Author's Note: We've done it! We've made it to another exciting finale! Thank you so much for all of your love and support for ninety chapters. I'm over the moon to have made it this far alongside you and I look forward to many more installments. Thank you for helping me reach new milestones! As of right now, Chapter: 90 is the longest addition to "The Frozen Force" and this series is the longest story that I've ever written. None of this is possible without amazing readers like you. So thank you so much, and enjoy the show!

Long Live Imagination,

THE FROZEN FORCE: SEASON III FINALE

Chapter: 90 Fallout (Part II)

"Where there is life, there is hope."

Mission into the unknown! After intercepting a transmission regarding Dr. Morzetti's whereabouts, Anna and Elsa Dellian led a rescue team to the planet Ahch-To. During the mission, they uncovered a mysterious facility and learned that Morzetti was secretly working for the Revenant all along. As Anna tells her companions about the scientist's sinister plan, the fate of the galaxy rests in their hands...

The deaths of millions tended to be an exaggeration. It was a stereotypical hyperbole used by media outlets to incite fear. But as Anna Dellian continued to elaborate on the Revenant's plan, the death toll became a genuine threat. The Ahch-To island facility had descended into sheer chaos. While a Republic cleanup crew delved into what was left of it, their salvaging gear whirred throughout the darkness. Clone troopers hauled captured cultists out of the wreckage and military leaders held an emergency meeting via a quickly-deployed holotable.

"Do you understand how outrageous this all sounds?" Lieutenant Commander Krennic sputtered. His narrowed eyes darted between Watcher and Anna. "You're telling me that some slobbish Hutt is in possession of nuclear weapons? And to make matter worse, Dr. Morzetti was working for the cult this entire time?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying," Anna asserted while Krennic shook his head.

"I assume she told you all of this?" Krennic muttered.

"Yes," Anna fired back. Her brows furrowed confusedly as she glanced at Sergeant Blazer. "But things backfired. During the interrogation, she revealed a hidden explosive." Anna's lower lip quivered as her gaze listed across the floor. "She tried to take our lives with hers, but we escaped in time."

"These cultists have been gloating about their plans from the start," Watcher said. "They believe that whatever they go through with is superior to all other methods. Clearly she made such confessions with the belief that they cannot be stopped. General Dellian-" Watcher continues. "-what else did Morzetti tell you before she died?"

Anna sighed and gestured to the facility's smashed computers. "She was using this lab to experiment on purrgils," she said. "The creatures apparently posses the ability to travel between star systems. Morzetti was copying purrgil anatomy to perfect her designs for something she called 'hyper-nukes'. The Pale One wants a galaxy reborn, and is planning to launch these nuclear projectiles from his base. Once in space, each hyper-nuke is programmed to target densely populated cities across the galaxy. These things are literally going to jump into lightspeed and collide with planets if we don't stop them!"

The mustachioed hologram of Admiral Yularen stepped forward. "Exactly how many of these 'hyper-nukes' are we contending with?" he queried.

"Enough to change the galaxy forever," Anna answered. "At least according to this lunatic."

In that instant, a clone officer's projection ran up and whispered something to Watcher. She nodded to him before addressing the others. "One of my men has just found a commonality in the Revenant's lightspeed skipping trajectories. It took some rigorous referencing, but we've pinpointed all ships converging on a single coordinate...S-15."

Anna's eyes widened as her blood boiled with unbridled rage. "Are you kidding me?" she blurted at a startling volume. S-15...Those coordinates were branded into her brain along with Master Mattias' silly song. Anna groaned as the memories returned. "Scarif?" she scoffed. "These freaks are camping out, praying to some smelly outcast Hutt, probably roasting tip-yip, and plotting galactic armageddon...ON MOTHERKRIFFING SCARIF?!"

"Scarif?" Speedy inquired.

"It's only the worst planet ever!" Anna growled while pushing aside traumatic memories. "We should blow that world up and call it a day."

"Reel it in, General Dellian." Watcher scolded.

"Oh I'm fine," Anna assured while clenching her fists and gritting her teeth. "Just fantastic."

"Well if you're so calm," Watcher snarked. "Go get your sister and prepare for an immediate briefing. Time is of the essence and we'll meet again on the Deliverance."

Anna stomped out of the facility while grouchily muttering to herself. Speedy sought to go after her, but Blazer stopped him. As Anna emerged from the crumbling observatory, she noticed Elsa standing along the island's shoreline. The eldest Dellian let the island's brisk, gentle waves skim her boots while the freed purrgil floated before her. Liberated from the cult's experimental machinery, the creature was already beginning its healing process. It dipped its bulbous head towards Elsa as she placed her pale palm against it. She closed her eyes and the purrgil mimicked her gesture. Together, they steadied their breaths and became one with the Force. Elsa took in every moment of the purrgil's existence. She listened to its robust heartbeat and felt its proud fins.

"Go in peace," Elsa whispered and caressed its rubbery skin. She smiled softly, opening her eyes just as the purrgil did. Its massive, chalky orbs looked to the clouds above as it began its ascension. The whale's bold moan was almost melodious amidst the silver sky. As the purrgil departed, Elsa gently patted the droid on her shoulder. Sir Porgen chirped as she lamented, "Let's just hope there's a galaxy left for that purrgil to live in. Or any of us for that matter."

"That depends on what we do next," Anna remarked.

Elsa glanced over her shoulder and murmured, "Do you think it's all true? That the Revenant really has nuclear weapons at their disposal?"

Anna sighed. "I don't think Morzetti had a reason to lie. Watcher wants us to meet up on the Deliverance. They've tracked the Revenant's launch location to-" It even disgusted Anna to reiterate the planet's name. "-Scarif." She noticed Elsa's discomfort and tried soothingly rubbing her back. "I know it'll be rough returning their but-"

"That's not it," Elsa replied and Anna tensed up. "Something still doesn't make sense to me. Why would Dr. Morzetti blow herself up after divulging crucial information to you?"

Anna briefly bit her lip before answering. "The kriff if I know. She was probably stalling to get my boys and I into killing position. Luckily, it failed." Anna intoned and started walking off.

"But then why not just say anything then?" Elsa questioned. Her new inquiry brought Anna to a halt as she subtly winced. "If she was going to kill herself anyway, why would she bother telling you-"

"Because she just did!" Anna snapped. Noticing how Elsa flinched made Anna lower her voice. "I'm sorry. It's just that...millions of lives are on the line right now. We can't waste time dwelling on this and we shouldn't keep Watcher waiting."

Anna tried departing as Elsa spoke again. "Sis," the eldest Dellian said. "You see what's happened between Master Yelena and I." Anna averted her gaze from Elsa and shut her eyes tightly. "The rift that it's caused between us..."

"What's your point?" Anna asked, feigning confusion.

"Are you lying to me too?" Elsa asked earnestly.

"About the hyper-nukes?" Anna scoffed. "Of course not. Why would I make up-"

"You know that's not what I'm referring to," Elsa asserted. Although she was inquisitive, she kept her voice calm and sincere. "Please don't lie to me, Anna. Did Morzetti really kill herself?"

No amount of oceanic breeze could hinder the sweat dripping down Anna's forehead. Her gaze darted out to sea as she sighed heavily. "Morzetti-" she huffed. "-exploded. Yes."

"That's not what I asked-"

Both Anna and Elsa's comlinks started to chime. "That's Watcher," Anna blurted. "We've kept her and the others waiting long enough." As Anna stormed off, Elsa was left to suspiciously trail after her.

Back on the Deliverance, the ultimate holo-meeting had been assembled at the command bridge. Elsa had never seen so many admirals gathered together and it only stressed how dire their situation was. The meeting was also attended by projections of numerous clone pilots and Chancellor Palpatine himself. "We must come to order," Watcher said to halt the admirals' chatter. Both she and Lieutenant Commander Krennic kept a close eye on the observant chancellor. Neither wanted to disappoint him as the briefing continued. "Now we know the Revenant has established a base on Scarif," Watcher continued. "If the information General Dellian retrieved is accurate, we're facing a crisis of catastrophic casualties. Our smartest maneuver would be to prepare evacuation procedures in all Republic cities. Get civilians underground, into shelters, and over to-"

"Evacuate?" Krennic scoffed and talked over Watcher. "Hide? I think not for our Republic. What kind of message would that send to the galaxy? The way I see it, we know where the Revenant is. We must prepare an immediate offensive strike."

"And how do you plan on stopping the hyper-nukes?" Watcher inquired. Krennic's silence was daunting as she continued. "Precisely. We're dealing with a new form of technology. The likes of which cannot be hacked by any devices aboard the Guardian.We couldn't even salvage a hindrance from the Ahch-To facility."

"And with the weapons' architect gone-" Palpatine grieved. "-we've lost all hope of achieving greater understanding."

Anna hung her head at the chancellor's words while Elsa glanced at her. The group watched as an officer approached Watcher again. "What is it, Spenz?" she asked. Her eyes widened at whatever he whispered to her. The information was so surprising, that she let him step forward to share it.

The clone's hologram flickered as he said, "We may have a means of disabling the hyper-nukes. It's a long shot, but there's a chance."

"Any chance is a chance," Anna affirmed.

Spenz nodded and continued. "I was scouring Republic records for useful intel when I found details on Separatist tech. The Republic was able to recover a Separatist recon module on Hoth some time ago."

Frost and Elsa's eyes lit up as if they were of hive mind. Memories of their very first meeting came flooding back as Elsa recalled digging him out of the ice. She could still see his frost-covered body clinging to the very module Spenz was referring to now.

"The recon module was taken back to Republic intelligence for thorough examination," Spenz continued. "Investigative teams were able to link the module to a Lucrehulk-class battleship in the Outer Rim. After reverse-engineering the module, the teams learned that the Separatists were experimenting with digital viruses to shut down Republic operations." Spenz hurriedly scrolled through his datapad. "While the battleship was destroyed by a local insurrection group, it's possible that it still houses a virus capable of disabling the hyper-nukes."

"It's worth a shot," Elsa said. "What planet can we find this downed battleship on?"

"According to records-" Spenz read. "-the battleship crashed on the storm-stricken world of Eadu. We can rewire the recovered module to act as a search beacon."

"As viable of a plan as this is," Admiral Taka lamented. "I fear we may not have the time to investigate this claim."

"Then we split up," Elsa replied. "Commander Frost and I helped to recover that module in the first place. We'll follow it to the battleship and find a virus to stop the hyper-nukes."

While Frost nodded to Elsa, Anna stepped forward. "And I'll-" she huffed angrily. "-go to Scarif. The rest of us all should. We need to delay that weapons launch by all and any means."

"I concur with General Dellian," Admiral Shang said. "We must fight. If the Revenant does have hyper-nukes, they'd be fools to waste them on the Republic fleet. All we have to do is blockade the planet."

"It's a risky plan, young Shang," Admiral Yularen admitted. "But a blockade may force the Revenant into a stalemate and buy us the time we need."

"You give this cult too much credit," Krennic snarked. "You've seen the acts of terror they've committed across the Core Worlds. These numerous executions they call 'atonements'. They are fanatics willing to murder and die for their witless cause. We must bring Republic superiority crashing down upon them."

Watcher groaned at Krennic's rant and glanced at Palpatine. "What say you, Supreme Chancellor?" she asked. "Your word is final."

Palpatine took his time to process the rising crisis. Despite the overwhelming situation, he remained surprisingly calm. It was enough to make anyone wonder if anything fazed him. The old man presented himself as though he was always in total control. "Ready the fleet," Palpatine decreed. "Send a formation of our strongest Star Destroyers to blockade Scarif. I also want ground troops to descend upon the Revenant stronghold and bring an end to this madness. Smoke them out...All of them."

"Very good, Supreme Chancellor." Watcher said and bowed her head. "General Dellian, you'll be in charge of leading the ground assault once my teams pinpoint the Revenant's location on Scarif. Elsa, you and Commander Frost will go to Eadu effective immediately."

As her big sister nodded to Watcher, Anna said, "Elsa...we're gonna need all hands on deck for this assault. You trusted me at the Battle of Eshan." Anna took a deep breath. "Will you trust me again to lead and prioritize your boys?"

Despite her unclear situation with Dr. Morzetti's fate, Elsa had to keep herself grounded in the moment. They were facing chaotic destruction and Anna would need the 213th if she was going to buy Elsa time. "I...trust you," her big sister said. "Keep them safe."

"I will," Anna assured. "Just-" Elsa paused, awaiting her sister's conclusion. "-don't take too long, okay?" Elsa faintly smiled at her jest while the other leaders deliberated.

"We'll need more pilots," Watcher considered. "I'll contact Skull Squadron and brief them enroute to Scarif."

"We also must remember that all of the Revenant is gathered there," Admiral Taka added. "If they are as fanatical as Lieutenant Commander Krennic says, will a single clone battalion be enough to take them?"

Taka's grievance sparked an idea within Elsa's mind. "Might I offer a recommendation for reinforcements?" she proposed.

All holographic heads turned to her as Watcher said, "Go for it, Knight Dellian."

While Elsa told them about a certain Jedi, Chancellor Palpatine remained silent. He descended into his own thoughts before pulling himself back into the moment. "I must be going," he told Watcher. "Report to me on the assault's conditions."

"Yes, sir." Watcher affirmed as Krennic scrambled to get a word in.

"Chancellor Palpatine," he began. "If I may-" Krennic froze when Palpatine cut his transmission and left him staring into nothingness. His eye briefly twitched before he brushed off his embarrassment.

A Sith Lord was never late for a transmission, nor was he early. Count Dooku was prepared precisely when he needed to be. Locked away in his palace on Serenno, the count knelt before an engraved holoprojector. "Master," he brooded as a cloaked figure flickered in front of him.

"Lord Tyranus," Lord Sidious declared. "The rise of this cult is most...displeasing."

"Only say the word-" Dooku assured. "-and I will send forth the legions."

"No," Sidious answered. "Despite its unsettling threats, the Revenant shall be dealt with. Concentrate on driving the Republic deeper into the Outer Rim Territories."

Dooku knitted his silver brows. "Do you truly believe the Republic can defeat this threat without...interference?"

A scowl formed beneath Sidious' bulky hood. "Do not underestimate the tenacity of the Jedi. Although fueled by their blind arrogance, it has served them well. However, I have another mission for you."

"It shall be done," Dooku obeyed and bowed his head.

The tropical world of Scarif had set the surrounding stars aglow with a cerulean hue. Its scenic islands and vast oceans would've typically been a tranquil sight...if it weren't for the thunderous arrival of the Republic fleet. Colossal Venator-class Star Destroyers boomed out of hyperspace and glided into formation. Each massive craft's hull shined against Scarif's bright sun. With torrent fighters phased out of the Republic Navy, a squadron of Z-95s darted into action. The sleek, dual-winged fighters were incredibly maneuverable as they formed up. A group of Y-wing bombers was quick to follow them out.

A squadron of Fang-class starfighters heralded the arrival of the Republic's Mandalorian allies. Led by Fenn Rau, the bold pilot activated comms and said, "This is Skull Leader. All wings, report in."

"Hex, standing by." His righthand pilot was always at the ready. She steadied her Fang fighter alongside Rau's and optimized its laser cannons. Scarif's vibrant hue reflected off of her dark, T-shaped visor.

"Barcalos, standing by," said the Mandalorian on Rau's left. He leveled out beside his fellow Protectors and formed up with the Republic fleet.

"This is Darts," the clone squadron leader reported. "Checking in."

"Darts," Rau called. "Spread your Z-95s and Y-wings among the Star Destroyers. Secure the blockade."

"Right away, sir." Darts replied as his squadron dispersed.

The Republic presence was unsettling to one of the Revenant's scouts. "Lady Phina," he worried. "Lady Phina!" The masked Rodian was coldly calm as she approached the scout's monitor. The dark facility cast a series of daunting shadows over her slender frame.

Phina scoffed beneath her expressionless mask while observing the Republic fleet. "Just as the Pale One predicted," she hissed. "Their feeble blockade will only delay their reckoning. Send forth our fighters."

While maintaining formation, Hex tilted her head towards a blip on her scanner. "Rau," she said. "I'm reading multiple hostiles emerging from the surface."

"Copy that," Fenn Rau affirmed. "Admirals, we have fighters incoming. Based on their various, makeshift models...it appears that the Revenant has their own militia."

"Do they honestly think they can take on the Republic Navy?" Lieutenant Commander Krennic jeered. "They're only delaying their inevitable demise."

"Skull Squadron, you are clear to engage," Watcher declared. "There aren't enough enemy ships to defeat our Venators, so keep the rest of our squadrons in formation."

"We're on it, Watcher." Rau replied and tautly siezed his controls. "Skull Squadron, on me."

"Finally, some action!" Barcalos growled. The Mandalorian Protectors soared towards the enemy. Priming their lasers, they prepared for an easily winnable skirmish. Barcalos cheered as he opened fire and blasted the first fighter into scrap.

As Hex closed in and the skirmish ensued, she couldn't help but ease up on her thrusters. "Something's not right," she whispered to herself. Her helmet swiveled as she examined each incoming foe. While she was aware that the cultists were prepared to die, something about their death charge felt too easy...and almost distracting. As one of the enemy ships banked rightward, Hex glimpsed a cylindrical device latched on to its underside. Her heart sank and breaths hastened as she yelled, "Seismic charge!"

Rau's blue eyes widened beneath his visor. "Evasive action!" he shouted just as the charge deployed. "Disengage! Disengage!" The Fang fighters banked and swirled. They maximized their thrusters while the cult ships embraced death. The seismic charge briefly flashed before seemingly silencing all sound. Within the next instant, the charge exploded with an ear-splitting rumble. Wave upon wave of concussive, blue energy came surging outward. The cacophonous blast destroyed the nearby cultists as Rau and his fighters narrowly weaved.

"Hurry, Barcalos!" Rau grunted while heaving at his controls.

Even as Barcalos diverted all power to the engines, he couldn't stop the seismic surges from reaching his fighter's wings. The ship practically caved in on itself before exploding into a blinding fireball.

"Barcalos!" Rau yelled as his comrade's screams were silenced in the blast.

As if the seismic charge was some insidious signal, the true wave of Revenant fighters ascended from Scarif. "Ma'am!" an officer reported to Watcher. "Incoming hostiles!"

Watcher observed the battle via holograms on her table. If the seismic charge trap had shaken her resolve, she certainly didn't show it. With a vengeful flare in her eyes, she opened up comms to the fleet. "If it's a fight these cultists want, it's a fight they'll get," she declared. "Venators, hold formation and await further instructions. All fighter squadrons...attack." Watcher gritted her teeth. "Seek and destroy. Break formation and engage all hostiles!"

At Watcher's command, Republic ships launched into an all-out space battle. Red and blue lasers zipped across the blackness while fighters exploded between them all. Venators offered turbolaser support and sent tremendous barrages scorching across the battle.

Watcher looked over the battle with clenched fists. "Ma'am," Spenz reported. "We've located the island where the fighters took off from."

"Excellent," she said and reactivated comms. "General Dellian, you're up. We've got a fix on the base. Let's get boots on the ground and shut this down."

"It's about damn time," Anna responded from the Deliverance's hangar. She stood among her Deathchasers, Elsa's 213th, and the notorious Flying 54th. "It's go time, people!" she shouted, letting her voice echo throughout the hangar. "Get to the gunships!"

As red, blue, and green-armored troopers dispersed, Anna noticed her fellow Jedi leaders. While Master Chuza was conferring with Captain Talon, his Padawan remained reluctantly idle. Anna was quick to approach the Avinarian. "Gav?" she inquired as he shuddered. The Padawan's pale, speckled feathers ruffled and he painfully shut his eyes. "Gav," she reiterated. "We gotta move. Now's not the time to get cold feet." She knitted her brows at his uncharacteristic hesitation. "Come on. What's the matter with you?"

"You have plenty of soldiers," Gav cawed. His twitching eyes nervously scoured the floor as he continued. "You and Master Chuza are more than capable of-"

"That doesn't answer my question," Anna asserted. "What's wrong?"

Gav hung his head and sighed. "I'm not ready," he confessed. "I once thought I was, but failure after failure has proved otherwise. My emotions keep getting in the way. Even my master sees it. Coming here was a mistake and I-"

"Look," Anna said, growing impatient with him. "Elsa chose you for this. I heard her speaking to every one of these Republic bigwigs and vouching for you. Whatever you've done doesn't matter, because she believes in you now. You're meant to be here."

Gav shut his eyes and thought back to the last conversation he'd shared with Elsa on Avinaria...

"Why'd you say that?" he'd asked her. "After everything...why cover for me?"

"Because I believe in second chances," Elsa told him. "Regardless of your pull to the Dark Side, you came back. That means something, Gav. Don't live in last night's regret. Use it to grow and become a better Jedi."

Gav opened his eyes and took a deep breath. "And about those emotions," Anna added. "Just feel them. If getting pissed is what you need to bring out the fight in you, then do it." The Avinarian's eyes widened in surprise. "I'm serious!" she doubled down. "I don't know about you, but I'm sick and tired of these damn cultists. Get mad and I'll get mad with you. Okay?"

Gav started grinding his beak as he grumbled, "Okay."

"Then let's go!" Anna growled and energetically slapped his back.

Giving in to his anger and personal frustration, Gav stomped up to the nearest gunship. With her fellow Jedi revved up, Anna joined the Deathchasers and boarded LAAT-5. "I'm told that this is the fastest gunship in my sister's unit!" Anna hollered towards the cockpit.

"You're told correctly!" Donz responded while priming the engines. He threw a thumbs up to his co-pilot, Toto. "We'll take good care of you, General Dellian!"

"Let's take that island!" Anna cheered. "All gunships, launch towards Watcher's coordinates."

As the gunships poured out of the Deliverance's hangar, Admiral Shang led the Legacy into the raging battle above. "Force be with you, Anna." Shang whispered to himself while watching the gunships descend.

Amid the space battle, several cult craft swerved towards the deploying gunships. "Skull Squadron," Rau called in. "Move in. We must defend them from interception." On his orders, the Fang fighters rocketed into battle. Yellow sparks flashed from their laser cannons as they set incoming enemies ablaze. Despite their valiant efforts, they couldn't stop the cultists from blasting one of the gunships out of formation. The LAAT spun out of control before its fragments and passengers were incinerated in Scarif's upper atmosphere.

Those aboard the gunships clung to their handholds as they endured rigorous turbulence. Any ships that did breach the atmosphere immediately endured a barrage from rotating, anti-aircraft turrets. "Take evasive maneuvers!" Anna commanded as the gunships dispersed.

Donz pulled up on the controls and LAAT-5's passengers stumbled backward. "Hold on, everyone!" he grunted while weaving through the clouds. The gunship next to his took a heavy blast to its underside and had him ascending.

Anna gritted her teeth and pulled her way towards the cockpit. Her free-flowing, auburn locks fell victim to gravity's will as the gunship twisted through the air. "Pilot!" she yelled over various blaring alerts. "Can...you...land?"

"That barrage will tear us to pieces before we hit sand!" Donz shouted back. "We can land, but I can't guarantee how many of us will make it. I've seen this type of ship-tracking artillery before."

"Then we'll just have to give them something harder to shoot," Anna suggested and activated her comlink. "All gunships. Open your hatches and prepare for emergency jet drop."

"Are you serious?" Speedy blurted. "General, that's a long way down."

"And a jet drop is our best option," Anna intoned and reached into the hold's overhead compartment. The clones around her followed suit and each withdrew a bulky jetpack. As each soldier equipped the unique device, Donz noticed a cult ship approaching at tremendous speeds. The elder clone's jaw dropped when he noticed the cylindrical explosive magnetized to it.

"Seismic charge incoming!" Donz yelled. "It's now or never!" he warned. "All units...Jump! Jump! Jump!" Gunship hatches slid open as their passengers sprung out among the clouds. With heads tilted and arms spread, the troops began a perilous skydive towards the island below. Surely enough, the antiaircraft turrets struggled to lock on as thousands of troops quickly descended.

Anna felt Scarif's powerful gusts blast against her face as she began her freefall. She flipped herself over to observe the seismic charge detonating overhead. "Holy kriff," she uttered as an indigo blast ignited several gunships. While others got clear in time, even a few jet troopers were vaporized in the explosion's radius.

The sight infuriated Gav as he darted towards the island. He and Chuza had fought alongside some of the fallen clones in dozens of battles. Heeding Anna's advice, Gav let his emotions fuel his power as he angrily descended. Anna and her Deathchasers folded their arms in and zipped to the surface like human missiles.

"Stay on target!" Anna grunted as the winds overwhelmed her. "Stay on target!"

"We're coming in too hot!" Speedy warned.

"Steady," Blazer assured.

While it had been a bulky blur at first, the Revenant's island had become a detailed stronghold. Once in range, Anna activated her jetpack and leveled out. "Deploy!" she yelled as the rest of the Republic's forces fired up.

Jetpack nozzles flared across the bright blue skies as literally thousands hovered over the island. Antiaircraft turrets were forced to fire at will and sent laser scorching through clusters of jet troopers. A pulsing green blade sparked up amidst the mass of armored jetpacks. Anna boldly raised her lightsaber and shouted, "For the Republic!"

"Flying 54th!" Captain Talon roared beside her. He drew his twin pistols and soared downward. "Dive!"

Since she'd become a knight, Anna had found herself fighting across many battlefields. But never before had she experienced such a pulse pounding and exhilarating charge into battle. She still had to remind herself that she was leading the charge. Time seemed to slow as she glanced leftward. Gav, Chuza, and the Flying 54th were rocketing down in a formidable mass. On her right, Anna could see the 213th gliding into the fray. The Deathchasers, her noble brothers, flew closest to her. As she admired her valiant ARF troopers, she recounted their bold words to her.

"We clones were made for war," Blazer had said. "Without it, what use would we serve?"

"Is that supposed to make me feel better?" Anna had told him.

"Perhaps," the sergeant considered. "What it really means is that it doesn't matter how many wars the Republic has in store. There could be a hundred conflicts right around the corner and you'd still have us at your side."

"Always," Sparx affirmed.

"To the end of the line," Speedy added.

Anna grinned as her squadmates' words set her heart ablaze. With saber raised and brows furrowed, she loosed a daring screech before colliding with an antiaircraft tower. She immediately drove her lightsaber into the structure and forced its wielder to emerge. Once he did, Blazer was quick to gun him down. "Push them back!" Anna ordered. "Clear a path for our gunships!"

From the moment Republic troops touched down, cultists emerged from a nearby jungle. While many of them used the trees for cover, a fanatical few triggered thermal detonators and ran out holding them.

"These guys are insane!" Speedy warned and blasted one of the grenadiers.

"Keep your distance, men!" Chuza hooted before Force-pushing an explosive away.

Rip and Doubles flanked around the jungle while the cultists were distracted. "Go for it, brother!" Doubles urged. "Smoke 'em out!"

With a frantic sweep of his flamethrower, Rip sent an inferno spreading throughout the trees. As smoke and flames grew, cultists were forced to emerge from cover. Once they did so, Talon and his men struck them with a laser barrage.

Anna ran alongside Gav as they rushed another turret. Their green blades swayed as one when they front-flipped to the antiaircraft nozzle. With a powerful swipe of their sabers, they damaged its critical systems. The turret combusted from within, and the cultist manning it emerged with an agonizing scream. He frantically flailed his arms as flames spread across his entire body. Anna and Gav leapt beyond the explosion and let the sand soften their falls.

"That's the last of the turrets," the Avinarian said.

"Let's get some air support then," Anna replied and activated her comlink. "This is General Dellian. We-" She raised a brow as a profuse series of staticky crackles emanated from her vambrace. "What the?"

Gav tried speaking through his device and found a similar anomaly. "We're being jammed," he hissed.

The Jedi glanced over at a durasteel spire beyond the burning jungle. "If that's the center of their operation-" Anna deduced. "-they've probably got a scrambler in there. We'll have to communicate with our troops the old fashioned way. Let's rally them and push to that building!"

"Anna," Gav worried.

"Now what?" she huffed, bracing herself for more of his emotional struggles.

"Something doesn't feel right," the Avinarian said. "Whether they believe in divine assistance or not, these cultists can't possibly win and they know it. Yet they're desperate to hold us off. They're literally blowing themselves up in an effort to take as many of us as they can with them."

"What's your point?" Anna murmured.

"They don't need to win-" Gav continued. "-they only need to stall. And I don't want to be around for what they're buying time for."

Anna scoffed at his theory. "Well they're not the only ones buying time," she retorted and dashed onward. As Anna returned to the battle, she couldn't help but think, Come on Elsa. Wherever you are...hurry up.

The vortex of hyperspace had always been an astounding spectacle. But such a sight was particularly unique in reverse. Elsa reclined in the gunner's seat of an ARC-170 starfighter. While still in the process of being phased into the Republic Navy, it was truly a comfortable and versatile craft. Elsa had managed to get some sleep during the flight despite her snug seating arrangement. The rumble of a high-powered hyperdrive mixed with the entrancing visuals of lightspeed almost had Elsa dozing off again.

"How are you holding up back there?" Frost called from the cockpit.

His inquiry garnered a gentle smile on her lips as she stretched out. "I'm alright," she said. "You?"

"Looks like we're about to come out of hyperspace."

"Frost..." Elsa queried. "You didn't answer my question." She could sense how pensive he was.

"Oh I'm fine," the commander insisted. "Just...shocked really. If we'd made one wrong move all that time ago. If I hadn't chosen to save that module, if you hadn't rescued me from the snow...the galaxy might be doomed right now." Frost glanced at the cleaned and modified Separatist module on his dashboard. "Maybe there is such a thing as destiny, hm?"

Elsa grinned at his words and rested her head back against the cushion. He mirrored the gesture as they sat back to back in the starfighter. "Nothing is without purpose," she said. "We are all precisely where we need to be...when we need to be there."

Frost bit back a hearty chuckle. He thought about every moment where fate had united him with Elsa. Their adventures had spanned across countless worlds and extended among the stars. With each passing venture, he'd come to better understand a feeling that came so naturally. Like all of his brothers, Frost was bred for combat. It was all he was meant to do in the name of the Republic. Yet beyond duty and orders, he was still striving to comprehend the freedom of choice...if it even existed. As the war continued to rage on, Frost had to believe there was some end to it in sight. One side had to yield. Tensions were sparking up to the point where people were willing to believe in a maniacal cult. Yet regardless of the winning side, Frost wondered where he would fit at the end of it all. He and the other clones had humored the idea of a Republic victory. They'd imagined what they'd look like, uniformed and medaled at some celebratory banquet. But none of that fanfare meant anything to Frost...if Elsa wasn't in his life. He shook off such outrageous thoughts, just as he had countless other times. Just as he'd stopped himself from telling her the truth beyond his heart's desires. Like so many times, he held his breath and shook his head. And has he denied those feelings, the starfighter's alert system chimed.

"Here we go," Frost said as the ARC-170 launched out of hyperspace. Eadu was a dark and cloudy orb in his cockpit's viewport. "We can expect plenty of turbulence down there," Frost warned. "So I'd-"

"Way ahead of you," Elsa answered as she took a motion sickness pill.

Following the module's modified beacon, Frost began their descent into Eadu's atmosphere. Their 170 glided downward and endured a rough entry. 'Turbulence' was an understatement as the ship felt like it was taking laserfire. Elsa clenched her seat cushions while rain pelted their viewports. Dark storm clouds limited visibility as Frost peered at his illuminated dashboard. Flight readouts flashed while the module's beacon kept chiming. The commander's eyes darted between his mapping system and perilous environment ahead. If he flew too high, he risked subjecting them to one of the storm's devastating lightning bolts. Taking the 170 too low put them in danger of striking one of Eadu's jagged cliffs. The planet's surface was perilously uneven. Deep mesas and narrow ridges formed a treacherous, geological maze.

"We're almost to the Lucrehulk," Frost grunted while trying to level out. The winds picked up and kept shifting their starfighter off course. He wanted to increase thruster speed, but he could hardly see what was in front of them. Numerous terrain warnings rang out from the ship's guidance systems. A nearby lightning strike and thunder clap had Frost's heart racing. "Almost there!" he shouted. His palms burned as he yanked on the controls. When the beacon finally signaled their arrival, Frost looked up to see a massive cliff. "Woah!" he yelped and took evasive action.

The starfighter's desperate roll caused it to spiral out of control. Warning sirens blared as Frost tried to stabilize. Elsa braced herself as another lightning bolt flashed across the cockpit. "Losing altitude!" the commander growled. "Hang on!"

Despite the cacophonous chaos around her, Elsa sought to calm herself. She unclenched the seat cushions, closed her eyes, and called upon the Force. Attempting to visualize the bottom of their ship, she channelled her energy into trying to lift it up. Although she couldn't stop the crash, Elsa managed to lessen the impact. The ARC-170's shields pulsed as Frost diverted all power to them. He and Elsa flailed in their seatbelts as the ship skidded along a gravelly plateau. Their hearts and breaths raced long after the ship came to a grinding halt.

Elsa threw her head back and let fresh, chilled sweat trickle down her forehead. She listened to the profuse patter of rain on her viewport and let it calm her nerves. "Frost," she panted. "Are you...okay?"

"Yeah...that was just like the simulations back on Kamino," he groaned.

"Really?" she asked.

"...nope," Frost jested as they shared a brief chuckle. "How far do you think we landed from the battleship?"

As if on cue, a lightning streak illuminated a titanic sphere just ahead of Elsa's viewport. "Not far at all," she remarked. "I hope you don't mind getting wet."

"I have a helmet," he answered. "It's you that I'm worried about." Elsa shrugged off his concern while he ran a diagnostic on the ship. "It'll still fly. We just lost our ventral countermeasures when we scraped on the ground."

"Well hopefully we won't need them," Elsa said as Frost opened their windscreen. The downpour instantly doused them as they dashed for the Lucrehulk. The towering, crashed battleship was a sight to behold as they approached it from beneath. They were like minuscule specks seeking shelter in a colossal structure.

The rainfall became a deafening echo as the duo stepped through a damp gap in the station's underbelly. Wires and broken panels dangled beside their wandering silhouettes. "Watcher," Elsa called in over comms. "We've found the battleship."

"Excellent," Watcher responded. "Start combing it for clues regarding a virus. Common Lucrehulk schematics show that your best bet would be on a research level or even command bridge. Make haste, as we can only buy you so much time."

"Of course," Elsa assured as a troubling thought took hold. "How...is the situation on Scarif?" she asked.

Watcher was brief and said, "We are doing our job so you can do yours."

"Understood," Elsa worried and activated Sir Porgen. While her droid's eyes served as her personal flashlight, Frost switched on the headlamps on his helmet. They scoured the rusted and dented walls for a directory of any kind.

"This won't be easy," the commander confessed. "I always felt like these ships were bigger than Venators and dreadnoughts. Lucrehulks are more like space stations for the Trade Federation."

As Elsa rounded a corner, her and Porgen flinched at the sight of a super battle droid. Like so many of its metal brethren, the droid had been scrapped or lost power altogether. The next corridor was like a battle droid graveyard teeming with the lifeless bodies Separatist units. "How-" Elsa and Frost murmured in unison.

"-spooky," he concluded.

"-sad," she professed. Porgen chirped and swiveled his head down the hallway. His bright eyes illuminated an aurebesh directory and pair of dented doors. "Nice work," she told her droid as they approached the signage. Rain continued to patter against the Lucrehulk's thick hull. Frost only seemed fazed when a distant howl echoed from beyond the shadows.

"Did you hear that?" he asked.

Elsa craned her neck and squinted into the darkness. Porgen continued to sway his luminous eyes while rainfall shrouded all. Frost backed off as thunder rumbled throughout the battleship. "It was like a sharp howl," he recounted. "It must've been the wind."

They pressed on towards the directory and Frost shined his light against it. Elsa slid her finger across the levels while whispering each title under her breath. "Maintenance bay...Armory...Research! It's only a few floors above us." Frost nodded to her and pried open the battered doors. His headlamps lit up a gaping elevator shaft as rainwater dripped down from overhead. Bulky, yet rickety latches kept elevators suspended in place above and below them.

"Looks like we're climbing," Frost huffed. He raised his head to shine light on the upper shaft. "I don't know how stable the elevator above is," he said. "I can't risk firing an ascension cable into it. How do you feel about heights?"

"The less we talk about it, the better." Elsa said. "That and I just won't look down."

"Here we go," Frost said as they shimmied into the duct. Grabbing hold of whatever ledges they could salvage, Elsa and Frost began their treacherous climb. Rainwater trickled against their bodies as they pressed upward. Thick droplets obscured their vision amid the limited lighting. As Elsa felt her boots leave the lower level, she realized there was no going back. While she didn't look down, the temptation pried at her. Just imagining how high she'd already climbed was enough to get her heart racing. Instead, she tried focusing on Frost's heels until they reached the wedged elevator. While Elsa was nowhere near her sister's physical conditioning, she'd seen significant improvement since becoming a knight. Her missions to various worlds had helped broaden her endurance. Still, she could feel her forearms starting to ache as she searched for a way around the elevator.

Noticing her discomfort, Frost took it upon himself to shimmy around the shaft and check for openings. He sighed in relief after discovering a slender indentation on the elevator's leftmost side. He cautiously slid his hand up into it and hurriedly retracted. "Elsa," he beckoned. "There's a clean shot to the other side. "It's a tight fit, but I think you can get through."

Elsa cautiously inched her way over to Frost and peeked through the indent. A steady stream of rainwater flowed down the opening as she swallowed hard. "I'll find another way for you," she insisted as Frost nodded. Tucking Porgen into her satchel, Elsa held her breath and climbed up through the entry point. Water dampened her robes and helped her slide though the narrow passage. Still, Elsa's heart sank the moment she felt her legs dangle briefly. Rainy residue drenched her hands and she nearly slipped.

Her mild gasp had Frost asking, "You alright?"

"Yeah," she whispered sharply and pressed onward. Relief came over Elsa as her head popped out of the passage. She hauled the rest of her body up and over the cabin. Elsa then dusted herself off and glanced at the vacuous space above her. "I'm through," she panted. "And it looks like it's a straight shot from here." Elsa knelt beside the indent and glanced at her hands. "Frost, I can use the Force to create a larger opening for you."

"Are you sure?" he worried.

"Now that I'm above the elevator, I can focus all of my concentration on simply widening the indent. Just enough for you to climb up."

"Just be careful," Frost intoned.

"Always," Elsa assured and lowered her hands towards the opening. A dreadful grinding sounded as she focused intently on the elevator's indentations. Metal clamored as Frost's helmeted head became slightly more visible.

"Okay that's good," he said while she held the opening in place. Frost heaved himself up to join Elsa above the elevator. As soon as he stepped atop the cabin, a sporadic grinding sounded. "Please tell me that's you," Frost grieved.

Elsa's startled demeanor proved otherwise. Her frantic eyes scoured the elevator as it started quaking beneath them. Even if she had secured the indent, shifting it in the slightest had thrown off its entire equilibrium. Elsa and Frost stumbled against one another as the surrounding latches creaked.

"The elevator's gonna drop!" Frost warned while Porgen panicked in Elsa's bag.

"Not if I can help it," the Jedi affirmed and spread her arms. Reaching out across the elevator, Elsa called upon the Force to steady its latches. She grunted under its rising pressure while Frost looked upward.

"You can't hold that forever," he said and aimed his rifle. Without any other obstructions, he was able to fire an ascension cable higher into the shaft. A reassuring clink sounded as he secured the wire. While gripping the rifle in one hand, he extended his other palm to Elsa. "Grab on!" he shouted. Elsa gritted her teeth as the elevator trembled beneath them. "Elsa," Frost beckoned. "The floor's going to give out from under us. Let go and reach for me. I'll catch you...I promise."

Despite her intense focus, Elsa's gentle eyes listed towards Frost. Realizing his ascension cable was their only chance, she quickly obliged. Holding her breath, Elsa released her hold on the elevator's latches. Within a matter of seconds, the elevator started dropping as Elsa lunged for Frost. Gravity took hold and the commander dangled from his cable. "Reach!" he called out with his hand extended to her.

Time appeared to slow as Elsa's hand met Frost's. Yet no matter how tightly he gripped it, nothing could end the unfolding nightmare. Desperation consumed him as he watched terror fill Elsa's eyes. Like the Jedi herself, his stomach dropped. Still soaked with rainwater, Elsa's hand slipped right through Frost's fingers. He haplessly clawed at the air, even as she plummeted just out of reach. "No...NO!" Frost roared. Elsa's arms flailed as she descended into the shaft. Sparks flared beside the elevator until her figure clanged against it. The cabin roof collapsed, and such an impact sent the entire elevator darting towards the bottom floor. Frost was left alone, dangling multiple stories above the spacious darkness. "E-Elsa?" he choked, still frozen in shock. His reddened eyes scoured what little of the shaft he could see until a horrific crash sounded from below. It was enough to send tears streaking down Frost's cheeks as he hopelessly cried out, "ELSA!"

The space battle over Scarif had become a distant blur above its cloudy skies. Those on its surface could still hear faint blasts permeating the atmosphere while the occasionally starfighter plummeted into the sea. Laserfire rang out across the beach as an ailing clone trooper was dragged along its sands. His helmet had been blasted clean off. Coarse, rough granules irritated his bruised face as a medic knelt beside him. "Just hold on, brother!" he yelled over the incoming blasts. "You're gonna be alright!" He injected a bacta supplement into his neck while Anna and Gav jetpacked over.

"What happened?" the redhead asked.

"They've got a gunner mowing us down at the base of the facility," the medic reported. "I pulled back, but the rest of the advance is pinned down!"

"Not for long," Gav cawed and charged alongside Anna.

As the Jedi traversed the scorched jungle, they approached a harrowing scene. Revenant cultists had their forces suppressed with several rapid-fire laser turrets. Furious sprays of scarlet bolts singed the landscape as Master Chuza held his ground. He flourished his blade, deflecting several blasts before observing his younger companions. "Nice of you to join us," he sputtered while Captain Talon fired beside him.

"Where the hell did these fanatics get so much firepower?" Gav asked while joining in the defense.

"They've had plenty of time to ready themselves," Anna said.

"General," Blazer called to her. "What's the plan?"

Anna peered out across the ravaged sands and observed each infantry turret. She noted their close proximity and declared, "Sword and shield maneuver. Master Chuza, Gav and I will draw their fire. The rest of you, push up and take the fight to them. Overwhelm and overcome!"

"Revan's redemption!" Chuza hooted. "Just like the battles of old, young Dellian." He twirled his saber and thrust it ahead. "Onward!" he declared. The Jedi trio rushed the guns, forming an emerald spectacle with their identically-colored lightsabers. The bright blades drew fire and collectively endured a profuse barrage.

"Keep pushing up!" Anna grunted while batting away lasers. "Don't stop!"

As the Jedi deflected shots, their troops advanced to launch their full offensive. Under the sword and shield maneuver, Republic forces were quick to overrun the Revenant's defenses. Blazer slid across the sands, steadied the Onasi blaster on his forearm, and fired a laser directly into a gunner's head. "Let's see someone in Clone Force 99 make a shot like that," he scoffed in an attempt to hype himself up.

Captain Talon soared overhead and jabbed one of his cybernetic hands towards the base's sealed doors. "Launchers!" he yelled. "Fire!"

At his command, a duo of jet troopers hovered behind him and aimed their rocket launchers. The projectiles sparked up, hissed through the air, and descended on the door. The ensuing blast was deafening and shook the facility's very foundation.

The durasteel spire rattled as Phina and her fellow followers were thrown off balance. The Rodian listened in as a cultist reported from the lower levels. "Republic troops have entered the base! Republic troops have en-" Her heart pounded at the ensuing static and she scurried to a private chamber. Pressing her elongated digits against a personal panel, Phina placed a private call. "My Pale One," she pleaded. "The Republic has broken through. We could not hold them and the blockade is still up!"

Despite the rising tensions, Monrak the Hutt remained calm. His gravely voice was as authoritative as it always had been. "My child," he began. "The Republic has proved to be a formidable and sinful foe. It's time to send them a message and pave the way for the rest of our galaxy's atonement."

He hadn't even finished his decree and Phina was already stiffening up. "My Pale One," she uttered. "D-do you mean."

"Launch a hyper-nuke," Monrak asserted. "Alter its coordinates and target a warship in the Republic blockade. With the way cleared, the rest of our warheads can launch to their designated planets."

"But-" Phina lamented. "Many of our fighters are still in space. They'll be-"

"They are prepared to give their lives in the name of salvation!" Monrak bellowed and Phina winced. "Are you?"

While no one could see the Rodian's expression, her unblinking eyes observed holograms of the space battle above. Giving in to her leader's pressure, Phina hardened her resolve. "Your will be done," she praised and ended the transmission. Phina returned to see several cultists awaiting her orders. "Ready a hyper-nuke," she proclaimed. "Reconfigure and target the centermost Star Destroyer. Once the blockade is cleared, launch the rest."

"Yes, Lady Phina," a cultist obeyed and typed away at his computer. The screen flashed bright red as sirens blared throughout the facility. Dr. Morzetti's sinister creation flickered into view and set its sights on the Deliverance. "Armed and ready," he said.

"Fire," Phina declared.

Anna led Republic troops into the lower level as a tumultuous rumbling sounded. The shaking terrain had her turning towards Blazer and the other Deathchasers. "Please tell me that isn't what I think it is," she groaned.

While the rest of their forces held their ground, Anna took her squad back outside. Unable to communicate with anyone in space, all she and the Deathchasers could do...was watch. Palm trees toppled over as entire sand dunes came undone. Waves bubbled in seafoam clusters as an underground hatch cracked open. Sand poured into the metallic fissure and a hidden silo was revealed. Lost in shock, Speedy dropped his rifle as a tremendous projectile rocketed out from the ground. Smoke billowed out from beneath as the hyper-nuke launched into the sky.

"But what about the blockade?" Sparx worried.

"I don't think the cult cares anymore," Blazer realized. "Karabast. That thing's gonna blast right through it!"

Although she was well aware that their signal was being jammed, Anna impulsively reached for her comlink. "All wings...admirals...Watcher!" she screamed. "Does anyone read? Come in, damn it!" She angrily lowered her comlink and cursed. "Kriff!" Anna loathed feeling so hopeless as the hyper-nuke gained altitude.

An engine's distant whir caught her attention as Anna peered across the beach. Phina and a select group of cultists were boarding a pair of escape transports. As they did so, a volley of laserfire emanated from the adjacent jungle. "More cultists inbound!" Speedy warned and recovered his gun to fire back.

Anna's head darted between the fleeing cultists, the facility itself, and those attacking them. Noticing her internal struggle, Blazer gave her a nudge. "Go," the sergeant intoned and she raised a brow. "The boys and I can handle this," Blazer insisted. "Those Jedi birds and the others can take the facility. You've got to stop those cultists from getting away!"

Anna bit her lip and hesitantly murmured, "But-"

"I trust you, general." Blazer affirmed and squeezed her shoulder. "Now go be the hero that I know you are."

It was as if Anna's heart had been set ablaze by his words. Her brows furrowed and she flashed a daring smirk. "Sir yes sir," she saluted and knocked on his helmet.

"On me, brothers!" Blazer brayed and led the Deathchasers into battle.

Meanwhile, Anna dashed along the shoreline in an effort to catch up to the cultists. "Oh no you don't," she huffed as the two transports ascended. Rather than rocket towards the outer atmosphere, the ships glided across the sea as if venturing to another island. Little did they realize, Anna wasn't far behind. "Here...goes...everything!" she grunted and sprung from the shore's edge. Seawater skimmed her plastoid boots as she fired up her jetpack and flew after the ships.

Horror gripped Watcher as she observed an unknown projectile on her scanners. It was bad enough that she'd completely lost communication with her teams on Scarif's surface, but the mysterious missile had her fearing the worst. After rapidly comparing its structure to recovered data from the Ahch-To facility, Watcher's worst fears were realized. "Spenz," she snapped. "Trace that hyper-nuke's trajectory."

A violet, gridlike system wrapped around the rising projectile. Watcher followed the mapping system until her eyes fell upon a Star Destroyer. "No," she uttered before mustering her courage. "Put me through to the Deliverance," she demanded. Her raised tone was never to be trifled with and an officer hastily obliged.

Starfighters zoomed past Admiral Taka's viewports as she observed from the command bridge. A sudden trill had her craning her neck towards a holotable. "Admiral," Watcher projected. "Our scanners indicate that the Revenant has launched a hyper-nuke at the Deliverance. Maximize your shields effective immediately!" Despite Watcher's stern commands, Taka stormed up to her frontmost viewport. She saw the eerie missile rocketing from Scarif's surface. "Admiral!" Watcher asserted. "Maximize shields!"

"Respectfully-" Taka said. "We saw the schematics in the briefing. These things plan to raze capital cities to the ground, so I doubt my shields will prove useful." Watcher's incessant commands proved irksome to Taka. She silenced the holotable to give herself time to think.

Even with her brief and pensive silence, Admiral Taka didn't like her odds. I thought we had them at a stalemate, she pondered. If we hold, that bomb will take the Deliverance and who knows how many others with it, clearing a path for the rest of the hyper-nukes. If I take evasive action, I'll break formation and let a hyper-nuke slip past the blockade. It'll jump to lightspeed and strike who knows where...Alderaan? Coruscant? Taka's racing thoughts brought a scowl to her face. Think, damn it. You're running out of time!

As the warhead closed in, Taka exhaled and set her plan in motion. "Hard a starboard," she said.

"Ma'am?" one of her officers worried.

"Hard a starboard!" Taka yelled across the bridge. "Get us turned but stay in formation!" she continued as officers scrambled about. "Open hangar doors and divert all power from the weapons and shields."

"Should we transfer it all to the engines?" a clone asked.

"No," she responded and glared at the incoming missile. "Divert to the tractor beam." Taka and her staff braced themselves as the Venator swerved in place. Its engines and stabilizes were pushed to their limits as anything that wasn't magnetized toppled over.

"Admiral Taka!" Lieutenant Commander Krennic blathered over comms. "What the bloody hell are you doing? Did you not hear your superior? You will charge your shields and absorb that missile's brunt! Now, admiral!"

Taka's resolve was unwavering as she ignored the lieutenant commander's scolding. As if reading her mind, an officer cut Krennic's transmission and nodded to her in solidarity. As Taka's ship moved into position, she couldn't help but think of what she'd told Elsa.

"I didn't get to be the admiral of a Venator-class Star Destroyer by kissing up to anyone. I was walking a tightrope from the academy and beyond. I didn't have any familial connections to secure a spot. Just a willingness to serve and that wasn't enough. If I acted too angry, I'd be considered abrasive. Act too calmly and I'd be docile and unfit for leadership. All while I watched male colleagues get away with all of those things and worse."

"What got you through it all?" Elsa had asked.

Taka replied to herself just as she'd answered the Jedi back then. "My values," she whispered before raising a hand to command. "Wait for my signal!"

"Tractor beam is at maximum power!" a clone officer hollered.

Taka watched as the hyper-nuke closed in. "Hold," she insisted. "We'll only get one shot at this." Watcher, Krennic, and the rest of the fleet watched with bated breath as the projectile neared the Deliverance. With a thrust of her hand, Taka shouted "Deploy!"

Pure gravitational bolts pulsed from the ship's tractor beam. Waves of high-powered, unseen energy fields accelerated towards the hyper-nuke. Such an abrasive collision caused the Deliverance to tremble. One of the bridge officer's gasped as he observed his datascreen. "T-Taka-Admiral Taka! We've got it! We caught it!"

"Reel it in," Taka murmured, unprepared to celebrate just yet. It took a moment for the clone to realize that she wasn't talking about his enthused demeanor. "Keep the hangar doors extended and get a crew ready. I want that hyper-nuke decelerated and safely aboard our vessel!"

Watcher observed the sight in disbelief. Although the process to get it aboard was slow, Taka had actually halted a hyper-nuke. Watcher's blood ran cold when she noticed Revenant fighters closing in. "Oh no," she uttered. "That warhead just needs one laser to set it off," she called over comms. "All wings, your new priority is defending the Deliverance until the hyper-nuke is safely aboard!"

"Copy that," Fenn Rau reported. "Skull Squadron, on me."

"We're with you, Skull Squadron." Darts called in as his clone pilots formed up. "Alright, brothers...let's give Admiral Taka some cover. Let's plow the road!" Blue and yellow lasers beamed over the captured nuke's position. Any cultists who dared to try attacking it were soon engaged by Republic forces.

Regardless of everyone's valiant efforts, Taka refused to celebrate yet. With the nuke still a ways from reaching the hangar, she couldn't help but consider how lucky she'd been. If the Revenant launched any more hyper-nukes, stopping them all with tractor beams would be impossible.

Water pattered against Elsa's forehead. Each brisk droplet had her wincing as every painful sensation returned. Her aching muscles cried out through a symphony of soreness. Her broken comlink crackled and fizzed from the collision. Elsa's throbbing head lay nestled in the disheveled mound of hair that was her untied bun. Elsa knitted her brows as she immediately inhaled a dust cloud. Her cough was raspy and profuse while she slowly stirred. But as she lay sprawled against the elevator's ravaged interior, a sudden glow fell upon her.

This buzzing, bold photoreceptor bathed her face in a scarlet hue. Her eyes cracked open and observed a bulky, teal silhouette looming over her. She gasped and immediately shielded her face as the figure clunked closer. She'd heard familiar buzzes from droid units before, but was too dazed to make out the entity in front of her. A chill ran down her spine as one of the unit's energized limbs dipped towards her face. Thinking quickly, Elsa raised her hands amidst the darkness and whispered, "Don't shoot...Please."

The droid paused, giving Elsa time to adjust to the shadows around her. She peered up at the hulking unit as an attachment extended from its arm. Dual blaster cannons clicked into place as the droid aimed at Elsa. Its single, fiery photoreceptor remained transfixed on her startled visage. Rather than blast her in that moment, the droid chose to speak up. Its voice was deep and monotone. Regardless of its lower vocal processor, Elsa could still make out its feminine programming. Her tone was even deeper than the super battle droids Elsa had overheard during her travels. "Are you...a Jedi?" the droid bellowed. Elsa raised a brow, still astounded by the strange machine's reaction. Her eyes listed towards the blaster cannons aimed at her face as the droid reiterated, "Are you a Jedi?"

Elsa swallowed hard. She'd never seen such a formidable droid unit before. Her sturdy metals reminded Elsa of the very hilt she'd carried for years. Despite the droid's expressionless face, Elsa could tell that her data-brain was extremely advanced. She was analyzing her every movement, noting her facial expressions for any changes. It was almost as if the droid was trying to see into her mind. Even risking death itself, Elsa chose to tell the truth. "Y-yes," she finally answered. "I am."

The droid took her time to process before responding. "While you're attire is sufficient with my datarecords-" she began. "-where is your lightsaber?" The droid's photoreceptor listed towards Elsa's utility belt. "Why do you not carry your Order's sacred weapon?"

"It's a long story," she replied while slowly lowering her hands. Although Elsa was maintaining a conversation, she kept considering the worst-case scenario. She imagined having to Force push the droid if she increased hostility. But despite her weaponization, the strange machine appeared intellectual. Her head tilted with intrigue when something shifted in Elsa's satchel. She braced herself, but let Sir Porgen wriggle out on his own.

"A droid?" the larger unit computed. "What is your design and function?" Porgen flapped his metal wings and squawked atop Elsa's lap. "A companion?" she responded, having understood his coding. "You are but a submissive slave." The droid shined her photoreceptor over several fallen battle droids. "Just as they all were."

"Porgen is my friend," Elsa said.

"Because you have programmed him to be such, Jedi," the droid bellowed.

"And what is...or was...your function?" Elsa inquired.

The metal titan stepped back and gave her a chance to rise. "I am an E-4 Baron Droid," she proclaimed. "Manufactured on this Lucrehulk as part of an experimental unit for the Trade Federation. We were meant to be all-purpose battle droids," she lamented and raised her metal forearms. Elsa watched as both of the droid's hands alternated between multiple configurations. Sensors, emitters, and alternate blasters cycled across her teal wrists. "But ultimately, our creation proved too costly. Arcetron plating would be difficult to mass produce and our designs were swapped for a smaller model." She gestured to a powered down, super battle droid. "Ironic," she computed. "That my successor should fall and I should remain. The sole survivor of this doomed station, free to think for myself and wander its decrepit halls."

As Elsa stood alongside the droid, she finally noticed that her comlink had been damaged in the fall. While formulating a plan to find Frost, Elsa bided her time to keep the droid at bay. She scoured her surroundings and asked, "How have you functioned on your own for so long?"

"I have been feeding off of the ship's dwindling power reserves," the baron droid answered. "At first, I tried rebooting my sisters over our inferior counterparts. But I realized that over time, we'd eventually turn on one another to stay alive. It would become a desperate conflict, all in the name of limited supplies. So I chose self preservation." The droid peered out across the piles of fallen droids. "In many ways, we are no different than you organics. Walking the brink between saving ourselves and those around us. Yet no matter what we say or what we think our programming decrees...we'll always choose ourselves in the end."

Elsa hung her head at the droid's mournful words. "I can't imagine that any of this has been easy for you," she grieved. "I'm so sorry."

"Why are you here, Jedi?" the droid inquired. "Surely you have not come to destroy what has been long obliterated. Unless...you've come for me."

"I'm not here to bring about any more destruction to this place," Elsa assured. "But maybe you can help me."

"A Jedi and I...working together. For what?"

"There's an even greater threat," Elsa explained. "One that seeks to destroy so much of this galaxy as we know it. Even as we speak, Republic forces are battling to hold it back. But for the first time, both us and your Separatists have a common enemy."

"Have you considered the possibility that the Republic and the Separatists have simply been outmoded?" the droid asked. "With this battleship's controllers destroyed, I am no longer susceptible to my creators' programming. I can think for myself, and I see both of our factions as flawed inferiors."

Elsa sighed. "Perhaps if you only knew the true severity of our situation. Our enemy is targeting planets across the galaxy with nuclear warheads. The likes of which we might be able to stop with technology in this battleship. If we don't hurry, the death toll will be-"

"Monumental I'm sure," the droid computed. "Perhaps it's better that way. Maybe that's what the galaxy's inhabitants have brought upon themselves."

Elsa's nostrils flared as she stomped up to the droid. "How can you say that?" she snapped.

"How can I not?" the unit fired back. "My datarecords were meant to keep me informed on an ever-changing galaxy. Instead, all they did was show me how nothing has evolved among you organics." Elsa hung her head as she continued. "All of this advancement from the days of the Old Republic, and where has it gotten you? Genocides...racial injustice...political strife. Forget the nuclear crisis. You organics have been bombing one another long before this new threat. Sending your troops in droves to slaughter one another in the name of freedom. And when the guilt weighed so heavily on the politicians, they bred clones and built droids. My brothers and sisters fought their wars and prolonged the slaughter, all while countless droids slaved away daily to ungrateful beings." Elsa winced at each portion of the droid's spiteful rant. "And now you dare to act as a hero trying to save victims. Those you seek to save are not the innocent children you believe them to be. They are the bullies who are about to experience the fallout of their actions."

Elsa wanted to tell the droid that she was wrong. That the galaxy and people she spoke of didn't make up the majority. But Elsa couldn't deny the darkness she'd witnessed. She'd seen the death and corruption festering over the years.

"Why do you not debate this droid?" Evara, Wraith of the Force inquired. "Show her the power of the Light Side."

She's not wrong, Elsa spoke within. But perhaps our methods have been. Not just as Jedi, but as a Republic.

Elsa steadied herself with a deep breath and spoke to the droid in a level tone. "May I call you E-4?" she asked politely.

"I will allow it," the droid intoned. "What is your designation?"

"My...designation is Elsa," she answered. "And I have not come this far and endured this much to give up now. Maybe you're right about us. Perhaps we all can't be saved or we've doomed ourselves from the start. But what's the alternative here? Sitting around and awaiting the inevitable? To do so only confirms what you're saying."

"Elaborate," E-4 demanded.

"Don't you see?" Elsa continued. "The very fact that people are still trying to save this galaxy is proof that all hope is not lost. Believe what you will, but some of us can see beyond self-preservation and put others first." Elsa shut her eyes as a brief, suppressed memory flashed across her mind. "Even if it means giving our lives. I was only a child when I watched my parents die. They gave their lives so my sister and I could have a future. Even if it didn't exist yet, their belief was enough!"

"And what is your...belief...for this galaxy you wish to save?" E-4 asked.

Elsa sighed as her gaze trailed off. "If you would've asked me that question years ago, I would've simply said peace. I'd tell you that I envisioned a warless galaxy where everyone got along through intellectual discussion. But that galaxy doesn't exist and I don't think it ever will." E-4 nodded until Elsa added, "But...that doesn't mean we can't build a better galaxy. I used to think that the whole point of advocating for the Light Side and justice was to help people follow it. But I've come to learn that this is all about leading by example. A better galaxy comes from the energy that we put into it, without seeking anything in return. And as we thrive through our own light, we unknowingly invite others to join us in that glow. And that shared illumination inspires generations. It gives hope to those who have none and encourages the leaders of tomorrow. That...is something is worth saving."

E-4 paused and processed Elsa's response. "Your belief is most unique," she replied. "Very different from the 'tyrannical Jedi' descriptions added into my database. You acknowledge the damned, yet deem them worthy of salvation. Even if your efforts prove futile, your crusade should be seen through." Elsa raised a brow as the droid trudged down a rusty corridor. "Follow me," she said.

Elsa's exhilarated heart leapt as Porgen sprung to her arm. "Find Frost," she told the droid. "Make sure he's safe and that he knows I'm alright." With a thrust of her arm, Elsa launched Porgen up into the elevator shaft. The tiny droid's boosters powered up as he rocketed onward. With only E-4's photoreceptor to guide her through the darkness, Elsa followed the baron droid deeper into the battleship.

Commander Frost was still reeling from the tragedy in the elevator shaft. He'd lost track of how many times he'd tried contacting Elsa via comlink. Every unanswered call ruptured his spirit even further. He wanted to throw himself back down into the shadows to find her, yet duty clashed within. There was that blasted, Kaminoan programming again. Even after all he'd been through with Elsa, he still had a mission to complete. The Republic was counting on him to save lives and he could barely focus. It took everything for Frost to pull himself into the upper corridor. No amount of steps down the blackened hall could stop him from replaying Elsa's fall. Simply looking at his damp hand prompted flashbacks of her fingers slipping out. Alone and tortured by guilt, Frost forced himself to press on.

His flickering headlamps swayed across multiple signs until they settled on a particular label. "Research," he read aloud and barged in. He tripped over a broken B1 on entry and angrily kicked its body. "Come on...come on!" he panicked and scoured the ruined lab. How he wished Elsa was with him, as he remained unsure over what to recover. No matter how much it pained him, he opted to call his superiors. "Watcher, it's Commander Frost."

"Please give me some good news," she urged.

"I'm in the research chamber," he said while rummaging through plasteel containers. "But everything's powered down. I'm looking at crumpled up droid schematics and spare parts. But without power, I can't access any of the computers. I-I don't know what I'm looking for."

"I was worried about this," Watcher grieved. "See if you can find a backup generator."

"Where would that be?"

Frost braced himself as a thought dawned upon Watcher's mind. "Commander...where's Knight Dellian?" Just asking about Elsa's whereabouts was enough to make Frost relive the torment all over again. "Commander?" Watcher reiterated. "Elsa. Where is she?"

Frost cleared his through and staggered back. "Elsa's-...um. She-" He could hardly utter another word. Before he could muster the strength to do so, a sudden howl returned. Frost's head shot upwards and he shined his light across the room. "I'll have to call you back," he said.

"Commander!" was all Watcher could say before Frost cut the transmission.

Whatever he'd heard on the lower levels had been anything but the wind. The howl echoed again and Frost craned his neck across the chamber. His boots shuffled amidst the sounds of heavy rainfall outside. Yet as the howling persisted, so too did a series of ominous scratches. Frost slowly turned and his headlamp beams set a pile of broken droids alight. His heart sank when multiple pairs of glowing eyes peered out from beyond the metal carcasses. Snarling snouts and mucky claws inched their way out as a single unit. Frost stepped back as he found himself staring down a pack of Eaduan scraphounds.

At the alpha's howling command, the hounds darted from their metal hideaway and rushed towards Frost. The first creature to pounce immediately took three blue lasers to the stomach. It mewled and whimpered as Frost kept his rifle up. He fired wildly while continuing to back up out of the room. Shooting one of the creatures only aggravated the rest of the pack. Frost raced down the hall with the remaining trio of scraphounds hot on his heels. His heavy breaths echoed throughout his helmet as he approached a daunting dead end. Forced to stand his ground, Frost swiveled and opened fire.

He gunned down the rightmost scraphound while the second dashed closer. By the time he blasted its face, the alpha had already pounced from the nearby wall. It pinned Frost to the ground and sent his blaster sliding away. Ravenous and bloodthirsty, the scraphound scraped its claws against Frost's armor. Unable to reach his gun, the commander unsheathed his Echani dagger and slashed with it. Wedging the blade in the creature's scraggly hide angered it further. Frost grabbed a fallen B1's head and forced it into the canine's maw. The maneuver wouldn't hold for long as the scraphound chomped down on the droid's cranium. Meanwhile, Frost desperately tried to reach for his rifle. His fingers barely grazed it when the scraphound tossed the droid head aside. With a thrust of its snout, it managed to knock Frost's helmet clean off. The predator growled as Frost stared up with widened and bloodshot eyes.

Just when it prepared to bite his jugular, a squawking projectile came zipping over. Frost gasped as Sir Porgen flew straight into the scraphound's head and sent it into a daze. While it was distracted, the commander hurriedly crawled for his rifle. The alpha was quick to recover and furiously lunged to finish off Frost. As it raised its claws and opened its maw for the kill, Frost pulled the trigger.

The final scraphound collapsed with a sizzling wound straight through its mouth. Frost took a moment to catch his breath and set the rifle down. Just seeing Porgen made him think of Elsa as the droid waddled up to him. "Thanks," he huffed and patted his head. Risking hurting himself even further, he prepared to ask the droid if his maker was alive.

To Frost's astonishment, Porgen played a recorded message. "Find Frost," Elsa's voice crackled through his little speaker. "Make sure he's safe and that he knows I'm alright."

Frost felt like the message had suctioned out all possible air. "She-" he choked and cleared his throat. "She's alive?" he inquired with a faint and rising grin. All Porgen did was squawk and Frost pulled him into a constricting embrace. "Hah!" he blurted out of sheer exasperation. "Elsa's alive!" His laugh was impulsively giddy as he squeezed the flailing droid. Porgen's head almost popped off until Frost let go. "Oh, sorry little guy. Well come on! Can you take me to her?" he asked and recovered his gear.

Elsa followed E-4 into an elongated storage unit. Unlike the rest of the ship, this section had been cleared of ruined droids. "The intelligence your Republic superiors spoke of is correct," E-4 said. "The Trade Federation was working on a number of viruses to dismantle vital operations. My creators hid the projects deep within the databanks of this storage unit. I have examined many files while draining power to sustain myself. Taking a virus from this network should shut down the warheads, but you must boost its signal from a proper antenna."

"Well," Elsa sighed. "I'm sure I'll figure something out. What matters now is getting the virus."

E-4 nodded and plugged her digits into a cylindrical apparatus. "Rebooting the system now," she said. "Standby." Elsa flinched as a sudden rumble shook the entire battleship. Broken lights strobed while the rest of its power systems came back online. Screens flickered as E-4 scoured through seemingly ceaseless data files. Meanwhile, the sudden reboot aided Frost's visuals as he rappelled down the elevator shaft with Porgen.

Elsa glanced at E-4's pulsing limbs as the droid remained plugged in. "So that's how you've been charging yourself," she said.

E-4 nodded. "But it won't be long before even this Lucrehulk runs out of energy."

"Maybe you don't have to stay here," Elsa suggested. "When all of this is over, why don't you come away with us? Help us build a better galaxy."

"A better galaxy," E-4 considered. "That would be something worth seeing." The gears in her photoreceptor clicked as she zoomed in on a particular file. "This is it," E-4 said. "V:39. Transferring virus into a codelink now."

Elsa watched as a loading bar shifted across the screen. 5%

As Frost descended from the shaft, he heard something crackle above. 27%

Porgen worriedly chirped as the darkness progressively consumed the shaft. 46%

"Everything's shutting down again!" Frost warned and urged the little droid to flee. "Come on!" he shouted while dashing through a lower corridor. 62%

Elsa shuddered as the storage unit's light fixtures faded. 74%

"It was only a matter of time," E-4 realized. "This process has drained the Lucrehulk of its remaining power." 79%

"No," Elsa gasped. "Not now! Not when we're this close! Please, try and hold on!" 85%

E-4's body rattled as darkness shrouded the room. Screen after screen powered off until only the primary computer remained. 88%

"I'm sorry, Jedi," the droid said. "But without power, the download cannot be comple-" 90%

As the computer's brightness weakened, E-4 was able to glimpse her own reflection on the screen. Her bright photoreceptor stared into itself as she came to a dutiful realization. She noticed Elsa's reflection behind her and thought of the Jedi's words.

"But I've come to learn that this is all about leading by example. A better galaxy comes from the energy that we put into it, without seeking anything in return. And as we thrive through our own light, we unknowingly invite others to join us in that glow."

"Elsa," E-4 said solemnly. "Thank you."

"For what?" was all the Jedi could say before a sharp buzzing sounded from E-4's limbs. The droid's body hunched forward and convulsed while the computer screen brightened again. 94%

Elsa gasped once she realized that E-4 was sacrificing her own power to finish the download. "Get ready...to grab...the killcode," the droid said and peered down at the computer modem. 96%

"There has to be another way," Elsa uttered as the droid's strength dwindled.

"Build...a better...galaxy," E-4 said before her vocal processor silenced. 99%

Her photoreceptor's scarlet bulb faded as she shut down entirely. 100%

Elsa snatched a handheld, killcode link from the modem moments before the final screen shut down. The storage room became eerily silent as Elsa dropped to her knees. After stashing the killcode in her satchel, she gently caressed E-4's hollow and lifeless body. "Thank you," Elsa whispered between broken breaths. "I wish I could've taken you with me," she mourned and her hand fell to her side. As Elsa's fingers grazed the pouch on her belt, a new thought sparked within. "Maybe I still can," she whispered.

The darkness didn't frighten Elsa. She'd learned to embrace the quiet stillness of her temple dormitory time and time again. With a deep breath, she channeled her emotions into a reservoir of peace. Closing her eyes amidst the blackness, she reached out with her mind and called upon the Force. E-4's arcetron plating shifted and loosened at her command. Portions of the droid's weaponized components detached and hovered before her. Every vital piece orbited around Elsa. The revolving fragments picked up speed as memories flashed through Elsa's mind. She saw everything from quarterstaff training with her clones to a faded conversation with Udo Klee. As she found knowledge, serenity, and harmony in each thought...something emerged from Elsa's pouch. This sacred item rose above all others as the spinning pieces came together.

The ensuing commotion caught Frost and Porgen's attention. "Elsa?" the commander called from the shadowy corridor. "Elsa!" Porgen squawked for his creator while flapping from Frost's shoulder. To make matters worse, the headlamps on Frost's helmet were losing their battery. "No no no!" he panicked and kept Porgen close. The droid's eyes became his only light source as the headlamps died. A sudden set of footsteps had Frost turning his head. He and Porgen braced when someone or somethingadvanced throughout the darkness. "Who's there?" Frost asked and cautiously clenched his rifle. "Show yourself!"

Frost's demand was met by a bold ignition. The commander was left awestruck as the figure illuminated the corridor. He found himself bathed in a powerful, royal blue hue. The likes of which brought a hopeful smile to his lips and tears to his eyes.

"Almost there!" a clone technician shouted as the hyper-nuke neared the Deliverance's hangar. He thrust his arms back as if urging the inanimate tractor beams to hurry up. "That's it! Come on!"

Sweat drenched Admiral Taka's face as she watched her protectors save her from repeated close calls. One of the Fang fighters blasted another cult ship to pieces before spinning back into formation. "Great shot, Hex." Fenn Rau lauded before engaging other foes.

"Four coming in from above," Hex warned and climbed to engage. Her ship weaved between the enemy fighters as she concentrated on striking their backline.

As Rau soared in to blast more cult ships, he noticed a cylindrical explosive latched on to one of them. "Dank farrik," he cursed. "Another seismic charge!"

"Don't let it reach the hyper-nuke!" Hex yelled and accelerated her fighter. She and the other Mandalorians rocketed towards their target. Even with the ongoing laser barrage, the cult pilot was determined to reach his destination. Even if it meant taking his own life in the blast.

"Admiral Taka!" Rau called while shooting at the evasive bomber. "How much longer?"

"The nuke's still fighting my tractor beam," Taka responded. "Once its propulsion system gives out, I can glide it in. Just buy me a little more time!"

Rau gritted his teeth harder with each missed laser. "Hex," he ordered. "Bait and blast."

"Copy that," she said and concentrated her laserfire on the ship's right side. Her copious shots forced the cultist leftward...and directly into Fenn Rau's blast. "We're clear," Rau spoke far too soon. As the debris settled, he realized that the cultist had deployed the seismic charge seconds before death. Rau's blood ran cold at the sight of the energized bomb spiraling directly towards the warhead. "Seismic is away!" he warned. "All fighters take evasive action! Admiral, disengage the tractor beam and get your shields up! Brace for-" Before the seismic charge could ignite the hyper-nuke, it was suddenly snagged away by a speeding blur. "What the?" was all Rau could sputter.

A Z-95 starfighter zoomed away, using its landing gear as a makeshift hook to snatch the charge. "Everyone get clear of me!" Darts shouted over comms.

"Pilot," Rau stammered. "What are you doing?"

"My duty, sir!" the clone proclaimed while diverting all power to his thrusters. He could feel the seismic charge pulsating beneath his fighter's undercarriage. "I'll see you on the other side." Realizing that he only had a matter of seconds, he propelled himself as far away from the fleet as possible. "For the Republic!" he roared while pressing hard on the thrusters. He yelled until the seismic charge cancelled out all other sounds. The rest of the fleet watched in cold horror as an iridescent blast sparked up among the stars.

Like so many clone pilots in the Republic Navy, Darts had been one of Rau's trainees back on Kamino. In many ways, each of his younger wingmates were like his children. "See you on the other side," the Mandalorian whispered.

With the explosion averted, the fighters were able to buy enough time for the hyper-nuke's propulsion systems to die. Once they gave out, Taka's tractor beam reeled it into the hangar with ease and crews rushed to secure it. "This is Admiral Taka," she called to all channels. "Warhead secured."

The news had Watcher's officers cheering from their seats while she finally let herself breathe. She pinched the bridge of her nose until another call came in. "Hello? Hello!" Gav's voice crackled.

"Commander Ryden?" Watcher realized. "What's going on down there?"

"We've taken the tower and disabled the communication jammer," he said. "But-"

Watcher's tired eyes twitched as she leaned into her table. "But?"

"Whoever was in charge here must've fled the building and left an encrypted code in place. Master Chuza and I can't get into the system."

"What kind of code are we talking about here?" Watcher inquired.

"A sequenced code," Gav gulped. "It's a countdown." Every officer on Watcher's bridge hushed at his words. Their heart sank as Gav added, "We're down to fifteen minutes until complete launch."

15:00

Scarif's oceans seemed to stretch on forever as Anna jetpacked over the waves. The salty air blasted across her face while she flew after the Revenant transports. Watcher's voice suddenly came over comms. "General Dellian, can you hear me?"

"Yeah and I heard about the countdown," she scoffed. "I'm in pursuit of cultists who were fleeing the facility. Maybe one of them has an off switch for this thing."

As Phina reclined in her transport seat, she glanced at a peculiar reflection in her ship's viewport. Having noticed the exhaust from Anna's jetpack, she jammed the Jedi's comlink via center switch.

"Any word from my sister?" Anna asked.

"She-" Watcher's voice became a staticky crackle. "-ip...-te...fl-...t-me-"

"Watcher?" Anna called back. "Watcher!" As if the jamming wasn't enough to realize she'd been spotted, one of the transports suddenly decelerated. While Phina's ship carried on, the second was under orders to delay Anna at all costs. A pair of front-facing laser cannons powered up as the ship spun to target Anna. "Oh great," she groaned and ignited her lightsaber. The ship opened fire, sending scorching blasts zooming over the ocean. Lasers pierced the waves as Anna skimmed along the surface. She flew erratically, forcing the clunky craft to repeatedly change directions while she closed in. With a swift swing of her saber, Anna deflected a blast into one of the transport's wings. Sparks flared as the craft briefly spun from the impact. Anna underestimated its speed as her body crashed against the windscreen.

The pilot flinched when the glass cracked and Anna's body suddenly disappeared. He regained altitude and caught his breath while checking the surrounding skies. A fellow cultist leaned over the co-pilot's seat and asked, "Did...we get her?"

"Like a bug on a windshield," the pilot cackled and flashed a toothy grin. A distant plunge echoed from outside of the ship and had him raising a brow. "Go check that out," he told his partner.

She nodded and stomped past several other cultists. She opened the doors to the carrier and peered down at the ocean below. Foamy ripples indicated an impact of sorts as she chuckled. "Forget bug on a windshield!" she yelled over the winds. "More like rock in a-" In that instant, a green beam of plasma went surging through her chest.

Desperately clinging on to the side of the transport, Anna had thrown her jetpack into the sea as a decoy. Now using her victim as a firm hold, she drove her lightsaber deeper and forced herself into the ship. Anna landed atop the woman's corpse as mortified cultists looked upon her. It was as if they were still processing how the Jedi could've possibly gotten in as she leapt to her feet. An all-out brawl ignited in the hold as Anna wildly swung her saber. The pilot kept nervously glancing back while Anna cut his cohorts down in droves. Her green blade sliced across their torsos before many of them could even snag a firearm.

Phina's transport had advanced too far ahead to notice the chaos ensuing behind her. Bodies poured out of the ship's unattended hatch while the pilot tried to maintain altitude. One of the cultists dared to put Anna in a headlock and received a relentless elbowing. While he was bludgeoned, another cultist aimed her pistol. All it took was a swipe of Anna's saber to send the cultist's pistol...and forearm plummeting into the ocean. She then flipped her assailant off of her back while the last gunman retrieved a rifle. Anna kicked Mr. Headlock in the face and Force-pushed the gunman out of the hatch. He blindly fired on his way down and one of the stray shots darted directly into the pilot's seat.

The beam shot straight through him and sent his head clunking against the dashboard. Warning sirens blared as the transport lost altitude. "Not good!" Anna panicked and shuffled through the heap of defeated cultists. Their bodies continued to slide off of the ship as she entered the cockpit. She pulled the pilot's sizzling body out of the seat and took his place. "Okay Anna," she whispered to herself. "You got this. How hard could it be to fly something? Think back to Mattias' teachings." Her eyes scoured the overhead controls as she tried to identify the meters. "Fuel...altitude...speed...and-" Anna looked directly ahead of her and huffed. The lasershot had got through the pilot and into the main controls, rendering them useless. "KRIFF!" Anna cursed until the dashboard went up in flames. "DOUBLE KRIFF!" She scrambled towards the gaping hatch as the ship lost altitude. Realizing she'd have to jump without a jetpack, Anna sprung herself out. "TRIPLE KRIFF!"

Anna plunged among the waves while the transport nosedived behind her. The brisk depths were oddly refreshing as the currents churned her back and forth. Once Anna breached the surface, she could faintly make out the second transport landing on another island. "Let's...finish this," the Jedi panted. Running on nothing more than adrenaline, instinct, and pure rage...Anna pushed herself to swim towards the island.

11:27

"All ships," Admiral Yularen commanded. "Maintain formation. Ready tractor beams to capture as many hyper-nukes as possible." Although he issued such an order, Yularen knew the fleet didn't posses the means to stop every projectile. But at least having a plan eased his fellow admirals. As several skirmishes continued above Scarif, a single ship thundered out of hyperspace. Never before had so many been overjoyed to see an ARC-170 starfighter grace their viewports.

Death plagued Elsa's senses as she clung to her seat cushions. Frost piloted them downward and opened up comms. "We got here as soon as we could," he reported before Watcher took over.

"Please tell me that you have a virus," she urged.

"Affirmative," Frost replied.

"Time is running out," Watcher explained. "The Revenant has initiated a countdown sequence for the remaining warheads. Get to the surface and input the virus within the primary facility. Its currently under attack and you can see the smoke from here. Hurry!"

"We're on it!" Frost affirmed and boosted the engines. "Hang on," he told Elsa as they soared towards Scarif. While they did so, several cult fighters formed up behind them. Frost noticed the foreign blips on his scanners and said, "We've got company. You're gonna have to use the tail gun!" Elsa swallowed hard as she cautiously gripped the trigger. Her eyes darted up at the incoming fighters as they closed in on their ship. Her reality became all the more grievous as several lasers struck their shields. "Elsa?" Frost worried. The Jedi nervously fired back, aiming for the enemy wings in an effort to deter them. Without any experience in space combat, Elsa was unsure how to strike and disable a craft without killing the pilot. Her tail gun's lasers seemed powerful enough for her to avoid aiming near the cockpits. Her lenient shooting proved fruitless as the fighters drew nearer. "Elsa?" Frost reiterated.

"I'm sorry," she confessed as her trembling hands steadied on the trigger. "I-...can't."

"I know," Frost sighed and doubled his efforts to take evasive action.

Noticing their dilemma, Hex soared over and started blasting their pursuers. "ARC-170," the Mandalorian called. "I'm on your six." With a Fang fighter to contend with, several cult pilots decided to scatter. Before taking evasive action, one of the ships launched a scarlet-hued projectile. "Proton torpedo!" Hex warned. "ARC-170, deploy countermeasures! Launch proton flares!"

Frost obliged, only to hear an empty click when he flipped the switch. His mind flashed back to their crash on Eadu and how their ventral countermeasures had been destroyed in the process. "Oh no," he uttered and spun in an effort to evade. "Negative! Negative! We've lost countermeasures!"

Watcher was on the edge of her holotable all over again, watching as their only hope was chased down by a proton torpedo.

Frost entered Scarif's atmosphere with the projectile in tow. It darted after them as Elsa's attempts to shoot it remained futile. Hex followed them and the enemy fighter down to the planet. Analyzing their predicament, she maximized her thrusters and activated comms. "Skull Leader, they can't deploy proton flares. I'm going in."

"Hex?" her leader called back. "What are you-...no!"

"Trust me, Rau!" Hex insisted and shut off comms. With a thrust of her controls, the Mandalorian sent her fighter bolting forward. She twisted the craft just as it flew between the ARC-170 and its pursuing missile. A tremendous explosion lit up the clouds as Hex's ship was blasted to pieces. As the cult fighter flew through the smoke, a pair of boots suddenly landed on its windshield. The pilot peered up to see Hex shutting off her jetpack. Without wasting a moment, the Mandalorian fired her rifle through the glass, killed the pilot, threw him out, and commandeered his fighter as her own. Having ejected herself at the last second, Hex took a moment to catch her breath and call Rau through her helmet. "They're clear," she assured. His ongoing silence had her shrugging from the cockpit. "I told you to trust me, didn't I?" Hex sighed to herself and kept an eye on the ARC-170. "The missile's taken care of," she reported. They're clear to-" One of the remaining cult ships strafed by and blasted one of Frost's engines. The ARC-170 trailed smoke and spiraled downward. "Seriously?" Hex groaned.

"Brace for impact!" Frost grunted while pulling up on the controls. The ARC-170 skimmed the shoreline before burying its metal nose in a thick sand dune.

Elsa's head struck the back of her seat cushion as she reached to pat Frost's shoulder. "You okay?" she asked.

"Yeah," he mumbled. "Let's just-" The duo flinched as Revenant ground forces immediately opened fire on their downed craft. All Frost could do was divert power to shields as lasers bombarded their hull. The facility became a strobed blur amidst the plethora of laserfire.

7:54

Waves crashed along the shoreline as Anna stumbled out from the sea. Her skin chafed beneath her plastoid armor and mesh undershirt. The saltwater ravaged her exhausted eyes and left a sting on each facial scratch. Her flattened, drenched, auburn locks smacked against her sunburnt cheeks. "I hate-" she mumbled to herself while staggering in a daze. "-hate this planet. Hate hate hate it." Her boots trudged through the sand as she approached a second facility. Unlike the towering first structure, this one was far more secretive. The majority of its foundation had been built into a mossy cave. It was as if Anna's skin was crying out in relief as she limped into the shade. The cave's silent darkness had her listening for cultists as she pressed on. "Where are you," she whispered. "I'll...kriffing...kill you."

"My Pale One!" Phina's voice echoed from another chamber. Anna raised a brow and hobbled after it. "Why have you forsaken us? Will you not rise to save us as well?"

While Anna was opting for stealth, exhaustion got the best of her. She stumbled into the chamber and collapsed against a set of grated stairs. The resounding echo had Phina and her fellow cultists gasping. Rather than engage Anna, the masked Rodian chose to flee elsewhere with her group.

"Get...back here!" Anna growled while fumbling up a stairwell. She tripped at the top of a catwalk just as Phina departed. "You sleemos!"

As Anna lay in a mess of her own soreness, the intercom powered up above her. The same husky voice she'd heard all of those months ago came hissing through. "We meet again, Jedi." The Pale One said.

"Give it up, Monrak." Anna scoffed.

"Have you thought on your sins?" he asked. "Are you ready to answer for them?"

"Drop the act, you creepy Hutt!" Anna shouted throughout the chamber. "You may have fooled your crazy rabble, but I'm done with your games. Call off the countdown before more people die!" Anna ignited her lightsaber and pointed it upward. "I've had it up to here with you lunatics! I'll cut down every single one of your goons until you give yourself up!"

"Every single one?" Monrak jested.

Anna knitted her brows as a set of doors opened behind her. Despite her limited Force senses, she could feel something familiar about the incoming presence. Her fears were realized as a green lightsaber sparked up at the opposite end of the catwalk. Anna turned with wild eyes to see a different masked Rodian. Her athletic build and violet-skinned hands had Anna's jaw dropping. No amount of cultist attire could shroud the Force-sensitive warrior underneath. "Jedi sinner," Jee said and assumed a fighting stance.

"Kriffing hell," Anna murmured while flourishing her saber. Monrak the Hutt cackled in the darkness as both combatants charged at each other.

4:40

"We've got to get the killcode inside!" Frost grunted as lasers pelted their downed ship. "Shields are falling and I can't divert any more power to them!"

Elsa took a deep breath and peered out across the rising smoke. "Frost," she said calmly. "On my signal, I want you to lower the shields and eject our windscreen."

"Elsa?" he worried.

"Do you trust me?" she asked.

"With my life," Frost affirmed and steadied his finger on the ejector.

Elsa's eyes narrowed as she readied herself to lunge. "Move in!" a cultist barked from the treeline. While they were still engaging Republic forces along the beach, a band of them moved in to bombard the ARC-170.

Elsa kept a keen eye on the dwindling shields as she whispered, "Steady...not yet..." A heavy blast cracked the windscreen and she yelled, "Now!"

At her command, Frost cut the shields and pulled up on the ejector. The thick, glass casing flung off and a billowing cloud of smoke took its place. The display caught cultists off guard as they paused to form up. Believing the exploded cockpit to be their doing, they advanced to survey the crash. But once they stepped closer, a slender silhouette made itself known. It boldly rose from the downed craft and prompted the cultists to take aim. One of them fired, and his red bolt was batted away by a luminous phenomenon.

A long and vibrant weapon sliced through the smoke. Its proud hum had cultists staggering back while Elsa stepped forward. Scarif's sunlight gleamed against a newly-forged, arcetron hilt crafted from E-4's advanced components. Brilliantly blue plasma pulsed from each end of Elsa's double-bladed lightsaber. Assuming the same stance she'd been practicing with her quarterstaff, the Jedi Knight held her ground. It mattered not how many lasers they sent her way, for Elsa's extended lightsaber allowed her to block twice the amount. She descended from the wreckage and threw her hand forward for a mighty Force-push. Cultists went flying as Frost fired several stun blasts at the stragglers.

The glow from Elsa's new lightsaber caught her unit's attention. Members of the 213th cheered across the sandy battlefield as Elsa dashed by and deflected blasts. With Elsa's formidable presence, she noticed that some of the cultists were willing to drop their weapons and surrender entirely.

"They made us fight!" a Twi'lek sniveled. "Said they'd kill us and the other refugees if we didn't!"

Elsa sighed and spoke to the cultist. "The Republic can protect you," she said. "Tell your fellow warriors to stand down." She looked to her troops and ordered, "Make sure these people are captured alive. Find where the Revenant's keeping their families and ensure their safety!"

As the 213th moved out, Blazer led the Deathchasers to Elsa. "Ma'am," he said. "This way to the facility."

"Where's Anna?" she asked while following him across the beach.

"We've lost contact," the sergeant lamented.

3:20

Green lightsabers lit up the catwalk as Anna savagely swung at Jee. The Rodian remained on the defensive while Anna didn't back down. Using her tiredness to fuel her, the youngest Dellian growled and lunged again. Her attack was met with a powerful Force push as Jee threw her against the catwalk. Monrak laughed over the intercom. "You arrogant child," he jeered. "Did you really think you could stop my influence? Stop me?"

Anna rose from the grated flooring and flourished her saber once more. No matter how much her body wanted to give in, she couldn't yield. Anna fought through her soreness and focused on the anger she felt towards Jee. She remembered seeing Aurra Sing attack Mattias while Jee just watched. How they'd taken a hostage and become fugitives. She'd betrayed Anna, and that treachery fueled the Dark Side's pull within.

Anna's furious slashes diced portions of the balcony into pieces. The severed bars clanged around them as Anna used the unorthodox. She sliced the catwalk beneath them, making Jee lose her footing and tackling her to the lower level. "Get outta my way!" Anna snarled, pressing her saber against Jee's to pin her.

Jee struggled to get Anna off as a yellowish glow flickered in the Jedi's eyes. The Rodian glanced downward and noticed Anna's trembling bicep. No amount of adrenaline could obscure her rising fatigue, and Jee took advantage. She delivered a firm punch to Anna's arm, causing her grapple to falter. Soreness plagued Anna as Jee kneed her in the stomach and threw her off. The Jedi rolled over with a groan and was immediately kicked in the stomach again.

"Good, my disciple!" Monrak cheered. "Good!"

Fresh and hardly winded, Jee hauled the dazed Anna over her shoulders like a wrestler. Her lightsaber plummeted from her bruised hand as Jee threw her to the metal ground. The ensuing clamor left her opponent sprawled out and writhing. Claiming victory, Jee pinned Anna down with a boot against her chest. She ignited her own lightsaber and brought it to Anna's bruised neck.

"Wait," Monrak said as Jee paused. Her steaming blade reaped sweat from Anna's throat. A set of enforced, bulkhead doors hissed open from above. If no one had been looking for them, they would've seemed to be part of the wall. "I want her to watch this," Monrak said, this time in a much more personal tone. Gone was the intercom as his wrinkly, pale body slinked up to the balcony. An overhead datascreen flashed the nuclear countdown.

2:10

"She needs to know she failed," Monrak said. "Just about two minutes to go now, Jedi. And all of your efforts have amounted to nothing. Millions are going to be wiped out, including everyone above and on this planet. That's right, I'm blowing this one up to." Anna's anger fled as she remained pinned. Her reddened eyes glared up at the Hutt as he calmly gloated on. "And I'll be sitting in this bunker, ready to rise in a ravaged galaxy. A new order...bred from this glorious anarchy. And the legend of the Pale One and his Revenant shall-"

Anna shuddered as the warmth left her neck. Everything had happened so quickly, that she'd barely seen the flash of green. Anna's eyes listed to Jee's extended arm and open palm. Her elongated digits stretched up to Monrak's private gallery, where her lightsaber had been thrown directly into his thick chest. The Hutt's crimson eyes widened and twitched. His stubby arms convulsed as his purple tongue flopped out in alarm. Jee's blade remained embedded in him as he flopped over with a gurgle.

Bewildered beyond belief, Anna glared as the Rodian said, "Oh don't gimme that look. Come on," she said and extended a hand to help her up. "Let's make sure he's dead."

When Anna didn't budge, Jee went ahead and hauled her up anyway. "J-Jee," Anna groaned as they ascended towards the mysterious bunker. "What the hell?"

"Sorry if I hit too hard," Jee said and threw away her cult mask. "But I had to make defeating you believable. It was the only way to make him show himself."

"What. The. HELL?" Anna reiterated and was hardly able to walk straight.

Anna followed Jee into the bunker and observed Monrak's croaking self. The Rodian raised her hand and recalled her lightsaber with the Force. The shifting blade left Monrak gasping at the cauterized puncture in his hide. "This treachery...stops nothing," he hissed. "Even if I'm not around to rule this galaxy, my ideology will live on. It will spawn from the ashes of our destruction." His twitchy gaze shifted up towards the countdown clock. "Burn," he whispered as a sinister grin formed on his wide lips. He shut his eyes and braced for his galactic armageddon.

00:3...00:2...

Monrak raised a scaly and perplexed brow. Nothing had changed and the countdown had been stopped with a second to spare. "Wh-what?" he gasped as his breaths diminished. "H-how? That's...impossible." His lumbering head clunked forward as he succumbed to his wound, dying alongside his unfinished plan.

Although Anna was still confused about so much, she smiled gently. Unable to keep herself standing, she collapsed against the nearest wall and sighed in relief. "Elsa," she whispered graciously.

V:39 attacked the Revenant's targeting networks and spread throughout its mainframe. Elsa's companions watched as she kept the killcode firmly pressed into the tower's central computer. Each hyper-nuke's objective system became infected and went offline effective immediately. "Watcher," Elsa called in via comlink. "It's working. They're shutting down! Spread the word. They're shutting down!"

Upon hearing Elsa's news, Watcher's staff erupted into uproarious cheers. Officers' hats were thrown into the air as clones embraced one another. For the first time since the battle had started, Watcher finally let herself sit down. As fighters hollered from their ships, Fenn Rau remained silent. He solemnly peered out of his viewport and thought about every pilot they'd lost. Admiral Taka glanced across her bridge and noticed Shang aboard the Legacy. They briefly nodded to each other before seeing to their victorious crews. Betwixt the festivities, Lieutenant Commander Krennic kept his sights set on Scarif. For while the battle had ended, he admired the Revenant's choice of location. His inquisitive, blue eyes focused on the tropical world as he considered its...future uses.

On the surface, clone troopers of all units were gathered to raise their weapons in celebration. With Monrak's plan in shambles, the surviving cultists surrendered and several even renounced their allegiance, having to no longer fear the Hutt's wrath.

"Elsa," Gav chirped as they exited the tower.

"Yes?" she inquired and turn to him.

The Avinarian scratched at his light feathers and sighed. "Thanks for giving me a chance at this," he said. "For recommending Master Chuza and I."

Elsa simpered and placed a hand on his shoulder. "I knew you could it," she said and continued on her way. A sympathetic emerged across Gav's beak and he nodded.

She glimpsed a familiar set of blue armor beside her as Frost caught up. "That was too close," he huffed.

"You can say that again," Elsa jested.

"You know-" Frost mumbled. "I really thought I'd lost you for a moment back there on Eadu." Elsa paused as Frost respectfully removed his helmet. He hung his head and sighed as the fearful memory returned. "I don't know what I would've done."

Frost bit back a gasp as Elsa pulled him into a gentle hug. They held one another close as she whispered, "You'll always have me, commander."

Frost shut his eyes and sunk into her kindly embrace. He squeezed back, longing to freeze time in that very moment. Wishing he could end the war for everyone right then and there.

"Elsa!" Sergeant Blazer shouted as she and Frost parted. "We've got a fix on Anna's location!"

"Let's move," the eldest Dellian said.

Anna reluctantly accepted Jee's help as she dragged her out of the cave. Scarif's sunset reddened the sands as Jee let her down by the shore. "Easy does it now," the Rodian huffed.

"You mind telling me what the hell happened in there?" Anna grumbled, still trying to catch her breath.

Jee sighed, shook her head, and took a seat beside Anna. "You still haven't figured it out yet, have you?" Anna's prolonged silence had Jee chuckling to herself. "Morzetti moved. Ahch-To Installation. The Pale One's will be done," she recited. "Sound familiar?"

"The intercepted message?" Anna recalled.

"Intercepted," Jee scoffed. "That's adorable. All of the Revenant's transmissions are encrypted. Why would they slip up all of a sudden?"

"You mean you sent us that intel?" Anna inquired as Jee nodded. "But why?"

"When the Revenant first recruited me, I figured I'd see what they had in mind. I wasn't one for their ideology, but it beat partaking in a wrongful slave trade for the Hutt Clan. Their crusade seemed noble at first...at least on a datapad. In reality, the Revenant had been building warheads to bring about galactic destruction. Once I caught wind of what these maniacs were really up to, I realized their was no way I could bring them down by myself. I needed help...your help. So I leaked information about Dr. Morzetti, the project's own destructive architect." Jee smiled. "While I'm glad you showed, the Republic Navy was much appreciated. After I was recruited, the 'Pale One' seldom showed his face. I like to think he was planning to nuke his people as well and claim is own place among the disorder. I just needed to gain his trust and get him to reveal his location."

Anna hung her tired head as she processed Jee's explanation. The Rodian stepped towards the waves and sighed. "I know you probably still hate me, Anna. Perhaps there's another world out there where you and I are buddies in the Jedi Temple. But my life has always been an uphill climb. I didn't want to fall in with Aurra Sing, yet she helped me break out." Jee's snout wrinkled in sorrow. "But when I saw the lengths she was willing to go to. The injustices... I never meant for your old master to get hurt. And for what it's worth, I understand the anger you must've felt towards me. Blaming all of us lost souls on the galaxy's evils."

As Jee took several steps away, Anna felt her emotions churning within. The shifting flicker of yellow fled her eyes as she exhaled and said, "Jee..." The Rodian paused and glanced over her shoulder. "I-" Anna bit her lip, thinking of every aggressive action she'd seen through. The faces of Sorette and Aveni shifted through her mind while Dr. Morzetti's final moments became a lingering shadow. As those regretful feelings festered, Anna uttered three words she'd seldom used together. "I forgive you." Once she spoke those words into being, her mind became flooded with memories of her and Jee working together. She saw them seeking a cure for the halkavirus and venturing across Rodia.

Jee gasped before a faint smile emerged on her snout. "Thanks...Red."

"You know," Anna said as the winds cooled her face. "You're kind of a galactic hero for stopping the Revenant. We can take another shot at that pardon for you."

Jee chuckled. "While I appreciate the gesture...no thanks."

"No thanks?" Anna sputtered. "After everything?"

Jee strutted over to an abandoned, Revenant hoverbike. "Why clear my name if I'm just going to get myself into more trouble?" she hollered. "With the Revenant gone, I've got some unfinished business to attend to!"

"Which is?" Anna inquired.

"You worry about ending your war, and I'll deal with my old friends." Jee said. "But if I need the best Jedi in the Order-" She nodded to Anna. "I know where to find you." Jee winked and accelerated across the waves. "Be seeing you, Red!"

"Maniac," Anna scoffed to herself before reclining against her log. But as Jee's compliment sunk in, she couldn't help but smile. "Best Jedi in the Order, hm?" LAAT-5's whir echoed in the distance as her companions arrived to rescue her. "I like the sound of that."

A single transport soared aimlessly throughout the Unknown Regions. Aboard it, the surviving eight Revenant cultists desperately clung to their forsaken faith. Among them was their self-proclaimed leader, Lady Phina. "Be at ease, my children," the masked Rodian said. "Do not lose heart over this trial. The Pale One has merely ascended, and atonement will come to those who have ruined his plans." She raised a shaking fist and proceeded to preach. "Rise with me. Trust in me and we will see the Revenant fulfilled! We-"

Suddenly, several sharp prongs impaled their ship from above. The thick punctures sent those aboard tumbling over while critical systems failed. The cultists panicked and scrambled to Phina as a boarding craft's prongs continued to drill. The foreign pod opened its hatch amidst the darkness and a single figure dropped at the end of the corridor.

If the Revenant viewed themselves as saintly, this silhouette was demonic. It loomed across the hall and slowly rose amid the strobing power cords. Brief flashes highlighted locks of neatly-groomed, silver hair. Terror filled the cultist's eyes as a blood red lightsaber ignited in the darkness. "K-kill the sinner!" someone panicked. Phina screeched while remaining in the back. Her fellow cultists scrambled to aim their guns while Count Dooku performed his signature flourish. Rather than stand with her brothers and sisters, Phina desperately tried to flee through the door behind them. But without power, all she could do was tug at the locked down hatch.

Dooku was a calm, yet relentless force. A single swipe of his saber sent a laser darting back into a cultist's face. He repeated the maneuver on his downswing, striking the next man in his chest. While deflecting other blasts, he flicked his wrist towards a third cultist. Using the Force, he redirected her blaster to shoot her partner. "No!" was all she could barely shout before Dooku crushed her windpipe. As he pushed her body aside and proceeded down the hall, the survivors grew desperate.

A cultist lunged at Dooku with the butt of his overheated rifle. The count slashed both of his hands off and forced his victim to his knees. "Wait," the man pleaded as Dooku hovered the saber just beneath his neck. "Wait!"

Without a second thought, Dooku slashed upward. Phina and her remaining two underlings watched as a decapitated silhouette tumbled into the shadows. Noticing that both cultists were clinging to adjacent piping on the walls, Dooku jabbed his hands forward. Bright bolts of Force lightning zapped from his hands and pulsed down the pipes. Before neither the man nor woman could realize it, both were electrocuted against the walls. Phina stood back in horror as her remaining followers convulsed to the ground.

Unable to get the door open, Phina chose to face Dooku. "Influence!" she exclaimed as the count stepped over numerous corpses. "That's what all of this is about!" she blurted. "I can help you! Help the Separatists! I was the Pale One's right hand!" Her breaths hastened as Dooku drew nearer. "This war is tearing the galaxy to pieces! Surely you can see that! There must be a new order, and we can-" Red plasma flashed across her body as Dooku concluded his strike. A long, cauterized gash ran down Phina's body as her bisected mask fell to the floor.

"A new order is coming," Dooku spoke over her corpse. "Only you won't be part of it." He deactivated his lightsaber and let the darkness consume his figure.

SEVERAL DAYS LATER...

*

A group of Republic Venators cruised throughout the shadowy Kessel Sector. Its Akkadese Maelstrom was truly a turbulent wonder to behold. Dark and rocky clusters made the void risky to traverse as the ships neared a gaping vortex. Known simply by many spacers as 'The Maw'...this swirling mass acted as a destructive vacuum for all who strayed too close.

Admiral Yularen observed the Maw from his command bridge and placed a call to his fellow Venators. "All ships, prepare to release the hyper-nukes."

"Is this truly the right call to make?" Lieutenant Commander Krennic asked from an adjacent vessel. "Think of what these weapons could do for the Republic."

"Our orders come from the Supreme Chancellor himself," Yularen affirmed. "Disarmament is the only way to ensure peace for the galaxy. No one should be in possession of such destructive weaponry."

"And if the Separatists create something of the sort?" Krennic proposed.

Yularen sighed. "Then...the Republic will respond accordingly. Release," he ordered. On his mark, the Venators unlatched the salvaged hyper-nukes and dumped them into the Maw. Krennic sneered as each deactivated projectile was swallowed up by the powerful vacuum and warped into the unknown. As Admiral Taka observed each plummeting nuke, Commander Frost noticed her suspicious squint.

"Something...wrong, ma'am?" he asked.

"Just thinking," Taka confessed. "The hyper-nuke I'd captured during the battle was recovered by the chancellor's personal guard." She tilted her head as the warheads continued to fall. "He'd get rid of that one too...right?"

"Of course," Frost assured. "The disarmament was his order after all." Although the commander's logic made sense, Taka remained concerned.

Days of bacta tank treatment had done wonders for Anna's body. She leaned against one of the temple's verandahs and observed Coruscant's cityscape. Hans hunched over the railing beside her and said, "To think...all of that could've been reduced to ashes."

"I hate thinking about how close things came down to," Anna confessed. "And after everything, people just continue with their daily lives. Going on day by day...never knowing what we did for them."

"At least you did something," Hans griped and Anna cringed. "Thanks for the invite by the way."

"Hans-"

"Elsa invited Gav of all people, but you couldn't invite me. I see how it is."

"It's not like that," Anna insisted and reached for his hand. "Maybe-" she huffed. "-I thought it was a one-way trip. And that none of us were leaving that terrible planet. Even if we did succeed. Maybe I just wanted you safe and away from it all. Because I-" Anna's heart fluttered as her fingers brushed against his.

"You what?" Hans asked and narrowed his eyes.

While they leaned in close to one another, Kristoff was on patrol from one of the upper levels. Noticing the couple in his peripherals, he did a double take after seeing them so close. Kristoff stepped back and resumed his patrol from the upper balcony.

Just as Anna gathered the courage to answer Hans, she heard footsteps shifting from behind. It was enough to have her fingers coiling away from Hans' hand. She glanced back to see Elsa approaching with Master Mattias.

"I thought we might find you out here!" her old mentor proclaimed.

"You-you did?" Anna gulped, her face flushing with red.

"Of course," Mattias assured. "There's a beautiful sunset out this evening."

Anna breathed a subtle sigh of relief. "Yes...right. Sunset."

"You know," Mattias said as he placed his arms around Anna and Elsa. "I couldn't be prouder of you girls and how far you've come. Your efforts will undoubtedly help shed some light on what the Jedi Order and the Republic is truly about." His compliments left Hans rolling his eyes while the sisters embraced him.

"Thanks," Anna said as she noticed Elsa's unease. "You okay, sis?"

"I'll be fine," the eldest Dellian said. "I don't suppose Master Yelena will be joining us this evening?"

Mattias' frown spoke volumes. "I'm sorry Elsa," he lamented. "As the newest member of the Jedi Council, Yelena was called for her first assignment."

"I see," Elsa accepted and observed the sunset ahead. She let the gentle city breeze calm her spirits as she made peace with the world around her.

"What's on your mind, sis?" Anna asked as Elsa stared onward.

Her big sister's eyes focused intently on Coruscant's descending sun. "The future," she said as the sun dipped behind the buildings and split its rays into fiery beams. While Elsa and Mattias' faces were bathed in a glowing hue, the buildings partially shrouded Anna. Hans shivered as he was left standing in the shadows while Elsa continued. "Some day soon, this war is going to end. No matter which side prevails, the Jedi Order will be put to the test. All of us will be responsible for carrying its values and legacy into the future. And no kindness...nor crime-" Elsa murmured as she glanced at Anna. "-will go unnoticed."

TO BE CONTINUED IN "THE FROZEN FORCE: SEASON 4"

DEBUTS IN FOUR WEEKS WEEKS ON FRIDAY, DECEMBER 10th!

Author's Note: My dearest readers, thank you so much for being a part of this adventure. Thank you for reading "The Frozen Force: Season III!" We did it! We made it to the end of our glorious journey...for now. Like with other seasons, weekly chapters are going to take a brief break. But SAVE THE DATE...because I'll be back posting on DECEMBER 10th! To all of my wonderful readers, I'll never stop thanking you for all of the love and support you've shown this story as it continues to grow. It is my honor and joy to entertain you all through something that I love so much. Writing a new chapter each week makes my heart leap and I'm so excited to share all which I still have in store. This being said, it would mean the world to me if you'd like to leave a review on this season. Your words are always greatly cherished.

Thank you so much for everything and I'll see you in four weeks!

Long Live Imagination and May the Force be with you!

~ POST CREDITS SCENE ~

Donning the elegant hood of her fellow council members, Master Yelena stepped forward with honor. The elder had come to know every corner and corridor that the temple had to offer, and yet still, this stairwell was unfamiliar to her. All she could do was trust in the Force and the Jedi just ahead of her. "Master Yelena," Yoda said as they descended deeper into an unknown chamber. "Strong in the Force you have become. And an honor it is, to grant you a seat on our council."

"You have trained one of the strongest and wisest knights in our Order," Mace Windu professed. Yelena restrained her grin, but it meant the world coming from Master Windu himself. His next words left her curious as he said, "Which is why, the task of mentorship falls to you next."

"I'm not sure I quite understand," Yelena admitted.

Yoda and Mace paused at a set of doors bearing the Order's crest. "Beyond these doors," Yoda began. "Strong in the Force, another is growing. Many mentors, they have had from among the members in our council." Yoda bowed his head. "Now Master Yelena...your student, they shall be."

Yelena took a deep breath and stepped through the sacred doors. Yoda and Mace stepped away while she stood face to face with her new student. Yelena's eyes widened as she uttered, "By the Force."