Hera struggled against the chains that held her hands above her head, binding her to the wall of the icy cave she was being held in. She looked up as she heard footsteps approaching. With both great sadness and rage, she stared into the sinisterly glowing, amber eyes of her captor. Her wore a black body glove, with equally black armour on his chest, shoulder, back, and legs. His hair, which was once long enough to reach past his ears and be tied back, was now shaven short.
"Don't worry Hera." he spoke in the accent that made many think he was a Mandalorian. "You are merely bait to lure Kanan or Ezra here, nothing more. Behave, and you may survive this ordeal." He told her, no hint of emotion in his tone.
"Lance, please don't do this." Hera begged the young man.
"Don't give me that." The young man that was once Lance Mikaelson snarled at her. "I begged you all for help, but you denied me. I will not die because of your fear." He spat at her.
"There was nothing that could be done!" Hera responded pleadingly.
"That's a lie!" Lance roared, getting close to her. "Ezra and I found a ritual in the Sith Holocron that would drain every shred of this poison out of me, but Kanan, the coward that he is, refused, and you agreed. Ezra only refused because of how much you two fear anything that even mildly associates itself with the Dark Side." He growled, turning his back on her.
"The Force is not a poison Lanceβ¦" Hera whispered, tears welling in her eyes.
"My body was never meant to be Force-sensitive, much less this much." Lance responded with a hollow chuckle. "Every cell in my body is dying because they can't handle the presence of the Midichlorians. That sounds like a poison to me, Hera." He said, walking over to the makeshift workbench he'd haphazardly created from ice. "Unfortunately, this is my only chance for survival." He said, taking the lightsaber he'd stolen from the Seventh Sister on Malachor off of his belt and placing it on the table. Vader's old lightsaber joined it.
"And what will happen after you purge yourself of the Force, eh?" Hera challenged, wiping her tears away.
"I'll disappear." He responded simply. "Steal a ship, stock up on as many rations as I can, and just jump straight into wild space." He said, looking around the cave. "I'll either starve to death, find my home, or be killed by something unknown. Either way, it'll be better than lying down and accepting my lot." He said humorlessly. Hera's head fell and she heard the resignation and rage underneath the determination in Lance's voice.
On Crownest, in the meeting room of the Wren Clan's stronghold, a number of Mandalorians and Rebels were discussing how to rescue Hera from their fallen friend's grasp, and hopefully capture him as well.
"So, what's the plan?" Tristan asked, his helmet under his arm.
"Everything we've done so far has played right into Lance's hands." Kanan spoke up thoughtfully. "He knows us. He'll be expecting a full-on assault on Ilum." He said.
"So what do we do?" Sabine asked.
"We launch a full-on assault on Ilum." Ezra responded with a smirk.
"Wouldn't that be giving him the upper hand?" Zeb asked.
"We'd be making him think that, yes, but we can use his location against him." Ezra responded.
"Ilum is strong in the Force, so strong that, with a bit of effort, Ezra and I could blend our presence in the Force into the walls of the caves, which have been saturated with the Force for centuries." Kanan explained.
"While the Mandalorians distract him with the assault, Kanan and I are going to sneak around into caves and rescue Hera." Ezra continued.
"And since he wouldn't be able to sense you guys, even if you were part of the assault, he won't realise it's a diversion until it's too late." Sabine realised.
"Exactly." Ezra grinned.
"So when do we leave?" Zeb asked, raising his bo-rifle. He was eager to punch Lance in the face for all the crap he'd pulled.
~~Instrumental Music~~
"Any moment now, General." Lance said mockingly as he finished decontrusting the lightsabers. π΅Believe me, I know, I've sunk pretty low, but whatever I've done, you deserved.π΅ He sang.
"Lance!" Hera tried to protest.
"Quiet!" Lance hissed. π΅I'm the bad guy, that's fine. It's no fault of mine, and some justice, at last, will be served.π΅ He strode over to a small pillar of ice in the room, one that had a glow at the tip that only he could see. π΅Now it's to step up, or its time to back down, and there's only one answer for me.π΅ He plucked the Kyber crystal off of the tip of the small pillar. π΅And I'll stand up and fight, cause I know that I'm right.π΅ He tossed the crystal up and caught it again. π΅And I'm ready, I'm ready, I'm ready!π΅ He strode back to the workbench. π΅Ready as I'll ever be.π΅ The crystal, as well as all of the parts on the bench levitated up in the air.
In the medical ward of the Wren Stronghold, Ursa Wren, who'd been injured when Lance had kidnapped Hera, a lightsaber stab to the gut, tried to get up, to no avail.
"You really think you can lead this assault?" Zeb asked her, knowing the answer.
"I⦠I cannot." Ursa finally admitted, the words leaving a bad taste in her mouth. "But she can." She drifted her gaze to the entrance of the room, where her daughter stood.
π΅Now it's time to rise up, or it's time to stand down, and the answer is easy to see.π΅ Sabine sang as she marched forward into the room, the gazes of every Mandalorian warrior in the room on her. Ursa had a small, but proud smile on her face as Sabine ignited the Darksaber in her hand. π΅And I swear by this sword, if you're in, get on board! Are you ready?π΅
π΅I'm ready!π΅ Zeb sang with determination.
π΅I'm ready!π΅ Tristan too, sang.
π΅We're ready!π΅ The warriors in the room followed suit.
π΅Ready as I'll ever be.π΅ Sabine sang as she held up the Darksaber.
Ezra waited at the Gauntlet class ship Ursa has agreed to lend him and Kanan for the mission to rescue Hera. He'd been waiting for a little while now. He was starting to get antsy when Kanan finally showed.
"Took you long enough." The young Jedi told his Master dryly.
"I always meditate before a mission, you know this." Kanan responded, a slight smirk on his face as he approached. His face turned serious suddenly. π΅Are you quite sure we can do this?π΅ He sang.
π΅Together we will guarantee.π΅ Ezra responded confidently as they entered the ship.
π΅I'll make them hear meπ΅ Lance sang as the lightsaber parts and the crystal he'd found all levitated close together, some being discarded, some not.
π΅Now it's time to redeem, or it's time to resolve, and the outcome will hardly come free.π΅ Zeb and all the Mandalorian warriors aboard the Ghost sang as the ship soared through Hyperspace.
π΅Prove they can trust meπ΅ Sabine sang from the pilot's room, clutching the Darksaber.
π΅I'll save my crew and family.π΅ Ezra sang as he piloted the Gauntlet class ship, jumping into Hyperspace.
π΅Now the line's in the sand, and our moment's at hand!π΅ The Mandalorians continued on the Ghost.
π΅And I'm ready.π΅ Zeb sang with determination.
π΅I'm ready.π΅ Sabine followed suit.
π΅I'm ready.π΅ Ezra and Kanan sang in unison as they dropped out of Hyperspace.
π΅Ready as I'llβ¦π΅ Lance clutched the completed lightsaber in hands. It was evident that it was not a weapon of light or peace. π΅...ever be.π΅ He ignited the blades, one out of each end.
They both shone a brilliant, but sinister shade of crimson. Unlike the lightsaber he'd previously used, this one was more akin to blood.
April FOOOOOOOOLS!
So, funny story. I was actually going to upload this last year, but I completely forgot! Then, on 3 April, I realised and was just like⦠FUUUUUUUCK!
Anyway, much love to you all for you unending patience with me, and I assure you, another update is close at hand. Working full-time and studying for a diploma makes little time for fanfic writing. I'm wiped!
