Leia considered herself a fairly well-composed sort, but having to work with Rey and Ariana, aka Darth Raize and Darth Furiosa, was taxing her patience. They still refused to help support the gun control bill Leia wished to enact.

Perhaps Rey and Ariana would have had an argument if there wasn't currently still many…MANY people among the population who were former supporters of theirs just hoping to get their hands on high-tech weaponry. Perhaps they'd have an argument there was no need for gun control if the police had not, just the other day, flagged an acolyte of Darth Plagueis for trying to purchase a high-carbine, repeating sniper rifle.

Nar Shadaa had a hard enough crime problem as it was, they didn't need to add mass shootings onto the list. This bill would keep that stamped down, and would make it far harder for anyone, INCLUDING spies from the Sith…to get hold of guns. Even Sith persuasion techniques would be noticed…because the shops had taken to setting up hidden cameras with full microphone settings. Many were hidden as "Check out the new model" items in the shelves facing the reception desks or the like, others were located right above the cashier in the ceiling…some of the shopkeepers had just plain decided to install it into their bodies as synthetic eyes.

This had proven VERY handy. It was how they'd caught that acolyte. The man who'd sold him the sniper rifle had realized something felt faintly off, he felt an odd haze about the last ten minutes, so he'd headed to the back of his shop, cracking open his synthetic eye's computer drive. Sure enough, there it was…caught on the camera of his eye lens the acolyte had exerted Force Persuasion to make the guy sell him the weapon without any need for paperwork. The assassin had been smart enough to not just blow him away, because open violence would be caught on the obvious cameras set up in the store, but he'd been juuuuust clever enough to hide his hand gesture willing HIS desire over the store owners from that angle.

But not…from the angle of the synthetic eye. Now the assassin was in jail and Leia was in the Nar Shadaa senate, listening to the opposing side speak, and this meant…Darth Furiosa giving her speech.

"The assault weapons ban that used to be in effect, according to Nar Shadaa's own former chief of police, quote, "failed to reduce the average number of victims per gun murder incident or multiple gunshot wounds victims". That's his assessment. It was singularly ineffective."

Now, yes…the SUMMARY of the chief's report said that…but this was very different from saying that the ban didn't work. In fact, the sentence immediately preceding the one SHE quoted said, "Evidence suggests that the ban may have contributed to a reduction in the gun murder rate and murders of police officers by criminals armed with assault weapons." The report hadn't said it was ineffective. It had repeatedly made the exact opposite point, which was that there was not yet enough evidence to draw any conclusive determination despite SOME promising results.

Furiosa was being singularly dishonest. And exceptionally smarmy. And Rey was rubbing her back, and giving her a big grin as she spoke through it all. Leia was feeling a faint THUD-THUD-THUD noise echoing in her ears. It was as if her heart had been ripped from her chest and held up for her to listen to. She was feeling a desire to smack Furiosa right in the face.

Then…the Sith senator went in for what she thought was "the kill".

"To my esteemed colleague, Head of the Senate and of Nar Shadaa, our esteemed "Ms. President" as it were…would she deem it consistent with the Bill of Rights for our congress to engage in the same endeavor that we are contemplating doing with the Second Amendment of the Nar Shadaa constitution…in the context of the First Amendment? Namely, would she consider it constitutional for Congress to specify that the First Amendment shall apply only to the following books, and shall not apply to the books that Congress has deemed outside the protection of the law?"

The point was clear. This bill will outlaw certain guns but leave others legal, that's like burning books, right? Riiiiight?

If this sounds like a "high school debate club" way to debate an issue, it was delivered in the same tone. Self-righteous and smug and smarmy and condescending, hanging in the air like the stench from a dead dog left to rot in an alleyway. At first, nobody was sure how to respond.

Leia however felt her temper slip when Furiosa repeated her incredibly dishonest, bad-faith question, reframing it. "In your judgment, Ms. Leia, would it be consistent with the law for Congress to specify which books are permitted and which books are not?"

"Well, I have a book called "Ariana Likes Incest and Pedophilia". It'd have a big cover of you and this PONY, you see, with you grinning dumbly, butt naked on the front, holding two thumbs up as you've got an unconscious little girl who looks like your baby sister tied up on the back of the horse. I think that book would be what we call "libel", and would be unprintable and NOT protected by the law. Right?"

Darth Furiosa, aka Ariana's, mouth fell wide open. Rey's eyes bulged and her skin turned white with fury. Someone snorted loudly. Others giggled while trying to cover up their mouths. Leia thought the point was pretty well made. "Now, of course, if you'd like Congress to change the laws so such a book could be published without any issue, that's perfectly acceptable to me…" Leia went on. "But I imagine you wouldn't much like that kind of book being read. So in the future, my esteemed colleagues, I would appreciate more honest debate and less…oh…SOPHISTRY?"

THAT got people laughing and guffawing and sniggering very wildly indeed as Rey gave Leia a look that could kill and Ariana snorted and sat back down.

But unfortunately that was when things went horribly wrong. There was a horrific explosion and the walls to the senate were blown open. People reeled back, covering their heads, chunks of wall flying about as the guards raced forward, taking up positions in the hall to fire on the intruders. Hooded Sith acolytes, grunts of Darth Plagueis, had shown up to try and assault the Senate directly! The PEW PEW PEW of laser fire was filling the air as Leia pulled out her own hidden pistol, taking aim.

TSSEWWW! A powerful shot blew the head almost utterly clean off of one acolyte as another screamed "KILL THEM! KILL THEM ALL! For Darth Plagueis!"

"Ugh. All the finesse of a brick." Rey grunted as she focused and clenched her fists. Big tables were hurled through the air, loud, horrific cracking noises ringing out as they stuck the attempted assassins. That by itself wouldn't be a problem, but the tables had been ones OTHER SENATORS were hiding behind! Leia quickly dove, tugging them down, out of the line of fire as she angrily glared at Rey.

"You could have gotten them killed!" She snapped as Rey gave a nonchalant shrug, Ariana in the middle of using the Force to strangle one of the assassins in midair when he'd leaped at her. This proved to be a bad idea though, because doing a Force Choke in the middle of a firefight just made you a nice, easy target! She barely ducked in time to avoid being shot as several Sith acolyte assassins of the sinister Darth Plagueis noticed what she was doing and decided they'd start with the "bitch traitors to the Sith cause".

Unbeknownst to them…this was actually a distraction. Across the city, in the southern district of the capital, was the Solar Construction Site…and it was under siege. The Skull of the Sith had been popping up in Nar Shadaa for days now, at different locations, and at the moment he was ripping into the building, taking big, huge chunks out of it with his bare fists, punching away left and right, intent on bringing the whole foundation down.

Now…naturally, the place DID have guards, robots, in fact…and big ones at that. They raced at him as Wookie guards who were also on duty fired in his direction, but there weren't that many of them compared to the robots, and frankly…their aim wasn't that good. The Skull rolled out of the way, grabbing one of the gigantic robot guards who swung its spiked fist at him and THRA-THRAK! He took its head clean off, then launched it forcibly at a Wookie guard after engulfing it in radioactive flames!

Now, naturally, the guards of Nar Shadaa and the police had been told to keep an eye out for these Sith, and had been alerted to what the Skull of the Sith could do after his high-profile attack on Leia. They'd been eager for a chance to fight him…now that idea had lost its appeal, because radiation…was a terrifying thing. The wookies were braver than the average person but they weren't dumb, they dived out of the way just in time to barely avoid contamination.

"I think I've had enough fun with all of you today." The Skull of the Sith said as he grabbed one of the robots by their legs, ducking to avoid their laser fire. He grabbed their right foot specifically and swung them around and around, launching the unfortunate at high speed. KRAKKA-SCHAA-KROOOM! He obliterated two other guards upon impact as a fourth and fifth tried to fire repeating plasma rifles at the Skull, who held his hands up and focused intensely.

KRAA-SCHWOOSH! Radioactive flames engulfed his fists as he bashed the laser blasts aside, advancing on the two robots before KRAA-KRAAANG. Both their heads got caved in as he now stood smirking, standing at the final foundational pillar of the big solar energy plant.

"You don't mind me taking some…souvenirs do you?" The Skull asked of the Wookie guards as they fearfully looked at him. "The question is will it be YOUR heads I bring back, or one of the robots? Your choice depending on whether or not you wanna try to stop me."

The wookie guards shamefacedly looked at one another…but then rose up, fists clenched, guns slightly shaking…but still standing tall and proud.

"We're not letting you do this." One of them said, aiming his gun as the Skull moved away from the pillar, and towards them, cracking his knuckles.

"Well…you're welcome to try and STOP me…" He intoned.

By the time the police arrived as back up…it was too late. The solar energy plant was devastated, and as for the guards, The Skull had indeed…taken their heads. The only good news was he had decapitated them quickly, based off the analysis of the bodies. They could only hope he'd done that FIRST.

"Now I guess they'll never get "ahead" in life." The Skull told Bones as the young boy shook his head and groaned as the Skull put the cleaned-up skulls he'd collected away, setting them down on a trophy shelf.

"Dude, no. You're a lot of things but you're not funny." He remarked. "Can I visit Mr. Frequency and Ms. Ember again? They were really nice, they've been teaching me how to surf."

"Oh, yes, I forgot, they had their own big wave pool installed in the facility…" The Skull wistfully sighed. "I used to LOVE swimming. As you might imagine, it's less of an appeal to me now in my current form…" He commented. "Not quite as fun when EVERY bit of water I get into turns into a hot tub automatically…"

"Hey, I wanted to ask…how come you always wear the same fancy armor? ALL of you? Why not change it up? Wear different clothing? You always have the big silvery armor on with the insignia of Mr. Plagueis, the Soul always wears those robes, the Mind of the Sith's ALWAYS hooded too…"

"Well, it worked for Albert Einstein…" The Skull chuckled. "Greatest mind in all of Earth, remember?"

"Didn't he also not wear socks? But you still do." Bones chuckled.

"…I like the way they feel on my feet." The Skull grunted. "All my skin may be gone and boney, but they still feel good on my feet." He insisted before suddenly he FELT the overwhelming presence of Darth Plagueis coming. "…Bones. QUICK. Leave." He said suddenly, his eye sockets going wide before he turned and saw Darth Plagueis had already arrived.

Darth Plagueis was anything but human. A Muun, tall and gaunt, he had a head without hair, a smooth skull, paleish grey skin and small ears in the middle of his head with a rather humpy, ugly nose and a slender mouth. His arms were overly long, as were his legs, and he had incredibly thin, spider-like fingers. He even had more than one heart, THREE in fact, all covered by insignias upon the dark armor he wore upon his frame. The armor served to provide a sharp contrast with his piercingly frightening, dark red eyes like that of pools of blood, and he had tight-fitting under-armor of VERY dark grey underneath the first armor plating.

At the moment he had one hand on Bones's shoulders. Bones was standing stock still as Darth Plagueis spoke in a very quiet, soft…dangerous tone.

"You haven't introduced me to your little friend here. I knew, of course, that you were keeping a…pet…of sorts. I had no idea it was a child."

The Skull immediately got down on one knee, head bowed, one hand clasping his knee. "My Master. My sincerest apologies. I beg your forgiveness for not coming to you about-"

"Did I say you could talk?"

The Skull immediately shut up upon seeing Darth Plagueis had a very small, pointed nail to Bones's neck.

"…if you're so worried I'll kill him, you really needn't be. My power over the Force is greater than any. Who else could bring sentients back to life but I?"

The Skull remained tight-lipped, trembling more than even Bones was. It felt like he was being pushed in on all sides by cold iron bars. Had he still lips, he'd be biting them as he gulped fearfully.

"Now…you did do exactly what was required of you. That solar plant would have helped to power the whole city, now they've lost billions. Better still, they're AFRAID. The direct attack on the senate has filled them with terror. If their own people in power are not safe, none of them are. This makes them easy for my acolytes to influence them. You might of course have wondered though, WHY I have been choosing the locations I have for you to attack. After all, this latest excursion was a power plant, the last one before was a common school. The one before that was the city's dump."

The Skull just nodded enthusiastically, but silently. He did not DARE speak.

"Well…for your next assignment, I'd like you to join my acolytes for a particularly…daring…mission. Every single location you visited, you marked with violence and blood…just as I requested. And I trust you said the Sith spell before beginning your little rampage?"

The Skull nodded.

"You may speak NOW."

"Yes, my master." The Skull insisted. "I did exactly as you asked, down to the very last syllable."

"Good. The final touch involves this location…just outside a library." Darth Plagueis handed him a small datapad which revealed the last place the Skull needed to visit. "I had my acolytes make a withdrawal of one "Mr. Tan Hyvoir from an apartment complex, he's the host we'll need for this spell to reach it's completion for the first phase. The second will initiate when you've said your piece just outside the library on Tenth and Main. You will, no doubt, face trouble from the Dyad though…for they've moved to a smaller apartment complex in lieu of being kicked out of their old home."

The Skull was surprised. He hadn't heard that. But it made sense…with them losing their power and influence they probably couldn't protect their big, fancy old headquarters anymore. Now they were just senators of Nar Shadaa. Sith, perhaps…but no longer the big cocks on the block, as it were.

"This, of course, is fine by me. If they DO show up, I want you to end their lives. Two birds with one stone. Understand?"

"Absolutely, my master." The Skull insisted. "I'll head out without delay."

"Have your little human pet here join you." Darth Plagueis added as the Skull gulped nervously upon hearing this. "In fact, I want you to involve him more. If he's going to be staying here, he shall earn his keep." He insisted, giving Bones a very small, wicked-looking plasma dagger and then a neutrino detonator as Bones nervously nodded. "The nice part about Neutrino detonators is that they don't effect non-organic life, and your little "host" here hasn't been a proper organic in ages. As such…should he even come CLOSE to being unable to finish the job with the Dyad…I want you to prove your worth, boy. Kill them with that." The Sith Lord added as Bones nervously nodded some more, sweat beads slowly pouring down from his forehead and down his cheek.

"Yes, sir." He whispered as Darth Plagueis left the room, the Skull looking quietly at Bones.

"…I'll…get the ship up and running." He said quietly. "Would you like me to put on your usual album for the flight to Nar Shadaa?" He offered gently.

"…I guess that would help." Bones mumbled back. "…a little." He said, his hands shaking wildly as the Skull very, VERY carefully took his hands, holding back his radiation as much as possible to steady Bones's grip.

"…I'm NOT going to let Darth Plagueis hurt you." He insisted very quietly. "…I'm…just…NOT. You can count on that. I'd sooner kill him than let him hurt you. That's a promise, Mike."

…

…

…

… "You can't fool me with a fake out like that!" Zack said, though the tone of his voice was higher than it should be. He was slightly shaking, because in truth…he trusted the evidence of his eyes, and the face…that face that looked so MUCH like a younger version of his OWN father…

He just didn't want to believe. But the Soul of the Sith shook his serpentine head back and forth.

"He's no fake. He's the real deal." The Soul told Zack as everyone gaped in sheer shock at the sight before their eyes as Zack, in turn, while everyone else stared at the newcomer, put his OWN eyeballs back in. Zack then noticed something odd…there were some distinct, nasty-looking plasma shots clearly shown on Kyle Katarn's neck and chest. "Oh. Kyle, you've been shot! You didn't tell me you encountered trouble getting here."

"A few lucky shots from the Mandalorian guards got me, but I'm doing very well. It's nothing that Dr. Deff can't fix." Kyle confessed. "I'll be fine, I'm sure."

"Those are deadly wounds…" General Mandalore remarked aloud, gazing, stunned, at Kyle Katarn. Your neck's still bleeding! Yet…it…it bleeds…black…" He murmured. "You've turned into some kind of zombie like the others we've been fighting…"

"How is this possible…" Zack murmured as he struggled to get to his feet, Kyle shrugging a little.

"Well…see, I had actually found out the very planet Darth Plagueis was hiding his operations on…or at least, where he personally had his Sith allies staying. I literally caught one of them in the middle of swimming in a pool. It was quite the fight…" Kyle sighed wistfully. "I managed to catch them off guard though…use the pool to my advantage, knocked them clean through a window and made my escape. But who should I run into when I myself was so badly hurt from the last fight…but Hiss here…"

Indeed, Kyle Katarn had been flopped on the ground, resting slightly against a thick rock as Hiss T. Ario looked down at him, raising a scaly eyebrow up.

"…another Sith…and you're even stronger than the last one, I can tell…" Kyle groaned as he then began to do something totally unexpected…he started to laugh uproariously. "Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha!"

"I don't get it. What's so funny?" The Soul of the Sith inquired.

"I NEVER thought I'd have a run in with an even higher-ranking Sith after I just got finished fighting that one with the giant axe…"

"…oh MY." The Soul of the Sith was surprised, his eyes widening. "You fought The Axe of the Sith in their true form? Not many can claim to best them when they're like that."

"I can't believe my good fortune!" Kyle said as he rose up, fists clenched at his side, looking right into The Soul's eyes. It was as if his own soul was shining out from his face as he triumphantly grinned. "Well, let's do this…I'll even let you have the first swing."

THWOMPH!

The Soul didn't even HAVE to swing. Kyle was clearly more hurt than he'd thought. He suddenly turned pale, a bit of blood splurting out of his mouth as he flopped on his face to the ground. He appeared still, almost dead, but…

The Soul of the Sith had a feeling…

"That we'd get along juuuust fine. And I was right." The serpentine Sith said, putting one hand on Kyle's shoulder. "We've become real brothers in arms."

"…stop…that." Zack's voice was becoming low, dangerous…sinister. Veins faintly twitched on his forehead. "Get your filthy hands off him."

"It was serendipity. I've never met someone else who's company I enjoy more."

"Get…AWAY…from him…" Zack said, as his fist was clenching around his lightsaber, which was now beginning to shake with pure fury.

"That's why I know you and I will get along too, Zack. You should become my friend as well. Wouldn't you like that? I know you AND Kyle have been so lonely with your father gone. Think how much happier you would BOTH be, working alongside as LITERAL brothers in arms." The Sith said with a little mischievous smirk.

"Don't…you…FUCK WITH ME!"

Zack couldn't take it anymore. He launched himself at the Soul, as the snake tapped Kyle on the back, Zack swinging hard in an attempt to cut the snake's head clean off. Kyle's own saber shot up, blocking the strike. Zack angrily roared, swiping his saber again and again. "What's wrong with you?! Zombie or not, how could you work with…with someone like HIM!?"

"Get the snake." Finn said quickly. "We can kick "Darth Mendax's" ass AFTER this serpentine Sith's sliced into chunks." He suggested to Poe as he launched himself at The Soul of the Sith and SCHLLRZZZH! His powerful saber cut the snake's hand off! He grinned…only for the snake to KICK him back. It barely hurt him!

"Yes, you see, death and injury don't effect me as much as it does your type…as you'll soon find out." He said. "I could literally beat you…with ONE HAND BEHIND MY BACK!" He laughed as he put his handless arm behind his back and spun through the air, leg held out in a spinning kick. THWAK-THWAK-THAK! He slammed his foot into Finn, making him reel back, but then had to duck to avoid Poe, who was using the force to launch chunks of road and nearby buildings at him. The snake spun about, he swerved and slid around to avoid the shots, as General Mandalore and Mr. Boyega found more zombies were approaching, big, thick, nasty Gamorrean ones wielding heavy vibro-axes, trying to cut them into chunks!

"Stand still you stupid worm!" Poe snapped. "Ergh! I HATE snakes, Finn! I hate 'em!"

"Now, now, that's hurtful. I'm a real nice guy when you get to know me. Just ask Kyle." The Soul of the Sith chuckled as Finn concentrated and launched a powerful bolt of Sith lightning at the snake.

The Snake's eyes widened, he had to backflip, reeling back over and over as both Finn AND Poe were now using the Force upon him. Finn shot bolts of Sith lightning that sailed through the air, as Poe had whipped out two pistols and was rapidly firing away. The Soul of the Sith was forced to whip out his guitar again, spinning it around and around, trying to deflect the blows.

It appeared, though, that he was barely keeping them at bay, as Zack and Kyle's sabers clashed again and again. Loud, hissing KRRRSSSSSZZZ noises filled the air as Zack kept trying to force Kyle to drop his saber with powerful swings. But, well…Kyle HAD been at this far longer. He didn't seem to be giving in, and Zack was getting weaker with every passing moment.

"You've surely got to realize this isn't working on me." Kyle insisted.

"You know what? You're right!" Zack said. And he remembered L'ezz's technique. Mustering his Force might, he tapped into the mystical field that filled all living things and delivered a kick like a horse, knocking Kyle Katarn clean back and into a wall with a KRAKKA-THROOM. He had caught him off guard, all that training with the Gamorrean Jedi had paid off wonderfully!

"Gotcha now!" Zack cried out, launching himself at the tugging-himself-free Kyle, who gave him a sudden smirk…

RHAA-SCHLUUKKK!

Something hard and sharp stabbed into Zack, and he gasped…flopping onto the ground as Finn and Poe wheeled about in shock. The Soul of the Sith smirked as he shook his head back and forth. "Aaaand…there we go." He remarked as he snapped his clawed digits…his hand hopping up…out of the clear, horrible bloody injury it had given Zack. His severed hand had snuck around the battlefield…and stabbed Zack through the back when everyone else was distracted. "This is what we call adaptability. The minute I realized your focus would all be on your brother, I came up with this plan. I'm very good at changing tactics."

"Oh no. Oh no. Oh NO." Finn whispered, shaking his head back and forth as Zack struggled desperately to get to his feet, only to collapse again. The wound was VERY bad, he was bleeding heavily, his whole body felt cold, and he was losing sensation in his back the longer he laid there on the ground.

"Now I can stall all of you as long as needed…while my comrade turns Zack here into yet another amazing Jedi zombie compatriot for me." The Soul of the Sith said as he strummed on his special guitar, licking his lips a little with his forked tongue, as Kyle picked his brother up. "Come now. Hit me with your best shot…fire away." He laughed.