The Ghost exited Hyperspace and made its way towards a station outside of the planet of Geonosis.
"Rebel intelligence was right," Ezra confirmed. "The Empire was building something over Geonosis."
"Yeah, but what? I've never seen an orbital construction field this big." Sabine commented.
"The Geonosians made weapons back in the Clone War," Kanan recalled. "Whatever they were up to, I'm betting we're not gonna like it."
"Must've been huge if they had to build it up here instead of down on the surface," Zeb commented.
"Maybe it was part of the Death Star?" Scott offered, who joined them on the mission. "I mean, that thing was a literal moon-size station."
"Nah, this is too recent," Kanan commented. "Or at least it looks recent."
"Chopper, run a planetary scan," Hera told the droid.
"Good idea," Rex called. "I know through experience the bugs down there don't take to unexpected guests."
Chopper bleeped and grunted.
"No life?" Sabine asks.
"You cross-wired? There are billions of bugs on Geonosis." Rex stated. "Scan again."
Ezra seemed to sense something. "They're dead. All of 'em."
"I don't like any of this," Zeb said.
"We don't know that for sure," Hera told them. "Let's check out that construction module."
They flew inward and landed on one of the stations that looked the most recent.
Kanan went with the others and turned to Hera. "Keep it running in case things-"
"In case things go like they usually do?" Hera asks.
"Pretty much, yeah," Kanan said as they made their way out.
"What exactly are we looking for?" Zeb wonders.
"The primary data banks," Sabine said. "They might have records of what the Empire was making."
"My gut tells me those data banks will be empty," Scott commented, enlarging as he saw the empty station.
Gwen began to sense something as she looked at Peter. "You sense something off?"
"Yeah, this place is too clean to be abandoned." Peter agreed. "Almost as if..."
"My gut tells me this is a trap," Zeb commented.
That was when they watched the walls glitch and the holograms shut off from the entire station and began to reveal a more beaten-down station hiding underneath it. Then the doorways opened up, revealing to be dozens of troopers, Agent Kallus, as well as Mara Jade without her Inquisitors. She drew her lightsaber as everyone else revealed their blasters.
"How perceptive," Kallus said.
Everyone leaped into action. BD jumped off of Peter as he rushed over towards Mara Jade and the two began to exchange blows. Scott shrank down, running over to punch several troopers while they were having difficulty locating him.
"You just never know when to give up, do you?!" Peter asked, sending a tendril towards Mara Jade.
Mara Jade dodges the tendrill, rushing towards Peter, cutting the tendrill, causing Peter to wince as the suit felt the pain.
"Spectre-2, we're in the usual mess," Kanan called. "Mara Jade and Agent Kallus have joined us, and there's some droid out there locking down doors."
"Agent Kallus and Mara Jade, how lovely," Hera said with a sigh.
"Chopper, go get that droid," Rex called, giving them some coverfire.
Peter continued to fight with Mara Jade as they made their way around the station. Peter swung a punch, but she dodged it followed by her sending her own strike. Creating a strong barrier using his Symbiote, Peter blocked her blade, watching ooze fall off from where his shield was created, wincing when he saw the blade forcing its way slowly through the shield.
"Peter, we're getting out of here!" Gwen called in. "Where are you?!"
"Bit busy at the moment!" Peter cried, pushing Mara Jade off of him. "Get out of here! I'll take an escape pod!"
Mara Jade then quickly drew her blade again, rushing in. Peter grabbed her, spinning around and slamming her into the wall. Peter rushed down to try and find an escape pod. He reached one of them, quickly removing the Symbiote as he quickly started to activate the pod. When he did, he sensed Mara Jade coming right as she ran into the pod as it closed.
Once closed, the pod blasted off into space, heading for Geonosis. There was another pod that was a few floors above them, guessing that must be one of the others who didn't make it out in time. Peter grabbed Mara Jade, but she grabbed him back, slamming his head against the console a few times. But the action returned the favor to Mara Jade as when Peter became light-headed, she in turn became light-headed.
Peter took the opportunity and grabbed her by the shirt, raising her upward. But as they were fighting, Mara Jade pushed the button and opened the escape pods doors, trying to send Mara Jade falling out. But it turned out to be strong enough to force the two of them to be flung out of the pod. They began to fall staign for the ground of Geonosis.
"Chopper, did you track their trajectory?" Ezra asks.
Chopper bleeped, wondering if they wanted them back.
"Yes, we want them back," Ezra stated, smacking the droid. "Don't be a sleemo. Find them."
The trajectory of the pod veered wildly off course, a disorienting spiral that sent it hurtling through the dense clouds of Geonosis. Inside, Mara Jade's heart raced as she plummeted from the sky, the terrifying descent toward the rocky, sun-baked surface of the desert planet rushing closer. Just when it seemed that all hope was lost, Peter fell from above, his body enveloped in the writhing black Symbiote, a dark second skin that pulsed with life.
With determination, he accelerated, shooting tendrils like dark bolts of lightning toward Mara. They snaked around her, pulling her closer even as chaos surrounded them. In a swift, fluid motion, the Spider-Man suit unfurled a makeshift parachute from his back, a fabric of glistening webbing that caught the air, slowing their descent just enough to avoid catastrophe.
As they floated downward, the harsh, arid landscape of Geonosis stretched out beneath them, a sea of ochre and gray. They landed softly, albeit awkwardly, their bodies still taut with the adrenaline of their near-fall. Locking gazes, a tension hung heavy in the air—one was an enemy, the other a reluctant savior.
"For the record," Peter began, his voice steady but strained, "I saved you out of self-preservation. If you die, I die because of this little connection we share."
Mara scoffed, crossing her arms defiantly, her expression a mix of irritation and indifference. Though he had intervened in her downfall, the reasons behind his actions didn't sit well with her. Yet, deep down, she couldn't dismiss the odd camaraderie formed in that adrenaline-charged moment.
They landed on the surface and looked around to see nothing but desert and destroyed structures for miles. "Well, great. Because of your little popping-the-doors moment, we're stranded on a dead planet with no way to contact for help."
"My friends will find us," Peter stated, walking ahead. "And I will take great pleasure in taking you prisoner for the rebellion."
Mara Jade scoffed. "Right. Do you think that I would willingly be taken prisoner? No, I rather take my chances starving on this planet than willingly go with you."
"Works for me," Peter stated. That was when he saw what looked to be a sandstorm approaching from a distance. "You've gotta be kidding me."
Mara Jade looked over and saw the approaching storm. "We've gotta take shelter."
"You've gotta take shelter," Peter scoffed. He then looked around and saw the nearby temple. "Come on. Let's go."
Heading for the temple, the sandstorm managed to hit them before they had a chance to reach the temple. But Peter grabbed Mara Jade and led her through heading for the temple. Once they reached it, Peter let Mara Jade go and sighed, removing the Symbiote from his person.
"That thing takes a lot of energy," Peter sighed as he walked as far from Mara Jade as he sat down on the rubble. "The pod landed about somewhere near that cliff. Once this storm passes, we can walk and make it by nightfall. I'm guessing the Empire is smart enough to put some transmitter or communications array in their pods to find survivors?"
Mara Jade scoffed. "You think the Empire is that stupid not to?"
"Well, you guys have yet to capture us," Peter stated.
Time passed and the two of them sighed as it seemed the storm wasn't calling down yet. They were getting irritated by the silence, but they were not in the mood to talk to one another.
"You really think your rebel friends haven't been shot down by now?" Mara Jade asked him.
"They're survivors," Peter retorted.
"You can't survive on luck forever," Mara Jade told him.
"Gotten us this far," Peter shrugged. "And you're one to talk. The only real reason you're alive so far is because we've let you. Haven't had the time to kill you because we're busy surviving."
"Or is it because you have a thing for me?" Mara Jade said in a flirty tone.
"Trust me, redheads don't do it for me," Peter scoffed. "I'm more into the multi-colored artist's type."
Mara Jade scoffed and rolled her eyes. "What makes you so special to her? She's a Mandalorian. You're a... Outsider."
"What can I say? I'm the likable type," Peter retorted.
"Every time I've met you, you've tried to kill me." Mara Jade retorted.
"Every time we meet, you want to capture me for your precious Emperor," Peter replied. "Do you have a life outside the Empire?"
"I've only ever known the Empire," Mara Jade stated with a shrug.
Peter seemed a bit sympathetic to her. "So, your whole life, you've just been trained to be part of the Emperor's army?"
"Are the Jedi any different?" Mara Jade asks. "The only difference between the upbringing I would have had if the Jedi were still around would have been the fact that I would have a blue saber rather than red."
"And you would be a much better company," Peter retorted. "So, this is where you see yourself in say 30 years? Still doing the exact same thing? Killing people, in the name of your precious Empire."
"More or less," Mara Jade stated. "I'm the Emperor's hand."
"And what happens when that hand starts to twitch?" Peter asks. "What if one day, he decides 'she has grown too powerful, and I don't wanna share that power'? Because the guy tried to create a planet-destroying weapon to make a point. What is his next big idea now that we took that off the board?"
"The Empire will survive and thrive," Mara Jade promises. "Maybe if you willingly come with, the Emperor will actually show you mercy. You could be a powerful ally to the Empire."
"Ugh, 'the Empire' this, and 'the Empire' that." Peter scoffed. "We are not getting anywhere. We're just stuck running around in circles. You are not going to change your ways, and I certainly am not joining the empire. I do not look good in white. And your armor is stupid."
"Okay, felt a little personal on that one," Mara Jade admitted. "And you act like you are truly righteous, but I have seen your memories. You killed a man."
"You didn't see the full memory," Peter stated. "You saw me confronting the man who killed my uncle."
"Oh," Mara Jade was surprised to hear that.
"I hunted him down. Was ready to tear him apart. He stole the life of a good man, why should he get to live when he didn't? I was ready to kill him... but then I remembered that that's not what he would have wanted. He wouldn't want me to take a life in his name."
Mara Jade had to admit he actually did have a good reason to not kill. She still saw it as weak.
They then looked outside and saw the storm had let up. "We should get moving."
And then, the journey commenced. They trudged across the shimmering sands of the desolate desert planet, their sole focus set on reaching the pod that would signal for help. The relentless sun hung in the sky like a merciless sentinel, pouring down its scorching rays, drenching them in heat as they navigated the arid wasteland. Clad in his symbiotic suit, Peter felt a degree of solace—an artificial coolness that did little to combat the searing sand.
Meanwhile, Mara Jade donned short sleeves and military boots, her attire barely equipped to shield her from the sun's insistent glare. It felt surreal to be walking side by side with the other's sworn enemy; the two had clashed numerous times before, each encounter soaked in hostility, and yet now they were bound by the unyielding necessity of survival.
"This sand," Peter groaned, his voice laced with irritation. "I can't stand it. Even with this suit, it somehow manages to seep in everywhere."
"I know," Mara Jade admitted, surprisingly agreeing. "It's infuriating and gets into every crevice."
As they advanced through the vast expanse, fatigue began to grip their muscles, and the sun showed no signs of retreating from its oppressive watch.
"This planet is merciless," Mara Jade muttered, casting a weary glance at the horizon. "How did all those bugs manage to survive down here?"
"Bugs always endure," Peter shrugged nonchalantly. "Maybe they should've been exterminated because they can withstand anything?"
"Hey, I don't speak for the Empire, only for the Emperor," Mara Jade retorted sharply, her pride flaring.
"Oh, sure, like that makes it any better," Peter scoffed, his sarcasm heavy. "How many lives have you taken in service of your Emperor?"
"I only do what's necessary in the name of peace," she countered defiantly.
"Your Empire decimated all the creatures on this planet," Peter reminded her, his voice rising with indignation. "For what? What were they guilty of?"
"I don't question orders," Mara Jade declared resolutely.
Peter let out a bitter laugh at her response. "Yeah, that's probably how you manage to sleep at night, knowing the side you've chosen."
"I never chose this," Mara Jade snapped, her resolve faltering just a fraction.
"You never chose to switch sides either," Peter countered, his tone unyielding.
"Oh, and what, fight a losing battle like you?" she shot back, irritation sparking in her eyes.
"We might be losing the war," Peter replied, marching ahead with conviction, "but at least we're fighting for something we truly believe in—not something we were coerced into accepting."
As Mara Jade trudged beside him, a tumult of conflicting emotions brewed within her, a flicker of doubt igniting in her heart toward the Empire she served. She mentally scolded herself for even allowing such thoughts to cross her mind. She was no hero; she was the Emperor's assassin, a feared warrior wielding the dark powers of the Sith.
"The pod!" Peter exclaimed in relief. He rushed over and leaped into the pod and started to search around for the device. "I've got it!" He then leaped out of the pod carrying the transpoder. "Activating it now though will only send the Empire."
Mara Jade sighed and knew this was going to be an issue. "Just recalibrate it. Widden the search range."
"I was going to do that," Peter retorted and turned back. "Eventually." He then did just that, readjusting it so anyone can pick up the transmission. "Now all we have to do is wait and see who comes first." That was when Peter sensed something and they saw that there was another incoming sandstorm. "Another one?"
"Geinosis," Mara Jade said. "Get in the pod. We can wait it out."
Peter nodded as the two of them climbed into the pod and closed the hatch, letting the storm take past. They then had to wait it out and see what would happen. The storm began to pass through the night, the two of them staying as far as they could in the small pod, waiting out to see whose people arrived to save them first.
Then in the night, lights came flashing as it searched the area, getting the two to wake up and look out to see a ship landing in the distance. The lights made it hard to see whose friends it was exactly until the lights calmed down and showed that it was indeed the Ghost.
"Look at that." Mara Jade was surprised. "They did come for you."
"You know, you would be treated fairly if you came with us," Peter offered her.
Mara Jade chuckled. "I'll wait for the next ride."
Peter shrugged and saw it as her choice as he left.
"Hey," Mara Jade called out. "You do know the next time we meet, I will be out to capture you again."
Peter chuckled. "I know. And I will be right there to fight and annoy you along the way."
"Then may the best of us win," Mara Jade dared him.
Peter smiled as he left the pod, closing the door behind him. Mara Jade was curious as she lifted the doorway to peek out. The other rebels rushed out in relief when they saw Peter.
"Oh, Peter!" Ezra cried in relief.
"He's alright!" Kanan was relieved to see.
"Look at that!" Zeb cheered.
"Told you he would be okay," Sabine said as she rushed to hug him. "Not that I wasn't worried."
"We were all worried," Hera said in relief.
"We came back to find Zeb, and managed to find your signal," Kanan said.
BD bleeped as he rushed over and leaped onto Peter.
"He missed you, as well." Sabine chuckled.
"You okay?" Hera asked. "You were out here for quite some time."
"I'm fine," Peter promised with a smile, looking back over to the pod where Mara Jade was watching. "Nothing I couldn't handle."
"Well, come on, let's get out of here," Hera told him. "The Empire might be back for a sweep."
They then took off in the Ghost, leaving Mara Jade to wait for the Empire to do their sweep and find her.
Mara Jade finally found her way out of captivity, the cold metal corridors of the Star Destroyer stretching out before her like a labyrinth of shadows. As she walked through the stark, sterile hallways, her mind drifted to the elation that had rippled through the ranks when news spread that Peter was alive. A spark of hope ignited within others, yet here she was, a solitary figure in the vastness of the ship, her presence barely registering with the busy crew members rushing past her.
With a heavy sigh, she turned away from the bustling throng, the echoes of their footsteps fading behind her. She made her way back to her quarters, the dim lighting casting long shadows as she entered the room. She sank into the chair, the worn fabric familiar yet uninviting, and allowed her thoughts to spiral into the depths of memory.
Peter's words echoed in her mind, persistent and haunting. Deep down, she grappled with the realization that she was trapped in her own past, shackled to the very Empire she had served. The fires of rebellion flickered around her, but the chains of loyalty anchored her firmly in place. She felt the weight of her choices pressing down, an impenetrable barrier against the possibility of change—that sense of freedom that dangled just out of reach.