WEEEEELCOME BAAAACK! TO ANOTHER CHAPTER!

We are entering back into the familiar territory of episode V: The Empire Strikes Back. There will be the familiar setting and characters but all of it sprinkled with the surprise sauce of Obi-Wan being alive!

I'll leave you with this new chapter, just before I answer comments from chapter 18:

-RKF22: Yeah I felt like Han and Leia's connection just naturally felt like it should blossom earlier. That means that episode V will be different in terms of their relationship, since originally they bickered a lot.

I like the fact that Luke has more information about both his parents, while also backing Obi-Wan further into a corner by having to lie to Luke again.

I'm happy at how the character of Mara Jade is evolving. I had some apprehension at first since I was not very familiar with her character in cannon or legends, so I hope I was able to do her justice.

I'm glad that the way the narrative is structured now means that we can focus on what is going on for both sides, Rebel and Empire. I think it makes any reunion between both factions that much more impactful.

Thank you for your comment and may the Force be with you!

-Pink ranger 13: I certainly will ;)

Those are all the comments from the last chapter, so without further adodo, let's jump straight into chapter 19!

Enjoy, and please favorite, follow and comment!

"My energy should be dedicated to this new battle station!" Tarkin barked suddenly, barely keeping his anger in check. "Wasting months on a foolish cat and mouse chase is a waste of my abilities."

"Your humility is striking, grand admiral," Thrawn spoke in his usual deep and unruffled tone, a ghost of a smile gracing his lips. "Since your abilities have yet to produce any leads on the Rebels, one must wonder what good they will do here."

"Mind your tone, you damn alien," Tarkin snapped back. The contempt in his voice was palpable. "I have no need for your clever slights."

While Thrawn kept his expression enigmatic, Mara sensed the brief change in his Force signature following Tarkin's insult. She could feel his resentment towards such an appellation. How it judged him on his physical appearance rather than his skills and accomplishments in service to the Empire. At another time, Mara would likely have interrupted Tarkin to take Thrawn's side, but the man sitting before them did it for her.

"Grand Admiral Tarkin, it is YOU who will mind your tone," the Emperor spoke deliberately, menace leering in every syllable. "This entitlement and superiority are becoming far too widespread amongst high-ranking human officers. Do not force me to make an example of you."

The silence that weighed over the room was suffocating, but its outcome was clear to everyone. Tarkin gave a subdued bow to the Emperor, trying to make his voice sound genuine and respectful despite the humiliation he had just endured.

"Forgive me, my Lord."

The Emperor said nothing. He simply turned his chair to gaze through the circular window behind him. Mara slowly took in the details of the dark and ominous room they were in. It was quite large, with a very high ceiling and a dangerous opening in the floor that led straight to the reactor of the station.

When she had approached the Death Star II in a shuttle alongside Tarkin and Thrawn, she had been surprised by how much had been built since she left. The Super Laser was still not fully operational; it still needed a dish to focus the energy rays into a single planet-destroying laser, but most of the essential infrastructure had been built: hangars, mess halls, living areas, training rooms, conference halls…

Mara thought she would be happy to see such swift progress, but it all left her strangely indifferent. She was impressed but knowing the station's ultimate purpose did not fill her with the same satisfaction as before.

She snapped out of her reverie when the Emperor turned his throne back around to face them. He let pass a few seconds of silence before speaking:

"Your failure is most displeasing," Palpatine stated simply. Mara, Tarkin and Thrawn understood the statement was addressed to all three of them equally. "First I assign my Hand her most important mission to date, and she simply passes it on to others under her command…"

Mara did not even think about disputing the accusation. Not only was there no convincing defense for her actions, but this was clearly not a platform for debate. The Emperor was speaking, and they were to listen; simple as that.

"Now if these subordinates had been successful, perhaps I would have overlooked it," Palpatine continued, purposefully shifting his gaze towards Tarkin and Thrawn. "However, they come no closer to finding the Rebel Fleet, or Kenobi, or his apprentice… After so many months, all you have to show for your efforts is one insignificant Rebel cruiser."

Mara discreetly glanced to her right to see how Thrawn and Tarkin were reacting. The latter had gotten visibly redder from anger and was reflexively clenching his fists and jaw, while Thrawn managed to maintain his immaculate poker face.

"I grow tired of such failures! However, you are in luck, for the tides will be changing soon," everyone perked up as soon as the Emperor said those words. A sadistic smile spread on his face as he spoke next, "Lord Vader has tracked the Rebels to the Anoat Sector. It is only a matter of time before he finds which planet they are on."

Mara's heart began thumping louder in her chest as she desperately tried to contain her excitement. Vader had nearly found them? How? Where? She tried to keep her Force signature neutral as the Emperor continued:

"Mara Jade and Grand Moff Thrawn will return to the Executor and assist Lord Vader in the eradication of the Rebels under HIS direct orders," Mara gritted her teeth at that last part but pushed it out of her mind for now. "As for you, Grand Admiral Tarkin, you will remain here to oversee the final stages of this battle station's construction."

Mara knew that all of this sounded much too positive for three people who had just failed the Emperor. She was waiting for the caveat.

"I will not tolerate any more failures," the Emperor's tone was threatening, but he also spoke with a certain inevitability, as if everything he ordered would happen regardless of if they were alive or not. "We will crush the Rebels and Kenobi in whole fell swoop. His apprentice will be turned or he will die, and nothing will stand in our way! Am I clear?"

"Sir!" Thrawn, Tarkin, and Mara each replied simultaneously with a curt military salute.

The Emperor smiled maliciously and turned his throne to face back towards the window.

"Leave me alone with my Hand. I wish to speak to her."

Mara felt her stomach sink to the floor. She heard the distant echo of Tarkin and Thrawn's boots as they left for the elevator, before it was replaced with a heavy and oppressive silence. The Emperor's voice was like a needle slowly being stabbed into her skin:

"I sense you are… different. You are further from the Dark Side than when I sent you on your mission… This assignment will be a test to prove you are still worthy of my teachings... If not… you will die."

The inflection with which he pronounced that final word made her death sound like a logical and inevitable conclusion; that her life meant as little to him as the chair he sat on, or the robes on his back. Mara desperately focused on keeping her Force signature neutral as she replied:

"Yes, my Lord."

With a wave of his hand, he dismissed her. Mara moved as fast as she could towards the elevator without seeming suspicious. Every second she spent in his presence felt like it left an indelible mark on her soul.

I hate this place.

"I hate this place."

Luke glanced up at Han's words and could not help smiling at how he'd said out loud what he had kept in his head. The old smuggler was savoring the warmth from a heating unit as they both got ready for their patrol.

Echo Base, as it had officially been called, had been set up on Hoth for several weeks, but due to the intense weather conditions, it had taken longer than expected to build a permanent settlement. Patrols needed to be done on Tauntauns, a species of bipedal lizards, since the intense cold rendered all vehicles useless. Until the Alliance's equipment could be properly adapted to the frigid temperatures, they needed to rely on other methods to keep the base functional.

"Cheer up, Han," Luke said with a smirk, giving his friend a good-natured nudge. "Apparently the technicians are nearly done weatherizing the T-47s. Our next patrol will be done from the cockpit of a speeder, just you wait."

Han let out a low grumble as he rubbed his mitted hands together over the heat stream. Every word he spoke released a cloud of steam.

"And say goodbye to these guys," Han said sarcastically, patting his Tauntaun who let out a contented gurgle. "Don't break my heart, kid."

Luke let out a short laugh as he finished putting on his snow gear. He and Han hitched up on their Tauntauns and slowly made their way towards the gigantic blast doors that separated Echo Base from Hoth's harsh, frigid landscape.

"How is it that the cold numbs all of my senses but I can still smell their stink?" Han groaned in defeat as he slipped on his snow goggles.

"At least you can track it easily if it runs away from you." Luke replied with a smirk as he did a final check of the route they were taking to place the last scanners.

"Very funny, kid." Han said with a derisive snort before spurring his Tauntaun, which carried him out of the base at a brisk canter.

Luke could not help smiling at his friend's newfound energy. He was still the Han he'd met with Obi-Wan on Tattooine: cocky, overzealous, slightly egotistical at times; but it was now tempered by a deep and profound commitment to his friends. He still acted the same but Luke could sense the difference, and he was glad that he and Leia were happy together.

As he put his protective goggles on, the Deck Officer approached him, holding a holopad.

"Heading out, commander Skywalker?" he asked.

"That's right, Tuyin. Han already left," Luke replied. "How are your brothers doing?"

"Just fine, sir," the young man answered with a shy smile. "We're all just so happy to be doing our part."

"Remember, you're all part of the Rebel Alliance now," Luke spoke deliberately, leaning over his Tauntaun to lock eyes with Tuyin. "I can sense you feel like you have to answer for being former Imperials. You don't. And anyone who tries to make you think that is wrong."

Tuyin was visibly taken aback by how easily Luke saw through him. He shook his head in disbelief as he checked some information on his holopad.

"You're starting to sound more and more like general Kenobi, sir."

"Speaking of which, do you know where he is?" Luke asked

"I believing he is training commanders Ezra and Ahsoka, sir."

Luke nodded before switching on his commlink:

"Echo Three to Echo Seven, comms check."

Luke waited a couple seconds before Han's voice replied:

"Hear you loud and clear, kid. Now get out here so we can get this done before we freeze in place and become part of the scenery."

Luke switched off his commlink and turned back towards Tuyin.

"See you later, Tuyin. Let's grab a drink tonight if you're free."

"That would be wonderful, sir." the young man replied quickly, his excitement clearly written on his features.

With that, Luke nudged his Tauntaun forward and it carried him out onto the frozen desolate plains of Hoth.

The cold assaulted him immediately. His entire body tensed up instinctively, his pores tightened up to preserve heat. He spurred his Tauntaun to get it to go faster as he followed the northern patrol route. Han, meanwhile, would take the southern one. They'd both place sensors along the way to monitor any incoming ships, meet up when their routes crossed and return to Echo Base together.

Luke performed his duty diligently, placing the sensors and keeping an eye out for any unusual activity. After about an hour he was done, which gave him plenty of time to meet up with Han and make it back to Echo base.

They needed to be careful about how much time they spent outside. Even with protective gear, the human body was unable to stay functional in this cold for more than two hours on Hoth once the sun sets.

Luke was about to contact Han when he sensed a sharp warning through the Force. Instantly, Luke reared his Tauntaun around and quickly scanned his surroundings. He could see nothing but the blinding whiteness of the snow swirling around him; no movement or sign of life. He tried to use the Force to sense anything unusual near him but he could not focus with the biting wind blowing in his face.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eyes, Luke saw a glowing streak in the sky. Just as he turned to see it clearly, it impacted the snow a couple hundred meters away from him, kicking up a jet of snow.

Luke dusted the snow off his communicator and opened a direct line to Han.

"Echo Three to Echo Seven. Han old buddy, you read me?"

"Loud and clear, kid. What's up?"

"Well I finished my circle, I don't pick up any life readings."

"There isn't enough life on this ice cube to fill a space cruiser," Han snorted derisively. "Sensors are placed, I'm going back."

"Right, I'll see you shortly. There's a meteorite that hit the ground near here, I want to check it out. Won't take long."

Luke urged his Tauntaun towards the crash site of the meteor. As he got a couple meters closer, he made out a faint metallic whirring noise and some robotic chatter.

That's no meteor, Luke thought instantly.

He quickly dismounted his Tauntaun, unclipped his lightsaber from his belt and cautiously crawled up the side of the crater. As Luke peaked over the edge, he glimpsed a solid black metal body moving away from the crash site. He recognized its spidery legs and knew immediately what this meant.

"Echo Three to command," Luke spoke urgently into his communicator. "Just spotted an Imperial probe droid! There's a chance the Empire knows we're here!"

Luke did not wait for a response. He jumped over the edge of the crater, landed onto the hyperdrive pod the droid had traveled in and sprung off of it to land on top of the probe droid.

It whirred loudly in protest and desperately tried to throw Luke off, but he ignited his lightsaber and deftly plunged it through the droid's internal systems. It fell to the ground and Luke jumped off of it before quickly running for cover. As expected, the droid exploded, showering chunks of hot metal and giving Luke's Tauntaun quite a spook.

Luke hushed and tried to calm the beast down, but it continued neighing and pulling on the reigns, as if deathly afraid of something. Luke patted the animal and spoke gently to it:

"Steady, girl. Easy. What's the matter? You smell something?"

As Luke said those words, a split-second warning through the Force told him to duck. As he did, a giant white paw with razor-sharp claws swung just a few millimeters over his head and tore clean through the throat of his Tauntaun.

Luke swiftly backed away. He turned around to see a terrifying, three-meter-tall beast. It had stringy, mottled white fur and cavernous black eyes, along with two short cranial horns. It's hideously gory mouth tore a sickening chunk out of the Tauntaun's chest. The poor creature's body dropped limply to the ground.

Getting over his initial stupor, Luke reignited his lightsaber and, with blinding speed, cut off one of the beast's arms. It led out a deafening roar of pain, but Luke did not wait for it to finish. With one precise swing, he decapitated it and watched its headless body uselessly crumble into the snow.

Luke panted hard as he savored the adrenalin coursing through his system. The last minute had been strangely empowering and exhilarating. This had been his first time in actual combat, and the lifeless body of such an imposing beast brought Luke a surge of satisfaction.

Unfortunately, his high quickly faded and reality caught up to him. The reality that he was stranded in the middle of an empty frozen wasteland, with his only mode of transportation lying dead at his feet and a heavy snowstorm approaching, which would block any distress message he tried to send.

Luke cast a sad glance at the mangled body of his Tauntaun. Had it been less damaged, he might have been able to use the carcass for protection against the harsh winds, but in its current state, it was useless.

Come on, this isn't the time to lose hope, Luke chided himself, tightening up his face mask. I'm a Jedi. I don't feel fear.

With this bold mindset, Luke set out towards Echo Base. He remembered which direction it was in; the only problem was if he was going to reach in time before his entire body shutdown.

Obi-Wan silently scrutinized his students as they dueled with practice sabers. The Rebel technicians had finally been able to craft non-lethal lightsabers which granted more flexibility for combat training.

Ezra and Ahsoka were sweating and panting heavily even though they'd only started the duel a couple minutes ago. Wisps of steam emanated from their bodies since the room they were in was not fully heated, as was most of Echo base.

It had been decided, upon Obi-Wan and Luke's return to the fleet, that the remaining Jedi should no longer be in the same place. Galen Marek had offered to take the six remaining padawans to another branch of the Rebellion to continue their training. It had been decided that Kanan and the rest of the Ghost Crew would go with Galen, while Ezra and Ahsoka stayed on Hoth to continue their training with Obi-Wan.

Rahm's death had taken a significant toll on everyone's morale, but the appearance of his Force Ghost had helped the padawans move past their grief. Rahm helped Galen train his new students, and occasionally appeared on Hoth to see how Obi-Wan was progressing with his.

Ezra's skills were reaching the point where, under the old Jedi Order, he would have passed the Trials to become a Jedi Knight. Ahsoka's skills were significantly better than Ezra's but pairing them together meant that the latter would be challenged. Ahsoka would learn what it was like to mentor someone, and Obi-Wan would supervise them both as their master.

They were currently dueling, but they were each employing a new fighting style. Ezra, who was proficient in Form IV, or Ataru, was now learning Form III, or Soresu, a more defensive and non-aggressive style. Ahsoka, who had mastered Jar'Kai, a dual-wielding offshoot of Ataru, was now tackling the controversial Form VII, or Juyo.

Form VII had been widely considered a vicious and dangerous fighting style by many in the Jedi Order. It was feared that practitioners of Form VII would risk falling to the dark side. That was until Mace Windu developed his own variant, named Vapaad. It required incredible amounts of focus, training and composure, but Mace mastered it and was considered one of the most powerful Jedi to have ever lived.

Now, Ahsoka was developing her own variant of Form VII. Obi-Wan had done his best to teach her all he knew before letting her meditate and experiment on how to make this new form her own. It was a dangerous style to learn, but Obi-Wan trusted Ahsoka's abilities and knew she could resist the dark side's temptation.

Form VII was aggressive by nature which made it a perfect pairing for Ezra's defensive Form III. Their current duel was clearly in Ahsoka's favor, as she attacked relentlessly, forcing Ezra to remain on the defensive and leaving him unable to find an opening. Even though Ahsoka's Form VII variant was still in development, it remained quite formidable. Not to mention Ahsoka out-experienced Ezra by over a decade.

"Give yourself some space, Ezra," Obi-Wan shouted as he meticulously observed their movements. "Take time to find an opening and exploit it."

Ezra did not reply but he managed to dodge an overhead strike by Ahsoka and backflip away from her. They were now standing two meters apart, panting hard, steaming, their drips of sweat melting patches in the snow.

A small crowd had gathered around them to silently watch the fight, in awe at the stunning display before them. Obi-Wan had discussed it with Ezra and Ahsoka, and they had decided to allow spectators. It gave the troops a boost in morale and it showed them that the Jedi weren't just a mysterious order cloaked in secrecy; something that had often been criticized of the old Jedi Order.

The tension continued to rise as second after second, Ezra and Ahsoka simply stared each other down intensely. Obi-Wan could sense, and everyone else could see, that this would be the decisive blow.

Ezra attacked first, dashing with a low swipe to Ahsoka's legs. The young Togruta jumped up in the air to avoid the strike and a quick smile spread on Ezra's face. Obi-Wan could see it too: Ahsoka had much less control when she was in the air.

Even though she has the high ground, it's still Ezra who has the upper hand, Obi-Wan reflected.

"Bad move, Ahsoka." Ezra said confidently.

The old Jedi could see how Ezra might win this fight, but he also knew that Ahsoka was resourceful and that Form VII, by its nature, was unconventional. He was not disappointed by what he saw next.

As she hung in the air, Ahsoka suddenly threw one of her lightsabers at Ezra, forcing him to block it which prevented him from attacking. Now with only one lightsaber and back on the ground, Ahsoka threw her second lightsaber as she dashed towards Ezra with unnatural speed. The boy quickly parried it but before he could counterattack, Ahsoka was already on top of him.

With incredible dexterity and flexibility, she locked her legs around Ezra's body and linked an arm around his neck, while her other hand twisted his wrist to make him drop his lightsaber. Ahsoka and Ezra fell to the ground, the latter unable to move, and the former grinning wildly.

"I'd call that a GREAT move." she whispered mischievously in Ezra's ear.

The boy grumbled something in response but it was inaudible since his cheeks were compressed by Ahsoka's arm.

"The duel is over!" Obi-Wan announced. "Break apart and salute your opponent."

The room erupted into applause, cheering and clapping at the incredible display of skill.

Obi-Wan watched with pride as Ezra and Ahsoka got to their feet and bowed deeply to each other. Ezra was frustrated he had lost but he knew Ahsoka had won fair and square.

"It WAS a great move." Ezra acknowledged with a nod.

"I'm glad I was able to pull it off," Ahsoka said as she took a long drink from her water bottle. "Losing a fight because you no longer have a sword in your hand would be embarrassing."

The crowd that had gathered to watch the duel was slowly dispersing, some whispered about how impressive the fight was, while others paid off bets on who would win the duel.

Obi-Wan approached Ezra and Ahsoka and gave them an approving smile, recognition shining in his grey-blue eyes.

"You've both made incredible progress," he said. "I'm very impressed by how much your skills have developed."

"Well, we DO have the best teacher." Ezra said with a smirk.

"Don't let Master Yoda hear you. He gets jealous." Ahsoka added jokingly.

"Yes, you'd better be careful," Obi-Wan teased. "Those large ears aren't for nothing."

Obi-Wan could just picture Yoda sneezing or rolling around in his sleep on Dagobah.

"Make sure you rest well tonight," Obi-Wan added. "Tomorrow we'll be doing a group meditation with Luke."

"Sounds good."

"See you tomorrow, master."

Ezra and Ahsoka went to gather their belongings while Obi-Wan left them to head towards his quarters. He had a meeting with the Rebel High Command about necessary additions to Echo base and he wanted to go over some documents to prepare for it.

Just as he reached the door to his room, he felt a sharp warning through the Force. Someone was in trouble… Luke! Luke is in trouble!

Obi-Wan turned away from his quarters and ran in the direction of the main hangar. As he did, he felt another warning through the Force, however, this one was more ominous; a larger threat was approaching. Obi-Wan did not like what all this meant.

Vader was quietly staring at open space from the viewing windows on the bridge of the Executor. As usual, his mind was an impenetrable steel trap when Mara approached him alongside Thrawn. A silent agreement had passed between them that they would let Vader speak first.

The latter let pass a few seconds of silence before he spoke:

"When we find the Rebels, I will personally lead the ground assault. Thrawn, you will remain onboard the Executor and prevent any ships from escaping."

Mara had to resist the urge to punch the back of his helmet for his clear omission of her role in the upcoming attack. Before she would have lost her temper and reacted violently, but now that she knew what really lied beneath the mask, she had no problem confronting Vader with a clear head.

"I can help you lead the ground assault, Lord Vader," she spoke as politely as she could. "Perhaps lead a separate squad to make sure no Rebels escape?"

Vader emphatically turned around, towering over Mara. The buzz of voices on the bridge had suddenly been replaced by a heavy silence as everyone held their breath at how he would react.

Mara could sense the clear warning in Vader's Force presence, but she stayed firm, eyes defiant.

"You will stay onboard the Executor," Vader spoke slowly and intensely. "The Emperor is already saddling me with the Inquisitorius, I do not need another distraction."

"With all due respect, sir," Mara could not believe she had said those words to Darth Vader of all people. "Considering the high amount of Force users in the Rebellion, would it not make sense to put forward ALL of our resources to make sure they are eliminated?"

"I have given my orders," the intensity in Vader's voice had reached a crescendo. "Are you challenging my command?"

Mara immediately recognized the veiled threat. It was the same tone he'd used in the training arena before he nearly killed her. All of Mara's common sense was telling her to drop it, that this was enough, but a persistent voice at the back of her mind told her not to give up. She borrowed a page from Thrawn's playbook and kept her face and voice as neutral as possible.

"No. I simply believe you are making a dangerous miscalculation that could cost this mission everything."

If it was somehow possible to have something even quieter than silence, Mara's statement created it. She could hear her own heartbeat and even Thrawn's because of how soundless the bridge had become.

She tried to read Vader's emotions, to determine his reaction, but all she felt was a blank, emotionless wall. She felt nothing until, for a split-second, she felt something; a faint trace of… respect?

Vader turned his body back around to face the windows and in an even voice said:

"You will lead the AT-AT ground assault."

Mara heaved an internal sigh of relief as the bridge's activity resumed. Over the chatter, someone shouted across the room:

"Lord Vader, one of our probe droids has found something. It was brief but it might be a Rebel settlement."

AND DONE! DONE, DONE, DONE!

I can believe it took all those chapters to get from one movie to the next ;). Stuff has happened in the span between ep IV and ep V. We'll still be meeting the familiar faces we know and love but all with the added twist that comes with Obi-Wan being alive.

I still want to have the iconic scenes and dialogue moments that give you chills, but also want to add some fun twists and turns to try to add as many layers as possible to the story.

I can't wait for Yoda to join the story! I'm grinning from ear to ear at having that beloved green alien in the story, in person this time. I've been rewatching his scenes on Dagobah in ep V and God… I love him SOOOOOOOO much!

Alright, enough fanboying! Thank you so much for reading another chapter, I hope you enjoyed it.

STAY TUNED FOR THE NEXT ONE AND PLEASE FAVORITE, FOLLOW AND COMMENT. IT REALLY HELPS ME OUT A LOT.

May the Force be with you!