Starkiller and Vader sat in silence for hours as they flew through the vacuum of space.
Finally, Vader broke the long, awkward pause.
"Where do you plan to go first?" the Dark Lord asked, deferring to his former apprentice for the time being.
"I need to make things right with Juno," Starkiller replied, "Prove to her that I am on the side of the Rebels."
"How would you perform such an act?," Vader questioned.
"That's where I need your help," Starkiller replied, "I need to make a major strike against the Empire, to capture their attention. Where is their weakest military point?"
Vader was silent for several minutes as he pondered this, except for his mechanical breathing
Then, he replied, "The Empire contracts criminal underworld operatives to mine for kyber crystals on the planet Ilum. These crystals are used to power both the Death Star and Imperial Star Destroyers. The largest operation on Ilum is conducted by the Crymorah Syndicate. If we are able to sabotage this facility, then we can significantly impede the Emperor's military plans."
Starkiller considered this before frowning at Vader suspiciously. "This had better be a real lead, Vader," he said, "I still don't know that I can trust you now."
"The Empire is a common enemy to us both," Vader replied, "Defeating them is in as much my interest as yours."
Starkiller began to chart the Rogue Shadow's course for Ilum, activating the starship's cloaking device.
"Let's head for Ilum then," he said, pulling the throttle to bring the Rogue Shadow into lightspeed.
Finally, the ship reached orbit of the cold, icy world. Starkiller passed the controls to Vader, saying, "You map in the coordinates."
Vader programmed the mine's location into the navigation system, steering the Rogue Shadow into Ilum's atmosphere.
Down on the surface, a freight car speed across the tracks built on the frosty surface, towards a wide crystal tunnel that led far below the surface of the planet.
The Rogue Shadow flew over the railway towards the remote snow-covered mountains, out of sight from the scanner antennas and probe droids in the area.
Finally, Vader and Starkiller docked the starship atop an icy summit before exiting the cockpit, with the latter wearing a hooded snow-jacket over his robe.
"You had better be right about this, Vader," Starkiller said as they climbed down the ramp, "I don't want to walk into an Imperial trap."
"With our combined strength, the Crymorah mercenaries and guards protecting the mine won't be any match for us," Vader replied, "This will be no challenge."
"I just hope you're right," Starkiller said as they began to trek down the snowy mountain towards the tracks leading from the crystal caves into the mines.
As the allied rogues proceeded down the windy, snowy pathway, Starkiller asked his former Master, "Got a plan for getting in?"
"First we will rely on stealth and Force trickery," Vader said, trudging along beside the young clone, "Then we will make use of our brute strength to conquer the Crymorah."
"Spoken like a true Sith," Starkiller mumbled as they reached the bottom of the sloped trail, where the mouth of the mountain's cave awaited. The mining railway led inside the dark entrance before disappearing entirely.
"This should take us into the mine," Starkiller said as he hustled after the direction of the track.
Vader followed his former apprentice towards the mouth of the cave before they both entered.
The mine was structured with metal walkways and staircases alongside the track, as well as robotic claws that lifted the cargo out of the delivery vehicles, with droids operating the levers and armed guards of various species patrolling the cavernous passageways.
A flamethrower-carrying Duros mercenary was the first to spot the intruding duo as they stalked through the mine passageway.
"It's Darth Vader, and the Jedi fugitive!" he shouted at all the others. This prompted Starkiller and Vader to draw and ignite their identical sabers, bringing their blue blades to life and casting a glow inside the dark mine.
Every guard present trained their weapon on Vader and Starkiller.
"The Empire has a high price for them!" a female Twi'lek said.
Almost in unison, the mercenaries began firing at Starkiller and Vader, who stood back to back with their sabers at the ready, prepared to do battle.
Starkiller hurled lightning at the charging Whiphid as well as the two Trandoshans shooting at him. The Trandoshans went down, but still moved, while the Whiphid struck with his fists into Starkiller's stomach while being zapped with electric jolts.
"That didn't take long, did it?" Starkiller remarked as he took two melee hits from the Whiphid before switching from lightning to saber combat.
With a powerful blow, he decapitated the Whiphid before lunging at the Trandoshans, exchanging a series of hand-to-hand blows before slicing them both in half.
Vader, meanwhile, was contending with two Twi'leks and three Sullustans, breaking the necks of one Twi'lek and one Sullustan with a Force-choke.
He slashed his blade at the other two Sullustans who rushed to engage him in physical combat while the other Twi'lek shot at him.
Vader tossed his saber blade through the Sullustan closest to him before hitting the Twi'lek, who was injured but not killed.
Vader then cut through the stomach of the Sullustan whacking him from the right, before Force-pushing the Twi'lek against the metal wall.
Three Duros launched a jet of flames at the two duelists, inflicting them with burns.
Starkiller dashed at them, jumping up to conduct a lightsaber slam that knocked them all onto the ground. One of them remained stirring, but was soon silenced forever when Vader cut through him with his lightsaber.
"We'd better keep moving," Vader said as they ran down the rail line, "The sooner we find the Central Operation Facility, the faster we can destroy it and leave."
As they treaded along the dark passageway, blasterfire came out of the void at them, which the duo blocked with their lightsabers before each performing a saber throw.
Additional mercenaries charged out of the shadows, led by three Whiphids, who likewise rushed to attack Vader and Starkiller.
Vader caught one Whiphid in a Force grip, throwing him into the body of one of his companions. Both large, muscular aliens fell to the floor as the forces behind them opened fire.
Starkiller leapt forward, slamming his lightsaber to the icy groung amongst his attackers.
The mercenaries flew into the air and hit the walls of the cave, with ten bodies sliding to the ground.
Meanwhile, Vader attacked the recovering Whiphids with his lightsaber while absorbing melee blows from the third, groaning in his unnaturally deep voice as the mercenary struck him.
Vader fatally struck down one enemy, then the other before rounding on the third.
He used the Force to grab hold of his opponent, slamming him back and forth between the surrounding walls until the Whiphid moved no more.
Meanwhile, six of the ten attackers recovered from Starkiller's rampage, resuming their onslaught. In response, Starkiller let out a torrent of lightning, striking the mercenaries as they screamed and struggled.
After the rest of the ambush party was no more, Starkiller and Vader continued their trek past the dead corpses, further into the tunnels.
"How do we know where we're going?" Starkiller asked warily as the light dimmed inside the frosty passageway.
"The Force will guide us on our objective," Vader replied, "Both the Jedi and Sith will teach you to trust your feelings and instincts."
Finally, there appeared to be a burst of light at the end of the tunnel, leading out of the passageway into a snowy clearing.
Starkiller and Vader hurried towards the tunnel exit, into the sunlight.
However, as soon as they made it into the clearing that led into several cave passageways, the icy mountains surrounding them trembled, and a large, gray-haired creature emerged from the largest opening surrounding the clearing.
Vader and Starkiller activated assumed combat stances as they took in the sight of the Gorgodon, whose scaled orange head displayed menacing yellow eyes with an unusually wide mouth to showcase its three rows of deadly teeth.
The Gorgodon raised a powerful claw and lunged, aiming at Starkiller first. The young Jedi clone leapt out of the way and began shooting lightning at the creature. The Gorgodon backed away in pain before charging again, managing to knock Starkiller down.
Vader began attacking the beast with his lightsaber, slashing while the Gorgodon turned its attention away from Starkiller.
The Gorgodon swiped its claw at Vader, sending him down before the Dark Lord hopped back onto his feet and began summoning a Force storm, unleashing a powerful wave on the beast.
Starkiller resumed his lightning attack, electrocuting the hairy reptile while Vader slashed at it with his lightsaber.
The Gorgodon reached to grab Vader, wrapping its firm fingers around his cape and armor and lifting him into the air.
As the monster opened its three-layered mouth to chomp on Vader's helmet, the Dark Lord raised his non-lightsaber hand to use the Force to pry the Gorgodon's fist away from its mouth.
He struggled for a moment before his Force blast caused the beast to drop him and fall back before rolling onto its feet.
The monster then rounded on Starkiller, charging and aiming a swipe at the clone. Starkiller swerved in his path to avoid the blow, before slashing at the Gorgodon with his lightsaber.
Vader jumped at the beast from behind, slamming his lightsaber down hard enough to deal a blow.
The monster stumbled, briefly losing balance, before knocking Vader sideways and grabbing Starkiller in its large fist.
The Gorgodon lifted Starkiller towards its mouth, who raised his free hand to push back the monster's arm with the Force.
Starkiller pressed his Force motion for a long minute until the beast released him and fell backwards.
The Gorgodon leapt at Starkiller and Vader, raising both its fists to pummel them. Starkiller and Vader both absorbed several blows, stumbling in one direction, then the other, before Vader managed to throw his saber into the creature's gut while Starkiller resumed his use of Force lightning.
The Gorgodon backed away several paces before Starkiller leapt in the air, continuing to electrocute it. Meanwhile, Vader sent a powerful Force shove, knocking the beast into the cave wall. Starkiller sliced down onto the monster's head while Vader charged forward and cut it across the stomach. Finally, the Gorgodon fell dead onto the icy ground.
Inside the heart of the mine, the kyber crystals were carried via manipulated droid arms into the Central Operation Facility, supervised by a team of syndicate leaders. The most powerful of these crime bosses was a furry, pointy-eared, snout-faced Bothan named Boss Arsh Por'lya, chief of the Crymorah syndicate.
In the background, several masked bodyguards stood at attention, wearing gold armor with a cape draping behind each. They were armed with deadly saberstaffs and vibroblades, although one smaller bodyguard had two lightsabers clipped to her belt.
"The Empire will make us very rich if we capture Lord Vader and the Jedi clone," a Black Sun Vigo said.
The Hutt clan representative, Arok, responded in Huttese, but was understood by his fellow bosses.
"We could extort both the Empire and the Rebel Alliance for a double payday," Arok said, "if we hand one of them to each faction."
"It'll be big trouble for us if the Empire discovers us talking about dealing with the Rebels," Por'lya pointed out, "The Emperor's new second in command has a special interest in the targets."
All of the sudden, the holoprojector dangling overhead projected the translucent image of the robed Dark Apprentice.
Boss Por'lya knelt before the hologram and said, "Yes, Lord Nebulon?"
"My sources tell me that both Vader and the Jedi are on Ilum, infiltrating your facility,"the newly renamed Darth Nebulon replied, "I hope you have the situation under control?"
"Our army is securing the targets as we speak, my Lord," Por'lya replied nervously, "We will have them shortly in the Empire's grasp."
"Don't even think about trying to extort the Empire for more money," Nebulon threatened, "We already pay you a considerable sum for your kyber crystal mining. I will be expecting the targets to be incapacitated when I arrive."
"When- you arrive- my lord?"
"I will be coming to Ilum shortly to collect the prisoners," Nebulon snarled, "Do not disappoint me."
As soon as the transmission ended, Por'lya turned frustratedly to his fellow crime bosses.
"We cannot let him intimidate us like this! What does that boy know of our business?"
"How are we going to defy his orders?" the Vigo asked, "He must have a spy in our own ranks."
"If he wants Vader and the Jedi, he'll have to settle for their bodies," Por'lya said, "Even if I have to kill them myself."
Silently, Starkiller and Vader proceeded into the illuminated cave tunnel, which was filled with lanterns built on its walls and another railroad track that seemed to emerge from a crevice in the snowy ground.
As they continued their trek, a deep voice said, "Here they are! Blast them!"
A squadron of mercenaries rushed down the rail line towards Starkiller and Vader, prompting the former to unleash a torrent of lightning at them as they opened fire.
Vader charged forward, first cutting down a Wookiee, then a Rodian.
A Trandoshan struck with his arms and blaster rifle, forcing Vader to absorb the blows as he Force-choked a Duros.
Starkiller zapped the Trandoshan with lightning until the mercenary fell lifeless to the icy cave floor, while the Wookiee lunged to attack him now.
Starkiller stabbed his lightsaber through the Wookiee mercenary as the next wave of thugs rushed through the cave, shooting at the duo.
Vader send a Force wave at them, knocking most of them back except two Whiphids and a Wookiee.
Vader grabbed the Wookiee and one Whiphid in a Force choke while Starkiller hurled his lightsaber into the second Whiphid, who fell down. The rest of the assailants were getting back up by the time Starkiller rushed the Whiphid with his lightsaber, plunging it into him.
Vader managed to squeeze the life out of the Wookiee before finishing off the Whiphid by slamming him hard into the cave wall.
The two of them charged the rest of the Crymorah guards and slashed through them, leaving a trail of bodies as they continued alongside the railway.
"I hope this leads us somewhere quick," Starkiller said, "We're wasting our time just wandering."
"I sense the Dark Apprentice behind this operation," Vader commented as they ran down the icy walkway, "He has us locked in his sights."
"If he's after us, we're going to have to face him again," Starkiller replied, "He can only send so many thugs after us before he shows himself."
"Once we succeed here, it's only a matter of time," Vader added as they reached another mining station, seemingly vacated.
Predictably, another unit of mercenaries revealed themselves from above on the upper levels and behind the mining machinery on the ground floor.
This time, they were accompanied by a swarm of Trade Federation Battle Droids and IG assassin droids.
"Roger roger!" came the comically high-pitched battle cry.
"This is going to be rough!" Starkiller said as fifty blaster bolts from infinite directions hailed down on them.
The duo used their lightsabers to deflect the shots, each of them taking several wounds before going on the offensive.
Starkiller charged the unit on the ground floor to the left, while Vader rushed to the right, each of them slashing their weapons through the shooting thugs and Battle Droids.
Starkiller cried out as a blaster laser hit his shoulder, while Vader moaned as a shot struck his saber arm. They continued their onslaught however, as the IGs began engaging them in hand-to-hand combat.
Starkiller unleashed lightning on the unit of droids surrounding him, as the two nearest to him struck at him with their fists and blasters.
In the meantime, Vader tossed his lightsaber through four droids, felling half of them while the other two kept his gloved fists and body occupied.
Starkiller summoned a Force storm, unleashing a powerful gust on both droids and live beings. This successfully took out all but three IGs, a Trandoshan, and a Wookiee.
Starkiller blasted the Trandoshan and Wookiee with lightning while Vader conducted a lightsaber slam against the IG assassin droids, sending their broken pieces flying throughout the mining station.
The two infiltrators continued to dodge the shots flying at them from above. Starkiller reached towards an unused mining cart and levitated it with the Force, moving it upwards on top of a platform holding up a droid grabber arm.
Vader followed him as he leapt up onto the platform, then climbed up the car.
Together, Starkiller and Vader Force-jumped onto the next level floor built into the cave walls, landing on their feet amongst another assassin unit.
"Kill them both," the leader ordered.
Starkiller unleashed a torrent of lightning in all directions, striking several mercenaries, while Vader Force-pushed a Whiphid and a Twi'lek over the railing before grabbing a Nikto and a Nautolan in a choke grip.
After finishing off his first set of opponent, Starkiller ran towards the remaining group of humans, Rodians, and Twi'leks and slashed at them as Vader threw his victims over the side onto the track below.
Vader joined Starkiller in cutting down the rest of their opponents, as another unit of Battle Droids, Super Battle Droids and IGs emerged from the corridor ahead.
"I thought those old droid units were shut down years ago!" Starkiller remarked as the robots opened fire.
"The Crymorah bosses were rich and powerful enough to get their hands on them," Vader replied, sending a Force blast at the standard Battle Droids at the front of the ranks, destroying all but three.
Starkiller rushed the attacking unit and sliced the other three standard droids in half before being hit in the leg by a volley of blasterfire from the Super Battle Droids.
Vader joined him and began cutting down the Super Battle Droids, each one more difficult to defeat than their standard counterparts.
The IG droids used a combination of blaster combat and melee, forcing the duo to use both their sabers and bodies to battle them.
Starkiller finally managed to retreat far enough to unleash a torrent of lightning, finishing off the Super Battle Droids but leaving six IGs.
Vader came down with a slam onto the metal floor, destroying three of the remaining droids, while Starkiller finished them off with a Force shove.
"There must be a transport hangar where the crystals are shipped off to the Empire," Starkiller said, "That'll lead us to the shutdown point."
They rushed down the corridor towards an awaiting elevator, which opened to reveal a team of three Whiphids and five Trandoshans.
Vader managed to Force-choke one Whiphid as the other two plus one Trandoshan delivered blows onto him, while Starkiller electrocuted the other two Trandoshans to death before slicing through the third before engaging the Whiphids in mutual melee combat. Vader cut down one of the thugs battling Starkiller while the Jedi clone decapitated the last of them.
The duo entered the elevator and took it down below the surface level of Ilum's icy crystal caves.
This led them to a corridor where additional Battle Droid forces awaited, opening fire on them.
Vader was able to destroy most of the unit with a Force push against the walls of the underground facility, while Starkiller took out the surviving droids with an electric shock.
They rushed towards the round doorway that was sealed shut, met by additional live mercenary forces.
"Take them out!" the unit leader shouted.
Vader managed to ragdoll a Wookiee that pounced on him, slamming the alien from one side of the room to another, while Starkiller began to slash through the enemies closing in on him.
Once this round of enemies was defeated, Vader and Starkiller collectively summoned a wave to blast open the door, entering through it afterwards.
Inside was an assembly line of modified kyber crystals entering a complex machinery system to be converted into weaponized energy, operated by worker droids.
Starkiller and Vader made note of the self-destruct explosives surrounding the Central Operation Facility.
"Looks like nobody's here," Starkiller said as he scanned the room, "This was almost too easy."
"The Crymorahs sell these detonators to the Empire," Vader commented, observing the small, round devices built into the ice and steel walls, "If we activate the delay switches, we must clear the facility within five minutes."
"Let's not waste any time then," Starkiller said, turning towards the two large levers built onto the wall.
Inside the hangar built deep in a pit in the snowy ground, several shuttles and freighters were launching as the Crymorah leaders and personnel evacuated.
Boss Por'lya and his bodyguards stayed behind however, marching up the ice-paved walkway onto the surface level.
"We won't let the saboteurs leave the facility alive," Por'lya declared.
As Vader and Starkiller reached the mouth of the cave through which they had entered the mine, the ground beneath them trembled and the cave began to collapse as explosions rocked the facility.
"The cave is collapsing!" Starkiller shouted as icy blocks began to fall onto him and Vader.
Vader and Starkiller used the Force to blast away the chunks hailing on them, then turned their attention to the collapsed roof blocking their exit.
Together, Vader and Starkiller sent out a powerful Force blast that sent the collapsed pieces flying out into the snow.
Instantly, they were met by Por'lya's bodyguards, who closed in for the kill.
Starkiller shot out lightning at one of the caped, golden-armored thug attacking him with a saberstaff, taking several deadly blows from three directions before killing his first attacker and sending the others flying with a Force shove.
Vader Force-choked two bodyguards while two more slashed and whacked him with their weapons, letting out several pained howls before breaking the necks of his targets. Vader then leapt into the air and slammed his lightsaber to the ground, scattering his surviving opponents with the vibration.
The thugs who had survived Starkiller's Force push charged at him again, prompting him to resume his lightning onslaught. One of the bodyguards crumpled onto the snow, while the other blocked the lightning with his saberstaff and trudged towards Starkiller.
Starkiller threw his lightsaber at the guard, catching him in the throat before summoning his weapon back to him.
Eight more guards appeared, forming a circle around Vader and Starkiller.
Standing back to back, Starkiller and Vader tossed their sabers at the bodyguards opposite them before Starkiller spun around and unleashed a torrent of lightning. Vader sent out a Force wave to finish off the guards who were caught in the crackling web.
Por'lya emerged from the snowbank, accompanied by a caped bodyguard with a small, womanly figure. Por'lya was armed with a long, silver electrostaff while his remaining guard had two lightsaber hilts clipped to her belt.
"You cannot possibly hope to defeat us now," Vader said to the Bothan crime boss, "Your criminal enterprise is finished."
"Maybe, but I can still ensure that Darth Nebulon doesn't get his prized targets," Por'lya replied.
"We can do this the easy way or the hard way," Starkiller said, "It doesn't have to end like this."
"You have yet to face my strongest warrior," Por'lya said. He turned to his bodyguard, who stood still and silent.
"Execute them both."
To everyone's surprise, the thug removed her helmet and tossed it aside, revealing a white faced Zabrak with a mane of black hair behind the horns on her forehead.
Maris Brood activated her twin red lightsaber blades and jabbed one into Por'lya's back, causing him to topple dead onto the snowy surface.
"I know you!" Starkiller exclaimed without thinking.
"I've been waiting for the opportunity to take revenge," Brood said, "I thought you rejected the dark side, but I guess that was a big lie."
"I don't know what you're talking about!" Starkiller replied.
"Do you remember killing my Master, Shaak Ti, on his orders?" Brood asked, pointing one of her red blades at Vader, "and then coming back to hurt me some more?"
Starkiller widened his stance with his lightsaber held diagonally, bracing himself.
"You don't have to get hurt if you let us leave," Starkiller said to Brood, "I don't remember you or your Master."
"But Vader does, doesn't he?" Brood snarled, pointing one of her red blades at Vader.
Vader raised his own lightsaber, gripping it with two hands.
"You will share your Master's fate if you continue to challenge us," Vader warned.
Brood snarled at them and raised her red blades, crossing them together.
With a yell, she charged at Starkiller and Vader and lunged.
Both Starkiller and Vader remained on the defensive as they parried Brood's lightsaber attack. Brood alternated between one opponent and the other as she advanced.
While Brood was concentrating on Vader, matching him blow for blow, Starkiller took the opportunity to shoot a jet of lightning into her back.
Brood cried out as the lightning caught her, then responded by knocking Vader and Starkiller backwards with a powerful Force push.
The duo quickly returned to their feet, with Starkiller advancing slowly as he fired more lightning at Brood.
The dark Jedi apprentice crossed her blades to deflect the lightning, while Vader sped towards her to conduct a lightsaber attack.
He managed one hit onto Brood before she began to fight back, blocking his strikes with her blade.
Vader and Brood entered a bladelock, each of them pushing against the other's weapon.
"You deserve to die for what you did to the Jedi!" Brood declared.
"You are as weak and foolish as the rest of them," Vader retorted.
He managed to push Brood's blade away, slashing his own into her again. Brood hollered and stumbled back, before turning her attention to Starkiller.
She rushed at him with a rapid saber attack, forcing him to move quickly to defend himself. Starkiller jumped into the air and slammed his blade down, sending Brood tumbling.
Vader advanced on her, tossing his lightsaber before applying a Force choke.
Brood struggled in Vader's grip before breaking free, releasing a Force wave that sent both Vader and Starkiller flying backwards.
Starkiller was the first to charge at Brood again, clashing lightsabers and entering a bladelock.
"I don't know what you want with us!" Starkiller shouted as he pushed hard against Brood's lightsabers.
"I want what should have been mine long ago!" Brood replied, before Starkiller shoved her lightsaber aside and knocked her down onto the snow.
Vader advanced on Brood as Starkiller pressed a lightning attack, forcing her to contend with them both.
As Brood repelled Vader's lightsaber offensive, she was hit with more of Starkiller's lightning.
After exhausting his lightning, Starkiller joined the lightsaber duel, striking at Brood.
Finally, Brood dodged them both and reached towards Vader and Starkiller, lifting them up with a Force grip.
Starkiller hurled lightning at Brood while Vader tossed his lightsaber, forcing her to let them go.
Starkiller hurled his saber at her as Vader used the Force to grab her, slamming her to the ground repeatedly.
Brood recovered and charged, but Starkiller repelled her with a Force wave, while Vader threw his saber into her leg before summoning it back to him.
Brood fell onto her back with a hard thud, as Starkiller sent another Force blast that knocked her lightsabers out of her hands and sent them flying into the distance.
Starkiller and Vader walked slowly towards the defeated Brood, who laid helplessly on the snowy ground.
"Kill me then, like you killed the rest of the Jedi," Brood said, masking her fear with anger.
"As you wish," Vader replied coldly.
He used the Force to lift Brood into the air, pulling her towards him and bending his lightsaber backwards to swipe through her.
"No, wait!" Starkiller shouted, raising his hand to release Brood from Vader's grasp.
"Let her live," Starkiller told Vader, "She's clearly suffered enough."
"If she had won, she would have killed us both," Vader replied, "She must pay the consequences!"
"Like the innocent Jedi you killed?" Brood challenged.
Vader raised his lightsaber and stepped towards Brood, but Starkiller stood in front of her, lightsaber raised.
"Let it go, Vader," he insisted fiercely.
Vader stared for a hard minute with his expressionless mask boring into Starkiller, before finally deactivating his lightsaber.
Starkiller switched off his blade as well and followed Vader back towards the Rogue Shadow.
As the Rogue Shadow took off from the mountain slopes where it had been docked, a hooded, black-caped figured approached the collapsed cave, accompanied by a unit of Imperial stormtroopers.
Brood slowly climbed to her feet to face the new arrival who looked exactly like the man she had just fought, save for his pale skin.
"Where are they?" Darth Nebulon demanded.
"They're long gone from here," Brood replied.
With that, the Dark Apprentice used the Force to levitate Brood, choking her as he activated one of his red-bladed lightsabers.
Silently, Nebulon cut his lightsaber through Brood, killing her instantly before she fell back onto the snowbank.