AN: So... hi, first of all I'd like to apologise for going missing as I did. The last couple of years weren't overly kind to me and I will admit I burned out creatively and my personal life imploded after a partner dumped me to get with my at the time best friend and I had to pick up the pieces after that. While I have gotten back on track with my life for the most part again right now, I didn't have time nor the energy most of the time to work on this story. But I am slowly regaining some of what has been lost. Which also includes access to this account! For a while I couldn't access anything and nor was I getting any notifications. Imagine my surprise the amount of reviews to the last chapter I was met with when I finally got that support ticket sorted.

For which you all my eternal thanks. It genuinely moved me to tears. I am also on Ao3 (username is Iunara) these days, but given I have access to this account again, I might start crossposting again :D

So for now, here are the missing two chapters (next one is following shortly)! And hopefully we will see each other soon again!

Drog was a strange system. Six planets and they were all ruled by two rival corporate families. How no one had conquered them in their state of vulnerability was a mystery to him. Maybe this was why this new apprentice was hidden away here? To keep her out of sight and mind. Especially from him, the favoured one. The one who had killed so many to his Master's bidding. He would not be replaced. Never! Not to a failed Jedi Youngling who had survived for far too long.

Starkiller stared hard out of the viewport of his starship as it made its slow descend into the co-ordinates his contact on planet had sent him. Double agent, the files had said. Valuable for the plans to come according to the notes. He served as a connection point between Imperial spy contacts around the whole system. His fingers twitched to the twin sabers hanging from his belt. Normally he would have to eliminate him. No one, not even his Master, could know what he was up to. Killing another apprentice… well, he grinned… she was no apprentice yet. A mere acolyte, an initiate. For once he had sent a silent thanks to the Emperor who had discovered Vader's latest plot. It had directed the attention away from him to operate a bit more freely.

Their descent was quiet; Proxy merely monitored the autopilot, careful as not to rouse too much suspicion from air control. Imperial made ships were not common in these parts, even with this part of the world being where bounty hunters had their homes and safe havens. However, he had made it abundantly clear that no one was to suspect a thing, to not have a single trace to him and this ship. It was bad enough he would have one witness that he could not dispose of later. But… maybe… he stared hard at the two lightsabers lying in front of him… he could make him forget. Memories, someone's thoughts were delicate, a power he had not truly mastered yet. If a crucial agent to the Empire was found mind broken and incoherent, Darth Vader would immediately know what he had done.

Damn his Master for forcing him to do this.

"Landing in five minutes," Proxy's voice disrupted his thoughts. "One hour remaining until your contact will meet with you."

"He better be on time," Starkiller remarked, summoning his sabers to his hands. "The sooner we can get back to base, the better."

"Master Vader will be displeased to find you gone, should he return earlier than expected," Proxy replied nonchalantly as a droid could.

"Don't remind me," Starkiller growled, watching the ship circle around a mountain peak where on the other side, he saw lights of a town blinking back.

Early morning, the sun had not risen on this part of the planet yet, not many would be out and see his ship land in the forest that had been marked on the map the agent had transmitted. Bounty hunter nest, his mouth curled in distaste when he had read the word. But it provided him with the opportunity to not have the planetary security systems breathing down his neck if he killed some nobody.

If it all went perfectly, he'd come back without Vader knowing anything and Fett would have no explanation as to why his charge was dead. As long as the agent did not spill a thing of what would happen… he'd be the favoured apprentice again.

Or maybe… maybe it was one of Vader's trials? Who knew what went on in his Lord's head? A former Jedi Youngling… what other than either replacing him or having her part of his trials could it be? Either way, he was forced to act.

The snapping of branches and leaves against the ship broke through the hum of the engines, anticipation curled tightly into his stomach. Soon, the agent would meet up with him and… his blood prickled as his thoughts turned to the other acolyte not knowing that her doom had just landed. He ground his teeth together, his thoughts whirling around the fight to come. To the kill he'd deliver, anything else was not permissible.

Former Jedi Youngling… hidden away on some backwater planet until his Master had found traces of her existence. What he still could not clue together were how someone who was so weak in the Force had caught the Sith's attention. He had been the strongest and still was. Why would Vader seek out such a weak… acolyte? Not to replace him no, that would be foolish. Yet… why else would he seek for her to become an apprentice?

Nothing made sense!

"Proxy," he called out to the droid who still occupied the ship's consoles. "Get a scan of the forest."

"Yes, Master," the droid beeped and the hum of the engine changed as sensors were engaged.

Little beeps filled the cockpit, the blue first, glitching out draft of a scan popped up on the sensor's projector. By the looks of it, the forest bordered at the lake and then went deep until it hit the cliffs that led up to the mountain peak. Starkiller frowned, looking at other possible routes out should the one he had taken to arrive would no longer be available. There were gaps between the mountain peaks beyond this one, in case he had pursuers… Fett was known to be a reckless pilot, but Vader would punish him severely if his best bounty hunter died. Rubbing his chin, Starkiller's eyes flitted over to the right, where there was a steep valley that would allow him to make a smooth arc into the atmosphere and once he had broken out of it, immediately jump into hyperspace.

"Proxy," he said. "That seems to be our best escape route."

"Logging it and the co-ordinates to the ship for immediate evacuation," Proxy droned on. "Saving the secondary routes in case of immediate adjustments."

"Good," Starkiller trailed off, watching as the scan filled in the larger blue boxes as the scan started to detect the smaller scale alterations in the terrain.

The river started from a cave in the mountain and snaked as a multiple different river arms that flowed into each just before the forest ended and into the lake outside that ended in the waterfall in the nearby cliffs. He'd need to be somewhere where no one could hear or see anything of the fight. And to have a relatively short way for Emmett to lure this Altharya to him. If he did it near a river arm… he could dispose her body in it… it would never be discovered and then be smashed to pieces once it was swept down the waterfall. It would have to be quick, before Fett noticed her gone. Then again, he had far more years of training in combat than her by what her datapad had said. Still… the Force was uneasy when his mind turned to the inevitability of his victory over her. Uneasy and like a hologram flimmer on his skin. A warning, just not… not what he had ever felt.

His eyes landed on an area near three streams flowing close to each other. Lots of tall trees and bushes to hide them, a hill went down to it… perfect to dissuade her from turning back.

"Proxy," he pointed at the area, marking it on the map. "We need to scout this out."

"Do you wish me to notify your contact?" Proxy asked, walking to the hatch of their ship, weapons whirring as they were activated.

"Not yet," Starkiller decided. "Lest he thinks it starts now and we still need to hear back from him when Fett has let his guard down."

"Good decision, Master," Proxy commented as the ship's entrance ramp lowered. "I will engage the invisibility cloak once we have departed."

It was late afternoon when the agreed signal from Emmet came. Five long and one short one… The Jedi had been separated from the bounty hunter and was falling for the bait.

"Send the co-ordinates," Starkiller ordered. "Tell him to expect you to get him to safety."

"Of course, Master," Proxy replied. "You do not wish to eliminate him?"

"No," Starkiller pinched his lips. "He is an agent for the Empire. Vader still has use for him."

"I will make the proper adjustments to his entry," Proxy stalked off, disappearing like a shadow into the nearby overgrown bushes.

Starkiller shook his head, circling the small oval patch that had been carved out by a side river flowing into the main river. This is where he'd have to kill her, ambush her… if the agent did as instructed it would be over in mere seconds. Maybe there'd be enough time to make the agent forget his part in it…. But that was not priority. Priority was to get rid of a rivalling apprentice. He took a deep breath, drawing on the rage that was boiling in his chest.

Slipping behind a tree, he stood stock-still, waiting with bated breath, sensing the life forms around him like a blanket over the forest ground. He didn't have to wait for too long. Soon two presences entered his senses, one larger than the other. The acolyte… he tried to touch her mind, slipping through the tiny dips in the forest's whole presence to gain… something. More of her as a person, to see who he was going to kill.

A feather light touch flitted across his and he hissed. She had reached him… he frowned, letting himself blend into the other presence's hoping to evade her reaching around, trying to find him. Had she known he was coming? Had Emmet betrayed him? No… he hadn't, the agent's mind was clear and open. He had led her away, further and further away from the community. Soon, she'd be isolated enough….

He looked around the tree to where Proxy was standing, invisible, to give the signal to extract the agent once they had gone in far enough. Any moment now. Unconsciously his hands tightened around his two lightsabers, ready to flick them on and engage.

A twig snapped. Its crack reverberated within his head and the air in his lungs started to prickle. Her, it could only be her presence that was now close enough to send the prickles of electricity through his being. The low, not audible for anyone who did not know to listen for it, alerted him of Proxy's invisibility activating. Bird wings flapped rapidly, their cries of alarm made him smirk. Now he could hear the footsteps drawing closer. Confusion swam now in her presence.

So she must have lost the agent.

All the while she was walking right where he needed her to be. His hands had grown numb with how tightly he was gripping his lightsabers. Hate shall make him stronger, his passion far stronger than hers, he will be victorious. The seconds ticked by slower, his heartbeat slowed…

The footsteps stopped.

He felt the whirl of the Force being pushed into the ground. And then the soft thump of feet landing close.

Now.

Slowly, he stepped around the tree to come face to face with the one who would have been his replacement. No more… A small woman stood in front of him, brown hair twisted up in a braid out of her round face. This… this was to be his replacement? She regarded him through hooded grey eyes, seemingly unsurprised by his appearance. There had been no spike of surprise… of anything and she was open in the Force for him to read. Frowning, he simply watched her just as she did him. The Force flowed around her like a river and he could not quite describe what power she had. What advantages she held over him…

Failed Jedi, he reminded himsel. How strong could she truly be, if she had been pre-determined to become an Agri Corps?

"I know why you are here."

Her voice rung clear around him with no ounce of fear. How was she not afraid of death? Or was she so confident that she would win?

"Then you know how this will all end," he snarled.

"I will not pretend to know."

Anger spiked in his gut. He would not be talked down to as if he were a child. For all he cared, she could pretend all she wanted that nothing was certain about their fight. But he knew, he knew there could only one survivor and it would be him. Deep down in his bones, he knew this much.

Without a word, his thumbs twitched and the hum of his lightsabers drowned out the whispers of her presence. She did not even twitch and he swore he saw a weary look pass over her face.

"So be it." A hint of sadness was the only thing that had him pause.

A black shiny vibro sword appeared in her hand. Her grip was sure and steady. Someone had been training… he ground his teeth. The damned bounty hunter. No matter, he had years ahead of her. Carefully, he started to move in a circle, keeping his steps slow and deliberate. He needed to catch the perfect moment where her footing was unsteady. Like water, she shifted with him. Feet never leaving the ground, she kept her sword at the ready and her eyes never left his movements. Baring his teeth, he let out a growl.

He pounced. Leaping high into the air, he swung his sabers down on her from above his head. They crashed into her raised sword, sparks flying to the side and he pressed down. Her arms shook under the force of him driving into the ground.

"Give up, Jedi," he hissed. "And I will kill you quickly."

"I am no Jedi."

With a strength he had not suspected, she swiped their locked sabers down jumping to the side out of his reach. With a growl, he whirled around to block the jab aimed at his exposed side. Beginner's mistake. She circled him again, her calm façade grated on him. With a flex of his fingers, he swung his left hand up. A Force wave rushed out towards her.

She was not quick enough.

With a yelp she was thrown back into a nearby tree. He did not wait for her to fall down. Vision narrowed down only on her, he rushed forward. Her saber barely managed to be up in time to block his strike towards her head. The pathetic block she had thrown up he swiped down far too easily, lashing out with his other saber.

She jumped away.

Lightning crackled. A yell ripped out of him with the blue-white arc of electricity racing towards her. A cloud of dust flew up and blurred his vision. Irritated, he snapped his arms to the side, forcing the dust to shoot out of his way. His eyes shot open. In his distraction, she had jumped high into the air, saber poised to strike at him with his guard down. He only managed to bring up one of his sabers up in time to block her attack. For once, terror had his arms shake when their sabers met in another clash.

Victory was his! Gnashing his teeth, setting his jaw, he channeled the Force into his arms. With renewed strength, he pushed her back. Their sabers met again. This time he easily swept hers aside, leaving her to hastily back away.

The Force distorted. Wings flapped. Claws dug into this back, feathers clouded his vision. Pain seared down his back. Flailing out blindly, he tried to rip away whatever was attacking him. Blood started to come out of the gashes. More and more claws ripped down on him. The more he ripped and grabbed around him, the more it felt like joined.

He was not going to die to her. He was not going to die to a Jedi!

A loud pop rattled his ears. Stumbling, he yelped out to cover his ears. His insides felt like splitting and the agony… This time he barely felt himself screaming. The claws, the blood, the pain it all crystallised through suddenly. Victory was his! He had come too far to die now!

The Force coiled around him, responding to his desperate reach into its depths. It filled him with renewed strength. He lashed out, flinging his attackers away from him. Their spots in the Force flickered before dying completely. Panting, he looked around wildly.

Blue sparks hung in the air, sole feathers floated all around him. His gut curled when they flimmered for a mere moment. They dissolved out of existence. A cold feeling settled over him. Illusions… Panting, he turned his attention back to the Jedi who had bent over. Just out of breath as he was.

Coward… using illusions to attack him!

Her face shifted, her features didn't seem to stay in place. Something pulled on his mind. No, he will not be… Desperately, his hands shot out, searching out the presence in front of him. What had once been clear in the Force was slipping through his fingers like water. In his desperation however, he grasped at it.

A gasp of pain, had his pants turn into a smirk of certain victory. Grey eyes were ripped wide open. She hung in the air with her hands clawing at her neck as he slowly choked the breath out of her. Once her lips started to turn blue he threw her to the ground. Coughing, she rolled to the side, fingers digging into the earth trying to find purchase to haul herself to her feet.

He ripped her backwards. Grooves were left where her fingers had dug in. This time she whimpered. It soothed the agony still burning on his back. When had he lost one of his sabers? The one in his right hand flared to life again. She tried to scramble away.

Tried.

Air shifted. His mouth twisted. No, not again. The blue shimmering birds that swooped down were easily hacked away, shattering them. Pathetic… her desperation was reeking strongly in his nose now.

She was on her knees now. Snarling, he rushed forward kicking her in her lower back forcing her back on her stomach. Defeated… He kept his lightsaber hovering just above her. Completely and utterly at his mercy.

"Any last words?"

She turned over on her back to look up at him. There was no emotion on her face. Still the passive expression on her face when he first stepped out from behind the tree. How…? The same half-hooded stare halted him mid-motion. He opened his mouth to shout at her. Have her show any ounce of terror! Acknowledging that he had bested her!

"No!"

Another's desperate scream had a cold shiver race up his spine. The bounty hunter… he turned his head to look behind him. In the distance he saw a green blur rushing towards them. Someone was invested in saving this pathetic excuse of a Jedi. Whirling around to face his beaten opponent, he watched as she weakly tried to get to her knees again.

"No!"

Someone cared… his nose crinkled, disgust welled up inside him. How could anyone care for her? The blade's hum vibrated in his ears. Now or never… Red flashed before his eyes and he buried the blade through her back where her heart would be.

A gargled choke escaped her.

The ripple in the Force ripped all breath out of him. Her body twitched before she collapsed on her stomach. Panting, he tore the blade from her, leaving behind a smoking and sizzling hole in her back. In his ears there was a thundering crash of water against rock, hing, screams and distorted white noise. Through all of this, an agonized cry crystallised through.

He was swaying on his feet, his mind whirling at the shrieking ripples crashing all around him. What… no… how? He kicked her body away from him. She was the source of all of this! Get… he kicked her once more and as if time had slowed down, he saw her body roll into the large stream and disappear into the water. Her saber lay discarded to the side…

A shiver ran up his spine. Danger. Almost within a heartbeat, he had hopped onto the branches of a nearby tree. Not a second later, the ground underneath shook as a blast impacted it.

"Immediate evacuation recommended, Master." Proxy's voice crackled through the small headpiece in his ear. "Fett is notorious for going toe to toe with likes of you."

He knew that! Jumping to the next tree's branches, he felt the whizz of blaster bolts barely missing him. His sabers activated once more, he dared to glance behind him as he leapt to another tree. Fett stood where he had just stood previously. Near the charred ground where her body had been. Only he didn't move forward to chase him. Starkiller crouched down on the branch he landed on, itching to propel himself forward away from the cloying grief that started to seep through the air.

Yet, he halted.

Fett was on his knees, hands buried in the ground as he stared into the fast currents of the stream. The fool…

Shaking his head, Starkiller launched himself forward then. If a bounty hunter was so foolish to grow attached to their missions, they should have known the consequences of a failure. The rush to his ship was like a blur. All the time, the hair on his neck prickled waiting for Fett to catch up with him. But he did not.

Only when he crashed through the trees surrounding his ship, he felt the rage wishing to consume him all again.

"Proxy, go go!" He yelled, not caring if anyone could hear him for miles or not.

The sound of a blaster going off was his only warning. Searing hot pain spread in his shoulder and he felt himself getting knocked forward just as he reached the open ship entrance up the ramp. One lightsaber fell out of his now numb right hand. A metal arm yanked him inside, the metal doors banged shut and he felt the familiar growling of the engines already getting them off the ground.

Even through the pain, he had to laugh.

He had won!

No more rivals to his rightful place as Darth Vader's apprentice. Once he returned, no one would be none the wiser. Fett didn't even know who he was! It was perfect!

Now he could finally move on knowing he was the rightful apprentice.

AN: please do not kill me! However, there is a hint as to what has happened and how there is a chance that she might still be alive.