-OH MY LORD, THE CITADEAL ARC IS FINALLY OVER?
-YES. IT'S FINALLY OVER.
This is the final chapter that concludes the (longer than expected) Citadel Arc. Don't worry I also included stuff that will tie it all back to the main plot so we can start returning to some familiar continuity and characters soon.
I just saw SW 9 The Rise of Skywalker this Wednesday (it comes out earlier in France) and … I'll leave my comments for the end and will make sure to stay away from spoilers.
For now, let me answer some sweet, sweet comments:
-RKF22: Here is all that you ask (and hopefully even more ;) May the Force be with you and Merry Christmas!
-Hello: you raise a lot of good points. Concerning the power of the Inquisitors, I boosted them intentionally to make them a more credible threat, although they won't be the main adversary for long ;)
And I hope to be able to include as much of the SW lore as possible into this story, it would really help to flesh it out and ground it into the universe.
To answer your question, I don't know if Obi-Wan changed lightsabers on Tattooine… I'll look into it and might include it in this idea I have for an upcoming chapter.
Merry Christmas to you as well!
Those are all the comments for this time! See you in the new year and please enjoy chapter 15 of Never Too Old When You Have the High Ground!
He followed the sound of lightsabers clashing, his mouth unconsciously twisting into a triumphant smile. As the cacophony of blade hitting blade got louder, his inner glee only grew more intense.
He entered the newly constructed sparring arena. It was built for soldiers to train and practice their combat skills, but if ever a Force wielder was present, they were immediately given priority use of this large open space.
Sidious cast an admiring and self-satisfied look around him. He imagined what the Death Star II would look like once it was fully finished. For now, it was a just an amassing of disparate rooms built around the main reactor. It did not even possess a superlaser yet, since the Empire had yet to find a large enough Kyber crystal that could focus such a large amount of energy.
But Sidious wasn't worried about that. He had his best man, or should he say, his best woman, looking for a suitable replacement for the one that had been destroyed onboard the first Death Star. Remembering that event from not so long ago sent shivers of rage down Sidious' spine, which he reveled in, instead of releasing it into the Force.
He walked up to the edge of the arena to watch Darth Vader and the Grand Inquisitor dueling. Officially, this wasn't a fight to the death, but when two Dark Side users duel, even for practice, it ALWAYS is a fight to the death. If either man currently fighting before Sidious had killed the other, he would not have held it against them. It simply would have meant that one was strong, the other weak; and Sidious had no use for the weak.
It was part of the reason he had so much contempt for the Jedi. They believed that honor and mercy had their place in a duel; a deluded fantasy preached by peace-loving fools. As soon as you cross blades with someone, enemy or friend, you are fighting to the death; simple as that. You deliver each strike with all your hate, assault the enemy mercilessly, use your anger to grow your power, and in the end; you live, or you die. The beauty of such simplicity was not lost on Sidious.
Focusing back on the fight, it was easy to see who would end up dead. Vader was completely dominating the Grand Inquisitor. Each one of his strikes seemed to shake the Inquisitor's entire body; he struggled to even keep his spinning saber raised in front of him.
Vader delivered a two-handed swing that was so strong it destroyed the mechanism that made the Grand Inquisitor's blades spin. He was now stuck with a stuttering double-edged lightsaber which he did not have a chance to use as Vader brought his blade up to his neck.
Sidious watched as the Grand Inquisitor disengaged his weapon and straightened up to stare unflinchingly at Vader. One did not beg to a Sith, he knew this; and Sidious was pleased to see it. He looked over to Vader who held his blade less than an inch away from the Grand Inquisitor's neck, before extinguishing it and turning away to leave the arena.
Oh but it isn't over Lord Vader, Sidious thought darkly.
With enhanced speed, the Grand Inquisitor lunged at Vader, igniting his broken saber. The latter turned around at the last minute, catching the Grand Inquisitor in a Force choke, leaving him helplessly dangling in the air as he slowly asphyxiated.
Sidious decided it could stop now. He had enough to worry about and he did not want to add 'naming a new Grand Inquisitor' to his list.
"That's enough, Lord Vader," Sidious spoke from his towering position over the arena. "Release him."
Vader held Sidious' gaze for several seconds before lifting his hold on the Grand Inquisitor's neck. He fell to the floor, retching and gasping for breath as Sidious descended into the arena to meet them.
"Leave us," he dismissively waved off the Grand Inquisitor, who struggled to remain stable as he kneeled before his Emperor. "Meditate on your defeat."
The Grand Inquisitor said nothing, but Sidious could read his emotions like an open book. He hated him for this humiliation; he hated Vader for defeating him… Sidious grinned maliciously at all these strong feelings brewing inside him. They were what would make him become even more powerful.
"Yes, my Emperor." the Grand Inquisitor acknowledged curtly. He stood, turned around and left the sparring arena without looking at Vader or Sidious.
"You hesitated, Lord Vader," the Emperor remarked, taking slow deliberate steps across the arena. Vader followed him diligently, shortening his stride so as to not overtake his master. "His life was in your hands."
"I take no pride in claiming a weakling's life," Vader replied evenly, barely winded from the duel. "Killing him would not change anything."
"But now, he will seek revenge," Sidious goaded. "He will train and grow his power to challenge you again. And when that happens, he will not show you mercy."
"If he trained for a hundred years, he would not come any closer to defeating me," Vader replied. "I have done him a service by ensuring he does not die so easily when he faces a Jedi."
Sidious let out a low cackle that revealed his crooked and rotten teeth.
"Your power has been steadily growing since your encounter with Kenobi," Sidous was happy to see his apprentice flinch when he mentioned his name. "As your master, it pains me that I am unable to produce an opponent that can match your skills."
Sidious suddenly stopped walking, bringing Vader to an abrupt halt. He watched silently as his master gestured to one of the maintenance droids who came up to them.
Sidious removed his dark cloak that hid his face and body, revealing his creased, pale face that framed two hypnotic yellow eyes. Vader knew of a Sith legend that said you could see all the evil in the galaxy in a true Sith's eyes. It was part of why Vader was thankful Sidious always hid them under his hood.
He handed his cloak over to the maintenance droid who retreated back to the edge of the arena. His master was now dressed in an ordinary brown tunic, not unlike what he would have worn as Chancellor of the Old Republic. It was hard to associate his current appearance to the all-powerful Dark Lord of the Sith.
Vader was torn away from his thoughts when Sidious unobtrusively slid a lightsaber out of his sleeve and into his hand.
"Show me how powerful you have become, Lord Vader," Sidious' words gained an aggressive edge as he readied himself for battle. "Show me you are still worthy of being my apprentice."
As he spat out his final word, he ignited his red lightsaber and released a flurry of Force lightning from his other hand.
Vader barely had time to ignite his own lightsaber and catch Sidious' lightning on the blade.
"Strike with all your hatred!" Palpatine growled before stabbing his sword towards his apprentice.
Vader deflected the attack, following up with two-handed swing aimed at Sidious' head, which he deftly avoided. Vader's blade cleaved through the air and into the ground, leaving a long scorch mark on the floor.
Sidious followed up with a series of jabs and slashes at his apprentice, which he blocked well. Vader attacked with powerful blows and brunt attacks which Palpatine made sure to dodge rather than block.
Eventually, Sidious saw an opening on Vader's left flank exposed and delivered a powerful Force push that sent his apprentice flying through the air and into the arena wall.
Vader blinked the pain and confusion out of his eyes, trying to refocus on his opponent just in time to block a swing that would have split his head in half. Sidious aggressively pushed against Vader's blade. The latter was down on one knee; his master putting all his body weight into pushing their locked sabers closer to his helmet.
However, in terms of pure physical strength, Vader had his master outmatched. He pushed himself to his feet, completely shifting the balance of power. He now towered over Sidious and was putting all his strength into breaking his defense.
A confident smile graced Vader's lips under his mask, but it quickly disappeared when he saw the sadistic grin on his master's face.
A second later, he felt a searing, stabbing pain in his abdomen. He looked down and saw a second red lightsaber in his master's other hand, ignited into his stomach. Vader imagined his guts were completely carbonized, not that he had much use for them anyway.
Vader did not have time to further comprehend his wound before a familiar pain coursed through every fiber of his body. From the ends of his teeth, to the receptors in his mechanized toes, Sidious' Force lightning threw all his senses into disarray. He couldn't move, and he was not going to scream. All he could do was bear the pain.
When it finally stopped, Vader stumbled but managed to remain on his feet. Gathering up his strength, he managed to lift his head up to look at his master. His two lightsabers were gone, no doubt returned to their respective sleeves. His hands were now hanging loosely in front of him, like scraggly branches on a withered tree.
"Now…" Sidious' empty voice echoed in Vader's ears. "Would killing YOU change anything?"
His hands stiffened into claws as he unleashed a storm of Force lightning onto his apprentice. Sidious was impressed and amused that Vader was still able to stand, even as his skeleton became visible through his armor.
Sidious waited ten full seconds before releasing the tension in his hands and stopping his apprentice's torment. Vader sunk down to one knee; head down, barely moving. His entire body was smoking; a smell of charred plastic and flesh wafted through the air. His damaged respirator turned his breath into desperate wheezes.
"Do not think yourself above failure, Lord Vader," Sidious whispered ominously as the maintenance droid handed him back his cloak. "You have still to reach your full potential in the Dark Side of the Force. It is this same arrogance and weakness that left you unable to save Padmé."
Vader did not move as Sidious left the arena. Only once he sensed his master was gone, did he let himself fall to the ground; a smoking, broken mess. He felt a painful clench in his heart, and a burning sensation at his tear ducts; but he knew they'd both stopped working long ago.
Rex proceeded cautiously down the empty corridors. Just because there was no one around, didn't meet that danger was absent.
Years of combat experience made him hyper-aware of any abnormalities around him, and for now, he felt nothing. He was being extra cautious, since a couple minutes ago he'd felt a sudden pain in his chest that lasted less than a second before disappearing.
The pain was familiar to Rex. He'd had a similar feeling when Fives and Echo died, the latter on this very planet. Rex had gone to see some healers at the time who'd explained it was possible to share the pain of someone with whom you shared a strong bond. He had dismissed it at the time as nothing more than a coincidence, but feeling that same sort of pain all these years later made him slightly nervous. Could someone close to him be badly injured? Or dead? Could it be General Kenobi? Or Ahsoka? Maybe even Luke?
Rex shook his head in frustration and tapped his blaster against his helmet, as if to physically shake out these errant thoughts. Old age really was making him paranoid.
Focusing back on the mission, Rex glanced up at the numbers on the cells he was passing. He was on cell 4220, so the next one would be…
Rex stopped nervously in front of cell 4222. It looked exactly like every other one he'd passed before it. There were no guards in sight, no added security measures that he could see. Keeping his hand steady, Rex keyed opened the door and ran inside, twin blasters raised.
It was empty.
Dammit, Rex cursed himself. That kid really was playing me for a fool.
There were clear signs that someone had been here, so why was…
By the time Rex realized what was going on, it was too late.
A body crashed into Rex from above, sending him to the ground, knocking his blasters out of his hand. Before he could react, two strong arms wrapped around his neck and a pair of legs wrapped around his torso. He was familiar with that hold; he'd done it hundreds, if not thousands of times during his initial training on Kamino.
"Thought you could get me that easily, huh?" a crazed but familiar voice whispered. "Think again, pal."
"Sorry about this, commander." Rex managed to say before swinging his head backward with all his strength into Cody's forehead.
The distraction made him loosen his hold on Rex just enough for the latter to escape his chokehold and jump to his feet. He threw off his helmet as Cody got to his feet, fists raised, ready for a fight.
"Cody, stop! It's me! It's Rex!"
He was relieved to see Cody's eyes widen in surprise. Rex was finally able to take a good look at his long lost friend. Like him, he'd let his beard grow out, though his was more of a stubble. Cody's once short dark hair had turned grey like his, but his brown eyes still held that intensity he remembered so well, if not slightly frenzied. And of course, he still carried that unmistakable scar around his left eye.
Cody paced around Rex slowly; his eyes were like a wounded animal's.
"Rex?" his tone was part disbelief, part sarcasm. "You think I'm an idiot? How dare you use my friend against me!"
Cody lunged at Rex with a raised fist which he managed to dodge by a hair. He used Cody's momentum to throw him across the room into a wall. It pained Rex to have to hurt him like this, but Cody's paranoia was making him dangerously unstable. He needed to pacify him as quickly as possible.
"Cody, stop this!" Rex tried again, desperately searching for his old friend in those haggard eyes. "Think; would an Imperial know about our mission to the Rishi moon during the Clone Wars? I shot a commando droid right between the eyes when he was dressed as a Clone Trooper! I left my handprint in eel juice on Echo's chest! How do I know that?!"
Cody stumbled back to his feet, baring his teeth, his eyes bulging out even more. He saw one of Rex's blasters on the floor, picked it up, and pointed it straight at him.
"Rex was my friend," his voice quivered as he choked back a sob. "Why do you torture me like this? He's gone! I killed everyone I ever cared about!"
"That's not true!" Rex held his hands up to show he meant him no harm, but Cody continued to point the blaster at his heart. "I'm alive! Ahsoka's alive; you remember her! General Kenobi is alive! He's here with us!"
"Don't you dare say that name!" Cody's scream was raw with sheer desperation and pain. "He was the greatest man I ever knew. Lowly scum like you don't even deserve to say his name. I betrayed him, and now he's gone; like all the Jedi."
Rex could feel that Cody was reaching the end of his rope. One wrong move and he'd risk firing at him or turning the gun on himself. He had kept this option as a last result, but now every other possibility was exhausted.
"You're wrong, my friend," Rex spoke slowly reaching into a compartment on his belt and producing a holoprojector. "He's still fighting for us; just like we did for him."
He activated the device and threw it at Cody's feet. He glanced down and dropped the blaster when a small hologram of Obi-Wan appeared. He picked the device up reverently and held it up so that his eyes were level with those of his former general.
Even though it was a recording, when Obi-Wan smiled, Cody couldn't keep tears from streaming down his face. He was older than during the Clone Wars, inevitably; but Cody still recognized those intelligent, compassionate eyes and that confident demeanor that he hadn't once seen falter.
"I am happy to know you are safe, old friend. I can only imagine that if Rex made us of this recording, it must be because you feel this is somehow all a trick. You believe that everything you cherished has been destroyed, and you live your life punishing yourself in the hopes of finding redemption. I want you to come back to us, Cody. We need you, and we have no interest in laying blame. We all know the man responsible, and he is the one who will pay, not you. Please forgive yourself, as I have forgiven you, and come back to us… May the Force be with you."
The holoprojector went dark as the message ended, but Cody continued to hold onto it. Rex waited several seconds before his friend finally lifted his head, his eyes, and cheeks red from tears.
"Rex?"
"Yeah. It's me."
Rex reached out his hand to help Cody to his feet before wrapping him in a tight embrace.
"It's good to have you back. Commander."
"Oh come on, Rex. Don't start with the honorifics."
Both men shared a laugh. Cody returned Rex's blaster to him, but he waved it off, picking up his second blaster off the floor.
"You're going to need it," he said grimly as he checked his ammo. "We still have to get off this rock."
"Let's make a stop by the armory first," seeing Cody's confident grin made Rex feel like they were both young men on the front lines of the Clone Wars. "I want my stuff back."
Surrender your heart…
I loved Satine… I told her during the Clone Wars: if she'd asked, I would have left the Jedi Order. Many would have thought me weak or lacking the will of a true Jedi. For a long time, I felt the same way.
"Remember, my dear Obi-Wan. I loved you always. I always will…"
Those words stayed scarred in my mind. Her death broke something inside me. I papered over it and soldiered on; focusing on my duties as a Jedi and a general, but they continued to haunt me. Those final words, and all that could have been.
My love for Siri was not as strong as for Satine, but her death chipped away a piece of my soul all the same. Her death; and everyone else in the Jedi Order. Mace Windu, Ki-Adi Mundi, Kit Fisto, Plo Koon… all fellow masters; all friends. Returned to the Living Force, with no hope of return.
Losing Ahsoka… Echo, Fives… I can't stop seeing Sidious's sadistic grin in my dreams, leering over all of them. They had all just been pawns in his intergalactic chess game.
Padmé… You represented everything the Republic should have been. A politician who stands for what is right and fair; who knows when to take action and never loses hope.
"Obi-Wan… There's good in him… I know… I know there's… still…"
Oh, Padmé… There are days when I think of you; nights when I dream of you. Your unwavering optimism and unflinching resolve… I can't help thinking your death was in part my fault. Had I not snuck on your ship and inflamed Anakin's rage, or if I'd simply been a better master to your husband. I felt a connection with you like no other. I swear Luke and Leia will see their father again. On my life; I swear it.
…
Anakin…
"Master. I've disappointed you. I haven't been very appreciative of your training. I've been arrogant, and I apologize. I've just been so… frustrated with the Council."
Anakin, if anyone should have apologized, it was me. I was so focused on the end result of your training, making you became the Chosen One, I failed to even consider how it affected you. I did not listen about your mother. I did not listen about Ahsoka, or Padmé. I did not protect you from Sidious, and I pushed you further into his grasp than anyone else.
On that day I promised that you'd become a Jedi Master, and I still plan to honor that promise. I have lost the right to save you, but there is another who will succeed where I have failed.
…
I recognize you all. Those I have loved, those I have lost… you are all in my heart, which I now surrender to the Force…
…
…
"Die, Jedi scum!"
"Your pitiful existence ends here."
The voices sounded like they were miles away. All Obi-Wan could feel was an all-encompassing clarity and serenity. He felt as though he'd shed years of armor and was taking his first full breath of fresh air.
He was still Obi-Wan. He knew that. But he was also Satine Kryze, Mace Windu, Padmé Amidala, Anakin Skywalker… He was them, and they were him. In that moment: he was the Force.
The shining dots appeared again on the Inquisitors; all connected by this cosmic thread that guided his saber. As his cobalt blade followed its pre-ordained path, Obi-Wan could feel hundreds; thousands of hands holding the hilt with him. He was them, and they were him.
…
And in an instant: he was Obi-Wan, and they were the Living Force. He crumbled to the ground as all energy left his body. The sharp pain in his side returned, though considering his entire body was numb, it did not distract him much. Obi-Wan couldn't move a single limb. His entire body felt like it was weighed down by a Star Destroyer. All he could manage was to turn his head to the side and lay eyes on the crippled bodies of the two Inquisitors.
"I really hope Rex freed his buddy by now!" Muna yelled at June as she fired more shots at the oncoming Imperials.
"Looks like we're drawing all the Empis away from him," June shouted back with a smirk. She leaned around the corner, lined up her sights and shot a Stormtrooper square in the chest.
They had managed to free all the prisoners of the Citadel, which only amounted to several dozen people, all of whom were vital members of the Rebel Alliance and its allies, as well as some who claimed to be Jedi Knights or padawans.
"The landing pads are just up ahead," June bellowed to everyone behind her. "Kochew! Clear the way!"
The Wookie let out an appreciative and satisfied growl before unleashing the full might of her heavy blaster rifle. The shots shredded the Stormtroopers in front of her as she charged down the hall, with June and Muna behind her laying down suppressing fire. Inuzo, Rynthan and Nerrown brought up the rear with the escaped prisoners and commander Poin, hands cuffed behind his back. He kept an unreadable expression as Inuzo jostled him forward.
After breaking through the last line of Stormtroopers, the Rebels finally reached their objective: the landing pads. It was a large platform, delineated into smaller ones for different sized starships. The entire affair was precariously suspended above a lake of lava.
There were a couple TIE-fighters, some maintenance crafts, but the one that caught everyone's attention was the Delta-class T-3c shuttle with the Inquisitorius' crest stamped on the side.
"Nerrown, Rynthan, Inuzo, get the prisoners on that shuttle now! Muna, Kochew, form a line!" June yelled so she could be heard over the high winds and erupting magma.
As everyone followed her orders, June yanked Poin by his collar as he was heading towards the shuttle.
"No, you're staying right here." she whispered in his ear with murderous intensity.
Poin tried to reply, but with his gag it came out as an unimpressive slur. June pinned him against the crates she was using for cover to keep him from moving.
"Where the hell is Rex?!" she screamed at no one in particular.
"Speak of the devil." Muna said with a grin, pointing towards one of the entrances to the landing pad.
Two Clones, one in blue marked armor, the other in orange, were making their way towards them, firing coordinated shots at Stormtroopers that were pursuing them. The way they moved, dodged and fired with such coordination was mesmerizing to watch.
Cody and Rex vaulted over June's cover to kneel down beside her.
"Sorry for taking so long, lieutenant." Rex said, firing at the oncoming Stormtroopers.
"So this is who we came all this way to save?" June said with a smirk and an inquisitive eyebrow raise.
"Lieutenant," Cody began, his tone heavy with remorse. "I can't even begin to— "
"Save it," June interrupted. "I'm glad to see you're safe, Cody."
The Clone paused, and June could swear she saw him smile under his helmet.
"Thank you, lieutenant."
June nodded to him and removed a communicator from her belt. She switched it back on and spoke distinctly into it:
"Rogue Shadow come in… Juno, you read me?"
After several seconds of nerve-wracking static, the response came through loud and clear:
"I hear you, lieutenant. I have a lock on your position. Standby for pickup."
June heard the familiar roar of the Rogue Shadow as it flew over the landing pads and slowly made its descent, boarding ramp extended. Meanwhile, the stolen Imperial shuttle was already flying away.
Suddenly, blaster bolts hit the undercarriage of the Rogue Shadow. Looking back towards the Citadel, June saw the three surviving Death Troopers leading several squads of Stormtroopers towards them.
"Time to get out of here! Go, go, go!"
They did not need to be told twice. Kochew and Muna made a run for the Rogue Shadow. Rex and Cody covered June as she unceremoniously dragged Poin across the landing pad, up to the boarding ramp and threw him onto the ship. Rex and Cody jumped onboard, immediately running up to the cockpit to help Juno.
Juno stepped onto the Rogue Shadow and immediately felt it take off as Juno moved it away from the landing pad. A wave of relief and joy washed over her. They'd done it.
The blaster round that hit her in the spine was like a lightning bolt. Her legs gave out from under her; she felt herself tipping backward; falling over the edge of the open boarding ramp, towards the lava lake below…
A slow smile graced her features…
…
She felt a large paw grip the front of her uniform; she heard a growl and a roar, and next thing she knew; she was thrown inside the Rogue Shadow beside Poin who was writhing on the floor like a beached Relix.
"You said it yourself," Kochew let out a soft growl, smiling down at June. "No one else dies today."
June blinked several times, struggling to understand how she was still alive. Then tears began streaming down her face as she realized everything that was happening; she couldn't feel her legs, but the mission was a success.
Her emotions were thrown astray when her eyes fell on Poin. All empathy left her eyes as she yanked the gag out of his mouth.
"Kochew. Help me up."
The Wookie complied with a low groan, picking the lieutenant up into her arms. June dragged Poin by his throat up to the edge of the open boarding ramp. His cynical, bemused smile was still an eyesore.
"Oh come now, lieutenant; this isn't you," his snake-like tone matched his predatory eyes. "You aren't a cold-blooded killer. You're a soldier, with a conscience. Murdering a defenseless enemy is not in your character. I know— "
Poin's speech was cut short by the hairpin that June stabbed into his carotid artery. As blood began spurting out of his neck, June pulled him closer to her; staining her face with his blood:
"You sealed your fate, when you hurt my family."
She loosened her grip on his collar and watched as Poin's gesticulating, bleeding body fell into the lava lake. The molten magma eagerly swallowed up the commander of the Citadel; a title that would bear no successors, since a couple seconds later the entire tower was engulfed in an enormous explosion.
Obi-Wan heard a loud detonation in the distance, but he couldn't move his body to determine where it originated from.
He saw the two Inquisitors turn on their side to face him. They were losing blood rapidly from their severed limbs. The hatred in their eyes was replaced by pain and resignation.
"You are a coward, Jedi," the Fifth Brother muttered, trying to focus his gaze on Obi-Wan. "You are still unable to kill us…"
"My actions were the will of the Force," Obi-Wan replied, looking up at the red and orange ashen sky of Lola Sayu. "If the Force chose to let you live, then there is a reason for it."
The Seventh Sister let out a derisive laugh, swiftly followed by a violent coughing fit. She spat blood out of her mouth, trying to control her breathing:
"We will bleed out long before any help arrives. And even if we survive, the fate the Emperor reserves for us is far worse than death. Is that what the Force wills?"
Summoning all his remaining strength, Obi-Wan propped himself up to look at the two Inquisitors.
"Do you want to find out?"
The Inquisitors were completely incredulous. Obi-Wan extended his good arm towards them, a kind smile gracing his features. After a few seconds, the Seventh Sister placed her undamaged hand over his and the Fifth Brother placed the stump of his arm over them.
"Now; feel the Force."
Obi-Wan closed his eyes, brought them into his meditation, and showed them all that they had failed to see.
Obi-Wan could feel the Inquisitor's emotions unraveling and burgeoning like a flower. Their pain and resignation became relief and happiness.
"It's beautiful…"
"The most beautiful thing I've ever seen..."
With those final words, Obi-Wan slowly let them return to the Living Force until he was left alone, immobile on the plains of Lola Sayu. Well, maybe not alone.
As he looked up at the sky, a familiar face, made out of lava and rock, leaned over to look down at him.
"I'm sorry for going against your will. I only wanted to make sure you were safe."
"No," the beast shook its head with a smirk. "Jedi did right. Thank you for freeing my planet and my people."
Before Obi-Wan could ask more, he saw a familiar ship fly over him and land somewhere off to his left. A couple of seconds later, he felt two strong pairs of hands lift him up, and a familiar face looked down at him with a wide smile and a tear in his eye.
"Glad to see you alive, general."
"Come now, Cody. It takes more than that to kill me."
Rex and Cody carried Obi-Wan back to the Rogue Shadow which quickly took off as the ground beneath it liquefied back into lava. As they climbed higher into the planet's atmosphere, an incredible spectacle unfolded before their eyes.
Several lava beasts emerged from all over the planet, tearing down the remaining parts of the Citadel to sink it beneath the magma. And where it used to stand, five statues formed out of the molten lava, and as they solidified, the Rebels made out Yva, Ova, Plorg, Katerina, and Markin, standing tall and proud, watching over Lola Sayu; the planet they helped liberate.
The Empire will never forget this.
"My Lord, my mission was successful." the cloaked figure spoke, kneeling down; eyes lowered.
The Emperor did not bother turning his chair to face her. While the news she brought was pleasing, what he had heard before she arrived irritated him greatly.
"My plan to kill Kenobi has failed," Sidious muttered in a low pitch that betrayed profound rage. "He has freed his Clone compatriot, as well as other Rebel and Jedi prisoners, and destroyed the Citadel on Lola Sayu."
The cloaked figure said nothing. She had served her master long enough to know that sharing your opinion before the Emperor was akin to a death wish. If he did not ask you anything directly, it meant you stayed silent.
"I sensed something… strange on that planet," Sidious muttered. "A power; a connection that I've never felt before. I fear Kenobi may be growing more powerful than I anticipated."
The cloaked individual frowned at hearing her master talk about fear. For HIM to be afraid of something, must mean that this so-called Kenobi was a real threat.
"I have decided to restructure the Inquisitorius," Sidious continued. "From now on, they will all travel together when hunting Jedi, to ensure strength in numbers. Their individual power is no longer sufficient to defeat these last surviving Jedi."
Sidious lifted himself out of his throne and slowly walked up to the large window that gave an unobstructed view of the majesty of space.
"I am tasking you with a new mission. The most important one yet," Sidious turned to the cloaked figure, looking down upon her kneeling figure. "Kenobi is training Anakin Skywalker's offspring. Eliminate them both."
"Yes, my lord." she acknowledged before rising to her feet and turning away to leave.
The Emperor's voice stopped her just as she was passing the door:
"You will be working alongside Lord Vader. I am naming you his direct superior. He will report and take his orders from you. Make good use of him, Mara Jade."
"Yes, my lord."
After she left, Sidious contemplated the galaxy outside, and couldn't help a low, raucous laugh to escape his lips, echoing across his empty throne room.
"Oh come on, Chewie!" Han lamented in frustration. "That one here, and this one there! How many times do I need to say it?"
"You said the exact opposite two seconds ago," the Wookie growled back, equally frustrated. "If you're so smart, why don't you do it."
"Alright, you big stupid hairball," Han muttered, grabbing the wrench out of Chewie's paw. "Why don't you go make sure the weapon batteries are fully charged."
"Fine." Chewie let out a short groan before going inside the Millennium Faulcon.
Han shook his head in disbelief and turned his attention back to what Chewie was working on. Great! Now I don't even remember what is what.
Han dropped the wrench in exasperation and turned away from the undercarriage of the Millennium Faulcon. He let his eyes wander around the large hangar, looking at the various groups of Rebel busying themselves with their duties.
What caught his attention was the group of kids holding wooden swords and waving them nonsensically at an old man who dodged them all easily. He was throwing good-natured insults and taunts at them as they desperately tried to hit him, but ended up smacking each other with the wooden blades.
Han was unable to keep a smirk off his face. He could not wait to see the look on the old man's face when he returned and all his students were covered in bumps and bruises.
Bam!
Han turned his head in surprise, trying to identify where the noise had come from. It sounded more like a variety of noises, like objects being kicked and thrown everywhere. He followed the sounds to a Corellian Corvette, the Tantive IV, stationed next to the Faulcon. What he saw genuinely shocked him.
Leia was kicking empty supply boxes in rage and throwing pieces of scrap metal around like a child throwing a temper-tantrum. Her eyes were filled with such anger and annoyance, it caught Han off-guard.
After several seconds, she ran out of energy laying waste to everything around her, and sat down on one of the boxes, holding her head in her hands and letting out a frustrated sigh.
Han was about to return to the Faulcon and act as if nothing had happened, but a niggling at the back of his mind stopped him. It just didn't feel right leaving her like this.
Cursing himself for his soft-heart, Han slowly approached her and cleared his throat as subtly as he could:
"I can only imagine you thought I was hiding in one of those boxes."
Leia's head immediately jumped out of her hands. She looked at Han with a mixture of embarrassment and shame, before quickly turning her face away; but he didn't miss the puffiness and redness in her eyes.
"What's got you so bent out of shape, princess?" he asked as he started picking up all the objects which had fallen victim to her carnage.
"I really don't need your sarcasm or condescension right now, Han," she snapped back.
Leia quickly helped him clean up her mess, as Han observed her quizzically.
"Did you just call me by my name?"
"What?" Leia looked up from what she was doing, confusion and irritation marring her features.
"Not flyboy, or laser brain, or captain Solo'?" a small smile was forming on Han's face. "You called me by my name. You're definitely not yourself."
Leia put down what she was carrying to let out a long, drawn-out sigh. She looked at Han with a serious expression.
"Maybe I'm just being forced to grow up faster than I'd want to," Leia said slowly. "At nineteen I'm already supposed to be the adult in the room, help lead a galaxy-wide rebellion and stay smiling, hopeful and calm at all times."
"Yeah, can't say my nineteenth birthday was as eventful," Han said with a smirk, which Leia did not respond to. "You were dealt quite the cards, princess."
"I just…" Leia's voice quivered slightly but she brought it back under control. "I'm just so scared I'm doing something terribly wrong. My father and mother are gone; general Kenobi has left on a foolhardy mission from which he might never return… I just… want someone to show me the way."
Han felt like a fish out of water. He just wanted to leave and go tighten bolts on the Faulcon for hours or beat himself over the head with his wrench. Dealing with a crying, emotional Leia felt way beyond the call of duty.
Oh come on, stop being a coward. Who are you trying to kid here?
With cautious steps, Han walked up to Leia, gingerly placed his hand on her shoulder and patted it slowly.
"I don't know anything about being a leader, or a diplomat, or a politician," he spoke with measured caution. "But I want you to know I never would have hung around the Rebels any longer if you weren't there to lead them. From where I'm standing, you're doing just fine. I can't show you the way, but whichever way YOU choose, I'd be willing to follow it."
Leia stared for several seconds into Han's hazel-brown eyes. All her worries and frustrations were completely forgotten. It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on her head.
"Provided I was properly compensated." Han added with a sly smirk.
And that was the second bucket of ice water. Leia burst out laughing, doubling over and taking several steps away from Han to catch her breath. The smuggler watched her with a smile. Her laugh was beautiful and melodious; it was the most beautiful thing he'd ever heard. This woman was truly something else…
What am I saying…
His inner cursing was interrupted by a soft kiss he felt on his left cheek. As he jerked his whole body away, he saw Leia retreating away from him, a coy smile on her lips.
"Is that enough compensation?" she said with a mischievous smirk.
Leia slowly walked away towards the hangar exit, leaving Han completely dumbfounded and unable to move or comprehend what had just happened. He didn't understand her, but even worst, he felt like he didn't fully understand himself.
"What are you doing!" Chewie's sudden roar made Han jump in surprise. "I thought you said you were going to work on the undercarriage."
Han glanced back towards Leia, but she had already left. He did his best to clear his mind and present his usual carefree look to Chewie.
"I was just seeing if they had the tool I needed," Han quickly covered up, glancing at the boxes around him. "Maybe I'll just wait for Luke to come back so he can take a look at it."
Han confidently walked past Chewie, making his way back to the Millennium Faulcon.
"Why is there a kiss mark on your cheek?" the Wookie asked with a grin.
Han fiercely wiped his left cheek, not bothering to reply to Chewie who was bent over laughing and growling, drawing the eyes of everyone in the hangar.
I swear that woman will be the death of me…
AND THERE'S CHAPTER 15!
A MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL AND THANK YOU TO EVERYONE READING THIS STORY. FROM THOSE WHO'VE BEEN HERE SINCE CHAPTER 1 TO THOSE WHO JUST RECENTLY STARTED READING, THANK YOU ALL FROM THE BOTTOM OF MY HEART!
I saw SW 9 last week, and honestly it was disappointing but it really felt like that was the only way it could go. Seeing how Last Jedi completely threw a wrench into the entire story and arcs of so many important characters, SW 9 was left with the unfortunate job of having to pick up the pieces and glue it all into something sufficiently coherent and satisfying. Honestly with what they were given, they did a fairly admirable job.
Enjoy your Christmas, new years and holidays, and see you next year! MERRY CHRISTMAS!
(can I get a favorite, follow or comment as a Christmas gift? ;)