed to entertain myself."

"I'm to be your pilot and nothing else," she snaps indignantly.

Deciding not to approach the matter further, I ask her. "I take it you know why you're here?"

"Lord Vader gave me my orders himself," she says, evidently fighting against her blush. "I am to keep your ship running and fly you to wherever your missions require."

"PROXY," I instruct the droid, "get the Rogue Shadow ready to launch."

The damaged droid stumbles off to do his bidding, while we follows at a more sedate pace.

"I take it Lord Vader didn't informed you that he killed my last pilot."

"He did not, but I would only assume that he had given him a good reason to do so. I would not."

"Hmph, Vader doesn't need any reason when replacements are always optional."

Worry emanates off of her for a moment, but it is gone in an instant that I almost didn't even catch it.

Self-conscious of her appearance, she wipes a smudge from her cheek before informing me. "I have taken the liberty of upgrading the Rogue Shadow's sensor array. Now you will be able to spy on any suspect ships across an entire system."

"Impressive work," I compliment her, sensing her waiting for acknowledgment.

She smirks. "Thank you. Your ship has the most amazing long-range scanners and a cloaking device—"

I interrupt her, not too briskly nor rudely, but a soft dismissal. "Ah yes, all for my objectives. Perhaps you would not be above training me in how to pilot and such things on a later date?"

She arches her eyebrow skeptically. "I take it you aren't trying to get me alone for nefarious purposes..."

Sensing the implications of her statement, I dismiss somehow calmly. "I may be many things but I am not a rapist. Any relationship we may have would be consensual. We both are adults here. And another thing, I don't want a brainless servant. Your only rule is to get me to my missions. I'm no Vader. If you disagree with something I do, do inform me."

Juno raises a hand. "You're strangely mature for someone so young. How old are you?"

Fortunately, I remember his age. "22. You?"

"20." She admits.

"And you're Captain already at that age? Impressive work."

She nods, obviously surprised by how kind I am being to her. "Where are we going?"

I respond. "To Nar Shaddaa. Are you ready?"

"Of course."

I can already feel that she has a liking to me. I want to make it clear that she didn't have to fear nor treat me like a master. Respect has to go both ways. Thus, her loyalty will be long lasting when the time comes.

Arthur's note: I'm sorry but there's no way Galen was two years old at the beginning of the Force Unleashed when Vader found him. Anakin obviously wasn't the only Jedi who had a relationship and I imagine Kento and Mallie hiding him. I'm boosting him to be four years older so he's six. Juno is NOT THE SAME AGE as Luke and Leia for obvious reasons as well.

On a second note, PROXY is my favorite droid since HK-47 and R2-D2!

May the Force be with you all always.