I don't own Star Wars or its characters, but Nadia Aomori and my other OCs I own only.
Enjoy!
Fire of the Rebellion
Chapter 9: Fulcrum
(18 BBY)
The Grand Inquisitor stood in the smoking fields that had once been the pride of the farming moon of Raada and glared at the ground.
Everything was gone, burnt from the surface as though it had never been built in the first place.
By the time the Imperial Star Destroyers had arrived to provide backup, everything had already been in flames and the last of the traitors had fled.
The Grand Inquisitor kicked at some loose soil.
At least the scum could never come back.
The Empire would show no mercy if they tried.
The traitors were gone, the buildings were gone, the resources were goneand the idiot who'd sent the Empire so far out in the first place was also gone.
The Grand Inquisitor wished he had been assigned the task of tracking down the man to exact Imperial revenge, but his talents were needed elsewhere.
The Jedi had done more than anyone expected.
Not only had she trained the traitors to fight and helped one of them escape from jail twice.
She'd had the ability to call in a large number of ships to help her.
The Grand Inquisitor would have dearly liked to have been assigned the task of tracking her down, but that had also gone to someone else.
He hadn't come to Raada to follow someone's trail.
He had come to see someone's work.
To learn what she was capable of when pushed.
To see how far she could go, would go, for her goals.
In spite of himself, he was impressed.
He had never razed a whole moon, even if it was a tiny and pointless one.
There was something to be said for that level of destruction.
Moreover, one of his own kind had died there.
He'd found the body, burned almost beyond recognition, but the Grand Inquisitor knew what to look for.
The other one had been bold, too bold it seemed.
He had gone fearlessly after a Jedi and paid the price.
The Grand Inquisitor would not be so reckless.
He would channel his hate more usefully, be more measured.
He, too, longed to kill his enemies, but he was not stupid.
He knew the value of a good plan.
He turned and strode back to his ship.
No one else had disembarked, and as he stalked through the corridor, his agents scattered out of his way.
They were all afraid of him, which he liked rather a lot.
They didn't know exactly what he was, only that he was implacable and cruel.
His kind was new to the galaxy, a fresh weapon for the dark side to wield.
His agents must follow his every order as though the Emperor himself had given it.
That sort of power made him feel very strong.
"Set a course back to base."the Grand Inquisitor ordered.
He took his lightsaber off its mounting on his back and held the rounded handle almost irritably.
It wasn't the first one he'd ever carried, but it was the first he'd borne in service of his new master and he liked the viciousness of the design.
"And inform Lord Vader that we have found evidence of another survivor."the Grand Inquisitor declared.
(9 BBY)
Inside the Action VI Transport, Nadia was thinking about the latest development that she learned from Sierra.
Project Stardust.
The Empire's secret weapon that would be capable of obliterating entire planets and served to enforce the Empire's reign of terror.
Nadia silently rubbed her forehead as RG-G1 let out a beep.
"It's okay, G-G."Nadia assured."Let's just focus back on-"
Nadia paused herself from finishing her sentence when she noticed a ship approaching the Action VI Transport.
It was flying low, skimming the tops of the mountains and weaving to avoid the highest peaks. It was definitely following her.
If it were randomly scanning, it would have been higher up.
She wondered how it had found her and then she realized that since she hadn't gone into hyperspace, whoever was flying that thing could have just tracked her visually.
The ship was not new, but it was well maintained.
Even from a distance, Nadia could tell that much.
It was a YU-410 light freighter known as the Cutting Strike.
One of the ships owned by the Black Sun.
But it didn't seem it was going to fire at the Action VI Transport.
Yet.
Nadia waited, calm and collected until a hologram of the pilot appeared.
Nadia couldn't begin to guess if the being was male, female or otherwise.
Their armour was dark and covered them from head to toe.
They carried at least two blasters that Nadia could see immediately.
RG-G1 quietly yet nervously beeped as he hid behind Nadia's pilot seat.
"Natalya Romanova."A heavily modulated voice declared."Congratulations. You have come to the attention of Black Sun."
Nadia wasn't expecting this.
But the armoured figure hadn't yet drawn a weapon.
They really did want to talk.
Nadia's lightsabers were safely with RG-G1, but she can signal him if she needed them.
It didn't matter how quickly the figure could draw and fire, Nadia would be faster.
Her Jedi-trained reflexes were more than sufficient for that.
At the same time, she knew that there was no point in a firefight unless she was provoked.
The Black Sun agent had come looking for Natalya Romanova.
So, she, Natalya Romanova, could deal with them.
"I'm surprised Black Sun has heard of me."Nadia complemented.
Nadia relaxed her shoulders but stayed alert.
Her eyes scanning the armour of the Black Sun's agent for weaknesses and her feelings seeking out the surge of aggression that would precipitate a fight.
"My organisation keeps watch on this whole sector."the agent declared.
The voice modulator made the words difficult to understand.
It must be an old machine.
Either this agent was new and couldn't afford good tech yet or they were seasoned and had had their gear for a while.
"We tend to notice when our business ventures go awry."the agent admitted.
Business ventures was not the term Nadia would have used.
"Well."Nadia said with a frown and folded her arms."I don't know much about that sort of thing. I'm just a hired vigilante."
"My organisation is aware what you're capable of."the agent responded."You're a professional and sly agent that is heavily skilled in assassination techniques. Much better than those imperial scum. Whoever is paying you, we'll double it."
Nadia raised an eyebrow, understanding what was going on.
"You're offering me a job?"Nadia assumed.
"We are."the agent said."Lucrative contracts and all the benefits that come with working for such a high-level organisation."
Nadia almost wished the agent had come in firing.
"I have a certain amount of freedom with my boss."Nadia retorted casually."I doubt your employers would continue to let me be so independent. Especially, since the real leader of your organisation is none other than that slime ball Prince Xizor."
"There are some limitations Prince Xizor would expect you to accept."the agent stated."And there's also the matter of the credits you owe him."
Nadia narrowed her eyes.
"I don't owe anyone anything."Nadia replied.
"Oh, but you do."the agent admitted."You've cost Black Sun thousands of credits and you'll pay them back one way or another."
An unimpressed look appeared on Nadia's face.
"This is sounding less and less like a job."Nadia scoffed.
"Your corpse is also acceptable."the agent commented.
"Do I get some time to think about it?"Nadia questioned.
"Not long."the agent answered."There will be others searching for you. I'm lucky I found you first."
If Black Sun wanted a smuggler they felt had snubbed them badly enough to send out bounty hunters, then a suspected Jedi would be an even better target.
She couldn't reveal herself to this agent any more than she could have to the Imperials back on Coruscant.
It would mean more people chasing her, and while she knew that she could handle them, she had others to consider.
Wherever she set down next would become a target, just by virtue of her presence. She had to be careful.
"I'm very flattered. But I don't think I'm interested."Nadia answered sternly."In case you haven't realise, rookie, I already know everything about the Underlord of the Black Sun."
The agent became silent.
"Since your Falleen crime lord made Black Sun so powerful, he is considered by some Coruscant courtiers to be surpassed in power only by Emperor Palpatine and Darth Vader."Nadia declared, her voice sharp as a dagger."And since it seems you weren't told anything, I am in Black Sun's target list because your boss doesn't take rejection well. Do you think it would be wise to try and recruit me to your little crime organisation?"
"You choose death over partnership?"the agent questioned.
"I work with no one. So I fly solo."Nadia informed sternly."Now get lost, rookie."
As a respond, the Cutting Strike started firing at the Action VI Transport.
Nadia didn't waste the opportunity.
Her guns on the Action VI Transport fired much more rapidly than theirs did, shorter bursts and less concentrated power but still effective.
One of Cutting Strike's cannons was disabled by the time she finished her pass and they had to turn around to follow her.
The raven haired woman used the time, brief though it was, to start her computer's hyperspace calculation.
There was no point in sticking around any longer.
So much for a day without a trouble.
As Nadia continued to evade the agent, though, she realised that her head did feel clearer.
For better or worse, she had made a choice: she'd chosen to protect the family and friends she had.
Suddenly, three Corellian Corvettes appeared and started firing at the Cutting Strike.
RG-G1 let out a beep.
"Looks like we got back up, G-G."Nadia sneered smugly."See? You were about nothing."
A frowning beep escaped from RG-G1.
"Commander Aomori!"Phoenix 1 declared."If you're going to jump to hyperspace, now it's the time!"
"Right!"Nadia answered.
The Jedi Knight made the Action VI Transport fire a few more shots at the Cutting Strike causing it to malfunction before jumping into hyperspace with the Corellian Corvettes.
After making sure they were in a safe side of space, the Action VI Transport made contact with a repurposed Pelta-class frigate known as Phoenix Home.
Nadia and RG-G1 walked together into the frigate where they were greeted by Commander Jun Sato and a few of his soldiers.
"Commander Nadia Aomori."Commander Sato declared."Welcome."
Nadia nodded at Commander Sato.
"Commander Sato. Thank you for the help."Nadia thanked."How did you find me?"
"With the information from Commander Olin."Commander Sato admitted."He is aware that your on the Black Sun's bounty list."
A slight smile appeared on Nadia's face.
"How thoughtful of him."Nadia praised.
Commander Sato and Nadia arrived to the command room of Phoenix Room, where Ahsoka was waiting for them.
Ahsoka Tano was now a 27 year old woman wearing a sleeveless dark blue robes and black boots. She also wore a large belt from which she hung her lightsabers as well as a pair of silver vambraces and arm wrappings on her forearms.
Nadia and Ahsoka shared a hug with each other, happy to see each other after such a long time while Commander Sato walked away in the background.
"Miss Fulcrum."Nadia responded.
"Mrs Romanova."Ahsoka answered."You're looking well."
"You know me, a Corellian Jedi, Soka."Nadia remarked smugly."Notoriously contrary and bent on going my own way."
RG-G1 approached Ahsoka and beeped at her.
"Hello, G-G."Ahsoka answered and touched RG-G1's head."Good to see you too."
Nadia noticed Ahsoka had new lightsabers attached on her belt.
"New lightsabers from Ilum?"Nadia guessed.
"I actually fought against an Inquisitor called the Sixth Brother a year after the Empire rose to power."After defeating him, I took his Kyber crystals as my own. Then, to make my own lightsabers, I healed the crystals, purifying them."
A soft chuckle escaped from Nadia's mouth.
"You purified two red kyper crystals?"Nadia remarked.
Ahsoka smiled lightly at her best friend.
"I may not be a Jedi Knight, Dia."Ahsoka replied."But that doesn't mean I can't learn a few things with the Force."
Nadia nodded in respond.
RG-G1 handed Nadia her lightsabers.
"I actually kept my second blade since the Solari crystal was a rare kyper crystal that I couldn't afford to replace it."Nadia exclaimed as she held up her first lightsaber."But for my first blade…"
Nadia activated her first lightsaber to reveal its orange blade as a replacement of her cyan kyper crystal.
"I found the kyper crystal that suited me perfectly."Nadia complemented."A being of Jedi and Sith heritage."
Ahsoka smiled at Nadia's new blade.
"It looks like the Heart of the Guardian."Ahsoka admitted.
"Huh?"Nadia said in confusion.
"You know an ancient crystal that was rediscovered on the surface of Yavin 4 by the Rodian inventor Suvam Tan some time prior to the Jedi Civil War."Ahsoka exclaimed."When placed within a lightsaber, it altered the properties of other crystals that the lightsaber carried in a positive way; this crystal created a fast yet devastating blade that was perfect for lightsaber combat."
Nadia immediately realised what Ahsoka was talking about.
"Oh. That's right. I remember reading it was possibly utilised as a lightsaber crystal by the redeemed Revan."Nadia answered."It is believed that the Heart was involved in the founding of the Jedi Order. According to prophecies of the Order, the Heart would appear at the time of greatest turmoil and help in bringing the galaxy into salvation. However, the Sith also believed it to be an object of their heritage which in turn would have brought about their domination of known space."
Ahsoka smirked. "And I see your admiration for the Shan Family hasn't gone away."
Nadia smiled smugly and shrugged before deactivating her lightsaber and putting it back on her belt.
The two best friends then went to sit on the holo-table as RG-G1 joined them.
RG-G1 showed a holo-image that contained information on Project Stardust.
"I learned from my step-mother Sierra Corak that the Empire is working on a secret protect that the Emperor attends to use to bring more direct control on the galaxy through fear."Nadia exclaimed."It's called Project Stardust."
"And what does the Emperor attend to use this weapon for, Commander Aomori?"Commander Sato questioned.
"To destroy a whole planet with one shot of its superlaser."Nadia admitted.
There was deathly silent at Nadia's declaration.
From his fortress retreat on Coruscant's northern hemisphere on the shoreline of the Great Western Sea, Darth Vader watched the pre-teen dark haired boy duel against a lightsaber-training holodroid known as PROXY, who was capable of credibly imitating Jedi and programmed to regularly attack Starkiller with lethal intent to keep him sharp.
The boy was Galen Marek.
The son of Kento and Mallie Marek, both whom were Jedi, Galen Marek was born strong in the Force.
Sensing the potential within Galen, Darth Vader killed the child's father during the assault on Kashyyyk and took him to be trained in the ways of the Dark Side of the Force.
Since he was aware of the boy's strong connection to the Force, the Sith Lord decided to raise him to be his secret apprentice without the knowledge of the Emperor and the Inquisitors.
But Darth Vader didn't call the boy by his real name.
Instead, he had given the boy the codename 'Starkiller'.
If the boy kept drawing on his hate and rage for power beside developing his own methods through sparring matches and brutal tests, the Sith Lord attended to use him to assassinate his enemies.
Even Emperor Palpatine.
As long as the boy lived in fear and terror of him.
Back in the Phoenix Home, Nadia and Ahsoka were standing in the hallway after the meeting ended.
"Exactly how did you end up getting on the Black Sun's target list, Dia?"Ahsoka questioned.
"I rejected to be the Underlord of the Black Sun's latest play toy."Nadia informed with a hint of disgust."But one thing you should know about Xizor is that he underestimates the power of the Force which was why both Sith and Jedi were able to get the better of him. He knows the Force exists and respects it, but doesn't truly understand it."
"I see."Ahsoka replied.
Nadia noticed something was bothering Ahsoka.
"What's wrong, Soka?"Nadia asked.
"Dia. After I contacted Senator Organa on Raada, I actually went back with him on Alderaan and I saw Hal with Katooni and Zatt."Ahsoka admitted."Even Mai."
A gentle smile grew on Nadia's face.
She hasn't seen her step-brother and their half-sister since the Jedi Purge, but was actually desperate to see them again.
There was so much she wanted to tell them.
"And how were they doing?"Nadia said.
"Fine. But answer me this."Ahsoka insisted with a small frown."Why did you lie to Mai that Anakin was still alive?"
A wave of worry started to tower of Nadia.
But the raven haired woman used the Force to lower it down to a personal level.
"Because she looked up to Anakin so much due to all the battles he fought during the Clone Wars. He was her hero."Nadia admitted, hiding her fear."And…when the Jedi Purge happened, I didn't have the courage to tell her the truth. She and the other three younglings suffered a lot. I couldn't bare to see them suffer even more."
Ahsoka let out a sigh.
"Did you tell her the truth?"Nadia questioned."That Anakin was killed by Darth Vader?"
"I did and she didn't take it very well."Ahsoka stated.
Nadia became silent for a moment at Ahsoka's declaration.
"As expected from my younger half-sister, she is turning seventeen soon."Nadia complemented and let out a sigh."I knew she would find out the truth eventually."
Ahsoka folded her arms.
"Dia, is there something you want to tell me?"Ahsoka asked, not liking that her best friend was being secretive."You were always a terrible liar since we were young. We've promise to tell each other everything."
A soft chuckle escaped from Nadia's mouth.
"Yes. I remember that promise completely."Nadia responded."We've done that vow after we announced that we were best friends."
"Then can you tell me something that I need to know?"Ahsoka suggested with a hint of hope.
Nadia became silent again.
She should tell her best friend about Anakin and Padmé's three children?
Or tell her that her former master was now-
No.
She had to tell her about those three special children.
"Anakin and Padmé were secretly married to each other, Soka."Nadia admitted.
A stunned look appeared on Ahsoka's face.
"What?"Ahsoka questioned in awe."Anakin and Senator Amidala were married? I thought they were just friends."
A scoff escaped from Nadia's mouth.
"Nope. They were husband and wife."Nadia commented."I actually learned that after Ferus and I became a couple."
"And you never bothered to tell me that?"Ahsoka demanded.
"Ferus was the one that told me not to anyone. Even Obi-Wan."Nadia retorted."The Jedi Council were self-righteous hypocrites. He and Anakin didn't want to take any chances."
Ahsoka simply frowned at Nadia's respond.
"Okay."Ahsoka answered."And what else?"
Nadia took a deep breath before responding to her best friend again.
"Before Padmé died, she…she gave birth to three children."Nadia admitted.
Ahsoka became dumbstruck.
Her former Master and the Senator of Naboo had three children.
"Anakin and Padmé were going to be parents?"Ahsoka murmured in surprise.
Nadia gave Ahsoka a sad smile.
"Yeah. They were. Padmé gave birth to one boy and two girls."Nadia replied, hiding her deep grief."The boy's name is Luke and lives with Anakin's step-family on Taooine. The second girl's name is Lisa and lives with the Naberries that are Padmé's family on Naboo. As for the first girl, she is…being raised on Alderaan as Senator Organa and Queen Breha's daughter."
An utterly shocked look appeared on Ahsoka's face.
"L-Leia Organa is Anakin and Padmé's daughter?!"Ahsoka said in disbelief.
Nadia nodded in respond.
"That's right."Nadia agreed.
"I…I saw her and I felt the Force really strong with her. But I had no idea why."Ahsoka declared, not knowing what to say."To think she is one of Skyguy's kids."
Nadia then held Ashoka's hands, giving them a comforting squeeze.
"I know I should've told you this back on Naboo, but those three children are the galaxy's only hope to defeat the Sith and free the galaxy."Nadia admitted."The less people know about them, the better it is for their own safety. Though overall, I am sorry for keeping this from you, Soka."
Ahsoka gave Nadia a bittersweet smile.
"I understand, Dia."Ahsoka commented."But I just can't believe it."
"Just promise not to tell anyone."Nadia begged."We've already lost Anakin and Padmé. I don't ever want anything bad happen to their three children."
"I won't Dia. I promise."Ahsoka vowed."Thank you for telling me."
"So, I'll see you later?"Nadia guessed.
"Yeah."Ahsoka agreed with a nod."Later."
Nadia nodded before she and Ahsoka departed from each other.
"Ahsoka knows the Skywalker triplets' existence."Nadia thought firmly."But I know she won't tell anyone. She's not one to break a promise. Though I feel bad for not telling her of Anakin's fall. He was like an older brother to her as well."
Just as she was close to the Action VI Transport, Nadia brought her attention on her lightsabers.
But the new kyber crystal on her first blade showed she was no Jedi nor Sith.
She was simply herself.
So that's what counted.
As well as her mission to protect her family and rise a strong rebellion against the Empire.
See you all in the next chapter and have a wonderful day!
