Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

January 2, 2225

It wasn’t easy to slip past the mandalorian space, but the Corvus eventually showed everyone that her cloaking device could really rival that of the Federation.

Iulius simply wasn’t used to all the sneaking around. He always sent people like the Inferno to do this kind of job while he commanded entire naval squadrons from the bridge of the Admonitor.

The Corvus also didn’t have much room for privacy. The only single cabin was that of the commander, and while Iden had offered to leave it to him, he had refused, stating that, after all, she was still in command of the ship, and she had the right to a private space where she could clear her mind and direct the vessel at peak performance.

Now though, it was time to find out whether his worst fears were true or not.

“We’re leaving hyperspace in ten seconds.” Meeko announced on the bridge.

Pretty much everybody was looking anxiously outside of the viewport, even if they would have to navigate for a few minutes before they reached the last known position of the Death Star.

The blue tunnel disappeared and the only thing they could see at first was the local star, thousands of km away from them and yet so bright and looking very close.

A few beeps followed. “Cloaking device engaged.” one of the technicians reported.

“Agent Meeko, bring us to the set of coordinates.” Iden ordered.

“Yes, ma’am.” the man replied and started maneuvering the ship.

The Corvus sped into the Yavin system. It crossed the elliptic orbit of the most external planet, crossed the asteroid belt and finally approached the gas giant of Yavin. Soon, the scanners picked up an obstacle.

Actually, they picked up a lot of them.

The corvette approached and it wasn’t long before the answer to their questions became visible even without the sensors.

“No…” Hask whispered in terror, as everybody looked outside of the viewport with shock and dismay. “Say I’m hallucinating.”

Nobody said anything, because pretty much everybody inside that bridge wished they were only imagining things. But the debris of the Death Star were right there in front of them. On the far side of the gas giant they could even see the section of the shooting disc floating in the orbit.

Iulius closed his eyes for a moment, recollecting himself before he turned around. “Come on, people, we’ll mourn later. Start a search of the area, see if you can find a distress beacon.” he calmly ordered.

His discipline served as an example to the others, who immediately got back to work and the scan was initiated.

After a minute or so, Hask spoke up. “We got a signal. It’s Lord Vader.”

“Take us closer, quick.” Iden ordered and the Corvus moved.

Dodging the bigger debris by enacting constant evasive maneuvers, Meeko calmly brought the ship beyond the giant ruins and eventually they came across a TIE Advanced, the engines of which had been damaged in the explosion and the reactor was at the lowest level of energy.

“Bring him aboard.” Iulius ordered. “Commander, you and your squad come with me to greet Lord Vader.”

Iden clacked her heel. “Yes, sir.” and rushed to get her helmet back, so did Meeko and Hask, who had heard the order clearly.

The four imperials rushed to the small hangar of the Corvus, which could normally hold a couple of fighters, but right now it was empty.

They waited outside the small door while the hangar was opened and the TIE Advanced flew in with what little energy it had left.

The Inferno lined up on the right side of the door, while Iulius stood in front of it, waiting for Vader to come out of it and welcoming him right away. Soon enough, beyond the closed door came the unmistakable sound of metallic footsteps and one of Vader’s signature breathing.

Finally, the door slid open, revealing the black-clad figure.

Vader walked in with a pace which was slightly faster than his usual, but most importantly, Iulius could clearly feel that he was livid.

Breathing heavily again and again, Vader was limping a bit forward, but when he arrived in front of Iulius he recomposed himself.

Still, the Grand Admiral kept his cool.

“Lord Vader.” he greeted with a neutral tone.

The cyborg turned his helmet toward him. “Did the Emperor send you?” he asked gravely.

“Yes, my Lord. We have orders to escort you back to Coruscant.” Iulius dutifully replied.

The Dark Lord didn’t reply. He exhaled one of his breaths again and then walked away toward the point of the ship, probably looking for somewhere secluded.

“Guess we’ll have to take it as an ‘all clear’.” Iulius commented as he turned toward the Inferno. “Let’s get back to the bridge.”

“Y-yes, Grand Admiral.” Iden stuttered lightly.

“Something wrong, Commander?” he asked calmly.

All three of them seemed to hesitate.

“It’s just…” Hask tried to say. “I don’t know...it’s like my heart was being squeezed.”

“I’m not sure I want to know, and maybe we shouldn’t investigate.” Meeko said with a bit of fear into his voice.

Iulius realized that this must have had something to do with Vader and his connection to the Force. The details were still eluding him, especially because he didn’t feel anything particular in front of the Lord. He could tell that Vader was furious because of the situation at hand, knowing his temperament and perhaps even from some small details in his body language. Despite that, Iulius didn’t feel anything in front of Vader. In his mind there was only the mission and the prospects to avenge the Death Star.

“Then let’s move.” he said to the Inferno. “We don’t want rebel patrols to find us.”

The soldiers nodded and they quickly headed back into the bridge. And just as they did that, the radar operator called for Iulius and Iden.

“Grand Admiral, Commander, we’re picking up multiple signals engaged in combat.”

“Imperials?” Iulius asked.

“Negative, sir. Rebels and...I’m not sure. Pirates, maybe?”

“Pirates? Here?” Iden asked with suspicion.

“Put them on screen.” Iulius ordered as he walked toward the holo-table, followed by the Inferno.

Soon there was a projection of rebel fighters and corvettes fighting with two frigates and a group of fighters and bombers that Iulius didn’t recognize entirely. However, he also spotted something on the hull of those ships.

“Meeko, enhance on this point.” he ordered as he indicated it with a finger.

“Yes, Grand Admiral.” Del promptly replied as he inputted the command on the console.

The hologram paused and zoomed in on the starboard side of one of the frigates, highlighting an emblem.

“Make a search.” Iulius ordered, and a few moments later, the computer came up with a correspondence.

“That’s the symbol of a pirate group known as ‘Zann Consortium’.” Meeko reported.

Iulius hummed. “Bring up the file on it.” he said as he took his datapad and connected it to the table, allowing Del to transfer the dossier directly to the device.

“Transferring completed.”

“Thanks, Agent. Now, what are those people doing here?”

“I guess we can only follow them, for now.” Del concluded.

“I agree.” Iden said. “Just make sure they don’t spot us, Agent.”

“Yes, ma’am.”

So they tailed the small squadron from a distance, as it fought off the rebel patrols, though certainly the base down on Yavin IV would send reinforcements quite soon. Luckily, the pirates seemed to have found what they needed as they approached a device with a red light beeping on it.

“Data pods?” Hask exclaimed.

“I’m surprised someone had the time to launch them.” Meeko commented.

“There might be critical intel inside of those, Grand Admiral.” Iden warned. “Should we attempt to recover them?”

“Negative.” Iulius calmly said. “We’re low on fuel and we simply don’t have the firepower to sustain a fight. Our top priority is to bring Lord Vader back to Coruscant, we’ll deal with these scum another time.”

“As you wish, sir.” Iden said. “Agent Meeko, set the course for Coruscant.”

Del nodded and started moving the Corvus away.

January 5.

“And you’re sure it wasn’t the Empire?”

“Affirmative. They came out all of a sudden and attacked our patrols. Then took a few data pods and ran away. We’ve already analyzed their insignia and we confirmed they belonged to a criminal cartel, called Zann Consortium.” Wedge replied.

Jaral made a few steps around the comm room, thinking.

“For now keep your guard up, I’ll see what I can find about them.” she concluded.

Wedge stood at attention and made the salute. “Yes, ma’am.” and his hologram disappeared.

So Jaral walked into the strategic room. Around the holotable there were Colonel Undir and the other two officers of the MI6, and she spoke to him.

“Colonel, I need whatever intel we have about the organization known as ‘Zann Consortium’.”

“Yes, Marshall.” the salarian replied before tapping the commands on one of the keyboards.

It wasn’t long until a projection appeared at the center of the table, showing the symbol of the Consortium.

“The Zann Consortium takes its name from its leader and founder, a criminal by the name of Tyber Zann.” Undir explained. “He was arrested 11 months ago with the accusations of illegal spice trade, corruption, murder of an imperial officer...but we could also add slave trade, selling of stolen goods. Quite a long list, actually.”

In the meantime, the face of the guy had appeared, showing his long white hair, dark green eyes and two scars running from top right to bottom left of his face.

“Charming.” Jaral commented sarcastically. “Where is his territory located?”

“According to the intel Nimbus provided us and from what our squads have gathered so far, his main base of operations should be in the Southern Fringe, possibly beyond Ryloth.” the salarian replied.

Jaral looked at the hologram. “Between corrupting the military and the fuel to get all the way to Yavin, he must have spent quite a lot of money and time to get those data pods.” she concluded. “Colonel, I want our Intelligence to keep an eyeball on this guy. Maybe whatever he’s looking for won’t affect us, but you’re never too careful with criminals.”

“We’ll set him as a Priority 2 target.” Undir concluded.

“Good. We should be nearing Lothal, by now, I’ll go check on the others.” Jaral announced.

The officers around the table saluted her and she briefly returned the gesture before walking away, heading toward the elevator so she could reach Deck 5.

As the door opened again, she immediately heard the sound of lightsabers clashing.

On the central corridor of the hangar, the one running between the two dropships, Ezra was walking Luke through the forms of lightsaber combat, already at the point were Luke had to use the moves he had learned to hit Ezra’s saber.

“Four...Five…” Ezra counted every time they moved. “Six...lift the crate.”

Jaral walked right before the two consoles that separated the entrance from the hangar of the vehicles. Pretty much all the marines had gathered and were standing on the sidelines of the hangar to watch the two Jedi sparring.

She ended up next to Jordan and noticed that Luke had turned on his right and had his left palm pointed toward a crate of heavy ammo posed right at the edge of the corridor, in front of part of the spectators.

“What’s going on?” she innocently asked to her father as she stopped next to him, Michalina and Thabo, who was watching with interest at the scene.

“Ezra is trying to mix saber training with basic Force exercises.” Jordan explained. “When they are done with the form, Luke has to lift that crate.”

“Did he succeed?”

“Eh, he’s getting there.” Jordan said.

In fact, as they finished that exchange of thoughts, the crate started to levitate and slowly moved upward, though not exactly in a straight line.

It made maybe 60 cm before Luke decided he was too tired and gently put it back down.

The young apprentice grunted. “Why is it so difficult?”

“Hey, you’re getting better every time we do this.” Ezra encouraged him with a calm tone. “But I think the problem is another one.”

“What?”

“Your mind is not here. You’re worried about something else entirely.”

The words seemed to stir something in Luke’s mind, as his facial expression could tell.

Ezra deactivated his lightsaber. “Let’s take a break, ok?” he proposed.

Luke relaxed his stance and deactivated his saber as well. After all, they had been going for more than an hour and he was starting to get tired, too. At that signal, the crowd of spectators dispersed as everyone went back to their posts and prepared to land on Lothal.

Jaral approached the two fellow Jedi.

“Jaral.” Luke greeted, making Ezra turn his head around.

“Not bad, Luke.” she complimented. “And just to remind you: if you have something you want to talk about...we’re here for you.”

That was pretty much an encouragement to speak freely right then and there. Luke sighed, put away his lightsaber and decided that he might as well get that weight out of his chest.

“There are many things, actually, but I guess I’m mostly concerned for Leia. Was it really a good idea to let her go on her quest alone?” he asked.

Jaral raised a hand to reassure him. “She’s not alone. She has Verlaine with her. Plus she can take care of herself and our friend Nimbus has assured us that she will watch over her while she looks for Alderaanian survivors.”

“Trust us, your sister is more capable than what she lets see. Just have faith in her.” Ezra added, putting a hand on Luke’s shoulder.

Luke scratched his head nervously. “Guess I don’t really have much choice at the moment.”

“Come on, it’s almost time to disembark.” Jaral encouraged him.

The group thus took the elevator and reached Deck 2, where they found Jordan standing on his platform in front of the Galaxy Map, which signaled that they were entering the Lothal system.

“Home sweet home.” Ezra commented.

Jordan turned around. “You haven’t come back in a while, but Lothal has changed a lot.”

“We heard it has become a Sister-Nation of the Federation, by now.” Jaral said.

“Precisely. Capitol City is expanding by the day, and so are other cities around the planet. There’s a wave of colonists that arrived from the Milky Way, mostly refugees from the Terminus systems. Oh, and the Wren colony has also completely integrated.” their father explained with genuine interest.

Hearing that surname made Ezra smile, reminding him that he was finally going to meet his wife again. It might have been just a week, but with everything that had happened, he felt like it had been way more.

The Bridgers and Luke reached the cockpit and could finally take a look at the orbit of Lothal. Now it was guarded by a federal fleet and even by the Bellator-class dreadnought that had been captured during the failed counter-attack of the Empire a few months before.

Jordan then opened a channel with the traffic control and spoke up. “Captain Jordan Bridger of the INS Constantinople requests permission to land at the Capitol Spaceport.”

“Copy that, Constantinople, transmit clearance codes, please.” the voice of a man replied.

Jordan nodded to Rut and the pilot pushed the button to transmit said coded. After a few seconds, the voice on the radio talked again. “Permission granted, welcome home, Bridgers.” he said with a cordial tone that couldn’t hide perhaps a bit of admiration.

The sun was setting over Capitol City, slowly fading away behind the sea that washed the shores of the city. The twin moons could be seen already in the sky, waiting to shine at their brightest.

The Constantinople was allowed to dock at the renewed spaceport, now holding a dozen docks for big ships and literal skyscrapers where smaller vessels like the frigate could be hosted, built with the cooperation of asari engineers.

“Woah.” Ezra mumbled in marvel as they looked out of the cockpit. “I barely recognize the city.”

“At least it means that is faring much better.” Jaral commented. “I hope the people are faring better, too.”

Jinx suddenly spoke up. “Unemployment on the planet has fallen to 1.1% of the population; the daily consume of calories per citizen has risen to 2700; Governor Shweera has enacted a policy of minimum wage at no less than 2000 credits.”

“Uh...and that’s good?” Ezra asked in confusion.

“Are you kidding?” Rut, who was still piloting, asked. “There are some areas of the Federation who live with less than that and are still considered middle class.”

“Ok...guess she’s doing a good job, then.” Jaral concluded.

Then the frigate finally arrived at her destination and her main airlock interconnected with a docking tube while two magnetic locks came down to hold the ship in air, since they were 30 meters above the ground.

The siblings were the first to disembark and exit the docking tube. They found themselves in the lobby of that bay, which had a railing facing the ship and a glass so transparent, one could think they were on a terrace.

Followed briefly after by Jordan and Luke, the siblings then arrived in front of the threshold that separated the bay with the lobby, and they immediately spotted the two persons who were expecting them the most.

The moment they saw each other, Sabine dashed toward Ezra and threw her arms around his neck with all her strength. Ezra returned it, even lifting her off the ground as he hugged her on the back and waist.

Darvos was more placid, but he still walked toward his wife, they smiled at each other and then they embraced gently, putting their foreheads against each other and sharing a quick kiss.

“Welcome back, guys.” Darvos said finally to both of them.

“And all in one piece.” Sabine added with a quip.

“Were you guys actually worried about these two?” Jordan joked, gaining their attention. Soon, their gazes drifted toward Luke, who was standing next to Jordan, actually gazing around at the skyscrapers and the speeders flying around in the air-ways.

The couples separated.

“Hey, Luke.” Ezra recalled with a friendly tone.

The Padawan, still wearing the clothes he had from Tatooine, turned around and recomposed himself.

“These are Sabine Wren and Darvos Tanis, respectively my wife and Jaral’s husband.” he presented.

Sabine stepped forward and extended a hand friendly. “Nice to meet you.”

Luke nodded and shook her hand. “Same here.”

Darvos then did the same and added a comment. “So now we got another Jedi. If we keep going like this, we might as well go after Vader himself in three or four years.”

“I’m afraid I still have a lot to learn before being of any use in battle.” Luke replied with modesty.

“Well, you certainly proved to be a pretty good pilot.” Sabine said. “We know it was you who blew up the Death Star.”

“I could only do it because of everybody else helping me.”

“How about we discuss this when we get home? I’m starving.” Jordan proposed merrily.

“Right…” Darvos groaned embarrassed. “We’re going to get past them, first.” he said as he pointed at the entrance of the lobby.

Only then did the siblings noticed that there was a crowd of journalists, followed by camera-droids and flying drones whether they were from Andromeda or from the Milky Way. A group of three policemen were keeping them away and had allowed Darvos and Sabine to pass because they knew them.

“Oh, by the Force.” Ezra mumbled.

Actually, during their flight back in these last few days, both the siblings and Luke had been interviewed by Enrico Grimasi, the reporter serving on the Constantinople , but apparently the newspapers of Lothal and from the Milky Way had more questions to pose.

“The price for being heroes, I guess.” Jaral quipped, making her brother chuckle.

Luke seemed pretty terrified, actually. After all, he had left his uneventful and almost solitary life on Tatooine behind a little more than a week before, and that crowd of people pushing and aggressively trying to talk with them intimidated him a bit.

Jordan went and patted him on the back. “Don’t get frightened, kid, they won’t eat you...well, not physically, at least.”

“What does that mean?” Luke asked confused.

“You’ll see. Come on, let’s do this.” the older Bridger encouraged.

They walked toward the threshold and the policemen noticed them. Some of their colleagues nearby saw that as well and intervened to make a small cordon to shield the Bridgers and their friends.

The group was escorted then at the entrance of the spaceport. The siblings answered only a few questions that they deemed relevant enough, like those regarding the state of the war. They said that the Empire had suffered a major blow, but it was far from defeated. Then they took their leave while the police kept the journalists from swarming them.

Outside of the building, they were met surprisingly by an old acquaintance.

“Wonderful to see you again, Bridgers.”

“Emissary Raya!” Ezra said surprised to the Asari diplomat, who was accompanied by four guards and a rodian that the group noticed after a second.

“Governor Shweera?” Jaral asked surprised.

The two alien women came forward and greeted them.

“When I heard that you were coming back to Lothal, I thought greeting the heroes of our planet was the least I could do.” the Governor said. “Welcome back home, Ezra and Jaral Bridger.”

The siblings made a small bow of respect. “Thanks, Madam.” Ezra replied.

“We won’t be taking too much of your time.” Raya reassured. “We only wanted to say ‘hello’ and I have been tasked by the Empress to extend her congratulations for your victory at Yavin.”

“Thanks, Lady T’Neri.” Jaral said humbly, then turned to look at Luke. “But it was Luke who took the shot.”

Luke awkwardly stepped forward. After presenting himself, the young Jedi received his share of praises, then the two women decided they had held them back for too long and allowed them to go. The group mounted on two speeders that Darvos and Sabine had come with and finally set off to reach the Bridger Tower outside of the city.

Making no stops, except for refueling at an imperial outpost, the Corvus had arrived on Coruscant fairly quickly and was sitting in the orbit.

A shuttle had arrived to bring only Vader and Iulius at the Imperial Palace. The Grand Admiral was then made to wait in the main hall, as the Emperor wanted to talk with him as soon as he was done with another meeting.

So Iulius awaited, for almost two hours, with only a screen set on the HoloNet to keep him company. So he rather took out his datapad and read the reports coming from the Navy.

And they weren’t encouraging: there were reports of massive revolts in all of the Outer Rim and even on some of the Core Worlds, who protested the arbitrary destruction of Alderaan. In his mind, Iulius said ‘ Called it ’, but after all, did that matter by any measure?

Finally, the elevator coming from the throne room opened, and Iulius barred his eyes when he saw who came out of it, just as that man did.

“General Tagge?” Iulius asked, rising from the chair he was sitting on.

The other officer walked toward him and the two shook hands. “Good to see you again, Grand Admiral Tanis. Good thing I saw you leave the station myself.”

“Speaking of which, when did you drop out of there?”

“You know that I didn’t like the idea of all high officers sitting on the same target. When Tarkin announced that we were supposed to reach Yavin, I preferred to return to my fleet.”

“Anybody else did?” Iulius asked with a calm tone but hope in his heart.

Tagge shrugged. “Not that I am aware of, and the Emperor just confirmed it to me. The rest of the Board has perished with the destruction of the battle station. Tarkin, Motti, Yularen...and apparently, all the other Grand Admirals.”

Iulius had to struggle in order not to show any sign of shock. No wonder the Navy was in complete chaos.

“But I guess you will be briefed shortly.” Tagge added, then pointed the thumb at the elevator behind him. “The Emperor asked for you. Good luck.”

Iulius nodded and saluted the General, who returned the gesture, then he walked into the elevator.

He was sinking into his thoughts as his eyes wandered outside of the glass of the lifter, giving him a glimpse of the sprawling metropolis outside. But the ascension lasted only a few seconds, and when the door opened he didn’t waste any time walking past the two guards and enter the throne room.

At the top of the altar stood the Emperor, sitting on his throne and flanked by two of his guards.

“Grand Admiral.” Palpatine said with his slow, croaking tone. “Come forward.”

Iulius obeyed, walked up the stairs and bowed once he was in front of the throne. “Your Majesty.”

and straightened his back again.

To his surprise, the Emperor just stood up and walked, albeit not very quickly, toward the stairs. “Walk with me, Iulius Tanis.”

Iulius just turned around and started to follow.

“I imagine you understand it on your own, Grand Admiral, but the situation is dire.”

“I read some reports. How bad is it?” he asked as they walked down the stairs and headed toward a galaxy map on the other side of the room.

“The destruction of the Death Star has emboldened the rebels. Traitors have come out in the open all over the galaxy, but we’re not beaten yet.”

They arrived in front of the map.

“I have already sent Grand General Tagge and Vader to quell the insurrections inside our borders.” Palpatine explained.

“Grand General?” Iulius asked with curiosity, since he never heard that rank.

“Yes. With the death of your colleagues, we need to rely on few, talented individuals. Both you and Tagge were right in doubting the Death Star. Tarkin shouldn’t have concentrated all of the highest officers on it.”

Iulius couldn’t help but think in the back of his head that the Emperor was definitely shifting all of the blame, since he was the reason why the Death Star was constructed in the first place, but that was a petty observation that wouldn’t bring any benefit.

“Which means, I now have no choice but to delegate more responsibilities to you.” Palpatine concluded.

“You know that I am loyal to you and to the Empire, My Lord.” Iulius reassured.

“Yes...yes.” the Emperor said slowly, creeping Iulius with one of his evil grins. “I’ll grant you all the files of the other Grand Admirals. Now you’ll get every resource you need, all I ask is that you break our enemies and reconquer the Outer Rim.”

Iulius didn’t hesitate. “It will be done, My Lord. However, I do have a question, if I may.”

“Speak.”

“I need someone who can possibly fight and defeat the Jedi. My Dark Troopers have been created to fight the Legionnaires, but they wouldn’t do much against the Bridgers.”

“I have already taken care of that, Grand Admiral. Not only I will put Mara Jade under your command, I’ll provide you with one of my new tools. He has been trained by Vader to replace the Inquisitors, and I think it’s time we test him.”

“Sounds promising.” Iulius simply replied. “Who is this guy?”

“He doesn’t have a real name. Vader has decided to simply call him...Starkiller.”

‘Starkiller? What the frag was Vader thinking?’ Iulius couldn’t help but find that name childish, but if this guy was stronger than the Inquisitors he had heard about, then he might be useful.

“Understood. Should I wait for him here on Coruscant?” he asked, hiding any emotion.

“No need to. I’ve already sent him the coordinates of your fleet. His ship is piloted by a regular officer, expect them in a few rotations.”

“Yes, My Lord.”

Palpatine suddenly straightened his back, holding himself on his cane, but still assuming a more regal pose.

“The fate of the Empire lies with you, Grand Admiral. Make sure to bring us victory.” he stated bluntly.

Iulius felt a hint of nervousness, but mostly he actually felt...humbled.

He clacked his heel and stood at attention. “I will not fail you, My Lord.”

“Good...good.” the Emperor said with another grin. “You’re free to go.” he finally added.

Iulius made a bow and finally left.

As he headed down with the elevator and sent a signal for the Corvus to pick him up, the Grand Admiral was now full of contrasting emotions. He was still grieving the loss of Treye and others he considered friends who died with the Death Star. Then he also felt much honored to be entrusted with the defense of the Empire, and to reconquer the lost territories.

This time, he would also have pretty much every resource he needed. Sure, Tagge would also command a number of fleets to suppress the revolts in the Outer Rim, but now he was pretty much in charge of the military apparatus of the Empire.

Yes, between a galaxy run by the anarchic rebels and their extra-galactic puppeteers there was only him. If he failed, the galaxy would be condemned into a probably endless age of division and subservience to the Milky Way.

As he walked out of the Palace and into the open again, Iulius solemnly vowed to himself that he was going to succeed. No matter the cost, no matter if he had to die...he was going to save the Empire.

He immediately scrapped the plans for the day to visit his mother and resorted to simply write her a message and promising to call her at a later date as the Corvus picked him up and started the trip to reunite with the 101 ^st .

Chapter Text

January 6.

Being back home and finally embracing his family again had no price for Ezra. The young Knight and his sister had introduced Luke to the rest of the group, but it was Rex who welcomed the young man with the deepest respect. It didn’t take long for the old clone to reveal that he served with Luke’s father and with Obi-Wan during the Clone Wars, and the boy was interested in listening everything about them, which wasn’t a problem given that he was set to sleep into the house shared by Wolffe and Rex, which had a few extra bunk beds.

This had posed the urgent matter to the siblings about telling the truth about Anakin Skywalker/Darth Vader to Luke, since they didn’t have had much time after the battle of Yavin. They wanted to explain it to both Luke and Leia, but since the latter was on her mission to gather the remaining Alderaanians scattered across the galaxy, this couldn’t be done.

Now it was late afternoon. That morning, Jaral had left the tower to reach Camp Garibaldi with Jordan, where she was to meet with the General Staff of both the Federation and the Rebel Alliance and assess the current status of the war. Ezra had followed her to the city only to visit Hera and learn that she was expected to give birth in a week or so.

Now, he and Luke were meditating in an open space that was still in sight of the tower’s complex, while everyone else was out attending to their duties.

Keeping his eyes closed, Ezra was connecting to the impressive presence of the Force in his homeworld, finding a peace of mind that was rare even for him.

At the same time, though, he could easily perceive that Luke seemed kinda lost. He was definitely making progress in his ability to communicate with the Force, but his heart was still gripped with doubts and fears.

“What’s wrong?” Ezra finally asked with a calm tone, the same that Kanan so patiently used with him innumerable times.

Luke made a faint sigh. “It’s just...I’m not sure what it is. Since I left Tatooine so much has changed…” he mumbled.

“You feel overwhelmed.” Ezra understood.

“I guess...how did you feel when you found out you could be a Jedi?” Luke asked.

Luke opened his eyes and gazed at the endless prairie as he lost himself in remembrance.

“True, I wasn’t exactly calm, but I had an objective at the time. I wanted to learn to use my powers to protect my sister, then the crew of the Ghost...eventually all the people who needed me. I think that having a clear direction in mind is a good starting point.”

“So I should find a purpose in order to advance in my training?”

Ezra shook his head slightly. “I’m just telling you my experience, Luke, but everyone must find his own way. Sure, commitment is a great help to one’s focus, but you must find your own method.”

Luke seemed a bit confused by that statement. “Guess I’ll try.”

“Do, or do not.” Ezra quickly replied, maintaining his tone. “There’s no try.”

Luke raised an eyebrow. “How can I do something if I don’t try that first?”

Remembering that he used pretty much those same words with Kanan, Ezra couldn’t hold back a chuckle and a bit of nostalgia in his eyes. But differently from his Master at the time, he knew how to answer to that question.

“If you ‘try’, a part of you is implicitly giving up already. The path of the Jedi requires you to clear your mind and simply do what is required.

“Take me, for example. I might fail and I know it, but I’m still doing my best to teach you what I know.”

Luke nodded. It was difficult to say if he believed those words completely, but his aura now expressed a bit more confidence. He closed his eyes again and resumed meditating. Then he slowly raised a hand, keeping his eyes still closed. Ezra could feel that the Force was suddenly shifting around him.

Specifically it was flowing to one specific point on Ezra’s right. The Knight quickly realized that Luke was slowly lifting a rock the size of a medium-sized animal. Differently from before, Luke’s presence into the Force was much more focused and apparently with a clearer idea of where it was heading.

The Knight opened his eyes and looked in that direction. Luke had managed to lift it more or less a meter high, and was keeping it in balance, his face a clear picture of effortless concentration.

Ezra looked satisfied as Luke took a breather and then put the rock back down.

“Excellent.” he complimented. “So, how did you find some balance?” he calmly asked.

Luke’s face was a bit grim as he answered. “I thought about what happened last week. I mean...I saw so many people die. Aunt Beru and Uncle Owen. Obi-Wan...I want to learn how to protect those around me.” he declared with a certain resolve.

Ezra made a slow nod. “Good. That’s very important, for as a Jedi must always put others in front of his own needs.”

Luke seemed satisfied as well that he made some progress in the right direction.

The sun was now starting to disappear on the horizon, so Ezra decided they had better go back home. He stood up and Luke quickly followed.

As they marched down the hill, Ezra commented. “You know, had we found you a bit earlier, I could’ve showed you the Jedi temple here on Lothal.”

Luke barred his eyes. “There was a temple here?”

“Yes, until the Empire literally carved it out of the ground and destroyed it.” then, after thinking for a second, Ezra realized something. “Well...technically...I destroyed it.”

“What?” Luke asked in confusion.

“It’s a long story. Let’s discuss it after dinner, ok?”

As they finally reached the complex again, they were met by the arrival of Mira aboard her speeder. Ezra approached to greet her and Mira climbed out of the vehicle to hug her son.

“Had a good day, Mom?” Ezra asked gently as they finished hugging.

Mira sighed exhausted. “Can’t actually say that. Today a transport full of wounded soldiers has arrived. When I left, we still weren’t done with the triage.”

That suddenly reminded Ezra that there was a war going on out there.

“Damn. Where did it come from?”

“From Jabiim. I heard the Empire is attacking all along the front. I’m afraid that was just the beginning.”

“We’ll hear what Jari has to say, later.”

Mira then shifted her attention to Luke and talked with a friendly tone. “So, Luke, how’s my son treating you?”

Luke chuckled. “Honestly, he’s too patient with me. And I’m grateful for it.”

“Patient?” Mira faked a surprised voice, then turned toward her son. “Who are you? What have you done with my Ezra?”

The Knight smirked and shook his head. “Very funny, Mom.” he simply said, then the sound of an engine in the distance had him turned around.

This time it was a skycar, a model of the Milky Way, coming toward the complex. The three watched as the vehicle quickly approached and landed in the car park. The fuselage then opened, revealing Darvos and Jaral, coming back from their meeting with the Coalition Command.

Which had Ezra immediately realize something.

“Hey, where’s Dad?” he asked.

“The situation has changed, and he decided he and his crew were needed at the front.” Jaral calmly explained.

Ezra was preoccupied. “What’s going on?”

Jaral seemed to hesitate and she looked at Darvos, who gave the news. “The Intelligence has been listening to imperial chatter and we got confirmation: Iulius has been named Warlord of the Mid Rim by the Emperor.”

Ezra understood. “So the attack on Jabiim was his?”

“Partially.” Jaral replied. “We believe he is simply sending forward a few fleets to harass us while he reorganizes his larger forces.”

Mira turned toward Darvos and Luke. “Hey boys, would you like to help me making dinner, while our generals discuss?”

“Sure.” Luke said eagerly, grateful that he could simply make himself useful to the people that had welcomed him so openly.

Darvos didn’t object as well, so they all headed out toward the kitchen.

“How’s Luke going?” Jaral asked.

“He’s eager to learn and he does it quickly, despite me not being much qualified as a teacher.”

“Don’t be absurd. If you weren’t qualified, he wouldn’t learn so quickly.” she reassured him. “Besides, the sooner he learns, the more our chances to win this war increase.”

Ezra sighed. “You sure you want to put this burden on him? We’re asking him to defeat the Sith.”

“We’ll be there with him. And perhaps we’ll have Ahsoka as well.”

Ezra’s attention raise. “Did Nimbus find her?”

“Not yet, but she has sent me a message assuring that she found some fresh trail. It shouldn’t be too long before she makes contact.”

“I hope so. We need all the help possible. That said, what did you decide at the meeting?”

“Not much, actually. The Rebel Alliance is divided over how we should exploit the destruction of the Death Star. General Iblis insists that we go on the offensive and strike at the Mid Rim to prevent Iulius before he becomes too strong. Personally, I think that if we rush blindly, we simply do his game.”

“You’re not taking any chances, uh?”

“Iulius has turned the tide of the war in barely a month. So no, I believe we should wait for him to do the first move and respond accordingly.”

“What does the Army say?”

“General Moot has declared that the Army will not move without my specific orders. The Militia, as you know, responds to many chiefs. I can only hope that they don’t do anything stupid.”

“I’m sure you’ll sort this out. Like you always did.” Ezra encouraged her in the end.

It might’ve been a cheesy line, but Jaral appreciated it nonetheless, when it came from her brother. She gave him a gentle pat on the shoulder and they headed to help with dinner as well, as they waited for the rest of the family to show up.

“Come in.”

The door of the office slid open, letting Lieutenant-Commander Ree enter. The young woman walked in front of the desk and clacked her heel.

“Report, we have an unknown vessel asking permission to land on the Admonitor, sir.”

“Did they send valid codes?” Iulius calmly asked.

“Yes, sir.”

That was all he needed to hear.

“Very well.” he then touched a button on his desk that sent the permission to the flight controller to let the vessel land.

At the same time, Iulius quickly read the data that appeared under the hologram of the incoming ship.

“Rogue Shadow.” he huffed. “Really, who comes up with the names for the Sith?” then he turned toward Ciena again. “Anything else?”

“Yes, sir. The Dark Troopers you requested will arrive in around two hours.”

“Marvelous. Thanks, Lieutenant-Commander. Now allow me to give you some good news.” he added with a faint smirk.

Ciena retained her composure but surely looked confused.

“I found out that your friend, Lieutenant Kyrell, is alive and well.”

The woman’s eyes widened. “Wha...Seriously?”

“He was with the search team that was sent to Dantooine and didn’t have time to rejoin the Death Star before it left for Yavin.”

After a moment of silence, the officer in front of him could not hold back a sigh of relief.

“It’s...wonderful...thanks, sir.” she said with a relieved tone.

“And he’s also coming here.” Iulius added, honestly finding the reactions of the young woman entertaining.

Now Ciena’s eyes almost popped out. “Sir???”

“Kyrell is an outstanding pilot, and we needed to replace the losses we suffered on Lianna. I had him and some of his comrades reassigned to the Admonitor, their shuttle should be here by the next rotation.”

“I...I think it’s a good thing...sir.” she bumbled. “Thane...I mean...Lieutenant Kyrell will surely serve you well.”

Iulius made a faint smile at her, then waved a hand gently. “Dismissed.”

The Lieutenant-Commander made the salute with much more enthusiasm, then turned around and left.

“Didn’t think you liked to see a girl squeal.” Qathora joked from behind his shoulder.

“Don’t ever say that again.” he replied with a mildly annoyed voice. “Come on, let’s go greet our new asset.” and he stood up.

“Now that’s just mean.” she quipped.

He ignored the last comment and the two headed toward the main hangar, arriving just in time to witness the landing of the Rogue Shadow. He couldn’t recognize the model, but it seemed a heavily modified transport, with a hyperdrive and some heavy laser cannons for protection. Perhaps they were trying to turn it into a gunship.

He stood in an orderly fashion as the ramp descended while the ship unloaded the vapor accumulated during the flight.

Then, from the ramp descended a figure clad in a black cape and a light armor on the chest.

The man walked in front of Iulius. Inside the faint shadow that the hood projected onto his face, the Grand Admiral could spot two crimson irises staring at him. Though they were a bit creepy, after seeing the Emperor and Vader, Iulius wasn’t that much impressed.

Then the man removed his hood, showing the face of a young person, probably around the same age as Iulius, but his face was incredibly inexpressive, as if his emotions had been eradicated from him.

Despite that, Iulius could feel that the man was acting: beneath that apparently indifferent expression, there was something very much murky and difficult to decipher.

“Starkiller, I suppose?” he patiently asked.

The man focused his gaze on him. “I am.”

“Do you know who I am?”

The man made a slow nod. “Grand Admiral Tanis. Lord Vader has commanded me to obey your orders.”

“Good. So let me clarify…”

“Hey, you could have waited for me, you know.” the voice of a young woman aimed at Starkiller interrupted him.

Iulius turned his head and he was left speechless.

That voice was that of a female Navy officer. She was wearing a black uniform, except that the zip was only halfway and the shirt beneath was clearly visible.

Something that really got on Iulius’ nerves, but he kept his composure. Luckily, the woman noticed that she was now in front of a Grand Admiral and thus made the salute.

“Ten-hut!”

“At ease...and put your uniform in order, Captain.” Iulius replied after taking a look at her rank plaque.

“Yes, sir.” she mumbled as if that was only an annoyance, but at least she pulled her zip all the way up.

“You are his pilot?” he then asked.

“Yes, sir. Captain Eclipse.” she dutifully reported. “We also have a droid on the ship, but he won’t leave it unless Mr. Happiness over here orders it.”

Starkiller gave her a pissed gaze while Iulius was trying to figure out what was going on. Working for a Sith didn’t exactly look like a relaxing job, so how could that Captain be so carefree?

“Anyway…” he resumed toward Starkiller. “As I was saying...you are the personal Agent of Vader and the Emperor. If they ask you to go anywhere, fine, but until then you are part of my operation and of my fleet. Do your job, and everyone here will watch your back. Jeopardize the lives of my soldiers without my consent and I will kick you back all the way to Coruscant. Is that clear?”

Starkiller hummed. “Guess you aren’t a Grand Admiral just for show…” he commented, making Iulius raise an eyebrow slightly. “I understand. I will do as you wish.”

Satisfied, Iulius made a small nod. “Welcome to the One-O-First. The Admonitor is going to be your home for as long as you will be attached to my forces, so feel free to explore.” he then pointed his thumb toward the Togruta standing a step behind him.

“This is Qathora. She is my right arm, so if you need anything you may ask her, when I’m not available.”

“Aye aye, sir.” Eclipse replied. The dark-sider simply made a nod.

“Very well. I look forward working with you. Dismissed.” the Grand Admiral concluded before turning around and heading toward the bridge.

He couldn’t help but notice all the new faces aboard his ship. The destruction of the Death Star and the consequent loss of so many officers had forced the High Command to go on a promotion spree. Ree was just an example, being promoted to substitute Krybos, who had instead been promoted to Captain and sent to another fleet to command his own ship.

He was only one of the many Iulius was forced to transfer, while taking in dozens of cadets fresh out of the academies to go fight against a battle-hardened enemy.

He had to keep that factor in mind once the battle against the Coalition would resume.

As he entered the bridge and passed in front of the holotable, Ciena stood up to report something.

“Sir, a message just came through from the messenger you sent to the Maw installation. Admiral Daala wishes to speak with you to confirm the truthfulness of the message.”

“Understood, I’ll receive the transmission in the comm room.”

“Yes, Grand Admiral.”

Iulius headed into the room and after it became darker to allow a better visual of the holograms, the figure of a woman with quite long, red hair and a braid going down on her right shoulder appeared. She was probably a few years older than Iulius.

“Admiral Daala reporting.” she said calmly, then made a salute when she saw Iulius’ rank plaque. “Am I talking with Grand Admiral Tanis?”

“You are. Greetings, Admiral.” he replied with a neutral voice, then let the woman make the question.

“I received your messenger. Sir, is it true? Grand Moff Tarkin is...dead?”

“Affirmative. Him and three million people that were working on the Death Star. As Warlord of the Mid Rim appointed by the Emperor himself, your facility has come under my jurisdiction, Admiral.”

The Admiral looked him up and down as if to evaluate him.

“Very well, Grand Admiral. What are your orders?”

“I’ve read the files of your installation and one of your projects caught my eye. Project 93. What’s its status?”

“We have three prototypes that had been tested and are ready for deployment, sir.”

“Good. I want you to send them to my fleet. In the meantime, your installation is too close to the front, I need you to relocate to another system, where the rebels or the Federation won’t be able to reach you.” Iulius tapped the coordinates for Carunoia to her terminal.

Daala looked at it and shook her head in surprise. “ In Wild Space !?”

“Exactly. The path to reach the planet changes every month because of gravitational anomalies and the population is strongly loyal to the Empire, Admiral. And you’ll have an industry to work faster on your projects. Particularly, there is one that I would like to commission to you.”

The woman nodded. “ Understood. I’ll make arrangements right away. ”

“Thanks, Admiral. Long live the Empire.”

“Long live the Empire.” Daala replied with probably more emphasis than Iulius, which he considered genuine enough before turning away, letting the operator in the room close the transmission.

He went back to the bridge, taking a look outside of the viewport before heading for the Galaxy Map and starting his analysis of the strategic situation he found himself in.

January 9.

The Constantinople flew past the fleets battling in the orbit of Pasmin and neared the atmosphere.

Jordan prepared his marines for deployment. Even the vehicles were going to be deployed. They were heading for the outskirts of a big outpost that had fallen into imperial hands and the allied forces on the ground were trying to retake it, with little success.

It was necessary to retake that outpost, as it hosted a communication array that coordinated all the UACT fleets in the sector and gathered intel on the Empire, plus, Pasmin sat on an important hyperspace nexus that could open the Empire a way toward Mon Calamari and Lothal. It had to be held at all costs. Especially since at the meeting on Lothal, the Empress had announced that the Taus had just won their border war and the Ethereals had promised to send most of their fleet to Andromeda.

Until the reinforcements arrived, the Constantinople would have to help plugging holes in critical sectors and try to hit the Empire where it was weaker.

And right now, there was a pretty big hole to plug.

When the Constantinople was into the atmosphere of the planet, the hangar opened and the dropships slipped outside while the frigate regained altitude.

Jordan walked into the cockpit, where the two pilots, Hidalgo and Trepis, where bringing the shuttle toward the battle zone.

“Do we know what forces we have on the ground?” he asked.

“A joint battalion, sir.” Trepis answered with his echoing voice. “The survivors have regrouped and have managed to reach the gate of the base, but the imperials have already dug in.”

“See if you can contact them. In the meantime…” he put a finger on his helmet’s side. “Rut, have you found a landing zone for the vehicles?”

“Affirmative. 800 meters South-West of your position, we’re moving to disembark.” the salarian replied.

“Copy that.” he closed the channel. “You got them?”

“Yes, Captain. The commanding officer is Lieutenant Querny of the Rebel Army.” Hidalgo reported.

“Patch him in.”

After a few seconds, the voice of the other officer came in. “This is Lieutenant Querny of the 132^nd Garrison Force.”

“Lieutenant, this is Captain Jordan Bridger of the Constantinople. What’s your status?”

“We’re taking heavy casualties, Captain. We were trying to retake the outpost but the imps have pinned us down with heavy turrets.”

“Just keep your heads down, I’m coming in with the artillery.”

“Please, hurry!”

“Captain, I see the landing zone, it’s really hot.” Hidalgo reported.

“Just drop us and get out of here, Lieutenants.” Jordan replied before going back into the cargo hold and took out his Mantis rifle from his back. “As soon as we drop, find yourself some cover. We will wait until Mau’kur arrives with the heavies.”

The soldiers all stood up and loaded their weapons. On the dropship there was also Gutierrez, while Thabo and Michalina were on the other shuttle. The Marines had specialists for many roles, meaning that they were bringing down two machine-gunners, some grenade launchers and snipers.

Jordan positioned himself on the edge of the hold, ready to be the first to jump down. The door finally opened and the sound of blasters immediately filled the air.

A few dozens meters from the landing zone into the rocky surface, he spotted the allied forces. There were multiple bodies on the ground, while the survivors were taking cover behind some rocks and keeping their heads down. However, a platoon of imperial army troopers was advancing toward them with the clear intention of finishing them off.

The shuttles both lowered enough to let the troopers dismount and Jordan immediately jumped.

“Get a move on, people!” he ordered as he started to jog toward the battle. While the Marines and the Legionnaires followed him in just a couple seconds, Jordan took a moment to stop, aim his weapon and quickly place a bullet in the head of an imperial soldier, who dropped dead on the ground and attracted the attention of his comrades.

Using the momentum to take a look with his scope, Jordan noticed that they were facing mostly Army troopers, with only a small squad of stormtroopers manning a sandbag position in front of the main gate, though it was safe to assume that others would be inside the structure.

After assessing that, Jordan opened the lock of his rifle and let it cool down quickly.

“Karg, lead the way. We need to put them on the defensive.”

The Krogan eagerly yelled from behind his helmet and ran forward, inspiring the others to do the same and the Marines reached the line of fire.

Jordan spotted Lieutenant Querny and ran behind the cover he was taking.

“When I asked for reinforcements I wasn’t expecting a Bridger.” the officer said with a relieved tone. “We need to get back there, but those turrets are tearing us apart.”

Indeed, the fixed cannons were firing their heavy bolts and had already knocked out three of the Marines.

“Leave it to me.” Jordan calmly said and he peeked out of the cover.

Quickly taking aim, Jordan aimed at the turret held by the stormtroopers and quickly took out the gunner with a clean shot. His comrades quickly spotted him, though, and fired in his direction, forcing him to duck again.

Despite that, the allied managed to hold firm for a few minutes, with Jordan and the snipers keeping the turrets at bay until Mau’kur arrived at the head of the armored convoy. The Elcor himself fired with the mortar installed on the back of his armor and wiped out one of the sandbag barricades.

With the arrival of the M-57 tank, the Atlas mech and the Mako of the Constantinople, the imperials suddenly had less firepower than their enemies. The machines quickly destroyed the fixed cannons for good and the imperials started to retreat inside the walls of the base. The gate was actually closing a small gorge between two rocky walls of a canyon, so the allied couldn’t bring the vehicles in, but that mattered little, because they had a Krogan and four Legionnaires.

Jordan folded his sniper rifle and took out an Avenger assault rifle. “Push the attack!” he ordered into the comlink and the allies followed him as he sprinted toward the gate, daring the fire of the imperials.

A brutal fight followed. Inside the delimited spaces of the bases, the imperials used choke-points and other advantages to try and slow down their enemy, and while more allies fell on the ground, the superior skills of the Legionnaires made the battle overall pretty one-sided.

It was at that point that Jordan noticed that the imperials were cornering themselves into the main command building, instead of withdrawing toward the communication array, which would allow them to flee into another canal of the canyon.

“Gutierrez, you finish them off. Thabo, Micha, with me.” he ordered before dashing toward the antenna.

Surpassing a group of corpses, the Legionnaires quickly spotted it, and they also found out four Death Troopers guarding a woman who was meddling with the computer of the array.

“Hold on…” Jordan mumbled, thinking that he had already seen that girl, but the Death Troopers opened fire and he was forced to look for cover, just like his comrades.

One of the Death Troopers even took out a rocket launcher and fired on them, forcing the Legionnaires to roll away and fire back while they tried to stay mobile. Their shields were taken down once or twice, but Thabo managed to use his powers to lift the rocket trooper in the air and making him an easy target for Michalina and Jordan, who quickly took him out.

However, the woman seemed to have finished whatever she was doing with the computer and started to run.

Set on not allowing that to happen, Jordan charged forward, throwing a frag grenade in the heat of the moment that forced the Death Troopers to scramble before it exploded. Using the dust lifted by the grenade, Jordan charged through it and quickly smashed into one of the troopers with his shoulder. Both of them fell down, though Jordan actually planned it so he simply knelt down. He activated the omni-blade on his right arm and quickly stabbed the soldier in the neck.

Another one took out a stun baton and quickly attacked Jordan from behind. The sharp senses of the Legionnaire allowed him to put his left forearm to intercept the baton, also using the omni-tool to create a small shield and deflect the attack.

Using the momentum of the hit, Jordan rolled away from the trooper and then ducked to dodge another swing. His rifle had fallen when he was killing the previous trooper, so he used his omni-tool to throw a stun shot that made the black-armored soldier stumble backward. Jordan quickly grabbed his rifle again and fired multiple shots at the chest of the man in front, making him drop dead a couple of seconds later.

A series of red bolts hit him in the shoulder and made his shield barrier light up. The last trooper was firing with an EE-3 carbine that shot bursts of 3 bolts per time. As Jordan aimed his rifle at the foe, Michalina suddenly arrived and blasted the man with her shotgun, killing him on the spot.

Jordan immediately turned around only to see that the woman with a yellow cape had just boarded a TIE Reaper that he had barely heard in the heat of the fight. The ramp was already closing and the ship was turning away quickly.

“Blimey!” exclaimed Jordan before trying to call the fleet in orbit. “Spirit to Navy. I need air support, come in.”

But no answer came.

“The Imperials are jamming transmissions between us and the orbit, Jordan. We can’t stop her.” Jinx reported.

True, the Constantinople was still grounded and would never catch that Reaper in time.

Jordan had no choice left but grumble and try to salvage the situation as much as he could.

“Thabo, try to understand what she was looking for.” he said while he went to inspect the bodies of the Death Troopers.

“Yes, boss.” Thabo replied.

Meanwhile, the sounds of blasters in the distance was dying down.

“Are you certain?”

“I am.” Mara replied from the holo-projector. “The Coalition seems divided over what to do, but it’s certain that the Mandalorians and more autonomous rebel cells are preparing to launch attacks all over the Mid Rim.”

Iulius turned toward the hologram. “Good job, Agent Jade. Return to the fleet.”

“Yes, Grand Admiral.” the woman said respectfully before disappearing.

Iulius left the room and returned to the holo-table.

“Something good happened...sir?” Ciena asked out of curiosity. It was only then that Iulius realized that he was making a faint smirk.

“Definitely, Lieutenant-Commander.” but he didn’t want to disclose everything, at that moment. “By the way, have Lieutenant Kyrell and his wingmen returned?”

Ciena nodded. “Yes, sir. I already summoned him here, as you asked.”

Right at that moment, one of the turbolifters opened and the young Lieutenant came out of it, wearing his pilot suit and holding his helmet under the left arm. Thane walked at a due distance and made the salute.

“Lieutenant Kyrell reporting for duty, Grand Admiral.”

“At ease. So, what’s your opinion on the TIE Phantom?”

“It’s a miracle of engineering, sir.” the young man replied with a bit of excitement. “Well, it might not be well armed enough for a heated fight, but the cloaking system and the hyperdrive work just perfectly. We can scout an enemy system without them noticing.”

Iulius made a nod. “Excellent news, Lieutenant. Go take a rest, because you and your men will have to prove that statement in the next days.”

Thane clacked his heel. “Yes, sir.”

After he and Ciena exchanged a fleeting smile, the Lieutenant turned around and went away.

Iulius looked at his now Second-In-Command with a knowing smirk, making her blush with embarrassment and return to work immediately. The Grand Admiral simply went back to the galaxy map and started to ponder on the news given by Mara.

Chapter Text

January 12.

“Come on, open up the throttle!” Jaral said urgently to her brother.

“Hey, it’s a wonderful day, let’s not make it catastrophic.” Ezra replied, but still increased the speed of the skycar a bit.

So much, in fact, that he almost missed the turn.

“Turn right, turn right!” Jaral exclaimed.

Ezra did just that very suddenly and the car behind them righteously honked before keeping go her way. Meanwhile, he took a look at the digital map of the car and noticed that they were around three minutes away from the hospital.

“You remember which floor Hera is?” he asked while driving.

“Fifth one, so get a damn move on!” she replied almost hysterically while bending forward and putting her hands on the dashboard like she wanted to push the car.

After making another pair of turns in such a daring way that it was a miracle that the police wasn’t already chasing them, the siblings reached the parking lot of the hospital and dismounted from the car. They immediately ran through the door and looked around at the entrance.

“Guys!” the voice of Moreena recalled them and they quickly paced toward her.

“How is she?” Jaral asked.

“She’s gone into labor. Mira has already brought her in the delivery room.” the young woman explained.

“Is everyone else already here?” Ezra asked.

“Yup. Sabine is in the room to keep Hera company, Zeb and Chopper are waiting outside.”

They then walked with a certain haste toward the elevator, took it and headed toward the fifth floor. The hospital was quite big, so it took them a few minutes of anxiety as they tried not to bump into the other people minding their own businesses in the hallways.

Finally, they reached the entrance to the delivery room, finding the Lasat and droid of the crew waiting for them.

“About time you came.” Zeb tried to quip, but couldn’t hide his own anxiety.

“We ran as fast as we could.” Ezra simply replied.

Jaral headed straight for the door, instead. She wanted to reassure Hera that she and Ezra had arrived, and she was a woman so it would be more appropriate for her to go in. As the door closed after she got in, Ezra sat down on the chairs of the waiting room and simply went into a bit of meditation to calm his own nerves.

Only a few short minutes passed, during which Ezra could feel that Jaral was using her own Force connection to ease up Hera’s fatigue. But finally, the door opened, letting Mira walk out, who removed the face mask and sported a wide smile. Then nodded back toward the room.

“She wants to see you first, Ezra.” she said.

The rest of the people waiting smiled encouragingly to him, who felt suddenly a bit nervous to meet his new godson, but he didn’t hesitate and followed his mother into the room, where the other nurses were cleaning and dislodging.

On a bed put near the window laid Hera. Mostly covered by a blanket while her back was sitting on a couple of pillows and holding a small creature wrapped into a soft towel. On the two sides of the bed stood Sabine and Jaral, smiling widely much like the new mother.

The three women turned around and with a gaze invited him to join. Since the baby was turned toward Jaral, Ezra reached that side of the bed and finally saw the newborn in the face. The baby was still crying a bit but had mostly subsided and it was now cooing in a way that even Ezra found cute.

He couldn’t hold back a smile either. “He’s beautiful.”

“Ezra. Meet Jacen.” Hera said with watery eyes but a tender voice, then she turned toward her son. “Jacen...meet uncle Ezra.”

As if he could understand her, the little boy slowly opened his eyelids for a moment, even though he couldn’t be able to see much, yet.

Still, the siblings could take a glimpse at his eyes. Teal eyes that he clearly had taken from his father.

For a moment, the two felt like their Master was watching through those pupils and they smiled even more at the memories they had.

Jacen closed his eyes again and this time it seemed like he was calming down.

Aside from his eyes, the siblings quickly noticed his little, pointy ears, a peculiarity of male Twi’leks. And also his eyelids and what little hair he had were green. It was unusual, sure, but after all Jacen was unique in many ways.

Next it was Zeb, Moreena and Chopper’s turn to be allowed entrance and enjoy the moment.

“So...what have you decided?” Jaral asked at the end.

Hera replied candidly while she cradled the baby. “I’ll spend a month here so Jacen can adapt to the house, but then I’ll get back to the fight.”

“Hera…” Jaral said patiently, but the Twi’lek shook her head slowly.

“I want my son to grow up in a galaxy at peace, Jari. I can’t stay here while you guys do all the work.”

“We don’t know how long it will take to defeat the Empire.” Ezra objected.

“I know, but I also know that Iulius has been put in charge. Meaning we’re outgunned and outmatched. You guys are going to need all the help you can get, which includes me.”

Realizing that they would just waste their breaths, the siblings relented and decided to drop the issue, instead enjoying the unique moment that was the miracle of life, which in their case meant a new shining beacon into the Force.

They weren’t sure if that meant that Jacen was Force-sensitive or if they simply noticed it because they had kept his birth under watch for a long time, but one thing was for sure: whether he had the potential to be a Jedi or not, that kid was their godchild, and they were going to look out for him for as long as they lived.

So the group spent the rest of the day there. Later Kallus, Darvos and even Luke arrived. They were all in Camp Garibaldi, the former to do their work with the Intelligence, while the latter had been introduced to the Ordo Quaeris by Ezra, who then had to sprint away when news of Hera’s giving birth arrived.

The siblings tried to reach Jordan, to give him the good news, too, but apparently him and the Constantinople were involved in one of the battles going on at the front.

January 15.

The Admonitor left hyperspace and in a few minutes of light-speed thrusters reached the orbit of Honoghr, allowing the Rogue Shadow to depart from the hangar with a squad that included Iulius, his two Death troopers, Qathora, Cody, Mickey and Starkiller. Outside was flying an escort of TIE Fighters.

Iulius watched outside of the viewport of the cockpit. The planet beneath seemed quite regular, as the continents had different shades of brownish, but the waters were green and the color of the continents were actually due to an extensive intoxication of the surface.

“We are reaching the surface in 10 minutes, Grand Admiral.” Eclipse announced from her pilot seat.

Iulius was still annoyed at the fact that she didn’t take care of her uniform, but he decided to bear with it since she was the pilot and she had the right to feel comfortable at the commands, so she could perform at her best.

Cody was also in the cockpit, ready to receive orders if Iulius issued them. When he saw the planet and noticed Iulius’ inquisitive gaze toward it he commented.

“Once, this place was covered in plants and wildlife. Now is just a wasteland.”

Iulius turned around to listen. “It happened during the Clone Wars, if I remember?”

“Yes. I read the report at the time. It was in the final days of the war. The Separatist were carrying biological weapons aboard a Lucrehulk. When the Republic cruisers destroyed it, the ship’s cargo fell on the planet and you can see what has done. Only a few species survived on the surface, including the Noghri. Those guys are not to be toyed with.”

“I have met a Noghri.” Iulius said. “And I couldn’t agree more. All the more reasons why we need to make sure they aren’t revolting right now.”

The comlink on the panel started beeping.

“Grand Admiral, it’s Lieutenant Kyrell.” Eclipse announced.

“Patch him through.” Iulius replied as he put his helmet on to use the integrated microphone.

“Tanis, here.”

“Sir, I’m flying over the imperial fortress on the planet. There are vehicles and what look like mercenaries, not Noghri.” the officer replied from his TIE Phantom.

“Can you identify the group?”

“Not from here, sir. They’re not carrying any insignia, but I can clearly tell they are well equipped, I advise you return to the Admonitor for your safety.”

“I appreciate the concern, Lieutenant, but if you’re telling the truth, then it’s all the more reason why I need to see this myself. Keep observing them from a distance and transmit us the position of the enemy.”

“Acknowledged, sir. Kyrell, out.”

Then Iulius changed channel. “Tanis to TIE squadron, there are hostile forces on the surface. As soon as we enter their range identify and attack their positions.”

“Order received, Grand Admiral, we’re adjusting formation right now.”

As the TIEs all went in front of the Shadow , Iulius and Cody started to walk into the cargo hold, where the rest of the team was waiting.

“Cody, tell Lieutenant-Commander Ree to alert the Dark Troopers, we might need the additional firepower.”

The old clone complied and contacted the Star Destroyer as they reached the others. Qathora quickly passed Iulius his E22.

“All right, listen. The fortress has been occupied by some unknown fortress. They don’t look like rebels, but whoever they are, they are not trying to occupy the planet, meaning they are looking for something.”

“What are your orders, sir?” Mickey asked.

“We’re going to attack them head-on. They are not expecting us, so we should be able to use the element of surprise to match their numerical superiority. The TIEs are preparing a strafing run to make our life easier and we’ve already alerted the Dark Troopers.”

“So we blast our way in. Easy enough.” the stormtrooper confidently commented.

Iulius then turned toward the young Sith, who now wore his battle armor, which included a helmet and some horrible metal claws on the thumbs, indexes and middle fingers.

“Killer, you are shock and awe. Go crazy.” he simply encouraged.

“A wise decision.” Starkiller said from behind his helmet, which had a vocal filter to make it sound a bit more intimidating.

“TIE Squadron to Tanis, we’ve spotted armed land speeder protecting the gate to the fortress, we’re engaging them now.”

“Acknowledged, TIE Squadron, good hunting.”

The Grand Admiral then removed the safe from his weapon, soon imitated by those who had a blaster. Starkiller took one of his two lightsabers from his belt and prepared to ignite it.

Three minutes later, Captain Eclipse announced they were about to reach the ground and Starkiller pushed the button to open the ramp.

Despite the protests of his subordinates, Iulius was at the front of the queue, ready to be the first to jump down, a gesture that he knew had a great effect on the morale of the people under his command.

As Eclipse lowered the Rogue Shadow and touched the ground, the Grand Admiral stepped outside, pointing his weapon in case he spotted an enemy, but that didn’t occur. The rest of the squad followed suit, but this time Starkiller went up front and ignited his crimson lightsaber. Iulius noticed that he kept it in an unusual way: not keeping it in front of him, but behind his back, in a reverse pose.

This time Iulius let his subordinates form up around him, then he ordered to proceed toward the direction where they were seeing and hearing explosions, with the TIEs shooting toward the ground.

Soon enough, they reached the entrance to the gate, and Iulius ordered the TIEs to call off the attack, while he was left analyzing at the corpses left on the ground.

Indeed, they didn’t look like rebels, but most of those guys wore a peculiar armor in a golden paint. Among the wrecks of light vehicles, a few survivors came out, some were aliens, others were humans with that same armor, which in the end he recognized.

“The Consortium…” he mumbled, then quickly ordered the others to find cover.

The squad repaired behind the wreck of a land speeder just when the surviving pirates noticed them and opened fire with both blasters and even disruptor rifles.

“Watch out. They got some nasty toys.” Cody alerted.

“Let’s hit them while they’re in the open.” Micky replied, prompting everybody to open fire from their relatively safe position while their foes found themselves with no cover.

While they did that, Starkiller reminded them that he wasn’t a conventional fighter and he simply made an impressive jump that brought him in the middle of the mercenary formation.

The dark-sider started to slash left and right, cutting down his enemies and at time using the a Force push or lightning to fry them. Soon enough, there were only a couple of survivors who ran into the fortress as their comrades inside the walls provided some cover fire.

However, that wasn’t enough to stop the dark-sider, who used the Force to jump on top of the walls, to the point that Iulius lost track of him.

“Kyrell, do you have eyes on Starkiller?” he asked into the comlink.

“Affirmative, sir. I think he’s trying to reach the controls of the shield gate.”

“Then let’s push our attack.” Iulius said, but right at that moment, a dropship flew right above their heads and lowered in front of the shield gate. The Grand Admiral smirked behind his helmet as he knew that those were his reinforcements.

When the gunship flew away, the squad could see the backs of the first Dark Troopers. Burk and the first squad of Carunoans blessed with the power suits had arrived, wielding all sorts of heavy repeaters. The four gray-armored warriors, equipped with a jetpack as well arrived just in time to see Starkiller turn off the shield gate and they made a short jump with their packs.

The pirates fired at them, but the suits just seemed to absorb the blaster bolts. The Dark Troopers’ movements were a bit slow, but they still got in formation and fired on the pack of mercenaries, decimating them in seconds. One could hear them speak in Imirgesh, and since only Iulius could understand it, it was probably even more effective than the Death Troopers’ encryption.

It didn’t take long before the outside plaza was again in imperial hands.

“Cody, you and Mickey call and wait here for reinforcements, we’re heading into the structure.” Iulius commanded to the old clone, who obeyed.

Him, the Dark Troopers, the Death Troopers, Starkiller and Qathora proceeded into the bunker, which was connected to an antenna sending and receiving comms from all over the Empire.

The corridors themselves were not very much defended, since most of the mercenaries were slaughtered outside of them, so after mopping out the last enemies, the squad reached the central hub and Qathora went to the computers to see if there was anything missing.

Iulius removed his helmet so he could take a better look, and it was at that moment that he heard a voice behind him.

“Iulius Tanis.”

The Grand Admiral instinctively turned around, pointing his rifle, only to see a hologram.

“Tyber Zann.” he replied after taking a moment to discern the face and the outfit of the crime lord, who was calling through one of his mercenaries’ holo-projector.

Iulius now put his rifle away on his back while his Death Troopers closed on him. Then stepped in front of the hologram with a defying attitude.

“I wanted to speak with you.” Zann said in an accommodating tone that had Iulius furrow his eyebrows even further. “I’m a fan of yours, really. Your talent is undeniable, a pity you’re wasting it on a lost cause.”

“What do you want?” Iulius asked with a calm tone.

Zann was holding his left arm bent so his hand was in front of his pecs, and now he quickly moved it in a circular way toward Iulius. “ I’m here to make you an offer. I keep tabs on all capable officers of the Empire, to see who I can recruit when your spoiled state will come crashing down. ”

“You want to buy me.” Iulius understood.

“See?” Zann replied with his arrogant tone. “You catch on quickly.”

“Not interested.” Iulius calmly replied. “And after what you’ve done here, I won’t stop until you’re back into the Kessel mines or dead.”

Zann didn’t flinch. “ You really are just a kid. So drowned in the dreams of your propaganda. Haven’t you noticed that this base was pretty much untouched? You want to know why? ”

Those words had Iulius think for a moment, but he didn’t want to believe it.

“I paid the garrison to hand me the commander and they did it.”

“Then they just have to pray that I don’t find them either.”

“Come on, can’t you guess why it was that easy to buy them? Or perhaps you are unaware that, while your people starves and dies in the name of your Emperor, he is hoarding the wealth of the galaxy in secret vaults all around the galaxy?”

“You’re lying.” Iulius replied with confidence, but that answer was definitely too slow to be considered entirely genuine.

Zann probably saw through Iulius’ moment of doubt and kept pounding on it. “ That’s the kind of people you’re working for, Grand Admiral. The Emperor doesn’t give a Bantha fodder about you or anybody else in the Empire. The way he chooses his Moffs should have been quite the ringer bell, actually. ”

“Enough talking.” Iulius replied sternly. “Qathora, found anything?” he asked without breaking eye contact with the hologram.

“Some files seem to be missing from the comm logs. It might take some time to restore them.”

“Take what you can and let’s get out of here.” the Grand Admiral decided.

Zann thus changed his tone. “ Do not stand in my way, Iulius Tanis. This is my only warning. ”

“I’ll write that down.” Iulius coldly replied before turning away and walking back to the computers. His Death Troopers cut off the transmission.

January 21.

“Is that for real?” Jaral asked with a little irritation in her voice.

“I’m afraid it is.” Darvos replied. “General Iblis has gathered his force of volunteers and has started his own campaign. He’s pushing into the Mid Rim from Junkfort Station, right at the border with Hutt Space.”

Jaral sighed. “How many followed him?”

Darvos tapped on his datapad. “The allied Intelligence estimates around two million soldiers of the militia, with heavy weapons and vehicles. Plus the fleet under his command, which amounts to at least 15% of our Navy.”

“Bloody hell…” Jaral mumbled the usual curse she always heard from her father. “I hope Iblis knows what he’s doing.”

“He’s one of our most experienced generals.” Ezra tried to calm her.

“Yeah, but he’s too eager to fight...what about the Army?”

“None of them has deserted to join the Militia, apparently. All units are still stationed at their posts and await your instructions, Grand Marshall.” Darvos exposed.

Jaral gave another look at the holomap that had been offered them at Camp Garibaldi. Ezra did the same.

“Ah, I almost forgot...Sabine has confirmed that the Mandalorian Clans are mobilizing to target Taris.” the brother said.

Jaral hummed as she observed the map. “It was quite the writing on the wall, but good to know.”

“They have a point, though.” Ezra said. “The Empire has gone on the defensive, we should at least help all those planets who have risen up, like Ryloth, Sullust…”

“We’re already working on it. I’m more concerned about our base on Yavin. I’m sure Iulius has put his eyes on it, so we need to evaluate how we can keep it.”

“If we lose it, there is a good chance that our territory will be split in two.” Darvos warned.

“I know, that’s why I hope Bo-Katan doesn’t botch the invasion of Taris, the Mandos are the only thing that separates Yavin from a direct assault from the imperials.”

“Then maybe we should help them.” Ezra suggested. “If we take Taris, we take half of the Hydian Way and all the worlds in between.”

“Fair point, but I would feel much safer if Mon Mothma and the other politicians declared the New Republic right now. Our territories right now are too decentralized, we can’t win a war of attrition.”

“You know that’s complicated.” Darvos said. “Not everybody in the Alliance wants to return to the Republic, they just want the Empire gone.”

“I know.” Jaral replied. “But if we can’t get a steady resupply of fresh troops and resources…”

The door of the room opened, letting the young Skywalker in.

“Hi, Luke. How was the training with the troopers?” Ezra asked.

The young apprentice sighed. “Intense. But I’m getting the gist of it. By the way, when are we going back to Yavin?”

Ezra leaned against the holotable. “We are still discussing it.”

“Oh, just like the last five days, then.” Luke said sarcastically.

“Luke…” Ezra tried to start patiently, but the Padawan was not having it.

“How long are we going to sit around here? Han, Leia...everybody else is out there making a difference and I’m just spending my time swinging my lightsaber around.”

“You will be able to help them much better if you learn more about the Force and how to use it to protect those around you.”

“We can always train at the base.” Luke objected. “Even Rex and Zeb say that they are getting bored here. Besides, you saw me fly, I can help by keep piloting.”

“It’s not pilots that we need, now.” Jaral calmly said. “The only way we can end this war is by killing the Emperor and Darth Vader, two Sith Lords. What we need is a powerful Jedi, and you have the most potential among us.”

Luke seemed to accept the reasoning but was clearly restless.

The discussion was then put aside when the guards outside of the door called Jaral and said that there were two women asking to see her.

“Sure, open up.” Jaral replied without thinking about it.

The door then slid open. The siblings looked that way and barred their eyes.

There stood Nimbus...with Ahsoka next to her.

The Mirialan voluntarily stepped aside to leave the scene to the Togruta who had a wide smile across her face.

Ezra and Jaral hardly kept in a hysterical laugh as the three walked toward each other and then shared a quick and vigorous hug.

When they detached, Ezra turned toward the Mirialan. “Hey, good to see you too, Nimbus.” he said jokingly.

“Please, I wouldn’t like to interrupt such a touching reunion.” the woman replied in tone as she stepped inside the room.

“We’ll pardon you for this one.” Ahsoka added.

“So what have you been up to?” Ezra asked instinctively. “Were you actually looking for the World Between Worlds?”

“I was. I managed to found other portals that the Emperor could have opened with the Dark Side alone. I wanted to contact you before, but you have a war to win, I didn’t want to put other burdens on you.”

“We appreciate the concern, Ahsoka,” Jaral said. “but honestly we would’ve simply liked a call to know that you were okay. Rex, in particular.”

The Togruta scratched the back of her head, where the three montrals met. “Yeah. I bet he’s not going to forgive me quite soon for this.”

Then she looked inside the room and noticed the other people inside of it. “Hey, Darvos.” she greeted. The Captain smiled and waved a hand before the Togruta shifted her attention toward the young man in a white farmer outfit.

It didn’t take long for her to notice the lightsaber hanging from Luke’s belt and her expression froze in disbelief.

“What the…?” she mumbled, unable to form thoughts. Luke seemed only confused.

The siblings only now realized the implications in those two meeting, so they decided it was better to mediate.

Ezra gently pushed Ahsoka toward Luke and when the two were near enough, he walked in between to make presentations.

“Ahsoka Tano...meet Luke Skywalker.” he said calmly and observed as Ahsoka’s irises shrank and she made a step back.

“Luke Skywalker...meet Ahsoka Tano. She was your father’s Padawan.” the Knight added and now Luke finally understood her reaction.

Indeed, he too was now taken aback by a mix of fascination and curiosity, but neither of them seemed to have the capacity to add something. They simply stared at each other for a few seconds.

O kay, I’ll wrap this up here. I think the first meeting between Luke and Ahsoka deserves his own space at the beginning of the next chapter.

Chapter Text

As seconds passed, the first sense of shock in Ahsoka’s mind was replaced with surprise and a bit of joy, which was clearly showed by the change of her facial expression from one of disbelief to a timid smile.

Eventually, the Togruta offered a hand and simply said. “Nice to meet you Luke.”

The new Jedi hesitated for a moment, but then he shook it, though his mind was still trying to figure what he felt in front of that alien lady that could provide a link with his father, other than Ben.

“Nice to meet you.” he replied before they unclasped hands. “You...you really knew my father?” he asked, unable to hold himself back.

Ahsoka lowered her head, with a mix of painful and fond memories coming to her mind. Then she looked back at Luke. “Yes. Your father was a great friend…a pity I wasn’t one for him as well.” she concluded rather sadly.

“What do you mean?” Luke asked in confusion, which had Ahsoka coming up with a question in her mind.

The Togruta turned her and the siblings around and whispered said question.

“Does he know the truth about Anakin?”

The siblings grimaced. “Not yet, but I guess this gives us the opportunity to finally explain this.” Ezra replied in tone.

“I agree.” said Jaral. “We’ve postponed long enough. We’ll tell him this evening with all the necessary caution.”

The three Force-wielders thus made an almost imperceptible nod and turned again toward the rest of the people in the room.

“Let’s have a proper reunion when we will be back home.” Jaral invited. “For now, we need to know everything you’ve discovered on the World Between Worlds.”

Ahsoka crossed her arms on her chest. “Not much more than what Ezra already witnessed when he saved me. It is a gateway between dimensions of space and time. It’s honestly hard to describe, but whatever it is I’m sure it was created by the Mortis Gods.”

“Who?” Ezra asked.

“I’ll explain it later. For now, the focal point is that this World is a tool of great power. We can’t let the Emperor have it, and honestly, I’m not even sure anybody should tamper with it, even us.”

“Hey, we might have destroyed the Death Star, but we still need every possible advantage.” Jaral objected.

Ahsoka, though, kept her composure as she replied sternly. “No, Jaral. Even with every good intention, this World can alter the flow of time. Me standing right here is a testament to that. It might throw the universe into chaos.”

Her eyes clearly said that she really meant every single one of those letters.

“So what do you propose?” Ezra asked.

The Togruta gave a quick look toward the former Inquisitor. “I already asked Nimbus to help me. We’ll keep looking for other portals and make sure the Emperor will not be able to get his hands on them.”

“Can we help you in any way?”

“For now, keep fighting. The more you tie down the Empire’s resources, the better. If I’m gonna need some more lightsabers, I’ll make sure to contact you.”

“We could turn to the Federation.” Jaral suggested. “Their psionics have very unique abilities coming from the Force, I’m sure they would be glad to help in this quest.”

“Psionics?” Ahsoka asked.

Ezra sighed. “Yeah, you really have a lot to catch up with.”

Ahsoka chuckled. “Can you blame me?”

“No.” Ezra replied with a smile. “But that means you can’t turn down our invite to stay over for the night at our new houses. Besides, I’m sure you and Luke have a lot to talk about.” he added as he watched at the still incredulous Padawan.

Luke seemed nonetheless a bit thrilled. “Indeed.” and he stepped forward. “Obi-Wan told me some stories about my father, I would like to hear something more.”

Ahsoka’s eyes barred. “Obi-Wan? You mean Obi-Wan Kenobi?”

“Uh...yes...you knew him?”

“He was your father’s Master, and they were inseparable. Yeah, I knew him very well...hold on, is he around here somewhere?”

The Jedi fell in a grimacing silence for a few seconds, which Ahsoka immediately interpreted and her expression became hurt.

Eventually, Ezra explained briefly what had happened. How they met Luke and Obi-Wan on Tatooine and how the old Master had sacrificed to save them on the Death Star.

Still, when she heard of how he died, Ahsoka mustered a nostalgic smile. “That’s Master Kenobi for you. Always acting for the greater good.”

In an attempt to lighten up the mood, the young Bridger shrugged while speaking nonchalantly. “Well, at least he knighted us, before we entered the Death Star.”

At said news, even Nimbus startled, then the two aliens chuckled. “Well, it was about time.” the Mirialan said. “Congratulations, kids.”

“I had the feeling that you two had something different in your aura.” Ahsoka joked. “You totally deserve it, guys. Especially after all Nimbus has told me you did in these last few months.”

“Don’t believe everything she says. You’re dealing with a former inquisitor and now information broker.” Jaral said sarcastically while chuckling lightly, having the others laugh.

Nimbus just rolled her eyes while sharing a smile from the atmosphere. “Good information.” she defended. “I would never sell false to anybody.”

“I hate to interrupt.” Darvos calmly said from the holotable, gaining the attention of the people in the room. “But you still have to come up with a decision, ma’am. Should we assist Iblis’ offensive, the Mandos or we stay on the defensive?”

Jaral’s mind immediately focused back on her duties. She walked back at the holotable and looked at the galaxy map, where many key systems were highlighted in blue or red according to which side was occupying them.

She looked and pondered, tapping her right index on the edge of the table from time to time. Eventually, she came up with her decision.

“We’ll leave the Mandalorians and Iblis to do their own thing. At the very least they should provide us with a useful distraction while we improve our standing in the Outer Rim.” she then turned toward the other Jedi in the room. “Well, Luke, you wanted some action, you’ll get it. I’m assigning you to Ezra’s battalion. Ezra, I want you to assist the various cells along the Slice and the Trailing Sectors. We need to secure some very important planets.”

“All right. What’s our goal?”

Jaral enhanced the map with her omni-tool, making it zoom on one of the main hyperspace lanes: the Rimma Trade Route.

“Sullust. The population hates the Empire and their industrial potential will be paramount to supply our forces in the region.”

Ezra walked next to the holotable and analyzed the situation. A campaign from Lothal to Sullust would be an incredibly long journey. He would have to pass behind Hutt Space, conquering Kessel and even Eadu, then moving down all the way until it crossed Tatooine again, then he would finally be in the right corner of the galaxy.

“Seems like we’ll have our hands full.” he commented calmly at the end.

“Yeah. I’ll make sure they send a cruiser to carry your forces once I get back to Mon Cala.”

Ezra turned his head toward his sister. “Wait...you’re not coming?”

Jaral made a resigned sigh. “No. I’ll call a meeting with the Council of the Alliance. As I was saying, our territory lacks administration, and the only thing keeping our forces together is the hatred for the Empire. We need a clearer political project, so I’ll put them together until we sort this out.”

“Oh.” Ezra mumbled. “You want to get into politics, sis?” he quipped.

“Don’t make me think about it, please.” Jaral sighed, then she turned toward her husband. “Darvos, you are coming with me.”

“Whatever you need, ma’am.” he replied with a smirk before shutting off the device, seeing that the siblings were already turning toward the door.

“All right, time to go meet the rest of the gang.” Jaral declared merrily. “Nimbus, would you like to join?”

“I appreciate the offer, but I got business to do here on Lothal before we go out looking for the rest of the portals. Oh, by the way, your Princess has completed her mission. Most of the surviving Alderaanians in the galaxy have been gathered and they are already in Alliance’s space.”

Luke was immediately caught by that declaration. “Is Leia okay?”

“Yes. For what I understood, she gave up her title and she is probably going back to Yavin, by now.”

Jaral hummed in thought, then turned toward Darvos. “Darv, send word to General Dodonna that I want Han and Leia here on Lothal, along with Rhino squad.”

Darvos nodded. “Very well. See you back home.” and then walked away.

“You want them to come with me?” Ezra asked.

“Yes, but I have a special task for them. I’ll tell you later. For now, let’s get home and enjoy the quiet so long as we can.”

The evening at the tower was one of feast. Rex was seen shedding a tear when the Togruta suddenly appeared in front of him and before the two shared a heartfelt hug. Hera had just been dismissed from the hospital, so Ahsoka’s arrival only made her joy even more intense and the Togruta had the chance to meet Jacen, who was then left in Chopper’s care while the group prepared dinner.

Mira nearly emptied her fridge and the entire group ate at a large table that the clones had in their own home, as it was more akin to a barrack than a real house, but that also included some sort of a mess hall, which was important since that was the period where nights on Lothal tended to be particularly cold.

After exchanging stories, alcohol started to flood. Things became rowdy the more the dinner went on. A drinking contest between Kallus, the clones and Zeb followed, resulting in Rex winning but nonetheless collapsing on the floor after Sabine declared him the victor. The same mandalorian woman didn’t go easy on the bottle, eventually getting asleep, so Ezra carried her to the couch.

After the sober people finished to clean up the mess, the siblings quickly exchanged an opinion through the bond and decided that this was the moment. Even if they would break the mood, they had to tell Luke the truth about his father.

Ahsoka understood that quickly, so when the siblings gently asked Luke to follow them, she did too. They decided to straight up go to Ezra and Sabine’s home, where they could talk without the risk of somebody else eavesdropping.

They gathered in the living room and sat between the couch and two armchairs. Ezra then took a breather and started. “Ok, here we go...Luke, I know it was weird for you to find out all of a sudden that you have a twin sister, that’s why we decided to delay telling you this. However, if we are going to fight against the Sith, there must be no more secrets between us.”

Luke had already understood that something big was coming, especially because the three Jedi had insisted on getting to an isolated room.

“All right.” he said, preparing his mind to whatever was coming next. “What else I didn’t know?”

“It’s about your father.” Jaral calmly said. “And what actually happened to him.”

Luke’s eyes sprang with hope. “What do you mean? Is he still alive?”

Unsure on how to put it, the siblings hummed in hesitation, but luckily for them, Ahsoka stepped in to explain.

“Not exactly. The person once known as Anakin Skywalker didn’t die biologically. However, his mind and personality have disappeared. Now, he’s a servant of the Dark Side.”

Luke was clearly confused, and hearing those words made him hesitate in asking for new answers.

“Anakin Skywalker…” Ezra calmly concluded. “has become Darth Vader.”

Now the young Padawan barred his eyes and his jaw slightly opened. His head started spinning and he needed to put a hand on it in a desperate attempt to find a balance to that new information.

“The...the man who killed Ben is…?”

The siblings made a slow nod.

Luke’s face contorted into a silent scream. He stood up from the chair and made some slow steps around the room before finally leaning against the wall and slowly drift toward the floor, where he sat down.

Ezra walked next to him and crouched to support him while the women patiently waited. Eventually, Luke quickly regained control over his emotions, as Ezra had taught him to do in the last few days.

The Padawan stood up again. “Then why did Ben tell me that he was dead?” he asked calmly.

“Well…” Ahsoka said. “in his own way, he was telling the truth. Darth Vader has completely taken over. Anakin doesn’t exist anymore. From a certain point of view, Obi-Wan said the truth.”

Luke couldn’t help but find that answer irritating. “From a certain point of view?”

“Remember what he himself said?” Jaral reminded. “Things will always look according to how we decide to see them. And the point is, the person who was your father has been replaced by a machine filled with hatred and rage.”

“And there is no chance to bring him back?” Luke asked, though he wasn’t expecting a positive answer.

“I tried…” Ahsoka said discouraged. “And I would’ve died if it wasn’t for Ezra pulling me into the World Between Worlds. I’m afraid there is nothing we can do, Luke. At this point, killing him is probably doing him a favor.”

Luke was clearly conflicted. He paced around the room, his head lowered on his chest as he tried to come up with a straight answer to the dilemma, but it became clear that there wasn’t one.

So he simply rejoined the group and decided to make another question.

“How did that happen? Why did he turn to the Dark Side?”

The siblings couldn’t answer this question, so they looked at Ahsoka, who gathered her patience and spoke up.

“I can’t tell for sure. We know now that the Emperor was posing as the Supreme Chancellor of the Republic during the Clone Wars, and Anakin spent a lot of time with him. Palpatine probably had any chance to slowly push him toward the darkness.”

Ezra thus remembered something. “Maybe he used something he feared, or something Anakin truly wished for.”

“What do you mean?” Luke asked.

“During the battle for Lothal, he tried to make me open the portal of the Jedi temple that was on this planet by showing me something I really wanted.”

“What was that?” Jaral asked. “I don’t think we ever talked about that.”

“It was quite simple, actually. I wanted a galaxy at peace, where all of us could live our lives freely. That was what he showed through the portal right after giving me the prospect of losing everybody...which almost worked, since I was still grieving for Kanan’s death.” he concluded with a bit of shame in his voice.

“But you pushed back.” Jaral said to encourage him. “And in the end, you saved Lothal.”

“So what did my father wanted?” Luke asked.

“If I have to guess…” Ahsoka started. “he probably wanted to save your mother.”

Luke’s attention was now caught completely. All of a sudden he remembered that there wasn’t only his father. He walked next to Ahsoka and sat on the couch as well.

“Tell me about her, please.”

Ahsoka was caught a bit by surprise, but then slightly shook her head and smiled, seeing the enthusiasm in Luke’s eyes.

“Your mother was Padmé Amidala. She was the Queen of Naboo, then Senator of the Republic.” she started with a warm tone. “She was truly a unique person. Even in the bleakest days of the war, even when Palpatine was gathering more and more power for himself, she always put the well-being of the citizens in the first place.

“She firmly believed in democracy and the values that stood at the foundation of the Republic. She gave hope to billions of beings. Sometimes I think that the Rebellion actually stemmed from her undying tenacity. She showed the people that there is always a choice between tyranny and freedom.”

Luke couldn’t hold back a chuckle. “I guess that Leia took everything from her.”

The other Force-wielders couldn’t help but agree with that statement with smiles of their own.

Come to think of it, Luke and Leia’s lives had been incredibly similar to either the mother or the father according to their gender: Luke had grown up on Tatooine, living an uneventful life until some strangers showed up and told them they could become Jedi. Leia had grown up as a princess and a politician.

Though, in their minds, the siblings hoped that Luke’s story would not end up like his father’s.

A brief silence followed, until Luke made a louder sigh and stood up. “Okay. I think I have enough to think about for tonight. I’ll go get some sleep, if you don’t mind.”

“Oh, not at all.” Jaral replied right before yawning and stretching her arm. “We got a lot of work to do, tomorrow.”

January 22.

“The shuttle is ready.”

“Thanks, Qathora. Let’s get going before the Moffs start complaining for the wait.”

The two headed toward the hangar, where the shuttle and Starkiller were waiting for them.

“You remember your cover name?” Iulius asked to the Dark-sider.

“I still don’t understand why I have to answer to it.” the man replied with a bit of irritation in his otherwise cold tone.

“Because yours is borderline childish and the Moffs wouldn’t take us seriously if you get to present yourself. So…?”

The man grunted with his breath, but still replied. “My name is Galen Marek and I’m an agent of the Emperor assigned to your safety.”

“Good.” Iulius said with satisfaction, then turned toward the pilots. “We can go.”

The officers nodded and soon enough the Lambda left the starboard hangar of the Admonitor , starting to descend toward the planet beneath: Naboo.

A few days before, the Grand Admiral had decided to summon all the Moffs and Admirals of the most important sectors of the Mid Rim. This conference was supposed to help Iulius present himself in person to all of them as the new Warlord, but he intended to use the occasion to assess those that should have helped him administrate the region.

Iulius, in fact, had many changes in mind that he wanted to apply. From phasing out slavery and keeping indentured servitude only for criminals, to completely overhaul the structure of the Sector Fleets in order to improve the quality of the imperial military under his jurisdiction.

But to do that, he was going to need the support of the Moffs, and even though he wasn’t expecting anything to come out from this meeting, he knew that he had to try, cause there was no other way around the problem, if anything because Iulius had only a basic understanding of administration and he certainly couldn’t manage both the planets and the war effort on his own.

After a few minutes of silent flight, the shuttle landed on a platform into the military base of the capital city Theed. There an officer welcomed and escorted the three them into the base and in front of the conference room.

And as Iulius opened the door, he spotted only three Moffs with their respective Admirals, but one of the latter was the last he thought (or wanted, for that matter) to see.

The deplorable chubby face of the Admiral of Fondor turned toward him and smiled at him under those irritable mustache.

“Iulius, my boy!” the voice of his father completely surprised Iulius...in a bad way.

The Admiral widened his arms and walked toward him as if he wanted to hug him, though he never actually intended to do that and lowered them, simply offering a hand to shake.

Iulius suddenly remembered that he had lots of reasons that justified the frown that had instinctively appeared on his face as he looked at the being called Chimbros Tanis. Mostly the fact that he had been completely absent from his life since he saw him the year before on Fondor, and now he was welcoming him as if he was the best parent in the galaxy.

Just to save formalities, Iulius shook Chimbros’ hand, but gripped as tight as he could, managing to make him moan slightly from the pain.

“You got stronger, I see.” Chimbros said with a chuckle. Every single word of his voice bumping straight into Iulius’ nerves.

“What are you doing here?” Iulius asked, unable to hide a hiss.

“He’s here with me, of course.” another voice came from behind Chimbros. The Admiral stepped aside, revealing a man with the ranks of a Moff.

“Moff Raythe.” Iulius said respectfully. “I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

“You weren’t notified?” Raythe asked with a bit of surprise. “The Fondor shipyards have been put under your jurisdiction, Grand Admiral. High Command on Coruscant thought you could use it.” he then took the datapad hanging on his belt. “Here, these are the orders.”

He quickly swiped on the screen a couple times then handed the device to Iulius, who took it and read. Indeed, that was a mail from the Ministry of War that made Fondor and all its resources available for Iulius, since now the Mid Rim was considered the most important front of the war.

“I see.” Iulius said with a bit of surprise and returned the datapad. “In that case, I’ll immediately tell you that I intend to start the mass production of two new classes of TIEs.”

“Of course.” Raythe replied in a cooperative voice. “Just send me the schematics and I’ll make sure to dedicate an entire shipyard to them.”

“You’ll need more than a shipyard…” the Grand Admiral said as he took a small holo-projector in his palm and showed the first hologram. “This it the TIE Phantom. It comes with shields, hyperdrive and a special cloaking device that requires specific crystals. But I’ll send some of the engineers who built it to assist.” he announced.

“I see.” replied Raythe as he analyzed the hologram closely. “And the second one?”

Iulius pushed a small button and now a new hologram appeared.

“This. The TIE Defender. Grand Admiral Thrawn had entrusted me with a copy of the schematics before his capture, but I didn’t have the resources to build it before.”

“Ah, I heard about it.” the Moff commented. “I’ll see what I can do.”

Chimbros then huffed. “Why use the project of an alien?” he said with a smug tone. “I’m sure you can come out with something better.”

This time, Iulius couldn’t hold his tongue and sternly replied. “This project only failed because of Governor’s Pryce brilliant idea to blow up the fuel depot just to kill a single Jedi, who wasn’t even that important on a strategic level.

“And I swear on the Emperor, Admiral, that if your blatant speciesism causes you to make incredibly stupid decisions, I’ll make sure you never command a fleet again.” he concluded in a cold, menacing tone toward his father.

His father was taken aback, evidently not used to his son being that assertive, and instinctively replied. “What, you got soft, all of a sudden, Iulius?” he then took a look at Qathora, who was silently glaring at him. “Look there. You are still keeping the slave I gave you, and you’re trying to tell me…”

“Qathora is no longer a slave.” Iulius interrupted him. “I freed her the moment we got on that shuttle, and she has helped me more than you can possibly imagine. And second, it’s ‘Grand Admiral’ to you.”

Iulius didn’t even notice that more officers had entered the room and everyone was looking with interest at the scene.

Now Chimbros widened his eyes in disbelief and indignation. “Watch your steps, young man. I am your father and you owe me respect.”

But Iulius, tired of it all, simply made a gesture to Starkiller with his hand, and a moment later, Chimbros shut up. He started to gurgle, slowly at first, then much more loudly, with everyone else wondering what was happening.

Soon, between coughs and spouting in search for air, Chimbros fell on his knees as he kept his hands around his neck, trying to get free of a hold that simply wasn’t physical.

Iulius then bend a knee and stared at his father with a cold stare.

“You don’t deserve a damn thing from me.” he whispered in a neutral tone that added terror to Chimbros.

“Let’s make this clear. I am in charge now, and I expect you to follow my orders to the letter. If you try to screw me up, then I’ll shoot you in the face myself. Is that clear?”

“Y-yes.” Chimbros whimpered.

“What?” Iulius asked a bit louder. “I couldn’t hear that.”

Chimbros gathered all his strength and said with an acute voice. “Sir...yes, sir…!”

Satisfied, Iulius stood up and signaled the Dark-sider to release the grip, letting Chimbros fall on his fours as he struggled for air and leaving everyone else in silence, clearly intimidated.

This wasn’t how Iulius planned this to go, but he quickly realized that it could work to his advantage: after all, imperial Moffs only understood strength, and this show of power on his side (putting his own father into place with someone else blindingly exerting power on his part) clearly helped the others to understand that he was at the top of the chain, right now, and that they better listen to him.

“I’m sorry for the disgraceful scene.” Iulius said in a calm tone. “I see most of us is here. Let’s start this summit.” he then declared as he headed toward the opposite end of the rectangular table.

The Moffs all sat at the two sides, with the Admirals standing right next to them. Raythe and Chimbros stood almost on the other end.

Iulius took a quick glimpse and noticed that the table was full, so after looking at the closes Moff in the eye, and with Marek and Qathora standing next to him, he decided it was time to start.

It was early morning at Capitol City. Skycars and speeders flew and ran all around the streets of the city and a CR90 had just appeared over the skies, heading toward the spaceport. That was the ship that Jaral and Darvos were waiting.

After having already said goodbye to Ahsoka and Nimbus, Ezra prepared for what was going to be the hardest one in a while.

In fact, the three of them didn’t talk much. Darvos stood at a distance as he knew that the siblings needed some time on their own, but in reality words weren’t coming out.

This wasn’t going to be like the last few years, where them being separated didn’t actually mean much since they would see and talk to each other in just a few days away.

Ezra was about to embark for a campaign on the other side of the galaxy while Jaral was going to deal with politics and then focus her efforts on another region. This time, they were going to stay away for what seemed to be like a long time.

And while Ezra would still have the majority of their family and friends by his side, none of them could replace the unique spot his sister had in his life.

“I could really use you for this next adventure.” Ezra eventually said, trying to sound funny.

Jaral chuckled lightly. “Oh, I’m sure. But I wouldn’t have given this much responsibility to you if I didn’t think you are ready.” she said.

Ezra appreciated the trust, but he still felt a bit nervous.

“Commanding a single battle in one thing, but managing a whole campaign…”

“You’ll do great, Ezra.” Jaral reassured her with that tone that always managed to calm her brother. “Besides, you have the others to rely on.”

“Right. What about you?” he asked. “You’re gonna be almost entirely alone, out there.”

“Well, Dad is still fighting in this region. I guess I’ll have him.” she nonchalantly replied.

Ezra huffed and didn’t reply.

They stayed silent for another couple of minutes, which was when a military convoy, which included a Scorpion tank, arrived.

That was the escort for Jaral and Darvos that would bring them at the spaceport. A troop carrier Warthog stopped at the side of the road and the soldiers in the back dismounted, forming a small perimeter and ready to escort the two young officers.

Darvos went to speak with the NCO, giving the siblings time for a last salute.

Whatever they needed to say, they said it through the bond, or they didn’t, because some of that were horrible thoughts about things going in the worst way possible.

So they just hugged. An embrace that was much more felt than usual.

The future looked uncertain. That could be the last time they saw each other, but they didn’t let that stop them from doing their duty as Jedi and leaders of the Rebellion.

“Be careful out there.” Jaral eventually whispered.

“I’ll be back, don’t worry.” Ezra reassured her.

They squeezed one last time and then released the hug. After touching their foreheads briefly, Ezra tried to appear a bit joyful and turned toward the others.

“Darvos.” he called, making the interested person turn. “She’s all yours now. Treat her nicely or I’m coming for you.” he said with a quip.

Darvos laughed. “I’ll make sure of it.”

The siblings smiled at each other, albeit a bit hesitantly, and then Jaral walked away toward the passenger seat of the car.

Ezra stood there and watched as the convoy got back on track and took his sister away.

Such was the situation they found themselves in, and he simply accepted it. Maybe next time they saw each other again, it would be to celebrate the final victory. At least he hoped that as he mounted on his speeder and headed toward Camp Garibaldi.

Chapter Text

The trip to Mon Cala was surprisingly quick when the way wasn’t blocked by the Empire. In just a couple of hours, the ship reached the planet and Jaral was escorted down toward the capital together with Darvos. Along the way, she noticed something that rose her spirits: the orbit was now filled with new ships.

She recognized the insignia of the Tau Empire on them. She had read the report that the fleet had finally arrived in Andromeda, going straight for Mon Cala without stopping over Lothal to join the fight as soon as possible. Their presence here meant that the Grand Marshall might have had at least the opportunity to present herself to their leader and perhaps learn something about this new asset.

The corvette docked at the spaceport and a squad of the renewed Mon Cala army was ready to escort her at the Royal Palace, which was going to host the summit of the Rebel Alliance.

When they were dropped in front of the palace, they prepared to go and meet with the new King of Mon Cala, Ech-Char, a cousin of the late king Lee-Char.

But before they could do that, they were stopped by a turian messenger.

“Excuse me, Grand Marshall.” the alien said, wearing the clothes of a diplomat.

“Can I help you?” Jaral asked cordially.

“Thanks, I’m just here to deliver a message from the Empress.”

“Proceed.”

“Her Majesty has been informed of your plan to start a campaign in the Trailing Sectors. She would like to provide your brother with a ship that should improve his chances of success.”

“That’s very generous.” she replied in a composed tone. “What kind of ship?”

In response, the diplomat lightened up his omni-tool and sent a message containing the specifics of the ship. While Jaral opened it up and found the design of what looked like a cruiser with a compact linear shape.

“It’s an Infinity-class cruiser. It’s part of one of the latest models created to explore uncharted space in the Milky Way. Despite that, it carries a lot of firepower and can host a sizable military force, along with a greenhouse, a small refinery to obtain proton fuel for the smaller ships…”

“I see.” she replied impressed as she looked at the statistics. That ship was definitely larger than the usual cruiser, but since it was created to make long travels into uncharted space, it had to host many infrastructures that could allow the crew to keep a certain standard of living.

“Why you haven’t already used them in this galaxy?”

“It’s not exactly a warship, and so far the Admirals didn’t think they were need. Plus, all the sister ships of the Amerigo are out exploring in the Milky Way. This one had just come out of the dry-dock. Her Majesty has just given the order for it to be refit and redeployed, it should arrive in three rotations.”

“I see. Send my most heartfelt thanks to Her Majesty, sir. And reassure her that my brother will surely employ it in the best way possible.”

The diplomat made a polite bow. “I’ll make sure to deliver. But before I take my leave there’s also another question that needs to be addressed.”

“I’m listening.” Jaral said, a bit confused.

“Since Lothal has become a Sister-Nation of the Federation, it means that all its citizens are now technically eligible for federal citizenship, and that includes you, your husband,” he said while giving a quick glance to a surprised Darvos. “and the rest of your people.”

Honestly, Jaral had never thought about that. The only state in the galaxy that cared about any citizenship was the Empire, and she certainly had never been that to begin with.

“What does that imply? Do we need to start pay taxes?”

“We already have a solution for that. Considering your experience, the Empress wants to offer you the chance to be integrated into the Systems Alliance. Not as regular soldiers, though, but as Auxiliaries.”

“So we get paid for that?” Darvos asked.

“Yes, Captain. The Auxiliaries take the same wage as the regular army, but since it’s composed by people coming from the Sister-Nations, in practice you have much more autonomy. Also, the Amerigo is still one of our most expensive ships, simply giving it away even to our allies wouldn’t sit well with many people in our galaxy.”

“But if me and Ezra were to be integrated as federal officers…” Jaral commented with a knowing tone.

The turian nodded a couple times. “Precisely. So, do you accept the proposal?”

Jaral exchanged a quick look with Darvos, and the intentions were clear.

“It would be our honor to serve Her Majesty.” she declared calmly.

“Excellent.” the diplomat said, then lightened his omni-tool again and pressed a few buttons. “There. You should receive your new IDs and other documents to attest your citizenship. Allow me to welcome you into the Imperial Federation.”

Jaral nodded with a gentle smile on her lips. “It’s an honor. Now, sorry if I sound rude, but we really need to meet with the King.”

“Of course. Have a good day.” the diplomat said before walking away.

“Sounds like things are starting greatly.” Darvos commented with a smile.

Jaral chuckled. “Save that for after the summit. For now, send the news to Ezra.”

Darvos quickly composed the message with his own omni-tool as the royal guard escorted them inside the palace, finally. The two were then brought in front of the throne room. After a page explained them the basic rules of etiquette to follow, they were announced and brought in front of the King.

Usually, the Calamari and the Quarren lived under the water, but to parlay with outsiders they had Dac City on the surface, and though the city was undergoing reconstruction, the Royal Palace had been mostly left intact. Jaral still remembered the day she and Ezra led the charge to free the building from the presence of Moff Hubi. And when they almost succumbed to the Dark Side when they saw the monstrosities that the Moff did to his prisoners.

Calling in her discipline, Jaral chased those memories away as the grand door opened and she walked inside the room, followed by Darvos.

They reached the front of the throne, which stood atop three steps of marble. On the throne sat the new King of the planet, only slightly older than Lee-Char, guarded by a group of both Quarren and Calamari guards.

The two Humans walked at the base of the steps and, as protocol dictated, made a bow and waited for the King to greet them.

“Grand Marshall Bridger.” the Calamari started with a solemn voice. “Allow me to welcome you back on Mon Cala, and to express my gratitude, although a bit late, for all you’ve done for my people.”

Once he finished, Jaral and Darvos straightened back and the Grand Marshall spoke. “It is I who thank you for your hospitality, King Ech-Char.”

The Mon Cala raised his scepter toward one of the servants, who stepped forward and stood next to the Humans.

“I will join you as soon as the rest of the envoys arrive.” Ech-Char said. “In the meantime, if you would follow Mr. Goresh, he will lead you to the main hall for some refreshments.”

The Humans bowed once again. “Thank you, Your Majesty.” Jaral concluded before they were introduced to a big hall.

In there, they found that many of the delegates had already arrived. Probably because most of them were already on Mon Cala, which had become the main hub of political representation for the various factions of the Rebel Alliance.

Among them, Darvos quickly spotted Mon Mothma talking to what seemed to be a Tau. He pointed them to Jaral and they quickly reached the head of the Rebellion.

“Senator Mothma.” Darvos greeted.

Mon Mothma turned around, together with the richly dressed alien, and smiled cordially. “Captain Tanis. Grand Marshall. It’s good to see you again.” she said as she shook hands with both.

“Likewise, Madam Senator.” Jaral answered. “I hope these last few months had been kind to you.”

“Ever since you destroyed the Death Star, I’ve been sleeping much better.” Mothma commented. “May I present you to Ethereal Kor’Met’Zor. Envoy of the T’au Empire.”

The alien made a polite bow with his right hand on his chest.

“Greetings, Grand Marshall, Captain. Your names have already been enshrined in fame back in the Milky Way.” the Tau said with his thick accent and a tone of voice that underlined an incredible discipline and self-control.

“It’s an honor to meet you, noble Ethereal. I’ve been curious to meet someone of your species that wasn’t a warrior, actually.”

“Alas, the Empire leaves us no choice but to fight in order to preserve and spread the Greater Good. However, when this conflict will be over, our cultures will surely benefit from a peaceful blending.”

“Force knows how much I hope for that, sir.”

So Jaral and Darvos spent around 40 minutes talking with the politicians until a butler entered the hall and announced that the conference room had been prepared and all the envoys had arrived. They were thus escorted at the large, rectangular table a floor beneath. King Ech-Char sat at one end of the table, a prestigious spot as he was the host, while Mothma and Jaral sat at the opposite end, clearly defining the importance they had for the organization. With Darvos standing with a disciplined pose next to his wife and ready to support her, the meeting finally started.

January 28.

“Atten-tion!” Zeb yelled and the infantry platoons waiting around fell into their formations and presented their arms.

These were the soldiers of the Militia that had only recently been integrated into the Rebel Army, whose elite units were still being rallied by Rex in the nearby square of Camp Garibaldi. For now, Ezra was inspecting this group of soldiers that would compose part of his new Task Force: the Dume Battalion. Informally called ‘Doom’ for a matter of assonance.

Standing on the square were also Hera and Chopper at the head of another platoon, while Sabine stood next to Ezra.

Looking at the vast assortment of species in front of him, all equipped with standardized uniforms and weapons, Ezra started to feel a bit nervous. After all, he had only led small parties up to this point. He wasn’t exactly enthusiast when Jaral had decided assign him an entire battalion.

The recent news that he was now a citizen of the Imperial Federation and that the Systems Alliance was going to provide him with a ship and troops to add to his larger unit had put even more pressure on him, but at the same time he felt confident enough to balance that negative feeling out.

“At ease.” he said with a clear tone and the soldiers relaxed their muscles and lowered their weapons.

The young Knight felt his chest a bit heavy. In a few minutes, the Amerigo was supposed to arrive and the campaign to reach Sullust would begin. This meant that the soldiers were expecting a speech.

Sabine subtly moved next to him and gently squeezed his hand. Ezra felt a bit reinvigorated and stepped forward, the eyes of everyone pointed at him.

“Everyone.” he started. “I know that this will not sound pretty, but the fact is, as a Jedi, I must give you the truth.

“I don’t know how things will go. A long journey awaits us and, most likely, some of us will not see the end of it.” he stated as he slowly walked in front of the line of men and women that would be under his responsibility. “But if there’s one thing for sure, is that this mission will make a great difference in this war.

“Whatever happens in the next months, if we are going to succeed, it’ll be a huge difference for the future of this galaxy. So remember your training, and remember that we only count in each other. I will always be in front of you and I will always look out for you all, this much I swear.”

The soldiers’ eyes and their traces into the Force told Ezra that they felt a bit reassured, though probably many of them were questioning if he was indicated to lead such a delicate mission. The Jedi Knight understood that sentiment, and vowed to himself that he would prove it to everybody.

“All right, people. Our ship should be here any moment, now. Get to your transports and stand ready.”

The soldiers orderly broke ranks and moved toward the Pelicans and other transports waiting on the nearby landing platforms.

The rest of the Specters gathered around him with encouraging smiles.

“Not bad, kid.” Zeb commented.

Ezra rubbed the back of his neck. “I just hope I won’t mess everything up.” he mumbled.

Hera put a hand on his shoulder. “You know Jaral wouldn’t have asked this to you if she wasn’t sure you had the skills. You’ve grown, Ezra, and we’re all proud of you.”

Ezra managed to make a lopsided grin before his ears caught the rumble of specific engines in the distance that drew his attention. The Knight looked up and eventually saw the Millennium Falcon coming down .

“Finally.” Luke said happily from behind the group and jogged forward as the Falcon neared the ground and took out its landing gear.

As the freighter discharged gas, the ramp lowered, letting Han, Leia and Chewbacca walk down. Luke was the first to go and greet them, hugging with Leia and patting shoulders with the other two. Then R2 and 3PO also came out, at which point Ezra walked toward them.

“Welcome to Lothal, Commander Solo.” he greeted with a smile and Han went to shake hands with him.

“Yeah, quite a nice rock you got here.” the smuggler quipped before Chewie roared a greeting as well.

“It certainly got better since the last time I came here.” Leia added as she approached the group.

Ezra chuckled, then showed Han and Chewie the way with his arm. “Come on, we got some presentations to do.” he said as he brought them in front of his extended family.

“This is Sabine Wren.” he started from the closest, as the mandalorian girl removed her helmet. “My wife and all-round warrior of Clan Wren.”

Han seemed fairly impressed, perhaps more at the fact that Ezra was married at such a young age, but he extended a hand and the two cordially presented themselves.

“There you have Captain Garazeb Orellios.” Ezra said next. “Don’t let his easy-going appearance fool you. He’s one of the best warriors I’ve ever met.”

“Oh, stop it, you.” Zeb commented a bit embarrassed as he went to shake hands.

“Look, Chewie.” Han quipped. “You’re not the only furball around, anymore.”

The Wookie chuckled.

“This is C1-10P, but we call him Chopper. And last but not least…” Ezra said as he walked next to Hera. “General Hera Syndulla. Chop’s owner and captain of the Ghost.”

“Glad to finally meet you, General.” Han said as they shook hands. “The kids talked a lot about your ship.” he said hiding a small tone of challenge.

Hera, though, didn’t miss that and replied with a proud smile and a bit of a cocky tone. “Well, the Ghost is the best ship in the galaxy, after all.”

Han chuckled in a defiant way. “Now, the VCX-100 is a good model, but the Falcon here is unrivaled. You know she made the Kessel run in just 12 parsecs?”

Hera crossed her arms on her chest and replied with a smug smile. “12? How cute. The one time we went to Kessel, the Ghost took 11.”

Ezra wasn’t sure if he found that funny or stupid, but luckily for him, a call arrived on his omni-tool with a military signature of the Systems Alliance.

“Ezra Bridger here.” he answered.

“General Bridger, this is Captain Riccardi of the Amerigo. We’ve just reached the orbit of Lothal and we are ready to welcome you and your troops.”

“Understood, Captain, we’re on our way.” Ezra replied before closing the call, then turned to the still debating pilots. “You know what? You’ll have plenty of chances to prove which ship is the best, for now, go get them and let’s move.”

Both the Twi’lek and the Human shrugged and said “Fine.” before moving.

“Kallus, the Amerigo is in orbit, send the signal to the battalion.” the Knight then ordered into the omni-tool.

“Understood. See you aboard, General.”

Everybody thus reached their own ships, with Ezra and Sabine getting aboard the Silver Bullet and leaving after Ezra was sure that everybody else had taken off. They climbed toward the skies and passed through the atmosphere. After seeing the ships of the defense fleet of Lothal, Ezra took another look at his planet, saying goodbye to it in his mind and then focusing on the sensors, though Sabine spotted the ship before him.

“Woah, look at that thing.” she said incredulous.

Indeed, Ezra spotted the Amerigo on the visual sensors not long after it. That ship was definitely too big to be called a simple cruiser. It was a km long, 400 m wide and around 600 m tall, with the form that mostly resembled a round rectangle at the corners. A giant mass driver cannon came out from the face of the ship, as if the dozens of big-caliber turrets and even more rocket-launchers, plasma turrets and other smaller weapons didn’t give it enough firepower.

“For being an exploration cruiser, it doesn’t really look like its owners came in peace.” Ezra commented.

“Look at it this way,” Sabine said with a more enthusiastic tone. “if they meet a hostile new species, they can definitely defend themselves.”

“I guess.” Ezra concluded. “Let’s go take a look on the inside.”

He then brought the Silver Bullet into the hangar that the flight controller indicated him and brought the freighter down right next to the Ghost and the Falcon . The hangar was big enough that the Gauntlet could turn its wings vertically without a trouble, then the steel shields of the hangar closed behind them.

When Ezra and Sabine walked down the access ramp, they found themselves in front of a Human with the uniform of a Navy captain, a Turian in armor and a Salarian.

The human stepped forward and made the salute. “General Bridger, welcome aboard. I’m Captain Riccardi.”

Ezra returned the gesture. “Greetings, Captain. Your ship is quite impressive.” he complimented.

“I appreciate it, sir. Allow me to introduce you Colonel Belisarius,” he said referring to the Turian. “commander of our Marines and, as of now, attached to your battalion.” then pointed at the Salarian. “And Major Kherat of the MI6.”

“Greetings, General.” Kherat said, then turned his gaze toward the mandalorian. “Sabine Wren, I suppose.”

“Hi.” Sabine said as cordially as she could.

“Do you need lodgings, sir?” Riccardi asked. “Or are you ok with your ship?”

“We’ll be fine on the Silver, thanks. We don’t want to cramp the lodgings more than necessary.”

“Very well. Allow us to show you around the ship, then we will be ready to sail.”

“Understood.” Ezra turned toward Belisarius. “Colonel, most of my men are from the Militia. When we’re done, I suggest we start making joint exercises between them and your Marines.”

The turian nodded. “A sound proposal, General. I’ll notify the squad leaders to stand ready.” he said before the officers started to bring Ezra and Sabine on a tour of the ship.

February 4.

“Ten-hut!” the officer in the hangar ordered and the four Dark Troopers lined up as Iulius walked inside the hangar of the Admonitor.

With Qathora at his side, the Grand Admiral stepped in front of the soldiers that had been created by his will and efforts in Wild Space. He was about to order them something that was nothing short of a gamble on his behalf, to see if they could live up to his expectations.

He was about to send men who had complete faith in him to risk their lives in a war that, arguably, they didn’t feel as their own, they were simply fighting for him to return the debt their people had with him. This meant that they were, indeed, ready to go any length to serve him, and Iulius knew that he needed to take measures he found distasteful in order to beat his enemies.

“Soldiers.” he started speaking in Imirgesh, to give them a taste of their homeworld. “In these days, you have served the Empire faithfully, and I wish to extend my gratitude. I also know that you feel...lost. I understand that, though I cannot relate. Until a few months ago, your civilization wasn’t used to think that there was a universe outside of your planet.

“Therefore, I want to reassure you, that I’m about to give you your last test. After this, you’re going back home on Carunoia to improve the Dark Trooper Project.”

The soldiers stood still, their helmets preventing Iulius from reading their faces.

The Grand Admiral stepped aside and turned toward his assistant, who then walked forward holding a small chest in her hands. Qathora went in front of one of the soldiers and opened the box, revealing four small discs, each containing other six discs so small they could be called pebbles.

The soldier instinctively took one and observed it with curiosity. Qathora proceeded to go in front of each of them to distribute the devices.

“These are weapons that we took from our enemies and manipulated to suit our needs. They call them Artificial Intelligence. It’s much more advanced that the ones we have in the droids, and even more than the ones who controlled the machines of the Yavzakhs, back on Carunoia.”

The soldiers looked at him with a movement of the head that indicated a slight confusion, followed by another wave of curiosity as they kept handling the devices.

“There’s a small split in the back of your helmets. Put them into it.” Iulius instructed.

Knowing what he was talking about, the soldiers stretched their arms a bit and used a finger to trace back where the split was, then they managed to insert the chips.

Iulius observed with a bit of apprehension. For all he knew, the AIs could have just gone rogue the moment they were activated. The technicians had assured him that the constructs still had no loyalty toward the Federation, as they were a new batch without a proper setting.

Still, only when Burk and the Dark Troopers looked at their palms and the holographic projections of the AIs appeared over them in an orderly fashion did Iulius resume to breath, then approached a little bit more to look at the figures. He noticed that these AIs did not have a humanoid shape like he believed. Instead, they simply appeared as a strange cluster of a somehow circular shape. Iulius could simply theorize that the AIs chose an appearance according to the people they would be talking to.

The four constructs were then heard presenting themselves both in Imirgesh and Galactic Basic.

“Welcome into the universe, XA-112, 113, 114 and 115.” Iulius said. “I’m Grand Admiral Iulius Tanis of the Galactic Empire. And I need your help for a very important task.”

After a moment of silence, one of the AIs replied with its synthetic voice. “We’re awaiting instructions, Grand Admiral.”

Satisfied with that, Iulius kept calm and explained. “You are going to be assigned to a Dark Trooper each. I want you not only to assist them but to observe them. See when they are successful or when their tactics are flawed and learn from them.”

“Observe and Learn. Task accepted.” the construct replied.

Iulius nodded toward the soldiers, who thus recalled the projections and stood at attention.

“Sergeant Burk, we’re approaching the Felucia system. We need to retake the planet in order to resume the offensive on Lianna, but specifically I want you to hunt down Legionnaires. Show me the fruits of our efforts in this Project.”

“As you desire, Lixoriom.” Burk declared and made a bow, imitated by the other soldiers.

When they stood up again, Iulius continued. “Remember, the Legionnaires are extremely dangerous, but so were the Yavzakhs, and you survived them. Move as a team and try to pick them off in small groups. You’ll have one crazy story to tell back on Carunoia.”

“Sir, yes sir!” the soldiers declared with a certain enthusiasm, which Iulius found a bit encouraging.

“Dismissed.” he concluded and headed away with Qathora.

Once they entered one of the corridors, the Togruta spoke up. “They are incredibly serious when you order them to do something.”

“Right…” Iulius sighed as he stopped in his tracks, then turned around. “What about you? Are you sure you want to go on with this plan?”

Qathora didn’t flinch as she looked straight in his master’s eyes and replied. “I am.”

“Every imperial outside of the 101^st will shoot you if things go bad.” he warned.

“And if I fail, the rebels will shoot me, as well.” she quipped. “Not a wide variety to choose from.”

Iulius sighed. He honestly didn’t understand how she could take with such an easy-going attitude. “Qathora, you don’t have to do this just for me.”

“If I don’t do it for you, then what’s the point?” she calmly asked back.

“Maybe...not dying, would be the point?” he asked with a sarcastic shrug.

“Look, let’s put it this way. My species can live up to 300 years, and I’m just 28. Which means, by the time you live out the average human lifespan, I will still have two-thirds of my life to do whatever I want. For now, I owe my freedom to you, and I really think that you can change the galaxy in a better way, Iulius. I want to help you any way I can.”

In front of such determination, Iulius made a silent breather with his eyes closed. As he reopened them again, he made a step closer to his servant.

“All right, then. The next battle should give you an opening...good luck...Fulcrum.”

Chapter Text

February 8.

Back on Felucia. Jordan certainly wasn’t much enthusiast of this, and neither were the others, but the Empire had struck there when everybody assumed that Iulius was still too busy reorganizing the Imperial forces and that the double offensive of the Rebels and the Mandalorians on two fronts would put him on the defensive.

It also bothered him that last day was his daughter’s birthday and all he could do was to send a holo-message.

Still, MI6 was expecting another attack on Lianna, since a big imperial fleet was still sitting in the orbit of Arcan and the previous offensive had forced the coalition to leave Felucia only partially defended.

If the imperials retook the planet, they could use the Felucia Trail to attack Lianna on the flank, and this couldn’t be allowed. So while the Taus were sending their fleet to reinforce the position, the federal naval squadron in orbit had been forced to already cede part of the orbit to the numerically superior imperial fleet.

Which meant that, as soon as the planet’s rotation allowed it, the imperials had dropped an army on the surface near the coalition’s strongholds and started the battle for control.

Now Jordan had been requested to investigate a missing patrol on the surface of Felucia. It was near a heated battlefield, where a Victory-class Star Destroyer and an Alliance cruiser were even battling a few thousand meters above the ground.

“Captain, we’re approaching the transponder of the lost patrol, but we can’t pick any signal.” the co-pilot reported.

“Sign of enemy forces?” Jordan asked.

“There are no life-signs, sir.”

“Ok, drop us in, then get airborne and cover us.” the Legionnaire concluded.

“Yes, sir.” the pilot replied while the Captain returned into the cargo hold.

There were Michalina, Thabo and Gutierrez. They were simply sitting on the seats or watching at the screen projecting a view given by the external sensors of the Kodiak, but when Jordan re-entered, they understood they were about to land, so they stood up around him.

“All right, listen. We’re coming up on the last known position of the patrol. We don’t know what happened, so we’re looking for survivors and for whatever might have killed them.”

“Jordan,” said Michalina with a suspicious tone. “why are they asking us to check on a missing patrol?”

“Because this one had three Legionnaires in it, all Aquilae. And yet they got overrun in a matter of minutes.” he sternly replied. “And it’s not the first time. In the last few days we lost two squads of our brothers, so we must understand if it’s the fauna, or if the imperials are sending some specialist to hunt our kind down.”

“So...we’re going to investigate a possible Legionnaire-killing weapon...as Legionnaires?” Thabo asked a bit incredulous.

“This is definitely a trap.” Gutierrez said.

“I know, but if Command’s worst fears are true, then we need to know. Just stay sharp. Thabo, keep your psionic senses particularly open.” the Captain instructed.

The other three soldiers nodded. A few seconds later, they could see that the shuttle was touching down.

The scene was terrible. The burned carcass of an APC was standing in the middle of one of the few paths free from the tall plants of Felucia, and around it laid the corpses of three Legionnaires and three Marines.

The squad of the Constantinople cautiously approached the corpses while the Kodiak was flying circles over their heads.

Jordan used Jinx’s scanner to reveal the identities of the bodies. One of the Legionnaires was just 19. Pretty much the same as Ezra.

He couldn’t allow such grim thoughts to cloud his mind, or he could wind up dead as well. So he did the next logical thing: try to recover the memory card of the Legionnaire’s cameras. When he linked the omni-tools, however, he found out that the card wasn’t there.

“Same as the previous attacks.” he commented to his brethren. “Whoever did this, they knew how to wipe out any record.”

“They can’t hide from me.” Thabo said resolutely. The other three turned toward him and saw that he was extending his hand in front of him, using the Flux to search for any clues.

“Found something, hechicero?” Gutierrez asked.

“I sense a small group. No more than half a km south-west.” the psionic replied.

Jordan put two fingers on the side of his helmet and called the Constantinople.

“Bridger to Constantinople, can you make a scan south-west of our position?”

The crew executed the command, then Undir replied. “The spores on the surface confuse the heat scanners, however there seems to be some kind of anomaly 632 meters in that direction.”

“Understood, we’ll check it out, keep an eye on it.” he instructed as he adjusted his grasp on the rifle in his hands. “Form up, team.”

The squad assumed a line formation with Thabo at the head and marched in a loose formation, so they could cover all sides of the team and would not be wiped out by a single grenade if one suddenly hit them. The sounds of the battle could still be heard in the distance. With the psionic still signaling the presence he felt, the team finally spotted a black wall and they got to cover before taking a closer look.

The wall was not very tall, perhaps only two meters and a half high, and that was clearly a temporary imperial outpost. Still, the entrance was guarded by two turrets, though only one was manned at that moment.

But what got the attention of the Legionnaires were two soldiers standing right beneath the threshold. They wore gray armors never seen before, wielded heavy repeaters and seemed to be talking with an officer.

“Who the hell are those guys?” Michalina asked in the comlink of the squad.

“Jordan, I detect energy readings very similar to your armors. They have personal shields.” Jinx alerted.

“Can you scan for others like them?” the Captain calmly asked.

“Scan completed. The heartbeat sensor has detected a total of 15 signals inside that compound. However, I can’t identify similar signals.”

Jordan took another look at the enemy. He had to decide quickly.

Those two men in armor probably weren’t the only ones to have massacred the patrol, meaning that other soldiers like them could be nearby. However, the Federals were four Legionnaires and this time they were going to have the element of surprise.

He signaled Gutierrez to take position behind one of the bulb-like trees. “Aim at the gunner on that turret, I’ll take out the officer.” he instructed. “Micha, Thabo, get ready.”

The super-soldiers got in position. When Jordan gave the signal, he and Gutierrez opened fire. The stormtrooper on the turret and the officer immediately got their heads pierced by the plasma of the weapons. The armored soldiers immediately noticed them and by the time the Legionnaires fired toward them, the closest one activated his jetpack and flew upward with incredible speed.

The other fired back with a heavy blaster rifle, placing a precise shot against Jordan, who saw his shields go down by half strength, which prompted him to roll behind a cover.

Meanwhile, the second gray soldier landed right on the left flank of the Legionnaires and fired with a TL-50 toward Thabo and Michalina. The former dived on the ground, avoiding the red bolts and firing back with his rifle, while Michalina reacted instantly against their foe. The Legionnaires saw the woman’s bolts stopping against the shields of the imperial, so Thabo lightened up his omni-tool and used Overload against the enemy.

Indeed, the shields of the imperial fell, but the guy quickly drew out a concussion grenade and threw it in between the two Legionnaires, who quickly ducked behind their covers. By the time the grenade blew and they aimed their guns again, the gray soldier had flew back toward the gate, where the second one was still firing back at Jordan and Gutierrez.

“I’ve had enough of this.” Thabo said as he charged a psionic lance in his right hand.

He quickly gathered the energy and the bolt formed in his hand. The Legionnaire prepared to launch it as a javelin and then jolted.

He hit the first gray soldier squarely in the chest and a painful scream was enough to send the message.

The second soldier dashed to rescue his comrade, which honestly surprised the Legionnaires for a second, but then the other stormtroopers appeared from behind the threshold and unleashed a rain of blaster fire toward the Legionnaires, while the gray soldier lifted the body of his comrade and headed further inside the outpost, with the stormtroopers following suit.

“Don’t let them get away!” Jordan ordered and the squad charged. The Captain and Gutierrez activated the directional shields of their omni-tools, but when they reached the gate, they all noticed that the imperials were mounting inside a Lambda shuttle. The gray soldiers had already disappeared and only five troopers were still visible. They fired at the Legionnaires, who instantly returned fire and killed three of them, but they were eventually too far to stop the shuttle from taking off.

“Blimey!” Jordan grunted, realizing that air support wouldn’t get there in time to shoot it down.

“Jordan, there is still a signal inside that tent.” Jinx alerted.

The Legionnaires immediately went to check in. However, all they found inside of it, besides some empty tables, was a Togruta with a deep blue skin frenetically working on a terminal.

Jordan pointed his rifle. “Stop right there!” he intimated.

The Togruta calmly raised her hands, then turned to face them with a relaxed attitude. “Easy, gentlemen. We’re on the same side.”

“Grand Admiral, one of our probe droids confirmed. Agent Qathora has been taken by enemy forces, but it doesn’t look like they restrained her.” Ciena reported in the command room of the bridge.

“Thank you, Lieutenant Commander.” Iulius calmly replied as he observed the holotable. “As soon as the ground team return on the Admonitor, we’re leaving. Order Admiral Oderis to continue the campaign.”

“Yes, sir.” the woman replied before composing the message on her keyboard.

Iulius wasn’t expecting this guy to take Felucia, but right now, he only needed the Federation to think that he was trying to still take Lianna while he was actually eyeing another prey, that he would take on with the 101^st alone.

He had to wait around 15 minutes, as the shuttle with the Dark Troopers had to take a longer path to avoid the fight going on between the two fleets in orbit.

And just as the ship was approaching the Admonitor, which was observing at the edge of the planet’s gravitational pull, the radar operator warned Iulius.

“Grand Admiral, we detect a squadron of ships coming out of hyperspace, arriving from enemy space.”

“Signature?”

“Unknown, sir.” the officer replied.

Iulius’ eyes wandered around suspiciously. “Get them on the scopes.” he ordered, prompting him to transmit the signal of the sensors and Ciena to put them on the holotable, making the galaxy map disappear.

Not long after, those ships appeared. They were definitely not the usual federal ships, but on the biggest one of them he quickly spotted the insignia.

“Ah. The T’au.” Iulius murmured interested, then turned to Ciena. “Cancel the order to leave the system, Commander, I want to observe them. Deploy the TIE Phantom squad.”

“Yes, sir.” Ciena replied.

Thus, the hologram now showed the holograms in small scale of the two fleets. The imperial fleet was engaging the federals around one of the moons of the planet, and it seemed like it was winning, mostly because of their numerical superiority and because Iulius had been ordering Oderis around until a few hours ago, much like Thrawn did on Ryloth with Captain Slavin, not letting the enemy know who was actually pulling the strings.

The Tau squadron was composed of 20 ships. 12 escort ships (as they were too small to be line ships), the rest were cruisers and one massive ship that was most likely a battleship, which was clearly the command vessel of the squadron.

They came out on the flank of the imperial fleet, and Oderis quickly sent a group of five Star Destroyers and a Quasar -class carrier and her escort of light cruisers.

The Taus took position next to the moon, which was a barren rock but surrounded by various asteroid fields and a pretty big nebula.

Both parts immediately launched their own fighters. Iulius noticed that those of the Taus were much faster, probably because they had bigger engines, which also released an azure trail behind the apparels.

Still, Iulius noticed that the fighters took off from the battleship and only two of the cruisers, which had the form of a half-circle.

“Mark those ships as carrier into the database.” Iulius instructed and Ciena obeyed.

As the fighters started to clash, Iulius noticed that they went down quite easily, once the imperial pilots managed to hit them. The scanners confirmed that they didn’t have shields, contrary to the fighters of the Federation, which confirmed that the Taus had an advanced technology, but lacked the resources to give the best countermeasures to everybody.

While the flying vehicles fought, the Tau ships opened fire at an insane range, and to Iulius’ surprise, their shots impacted almost instantly on the imperial ships. They had the form of plasma rays, which traveled at a considerable fraction of the speed of light.

While they weren’t enough to penetrate the imperial shields, they certainly weakened them.

Especially when they continued to fire when the imperial ships were still in the open and out of range of the turbolasers. They fired some torpedoes, hoping to do some damage, but the Tau ships turned out to have point-defense batteries that fired a rain of small bolts specifically targeting the torpedoes, blowing them up before they landed on the target.

Then, when the imperial ships were approaching too much, the Tau formation started to navigate on a parable, separating in two groups and trying to keep the distance between them and the imperials while flanking them.

Clearly, Oderis wasn’t expecting that, and the imperial ships just sat there for two minutes while the Admiral was probably stressing his brain out in order to find a solution.

Eventually, he ordered the imperial squadron to attack the taus on their right, meaning the group with the battleship, judging that they were being slower.

To answer that, the battleship suddenly turned toward one of the Arquitens. Then from the middle of her hull a blue muzzle appeared, followed by the clear trail of a slug being thrown at high velocity toward the imperial cruiser. The shot easily penetrated the armor and then exploded inside the ship, cracking it in two.

The imperial ships thus gave full power to the engines, intent on closing the gap and finally get their revenge on the aliens.

Indeed, the sprint allowed them to get into firing range and the turbolasers started to muzzle and fly all around.

And once the fight became closer, Iulius easily noticed that the Tau ships were much more frail than expected, as one of the line cruisers easily went down.

Still, their weapons were still terrifying, and after losing a Star Destroyer and other two ships, the imperial squadron fell back and tried to rejoin the fleet, only to be cut off by the other Tau squadron and suffering even more losses, exposing the flank of the imperial fleet.

“Interesting. Order Kyrell’s squadron to return.” Iulius finally ordered to Ciena. “Lieutenant Windrider, set the course for Corsin.”

“Yes, Grand Admiral.” Nash replied from the pit.

As soon as Thane and the TIE Phantoms were back into the hangar, the Admonitor was ready to jump into hyperspace and leave that front, heading for the one that Iulius cared for.

February 10.

Jaral was just frustrated. Dealing with politicians and their bullshit was definitely not what she signed up for.

“Told you they wouldn’t know what to do without you in charge.” Darvos said to lift her spirits a bit.

“Wonderful.” she replied sarcastically. “Rather, tell me about this new informant we’re about to meet.” she added just as they mounted on the Kodiak and headed toward the Constantinople, which was sitting in the orbit of Mon Cala.

Darvos took out his datapad and tapped it to get the intel provided so far by Jordan and his crew, while two Alliance Marines watched over them.

“Jordan and his Legionnaires apprehended her into an imperial outpost on Felucia. She calls herself Qathora. Apparently, she gave them a data disc with the plans the imperial fleet has for the Mid Rim.”

“The Empire was leaving a non-Human wander around a military camp?” Jaral asked suspicious.

“That’s why your father thought this might be of interest to us.” Darvos calmly concluded as he put away the datapad.

“Guess we’ll have to wait and see.” Jaral commented as the Kodiak was leaving the atmosphere.

It took a few minutes for them to land on the frigate, being welcomed by Jordan and then led to the only prison cell that the Constantinople had on board, in the back of Deck 2. The cell itself had a rectangular shape, with a cot, a folding chair and a toilette which at least was hidden from the sight of the guards, but for the sake of decency, Jordan had decided to put only the female Marines to guard the prisoner.

The Togruta herself was now slumping on the bed, apparently using a datapad that the crew gave her with some novels and games to spend time, but when she heard the door slid open, she looked in that direction and straightened up a bit when she saw Jaral and Darvos.

Particularly, she seemed a bit fascinated by the latter.

“Anything to report?” Jordan asked to the guard.

“No, sir.” replied the woman. “She hasn’t tried anything funny.”

“Thanks, Corporal. Dismissed.”

The marine put away her rifle and eagerly headed out.

Jaral and Darvos went in front of the transparent wall that delimited the cell. The Togruta was looking at them with a calm demeanor.

Jordan approached them, too, and by that time, the prisoner chuckled.

“You really are identical to your brother.” she said to Darvos, making the three Humans surprised.

“You...You know Iulius?” he asked.

“Everybody who has lived in imperial space in the last few months knows him. But as it would happen...I am his personal secretary.”

“You can’t be serious.” Jordan dismissed the claim.

“You sure about that?” Qathora replied calmly.

Right at that moment, Jinx intervened. “Jordan, she is telling the truth. I just found this in the archives of the HoloNet.”

It was a newscast of July of last year. Specifically when Iulius had just completed his campaign in the Outer Rim and was being welcomed by a crowd back on Coruscant.

Jinx had just noticed that Qathora was there, as well. In a couple of frames, though she stayed at a distance from Iulius and was never the focus of the camera, she was there, following him around along with two Death Troopers.

As he projected the clip, the Humans remained speechless.

“How come we never noticed it?” Jordan asked quite irritated.

“MI6 noticed.” Jinx explained. “But it was assumed that she was simply a servant, considering the Empire’s policy about non-Humans.”

“He’s not entirely wrong.” Qathora commented from the cell, making the Humans turn toward her again.

Jaral stepped a bit closer to the wall. “What do you mean?”

Qathora quickly nodded toward Darvos. “Last year, I was forced to serve your father, Chimbros Tanis. When Iulius was recalled to Coruscant and it was clear that he was going to be promoted from Captain to something more, the Admiral decided to give his son a ‘gift’.”

Darvos stepped closer as well. A bit disgusted, but he asked already knowing the answer. “But Iulius freed you immediately, right?”

The Togruta made a half-grin. “You really know your brother. Yes, first thing he did when we met was to free me from the electric collar your father had slapped on my neck. Then he offered me to go free when we reached Coruscant, but I figured I would be better off by staying with him. And he appreciated my set of skills, so it was a win-win.”

Jaral and Darvos looked at each other for a moment. Then Darvos nodded, knowing with what his wife was thinking.

Jaral stepped in front of the door and Jordan opened it with a command of the omni-tool. Thus allowing Jaral to go grab the chair and sit in front of the Togruta, who was sitting on the bed with the back touching the shorter wall behind her and her legs crossed in a relaxed attitude.

“So why are you betraying him?” Jaral asked bluntly while focusing on Qathora’s aura.

The Togruta lowered her head, clearly ashamed, but replied honestly. “I am loyal to Iulius and I consider him a friend. But I can’t stand the Empire. Especially not after Alderaan.”

Jaral could sense that the Togruta was telling the truth.

“By helping us, you put his life at risk.” she noted.

“I am aware.” Qathora replied. “But I also know that you guys prefer prisoners. Especially your Jedi brother and you, Grand Marshall Bridger.”

“You want him out of harms way.” Jaral said.

The Togruta made a nod. “Iulius thinks he can reform the Empire and save it. True, he had made some progress, but his is only wishful thinking. The Moffs hate him simply because he dared to do his job right. He’s not fighting you rebels and the Federation, he’s fighting against a state that was wrong in its conception.”

The Jedi Knight could sense a mix of emotions inside Qathora. Rage, fear...but also a great sincerity. Indeed, she thought she was doing the right choice.

“Okay, I believe you.” the Grand Marshall concluded. “So...do you know what Iulius is planning to do?”

“Not exactly. Actually, me being captured is part of his plan.”

That alarmed Jaral, but she managed to hide it. “What do you mean?”

“He thinks he still has me on his leash and that, since I’m an alien, you guys would have accepted me as a possible candidate for your Fulcrum initiative. But that ends today. To answer your question, last time I left, Iulius was gathering forces on Lantillies, including his 101^st Fleet.”

“Jinx, bring up the galaxy map.” Jaral calmly asked toward his omni-tool, which then lightened up and the map appeared.

Lantillies sat right at the border between the Mid Rim and the Expansion Region, on the Perlimian Trade Route. Right now, the Coalition was going on two massive offensives: the one led by Iblis and the Mandalorians siege of Taris.

From that system, Iulius could have actually moved against both of them, but he had to know that he actually had the resources to focus on one at a time.

“So you don’t know where he is going?”

“No. I guess he didn’t want to risk me telling you when he decided to use me as a double-agent.”

Jaral lowered her head to think. Then she stood up and left the cell to go and ponder the question with the two men as they gathered on the other side of the room and started to confabulate.

“I know what you’re thinking, Jari, and I’m against it.” Darvos immediately said.

“She’s telling the truth, Darvos. I sensed it.” Jaral calmly replied.

“And Gods know how much we need a source to know anything about Iulius. He is incredibly good at keeping his fleet’s secrets.” Jordan argued.

“I know, but my gut says that something is very off, here. If she’s telling the truth, I don’t believe that Iulius didn’t notice that she wanted to betray him. There must be something else behind it.”

“You don’t believe her story?” Jaral asked.

“It’s not that. You say she’s sincere, I accept it. I just think that she’s being manipulated by Iulius to misguide us, or worse.”

“You think he would be able to do that?”

Darvos sighed lightly. “I don’t know him anymore. But he was already a long-term player, and do I have to remind you that he has been tutored by Thrawn for an entire year?”

That was actually a valid point, Jaral thought. There was a chance that this was all a ruse on Iulius’ part. She took a look at Qathora, who still sat in her cell.

“Guess there is one way to know if she’s lying.” she concluded. “We need to verify the intel about Lantillies.”

The two men looked at each other, then back at Jaral.

“Sounds fair. I’ll arrange a scouting party.” Darvos concluded.

Jaral then nodded toward the cell, signaling Jordan to free the Togruta, but to keep an eye on her.

And as her father went to execute the order of the person who now was also his direct superior as Admiral of the Systems Alliance, Jaral left the cell block and headed for the strategy room, followed by Darvos.

Chapter Text

February 16.

“Expand your senses. Remember these words: I’m one with the Force. The Force is with me.” Ezra calmly enunciated as he walked between Luke and Leia, both concentrated on their daily meditation.

Since they started this voyage, it became clear that there would have been a lot of time to spend on the Amerigo. So it was the perfect opportunity to start teaching Leia to use her affinity with the Force.

They were in a small, empty room that was actually used by the psionics aboard the ship to meditate, as well.

Ezra was using his own connection to the Force to detect how much the twins were progressing. Clearly, Luke’s energy was a bit more focused, while Leia was still at the beginning, but her presence was still that of a visible, although small, spark.

He could tell that they were slowly entering in contact with the Force. Getting a glimpse of its infinite mysteries.

“Luke. What do you see?” Ezra patiently asked.

Luke squinted his already closed eyes a bit more. “I think...I see a trail. It must be my path...but it’s surrounded by...darkness.” he then reopened his eyes. “Well, guess it’s nothing new, for now.”

“Very well.” Ezra said, then turned his head on the other side. “What about you, Leia?”

Leia squinted her eyes a bit harder and didn’t answer immediately. Her head wandered around a bit, as if she was trying to follow something.

“I’m not sure. It’s all a bit blurry, but I think...it’s a woman. I never saw her...yet she feels...familiar?”

After saying that, Leia opened her eyes again, allowing Ezra to express his opinion on the matter.

“Perhaps she was someone you’ve been looking for.”

Leia stood up as well. “Who could that be? I’m not looking for someone, right now.” she asked.

“Are you sure?” Ezra asked. “You’ve been quite agitated since we talked about your real parents…”

“I refuse to acknowledge that!” Leia bursted. “My parents were Queen Breha Organa and Senator Bail Organa. I don’t care who sired me.”

Ezra gently raised his hands in a peaceful gesture. “All right, let’s not talk about it.” after all, Leia’s reaction was a pretty eloquent answer to his question. He then checked out his clock and realized a thing. “We should be in sight of Kessel within the hour, you better get prepared.”

The twins nodded and then headed out together. Only Ezra remained into the room as he could feel that he had someone waiting for him. He knelt on the floor and closed his eyes, quickly reaching the necessary focus to speak with these persons.

Indeed, soon enough the ghost of Master Kenobi and the unmistakable presence of his old Master appeared in front of Ezra’s mental eye.

“Considering the situation, you’re handling it quite well.” the voice of Kanan echoed in an encouraging tone.

Ezra let out an amused chuckle. “I’m probably just lucky. Luke and Leia are much more mature than I was when you found me.”

“Maybe. But look at you, now.” Kanan reassured him with his that caring tone that Ezra had missed so much. Were it not for the ghost of Obi-Wan, who taught him how to communicate with those whose mortal body was gone, but their presence in the Force was stronger than ever, he probably would have never heard it again.

“Your Master is right, Ezra.” Obi-Wan added. “Luke and Leia have a predisposition to learn, sure, but your patience is what is allowing them to progress so swiftly.”

“I can only hope that I will be strong enough for them when they will have to face their challenges.”

“Ezra, the point of being their teacher is not to be strong for them,” Kanan explained. “but to make sure that they will be prepared when those challenges come up.”

“I guess so. All I can do is pass everything you taught me. From there on, we will have to learn from each other.”

“Correct.” Obi-Wan said.

“We have to go, now. Remember, Ezra. The Force will be with you. Always.”

And the presences vanished, letting Ezra return to the real universe. He looked around a bit, perhaps hoping that he would find the two Jedi actually in front of him, thinking he could really use their help to train the Skywalker twins.

He knew it was a vain hope, though, so he took a breather and stood up. His mind now lingered briefly over what Jaral was possibly doing. Then he realized that she was giving her everything to make sure the politicians of the Alliance were doing their job and strengthened his own resolve to focus on the upcoming battle.

He walked out of the room, just in time to cross Sabine, spotting her new hair color: a tan base with red tips, resembling the color of the emblem of the Rebel Alliance. Sabine took much pride in the fact that the entire Rebellion carried a modified version of her Phoenix.

“Oh, I was coming to call you up.” she commented.

“Problems?” Ezra asked a bit preoccupied.

“Pretty much. Come on.” she replied, nodding toward the direction they took to reach the bridge.

They quickly reached the room and gathered around the rectangular holotable. There were Captain Riccardi and the other officers, which included: Hera, Rex, Zeb, Belisarius and Kherat. Luke and Leia had already headed for the hangar where the Falcon was stationing.

“General Bridger.” Riccardi saluted, since now Ezra was also holding that rank into the Systems Alliance.

Ezra quickly made the same gesture and stood at the edge of the table. “What’s the situation, Captain?” he asked.

In response, Riccardi made a nod to Kherat, who tapped something on the keyboard in front of him and the holotable projected the planet of Kessel, along with a series of what seemed to be bases planted on a group of asteroids around the planet.

“The recon drones we sent ahead have just reported in.” Riccardi explained. “It seems like the imperial defenses around Kessel are much stronger than anticipated. We detect a satellite defense grid and various outposts built inside some exhausted asteroids, equipped with turbolasers and hangars probably swarming with TIEs.”

Ezra leaned on the table and hummed in a thoughtful way.

“Kessel is not even under the Empire’s administration. The mines are run by criminal cartels, so why have they poured so many resources to defend it?” he asked.

“The corporations still pour a lot of money into the imperial coffers in exchange for the concession.” Hera explained. “We shouldn’t be surprised that the Empire is hanging to Kessel so much.”

“The increased security might have also been dictated by the prison uprising that occurred last December.” Kherat added.

“Okay. What options do we have?” Ezra asked in a calm tone.

Riccardi pointed at the hologram. “The Amerigo and our fighter garrison combined can easily take care of the frigates patrolling the perimeter, but that asteroid they built on is too big and we cannot afford to waste too many weapons on it.”

“A small squad could board the station and overload the core reactor. That should be enough to neutralize that base.” Belisarius affirmed.

Ezra hummed in agreement. “A squad of Legionnaires has the best chance to make the job done and get out before everything blows up. Colonel, I’ll leave the choice to you.”

The turian stood at attention and made the salute. “Yes, sir.” and headed out to make the preparations.

Ezra then turned toward the Twi’lek. “Hera, you shall lead the rebel fighters and engage this cruiser.” he said while lighting up the model with his finger. “The federal forces will engage the second one. We shall open a path so that I can bring the assault squad over with the Silver Bullet .”

“Hey, don’t even dream to go with them.” Zeb admonished. “We can handle this. There’s no need for you to get in the line of fire.”

“I know, Captain Orellios.” Ezra said as he rolled his eyes in a fed up way, then returned to the planning. “Captain Riccardi, make sure the Amerigo jams the imperial transmission. We don’t want their reinforcements to arrive before we’ve evacuated the people we are here to rescue.”

Riccardi made a firm nod with his hands behind his back. “Don’t worry, General. They won’t know what hit them.”

“Anything else?” Ezra asked, but nobody replied. “Then let’s get ready.” he concluded and the rest of the officers, except Riccardi and Kherat, left the room.

In the conference room of the Royal Palace, Senator Avi Singh was finishing his speech from the speaking table right next to the throne of the King. Jaral had been unanimously elected as moderator, so she was sitting on a chair on the left side of the King, which put her between the throne and the speaking table.

“The old Republic had been oppressing the peoples in the Outer Rim for centuries. That’s the reason that my home-planet was among the founders of the Confederacy of Independent Systems.” he then turned toward Jaral and his tone became much more respectful. “Master Bridger. You have saved my planet from the Empire, and for that I will be eternally grateful. But my people is fed up with being ruled by the planets of the Core, who look down upon us and have only exploited us for centuries.”

Then he stepped back from the table so he could head back to his seat in the assembly.

“Thank you, Senator Singh.” Jaral politely said loud enough to be heard, then she gave a quick look toward Mon Mothma. Even if the red-haired Senator was putting up a neutral face, Jaral noticed that she was disheartened.

The Jedi couldn’t understand fully, but she knew that Mothma was deeply committed to restoring the Republic. Singh, however, was just the leader of conspicuous number of representatives of the Outer Rim worlds who, as it turned out, were not enthusiast of the idea to return to the ancient regime. Even Ech-Char had clearly stated that most of his people preferred the road to independence.

After that, the Jedi Knight stood up and walked at the edge of podium, immediately gaining the attention of all the presents.

“Friends.” she started with her impartial voice. “I think it’s clear to everybody that, even if we manage to defeat the Empire in the future, there is no shared will to recreate a unitary government in its place. However, to win this war, it is paramount that we centralize our military effort. That is why I would like to propose a solution.”

Everybody either nodded or simply kept their attention high.

“Please, speak your mind, Grand Marshall.” the King invited.

“I support the idea of having the various systems be independent or to band together in smaller nations in order to promote peace and stability after the conflict, however, we should keep the Alliance alive as a common initiative for defense, along with political and economic cooperation.”

That sparked some whispers among the assembly. Some were intrigued, but most seemed confused.

“What is that supposed to mean?” somebody asked.

“In the last few months, whenever I could, I found myself learning everything I could about the society that our allies in the Milky Way have adopted. I think that we might take inspiration from the Systems Alliance itself.

“Just in case some of you forgot it, the Alliance is not a political entity. It’s a military alliance. Every species in the Milky Way, which represent different nations, instead of investing money on the creation of a massive army of their own, they pull together the resources to finance and equip the Alliance.

“While the Federation is the dominant State of the Milky Way, the non-Humans still have their own governments and old territories. They’re basically a union of independent nations who agree to share a common economy, a common military and other things.”

That explanation raised the interest of most of the crowd.

A woman from the assembly stood up with a hand raised and spoke her mind. “The idea is worth being considered. It might be too soon to talk about uniting the galaxy under one rule again, but we need to ensure that our planets, in the future, will ensure peace through cooperation.”

Other interventions followed, but they were all more or less of the same opinion. Many didn’t want the return of the Republic, but nobody wanted a shattered galaxy where every planet vied for supremacy over the others. With brute force, if worst came to shove.

Keeping the Rebel Alliance, under another name of course, as the biggest military force of the galaxy, funded by all the planets and devoted exclusively to preserve peace of defend the members of the treaty from possible external threats might have sound a bit imperial, but perhaps there was a way to make it work in a democratic way.

As the debate went on, however, a question arose from the assembly, aimed at Jaral.

“What about the Jedi? They would be perfect to act as judges for the peace.” a representative said, pointing at the Knight and an overall approving murmur ensued.

“I beg your pardon?” Jaral asked.

Mon Mothma thus rose up and spoke. “They believe that you and your brother, plus any possible Jedi that will rise up in the future, might take back the role of peace-keepers that the Order upheld in the Old Republic.”

“If I remember correctly, the fact that the Order was affiliated to the Republic caused a lot of controversies and factionalism among the Jedi.” Jaral replied calmly.

“Correct. But since it seems clear that the New Republic will only be one of many nations in the future galaxy, it might be possible for you to live up to what the Jedi have done for thousands of years. Your idea of a supranational authority to hold peace and resolve conflicts is indeed a desirable goal, and who could lead it better if not the Jedi?”

Jaral pondered for a few moments, then expressed her doubts. “I think it’s too early to make such a proposition. Right now, there is only three Jedi that we know of, not exactly a number that can keep conflict from spreading throughout the galaxy. However, in the future, when a new generation of Jedi will be trained, it might be beneficial to put them in service of nobody and for anybody.”

“Thank you, Master Bridger.” Mothma said in an appreciative tone.

“Speaking of which, Senator, have I misunderstood or did you say that a New Republic will still be founded?”

A human male, who Jaral recognized as the representative of Lianna, Verruth Noste, stood up as well and spoke.

“Your comprehension was on spot, Master Jedi.” he said. “The people of Lianna and still many other worlds wish to recreate the Republic, even if it’s just a fraction of the former.”

Jaral made a nod. “I see. Once I consult with my brother, I’ll be able to give more details on the possibility of integrating a new Jedi Order in this project. For now, I would like to suggest to all allies to signal the presence of Force sensitives in their territories, so that we may start to pool them together with the children of the Force on Lothal.”

“We’ll do our best, Master Bridger.” Mothma reassured, then turned toward the assembly. “Is there anything else we should discuss?”

The assembly remained silent.

“If that’s the case, this meeting is adjourned.” King Ech-Char declared, then tapped the floor with his long scepter, making a ting resonate in the room.

As the assembly started to dissolve, Jaral walked to halt Mon Mothma and talk with her for a second.

“I’m sorry it didn’t go as you hoped, Senator.” she said in a sorry tone.

Mothma shook her head with a bit of resignation, but she didn’t look completely sad about the outcome. “No. I should actually thank you, Jaral. I was blind. I took for granted that every member of the Rebellion wanted to recreate the Republic, and I forgot that it fell exactly because half of the galaxy was fed up with it.”

“Do you think we will actually be able to build a more peaceful galaxy?” Jaral asked.

Mothma made a firm nod. “I am. If it wasn’t for your initiative with this conference, we would’ve pushed forward a project which had no hope from the beginning. Now, we can take the necessary steps to build a galactic order that will be found on the cooperation between peoples.

“You might have just saved our future, Jaral. You did well.” she concluded with a smile, leaving Jaral a bit dumbfounded. Then Mothma left the room with her political allies.

At that point, Darvos showed up and walked next to his wife.

“Mothma wouldn’t say such things so casually.” he commented with a half-grin as he interlocked fingers with her. “Excellent job, Jari.”

She made a huff and a lopsided grin, then gave a light squeeze to his hand.

“Speaking of which...what news from the front?”

Darvos’ face became a bit less enthusiast. “Qathora was saying the truth. Recon drones have confirmed that there is a massive imperial fleet gathering on Lantillies. Some of their ships use the codification of the 101^st, but I couldn’t find if the Admonitor was there.”

“Well, that’s enough for now. Have Qathora sent back and call a meeting of the General Staff. We need to understand where Iulius will hit first.”

“Consider it, done.” Darvos replied confidently before heading out.

“Phoenix Leader here, all units prepped and ready to fly.” Hera said into the comlink.

“Arrow Leader here, all units ready for deployment. Awaiting orders.” Flight Major Nirana T’Jabal said on part of the federal fighters.

Ezra listened from the holotable and then looked outside through the big transparent metal of the bridge. The blue tunnel of hyperspace disappeared a few seconds later, letting Ezra see the planet of Kessel and the asteroid field right outside of the hyperspace lane.

“Have they seen us, yet?” he asked to the bridge officers.

“The cloaking device is active and their frequencies don’t sound alarmed.” the woman at the sensors reported.

Indeed, the Force itself seemed to reassure Ezra that he wasn’t in danger, for now. On the screen appeared the two Victory -class frigates.

“Let’s exploit the surprise until we have it.” Riccardi said, taking command of the ship. “All hands to battle stations, prepare the torpedoes.”

The alarm started to blare all around the ship as the vessel itself navigated toward a firing position. The arsenal of the Amerigo (and that of her sister ships) included three torpedo launchers, a main cannon on the front as big as that of the Alliance’s cruisers, 6 plasma throwers and other minor slug throwers powered by magnetic pulses, which made them extremely dangerous against unshielded targets.

Despite being an exploration cruiser, the Amerigo right now had more firepower than those two imperial frigates in front of her combined.

When they entered in range, Riccardi ordered two salvos of torpedoes fired against the imperial ships. The latter, caught completely by surprise, didn’t have time to enact evasive maneuvers, so their own missile launchers, the only type of weapon that could bypass the shields of the Amerigo , were destroyed immediately.

“All squadrons, commence the attack.” Ezra ordered.

The squadron of Alliance ‘Trident’ fighters and ‘Typhoon’ gunships took off from the starboard hangar of the ship, while the Ghost , the Falcon and Red Squadron took off from port side.

“Prepare the batteries on port side.” Riccardi ordered, judging that that side of the ship was the fastest way to hit the enemy quickly. The helmsman complied and brought the Amerigo in a position perfect to open fire.

The plasma throwers were the first to fire, since they were designed to overload another ship’s shields. The imperial frigates launched their fighters just in time for them to intercept the allies.

So, while the fighters engaged in a furious dogfight, the ships exchanged blows. Soon enough, the allied fighters managed to punch a hole in the imperial line that allowed the gunships to make a bombing run on the nearest frigate, badly damaging it.

“Focus all fire on the nearest frigate.” Riccardi ordered, electing to finish that one off immediately so they could focus on the second one.

Then the fighters, led by the Ghost and the Falcon, the Captains of which were determined to get a higher score than the rival to prove which one was the best freighters, easily decimated the imperial crafts, and it was only a matter of time before the first Victory-class completely disproved her name and went down in flames.

“There’s our chance.” Ezra said. “I’m bringing the squad in.”

“Yes, sir.” Riccardi said as Ezra left the bridge and reached the hangar in a couple of minutes.

He found the squad of six Legionnaires already waiting in the cargo hold of the Silver Bullet, already sitting on the rack and ready to drop on the asteroid. Ezra quickly reached the cockpit, where Sabine was waiting at the co-pilot. After linking Jinx with the ship, the Jedi took off and flew out, getting a glimpse of the red nebula that surrounded that part of the system.

The allied fighters were now battling against the TIEs that came exactly from the asteroid base, which left this open to the incursion of the Legionnaires.

Ezra and Sabine aligned with the desired trajectory and the Jedi General announced that he was lowering the rack.

As the Gauntlet passed right above the durasteel constructions carved into the asteroid, which also included turbolasers that tried to shoot it down, the Legionnaires dropped in an orderly fashion and used the gravity pull of the asteroid together with the small jets in their armors to land without a problem on the surface.

“This is Badger Team. Launch successful. We’re heading inside the enemy fortress.” the squad leader reported on the comlink.

“Copy that, Badger,” Ezra replied. “we’ll be here to pick you up.”

The Gauntlet kept flying around the base, drawing the fire of the turrets, which were still too slow to catch up with Ezra and Jinx’s reaction times. Slowly, some of the turrets stopped working, signaling that the Legionnaires were advancing inside the structure. Then, after clearing the skies of the TIEs, the allied fighters also came to distract the ground batteries while the bombers used concussion missiles to damage and destroy some of the turrets.

Eventually, after a few minutes, the Legionnaires called again.

“Badger to Bridger. The reactor is set to blow up, requesting extraction.”

“Affirmative, Badger. Jinx, coordinate with their AI and get them out of there.”

“Acknowledged.” replied the construct.

The AIs planned an escape route that brought the infiltration squad, which brought them to an airlock that the Legionnaires used to jettison themselves out of the asteroid, allowing Ezra and Sabine to retake them aboard the Gauntlet. Just a few seconds later, a huge explosion cracked open the asteroid and the imperial outpost.

“Explosion confirmed.” Jinx reported. “All hostile forces had been eliminated.”

“Copy that.” Ezra replied not very enthusiastically, then made the next call on the comlink. “Rex. The way is clear. Start the ground assault.”

“Affirmative, General. 1^st Battalion, move out.” the voice of the old clone replied.

After that, a group of Pelicans headed down toward the surface, with Red Squadron, the Ghost and the Falcon flying down with them.

“Sabine, bring us back on the Amerigo, I’ll check on our passengers.”

“Aye, aye, sir.” the mandalorian girl said with a cheerful tone.

Ezra then took the ladder and descended into the cargo hold, finding all the Legionnaires accounted for. One, though, was holding a hand on his opposite hip and groaned more in an annoyed tone than a painful one.

“Everything all right, down here?” he asked to the squad leader.

“A bolt burned Mitchell because he just had to play the cowboy. But he’ll be fine.”

Ezra stumbled for a second because he had no idea what ‘cowboy’ meant, then replied. “I see. Excellent job, gentlemen. I think you deserved a round of ale.” the Legionnaires replied quite enthusiastically and Ezra returned back to the cockpit.

“Do I get to take a drink when we get back?” Sabine asked quite hopefully and with a smirk, attempting to soften her husband.

But Ezra simply replied. “No.” while he sat down on the chair.

The mandalorian groaned disheartened. “Pretty please? Just one.”

“Last time you drank, you almost tore down Rex and Wolfe’s house. You’re not taking anything stronger than soda while we are on this mission.” Ezra calmly stated. “That’s an order from your commanding officer.”

Sabine pouted while the Silver Bullet entered the hangar of the Amerigo and the technicians immediately went to work to make a check-up.

As the two youngsters stood up, Ezra approached Sabine and whispered. “How about I get you high on something else?”

“General…” she replied mischievously. “You sure there are no rules against it?”

“You’re my wife. What’s wrong if we take some time for us on the next hyperspace jump?” he replied confidently, then walked away.

Sabine just couldn’t stop smirking, then shook her head and followed him out of the freighter.

“General Bridger, do you copy?” the voice of Belisarius arrived into Ezra’s helmet.

“Go ahead.”

“Commander Rex and his battalion have stormed the prison camp. They are looking for our contacts.”

“Enemy resistance?”

“Minimal. There were only a handful of mercenaries lightly armed, they should be done in a matter of minutes.”

“Copy that, I’m heading back to the bridge, I’ll meet you there.”

February 27.

“Grand Admiral, the Corvus has docked with the Admonitor. Agent Qathora requests a meeting.” Ciena said through the speaker on Iulius’ desk.

“Permission granted.” the Grand Admiral replied as he put down the report and a sense of relief washed his heart.

He then stood up and walked on the other side of the desk, so he could walk directly to his servant when she entered. Meanwhile, he kept reading the most recent reports about the rebel incursion on Kessel. Mara sent word that the Coalition had sent a new type of stealth cruiser, which had enough firepower to destroy the frigates in orbit and carried an entire battalion that stormed a prison camp immediately after.

As such, Iulius had to know more about it, so he had already ordered Mara to find and observe that ship, knowing that the woman was more than capable to handle such a task.

Finally, the door of his office opened, letting the blue-skinned Togruta walk in.

Iulius stood there, looking while she moved in front of him, and he found himself mesmerized by how her body swung his way. So much that he had a dreaming smirk on his face. He was aware of that, but was unable to remove it until she looked with curiosity at him.

“You all right?” she asked.

Iulius put down the datapad, while keeping eye contact with her, then stepped closer and with a hand reached one of hers, then brought it between them and caressed it with his thumb.

“Yes.” he said with a whisper. “I’m just surprised to realize how much I’ve missed you.”

The gesture with the hand had already led Qathora to that conclusion, even if she hesitated to believe that the glacial Warlord of the Outer Rim was being so open with her.

Yet, she smirked and swayed her shoulders a bit in a sensual way. “I will be much happy to see you implore for my attentions...but maybe let’s focus on work first, ok?” she concluded in a more serious suggestion.

Iulius concurred with the idea. His face became the usual, unreadable half-frown and he let her hand go, putting his own back to clasp the wrist of the other one.

“Right. If you came back alive, I assume the plan was a success?”

“It went even better than that. Because those federals brought me directly to the Grand Marshall.”

Iulius’ eyebrow raised a little, for a second. “Just like that? They weren’t afraid you might have tried to assassinate her?”

“Please. She is a Jedi. I doubt that I could have ever represented a real threat, to her.” Qathora replied with a shrug.

“I guess.” the Grand Admiral murmured as he walked around the desk to go back sitting on his chair. “So, what have you found out? Why the Coalition isn’t supporting Iblis’ offensive?”

“First of all, the Bridger girl has called a conference on Mon Cala between all the politicians in the Rebellion. I wasn’t told what they are doing, but I know that, when they let me go, they were still going at it.”

Iulius pondered for a second, but he had already envisioned this scenario. “They want to formalize their New Republic.” he stated coldly.

Qathora sighed, feigning to be annoyed. “Why did you send me over there if you already knew everything?”

“I didn’t know that.” Iulius calmly replied. “I had my suspicions, though. They have taken a fair amount of territory that they can’t hold without a constant stream of supplies, ships and resources. In fact, I think they’ve been overly-reliant on the Federation, so far.”

“Uh-uh.” Qathora mumbled. “They haven’t made any public announcement, but I kept my montrals open to whispers. If it can help you, I believe the politicians are hitting a dead end.”

Iulius mumbled in thought. “I see. Not all of them want to restore the Republic. Most of them believe that the latter betrayed them when it became the Empire. They would prefer independence.”

“Yes, that’s what I heard, more or less. There are some who actually want to recreate the old state, but things are dragging way too long. It’s clear they banded together only because they hate the Empire.”

“Indeed. However, just because they want to fragment, it doesn’t mean that it’s going to be easy for us to win this war. They already have their treaty of mutual defense with the Federation. Who knows, they might become even more dangerous as an alliance of multiple nations than a single block could be.” Iulius kept analyzing.

“One last thing...I told them that you’re stationed on Lantillies. Your brother has already confirmed that the 101^st is here.”

Iulius turned his head toward her. “You saw Darvos?” he asked with a tone that was just slightly less cold than before.

“He was always around Jaral Bridger. He really is devoted to her.” she noted with a bit of fun in her voice.

Iulius huffed amused, then his gaze returned toward staring at his hands. He was making them touch fingers when he was pondering over the situation.

Qathora then put a hand on his shoulder from behind the chair. “Hey. For what I saw,” she said in a comprehensive tone. “every time we talked about you...I think he misses you, too.”

Iulius just made a small nod. “Were they both on Mon Cala?”

Qathora put away her hand. “They were and still are, for all I know. Garm Bel Iblis has moved without asking permission from Bridger, she doesn’t want to overextend the Coalition before they have stabilized their new territory.”

“Good. This means we can go all out.” Iulius murmured in a quite shady voice. His face, though, wasn’t expressing any emotion.

He then turned his chair toward the desk again and put a finger on the intercom. “Commander Ree, come in.”

Two seconds later, Ciena replied. “Waiting orders, sir.”

“Give the signal. The 73^rd and 81^st are to follow the Admonitor. Set course for the Charros system. The 101^st is to navigate toward Columex.”

The tone Ciena used clearly showed that she understood the implications. “At once, sir.”

Then Iulius stood up, put his hands behind his back and made a silent breather before turning toward Qathora. “In two rotations, make sure the rebels know that I’m going after Iblis.” he ordered.

She made an obedient nod, then followed him outside of the office and into the observation deck of the bridge. Right at that moment, one of the newly formed TIE Defender squadrons flew in front of them as they were returning from an exercise with the rest of the fleet.

Chapter Text

March 3.

“General, you’re doing the grave mistake of underestimating the Grand Admiral. You need to pull back to Boonta and wait for reinforcements to face him.” Jaral said with a bit of impatience toward the man she was speaking with.

Iblis simply crossed his arms on his chest and replied with contempt. “I see why Mothma put you in charge, little girl. You and her know nothing about a real war. Do you think the Empire can be talked down?”

“I never said that.” the woman replied, trying to keep her composure. “But rushing in blindly is the perfect recipe for a disaster, General. I’m just asking you to wait until we send reinforcements.”

“How long will they take?!” Iblis exploded. “Right now we have an opportunity to liberate Kashyyyk, and the rest of the Mid Rim with it.”

“Don’t you understand? You’re being led into a trap. For the sake of your men, you need to stop for a second and look around you.”

Iblis just scoffed. “I’ve had enough of your half-measures, Jaral Bridger. If you want to wait until the Empire walks all over you, be my guest. But me and my men are going to actually do something. That will be all.” and he closed the transmission.

Jaral wanted to punch something, but that wouldn’t have been very Jedi-like and she didn’t want to damage her father’s ship, so she bit her lip and took a deep breath before heading out of the comm room, where Darvos was waiting for her.

“Having a bad time?” he asked with a bit of a joking tone to cheer her up.

Jaral, though, sighed and she was going to need something else entirely to get her mood up.

“The last thing I needed was a stubborn old Dewback who is likely leading a third of our fleet to the slaughter.”

“Not a third, anymore.” Darvos reminded. “Many of the captains who followed him got back in line after the conference, remember?”

“Iblis still has some capital ships with him. Just the kind we are short on.”

Darvos didn’t know how to reply to that, so he didn’t.

Jaral sighed again. “How long until Ackbar arrives with his battle force?” she asked then.

Darvos checked his datapad, read the reports and inadvertently shook his head. “Three rotations, at best.”

Jaral leaned on the table as the discomfort took her over. “I hope Iblis knows what he’s doing.”

“He does, I think…” Darvos replied. “problem is, Iulius knows what he’s doing quite well.” he added with a bit of resignation in his tone.

Jaral took a glimpse at him. Darvos was staring downward, toward the micro-cells of the holotable, as if they had the answer to his internal conflict.

She knew very well how badly Darvos wanted a chance to meet his brother peacefully. He had told her that, some nights, he dreamed about Atollon, and how close the Tanis had been to kill each other. That single thought was slowly eating Darvos on the inside.

Jaral wondered if Iulius had also planned this psychological effect on his brother when he sent Qathora to act as a double agent. Darvos had asked questions to her, some related strictly to Iulius, perhaps just so he could learn anything about the brother he didn’t know anymore.

“Speaking of brothers…” she tried to divert Darvos’ focus to help him. “do we have any news about mine?”

“Well, if everything goes as planned, they should reach the Trailing Sectors in two rotations. But right now, they’re on radio silence.”

“Ok. What about the prisoners they rescued on Kessel?”

“They’ve been all integrated into our forces as soldiers and agents. We also recovered some experienced officers that we lost during the battle of Columex.”

“Good. Let’s hope the rest of their mission goes just as smoothly.”

“Ezra knows what he’s doing.” Darvos reassured her. “I doubt he would have been made a Knight, if he didn’t.”

Jaral made a faint chuckle. “You’re right about that.”

She then tapped into the Force bond to see if she could talk briefly with him, but found his side of the bond occupied, for now. Whatever Ezra was doing, he was deeply concentrated, so she decided to leave him do his things.

Still, she could certainly use hearing him reassuring her, right now. Then she remembered that it was her who sent her brother on the other side of the galaxy, but it was for a very important task that she didn’t feel like delegating to anybody else. Cause he was the only one she trusted all the way.

Confident that Ezra was certainly giving everything for the mission, she found a bit of confidence back and decided it was time she got back to work.

“Ok, enough self-pitying. We need to think of a countermove.” she declared. “Ask Colonel Undir and his staff to come down here.”

Darvos did just that and the salarian officer, along with his two underlings and also Jordan showed up in the strategic room.

“How can we help, Admiral?” Undir asked cordially.

“I need your counsel, gentlemen. We know that Grand Admiral Tanis is preparing to strike our southern flank, and unfortunately, General Iblis refused to listen to reason. So we might find ourselves with a dangerous gap in the line.”

“You don’t trust General Iblis to win his campaign?” Lieutenant Matsui asked.

Jaral shook her head. “He might come out of there alive, but for how skilled he is, he’s underestimating his opponent, which means he has already lost.”

“I see.” Undir said with a hand rubbing his chin. “If Iblis’ fleet is destroyed, the Empire will probably take over Saleucami, then Junkfort Station would be defenseless.”

“And from there, he could attack Jabiim from a far better position than last time.” Jordan concluded.

“Precisely. Now, even if Iulius defeats Iblis too quickly, our fleet should still arrive in time to close the gap, but I was wondering if the Federation could launch an assault down the Perlimian Trade Route, perhaps retake Columex while the Grand Admiral is busy elsewhere.” the woman suggested.

“Hmm…” murmured Undir, before speaking with his speedy tone. “An option worth considering. Lianna is possible candidate to become temporary capital of the New Republic and is probably its wealthiest member. It would be problematic if it stays on the frontline.”

“We should propose it to Admiral Trebis and the Prince, but I think they’ll listen.” Lieutenant Trebis noted.

“The Constantinople is at your disposal, Grand Marshall.” Jordan stated.

“Never doubted that. Though it should be ‘Admiral’ to you.” Jaral quipped.

Jordan chuckled. “Right. Let’s put you in contact with Edrix.”

March 4.

Inside the system of Charros, the Admonitor sat in the middle of a formation of ships composed entirely of light cruisers, two carriers and some middle cruisers. Overall, every ship was of a smaller tonnage than the Admonitor.

Suddenly, the sensors on the bridge started beeping. “Grand Admiral. Rebel fleet coming out of hyperspace.” the operator announced.

Iulius was staring out of the viewport with his hands behind his back.

He knew this wasn’t going to be easy: Iblis might have put himself on a very disadvantageous position, but he was nonetheless one of the best tacticians of the Rebellion. His fleet had won previous engagements in which it seemed to have little chance of success.

Despite that, Iulius wasn’t charging in blindly, either. Just like Thrawn taught him, he had spent the last few days studying every report he had on Iblis. Records of his previous battles against the Empire and the composition of his fleet. Iulius knew that he could do this.

‘Trust in your abilities, Iulius Tanis, they are all that you need to achieve victory.’ the words his mentor pronounced before his first battle over Lothal resonated in his mind.

Besides, he had to do this: the campaign he envisioned for the next weeks implied the destruction of Iblis’ rampaging group, so he could focus on other targets.

As all of this passed his mind, the rebel ships appeared on the horizon. Two MC80 calamari cruisers, at least five Nebulon-B and a large number of frigates and light cruisers. But what Iulius cared for was the Dreadnought cruiser at the center of the formation: Iblis’ flagship, the Peregrine .

“Sir, their flagship is calling us.” Ciena reported from behind him.

Iulius made a simple nod and the woman used her datapad to pass the communication on the holo-projector in front of the Grand Admiral.

There, the image of the old Senator and military leader, with his pointy mustaches and trimmed beard, appeared. Iulius looked at him with a neutral face. Instead, Iblis seemed surprised.

“Grand Admiral Tanis?” he asked with suspicion in his tone.

“General Iblis.” Iulius replied in a neutral tone.

“I was expecting a man of your reputation to be...much older.”

“Looks can be deceiving, General. Still, I look forward to our confrontation.” Iulius calmly stated.

Iblis huffed amused. “You are not even going to ask for my surrender?”

“Why waste my breath and our time for a question I already know the answer of?” the Grand Admiral replied with a half-grin. “Besides, I don’t want your surrender, General. I want you to know failure. Utter defeat.” he added as he made a slow step toward the hologram. “And that is I who deliver it upon your head.”

The corellian general looked with a bit of disdain. “ Seems like someone has to teach you a bit of humility, ” he stated before closing the transmission.

Almost immediately, just as Iulius predicted, Iblis sent his fighters in.

Right now, the rebels were aiming at the main space station around Charros IV, which was protected by some asteroid fields which gave a certain conformation to the battlefield, even in the void of space.

Particularly, the imperial fleet was protecting a bottleneck between the asteroids which would force the rebels to push into one direction, but also put the imperial forces somehow with their back against a wall. In fact, Vice-Admiral Sloane, who was commanding the 73^rd fleet in this battle, was opposed to this idea, but Iulius had pulled his rank and forced her to act according to his plan.

Even though the ‘bottleneck’ spanned over a few hundred km, in the void of space it was still considered very short, considering the spacing that the ships had to keep in order not to collide against each other.

As the X-Wings and A-Wings sprinted forwards, Iulius gave order to deploy the TIE Fighters and Interceptors, then called the ship of Sloane. “Vice-Admiral, send your Lancers to support our fighters.”

“Understood, Grand Admiral.” the woman replied. Iulius could understand from her tone that she was still very doubtful about this whole setting for the battle.

All Iulius cared for, however, was that she followed the orders, which she did.

The Lancers and the TIEs moved forward to contest the control of the bottleneck. The support given by the frigates gave a cutting edge to the TIEs, with the fight going in their direction. Then the rebel ships ignored them and headed toward the Lancers, firing volley after volley against them. Such a move managed to damage one of them, but only caused heavy losses among the rebels.

This, though, was meant to distract the imperials from noticing that the rebels were also sending in their frigates and even some corvettes that could quickly get rid of the Lancers.

Of course, such distraction didn’t work on Iulius, who promptly ordered his forces to pull back before the rebels could even the odds.

Then Iblis did exactly what Iulius expected: seeing the imperials retreat and the fleet simply standing around the space station, he ordered his ships to charge into the breach.

“Sir, should I order the missile cruiser to fire?” Ciena asked.

“Not yet, Commander. For now, let’s meet them in combat. Reinforce our flanks and order Kyrell and his Phantoms to head toward the established coordinates.”

The Lieutenant-Commander nodded and sent the orders with her datapad.

As ordered, most of the imperial formation moved on the flanks, leaving the Admonitor with just a feeble line of ships to defend her. The skies were lightened up by the turbolasers flying left and right, missiles and explosions that could be seen clearly in the void. As minutes passed and bolts were exchanged, though, it was clear that the rebels were suffering more losses.

Iulius then ordered the missile-launching cruiser to open fire. The ship set her warheads so they would explode in the middle of the rebel formation whether they hit something or not. This caused huge casualties among the rebel fighters and forced the vanguard to seek a close combat fight with the imperial line ships. This proved to be a disadvantage for them, as the imperial vessels were already positioned and could reroute the energy for the engines toward shields and weapons. They could also fire more accurately since they weren’t moving. In the following chaos, three Nebulon-B and other assault frigates went down in flames or exploded when hit in their reactors.

“Sir,” the radio operator, who had broken into the rebel frequencies, called. “the rebel cruisers are heading toward us. It seems like they want to try and take us down.”

“Very well.” Iulius said calmly, though he was rejoicing in his heart, because it was exactly what he expected from Iblis. “Contact the carriers, let’s launch the Defender squadrons.” he ordered to Ciena, who immediately relayed the order into the comlink.

From the hangar of the Admonitor and that of the two Ton-Falke carriers next to her, three squadrons of new TIE Defender, piloted by some of the best pilots of the Mid Rim imperial forces.

“Titan Squadron, target the engines of the cruisers in the front.” Iulius ordered to his own group. “Harvester and Naiban Squadrons, get rid of all the annoyances.”

“This is Titan Squadron, we’re setting our attack run.” the leader of the squadron replied, followed by his colleagues shortly after.

The Defenders fell upon the rebels with a speed and a firepower that they didn’t think possible from imperial TIEs. The remaining X-Wings and A-Wings were quickly wiped out of the skies, and shortly after the Y-Wings were decimated as well. Titan Squadron was left almost undisturbed on their attack run on the MC80. First they hit it with a long salvo of ion torpedoes, which quickly disrupted the shields and also blocked the ship in its tracks, forcing the Peregrine to stop as well, as the MC80 was blocking her immediate path toward the enemy.

Seeing the rebels struggling, Iulius slightly turned his head toward Ciena. “Order Kyrell to disable the cloaking and signal Admiral Rainer.”

Ciena barely nodded as she already sent the order.

“Colmas, bring us in.” the Grand Admiral then ordered and the helmsman obeyed.

The Admonitor started to advance toward her wannabe assailant: the disabled MC80, which was being targeted by the proton torpedoes of the Defenders. In the skies, ships were falling on both sides, but most of them were undoubtedly rebels, whose moral was now crumbling.

Seeing their Grand Admiral charging into the fray, the imperials got emboldened and their ships started a counter-attack that devastated the rebel lines, advancing toward the Peregrine and the two cruisers protecting it. At the same time, outside of the asteroid field, the 81 ^st fleet was coming in from behind Charros IV and now headed toward the bottleneck in order to completely surround the rebels.

“Sir, the first cruiser is in range.” the weapon officer reported.

“Breach it with the proton beam, then focus all weapons on it.” Iulius calmly ordered.

A moment later, the Admonitor unleashed hell on the Calamari cruiser. The proton beam cut through the armor of the rebel cruiser like butter. Then the turbolasers started to pour a rain of green bolts against the ship. Other imperial vessels, who had already eliminated their targets, now fired on the heavy cruiser as well.

Under that insane level of fire, it didn’t take long before the MC80 was hit into several vital sections, suffering multiple explosions and soon going down in a blazing inferno. Only a handful of escape pods were detected leaving the ships, only to be destroyed by the Lancers .

“Well done, gentlemen.” Iulius stated with a hint of pride toward his officers, who briefly cheered as they saw the enemy capital ship go down in flames. “Now let’s get the Peregrine.”

“Sir.” the radio operator urgently called. “The rebel Dreadnought is retreating along with their survivors.”

Iulius got suspicious. Iblis was notorious for prioritizing the destruction of the enemy over self-preservation. Was he really giving up just like that?

“Do you know why?” he calmly asked.

“I’m listening, sir, but I stopped hearing Iblis’ voice for a while, now. Maybe he’s dead.”

Iulius hummed, a bit surprised by this twist. “Maybe not dead, but he might have been incapacitated. A pity. I was hoping to capture him.”

“Admiral Rainer might still catch him, sir.” Ciena tried to reassure him.

“Let’s hope you’re right, Lieutenant-Commander.” he replied, though mathematics didn’t seem on their side. “Order Vice-Admiral Sloane to press the attack.”

The following minutes were nothing short of a massacre. Though the Peregrine, the second MC80 and a Nebulon-B managed to get away before it was too late and jump to hyperspace, most rebel ships were trapped into the sack and completely annihilated. This time, Iulius ordered to capture the escape pods and the rebels, but not for intel, because he already knew where Iblis’ survivors were headed. In fact, he immediately called Rainer and Sloane.

“Admiral, head straight for Saleucami and be ready to greet the rebel survivors once they get back to their hideout. Vice-Admiral, you shall proceed on the Lesser Lantillian Route and reoccupy the main systems to support the Admiral.”

“Understood, sir.” Rainer replied before closing the transmission and getting to work.

“Yes, sir.” Sloane said. “And allow me to apologize.” she added with a straight face.

“For what, Vice-Admiral?” Iulius asked if but a bit surprised.

“Before today, I thought that you were just another case of nepotism.” Sloane said bluntly. “But I’m glad you proved me wrong. You showed me a true masterpiece of military art, today.”

“I appreciate the sincerity, Vice-Admiral. Now let’s get back to work.”

“Of course, sir.” she replied while clacking a heel, then turned around and her hologram disappeared.

The Grand Admiral then turned around and was immediately greeted by a thunderous applause from everybody on the bridge. The crew clearly shared the remark Sloane just did.

Iulius started to walk slowly between the two pits, nodding to his loyal crew before halting in front of Nash.

“Lieutenant, set the course for the rendezvous with the 101^st.”

Nash retained his smile before making the salute. “Copy that, sir.” he replied quite enthusiastically.

And as the Admonitor gathered his fighters before heading for the edge of the system, Iulius headed to his lodgings, followed by his loyal Togruta, who shared a smile with him.

March 5.

The Amerigo left hyperspace, finally leaving behind the last systems of Hutt Space. From there, she was going to travel to Bothawui, homeworld of the intrigue-skilled Bothans and, surprisingly enough, a world that the Empire left in a state of semi-neutrality throughout its existence, preferring to keep the aliens and their deep web of espionage on friendly terms, paying for its services whenever they needed them.

Thing was, the rebellion could pay for those services as well. And as it turned out, many bothan clans were not exactly fond of the Empire, instead they preferred to align toward the Coalition, not simply because they weren’t openly xenophobic, but because the Bothans most likely felt the Coalition as a power too far from their territory to be an active threat to their borders.

Ezra knew this, and that’s why he hoped to set a safe base for the Amerigo in the sector, from where it would be much easier to gather intel on the rebel cells in the region to decide where his battalion should intervene and where not.

Still, as he stared at the map, he felt the pressure of this mission now more than ever.

The day before, he had had one of his mental conversations with Jaral, and she revealed to him the disaster that just occurred on Charros and that Iblis was now under siege on Saleucami.

It was imperative that Ezra managed to draw away some of the Empire’s attention from the Mid Rim. Iulius would certainly not fall for that, but the imperial command might have forced him to defend the Trailing Sectors as well, forcing him to disperse his forces. At least this was the greatest hope of Jaral and of the intelligence agency,

These were the thoughts in the Jedi’s mind when he ordered the helmsman of the ship, a human male called Stanley, to set a course for Bothawui while he headed into the meditation chamber of the ship to pick his fellow Jedi.

He opened it, finding both Luke and the leader of the psionics on the ship: Master Saori Gozo. She was a Master of the Ordo Quaeris, whose powers were even stronger than Thabo’s, who Ezra already considered quite impressive. This 52-years-old woman (though the slowly aging given by the genetic therapies made her look at least ten years younger) always exhibited a discipline and an absolute control over everything around her that really made the Jedi Knight feel some sort of reverence.

When the door slid open, Luke immediately turned his head and eyes in Ezra’s direction, interrupting his meditation. Gozo, on the other hand, replied without distracting neither her mind nor body from her own exercise.

“Greetings, General.” she said with a calm tone.

“Master Gozo.” Ezra said while making instinctively a respectful bow, even though the woman’s eyes were closed.

Then he turned toward the other Jedi in the room. “You’re confronting methods, Luke?” he asked.

“Just like you suggested.” Luke replied. “And Master Gozo’s philosophy is fascinating.”

“I only shared what I myself have been taught, young Skywalker.” she replied with modesty. “Exploring the depths of your own mind is something my people have been doing for a long time.”

“We appreciate you took your time to share such knowledge nonetheless, Master.” Ezra said gratefully. The woman just made a simple nod before opening her almond-shaped eyes, which briefly glowed with the purple light that the psionics released when connecting with the Force, before they returned to their natural state.

Ezra walked next to Luke. “Come on, we’re almost on Bothawui.”

Luke stood up, eager to get back to work, and the two Jedi left the room while Gozo took her time.

“So, what are we going to do on the planet?” Luke asked as they walked to the hangar.

“We need to meet up with one of our agents on the surface. He will give us a star map of the sector with all the possible spots for a hideout. You and I will go in with the Falcon.”

“Not with the Ghost?” Luke asked surprised.

“No. The Empire knows it too well. The Falcon, on the other hand, has only fought with the Rebellion for a short time, so I’m hoping the imperial spies won’t recognize it right away while we look for our man.” Ezra explained.

“So I should hide my lightsaber.” Luke said before lighting up his new omni-tool and using it to dematerialize his weapon.

Ezra had already done it, so he simply commented. “Getting used to it?”

“Already done it.” Luke replied with a smile. “This tool is very intuitive.”

“Good. Just remember not to show it up on Bothawui or we’ll have every imperial garrison on the planet looking for us.”

“Didn’t you say that Bothawui is a neutral planet?”

“It is. It’s affiliated with the Empire, though, so there are some imperial troops to remind that to everybody, though the planet certainly enjoys a greater degree of autonomy than the rest of imperial territory.”

As they concluded this part of the conversation, they entered the main hangar of the ship, the one with the fighters, both rebel and federal, lying around. In doing so, they crossed paths with Red Squadron, where the pilots were on high alert, since there was no telling whether an imperial fleet might cross the Amerigo or not.

The pilots were sitting around on dome folding chairs between two X-Wings, already wearing their suits and holding their helmets. But when they saw Ezra, the leader of the recomposed Red Squadron stood up and immediately called “Ten-hut!”

All the pilots immediately stood up at attention, turning toward the General while holding their helmets under their right arms.

“At ease, Lieutenant Darklighter.” Ezra said calmly, allowing the pilots to relax their muscles.

“Ok, listen up.” he then added, gaining the attention of his underlings. “Me and Luke are going to make contact with a rebel spy on Bothawui. I plan to go in and out without a fuss, but in case things go really badly, stand ready to intervene.”

“You got it, sir.” Biggs replied confidently, then turned toward his childhood friend. “Look at you, Luke. Going around as a Jedi.” he quipped.

The young Padawan made a half-grin. “Yeah, it still feels a bit weird, but I’m catching up, I’d say.”

“Well, when you’re ready for some old-fashioned adrenaline in the cockpit, just blow a whistle.” Biggs concluded with a light punch on Luke’s shoulder and they both chuckled.

Ezra waited a couple seconds until Luke felt ready to go back to him and they headed for the secondary hangar of that level, where the Falcon and the Ghost had been given a dedicated space. In fact, both crews were making routine checks on their own freighters.

“Hey, look who came out to interact with us mortals.” Zeb quipped when he saw them and waived a hand, earning the attention of everybody else, who then gathered around the Jedi.

“Look at you.” Hera said with a hand on her hip. “It’s almost like seeing another version of you and Kanan.”

Ezra slightly shook his head. “That’s impossible. Kanan was way better than me in the role of teacher.” he peacefully commented before going ahead and repeating to the others what he just explained to Luke.

“Check the Falcon and let’s go, Han.” he invited at the end.

“Don’t worry, General. The fastest ship of the Rebellion will bring you down safe and sound.” Han replied quite theatrically, clearly aiming to upset Hera.

“I’m choosing it because it’s still anonymous to the Empire.” Ezra precised.

“And because it’s the fastest. No need to hide it.” Han said before walking toward his ship, leaving Hera to shake her head.

While Luke, Leia and Chewie all reached the freighter, Ezra walked toward Hera and whispered. “You know that doesn’t hold a candle to the Ghost , right?” with a joking tone.

“Right…” Hera said with a quite serious voice. “but why do I have the feeling that you’re trying to keep us out?”

The rest of the crew was left a bit surprised by that declaration.

“What are talking about?” Ezra asked, feigning ignorance.

Hera crossed her arms on her chest and gave him that annoyed look that Ezra used to fear all the time. But now he just sighed. “Look, I wasn’t lying when I said that the Falcon is still relatively unknown to the Empire. They will expect me to come with you guys, not with them.”

“They already don’t expect us to show up in this part of the galaxy.” Hera objected.

Realizing that circling around it would just be a waste of everybody’s time, Ezra decided to be more direct. “All right, you want to know what I think? I think that you should’ve stayed in the Slice with Jaral, so you could visit Jacen regularly.” he clearly stated.

Hera scoffed. “Jacen it’s the exact reason why I’m here!” she replied, trying to keep her voice low.

Ezra, though, didn’t have time to discuss, and he could feel that Hera wasn’t entirely convinced of her words either.

“Listen.” he sternly, but calmly, said. “Jacen will already be forced to grow up without a father. So I’m not going to put you at risk until it’s absolutely necessary. Is that understood?”

Hera’s expression clearly showed that it was hook, line and sinker. She lowered her head and sighed. “Yes, sir.” she murmured.

Ezra put a hand on her shoulder to reconcile with her, though he knew that she understood his reasoning. Then he turned back to the job at hand.

“Kallus.” he said as he pointed at the still surprised human. “We’re gonna need your help down there. Gear up and follow me.”

Kallus instinctively nodded. “Yes, General.” and then went to grab his equipment with the diligence that always distinguished him.

After the former ISB agent was ready, Ezra accompanied him into the Falcon and had him accommodate around the Dejarik table with Luke, 3PO and R2 while the Knight entered into the cockpit.

“Take us in.” he ordered.

Chewie roared one of his affirmatives.

“Yes, sir.” Han said with a quip before lifting the Falcon and fly out of the hangar, heading toward the continental world beneath them.

“Vice-Admiral Sloane and her fleet reported the reconquest of Bimmisaari. Admiral Rainer has reached the orbit of Saleucami and is laying an ambush for the rebels.” Ciena concluded with her report.

“Thank you, Lieutenant-Commander.” Iulius said gratefully. “You can go.” he said before turning his attention to his own datapad, but no sound of boots came.

Qathora, who was sitting on the desk with her legs crossed, tapped Iulius on the shoulder. He raised his gaze and noticed that Ciena was still there, hesitating to speak.

“Something else, Lieutenant-Commander?” he asked patiently.

“I...I have a question, if I may, sir.” she said hesitantly.

Iulius was a bit surprised by that but replied in his neutral tone. “Go ahead, then.”

“Remember when you told me that cornered men fight ten times harder?” she asked.

“Yes, I recall.”

“Were you...thinking about that, when you planned the battle of yesterday? You put the fleet into a position with no escape for that reason?” she asked. A bit scared, but mostly admired.

Iulius calmly posed his datapad and reclined the back on his chair. “You know, Lieutenant. Working with a wise man, I learned that the key to elaborate a successful tactic is to know both your enemy and your subordinates. You must predict exactly what both of them are going to do.”

Ciena pondered for a moment, then she realized. “You studied Iblis. You knew that he would not resist the chance of taking out a high-profile target like you are, right now.”

“Yes. His pattern is clear. Iblis always targets key structures and high-ranking officers to disrupt our overall organization. That’s why I had Qathora leak the intel that I was tracking him.”

“You challenged him.” Ciena understood.

“And he ran to me just like I hoped.” Iulius noted if but with a pinch of gloating in his tone. “But that’s not all. I knew that Iblis is a creative general. Had we fought on an open space, the outcome of the battle might have been much different. So I needed to limit his options.”

“By putting us in an asteroid field. You lured him into a trap, and put our ships in a desperate situation so the men would fight more fiercely and efficiently.” the woman said.

“Excellent, Lieutenant-Commander.” Iulius congratulated with the keen understanding of his second-in-command. “The point was to give Iblis a wonderful occasion to kill the highest-ranking officer of the Imperial Navy, something that he proved unable to resist to, and putting him in a tactical situation where it would all come down to the discipline and morale of the crews.”

Ciena couldn’t hold back a soft murmur of astonishment.

“Finally, I had to choose the perfect subordinate for the job.” Iulius added, letting his officer to contemplate.

Ciena quickly understood what he meant. “You mean Vice-Admiral Sloane?”

“Correct. Sloane is a soldier, as her career and background suggest. She was able to retain her composure even when the situation seemed uncertain and she kept her captains in line. Rainer, on the other hand, is but another politician. He would’ve broken the line in seconds.”

“On the other hand, he would have been perfect for the flanking maneuver. It’s something so simple, that all he had to do was to let his crews do their basic tasks.”

“You pick up quickly, Lieutenant-Commander Ree.” Iulius complimented.

“But sir, if that what you believe, why you sent Admiral Rainer to intercept the fleeing rebels? Wouldn’t Vice-Admiral Sloane be the better choice?”

“Normally yes, Ree. However, always thanks to our Fulcrum friend here,” he said while giving an amused gaze to Qathora, who was observing the dialogue with a bit of intrigue. “I know that the rebels were already planning to reinforce Saleucami. Their fleet will probably arrive tomorrow, if not today.”

Ciena was still a bit confused. “So...why send him?”

“Because he’s a coward.” Iulius dryly replied, leaving Ciena even more dumbfounded. “And while dishonorable, this trait is perfect to save ships and men.”

Now Ciena understood. “Oh...you think that, if the rebel fleet comes in time to rescue Iblis, Admiral Rainer will retreat without a fight?”

“Perhaps not without a fight, but he will not risk his life. Which means he will order a full retreat and rejoin with Sloane, even if he would never admit it. Right now, though, we are short on good officers, so we need to cut our material and human losses as much as we can.”

“Woah…” Ciena murmured. “That is...impressive, sir. I never met an officer like you.” she added with admiration.

Iulius made a half-smile, then straightened his back. “Okay, I think we should both get back to work, but I appreciate to see your progress, Lieutenant-Commander.”

Ciena clacked her heel and made the salute. “It’s an honor to serve with you, Grand Admiral!” she replied with an ill-concealed enthusiasm, then left the office.

“I’m not sure whether I should be impressed by your mastermind or by her naive enthusiasm.” Qathora commented when she was left alone with her master.

“If I had ten officers with her enthusiasm, this war would be over in a month.” Iulius remarked. “Alas, I need to do with what I have.”

“That doesn’t look to be a problem for you.” she said before taking her holo-projector and taking a look at the news feed of the day.

It didn’t take long for her to find something that picked her interest. “Well, would you look at this…” she commented before putting the projector on Iulius’ nose, forcing him to look.

The Grand Admiral frowned at her, but she didn’t care, so he looked at the news and quickly noticed that it was a reportage of the HoloNet from the battle of Charros. His name appeared in the subtitles, along with a praise. A bit intrigued, and mostly because he had to know how much he was being exposed to the public, Iulius tapped the hologram and the recording of the entire reportage started to play.

Chapter Text

After getting clearance for parking into one of the minor spaceports of the capital, the Falcon touched down. Since Bothawui was a planet that prospered with free trade, all the rebels practically had to do was registering the ship, without even having her inspected, something for which Han was more than happy about.

Then they gathered around the dejarik table and projected the holomap of the city.

“The strongest imperial presence would be here.” Kallus said, indicating a building that had a square perimeter to separate it from the rest of the buildings. “The Imperial Consulate. They send out patrols regularly, but the people sent here are political proteges, it will be easy to slip past them.”

Ezra lightened up his omni-tool and inserted a code into it. “Jinx, localize the meeting point with our contact.” he ordered.

“Calculating.” the AI replied, before highlighting a tavern on the map.

The group analyzed the map and decided the route.

“Han, Leia, you guys stay here and be ready to hightail out of here.” Ezra said at the end.

“Let me come with you.” Leia asked, but Ezra shook his head.

“I need you to listen to imperial chatter and inform us whether there are movements on the streets. Here…” he said as lifted his arm again to set a command on the omni-tool. “Now we have a safe line.” he concluded as Leia’s tool illuminated as well.

“All right, then. Have fun.” Leia concluded in a slightly sarcastic tone, before turning around and going to sit at the console of the Falcon, where R2 also went to plug in.

Ezra motioned his two friends to follow him and they walked outside of the room.

“She didn’t look happy.” Luke commented.

“Leia is not the type to just wait around.” Ezra said calmly. “But she has a hell of a bounty on her head, I don’t want to risk someone recognizing her if our holograms disappear.”

“Speaking of which, we better switch them on.” Kallus suggested.

Agreeing with the idea, the three men lightened up their orange devices and activated the command. Soon enough, they took the faces of three anonymous humans, and since they already changed their clothes, there was a good chance they could walk undisturbed. Thus, they walked down the access ramp and headed out.

After leaving the spaceport, they were immersed into the bustling streets of the bothan city, with its unique architecture and crowded squares. Bothans were the majority of the population, of course, but the planet was an important junction in the region, so it was easy to spot humans and tons of different species.

Wearing capes to hide mostly their weapons, the three men headed as quickly as they could toward the meeting at the tavern. As Kallus anticipated, along the entire trip they only crossed a patrol of 6 Army troopers of the Empire and easily slipped past them before reaching the tavern.

They walked inside the structure and quickly stepped inside the loud environment, with music, people speaking without much restraint on the tone of voice and other factors that made the bar pretty chaotic. Perfect for a secret meeting, as nobody would be able to eavesdrop on them. They also disabled their holograms, so their contact might recognize Ezra.

“Ok…” Kallus whispered his comment. “Who are we looking for?”

“From what I was told, a middle-man should come to us and then…” Ezra started to explain, but a voice that he hadn’t heard for months surprised him.

“My friends!!”

Ezra jolted around with his eyes wide open, in a mixture of excitement and total disbelief. As he turned around, he quickly spotted an old Weequay with a pair of goggles and a hard hat.

“Hondo?!” the Jedi exclaimed as he turned around and the two shared a vigorous handshake.

The pirate cackled openly. “Yes. It is I. Hondo!” he then proclaimed. “Here to save your neck again, Ezra.”

The young man chuckled, then turned toward the Padawan. “Luke, meet Hondo Ohnaka. Despite being an avid pirate, he helped us liberate Lothal.” he said with a joking tone.

“Nice to meet you.” the Padawan said cordially with a nod of the head.

Hondo though squinted his eyes and examined Luke with a face that seemingly tried to remember. “You look...familiar.” he said with a curious tone.

Ezra realized that Hondo was probably guessing who Luke’s father was, since he had heard from Obi-Wan that the old Weequay met both him and Anakin Skywalker during the Clone Wars. Presumably they were the ‘Jedi friends’ Hondo spoke about on the first adventure with Ezra and Jaral.

However, this was not the time for another reunion, especially since Ezra knew that Hondo might overreact and draw attention to them.

“Let’s discuss this at another time.” he intervened with quietness. “Once we all get paid for the job.”

Hondo chuckled. “Ezra, my boy. You really know how to talk to a pirate. Now, follow Hondo.” the Weequay concluded as he turned around and led the group to table at the edge of the tavern, where a Bothan with a brownish fur was waiting with a glass in his hand.

“Greetings, gentlemen.” the alien said in a cordial tone. “Please, take a seat.”

Ezra observed the fur of the Bothan. He had read that, apparently, it changed color according to their emotional state. Since nothing happened, he tried to reassure himself that the man was not hiding a thing from them.

So he sat at the bench opposite to the alien, with Luke and Kallus following quickly after.

“The pleasure is all ours, mister…” he started.

“My name is not important and we don’t have much time.” the alien replied, then his left hand disappeared briefly from the table, slid into his pocket and came out of it with a small data disc. “Here’s the list of planets where you may establish a new base in this region. I suggest you return to your ship immediately. Most of the clans might sympathize with you, but the Empire has many ears as well.” he concluded quite ominously before standing up and walking away, but not before handing over a few very valuable credit bars to Hondo.

“That was quick.” Kallus commented as they stood up again.

“He has a point, though.” Ezra said. “This is the planet of spies and the Empire surely will have many of them on their paychecks. Let’s get back to the ship.”

“Well, my friends.” Hondo interjected as he lifted his cap to do a bow. “It’s been a joy to work with you again. I hope we meet again.”

Ezra smiled. “Stay safe out there, Hondo.”

“Safe?” Hondo asked surprised before making a laugh. “Come on, partner. What’s life without a bit of danger?” and then he left.

The humans did the same. They put their hoods back and headed outside, back into the streets.

However, it didn’t take long before Ezra started to feel like a hitch on the back of his neck. That was a symptom of his gut telling him that he was in danger, that someone was observing him and not in a positive way.

A bit to his surprise, Luke closed on him and asked with a whisper: “Do you also feel like something’s off?”

“Yes.” Ezra answered. “Someone’s is tailing us?”

“How?” Kallus asked. “Our holograms are still up.”

Ezra thought about it, but the answer was pretty evident to him. After cursing himself mentally for not taking that into consideration, he turned toward Luke. “Suppress your Force signature.” he instructed while he did exactly that.

Luke, however, hesitated. “Suppress my…? I still haven’t learned…”

“Learn it fast, then, or we won’t be able to leave.” Ezra insisted as he pushed his friends to accelerate the pace.

“What’s happening?” Kallus asked in confusion.

“We’re being followed by a Force-sensitive.” Ezra quickly replied, making the other two really concerned.

Ezra then brought his left wrist near his mouth to contact the Falcon . “ Falcon , this is Ezra, do you copy?”

Leia’s voice came through. “ Did something happen? ”

“We got the map, but there’s an imperial Force-sensitive following us, we’ll have to make a detour.” he communicated, then pushed his comrades into an alley as nonchalantly as possible.

The reports of the ISB confirmed his theory: the Federation was preparing a push down the Perlimian Trade Route to take the pressure off the rebel fleet, which was now heading toward Saleucami in order to rescue Garm Bel Iblis and what was left of his forces. Finally, the Mandalorians were still besieging Taris, but they were also trying to grab as much territory as they could along the Hydian Way, meaning that they were spreading their forces.

For the latter issue, it appeared that the imperial commanders were applying Iulius’ orders to trade territory for time, applying scorched earth tactics and evacuating as many civilians as they could on other manufacturing worlds, especially skilled workers, in order to keep the factories going.

This was only one of the many reforms that Iulius had applied in the Mid Rim, using his newfound authority as the regional warlord. Despite some resistance by the Moffs and some wealthy corporations aligned with the Empire, slavery had been heavily regulated. He couldn’t and didn’t want to abolish it right away, knowing that the million of freed slaves, after 20 or so years of being brutally treated by the Empire would join the rebellion in seconds. He needed to win their loyalty back, or at the very least ensure their neutrality in the conflict.

Truth be told, Iulius was already pondering the idea of creating segregated regiments for aliens, entirely made of volunteers, who would receive the same pay as the regular imperial soldier and would be treated fairly. The separation would be mostly for logistical reasons, as different species would require different uniforms and rations. But at the moment, such a proposal would certainly spell doom for him, politically speaking.

The victory against Iblis had made him extremely popular among the soldiers and the civilian population of the Core, but the Grand Admiral knew how these two categories had little to no political weight, so he needed to thread carefully with the Moffs until he knew who was on his side and who was waiting for him to make the slightest misstep so they could use that to have him demoted as quickly as possible.

Because, after all, the main problem was that the Moffs, and the imperial administration at large, was unbelievably corrupted and the Governors were like territorial beasts, always bitching when a patrol from another sector chased pirates or rebels into their own, with the result that said criminals always slipped away.

Iulius would need to change the rules. His final ambition was to make civilian and military careers completely separated, so the problem of overlapping responsibility would be canceled. But to do that, he had to make the Moffs comply with his wishes or, even better, find a way to get rid of them and make sure the Emperor put the Grand Admiral’s favorites in charge of the most strategic sectors.

And in the midst of all of this, he still had to worry about the Coalition threatening the imperial borders. If anything, though, the prospect of losing their territory and resources to the rebels had convinced the Moffs to avoid scheming against the Warlord...for now.

His thoughts were then interrupted when Qathora spoke up.

“Hey, Mara is calling you.” she said as she looked at the beeping holo-communicator.

Iulius motioned for her to pass the device and after he took it, he took the call. The small scale of Jade’s hologram appeared on the palm of his right hand.

“Grand Admiral, I followed the enemy ship all the way to Bothawui and I’ve some urgent news.” she said immediately.

“Report.” Iulius calmly replied.

“I have confirmed that there are at least two Jedi on this ship. I’m confident that one of them is Ezra Bridger, but the other one...I don’t know, it’s too unfocused to be his sister.”

“Are you following them?”

“Yes, but they noticed me. I ask permission to establish checkpoints at the local spaceports. Even if we don’t catch them, I’ll try to identify the ship they used.”

“Permission granted. If there’s another Jedi, we must find out.”

Mara nodded quickly, then closed the communication to go inform the commander of the imperial garrison on Bothawui.

“Guess we found out where the boy went.” Qathora commented.

“Yes, but why have they traveled all the way to Bothawui?” Iulius asked as he pondered. Then he pressed a button and the holomap appeared on his desk. He zoomed on the Trailing Sectors and started to analyze the region.

“Bothawui is perfect for gathering information.” the Togruta said. “Perhaps they’re there to buy some.”

Iulius hummed, not entirely convinced. “Perhaps, but my instinct says there’s something more.” he replied as he kept staring at the map. He then pointed the hologram, zooming out so he could take a look at the Northern Fringe. “Vader and Tagge are still suppressing revolts in this region. What are our latest news?”

“It appears they have found an organized band of rebels, called the Brotherhood of the Eclipse. Well, they call themselves rebels, but I can assure you that the Rebellion doesn’t have any official ties with them, in fact, they despise them.”

“How so?”

“It is a band created by former members of Saw Gerrera’s group, who then joined forces with mercenaries, pirates...people I certainly wouldn’t go out with.”

“If they are not supported by the Rebel Alliance, how can they elude Vader and Tagge so easily?”

“I asked the ISB to look into it, but there are rumors within the Rebels, that these guys are supported by that guy, Tyber Zann.”

Iulius hummed silently again as he leaned his head against his hands, one closed into a fist and wrapped by the other. His mouth was covered while his mind projected all sorts of scenarios.

“We already know that Zann’s base of operations is in the Trailing Sectors, is he already so powerful that he can reach the opposite side of the galaxy?”

“Remember, we’re dealing with a crime lord, here. That kind of people doesn’t have to occupy entire planets with blatant shows of military might, they’re much more subtle. And besides...imperial security forces are extremely easy to corrupt, so it’s no wonder his forces can move freely around the galaxy, as long as they got money to buy the passage.”

Iulius grunted slightly. Corruption: probably the biggest cancer that was rotting the Empire from the inside. The most hateful legacy of the old Republic that made impossible to establish order and progress throughout the galaxy. It was something he intended to eradicate, but he knew that it was such a consolidated practice, and it tended to crush whoever tried to fight it.

The Grand Admiral leaned back on his chair and relaxed his hands on his lap. “I guess we’ll have to wait Mara’s next report. If the Rebels have found a third Jedi, the consequences might be devastating.”

“What do you intend to do?”

“I need Marek here, so the only thing I can do is inform Lord Vader, if Jade will confirm the existence of this new enemy.”

The beeping of the communication panel drew his attention. He pushed the button and the voice of Ciena reported. “ Grand Admiral, we’re two minutes away from Kashyyyk. ”

“Thanks, Lieutenant-Commander.” he replied, then turned off the holomap, making the lights of the office reignite, and stood up from the chair.

The Grand Admiral took a breather to prepare mentally to the task in front of him: meet with the Wookiee chieftains and try to make amend for the decades of savage exploitation by the Empire that he just stopped by decree.

“Ezra, the imperial garrison is mobilizing to lock down the spaceports.” Leia warned on the omni-tool.

“Jinx, how long till they block the one with the Falcon?” the young man asked.

“Approximately three minutes.” the AI responded.

He didn’t waste a second to adjust the plan. “Han, take off immediately, we’ll have to regroup some other way.”

“All right, General. Don’t get killed before I get there.” the smuggler replied.

“Take care of yourself, Commander.” Ezra concluded before closing the transmission. Then he quickly realized that Luke was still trying, with limited results, to suppress his Force signature. “Kallus, let’s split up. They’re after me and Luke, so you go ahead and try to make contact with the Falcon.”

The former ISB agent nodded and quickly slipped away, while the two Jedi went deeper into the alleys of the city, seeking to draw their stalker to an isolated place and maybe lose them in the confusion.

“I’m sorry, Ezra.” Luke said in ashamed tone, but the Jedi Knight put a hand on his shoulder as they kept walking.

“No, it’s my fault. Given the mission, I should’ve prepared you beforehand. Now let’s just focus on getting out of this planet.”

Accelerating their pace, they found a street that was particularly crowded, hoping that Luke’s signature would get confused in the midst of all that life. The sensation of being observed had subsided, but Ezra was sure that this wasn’t over. An imperial gunship heading toward the spaceport reminded him that their presence had been detected and their escape wasn’t going to be easy.

Confident that Kallus would manage to rejoin the Falcon and come to their rescue soon enough, Ezra quickly took a look at the map of the city and led Luke in a twisted path to confuse their pursuer. But the Force probably wasn’t on their side entirely, as they crossed path with a patrol of Army troopers.

“Halt.” their commander ordered the two Jedi. “You’re under arrest.” and his soldiers pointed guns.

Realizing that they had been discovered despite the holograms, Ezra had no other choice. He quickly stretched his arms forward in the blink of an eye and Force pushed the group of five soldiers, who all fell backward, yelling for the surprise.

“Run.” Ezra instructed, dashing into another alley. Luke followed suit and the two finally deactivated the holograms so the energy of the omni-tool could be given back to their personal shields, which happened right on time: the soldiers had quickly gotten back on their feet and started shooting.

Of course, the imperials called for reinforcements and a gunship soon appeared above them, following their movements. It didn’t open fire, though. Ezra reasoned that the Imperials wanted to avoid using heavy weapons that could damage the city and severely undermine their relations with the Bothans.

Then he saw an opportunity. “There. On the roofs!” he exclaimed to Luke, and jumped on top of a low hut. Luke managed to keep pace, more or less, thanks to the intense physical training that he was undergoing aboard the Amerigo , using the Force to enhance his agility.

Soon enough, army and stormtroopers did the same and the tightly packed buildings of that side of the city were swarming with imperials.

Some bolts flew their way, but it was clear that they were meant to try and intimidate the Jedi than actually hitting them. Nonetheless, the roof suddenly ended and the two had to jump down. Ezra materialized his armor before rolling on the ground. Both of them also materialized their lightsabers, but didn’t ignite them yet.

Not until a barrier of imperial soldiers halted their escape. They tried to turn around, but the men chasing them before had caught up. They were surrounded.

The imperials aimed their weapons and loaded them. Ezra and Luke went back-to-back and ignited their sabers.

“Do Jedi missions always end up like this?” Luke asked.

“Like you would not believe.” Ezra replied.

They gripped the hilts of their weapons, preparing themselves for the possible storm of bolts. Truth be told, Luke might have made significant progresses against the training remote, but the chances of him surviving the fire of so many trained soldiers were slim. Ezra prepared the bubble shield, though his attention was drew again by the appearance of two Death Troopers, who rushed into the scene and aimed at his direction.

Wondering what they were doing there, Ezra kept composure, and the answer to his question arrived quickly after.

A young woman, probably around the two Jedi’s age, with a black set of clothes, a cape and crimson medium-long hair walked into the square.

“Ezra Bridger.” she said with a calm tone. “Jedi Knight and General of the Rebellion.”

Luke slightly turned his head to take a look as well, and it just so happened that he crossed eyes with the woman, who was scrutinizing him.

“I understand you found an apprentice for yourself?” she asked.

“More like a fellow student.” Ezra quipped. “You seem pretty knowledgeable about Jedi affairs, Miss…”

“Mara Jade.” the woman calmly presented herself. “On behalf of the Emperor, I’m helping Grand Admiral Iulius Tanis to specifically hunt you and your sister down. However, it looks like my workload has just increased.” she said with a pinch of sarcasm as she tilted her head toward Luke.

Ezra assumed the ready position.

“Come on, General.” Mara said with a lightly annoyed tone. “I’ve had my men set their weapons to stun. Your lightsabers won’t deflect them.”

“So I suppose you will offer us a surrender?” Ezra asked.

“I have been tasked with taking you alive. So you can cooperate, or we can go with the uncivilized way.”

Ezra slowly moved his head. Behind the visor, his pupils were running around to analyze the situation. There were snipers taking position on the other roofs, and the gunship was hovering and rumbling over their heads. There seemed to be no hope to escape.

“So? What is your answer, Jedi?” Mara asked after a few seconds.

Only now, Ezra felt that help was coming.

“Not exactly a lot of choice here, uh?” Ezra said as he turned off his lightsaber, to Luke’s astonishment.

“What are you doing?” the Padawan asked.

“Easy, Luke. You need to learn when it’s time to fight, and when it isn’t.” Ezra calmly stated as he put his hands behind his head.

“Don’t you think I’m stupid, Jedi.” Mara retorted. “Lower your armor, as well.”

Ezra clicked his tongue in defiance. “That’s not very polite to ask. And I’m afraid our conversation ends here.”

Mara had just absorbed those words, then the gunship exploded in air, making her duck along with the rest of the troopers while Ezra raised the bubble shield.

The Falcon quickly passed over their heads with a speed at such a low altitude that the imperials were slammed on the floor.

Right after it, a modified and painted transport halted over the Jedi heads. The access ramp opened and the most improbable savior appeared from it.

“Over here, partner!” Hondo exclaimed enthusiastically.

Ezra turned around and grabbed Luke with an arm. Materialized his jetpack and flew both of them into the cargo hold.

Hondo turned toward the direction of the cockpit. “Go, my friend!”

A familiar squelching scream replied and the transport flew away while the enraged imperials fired at it with their rifles, but having little to no effect.

Before heading into the cockpit, Hondo took a look at the two Jedi and finally noticed Luke’s lightsaber.

“Hold on...I recognize that…” the Weequay whispered.

“Right,” Ezra said in a hurried tone. “Hondo, this is Luke Skywalker. I’m sure you got a lot to share with him while I lead us out of this mess.” he said as he quickly patted Luke’s shoulder and Hondo’s jaw fell to the floor.

Ezra dematerialized his helmet and rushed to the cockpit.

As he entered, he spotted Melch at the commands, happily veering the ship away with the Falcon flying right in front of them.

“Is there a comlink, here?”

“It’s waiting for you, General.” another familiar tone said.

Ezra turned on his right and spotted the smug smile of a Devaronian.

“Vizago? What happened?” Ezra said with an amused surprise, but at the same time he took the headset and Vizago rolled his chair aside to let him speak.

“Bridger to Amerigo, do you copy?” he said after Jinx established a line with the cruiser.

“We read you, sir.” the voice of Riccardi came through.

“We’re chased by enemy forces. Prepare the jump for hyperspace, we’ll be there shortly.”

“Understood. All hands to battle stations. Code red.”

Ezra put down the headset and, while looking outside, reiterated his question to Vizago. “So, what are you doing with Hondo?”

Vizago got back to work on the sensors as he replied. “Well, the Empire had scrapped the Broken Horn , and Ohnaka needed to replenish his crew, so we decided to associate until I can earn enough to buy a new ship.”

“Well, if we leave the system alive, I’ll make sure the Rebellion gives you a very generous tip for this rescue.”

Vizago cackled in amusement while the two ships headed straight for orbit, soon leaving the atmosphere. The sensors picked up an imperial light cruiser coming to intercept them with its fighter load-out.

But just as the TIEs took off, they were attacked by none other than Red Squadron.

“Specter-7, this is Red Leader, we’ll keep these guys off your tail, return to base.” Biggs proclaimed into the comlink.

“Glad to see you, Red Leader, be sure to follow us, though.” Ezra replied without hesitation.

The Amerigo appeared shortly after on the sensors. Red Squadron made sure to take out the TIEs, then retreated without losses as the light cruiser was too slow to catch the rebel freighters. Thus Hondo’s ship and the Falcon were allowed to land into one of the hangars, the X-Wings quickly regrouped around the cruiser, then they all jumped into hyperspace following a casual trajectory hastily calculated by Jinx.

March 6

As he finally reentered his office, Iulius made a breather with his nose, finally relieved that his objective had been achieved.

“I hate politics.” he grunted as he headed toward his desk.

“Come on, considering the nature of the Wookiees you’ve done great.” Qathora quipped.

“How can you tell?”

“Because they didn’t try to rip your arms off, despite having every reason to hate the Empire.”

Iulius sighed. “I guess. But it’s not over yet, I need to prepare for the next round of talks, tomorrow.”

“Before we get to it, Mara has tried to reach you for a while.”

“All right, I’m available, now.” he said as he sat on his chair.

Qathora dialed the contact with Mara on her datapad and the communicator started beeping, waiting for the other side to pick up. Which occurred a few moments later.

“Grand Admiral.” Mara said with a rigid tone.

“Sorry for the wait, Agent Jade. Tell me what happened yesterday.”

Mara thus proceeded to give a detailed report, including the name of the new Padawan: Luke.

Iulius mumbled in thought. “Any chance of tracing where that ship went?”

“We tried, but it seems they have a cloaking device and it is quick enough to do multiple jumps into hyperspace before we get to their first predicted jump point.”

“I see. Thanks, Agent Jade. Return to the Admonitor at once.” Iulius concluded. Mara made a bow with her head and closed the transmission.

Wasting no time, the Grand Admiral turned toward his assistant. “Call Lord Vader.” he calmly ordered as he stood up from the chair and walked around it to greet the Sith Lord in a fashionable way.

Qathora nodded and dialed the contact on the datapad. The lights of the room remained off so the hologram became clearly visible a dozen seconds later.

“Pardon the intrusion, Lord Vader.” Iulius started with a calm demeanor. “But there have been critical developments.”

“Speak, Grand Admiral.” the Lord simply commanded.

“Agent Jade has just incurred into the rebel Jedi known as Ezra Bridger on Bothawui. However, along with him, Jade also identified another rebel wielding a lightsaber. And, according to her, he had a connection to the Force.”

“A new Jedi?” Vader asked more curious than enraged.

“It would appear so, My Lord. Since you and Grand General Tagge have been tasked to reassert imperial control in the Trailing Sectors, I thought you had to be made aware of this.”

“You did well to call, Grand Admiral.” Vader said in his robotic voice, even if there seemed to be a little bit of praise in it. “Do you have any idea why the rebels were on Bothawui?”

“Right now, it’s only speculation, My Lord.” he started. “However, they are very far from their territory and they brought a new kind of stealth cruiser. A ship too big to be a simple recon. My analysis suggests that the rebels and the Federation want to establish a base of operation in the Trailing Sectors, perhaps to assist the various insurrections that are taking place in the region.”

A mechanical breathe of Vader was the only sound that followed, though it was clear to Iulius that Vader was considering those words.

“Grand Admiral, keep your focus on the Outer Rim. I’ll investigate this new Jedi myself.”

Iulius made a respectful bow. “As you wish, My Lord.”

Vader’s hologram disappeared and lights returned into the office.

“You don’t seem convinced.” Qathora commented after looking at her master’s face.

Iulius slowly walked around the room, thinking loudly. “Vader’s squadron is too small. Catching a stealth ship is not going to be easy, especially in such an extensive region and with many systems ready to offer assistance to the enemy.”

He silently kept thinking for a while. There was a solution that he actually disliked very much. However, in the end he sighed loudly and accepted it.

“Send a message to my father.” he said unwillingly to finish the phrase. “The Fondor Sector Fleet has to move in and assist Lord Vader in the hunt for the rebel vessel.”

Qathora made a whistle of amazement. “This will be one hell of a show.”

Iulius lowered his head in frustration. His father was the last person he wanted for such a delicate mission, but he had no choice: his plan to repel the Coalition in the Mid Rim was entering its final stage and he needed his experienced personnel, including Starkiller, to be at his side.

After Qathora sent the message, Iulius decided he wanted to stare a bit at the stars, so the two headed toward the bridge, where the Grand Admiral could meditate a little on the situation at hand and prepare for the next round of talks with Wookiees.

Chapter Text

March 15.

The federal offensive was progressing, but not as fast as Jaral had hoped. Columex had been occupied only after a week of stiff resistance, and the imperials had clearly changed their tactics, showcasing that Iulius was overhauling the doctrines of his forces to slow down the Coalition. Problem was: what was he biding time for?

That was the question that bothered both her and the Intelligence. The most logical choice for the Grand Admiral, the salarians officers argued, would’ve been to keep pressure on the rebel flank, after his forces had taken Saleucami. However, he had halted his offensive and the front had been stabilized.

Speaking of Saleucami, Jaral was still quite upset. The rescue of Iblis and his remaining forces had been successful, since the imperial Admiral tasked with capturing him had run away the moment the massive rebel fleet had appeared in the system, allowing the rebels to recover the hotheaded general.

Since the disaster at Charros had been caused by Iblis’ disobedience, Jaral had had no other choice but to court martial him, and the trial had ended only two rotations before. Iblis had been found guilty, and not simply because there were many in the higher ranks of the Alliance that distrusted him. However, Jaral had put him in front of a choice: he could accept being demoted back to 2^nd Lieutenant and maybe recover his rank one day, or he could leave the Alliance and establish his own splinter group. He had chosen the latter.

Many had questioned Jaral over this decision, but it was actually driven by pure logic: the defeat was only caused by Iblis underestimating Iulius. After the thrashing at Charros, Jaral was sure that the corellian general would not repeat that mistake.

Besides, Iblis didn’t like Mon Mothma and Jaral’s prudent strategy for the war, and his presence only caused factionalism inside the Alliance, so it was better for everybody if he just left and waged his own war against the Empire, though Jaral had managed to negotiate that he kept contacts and accepted to be resupplied by the Coalition. Apparently, he was now trying to establish another base somewhere in the Mid Rim, right in the middle of imperial lines.

However, all of this paled in front of the next activity on the horizon. For today, Empress Benedetta IV dei Vignoli, together with her daughter Anastasia and the Citadel Council, was coming to visit Lothal as part of her royal visit to the new Sister-Nations of Andromeda and the soon-to-be-proclaimed allied nations: the New Republic, the Mon Cala Kingdom, the Raxus Conglomerate and other independent governments, either of freed territories or in-exile.

The visit to Lothal was also going to be used to discuss the current state of the war. The Empress had expressed the desire to meet with Jaral and Admiral Edrix, who had just arrived on Lothal for the occasion.

Meanwhile, Jaral was at her mother’s home, putting on her new Systems Alliance’s Admiral uniform to greet the woman that was now her Head of State and Supreme Commander.

“It’s a bit tight, compared to the one I usually wear.” she commented as she looked at herself in the mirror.

“Have you ever noticed how strapped your father looks in his own?” Mira quipped loudly from the next room.

Jaral felt a bit of embarrassment. “I never judged him that way. But I guess everybody on the Constantinople has similar clothes.” she replied.

Then a loud cooing came from the next door, followed by a giggle that made Jaral smirk. As she finished polishing her rank strips on the shoulders she headed into said room, where Mira was feeding Jacen with a baby bottle of milk. The Grand Marshall of the Rebellion and Admiral of the Systems Alliance stepped closer to take a close look at her godchild.

Jacen noticed her. He detached his little mouth from the bottle and extended his hands toward her, giggling and demanding attentions.

“Oh, you want auntie Jaral, now?” Mira quipped to the baby as she carefully passed him to the godmother, who graciously accepted him.

“Hi, Jacen!” Jaral squealed with a large smile on her face that the baby seemed to like very much. Even more when she swayed him up and down as a game.

The baby seemed to have some sort of affinity to his godmother, though Jaral was pretty sure that it was proof that Jacen was Force-sensitive, and it was that invisible force that tied the two of them, and would one day tie him and Ezra together, as the siblings were the closest thing that Jacen would ever have to a direct memory of his father.

Jaral tried to see what little good there was in that notion. Kanan’s death was something that scarred her much more than she would ever let anybody see. Only Ezra could understand that.

But she had Jacen to care for, now. At least until Hera was back from the expedition, Jaral had promised herself to visit Lothal regularly in her stead.

As her mind lingered on this thoughts, she noticed that Jacen was staring at her eyes with what remotely seemed like a questioning face.

Jaral huffed in amusement. “Your mommy will be back soon, Jacen. You’ll see.”

The sound of footsteps recalled her attention toward the threshold of the door, from which Darvos peeked out.

“I hate to interrupt you ladies, but we should really go.” he said in a comprehensive tone.

“Right.” Jaral agreed, then handed Jacen back to Mira. She gave him a little rub on the forehead, then she followed her husband all the way to the skycar waiting in the square of the Bridger Complex.

As Darvos drove toward the Capitol, they talked about Jacen.

“I hope Hera is doing okay.” Darvos commented at a certain point. “The last thing Jacen needs…”

“Don’t worry,” Jaral reassured. “I mind-talked with Ezra just an hour ago. They are fine and they have started the search for a new location.”

“Oh. Good enough, then.”

Then there was a bit of silence, with only the eezo of the skycar making a soft humming. Jaral was staring out of the window, thinking over how she could approach the topic.

“Hey…” she started timidly.

“Yes?” Darvos asked with a relaxed tone, his eyes focused on the road ahead.

“It’s just...seeing Jacen these last days...It got me thinking.”

“Uh-uh…” Darvos hummed, with a tone that clearly suspected where this was going.

“When we married, you said that, if we had children, you wanted them to bear my family name.”

“That is correct.”

“Well...I never stopped thinking about that part, before. But with this war seemingly far from being over...I’m seriously considering the idea of having a child. Like...not immediately but...in the short period.” she concluded in a shy tone.

Darvos hummed again, but he seemed a bit distracted, and not just because he was driving. “You mean, before something bad happens?”

Jaral didn’t know how to answer to that. “I guess…” she said with hesitation. “Anyway, what do you say?”

Darvos breathed loudly with his nose and exhaled.

“Honestly, I’m not sure what to think.” he said as they skycar entered into the center of the city.

“What do you mean?”

“I...actually thought about this chance before. That is, I would be happy to have a child with you, Jari, but I’m not sure I can pull through with being a father.”

Jaral shook his head in shock. “What are you talking about? You would be a great father.”

“Would I?” he asked back without hesitation. “I’m not sure you noticed, but I didn’t grow up with parents worthy of this name.”

Jaral, however, immediately found the counter-argument. “That would be the problem? Look at my dad. He was an orphan, and yet he is the best parent in the universe.”

Darvos considered those words. “You’re right about that.” he conceded. Then he raised his head slightly. “But we’ll have to postpone this discussion. We’re here.”

Jaral then looked outside of the frontal glass and spotted the main plaza of the city. The Empress’ personal cruise ship, which was only slightly bigger than a corellian corvette, was docked to a pair of magnetic clamps. A huge crowd surrounded the fence put up by the police, so much that Jaral and Darvos needed to squeeze their way in the middle of that chaos.

Eventually, they reached the fence and were allowed to pass. Waiting in front of where the access ramp was supposed to lower at any moment there were Wolffe, leading the parade unit of the local militia that would greet the Empress; then Admiral Edrix and even Prince Claudio.

“Admiral Bridger, we were starting to get worried.” the prince quipped as he shook hands with both of them.

“Apologize, your Highness. I had to take care of the baby at home.”

“I hope young Jacen is fine.” Edrix said.

“He is, colleague. Thanks.” Jaral replied politely.

‘Warning. Please clear the area.’ a mechanical voice coming from the small frigate said as she blew out the exhaust fumes and the ramp started lowering.

While she waited for the process to end, Jaral took a glimpse at the sky. Even if a bit blurred because of the distance, she could distinguish the dreadnought INS Everest , and the other ships that had accompanied Benedetta on this voyage.

The ramp finally lowered, but the first people to come out were a squad of the Imperial Guard with their black armors. A mix of Turian, Human and Krogan soldiers.

Then she finally appeared. Contrary to the other occasions Jaral saw her, this time the Empress was wearing a white uniform similar to her own. An Admiral jacket with a couple golden stripes added to emphasize her superior rank.

Following the Empress, a pretty big group of diplomats: the representatives of the Citadel Council. Jaral even spotted the Elcor councilor, the Volus and the Krogan.

The delegation walked down the ramp and reached Jaral’s group. Claudio smiled at his mother, who returned the expression, and he walked to embrace her.

“It’s so good to see you again, Claudio.” Jaral heard the Empress say fondly.

“Likewise. Mother.” the prince replied with a simple, but happy voice.

While Wolffe ordered the soldiers to present their weapons, the royals undid their hug and Claudio stepped back to let the other officers greet their Empress. Edrix stepped forward and bent the knee in a completely natural gesture. A sign of the deep respect that the Turian had for his liege.

Benedetta made a small nod with her head. “Thank you, Admiral. You may rise.” she said gently, and the Turian obeyed before straightening back up.

Finally, Benedetta smiled at Jaral and went to shake her hand.

“A pleasure to see you again, Jaral Bridger.”

The young woman made a small bow with her upper body. “And an honor to me, my Empress. Welcome to Lothal.”

Just a minute later, Governor Shweera arrived to show submission to the Empress, before inviting the delegation to her palace to start the summit.

“We see Her Majesty,” the journalist of the Alliance News Network broadcasting from Lothal reported. “she’s being greeted by the Governor and from Admiral Jaral Bridger, one of the planetary symbols of the liberation from the Empire almost a year ago.”

Jordan smirked at the images of his daughter standing tall and dignified in front of the Empress, but a voice on the Intercom informed him that it was almost time for the drop, so he had to shut it off and head to the hangar bay.

There, his marines were mounting on the Kodiaks, and even the crew of Besotten Jenny were warming up the tank, which was going to be deployed along with the Atlas to support the allied infantry on the surface of Trogan.

The Legionnaires divided among the two teams: Jordan and Michalina on one dropship, Thabo and Gutierrez on the other. The squads themselves, however, were led respectively by Sergeant Vetra Nyx and Lieutenant Aun’Roi’Ka, since the Legionnaires worked better on their own.

As soon as Jordan was aboard, the doors closed and the ramp of the hangar allowed the dropships to fly out into the skies of the desert world. Right now, that zone of the planet was undergoing a small sandstorm which only caused the sky under a certain altitude to be yellow, as if someone had put a filter on a camera, but the visibility was still good.

“All right, listen up.” Jordan said to his troopers. “There is a battalion down there which is being pinned down by two different imperial artillery posts. While Bravo Team takes the one on this ridge, we’re going to clear out the trenches in this village. This road is a necessary passage to reach the planetary capital, so we need to be swift and deadly, Uh-Ah?”

“Uh-Ah!” the marines replied.

“Approaching the drop zone. Forty seconds.” the pilots announced.

“Sir, we have a visual on the battlefield.” the copilot added.

“On screen.” Jordan ordered, and the Kodiak’s small screen in the cargo bay sent the footage of the ship’s camera.

Indeed, they could see two couples of imperial walkers, SPMA model (Self-Propelled Medium Artillery), shooting heavy turbolasers against the human soldiers of the Alliance, who had been forced to dig in wherever they could find cover just outside a ruined village but required immediate assistance.

Wreckage of alliance tanks and corpses from both sides littered the no-man’s land in between, showing that a first assault had been repelled.

Jordan unfolded his M8 rifle and went in front of the left door, ready to lead the charge, though Karg seemed pretty eager to be the first to jump into the fray.

Eventually, the Kodiak was brought almost to touch down on the landing zone, which was a small area with a few dead plants and separated from the position of the artillery pieces by a small hill.

“Move it, people!” Jordan ordered as he sprinted outside, followed suit by Michalina and the rest of the marines. “We need to reach the top of the hill.” he quickly explained. “Vetra, bring the men in, me and Micha are going forward.”

“Yes, Captain!” the turian female replied.

Then the Legionnaires augmented their speed, using their muscles and the perks of the armors at their peak performance.

“Just another day in paradise.” Michalina commented.

“Hey, Her Majesty has just arrived in this galaxy. Let’s make sure she receives good news.”

“Aye, aye, boss.”

They soon reached the top of the hill and faced the opposite side, just in time to see an entire platoon of imperial Army troopers trying to reach the top as well.

The Legionnaires pointed their weapons first and opened fire, cutting down the imperial NCO and two other troopers before the others opened fire.

Jordan and Michalina not only enjoyed a great armor and efficient shields, but their position was highly advantageous, because the two slopes of the hill were connected only by a small gorge. Big enough to let the infantry go through, but it also prevented any attacker from making flanking maneuvers.

For the Legionnaires it was a piece of cake to keep the imperials at bay for two minutes, allowing their companions of the Constantinople to reach them and forcing the imperials to flee.

“Spirit, this is Bravo Team.” the voice of Gutierrez arrived through the comlink. “We’ve secured our landing zone and we’re engaging the enemy artillery.”

“Copy that, Bravo. We’re proceeding against our target, as well.”

Jordan took a quick look with the integrated binocular of his helmet. From his position, he could spot the SPMAs in the distance, firing at the allied forces outside of the village.

They were protected by the army troopers, who were establishing a small line of fortifications as quickly as they could, so Jordan decided there was no time to waste.

“Micha, Karg, you and I are going through that cavern.” he said, pointing at the entrance of said cave. “Vetra, you and the rest of the squad distract the enemy with a frontal assault.”

“You heard the boss, Marines. Move out!” the turian ordered to the rest of the squad and they all went their separate ways.

The Legionnaires and the Krogan entered the cave. Both Jinx and Michalina’s AI confirmed that it led right upon the position of the artillery.

“Easy, now.” he said to his underlings, slowing his own pace. “Let’s try to keep our approach stealthy.”

“If you want to sneak around, you shouldn’t bring a Krogan.” Karg commented.

“Nobody else among us can demolish those walkers bare-handed, if necessary.” Jordan quipped.

The Krogan giggled with his croaking voice. “That is true.”

The cave seemed quite empty, though. On the other hand, Vetra contacted the Captain a few minutes later. “ Captain, do you copy? ”

“I read you, Vetra.”

“We’ve come across an enemy patrol. But something doesn’t quite fit: it’s a mix of soldiers and what seemed an irregular militia. There are non-Humans, too.”

That statement surprised Jordan. “Are you sure about that?”

“I’ve never seen a Human with horns, sir. Or it’s a subspecies in this galaxy?” she asked back. “I’m sending you my Tac-cam.”

On the top left corner of his visor, Jordan saw the patrol. Vetra and her men were hiding behind an old pipeline that probably conveyed water to the nearby settlements, but they had a good visual on the imperials. The Legionnaire indeed spotted at least two men in civilian clothes but armed with blasters and light protections, marching with the soldiers. One of them was a Zabrak.

This was totally new, to Jordan, however, this wasn’t the time to investigate. “Doesn’t change anything. If they shoot you, you shoot back.” he stoically ordered.

“Understood. Engaging.”

At that word, Vetra and the marines peeked out and opened fire. One of them had a machine gun. He placed it on the pipeline and unleashed a storm of bullets that quickly pinned down the imperials. It wasn’t a fair fight at all, as the Marines had the surprise and a superior rate of fire, and they quickly wiped out the enemy patrol.

Jordan and his team kept walking in the trail of the cavern. He still looked at the camera of Vetra, though, wondering what was happening.

“Jinx, call the Constantinople and have them make a scan for civilians in the area.” he ordered, not needing the reply from his loyal AI.

Instead, he watched as the second team inspected the corpses, confirming that the imperials were employing an irregular militia.

Eventually, Vetra’s team moved on and found a position that would suit their objective, waiting for Jordan’s signal to engage the imperials defending the walkers.

“Jordan, the scan has been completed.” Jinx replied as they approached the end of the cave. “I detected a column of civilians fleeing north toward the capitol, mostly women and children.”

“And the men?”

“The rest of the militia seems to be escorting them. There are many non-Humans among them.”

“This doesn’t make sense.” Michalina commented. “Since when does the Empire trust non-Humans enough to give them weapons? To civilians, nonetheless.”

“If they take up arms, they aren’t civilians anymore.” Karg noted with an absolutely natural tone.

“Jinx, send a report to Command. For now, let’s focus on the artillery, our men are still dying.” the Captain concluded urgently.

Ten seconds later, the assault commenced. Vetra and her squad easily drew the attention of the enemies, and by firing from a naturally fortified position, they inflicted the first casualties. The imperials thus tried to counter-attack, but in doing so left the walkers unprotected. Jordan and his team quickly exploited the opportunity and attacked the walkers. The crews tried to defend themselves with their anti-personnel turrets, but the trio simply ran on the flanks, where the turrets, placed on the front of the hull, couldn’t reach.

Karg took the first kill by diving onto one of the legs of the first SPMA, which weren’t as solid as those of an AT-ST or stronger walkers, so it bent forward, making the walker slide. Before the crew could readjust the position, Karg climbed on the broken leg and reached the interior of the walker, going into a Blood Rage.

Almost pitying the crew, the Legionnaires proceeded to the second walker. By punching the armor, Jordan exposed a reactor on the back of the hull, and Michalina threw an adhesive grenade to it.

With the walkers gone, and with the news that Bravo Team had also taken out their targets, the surviving imperials broke ranks and tried to retreat. Some managed to get on parked troop transports, but most were either killed or surrendered.

“Spirit to 43^rd Company. The artillery is no more, you’re clear to advance.”

“Thank you, Captain Bridger. We’re in your debt.”

In the distance, Jordan could spot the column of the Alliance resuming its march, with a Mako opening the line. As the bigger unit walked inside the village, by now completely abandoned and destroyed by the bombs of the recent fighting, Jordan started to ponder.

Seeing civilians fighting side-by-side with the imperial military was a first. But what was happening? Were they loyal citizens of the Empire who wanted to defend their homes? Were they being forced to fight? But if the latter was true, why would they run away from the Alliance?

The column of refugees, furthermore, was mostly made up of non-Humans, mainly Zabraks, who were a consistent minority of Trogan. They were also a species who suffered much under the xenophobic laws of the Empire.

Then Jordan remembered that the Mid Rim was now administered by Iulius Tanis, a man who had time and again proved to be, if not open, respectful toward other cultures.

If he was winning the loyalty of the non-Humans, who until now were important fifth columns for the Coalition in its advance toward the Core, then this war was about to enter a new stage. A stage that Jordan wasn’t able to fathom, right now.

March 20.

On a break from the formalities of the Empress’ visit to Lianna, Jaral and Darvos were assessing the latest reports and a new message from what was now the most influential Fulcrum agent.

“First a new TIE Defender, now aliens among the imperial ranks.” Jaral sighed. “Your brother is always full of surprises.”

“I know.” Darvos said with resignation. “A pity he’s an imperial to the core.”

The omni-tool of the Marshall beeped, signaling that it was time for the main event of the day.

In a few minutes, Mon Mothma was going to proclaim the formation of the New Republic, and Jaral was expected to also give a speech to declare that the nations of the Universal Allied Cooperation Treaty were going to stand together against any aggression to their newfound independence.

This was a huge responsibility that was weighting on her heart. Many treated her as if she was some sort of saint, and insisted on her being a Jedi as the main reason why she should give the speech, as she would be perfect to represent the hope for all free beings in the galaxy. Jaral, though, was not feeling much honored from this.

In fact, she was starting to hate all of this. She should’ve been at the very least in the command room, planning a new strategy to defeat the Empire and the Sith. Instead she was trapped between political debates and elegant meals that only disgusted her, considering that billions of people out there were still suffering and starving because of the war.

Meanwhile, her mother was on Lothal, tending to the needy and the constant stream of wounded soldiers. Her father was fighting on the frontline of the Federation by her own orders.

And the one she missed the most, her brother, was on the other side of the galaxy, with the only way she could talk with him being her mind. Right now, she would’ve traded all of her ranks and titles if that gave her even a minute of talk with the real Ezra, to see him smile and reassuring her that everything was going great.

But she had to endure. She couldn’t always rely on her brother’s moral support. Besides, she still had her husband at her side, though the atmosphere between them had become a bit chilly, in their private time. Darvos was still heavily thinking about the conversation they had a few days before.

The two reached the main room of the new Senate of Lianna. It wasn’t as majestic as the once there was on Coruscant, but it was still an impressive hall, built a bit like an amphitheater, so the president of the assembly and the government would have the center of the stage and the senators would sit at the rows of chairs and desks in front of it.

Jaral immediately drew almost every gaze in the room as she headed toward the two main characters of the room: Mon Mothma, who had already been chosen as President ad interim , and the Empress.

Standing next to Benedetta was also princess Anastasia. She looked almost exactly like her mother in the pictures of her biography on the Codex. The only substantial difference was the hairstyle: in her youth, Benedetta went with a bob, since it was more practical for a soldier. Anastasia was a princess specialized in diplomacy, and she sported an elegant, long braid falling on her right shoulder.

So far, the princess had acted as the main councilor for her mother, showing an enviable attention to all details of politics. Jaral sometimes didn’t understand everything she told, but Mothma and her diplomats had commented that she was an astounding gray eminence, so the Jedi trusted their word. She also wondered how good would the Crown Prince be, considering that he was supposed to be the most knowledgeable of the imperial siblings and was now ruling in his mother’s absence.

Jaral approached the women and Mothma asked. “How do you feel, Marshall?”

“Nervous, honestly.” she simply replied.

“The script given by my writers didn’t help?” Benedetta asked seriously.

“Oh, no, Your Majesty. I’m going to recite every single word, because I don’t know what else I am supposed to say.”

“All you have to do is to give hope to the billions of beings that are still longing for liberation from the Empire.” Anastasia said with her calm attitude.

“Do they?” Jaral asked skeptically. “You read the reports from the Mid Rim. Now even non-Humans are fighting for the Empire.”

“True, but so long only the regions under the administration of Grand Admiral Tanis have shown such tolerance. We still receive countless requests for help from the Outer Rim and even in the Colonies.” Mothma reassured.

Jaral mumbled affirmatively, but in her heart she was still unsure what to think. If people started to actually support the Empire, how could the New Republic present itself as the liberator, the more it advanced toward the Core?

“There is no one else who could give more hope than you.” a voice said from her right side.

Jaral turned around and saw the friendly face of a mandalorian man.

“Count Alrich.” she greeted with a surprised tone, then the two shook hands. “I didn’t hear that you would be here as well.”

“The Mand'alor has sent me as her representative to acknowledge the New Republic. She sends her regards to you, in particular.”

“I appreciate it. How’s the situation on Mandalore?”

“It surprises even me. Safe for a very few extremists who refuse to join Lady Kryze, all clans are working together for the first time in millennia.”

“Glad to hear that. However, I hope Lady Kryze got my warning about the movements of the Empire.”

“Yes, the news of the imperial victory at Charros was surprising. But if Tanis will come to fight us, he will find a hard bone to chew.” Alrich concluded with confidence.

“I hope you are right.” Jaral simply replied. “Speaking of something else, I hope the Countess and Tristan are doing ok?”

“Ursa was a major ally of Lady Kryze during the last war, so her and my son are on Mandalore, right now, overseeing the production of new ships and training recruits.”

“I see. I wish you could say that to Sabine, as well.”

“I heard the news. I’m sure she’s making herself a name alongside her husband.”

“As if they haven’t already.” Darvos quipped.

“Master Bridger.” said one of the camera operators as he walked to Jaral and bowed to her respectfully. “We are ready to transmit.”

“Thanks, I’ll be there in a second.” Jaral politely replied. The alien bowed again and returned to his post right in front of the stage, ready to broadcast the speech. Alrich also rejoined the massive group of ministers and heads of state who were gathering in the hall.

Jaral looked more hesitant, now. Then Darvos confidently grasped her hand and kissed her softly.

“Go give some hope.” he quipped with a smile.

Jaral replied with a smirk, but this encouragement helped her find the strength to carry on the task. After she separated from Darvos, she headed at the edge of the stage. Mon Mothma stepped aside to let her take the center. The politicians formed a group behind her, so they would appear like a wall following her lead.

“Let us begin.” Jaral loudly ordered with the decisive tone that often distinguished her.

“Starting the countdown.” the director of the troupes (there were more than one, coming from both galaxies) announced. “We’re on air in 5...4...3...2…” he lowered his arm to signal the start. To help Jaral see herself, there was a screen behind the cameramen that received the transmission, so she could adjust accordingly.

As she saw her image appear, she calmly put her hands behind her back and straightened her back.

“Greetings, everybody listening.” she started, knowing that she wasn’t just being watched by all the freed systems, but also on clandestine channels deep into imperial territory and, through the bond, she somehow felt that Ezra was watching as well.

“My name is Jaral Bridger. Jedi Knight and member of the Alliance to Restore the Republic. Almost a year ago, me and my brother Ezra had fought to free our home planet of Lothal. We have been called ‘Heroes’, ‘Saviors of the galaxy’ and else. However, all we’ve done would’ve never be possible without the brave stand that millions of free beings all around the galaxy took. And without the help of the generous souls of the Milky Way, who stepped in to help us in our fight even when they had no reason to get involved.

“However, today I’m here not to deliver a message to the people, but to the so-called ‘Emperor’ Palpatine.” she said with a defiant tone, then also made a step forward, shifting her weight in a threatening lean. “Or should I call you Darth Sidious? Lord of the Sith and greatest liar in the galaxy?

“Twenty years ago, you promised the galaxy peace. Instead, you seized power for yourself, subjecting countless beings to brutal oppression, constant violence and despoiling them and their planets of everything.

“You have called the Jedi ‘demons’, even when you and your pet Vader make use of our own ‘sorcery’. You have called us ‘rebels’ because we refused to be exploited by your Empire. Well, guess what: we stood up and we won. Thousands of systems are free from your grip, and as of today, I’m here to tell you that we will never give up our liberty. We will fight as one, we will give you no quarter until your Empire lays in tatters and the your veil of cruelty is lifted from the galaxy.

“So do your worst, Sith. We are right here, and we’re going nowhere. Before this is over, you will realize that a tyrant has no real friends in the time of need.”

As thunderous applause resonated through the hologram, many rebel soldiers gathered in the common room to listen the speech also cheered.

“Yeah! You tell him, gal!” Zeb also commented loudly.

Ezra simply smiled proudly at the image of his sister and sent his congratulations down the bond. Jaral stepped away and left the stage to Mon Mothma.

“Your sister is truly one of a kind.” Leia commented.

“Yeah. She wasn’t just reading the script.” Han added. “You can say she really meant it.”

“Of course she does.” the Jedi replied proudly.

Hera gently asked them to shush as Mothma was about to reach the point of her own speech.

“Today, the representatives of 283 systems are here to proclaim the restoration of the Republic. Together with our allies of the United Allied Cooperation Treaty, we will stand for our rights as free beings, and oppose the illegitimate rule of the Empire, by any means necessary.”

Another round of applause rose both in the halls of Lianna and on the Amerigo .

But as everybody partied and enjoyed the moment of joy, Ezra simply sat there, lost in his thoughts, even if he was smirking.

From the seat next to him, Sabine extended a hand to intertwine fingers with his own. “Hey, you ok?” she asked a bit worried.

Ezra nodded slightly. “Yeah, yeah. It’s just...it still seems a bit weird. I guess I just miss her a bit.”

“Just a bit?” Sabine quipped, trying to liven up the mood.

Ezra chuckled. “Ok, I miss her a whole lot. But I know very well that this mission is important. She wouldn’t have asked me to be here if she didn’t consider it as such.” he replied calmly.

Sabine gave him a comprehensive smile. “She was right, you know. I know you will make us all proud, Ezra.”

Ezra squeezed her hand back. “Thank you, cyar’ika. ”

The two smiled at each other just before Ezra’s omni-tool beeped. He answered.

“General Bridger, we’re about to leave hyperspace.”

“Thanks, Captain.” Ezra replied, then took a look at the rectangular window of the room.

Indeed, a few seconds later, the blue tunnel disappeared and the Amerigo came out into a slice of empty space, with only the stars in the distance illuminating the area.

Ezra stepped down from his seat and spoke to the crews of both the Falcon and the Ghost . “All right, people. Suit up and get to the ships. We’re going on a field trip.” he quipped.

Luke was the first to stand up, quite excited, knowing what they were going to do. Ezra let them all go and instead walked to one of the federal soldiers in the room. “Master Gozo. You ready?”

“Sure thing, General.” the woman replied as she stood up from her spot on the couch. “Looks like this is going to be an interesting experience.”

“Eh...you’ll be the judge.” Ezra shrugged. “We’ll be waiting for you at the hangar.”

“Give me a minute to suit up and I’ll be on my way.” the psionic concluded before walking out of the room.

Differently from many psionics, Gozo wasn’t a Legionnaire, but she was still an N7 soldier, so she headed to the armory to get her suit. Ezra headed to the hangar, where the two corellian freighters were being prepared for their ‘secret’ mission in a nearby system. At the same time, the engineers of the Federation were preparing the unmanned probe drones that were going to inspect a few of the planets on the ‘Bothawui list’, a process that was going to take a couple of days.

Just the amount of time Ezra needed for this investigation.

Chapter Text

As the drones were launched, the two corellian freighters took off from the cruiser as well and connected to each other so that the Ghost would lead, to Han’s greatest disappointment.

“Okay, now that you trapped us on this flying trap, where are we going?” the smuggler asked when they all gathered in the cockpit.

Ignoring Hera’s smugly grin, Ezra answered the question. “The planet we’re looking for is actually not on the star maps.” he said, drawing confused eyes. “We’ll need these two.” he added, reaching for one of his pockets and taking out two shards of Kanan’s holocron for all to see.

“What is that?” Gozo asked with curiosity as she inspected the trinkets.

“What is left of my Master’s holocron. It’s a device that both Jedi and Sith used to store knowledge, mainly. Occasionally they can have other functions, as well.”

“Uh...sounds like a prothean beacon.” Ezra heard the woman mumble, but he had no idea what she was talking about.

“I thought both you holocrons had gone to pieces.” Zeb said.

“Yes, and while most of the information stored is now lost, they are still working. It’s by using the shards of both the Jedi and Sith holocron that I found Master Kenobi the first time, remember?”

Zeb mumbled affirmatively.

Ezra turned toward Hera, who gladly stood up from the pilot chair and allowed Ezra to take the place.

Keeping the shards in his right hand’s palm, the Jedi Knight made a deep breath and closed his eyes. It didn’t take more than a few seconds before the pieces of the holocron started to lighten up of blue and hum softly as they started to levitate slightly above Ezra’s hand. The young man then started to turn the controls slowly until the Ghost was aligned toward the direction he was envisioning.

“Chopper, remove the safe from the hyperdrive.” he ordered as he kept his eyes shut.

The astromech bopped a skeptical remark, but obeyed nonetheless. Plugging into the socket and doing what Ezra asked.

“Jinx, get the controls.” he added, lighting up his omni-tool and letting the AI take over.

“Ready on your mark.” the construct replied a second later.

Using the neural-transmitters, Ezra gave the command and Jinx pushed the Ghost and the Falcon into hyperspace.

“It should take an hour or so.” he calmly stated as he kept focused on the trip ahead. “Feel free to spend your time however you want.”

Sabine smirked and stood up from her seat, gesturing for the other to leave. “Come on, people. Let’s leave this to the professional.” she quipped.

Not wanting to distract a man driving their ships on a hyperdrive without brakes, everybody agreed and calmly left the room, deciding to spend their time with a game of dejarik , reading holo-novels, or, in the case of Luke and Leia, meditating.

The situation of the twins was still quite peculiar: Leia had been revealed only to a select few to be a Force sensitive, also Ezra and Jaral had decided to keep the parenthood of the Skywalkers a secret. This was because the Sith would focus on the young man, who was learning much faster than Leia, and because the Princess was still a very important political figure in the Rebel Alliance, now New Republic, and so it made sense not to draw even more unwanted attentions on her.

An hour passed quickly, until Chopper informed Hera that they had just left hyperspace. Everybody returned to the cockpit, where Ezra had just put away the shards of the holocron and they noticed that the ships had come out in front of a planet covered almost entirely by jungles and forests.

Moved by curiosity, Sabine checked the star maps, only to find out that the computer had no idea where they were, though it had mapped the route taken for the trip. “You were right. It doesn’t appear on the charts.” she said.

“Ezra, why did you bring us here?” Hera asked with suspicion.

Ezra simply stood up and watched at the planet outside of the cockpit. “I’m not sure. But the holocron guided us here. Jinx, make a scan of the planet.”

The scanner’s console beeped for a few seconds, then Jinx gave his report while showing some images taken from the orbit.

“Ezra, there seem to be a ruined city and a solitary structure in the forest, both of them in the southern hemisphere. They both look very ancient.”

“How much?”

“I’m crossing the scanning with the Andromeda Codex. The city’s pattern follows the standards of around 1100 years ago. The Republic Dark Age. Which means that the isolated structure is most likely an old Jedi temple.”

The others in the room were quite confused. All except Leia, who clearly had an education about the History of the galaxy, and Ezra, who didn’t know the subject, but he had already figured out that the holocrons were pointing him to something connected to the Force.

“How can you deduce that?” Gozo asked with curiosity.

“The Republic Dark Age was a period spanning from 1100 to 1000 years ago and it was only the last century of what the historians of the Old Republic called ‘The New Sith Wars.’ At that time, the Republic state had almost entirely collapsed, and the Jedi ruled most of its worlds to protect them from the Sith. This planet is probably one of those.” the AI narrated.

“How do you know all of this?” Han asked puzzled. “The Empire has canceled any historical record predating the Clone Wars.”

“Officially, yes. But there were secret archives that had been hidden from the Empire since the end of the Republic. Mainly on Mon Cala and Lianna. After the liberation of these territories, the Federation has helped intellectuals here in Andromeda to put together the Andromeda Codex, which also includes the history of the galaxy and is being updated daily.”

“I never heard of it.” Zeb said.

“Well, history classes are not a priority for the New Republic in this period.” Ezra replied. “But yes, the Federation has sent volunteers to help our people regain all the knowledge that the Empire wanted to eliminate.”

“That’s good and all, but what are we doing here?” Sabine asked confused.

Ezra looked at the screen again. “There is something in that temple. The holocron wanted us to come here. Me, Luke and Master Gozo will take the Phantom II and go check it out. Meanwhile, you guys go into the city and see if you can find any star maps of the sector. Plus, I want you to see if that city might be recovered for use.”

“You want to establish a base here?” Hera asked.

Ezra shook his head. “No. We know we have a Force-sensitive tailing me and Luke, so I don’t want to risk leading the Empire to the temple. However, this place is not signed on regular charts, so other rebel cells, or refugees, might use this as a haven from the Empire.”

“Uh.” Leia mumbled with interest. “And if we find old star maps, we might find more worlds like this in the region. Creating a network of bases that we can use to resupply and hit the Empire where it hurts.”

“Exactly.” said Ezra. “Though I would like to prioritize the safety of the refugees over military considerations.”

“I suggest we focus on one problem at a time. We need to get down the surface, first.” Gozo interrupted.

Ezra nodded, then motioned Luke to follow him, with the federal psionic Master following them into the Phantom II. As modified transport detached from the Ghost, the Falcon did the same, and while the freighters headed for the city, finding a space large enough to land, Ezra brought the Phantom down onto a clearing in front of the temple’s entrance.

With a bit of excitement for various reasons, the three Force-wielders stepped out of the shuttle and reached the entrance, which wasn’t that big, actually: it was just a small square structure with a pointy roof. Most of it was also covered by plants, which also came from the fractures between the stone bricks.

Still, Ezra could clearly sense that there was much more hiding behind that door.

“All right, let’s do this.” Luke said quite enthusiastically and walked forward.

Ezra’s mind couldn’t help but smile. Seeing Luke was like a carbon copy of his own enthusiastic approach to the Force, years before. It only seemed weird that he was just a couple days older than the young Skywalker.

The Jedi Knight, however, didn’t move. Gozo was about to ask him what he was waiting for, but Ezra raised a hand to have her wait a second, until Luke reached the door and tried to push it open. Failing, of course. He tried a couple times more, pushing harder, but it didn’t budge.

Then the young Padawan lightly slapped his own forehead. “Damn. How could I be this stupid?”

“It’s by recognizing our own mistakes that we become less stupid, Luke.” Ezra both quipped and encouraged him. “You have to make the temple accept you.”

“The temple...thinks?” Gozo asked in disbelief. This was way more than whatever they had in the Milky Way regarding the Flux/Force.

“In a way.” Ezra replied.

“How am I supposed to open it?” Luke asked.

“I told you. You have to make the temple accept you. Listen to it.” the Knight calmly explained before sitting on the ground with his legs crossed and entering a meditative state.

Luke sighed and, much like Ezra did on Lothal, spent a few minutes walking around the entrance trying to see if there was a trick or something.

After listening to the speech given by Bridger and Mothma, thus assisting to the creation of the self-proclaimed New Republic, Iulius shut off the recording and headed on the command bridge.

“Ree, give me the last updates.” he ordered bluntly as he stopped in front of the holotable.

“Yes, sir.” the young woman dutifully replied and brought up the new galaxy map, roughly colored to show which systems were still controlled by the Empire and which had fallen to the enemy. Then she started with the report. “The planet of Trogan is not expected to last much longer. Though the Federation has offered a temporary ceasefire to allow non-combatants to leave the capital before their assault.”

“Did the local commander accept?”

“Yes, sir. As you instructed, our transports are already evacuating the civilians to Centares before the ceasefire runs out.”

“Good. What about Taris?”

“Their planetary shield is still holding, but the real problem is that they’re running out of food. The siege has been going on for a month, and Taris doesn’t produce nearly enough food to sustain itself.”

“How long before they all starve to death?”

A bit shaken by the coldness of that question, the Lieutenant-Commander still brought up the statistics.

“Even prioritizing the military and other key personnel, there are already reports of people dying on the streets. If the mandalorians don’t kill them, it’s highly probable that the population will revolt and surrender.”

“The mandalorians wouldn’t be kind to them, but you’re right. We can’t afford that risk.”

“So, what do we do?”

“For now...call Doctor Kimovir.” Iulius replied before heading into the comm room.

The Grand Admiral reached the holo-projector and had to wait only a few seconds before the hologram of the old scientist appeared in front of him, making a polite bow.

“Greetings, Lixoriom. How may I serve you?”

“Good to see you, Doctor Kimovir. I need to ask about the state of the ‘Soul-stealer’ weapon.”

“Ah, just in time. We believe we have reached a breakthrough. In 36 standard hours we will test the weapon and then begin the production for the Dark Troopers.”

“Excellent. Inform me of the results the second the weapon is ready. Right now it’s our utmost priority.”

“As you wish, Lixoriom.” Kimovir replied with another reverential bow of his head. “Can I help you with anything else?”

“Well, since I’m already calling you, how is the next phase of the Dark Troopers proceeding?”

“The data Sergeant Burke and his team gathered for the AIs is quite extensive, but the mechs are still at a very early stage. We’re trying to reverse-engineer some of the drones left by the Yavzakhs, but I wouldn’t expect major results before a year.”

Iulius made a nod of acquiescence. He didn’t like that news, but he knew that the Carunoans were working hardly to thank him for saving their civilization, so he only had to be patient.

“I see. Thank you for your time, Doctor. Have a nice day.”

“May you live long and healthy, Lixoriom.” the Doctor said before his hologram disappeared.

Iulius thus turned toward the operator sitting at his console in the room. “Get me Admiral Daala.”

“Yes, Grand Admiral.”

He only had to wait a handful of seconds before the hologram of the red-haired woman appeared.

“Grand Admiral. What can I do for you?”

“How is the production of the TIE Defender proceeding?”

“36 new fighters, for a total of 6 squadrons, are ready and stockpiled. We are just finishing training the last batch of pilots.”

“Send them to the 101^st as soon as they’re ready. Also, any progress on the production of our own AIs?”

“It’s a technology that surpasses whatever we have in this galaxy. However, I’d say we’re on a good 20% toward a total understanding of this synthetic mind.”

“I see. Keep working on it. We need this new weapon to counter the Federation.”

“As you wish, sir. Daala, out.”

With that out of the way, Iulius walked back on the bridge and went to take a look outside of the viewport. His battle group was now composed almost entirely of frigates, corvettes and light carriers, as they were going to be the pivotal part for what was about to come. His real objective: destroying the mandalorian fleet.

After inspecting the entrance three times, Luke finally realized that only his connection to the Force would allow him access to the Temple. He eventually stood a few steps away from the door and extended his arm, reaching into the Force. To Ezra’s delight, he managed to open it by his own, a sign of the latent power within the young Skywalker.

“Good job.” he complimented with the Padawan, who was sporting a small grin of satisfaction.

He and Gozo walked the stairs up, and just before they all entered the temple, the voice of Sabine reached his comlink.

“Specter-7, do you copy?”

Ezra lightened up his omni-tool and answered through it. “Go ahead, Specter-5.”

“We’ve taken a look through what seemed to be the administrative building of the city. We found some old maps as you predicted. They’re a bit damaged, but nothing we can’t recover on the Amerigo.”

“Excellent. Make another sweep. Make sure there aren’t dangerous animals around or similar, then mark the planet on our own maps.”

“Are you stalling us?” she quipped.

“Well...we have opened the temple only now.” he quipped back. “We might lose signal when we enter, so if you finish your sweep before we do our thing, come pick up the Phantom.”

“Understood. Just make sure you be there, as well, ok?”

“Promised.” and he closed the call. Then he walked inside the door, followed by Luke and Gozo.

As soon as they made a few meters inside, the decorated stone door fell close again.

“Don’t worry. It’s completely natural.” he said to Luke, who seemed suspicious. Gozo didn’t budge, instead she was looking at the walls, noticing that it was incredibly spartan.

“How was the temple on Lothal, compared to this, General?” she asked as they kept walking.

“You heard about the temple?” Ezra asked quite surprise.

“You don’t know that, but I am an avid learner of the History section of the Codex. But there isn’t much about the Jedi. So I was wondering if all your temples were built in such an ascetic way, or not.”

Ezra took a look at the insides himself. The light was filtering through small windows carved into the upper sides of the walls, while on Lothal it seemed to come from an inside source.

“The one on Lothal was quite unique, I think. If anything, because it was built inside one of the oval rocks.”

“I see. So this structure was probably built according to the emergency of the moment.”

“What do you mean?” Luke asked.

“During the Dark Age of the Republic, the Jedi were too busy protecting what was left of the Republic from the Sith, who seemed on the verge of total triumph. So it’s not surprising they were too busy fighting to care about interior designing.”

As she finished, they reached a big, circular room with a roof the shape of a cupola. Exactly in front of them there was a 4-m tall door and nothing else.

“Hey, look.” Gozo said, pointing at the floor, where there was a massive drawing on the stone, though she was unable to interpret it.

Ezra watched it for the sake of culture, but he already knew why the temple brought them here.

“Ok, let’s see what there is beyond this one.” Luke said as he approached the door. And, to his surprise, the big slab of rock started to rise on its own, leaving Luke dumbfounded.

“As I thought…” Ezra mumbled before talking to Luke. “You’ll have to proceed on your own, Luke.”

“What?” he asked with surprise.

“The Force brought us here so you could face your first trial. The Temple will judge whether you have the resolve to become a Jedi, or not.” the Knight explained.

Luke looked beyond the door first, which seemed to be surrounded by a fog that prevented him to see what was on the other side of the threshold, then he seemed to understand. “Like you told me you did on Lothal. When you got your kyber crystal.”

Ezra made a positive nod and looked at his friend with a reassuring smile.

Luke took a breather and looked at the fog. “I’m ready.”

“Go then. I’ll be waiting here.” Ezra reassured.

The Padawan smiled at his fellow student of the Force and headed toward the fog without hesitation, crossing it and vanishing before the door slowly closed down, grinding loudly against the walls.

Ezra then turned toward his right and went to touch a small section of the wall, from where he was hearing a clear humming chanting into his mind. He quickly discovered that there was a hidden door, which could be open only with the Force. But instead of doing this himself, he decided to let the psionic in the room to do it. Gozo apparently had sensed the presence of that door as well, because she had walked in that direction more or less with him, and when the Knight gently gestured for her to try, the Master of the Ordo Quaeris gladly stepped forward, removed the hoodie and the mask of her N7 ‘Fury’ suit and touched the wall, closing her eyes to focus. She only took ten seconds to unlock the door, which impressed Ezra.

“Something tells me there might be an archive down there.” Gozo said. “You’re coming with?”

“I have promised Luke to wait here.” Ezra reminded politely.

“Right.” she replied with an understanding tone. “I’ll try to be quick.”

“Have fun.” Ezra quipped. The woman chuckled, hanged her mask at her belt and walked into the narrow corridor, leaving the door open.

As for the Knight, he went back at the center of the room, faced the direction of the door and knelt down to meditate. As he closed his eyes, he quickly reached a transcendental state and he felt like he was sitting in a completely dark room, with only his body being illuminated.

“This sure brings back memories, uh?”

Ezra smiled. He opened his eyes, though he didn’t need them to see the ghost of his Master meditating beside him.

“I didn’t have a lightsaber with me when I entered the trial.”

“He’ll find out that he won’t need it anyway.” Kanan quipped.

Ezra chuckled and closed his eyes again. “Truth be told, I’m a bit scared of what will come next.”

“How so?”

“I’m almost done teaching what little I know about the Jedi way. If...no, when he will walk out of that door, we will be back to be both learners in an ocean of mysteries.”

“Ezra, even the greatest Jedi in history have always been learners. I think only a handful of beings in the universe can have a comprehensive understanding of the Force.” his Master reassured.

“I appreciate the encouragement.”

A brief silence followed, then Kanan spoke again, but in a more relaxed tone. “ How’s Hera? ”

“She misses you a lot. And she misses Jacen, even though she is too proud to admit it.” Ezra replied in a lighthearted voice.

Kanan chuckled. “ Of course. ”

So they spent some time talking of problems that seemed menial compared to the grand scheme of things, but Ezra had had very few moments to bring them up with everyone since he began the journey into the Trailing Sectors. Force knew how much he needed some time to reorganize his thoughts with another Jedi who understood how difficult it was to balance duty and personal problems when you are a powerful Force-sensitive.

“All right, time to go.” Kanan said at a certain point. Ezra didn’t know how long it had passed. “Be safe, Ezra.”

“See you, Kanan.” the Knight gently said, then his mind returned to the real world.

Ezra gave a quick look at the clock of his omni-tool and noticed that an hour-and-a-half had passed since Luke entered the door. And just at that moment, said door started to open.

The fog had disappeared, and when the stone lifted, Luke appeared with his his grayish jacket, smiling with satisfaction.

Ezra smiled back and stood up, ready to greet his friend when he walked in front of him and opened the palm of his right hand, showing a glowing green kyber crystal.

“Never doubted you for a second.” Ezra said, giving a light punch on Luke’s shoulder.

“It was all thanks to your training.”

Then they heard the sound of footsteps from afar, coming from the secondary corridor. They turned their gazes in that direction, and a few seconds later Gozo reappeared holding an object in her her right hand. Ezra needed a moment to discern it and his eyes widened in surprise.

“Hey, isn’t this one of those things?” she asked, showing it to an amazed Ezra.

“Yes. It’s a holocron.”

Luke’s eyes now widened as well. “Awesome. Who knows what we might discover from it?”

“We’ll find out on the Amerigo. Come on, the others are waiting for us.” Ezra concluded, prompting them to follow him.

They walked all the way back to the main entrance, who opened for them with the timing of an automatic one, and indeed, in the clear in front of the structure, the three found the Falcon and the Ghost , the crew of the latter having already recovered the Phantom II and waiting for them outside of the ships.

The Force-wielders walked outside, letting the door close itself again. Luke stopped to give one last look at that place before following his mentor. After that, the group hopped on the ships and they left the planet, heading back to the Amerigo .

March 31.

It felt good for Jaral to be finally back on the strategic room of the Constantinople . It felt even better to have her father around.

After spending a week with the endless protocols of diplomacy, the Grand Marshall of the New Republic found incredibly relaxing working again on the military. Especially because the proclamation of the new nation meant that a recruitment system among the population of the over 200 civilized systems that were part of it had been set up, and thousands of new recruits were flowing into the Army and Navy every day. This meant that the industry had to be adapted as well. Lianna was the main center of production for both branches, though the capital ships were still commissioned to Mon Cala. The weaponry and uniforms were being standardized and a new command structure for all the various nations forming the UACT had to be established.

In short, there was much work to do, and she took it on with her usual energy.

Now, though, Bo-Katan had asked for a quick audience with her, so she and Darvos were waiting in the comm room of the frigate. Unfortunately, the allied intelligence had already given them the reason why the Mand’alor was calling them: the Empire was counter-attacking along the Hydian Way, and Iulius was in command.

“What’s the situation, so?” she asked.

“For now, there had been only small skirmishes, but the mandalorians confirmed that the Empire is employing TIE Defenders and…” he tapped his omni-tool, bringing up a small hologram of a new type of TIE. “These.”

Jaral observed it, but didn’t recognize that strange model, which had three wings pointing forward. “What is this?”

“According to the intel given by Qathora, it’s called ‘TIE Phantom’. She doesn’t know where they are produced, but we know that they have a stealth mode that hides them from any type of sensor.” he explained before shutting off the omni-tool.

“A stealth TIE that can also fly into hyperspace? What next?” she asked sarcastically as she leaned against the wall behind her.

“Not to mention the Legionnaire-killing soldiers your father met on Felucia.” Darvos added, making Jaral sigh.

“Right…”

A short silence fell before Darvos turned his body to face his wife and seemed prepared to say something very important.

“Listen...I’ve thought about the matter of us having a child.” he said with calm tone.

Jaral’s attention was completely drawn toward him, so he proceeded. “I want it. Truly.”

“You...are you sure?” she asked in surprise.

The Captain nodded firmly. “I am.” and took one of her hands in his own. “I want to bring something good into this universe, for once.” he said with a smile, and his wife returned it before hugging him gently.

They stayed like that for a while, just enjoying the pleasant sensation that taking such a decision brought them. Until the console of the holo-projector started beeping. They separated and, after polishing herself a bit, Jaral went to take the call.

The hologram of Bo-Katan appeared. “ Greetings, Grand Marshall Bridger. ”

“Lady Kryze.” Jaral greeted back. “What do I owe the pleasure?”

“I won’t take you too much of your time. I thought it was only honest, as an ally, to inform you that I’ve ordered my fleet to gather for a decisive battle over Taris.”

Jaral nodded. “I see. You are aware that Grand Admiral Tanis is leading this imperial fleet, right?”

“I am. However, our fleet has been greatly expanded in the last month. We’ll find a way to defeat him.”

“I see. Can we help you in any way?”

“Keep hitting the Empire hard while we distract their best leader.” was all Bo-Katan said. “It’s probable that in the next few days, I won’t be able to reach you, so every communication between Mandalore and the New Republic will pass through my Ambassador, Count Wren.”

“I see. Then I can only wish you good luck.”

“No need for luck. We got the guns.” the mandalorian concluded before saying goodbye and closing the transmission.

Jaral headed back into the strategic room, followed by Darvos, and they were both skeptic regarding Bo’s request. “Can we actually go against the Empire, yet?” she asked.

Darvos shook his head. “Right now we’re relying on the militia to hold the line while the Armed Forces reorganize. We don’t have the men nor the firepower to do anything that could bother Iulius.”

The Grand Marshall accepted that statement and leaned against the table, using one of the keyboards to open the latest reports so she could go back to work.

Chapter Text

April 4.

All ships were operative. Weapons loaded. The Rogue Shadow was ready with the boarding party. The new TIE Defender squadron s were traveling in hyperspace right next to the Admonitor , along with two new ships that he had commissioned months before: Two Procursator-class Star Destroyers, but with Ion cannons instead of the traditional turbolaser turrets aligned in the center of the bow. They were the first two of the ‘Shieldbreaker’ variant, designed to smash the energy defenses of enemy capital ships, which were going to play a key role in his plan to face the heavily armed mandalorian fleet.

“Sir.” Ciena reported next to him. “Lieutenant Kyrell just sent his scouting report.” and passed her datapad to Iulius.

From the images sent by the TIE Phantoms, Iulius saw the mandalorian fleet. It was clearly centered around their capital ship, the Keldabe , and while most of the force was made of frigates and corvettes, Iulius noticed quite alarmed that there were five Kandosii -class battleships. The mandalorians couldn’t have possibly built them so fast. Furthermore, the mandalorians had several Acclamator -class and Dreadnought-class cruisers within their ranks. Imperial models. Not to mention they would take a lot of manpower.

Where did they get that, considering that the warring clans had been severely reduced in numbers in the last 20 years?

“News from Agent Jade?” he asked, deciding to postpone the problem.

“She has infiltrated Taris and got in contact with the local commander.”

“Why not the Governor?”

“The Governor has apparently died in the first day of the siege. He shot himself.” Ciena bluntly reported.

That seemed too weird for Iulius, but there was no time to delve on it. So he went on. “So, is the hyper-velocity cannon on the surface still available?”

“Yes, sir. Luckily, it wasn’t damaged during the first bombardment and is now safe under the planetary shield.”

Iulius nodded. “Good.” and turned his head back to stare the blue tunnel, preparing his mind for what he expected to be a colossal battle, given the numbers fielded by both sides.

Ironically, though, this time the Empire had numerical inferiority: the 101 ^st was just the vanguard in the much more extensive operation that the Grand Admiral had planned to knock the Mandalorians out of the war, and the plan relied on a timetable scheduled down to the minute.

By the end of this day, he had to destroy the enemy capital ships for the first phase to be considered a success.

Probably sensing his nervousness, Qathora gripped his shoulder hard but not harshly. He turned his head toward her and she smiled. “We will make it, Grand Admiral.”

Iulius nodded, albeit a bit hesitantly. So Ciena also added an encouragement. “The entire fleet is with you, Grand Admiral. We know you will lead us to victory.”

“Thank you.” the Grand Admiral murmured before taking a breath with his nose and calming his nerves. Thousands of soldiers were putting their faith on him, and to honor it, he needed to get a hold of himself and be the cold, calculating commander that he had always been.

An alarm made a beep on the bridge and along all the ship.

“We’re leaving hyperspace in 30 seconds.” Nash reported loudly.

“All hands to battle stations.” Iulius calmly ordered and another siren resonated along the entire fleet. “Link with the Phantom squadrons to signal exit points.”

“Yes, sir.” an officer from the pit replied.

This was a new maneuver they had trained for in the last couple of weeks: setting the navicomputers to leave hyperspace just before they hit the planet’s gravitational field and then use the momentum to reach the coordinates that the TIE Phantoms had secretly sent. It was risky, but the training had shown that it was possible with enough practice.

In order to do so, Nash started to count loudly starting from 15, so the officers could regulate the power of the engines, calculate when to activate the brakes to stop the ship and all the various factors that would prevent the fleet from crashing against the mandalorian ships, or worse the planet.

“3...2...1...Engage!”

The tunnel disappeared and Taris appeared. It was quite distant, but Iulius saw it becoming much closer in the span of a single second. But as they stopped right over the orbit of the planet, with the mandalorian ships already in sight of the sensors, the other ships also made the risky jump flawlessly.

There was no time for compliments, however, because The Keldabe and its squadron was the first thing Iulius saw, even though in front of it there was a line of imperial models.

“Commander Grey. Engage those line cruisers. Aim for the launch bays.” the Grand Admiral immediately ordered to the leader of Titan Squadron.

“Copy that, Grand Admiral. All Defenders, on me.” the officer replied and the Defenders sprinted forward to exploit the advantage such a maneuver had given them: the mandalorian fighters were all in their hangars, because they predicted that they would have the time to launch them.

Such was the standard procedure for the defense in a space battle: the enemy capital ships would have to leave hyperspace at several thousands km, so the fighters stayed in the hangars in order to spare fuel, but the mandalorians didn’t expect such an opening move, and this gave the Defenders around two minutes to go on a killing spree.

“Tanis to all squads, engage at will.” the Grand Admiral ordered to the other Star Destroyers and their escorts.

“This is the Allecto, order received.”

“Eviscerator moving to engage.”

Other three naval squads confirmed, then the order came for all TIEs available to launch.

Meanwhile, the first strike of the Defenders turned out to be devastating. They followed the formation planned by Gray himself to the book: 4 squadrons opened the bombing runs with ion torpedoes, other 4 came right after with the proton bombs and missiles that demolished the launch bays, while the last squadron kept in reserve, ready to intercept possible enemy fighters.

That first strike destroyed the hangars of the Acclamators, thus taking out at least half of the fighters that were supposed to protect the Keldabe before they could take off. All while the battle started to rage and the formations started to drift away.

Only the Admonitor kept her escort close: the two Procursator , four Vindicator frigates, three Victory cruisers, a missile cruiser behind her and a swarm of fighters and interceptors ready for deployment on four Ton-Falke carriers. This formation was clearly pointing at the Keldabe and her escort of two Sabaoth frigates, the Kandosii battleships, Crusader patrol cruisers and five Jelgavi -class frigates.

“Grand Admiral, this Agent Jade, come in.” a voice spoke from the comlink.

“I read you, Agent Jade.” Iulius calmly ordered.

“The hyper-velocity cannon is ready to fire. Be advised that a minute must pass between every shot, and we’ll have to open a section of the planetary shield.”

“Understood. Link with the Admonitor, we’ll signal the targets.” he commanded, then he turned toward the pit on his right. “Bimsey, have you identified their commander?”

“Sir, it seems like the mandalorian leader, Bo-Katan Kryze, is not on the Keldabe. They’re answering to one Fenn Rau.”

“The leader of the Protectors.” Iulius mumbled as he turned back toward the viewport, watching the battle raging around a shipyard that had been turned into the mandalorian main base.

After analyzing the situation, he took the next decision. “Ree, order the 4 ^th skirmish group to leave hyperspace and reinforce the Allecto .” he said, pointing with a finger at the left flank of the imperial formation.

“Yes, sir.” she replied, typing the order on her datapad.

And as the new batch of frigates slipped into the battlefield, Iulius spotted his next objective: A Golan defense platform that the mandalorians had captured and were now using to protect their flagship.

“We need to open a path for the boarding party. Order the Eviscerator to pin down the enemy on our right flank. The Purifier and her squad move in to provide cover fire.”

The squads immediately moved according to the Grand Admiral’s orders. The main tactic for the imperial was to use two or three cruisers focusing fire on a single target while the frigates distracted the enemy ships. The Star Destroyers generally stayed in the back row, hitting the bigger ships from afar.

Though the battle was proceeding well, the imperials were suffering. Several line ships had already been destroyed, and the TIEs were struggling against the better fighters that the mandalorians could sport or bought from the Zann Consortium. Though losses were still into the predicted margin, Iulius knew that he had to keep the initiative, or the battle could end up being too costly.

A heated fight took place around the Golan , but the imperials eventually got the upper hand. At that point, one of the Sabaoth frigates dashed forward in order to attempt a last ditch effort to repel the Purifier .

“Aim the hyper-velocity cannon.” Iulius ordered as he saw the ship exposing her belly to the surface of the planet.

The order was quickly sent. After around ten seconds, a massive green bolt came from the surface.

The second it impacted with the ship, the vessel exploded with terrifying violence. So much, in fact, that nothing was left of it and even the Purifier was tilted a bit by the explosion. Nonetheless, the Golan was now open for the boarding party.

“Cody. Launch the attack.” Iulius ordered through the comlink of the Rogue Shadow.

“Order received, sir.” the old clone replied from behind his helmet, then turned toward Captain Eclipse. “Take us in.” he ordered before turning around to return into the cargo hold.

“Yes, sir.” Juno replied with a lighthearted tone. The Shadow was already flying, as she had followed the fleet and was now waiting with her cloaking device on, right next to the Corvus, which was supposed to bring additional troops when the squad of the Shadow would secure a landing zone.

The clone commander walked into the hold, finding the team that he would have to lead inside the space fortress: the Inferno Squad, first, but also the stormtrooper sergeant MK-4353, nicknamed “Mickey”, who in the last few months had distinguished himself for incredible bravery and a certain tactical acumen, so much that Cody decided to make him his second-in-command.

Then there was the Sith assassin, Galen Marek, codename “Starkiller”. Cody was still unsure what to think about him: he used to think that, after the Clone Wars, all the Force-sensitives in the galaxy had been wiped out. At least that was what the imperial propaganda proclaimed, but this had been proven false by his experience. Nonetheless, Starkiller had proven to be an effective warrior on the frontline, and now he was already in front of the airlock, eager to be the first to disembark and cut his way through the mandalorians with his two lightsabers.

Finally, there was a new squad of Dark Troopers. Burke’s team had already been sent back to Carunoia to help the development of the project, and so here were four new guys in that gray armor. Two of them carried the new weapon developed on their home-planet: the ‘Soul-stealer’. This weapons was developed from a Yavzakh weapon, specifically the one that was capable of firing gaseous bolts that could easily go through any solid surface and make a cover useless.

Now, Iulius hoped that this weapon would bypass the mandalorian armors, but the weapon needed to be tested first.

“Listen up.” Cody said, drawing the attention of the soldiers. “The moment we enter that station, we’re heading straight for the nearest hangar so we can get reinforcements, then our objective will be the control center. Remember: the mandos don’t take prisoner, so give no mercy and expect none.”

“Sir, yes, sir!” the Inferno and Mickey replied. The Dark Troopers simply said “Yes!” while Starkiller didn’t seem to bother.

“Hold on down there!” the voice of Juno cried out. “I’m taking you right into one of the hangars!”

“And what about the enemy batteries?” Cody asked confused.

“Please. As if those can be a problem.” the woman replied before increasing the power to the engines and the transport dashed forward.

They might have been invisible to radars, but when an operator on the station saw them with the regular visual sensors, a few of the batteries turned toward the Rogue Shadow and fired. Juno rotated the ship one way or the other, veering only slightly in order not to lose the approach vector with one of the upper hangars that she was aiming at.

The shields of the ship lasted enough to allow the approach, then Juno fired a salvo of missiles against the hangar, which was open as the last squadron of mandalorian fighters were taking off to join the battle.

A huge explosion rocked the inside of the hangars, blowing up virtually every starfighter that was still there and killing many mandalorians on the spot, but the hangar itself wasn’t too damaged. The survivors didn’t even have the time to stand back up that the Rogue Shadow barged into the structure. Eclipse quickly lowered the access ramp while still hovering over the surface, allowing Starkiller to be the first to jump out. The Assassin ignited his crimson sabers, which paired with his sinister armor probably shook the mandalorians. These, nonetheless, opened fire against him, but the Dark-sider easily parried their bolts and charged at them, allowing Cody and his team to disembark without any hindrance.

“Dark Troopers on the front! Everyone else, follow me.” he ordered, and the imperials immediately fell in order.

A second group of mandalorians arrived from the hallway leading to the center of the station to reinforce the defense, and Starkiller was still cutting down mandalorians on the other side of the room, so it was time for the Dark Troopers to test the new weapon. The two of them wielding the Soul-stealer rifles knelt down (as it was a very heavy weapon even for them), took aim and fired.

The bolts were not gaseous and they were much faster than those of the Yavzakhs. Two mandalorians were hit, and no sparks appeared on their breastplates. The two simply fell down like rag-dolls. Half of their internal organs had been vaporized instantly.

The remaining warriors watched in total confusion, and just at that moment Cody noticed something weird: among the enemies there were some who weren’t Humans and did not wear beskar armor.

“Open fire!” he ordered anyway, raising his E-22 blaster rifle himself and firing at one of those strangers.

The coordinated fire of the imperials, combined with the new weapons, quickly decimated the mandos and their allies, who fired back at the Dark Troopers only to find out that these had personal shields. Only two of them managed to run back behind the blast door, but they were only delaying the inevitable.

Starkiller had finished with his enemies and Cody ordered him to go slice the door opened, while Iden called in the Corvus to secure the hangar and the Rogue Shadow flew back outside, waiting for the next order.

The old clone and Mickey went to inspect the corpse of one of the aliens. He only had a light armor and weapons usually used by pirates. Strangely enough, Mickey found out no signs of his group.

“Cody to Admonitor.” the clone said into the comlink of his helmet.

“Go ahead, Commander.” Iulius replied.

“Be advised. We found non-mandalorians fighting with the enemy. Probably mercenaries.” Cody reported.

“Understood. Thanks for the intel. Proceed with the operation.”

“Yes, sir.”

The soldiers gathered behind Starkiller, who was about to finish his surgery on the blast door. He drew a circle large enough to allow even two Dark Troopers at a time to cross, but instead of simply letting it fall, he used the Force to shoot it with the force of of mass driver into the hallway. It turned out that the Dark-sider had felt another formation of enemies taking position in the hallway, and now most of them were ran over by the door, scattering their line. Starkiller barged in and started another massacre, which kept the mandos and their allies so occupied that the imperials, once again, entered with few enemies noticing them.

So the squad pressed their way toward the control room. If these were the mandalorians of the past with their much stronger armors, it would hardly be this easy, but this generation of mandalorians had payed for the extensive exploitation of beskar mines by their ancestors and their armors didn’t give much protection as the one more notable mandalorians had inherited from powerful ancestors: many of these recruits still had many parts of their bodies exposed and the armors were only partially imbued with beskar, so the blasters of the imperials could still kill them with relative ease.

Not only that, but Iden had a Seeker droid that regularly flew around the battle, hitting the mandos with electric discharges that only caused even more chaos among them.

In around ten minutes of fighting, the Empire had finally retaken control of the Golan fortress.

“Versio. Have your droid take control of the batteries.” Cody ordered as they finished clearing the control room of enemies.

“Droid. Hack it.” Iden ordered and the seeker droid left her shoulder to fly at the correspondent plug.

“Sir. The enemy battleships are moving in.” the sensor officer reported.

“Good. Prepare the hyper-velocity cannon again.” Iulius ordered.

Ciena sent the command, then spoke up. “Sir, we still have a skirmish squad in waiting. If we press on their right flank we might free up more ships to target their battleships.”

“Good call, Lieutenant-Commander. Make it so.”

Another squad of Vindicator, Lancer and Victory ships came out of hyperspace, engaging the formation that was tying down the Eviscerator, the Purifier and the Castigator. Especially, these squads were suffering heavy losses to their TIE contingents, as the mandalorians had sent in the Crusader patrol cruisers and had reinforced their own fighter squadrons.

Thanks to this jump, the new arrivals caught the mandalorians exactly at their backs. The Lancers quickly caused grave losses among the Fang fighters and the mandalorian ships tried to turn around so they could shoot to both sides, but it amounted to very little. The Sabaoth frigates, the strongest ships of the formation, were destroyed, and the remaining forces were forced to run for their lives, suffering even more casualties.

In response, the Kandosii headed straight toward the Admonitor .

“Tell the Procursators to fire a battleship each. Have our right flank’s Star Destroyers converge on our position, we’ll focus on one ship at a time.” the Grand Admiral calmly ordered.

“Yes, sir. You want the TIE Defenders, too?”

“Have them weaken the ship on the left.” he replied with a small nod toward the ship.

In quite the brutal way, the mandalorian battleships just headed at full speed, firing at any line cruiser of the Empire they found along the way.

It didn’t take long before they entered in contact with the Admonitor ’s squad. But as they did, Iulius ordered the Procursator Destroyers to open fire. Giant blue bolts, coming out of octuple ion turrets, flew toward the mandalorian battleships, hammering them with an immeasurable amount of electricity that overload their powerful shields in mere seconds.

And just at that time, the TIE Defenders came back to bomb the first Kandosii in her weak spots.

Still, the battleships were not going down without a fight. Their shields might go down and their engines might stutter under the constant barrage of ion blows, but their impressive arsenal of turrets was still operative and they returned fire, starting from the more fragile frigates.

One of the Vindicators was hit into the core by a kinetic blast and cracked in two, but at that point, the left Kandosii had been weakened enough by the precise strikes of the Defenders, and Iulius called in the second shot of the hyper-velocity cannon.

The battleship was completely exposed and pretty much standing in her place, so the shot hit her straight into the vital support system, also causing a chain reaction that blew up the engines and engulfed it in a storm of fire.

“All ships, focus fire on the second battleship. Fire all weapons.” Iulius ordered.

The Admonitor veered to face the second Kandosii , which was already withstanding the combined assault of three Star Destroyers. Deviating the energy of the engines toward the weapons, the turrets of the Admonitor fired at a much higher rate than usual, bombarding the face the Kandosii while the Victory cruisers hammered the turrets of the ship with their concussion missiles.

Both the Procursator Destroyers concentrated fire on the battleship, weakening it even more. Still, the ship was not going down easily.

“Grand Admiral.” the sensor officer reported from the pit. “Intercepted enemy transmission. Their leader, Rau, is taking off with a fighter squadron.”

“Good.” said Iulius. “Order Titan Squadron to engage that squadron and have Lieutenant Kyrell converge on them.”

“Yes, sir.” Ciena replied dutifully, though there was a faint hint of worry for the possible fate of her loved one.

Meanwhile, the Kandosii was firing back, and at a point, her kinetic weapons even managed to bypass the shields of the Castigator and penetrate her armor, making a magazine explode. The Star Destroyer survived the blow, but Iulius ordered them to disengage immediately. He couldn’t afford the risk of losing one of the most experienced ships in his fleet.

As the imperials dealt the final blow to the battleship, the duel between the TIE Defenders and the Protectors had already started and Iulius focused his attention to that. He had the comlink of the fighters linked to his post at the viewport and listened.

“They won’t last much longer.”

“Shields falling!”

“Titan-3 converge on Titan-2, we’ll crossfire them.”

Overall, it seemed like the fight was balanced, but the numerical superiority of the TIEs was winning them the day, as Fighters and Interceptors also converged to help the Defenders. The Fang fighters were agile, well-armored and the Protectors were some of the best mandalorian warriors existing. The heavy armament of the TIE Defender, however, made them look like they were made of paper; the shields of the Defenders saved their pilots more than once and their pilots were not greenhorns either.

“AV-547, this is Titan-1.” Iulius eventually heard.

“I’m listening.” Thane replied.

“I drew the attention of their leader.”

“Say no more.”

Iulius thus linked his screen with Kyrell’s helmet cam. His TIE Phantom was in stealth mode, with his two wingmen covering his flanks. As the best pilot of the group, Thane had the most important task at that moment: catch Fenn Rau off guard and shooting him down.

It wasn’t easy. He had to kill him with the first burst, or the Protector’s leader would not fall for such a trick a second time and he would probably just retreat, especially because he had already lost the Kandosii ships and the battle was turning against the mandalorians.

Iulius, though, was keen to obtain the maximum result possible. That’s why he instructed his pilots to act like this while Cody was reconquering the Golan .

He followed the action from the screen. Grey was veering left and right in a convincing attempt to shake off Rau, who was not letting him go. The Phantoms were still able to keep up with it, and Thane was being incredibly good at not letting the mandalorian leave the sight of his cockpit.

Eventually, the leader of Titan squadron managed to get in position and flew on a straight line, confident that the shields of the Defender could sustain the Fang ’s shots just long enough.

“Now, Lieutenant!”

Thane deactivated the stealth mode, allowing his weapons to receive energy once again. Rau probably noticed on the sensors and tried to fly away, but Thane opened fire.

One of the rotating wings of the Fang caught fire and detached. The mandalorian fighter span around a little, then exploded.

“Great shot, Lieutenant!” one of the pilots exclaimed, along with a cheer of many others.

Iulius smirked slightly. The battle was won. Now it was about mopping up.

“Tanis to all the 101^st. Let’s finish this. Bombers, destroy their flagship’s engines. All Star Destroyers converge on the Keldabe.” he ordered with a confident tone. A renewed energy seemed to move his crew, as well, and all the vessels of the fleet.

Quickly, the TIE Defenders and Bombers converged on the Keldabe right when she was trying to regroup with what was left of the mandalorian fleet to jump out of there. The rain of proton torpedoes quickly took out the engines, leaving the flagship to make a last stand.

What followed was no longer a battle, but a relentless onslaught. The imperial fleet chased the mandalorian ships out of the system. The Keldabe was destroyed after a relentless attack that costed a couple of line cruisers to the Empire, but that was it. As the flagship of Mandalore went down, the officers of the Admonitor started to cheer and applauded the Grand Admiral.

“Hail Iulius!” one of them screamed.

“Hail Iulius! Hail Iulius! Hail Iulius!” the others repeated in choir, celebrating the man who had just led them to a victory that, by all account, was nothing short than decisive: virtually the entire mandalorian fleet had been destroyed, while the Empire didn’t lose a single capital ship, despite a heavily armed opposition.

Iulius was flattered, sure, but he gently made a gesture with the hand to calm them down. As the cheering turned to a still excited silence, Iulius opened a channel so the entire fleet could hear him.

“This is Grand Admiral Tanis to all elements of the 101^st. Ladies and gentlemen.” he stated proudly. “Today you have made a great service to the Empire. The citizens of Taris will be forever in your debt, and in a single day you wiped out the forces of one of the fiercest civilizations in the galaxy. I am proud of you, and I’m grateful to command such extraordinary soldiers.” then he made a silent breather, and his tone turned more neutral. “However, at the cost of sounding cynical...we will not waste time with celebrations. Today we also lost many comrades.” he stated, and the positive energy on the bridge quickly subsided. “It’s imperative that we ensure their sacrifice...was not in vain. We shall not rest until Mandalore lies in ruins and these savages will never, ever threaten the imperial peace again.

“I want a full status report of all squads in an hour. Make reparations where you can. In 12 hours we’re sailing again. Tanis, out.”

Without the need to hear his order, the officers went back to work. Iulius turned toward Ciena. “Ree, I want a loss count. Send it to my office as soon as you have it.”

Ciena clacked her heel. “Yes, sir.” she replied, allowing Iulius to walk toward away, heading toward the planet below to see what supplies he could find to refit his fleet.

“Any idea why your sister wants to talk to us right now?” Zeb asked to a grim-faced Ezra.

He shook his head. “No. But she is extremely disturbed, right now. Something bad has happened.”

The Amerigo was inspecting a sector next to the Triellus Trade Route, the hyperspace lane connecting the edge of the galaxy and that ran right next to Hutt Space.

Jaral had just contacted Ezra with the Force bond, asking him to break the radio silence and establish a connection with the New Republic’s Military Command on Lianna immediately. So, after taking the cruiser into empty space, where Ezra was confident that the Empire would not be able to disturb them, the Ghost crew gathered on the bridge, together with Captain Riccardi.

“We’re ready. Make the call.” Ezra instructed the operator of the table, who nodded and typed the command on the console.

The table beeped a couple times intermittently, as they waited for the call to be picked up.

Then, Jaral’s hologram appeared, facing Ezra.

Both of them where genuinely happy to finally see each other’s face, but that good sentiment was now constrained by extremely bad news.

“Hey, sis.” Ezra said with caution. “What’s going on?”

Jaral put her hands behind her back and prepared to deliver the bomb.

“Ten hours ago, the mandalorian fleet has been destroyed over Taris. Fenn Rau is dead.” she said with a heavy tone.

The team was taken aback by that sudden news. But predictably enough, the one who took it worst was Sabine.

“No. It must be a lie!” she said, barely holding her desire to yell.

“I didn’t want to believe it when I heard the HoloNet bragging about it.” Jaral intervened, then sighed. “But Bo-Katan confirmed it.”

Sabine stumbled backward a bit and Ezra went to put an arm around her shoulder before turning his head toward his sister.

“How did this happen?”

Jaral didn’t hesitate to reply. “ Iulius. That’s how. ”

Zeb snorted. “Of course.”

“Without the mandalorian fleet, Yavin will be exposed.” Hera commented.

Jaral nodded. “ Precisely. That’s why I’m calling you guys. ” she said, but hesitated to go forward. Ezra apparently had already figured what she was about to ask and nodded to her. After sighing, the Grand Marshall of the New Republic continued. “ I need the Ghost back here. We need to reorganize our defenses, Hera, and you are one of the few Generals we have. ”

“What about Mandalore?” Sabine asked, rebounding from her shock.

“I’m trying to put together a relief force, but I don’t know if we’ll get there in time. Sensors say that the Empire is amassing a huge fleet over Taris. I believe another invasion of Mandalorian Space is imminent and if Iulius leads it…” she didn’t have the courage to finish her prediction, but everybody understood that the situation looked extremely grim.

Nobody knew how to reply. Nobody except Ezra, who stepped forward and spoke without hesitation. “You heard her, guys. We just happen to be near the border. Take the Ghost and return to Lianna as soon as you can.”

The others looked at him with grieving eyes, but Ezra clearly meant those words as an order, and they respected him too much to complain.

Hera lowered her head. “We’ll go get ready.” she said with a bit of pain in her voice. Without saying anything else, Jaral closed the call.

And as she and Zeb left the room, Sabine didn’t seem that eager to comply.

Not wanting to make too much of a fuss, Ezra accompanied her out of the bridge and they headed all the way to the hangar, into the Silver Bullet .

As soon as they were alone, Sabine was boiling with anger, and she spat it out against Ezra. “You are not doing this.” she said.

“Doing what?” he asked patiently.

“You’re not setting me aside. I’m staying.”

“Sabine, this is not a matter of what you and I want, it’s about duty.”

“Well, you are my husband! My duty is with you!” she said in exasperation.

Ezra stepped forward and gently put his hands on her arms. “If Mandalore is lost, then you have to make sure your family and your people will be safe.”

“What about the ship?” she exclaimed, pointing at the interior of the Bullet. “How are you going to fly it on your own, uh?!”

Ezra shrugged. “Well, there are still Kallus, Rex...and Luke. That won’t be a problem.”

“But if we get back there, then will never come back to this ship!” she insisted. “I won’t be seeing you again!”

“You know that’s not true.” he replied gently, shifting a hand to his wife’s cheek as her eyes seemed about to bawl. “Because no matter what will happen, I will always be one with you.”

Unable to put her contrasting emotions into words, Sabine broke down and just hugged Ezra as tightly as she could. The Jedi returned the gesture kindly, using the Force to drain away her sadness and the pain that wasn’t simply given by the incoming separation, but especially from the news about her people.

For a few minutes, the young woman sulked into her husband’s chest as he did his best to comfort her, and eventually she calmed down. She only wanted to hold him as long as she could, because it didn’t take long before Hera called her on the wrist-pad.

“Sabine...we are ready.” she said with caution, knowing what was going on.

The mandalorian found the strength to detach from Ezra and replied. “I’m on my way.” she said as calmly as she could.

Ezra expected to be torn apart himself. But to his surprise, and perhaps a bit of pride, he wasn’t. He was willing to let her go and not let their attachment for each other to overcome him with fear. And so, he had just achieved one of the first teachings of his Master.

“Just promise me that you will come back to me.” Sabine said finally with a determined voice and a stern glare.

Ezra chuckled, but replied with all his heart. “Always.”

Then the two kissed. One last time before destiny separated them for an undefined amount of time.

After they separated, Sabine lowered her gaze and ran out of the ramp. Ezra walked outside and looked at her run toward the Ghost . Just at that time, the rest of the crew showed up after they heard the news.

Chapter Text

April 7.

With the Federation still pushing down the Perlimian Trade Route, it was up to the New Republic to try and bring a relief force to defend Mandalore from the imminent imperial assault. The allied intelligence had already reported the ongoing invasion of mandalorian space. What little of their fleet had survived the disaster at Taris was trying to hinder the enemy advance with hit-and-run tactics, but they were barely making a dent in their supply lines and certainly enough, Iulius was not batting an eye in front of these small hindrances.

Reports were flooding from Mandalore to the UACT command, asking for immediate assistance in defending the systems of Kalevala, Ordo and Zanbar, as they were the only line of defense before the homeworld of the mandalorians, aside from Krownest and a few other worlds along the way that the Clans were using as airbases. Seeing the desperate situation, Alrich had already started requesting permission to the New Republic to set up refugee camps, as he had convinced Bo-Katan to at least let the non-combatants flee the system before it was too late. The first transports full of civilians had arrived just two days before. Lothal, already hosting a colony on its surface, had already offered to welcome some of these civilians.

That said, the fortresses on the three worlds would hardly resist much longer in front of such a relentless assault. Not to mention, the Empire didn’t just destroy the fleet, but most of the mandalorian army over Taris.

As Jaral could do little but acknowledge the bleak situation, the door opened, letting the Ghost crew into the strategic room. The Grand Marshall walked up to meet them.

“It’s good to see you again, guys. Despite everything going on.”

Hera gave her a quick and heartfelt hug. “It’s good to see you too, dear.”

Then the Jedi turned to see Sabine, who had a very apprehensive face.

Words were superfluous at the moment. Jaral knew that her sister-in-law was coping with a double pain: the news of her homeworld about to be reconquered by the Empire, and having to leave the most important person of her life behind. So she didn’t say anything as she embraced the mandalorian, who returned the hug, clenching her fists on her friend’s jacket.

When they separated, Jaral accompanied them around the holo-table, where Darvos, Undir and Jordan were already waiting.

“Let’s be straight.” Zeb started. “How bad is it?”

Undir pushed a button, making holograms of what little was left of the mandalorian ships appear on the table. “The Mandalorians lost the Keldabe, all the Kandosii battleships and pretty much all of their cruisers. The mercenary they hired had been almost entirely wiped out and the rest deserted. The leader of the Protectors is dead, and with him the best pilots of the Clans.” he reported. “The imperial forces are amassing over Taris to finish the job.”

“How did this happen?” Sabine asked, still unable to believe how such a powerful navy, in the hands of her own people, a warrior people, could be destroyed in a single day.

Undir pushed another button and the hologram of a Procursator appeared. “According to the records sent us by the survivors of Taris, Grand Admiral Tanis has deployed this new class of Star Destroyers, armed with heavy ion cannons. They left the battleships completely vulnerable to the fire of the imperial major cruisers and to the TIE Defenders. Finally, the imperials outsmarted Fenn Rau with a clever use of the Defender and their stealth fighters.”

“A stealth fighter?” Hera asked puzzled, then she was shown a model of the TIE Phantom.

“According to our new Fulcrum agent, Iulius has set up a new research facility somewhere in Wild Space.” Darvos explained. “He’s developing all kind of toys, and it’s a problem.”

“Another Fulcrum?” Sabine asked. “Who is it?”

After hearing a quick recap about Qathora, Hera hummed in suspicion. “Are you sure we can trust her?”

“I always kept my senses on her.” Jaral said calmly. “Her intentions are sincere. Problem is whether she is really good at hiding her emotions, or if Iulius is manipulating her completely.”

“Okay, but let’s just focus on the matter at hand.” Jordan intervened. “How long will it take before the Empire reaches Mandalore? Our fleet is still gathering.”

“We’re waiting for a report from Moreena and the Rangers.” Jaral just finished to say, then said call arrived on her omni-tool. “Mo?”

“I’m here. Jari, it’s complete chaos here. There are reports that Gargon has just fallen.”

“Gargon? Already?” Sabine asked shocked.

“It appears the imperials didn’t even bother to conquer the surface. They blazed up an entire continent from orbit to deal with the defenses.”

“He needs a lot of supplies, though. Does he intend to rely solely on Taris?” Hera asked.

“I doubt my brother hasn’t considered that issue.” Darvos said grimly. “He’s just heading straight over Mandalore.”

“And from Gargon, how long will it take?” Jaral asked.

Darvos made ran the simulations on the computer, which brought up a map of mandalorian space and the vectors of the imperial offensive appeared, pointing at the homeworld of the mandalorians.

“Two rotations at most.” he replied.

Silence fell. Even during his attempt to take Lianna, Iulius took weeks to move from a planet to another, even if they were on a major hyperspace lane, where moving fleets and supplies is extremely easy. But now he was carrying out a lightning war, and the Coalition was not ready for it. Now it was up to Jaral to decide what to do.

After reflecting briefly, she talked to the omni-tool. “Mo. Help the mandos shore up some defenses and with the evacuation of civilians.”

“Yes ma’am.” and she went offline.

“The situation is problematic.” Undir said. “The Republic fleet will be unable to provide significant backup if the Empire reaches the target so quickly.”

“I know.” Jaral said. “That is why we’ll have to change our plans and focus on evacuating the planet.”

After a moment of astonishment, Sabine asked “Excuse me?”

“If we can’t save the planet, at least we can avoid a genocide.” the Grand Marshall replied before turning toward her husband. “Call Command and tell them to send all the transports they can get. Then order Admiral Ackbar to set course for Mandalore in 24 hours, no matter how little the fleet is.”

Darvos nodded and headed into the comm room.

“Dad, set a course for Mandalore. We’re leaving immediately.”

Jordan nodded as well and headed to the galaxy map.

With that settled, the Grand Marshall invited his friends to deck 3, so they could talk about the situation in the Trailing Sectors.

“How’s Ezra doing?” she asked once they were in the observatory.

Hera huffed in a nostalgic way. “He’s barely recognizable from the kid he was just a few years back. He is a true leader now.”

“Yeah.” Zeb added. “More like he’s not a kid anymore. He has made quite a number of feats while we were with him. I think the mission is in good hands, with him.”

“What about Luke and Leia?”

“He has spent more time with Luke, actually.” Sabine answered. “Everybody knows that Leia is a Force-sensitive as well, but honestly she doesn’t seem all that interested.”

“It’s not a bad thing. Me and Ezra had already agreed to hide the fact that they are twins, so the Sith will only focus on Luke and we keep Leia as a reserve, if the worst happens.”

“You planned for everything, uh?” the Lasat quipped.

“The Emperor plays the long game, so we must do the same.” was Jaral’s reply before turning her head toward her sister-in-law. “How are you feeling, Sabine?”

The young woman feigned ignorance. “What do you mean?”

“You know what I mean. Between leaving Ezra and with the grim prospects for Mandalore...how are you coping?”

The young woman turned her head toward the window and slowly walked to lean against the rail, staring outside in the void of space before sighing and reply. “I’m honestly more amazed at the fact that, whenever we split up, I’m the crybaby and Ezra is capable of accepting it so easily.”

Jaral walked next to her. “You may thank Kanan for that.” she quipped. “He taught him well, that a Jedi must always do what is better for the whole, and not let his attachments interfere with his decisions.”

“That just means that he will make us all proud.” Hera said gently. “So let’s do our best here just like he’s doing.”

“Damn straight.” Zeb commented. “Come on. Let’s see if the people here needs some help.”

April 9.

“Windrider, how long before we reach Mandalore?”

“12 minutes and 32 seconds, Grand Admiral.”

“Thank you. Lieutenant-Commander Ree, oversee the bridge. I need to talk with Agent Marek and Agent Jade.”

“Yes, sir!”

Iulius left the bridge, followed by Qathora, and headed toward the meditation chamber he had set up for the two Force adepts on his ship. Along the way, a trooper confirmed that Marek was in there, and Mara was also seen going that way, so she was probably in her quarters. After around five minutes, they were both in front of him.

“I believe it’s time for you two to know what your objective is, for this battle.”

“We’re listening.” Mara said.

The Grand Admiral nodded to Qathora, who took out a holo-projector and showed them the profile of one specific mandalorian.

“This is Bo-Katan Kryze. Right now she’s the recognized leader of the united clans of Mandalore and is in possession of a rare artifact called the Darksaber.”

“I thought it was lost after the Clone Wars.” Mara commented surprised.

“It was. But more than a year ago, the Bridgers found it, and handed it to their companion Sabine Wren, who passed it to Bo-Katan.”

“The Darksaber is supposed to be won in single combat.” Galen suddenly spoke. “Why did the other clans accept such an arrangement?”

“We don’t know.” Iulius calmly replied. “But they nonetheless accepted the passage. So, as long as she has it, the mandalorians have a leader to rally around.”

“And you want us to kill her?”

“No.” Iulius calmly said, drawing surprised gazes. “I don’t want to simply defeat the mandalorians. I want to humble them. To make sure that they won’t be a hindrance for the Empire for the next 2000 years, at the very least. I want you two to find her. Then we will corner her and her retinue. At which point I will reach you.”

“I beg your pardon, Grand Admiral…” Mara said. “but I’m confused about your intentions.”

“Come on, Agent Jade. You wouldn’t want me to spoil the surprise, right?” the Grand Admiral said ironically. “Just follow my instructions. After the first assault on the capital will crush their defenses, you will use the chaos to infiltrate the enemy lines, and find the locations of Lady Kryze. That will be all.”

After saying that, Iulius walked past them in order to walk back to the bridge. The Dark-siders were still making questions in their heads, but they didn’t have much choice if not follow the man that their Lord and Master had ordered to serve as an extension of his own will.

Qathora didn’t speak during the walk, probably she already had an idea over what Iulius was planning to do.

When they reached the bridge again, it only took another three minutes for the Admonitor to leave hyperspace and find herself in front of the desert ball that was Mandalore. After taking a moment to read the scanners, the sensor officer spoke up.

“Grand Admiral, we detect only a small defense satellite grid of 12 platforms. Plus 20 frigates and we’re still determining how many fighters.”

As more Star Destroyers, corvettes, frigates and other capital ships of the 101^st kept raining out of hyperspace, Iulius couldn’t help but slightly shake his head as he saw the mandalorians assume a battle formation anyway. “One must really respect their tenacity.” then he turned his body to face Ciena. “Lieutenant-Commander Ree, you’re in charge. Take them out.”

“Yes s…!” Ciena started to reply before realizing what she was just asked. “Wait, what?”

“Well, I thought this might be an opportunity to assess your command & control skill. Imperial Command might agree to finally remove the ‘Lieutenant’ part from your rank.”

After a moment of stuttering, Ciena recomposed herself and stood at attention. “I won’t fail you, sir.”

“Show me, then.” Iulius replied, stepping back while inviting her to take the center of the bridge with an arm’s gesture.

Ciena thus took the center and quickly looked at the other officers in the pits, who didn’t seem disturbed in the slightest by the change. If anything, Nash gave her a thumbs up in the distance, to encourage her. The young woman recomposed herself and started to give orders.

“All hands to battle stations. Launch fighters in defensive formation.”

Everybody scrambled to do their jobs as the siren wailed all around the Star Destroyer.

Iulius turned toward Qathora and whispered. “Send the signal for Cody to bring the transports into the system.”

“You sure?” she asked back. “We don’t know how long this battle will take.”

“Oh, I estimate around...eight minutes.” the Grand Admiral replied as he gave an amused look at his second-in-command.

Surprising the Togruta, the battle lasted exactly that. With a skillful maneuvering, using the frigates to flank the mandalorians while the Star Destroyers and the TIE pinned them down, Ciena flawlessly defeated the enemy, forcing only a handful of survivors to head down to the surface.

“Excellent work, Lieutenant-Commander.” the Grand Admiral complimented as he stepped next to Ciena, who smiled proudly at him.

“Thank you, sir.” she said as she ceded the command position once again.

Iulius retook his position and pronounced his next order. “Order the squadron to position right above the region of Sundari and load the TIE Bombers with vacuum bombs. Meanwhile...point our cannons directly above the city.”

“Yes, Grand Admiral.” Ciena replied quite eagerly and turned around to instruct the officers.

“You want to bomb the city?” Qathora asked quite shocked.

“There is an armored cupola protecting it. We need to destroy it to allow Cody’s assault to succeed.”

“But...there are still thousands of civilians down there.” she argued.

“You said it yourself. Most of their non-combatants have already left the planet. These losses are regrettable, but if my plan goes accordingly, they will be spared a genocide.” Iulius calmly replied.

Qathora didn’t argue further. Perhaps she understood that Iulius had no pleasure in doing this. But they were on a race against time and they had to break Mandalore’s spirit before the New Republic sent reinforcements and transformed the whole affair into a bloody battle that Iulius could not risk.

Because, as much as the imperial propaganda liked to hide it, the Empire was not with the advantage anymore. The destruction of the Death Star had caused the loss of most of the experienced staff and of the most promising recruits, not to mention many had started to desert daily since the destruction of Alderaan. The Empire was still rebuilding its strength, and the 101 ^st was pretty much the most elite unit of the Navy.

In short: the Empire and the Coalition were on an even level, but the New Republic had had the time to formalize its new state and now had the means and the planets to streamline the production of ships and the training of troops. Iulius could not risk to lose his Star Destroyer in an open battle, because the 101 ^st was the only thing preventing the complete destruction of the Empire.

He could not afford to be gentle. Not anymore.

At that moment, Sundari was shrouded in the darkness of night. The moon of Concordia was shining wholly above the planet, but soon enough, the flames of destruction illuminated the surface, and they could be seen from the bridge of the Admonitor very clearly.

April 10.

“Admiral, Mandalore is under attack by the Empire.” the voice of Rut pronounced through the intercom, having Jaral fast-walking toward the cockpit.

“Do you see a way to land?”

“Negative, ma’am. The whole planet is on lockdown, you’ll have to take a dropship.”

“We can do better.” she replied, and put a finger on her ear piece. “Hera, prep the Ghost, you’re getting us down.”

“Copy that, boss.”

In the span of five minutes, the Specters were all aboard, along with the Legionnaires, Karg and Aun’Roi’Ka. They all gathered in the cockpit as Hera pushed the Ghost toward Mandalore, which was surrounded by Star Destroyers and explosions regularly flashed the surface all over the planet.

“Sabine. Did you manage to contact the Forge?” Jaral asked.

Sabine turned the co-pilot seat and replied. “Yes. My mother and Tristan are leading the defense, but they won’t hold out forever.”

“What is the Forge?” Zeb asked.

“It’s where the best armorers and engineers of Mandalore gather to create new weapons. The Keldabe was designed there. And there are much more blueprints that we can’t allow the Empire to have.”

“Bo-Katan has asked us to get there and either recover or erase everything. The projects might still be of use to the Coalition.” Jaral concluded.

“What if it’s too late?” Sabine asked, turning again to look at the planet, which was now closer and the explosions seemed bigger than before.

“Losses are inevitable in war. You have to set aside your empathy.” Roi’Ka suddenly sentenced.

The Tau wasn’t new to cold statements, but the way he delivered despite the ongoing tragedy either surprised or unsettled the other people, except for the Krogan.

“I hate to say this, Sabine, but he has a point. You need to focus on the task at hand, now.” Jordan added.

“It might be true.” Jaral intervened with a calm tone. “But that doesn’t mean that we have to renounce to compassion.”

“The enemy is counting exactly on our compassion to weaken us.” the Tau replied.

“Then let’s show them how wrong they are.” the Grand Marshall fearlessly replied. “Hera, take us down. Sabine, you’re coming down with the ground team. The Ghost will provide air cover.”

Everyone nodded, so Zeb sprinted out of the cockpit to go man the dorsal turret, Chopper plugged in to assist Hera during the flight, the rest of the group headed into the cargo hold, ready to disembark. The Ghost sped up over Sundari, whose armored cupola had collapsed under the intense bombardment that had occurred that night. Not only that, but all the villages surrounding the capital had been obliterated. In the distance, the allied could see columns of AT-ATs stomping their way into the center of the city. Bolts of yellow and red colors flew all around together with occasional rockets. As they got closer, they could also spot mandalorians and imperial jet-troopers flying around and shooting at each other. However, the endless devastation and trail of flames left by the walkers left little to the interpretation: the Empire was advancing.

Hera eventually found the coordinates of the Forge, which were at a lower level of the city, and brought the Ghost right next to the first line of the mandalorian defenders. As the ramp lowered, the sound of mortars welcomed the allies.

“Someone is going to pay for this.” Sabine hissed.

“Then let’s move it. We’re exposed up here!” Jaral ordered as she was the first to sprint outside, using a mountain of ruins to descend toward the barricade.

There, they met exactly the person they were looking for: Ursa Wren.

“Countess!” Jaral called, holding her lightsaber in her right hand.

The woman in armor turned around. “Grand Marshall Bridger...Sabine.”

“Mother. What’s the situation?”

“We are…”

A sudden, violent explosion at the barricade, which also sent two warriors flying, interrupted her. A rocket had opened a breach in the wall and a swarm of stormtroopers in their white armors started to flood in, firing wildly. Jaral ignited her lightsaber and charged forward while the allies reorganized. The sudden melee that the Jedi forced on the imperials caught them off-guard, and her skills alone turned out to be more than enough to fend off the stormtroopers long enough for her allies to counterattack and for Thabo to use his powers to plug the hole in the barricade.

“Looks like I owe another one, Bridger.” Ursa said once they regrouped.

“Mother, where is Tristan?” Sabine asked worried.

Ursa turned her head toward the rebuilt barricade and pointed one of her blasters in that direction. “He’s defending the Forge. I was ordered by the Mand’alor to take and hold this intersection, but when we dug in, the imperial dogs attacked and cut us off. I lost contact with Tristan almost an hour ago.”

In response, Jaral made a step and started to scan the general direction of the Forge with the Force, extending her left hand. A few seconds was all she needed to detect that there was still a fight going on there.

“Looks like the mandos there are resisting.” she said, then walked back to Ursa. “Countess, I promise, if Tristan is still there, we’ll see him out of there alive.”

“Thank you, Jaral Bridger.” Ursa replied with a nod of her head, then spoke to the whole group. “We have to stay here and protect this road to ensure the supplies to our frontline, so I can only wish you good luck.”

“We don’t need luck, Mother. We got the explosives.” Sabine replied with a mix of confidence and the rage that was still boiling in her blood.

“That’s the spirit, Sabine.” Ursa replied quite proudly. “Now you better go.”

The group thus climbed the barricade, with Jaral actually opening the line by simply jumping over it with both her muscles and the Force. Once they were all out of the fortified position, they advanced toward the Forge, which was a little less than a km away from them, though they had to fight their way among another wave of stormtroopers. This time though, help arrived almost unexpectedly when Moreena and her group of Rangers suddenly stroke at the rear of the imperials and then linked up with Jaral’s squad.

“Mo. Quite the timing.”

“I thought you could use some additional firepower to retake the Forge.”

“How’s the sitch?”

“Not good. The mandos won’t hold out forever.”

“Then let’s get to it.”

The small force then rushed to the help of their allies. The Forge was placed atop a set of stairs which were very steep, making them optimal defensive positions for an entrenched defender. In fact, there were the bodies of several imperials on the stairs, though they had already taken two of the three levels. However, after being attacked from behind, the troopers immediately pulled back to reorganize. Once the zone was clear, Jaral deactivated her lightsaber and went to greet the defenders.

“You must be Jaral Bridger.” one of the mandalorians at the barricade said. “Welcome to the Forge.”

“Thanks. But before we go in, is Tristan Wren here?”

“You may see it by yourself, Master Bridger.” a familiar voice replied.

Jaral turned her head slightly on her right and saw Tristan in his armor. Holding a pistol in his right hand...while his left arm was bandaged and tied to his neck.

“Tristan!” Sabine sprinted forward. “Who did this?” she then growled.

“Relax, sis.” the young man replied. “The responsible is now laying on the stairs with a burn through his eyes.”

“Good for you, lad.” Jordan intervened. “Now we better finish the job before they come back.”

Jaral turned around to speak to her team. “Jinx should be able to do the job fairly quickly. So, Dad, Sabine, with me. Everyone else shore up and hold the line while we recover the data.”

“We got you covered, ma’am.” Michalina said with enough enthusiasm, letting the trio walk into the door of the Forge while the fight around them resumed.

But when the door shut behind them, the atmosphere was strangely quiet.

“Shouldn’t there be someone guarding the central hub?” Jordan asked.

“Most of the brains have already been shipped out of the planet. They just didn’t have time to download everything on data tapes, that’s why we’re here.” Sabine explained.

“Still, I have a strange feeling.” Jaral whispered and adjusted the grip on her lightsaber, ready to ignite it. “Stay alert.”

It didn’t take long for them to reach the central database, even as the building shook a little because of explosives hitting the external. But as they entered, Jaral immediately took out her pistol and pointed it toward a figure in front of the main console.

“Freeze!” she intimated.

The strange figure slightly turned its head, revealing a biped being. He was a strange mixture of avian and reptile, he was green with a beak and had two, incredibly big and sharp blades attached underneath his arms.

In but a flash, the strange alien dived backward. Jaral fired a shot but missed him, and as the guy was still in the air he became invisible. Even the thermal scanner couldn’t get him.

“Oh, you think so?” Jaral mumbled as she closed her eyes and focused on using the Force. After two seconds, she confidently pointed the pistol a little bit to her left and fired a shot.

A growl of pain and a small spray of green blood came out. The alien suddenly reappeared.

“Jedi…” he mumbled before dashing away again with possibly more agility than before.

This time, all three of them fired on him, but the alien used his blades to parry the bolts that he couldn’t dodge while he made ridiculous jumps that brought him at a higher level and then into a pretty large maintenance corridor.

“Who the…?” Jordan said.

“See what he took. I’m going after him!” Jaral declared, jumping up.

“Be careful, Jari. That guy doesn’t seem a pushover.” her father loudly said before she followed the trail.

“Landing zone in sight. 20 seconds.” the pilot announced.

Iulius put on his helmet while the Death Troopers behind him loaded up their weapons. When the shuttle landed and the ramp was opened, the Grand Admiral found Starkiller waiting for him. He walked outside, followed by his escort. All he needed was a quick look at the Sith assassin to receive an answer.

“She’s holed up in the palace. All exits are blocked.”

“Good.” Iulius calmly replied and started walking in the direction of the building, escorted by Starkiller and passing through the orange-themed soldiers of the 212^th Attack Battalion, renamed like that by Cody.

It didn’t take long to reach the stairs of the ducal palace, completely occupied by the stormtroopers, with three AT-ATs keeping the entrances under watch.

“Grand Admiral.” Cody reported once Iulius walked in front of him.

“Status?”

“Bo-Katan Kryze has been confirmed to be inside the palace. She holed up in the throne room with a handful of warriors...and she’s wielding a strange lightsaber.”

“The Dark Troopers?”

“I sent them to wait in front of the door as you asked, sir.”

“Excellent work, Commander. Lock down this place and await for my return. Meanwhile, order all battalions to slow down the offensive. It’s useless to waste more lives, at this point.”

“Yes, sir.” the old clone replied and got to the comlink.

The two men instead walked inside. They passed through the battered corridors and halls of the palace, where corpses of both sides were littering the space, though the imperials were still rescuing their wounded. Eventually, they reached the access to the throne room. As he was told, the Grand Admiral found the Dark Troopers, two armed with the ‘Soul-stealer’, and also Mara.

“I can sense the Darksaber.” the woman murmured to her commander. “She’s really in there.”

Iulius made a quiet nod and everybody stood a bit aside, letting him alone in front of the door. After that, he took off his helmet and knocked, waiting for an answer. Shortly after, a holo-projector appeared from the side wall and Bo-Katan appeared. Her helmet was covering her face, but she was indeed holding the Darksaber with her right hand and a pistol in the other hand.

“Duchess Kryze, I suppose.” he started calmly.

“Grand Admiral Tanis.” she replied in quite a distasteful tone. “What do you want?”

“Isn’t it obvious? I’m offering you an opportunity.”

“To surrender?”

“To spare your people from a useless slaughter. Hand over the Darksaber and I will allow you, your retinue, and everyone else left on this barren rock a safe passage toward other systems, before I order my fleet to turn this planet to glass.”

Bo seemed to hesitate, so Iulius nonchalantly explained the alternative. “Or you can deny my request. I kill you and your retinue without even opening this door, and then I’ll turn your planet into glass at the next sundown.”

The Mand’alor scoffed. “ What are you? A Jedi? ”

“Oh, I don’t need sorcery to achieve my goal, Duchess. Only cold, factual science.” he paused for a second in order to give his foe the time to absorb those words. “So...what is your answer?”

Pissed off by what must have certainly sound like mockery to her, the Duchess ignited the Darksaber. “You already know my answer. ”

“I’m afraid I do.” Iulius simply replied, then made a step back, exiting the field of view of the holo-projector. Then he knelt down, turned his head toward one of the Dark Troopers on his right, and motioned him to give him the Soul-stealer.

The Trooper was confused for a second, for that weapon was very heavy. Then he realized that was the reason why Iulius knelt down, so he carefully passed it to the Grand Admiral. The latter was certainly caught a bit off-guard by the weight of the weapon, but even if he struggled a bit, he still managed to align it. After all, nobody was pressuring him.

He then leaned his head to look into the scope of the weapon. It was similar to a thermal visor, except that the silhouettes were much more dynamic and had bright colors according to the cardiac frequency of the living beings it detected. Thanks to that, he spotted Bo-Katan, waiting at the head of her followers with the Darksaber in hand and ready to slash whoever was going to get through that door.

He took aim and pulled the trigger.

The recoil was almost non-existent, to Iulius’ great surprise. But an even better surprise was to see the silhouette of the leader of the mandalorians suddenly make a small jolt, then collapse on the floor. Before Iulius turned away from the scope, he saw two warriors rushing to check on her.

He then returned the weapon to his soldier, and motioned the other trooper to get close.

“Finish them.” he calmly instructed once he stood up again.

The Dark Troopers aimed their weapons and fired repeatedly, swinging them left and right. From inside came the muffled gurgles of the mandalorians, who fell without ever realizing what was happening.

After silence had fallen, Iulius motioned for Starkiller to slice the door open, which he did quickly, presenting the Grand Admiral with a scene of death and desolation. But as first thing, he walked toward Bo-Katan’s body. On the floor, he saw the artifact that he wanted.

He bent a little and reached for the Darksaber, picking it up with his left hand. He inspected it for a few moments. In his mind, he had to admit, the quality of that hilt was admirable.

“Grand Admiral…”

Iulius snapped out and turned around, finding sergeant ‘Mickey’.

“All hostiles have been eliminated. Should we begin the retreat?”

“Yes, sergeant but first…” he turned again and spotted another projector. “First, I think the mandalorians deserve to know the truth.”

In the end, that mysterious alien had only stolen a single project for the database. Sabine and Jordan had still recovered the rest, including the project for a new battleship that the mandalorians wanted to propose to the New Republic in a joint industrial effort, but it seemed like only the rest of the Coalition would get to to realize it, now.

As such, Jaral could find a bit of consolation in that, since the alien had managed to disappear Force knew where. She regrouped with her family members and they headed back outside. There, to their surprise, the guns were silent. The Grand Marshall went on the barricade, next to Tristan (whose arm was partially healed thanks to the medi-gel) and Moreena, and saw that the imperials were retreating.

“Something is not right. Why are they running?” she asked.

“Maybe they understood who they were going against.” Karg gloated.

“Don’t be foolish, Urdnot.” Roi’Ka replied. “They could have easily overwhelmed us if they just insisted.”

“He’s right. I don’t like this, either.” Sabine added.

“People of Mandalore.” a voice echoed all around the city, and Jaral almost froze in place, because she recognized that voice.

A moment later, on every screen, every projector still working in Sundari, and presumably the whole planet, was projecting Iulius, wearing a black armor and only his head showing.

“I am Grand Admiral Iulius Tanis, of the 101^st Imperial Fleet. The same Fleet that, a week ago, wiped out your ships over Taris. And as of now, the force that has conquered your city. And your leader.”

Iulius lifted his left hand. Everybody was shocked when the Darksaber appeared into it.

“What…?” Tristan asked.

“No…!” Sabine whispered enraged.

“Your leader, Bo-Katan Kryze, is dead. Normally, I would just get back to orbit and erase any life form with a simple bombardment. However, I want to give you all a chance.

“Tomorrow, as soon as the sun will set over Sundari’s hemisphere, I will enact a Base-Delta-Zero. Until then, my fleet will allow you to leave the planet and seek refuge wherever you see fit.

“The age of Mandalore is over. In respect to your valor as warriors, I invite you not to waste your lives. That will be all.” and his image disappeared.

A brief silence followed. Some warriors fell on their knees, unable to process what they had just been told. Sabine was among them. Jaral could clearly perceive the mixture of negative emotions brewing into her friend’s heart, but she was the leader, and somehow she had to put her allies back on their feet.

She headed over to Sabine and gently lifted her up. “Come on, we need to get out of here. Dad, call the Countess and let’s regroup with the Ghost .”

Jordan nodded and tried to establish the connection.

“What’s the rush?” Sabine said menacingly. “I bet that imperial dog is still around. Let’s get him!”

“There is probably a battalion of the best imperial soldiers in the galaxy to defend him, Sabine. Get a grip.”

“He can’t be allowed to get away with the Darksaber!”

“Jaral is right, Sabine.” Tristan intervened. “We’re in no position to defy him now. Besides, before we reach the palace, he will probably be already back on his Star Destroyer.”

Sabine wanted to reply, but they were simply right. She could only grunt in frustration as she had to accept that the Darksaber, the legendary weapon that she had worked so hard to deliver back to her people, was being stolen again. And if that wasn’t enough, Bo-Katan was dead. Who was going to lead the mandalorians now?

“Uh, Jari?” Jordan said, then continued when his daughter turned toward him. “I can’t get a hold of the Countess. Maybe we should just go.”

Jordan said that inadvertently, but Jaral, Tristan and Sabine were caught by a terrible doubt. Without waiting, the two mandalorians jumped away with their jetpacks. Not wanting to leave them alone, Jaral materialized her own pack and followed them.

And as they reached the position where they started the mission, they found various dead bodies lined up by the survivors.

One of them, standing like a sore thumb because of the more elaborate armor, was Ursa Wren.

“Mother!” Sabine screamed, throwing away her own helmet. Tristan was a bit more delicate, but he rushed toward the body nonetheless.

But it was useless. Ursa was clearly dead for a while at that point. Her face was pale and the other warriors had already placed her helmet on her chest, joining the hands to hold the piece of armor.

One of the warriors cautiously approached Jaral, who was grieving in silence and leaving the siblings to cry on their own.

“What happened?” she asked.

The warrior sighed. “Shortly after you left, the imperials launched another assault with heavy artillery. Few of us survived the first salvo and the Countess was badly injured. She fought until she had the strength to do it.”

“I see.” Jaral murmured.

A strange feeling of cold in the distance attracted her gaze toward her left. Among the countless imperial transports evacuating their personnel, Jaral’s focus was on a specific Lambda -class shuttle.

She could only observe as the man responsible for all of this just flew away.

April 11.

“Sir, all air traffic over the planet has stopped two hours ago.” Ciena reported. “It’s safe to assume that everyone who wanted to leave, already did it.”

Iulius took another look outside. By now, the bulk of the attack fleet had caught up with the 101 ^st , and now there were at least 300 Star Destroyers and all their cruisers ready to erase everything from the surface of Mandalore.

“Understood, Lieutenant-Commander. Open a channel.” he calmly ordered.

Ciena tapped the command on the datapad. Iulius was now linked to all the ships.

He put a finger on the comlink.

“Grand Admiral Tanis to all squads.” for a second, he hesitated. He found this extremely distasteful. But then again, he had already done everything possible to spare as many innocents as he could, so he strengthened his resolve, and pronounced those three words with the most glacial tone he had ever mustered.

“Base...Delta...Zero.” and he released the grip on the button.

The octuple turrets of the Admonitor veered almost silently, in the void of space, as did the rest of the fleet.

And that night, Mandalore was set ablaze. The surface turned into molten fluid for the next millennia.

Chapter Text

As the surface of Mandalore was slowly turning into a sea of magma, Iulius decided he had watched long enough and walked away, preferring instead to inspect his new trophy.

“Maybe you should ask Mara for advice.” Qathora suggested.

“Maybe, but I’ve never seen her wield a single blade, so far.” the Grand Admiral replied nonchalantly as he kept his direction toward the hangar.

They reached the Rogue Shadow , which was undergoing maintenance by the technicians under Eclipse’s supervision, but she interrupted her shouting orders when she saw Iulius approaching.

“Grand Admiral!”

“Is Galen aboard?” he simply asked.

“Yes, sir. He’s training with PROXY.”

“Very well. Inform me when he concludes.” he calmly replied and was about to turn around when Eclipse extended a hand.

“Oh, come now, sir. I’ll just call him for you.” she said in a confident tone before grabbing the comlink.

Iulius wanted to stop her, knowing better than to irritate a Dark-sider, given his past experiences with them, but before he could do anything, Juno aggressively talked into the device.

“Hey, you moof! The Grand Admiral is looking for you.”

The sound of a clashing lightsaber erupted from the comlink, followed by a growling voice. “I told you not to call me that. And I’m busy.”

“Hey. You’re still a soldier in this fleet, and when your superior officer calls, you answer. Or do I have to come in?”

Marek grunted through the comlink, while Qathora and Iulius looked with confused eyes at the scene unraveling in front of them. Juno had been quite chill around the Sith assassin since they had met her, but when did she become so bossy with him?

“Fine...PROXY!”

“Training session...aborted.” the droid could be heard.

Then, Juno smiled widely and put away the comlink. “He’s all yours, sir.” she said, showing the ramp with an arm to invite him in.

“Uh...thanks, Captain.” he replied before walking up the ramp.

“Good luck with the killing machine…” Qathora commented sarcastically as she stopped before the ramp, still retaining her composed posture. Iulius feigned to ignore her. He knew that his servant hated to be around that kind of people ever since she had to fight alongside Vader on Carunoia.

Iulius then entered the ship and headed toward the training room, which was right after the very small living room with the reserved of food for long missions, but Marek was already coming to him, and they met in that room.

“Grand Admiral. How can I help you?” the assassin greeted quite politely.

Iulius reached for his belt and grabbed the Darksaber, showing it to Marek with his right hand.

“I was wondering if you perhaps would be willing to teach me how to wield this. Without amputating my limbs in the process.”

The man seemed a bit taken aback. “I thought it was already strange that you came down to Mandalore to get your hands dirty, but now you want to learn how to use a lightsaber?”

“We’ve already discussed this, haven’t we? This saber is a powerful symbol for the mandalorians. It is very likely that they will try to retake it in the future. Besides, what’s good is a weapon at your side if you don’t know how to wield it?”

Marek hummed with a gaze that seemed doubtful at best and unwilling at worst, though in the end he replied. “If that is what you wish.” and showed the way to the officer.

Iulius walked until they reached the training room, where they found PROXY repairing itself after the last duel with Marek. “Greetings, Grand Admiral.”

“PROXY, introduce the Grand Admiral to the basics of saber dueling.” the assassin ordered.

“Yes, master. Grand Admiral, if you would please take the center.”

Iulius complied. Then, after hearing the droid’s next instructions, he gripped the hilt with both hands and ignited the blade.

The weapon hissed and then hummed constantly, and Iulius had the chance to admire the uniqueness of the blade. The strange black light, with small wrinkles of energy sparkling inside of it. It was certainly something one didn’t see every day. Both ominous and enthralling.

“Very well, Grand Admiral.” PROXY interrupted, then his slim body activated its holographic technology and, maybe because of the droid’s unique sense of humor, transformed him into a mandalorian warrior armed armed with a weapon somehow sturdy enough to go against the Darksaber. “Ready to start?”

Iulius focused and assumed the only ready stance that he had been taught at the academy, where fencing was not exactly a main topic.

“Let us begin.”

April 13.

“The Federation is willing to welcome some of the refugees. If they would like, we have a list of planets in the Milky Way that can be colonized. Or they can settle in the new Sister-Nations in Andromeda.” Raya said.

“Thank you, Your Excellency. I’ll make sure to spread the news.” Jaral replied before the call finished and she returned into the strategic room of the Constantinople, where she found Jordan, Darvos and Tristan around the holo-table.

“Emissary T’Neri has assured me that the mandalorians who wish so can find refuge even in the Milky Way. Though I suggest your clan heads for Lothal to rejoin with your own colony, Tristan.”

“Thank you, Marshall. What is left of Clan Wren is heading to Lianna so we can pick up my father, then we will make our way for Lothal.” the young man replied with composure.

Jaral nodded and turned toward her husband. “Darv, how is TF Magellan faring?”

“They are doing their best, but Kalevala and the other planets are completely surrounded and the Empire is not allowing them to surrender. I don’t know how many warriors we will be able to rescue.”

Jaral grunted under her breath and leaned against the table. “Put our analysts at work. I want a full report on this imperial campaign as soon as possible.” she instructed.

“You got it, ma’am.” Darvos replied and started tapping on his keyboard.

“A blitzkrieg in space.” Jordan commented. “In our galaxy, only the Reapers could hit this fast.”

“This only showcases how dangerous our foe actually is.” Jaral replied.

“Grand Admiral Tanis.” Tristan hissed.

“It’s not actually that difficult to read.” Darvos said with a bit frustration transpiring from his tone. “Remember when I told you Iulius’ favorite tactic for strategy games?”

Jaral thought for a moment, then realization hit her. “Distracting your enemies only to hit them where they don’t expect you! He was focusing most of the Imperial Navy on the Perlimian Trade Route…”

“So we didn’t expect him to strike at the mandalorians. Yes.” Darvos concluded. “But it’s still unbelievable how fast he covered so much ground in just a week.”

Silence fell. Indeed, this short and decisive Mandalore Campaign was definitely something that future scholars would study and put into manuals of military strategy. Iulius’ ability couldn’t be the only explanation: his fleet as a whole had showed to be able to deliver a logistical and tactical apparatus like few in the history of the galaxy. Even his stormtroopers had been incredibly efficient than most of their colleagues, taking most key-points of Sundari in but a few hours.

“Nobody could expect something like that, Captain.” Tristan commented. “It’s useless to cry about it, now.”

“Speaking of which...have you heard Sabine?” Jaral cautiously asked.

Tristan slightly shook his head. “She has shut into her cabin on the Ghost and refuses all calls. And quite frankly, I don’t know what I should say.”

“You’re her brother.” Jaral replied. “I’m sure you can find a way to help her.”

“It’s...not that easy. She’s not just grieving: she feels responsible for all of this.”

The other three people looked at each other dumbfounded before turning back toward the young Wren. “What do you mean?” asked Jordan.

Tristan made silent sigh and explained. “You remember that she handed the Darksaber to Bo-Katan?” the others nodded affirmatively. “According to legend, if someone wields the Darksaber without winning it in an honorable fight, then it means they are not worthy, and woe would befall upon the mandalorian people.”

As he finished that sentence, realization struck the three officers. “I see…” mumbled Jaral. “Well, I’m going to talk with her when we cross the Ghost again.” she reassured.

“Thank you, Marshall.”

“Come on, Tristan, aren’t we friends? No need to call me titles.”

“I’ll...try. Bridger.” He said with half-grin forming on his face.

Darvos and Jordan both smiled a bit. Because in that moment, they needed all the positivity they could get.

“Good. And what about you, Tristan?” Jaral continued. “You sure you’re okay?”

Tristan shook his head. “No. I’m not ‘okay’. But with Sabine wracked with guilt and my mother dead, the time of grief will have to wait. At least until the survivors of Clan Wren will be safe.”

“I’m sure your mother would have been proud of hearing that.” Jordan encouraged.

Tristan nodded. “Thanks. Speaking of which, I should get back to work.”

“We, too.” Jaral concluded. “We should reach Lianna in two hours, let’s make sure no transport is left behind.” she added, referring to the fact that they were escorting the last refugee transports toward Lianna, with the help of a few corvettes from the New Republic.

Like Jaral asked, the Constantinople was the last to reach Lianna, making sure that every transport was accounted for and didn’t just break down along the way. They thus reached the capital of the New Republic, a planet well on its way to become an ecumenopolis, and especially since the New Republic had been proclaimed, the planet had seen a small economic boom. Certainly being already one of the major trade hubs of the Outer Rim played a role in that.

The Constantinople headed to the military spaceport on the surface and Jaral could thus make a quick visit to the Ghost before heading to Command.

“Hey.” Zeb greeted.

“Zeb. Is Sabine still in her cabin?”

“As far as I know. Poor kid.” the Lasat said in a compassionate tone. Even Chopper warbled in a sad way.

Jaral thanked and reached the cabins. Hera was actually there, unsure if she wanted to knock on Sabine’s door or not. When she saw the young woman, however, she made a step back and let her knock.

“Sabine?” Jaral asked, but received no answer. She thus exchanged a quick glance with Hera, who nodded positively, authorizing her to have Jinx remove the seals and make the door slid open.

The room was completely in the dark. Were it not for the light coming from the hallway it would have been difficult to see anything. But it was enough for Jaral to spot her sister-in-law, sitting on the floor with her back to the wall, her head hidden behind her hugged knees. She was wearing only her undersuit, as her armor pieces were scattered all around the floor with no care at all.

Jaral could clearly feel the mood of the mandalorian through the Force without any effort: anger, sadness, pain and every possible negative emotion was in there. Including the self-loathing Tristan had predicted. In order to get some privacy, she shut the door again and turned on the lights of the room, though Sabine didn’t move. And even at that distance, the Jedi could see tears rolling down the cheeks of her friend.

“You’re wasting your time.” Sabine grumbled quite aggressively, not moving from her position.

“Perhaps I want to waste it this way.” Jaral calmly replied, going to sit with her legs crossed in front of Sabine.

The mandalorian scoffed lightly. “What can you do? You have no idea.”

“All I know is that you’re pushing faults on yourself that don’t belong.”

Sabine’s head jolted up, revealing a furious expression, even if her eyes were still full of water. “No fault?! Are you seriously trying to sell me that!?”

Jaral didn’t budge. “I’m simply stating the facts.”

“The fact is, that I just handed the Darksaber to someone else and it all went to hell just as it was expected to. I doomed my own world!” Sabine screamed in desperation before her head fell back and she felt tired. “How many mandalorians have died because of me?”

“No one.” Jaral immediately replied sternly and with such a confidence that Sabine was probably partially convinced about that, because she raised her head again and looked at Jaral in the eye.

“You know that’s not true…”

“Sabine, you’ve freed your people once already. You have no reason to feel guilty about this. Besides, the prophecy stated that it would almost wipe out your people, but millions of mandalorians have escaped and now they need a leader to guide them. Need I remind you that you’re expected to be the new Countess of Wren?”

Those words seemed to stoke Sabine’s fire back a bit, so Jaral waited a few seconds and went in with the final encouragement.

“We have lost Mandalore. But the idea still lives within its people. If you insist that you caused this, then the least you could do is to help your people rebuild instead of cloistering yourself.”

Sabine’s eyebrows slowly arched downward as Jaral could feel the flame of resolution coming from her. Finally, Sabine pushed herself up on her feet, so the Grand Marshall did as well, letting the young mandalorian to pick up the pieces of her armor and quickly putting them back on.

“I’ll go meet up with Tristan and my father. Our colony on Lothal needs to know that we’re arriving.” she declared.

“Good to see you back in action.” Jaral quipped with a smile that Sabine returned.

Then the mandalorian girl walked toward her sister-in-law and hugged her. Jaral was a bit surprised, but returned the gesture fondly.

“You truly are the best big sister in the galaxy.” Sabine fondly said.

Jaral chuckled. “I’ve had the chance to do a lot of experience.” she simply replied.

They then separated and Sabine quickly wiped her eyes with a hand. “I’m going to need some time to rebound completely. But thank you, Jari.” she said before finally walking out.

And with that settled, the Grand Marshall and Hera could head over to Command.

“You never cease to amaze me, Jari.” Hera said along the way, putting a hand on her shoulder.

The Jedi returned the smile, then noticed that Hera’s face was now looking down, as if she was trying to bring up with something that really concerned her. Eventually, she managed to find the words and spoke up.

“Jari, I know it’s quite sudden...but after we’re done here, I would like your permission to make a visit to Lothal…”

Jaral immediately jumped at it. “You don’t even have to ask. Permission granted. And when you’ll be there, say hello to my mother for me.”

Hera was surprised at first, but then chuckled. “Yes, ma’am.” she replied.

April 16.

Ezra eagerly reached the communication room and took up the call from his sister.

“Sis. I’m so happy to see you.” he said with relief.

“Me too, lil bro.” Jaral replied with a smile, though her tone was still a bit saddened. “I only wish it wasn’t for another disaster.”

“We heard about Mandalore on the HoloNet.” Ezra said with an understanding tone. “How’s Sabine?”

“She...had a rough time. Ursa was among the casualties.”

The news struck a cord into Ezra. He knew remembered what it felt like to lose a parent. “I see…” he mumbled. “And...how’s the overall situation?”

“Bad. With Mandalore gone, we lost an important ally and an entire sector of our space is exposed. I’m reorganizing the fleet to cover the new ground, but I already have a target in mind.”

“Which is…?”

“Korriban.”

Ezra stumbled there for a moment. “T-The Sith homeworld?”

“Pretty much. I’ve already contacted Nimbus and Ahsoka. Plus, I’ve asked the help of the Geth. They are machines, so the Dark Side can’t corrupt them.” Jaral explained quite confidently.

“I guess it would help us understanding the Sith more. But, seriously, Jari. Shouldn’t we take this together?”

“You have your mission, Ezra. You have to train Luke and Leia. Besides, if things go south on Korriban, it’s important there is at least one Jedi still around.”

“Don’t say it like that. You’re not going in there if you’re not 100% certain to come out of it, you get me?” the man said in a reprimanding tone.

Jaral chuckled. “ Relax, dummy. I don’t have any wish to die, yet. ” she reassured. “ But Nimbus has confirmed that the old Sith worlds are a source of power for the Emperor. If we take them away from him, he might just snap from rage. ”

“I’m not sure I follow. How does that help us?”

“If your enemy is temperate, seek to irritate him.” she replied, quoting the Art of War. “Palpatine is still in charge of the Empire. If we manage to irritate him, he might make a bad move that we can exploit to even the odds after we lost Mandalore.”

Ezra hummed in thought. “Well, you’re the boss. I trust you know what you ought to do.”

“Your faith is always touching, Ez.” she quipped, making both of them giggle.

“Okay. We’ll give you a hand by turning up our operations here.” he eventually declared.

“Have you found a new base?”

“Not yet. We have helped many rebel cells to settle on the hidden worlds we found, but I’m thinking that the Trailing Sectors are not enough of a good place to set our main base.”

“So, where are you headed?”

“The Western Reaches. Right at the border with the Unknown Regions. With the war in progress, the Empire has left those territories in semi-autonomy. And with less Star Destroyers around there, it should be easier to hide, as soon as we find a good spot.”

“I see.”

“But first, we’re heading on Ryloth. Our sources there say that the Twi’lek are preparing a major uprising. We’re moving to support them.”

“Goodness. I better hide this from Hera before she rushes back.” Jaral quipped.

Ezra huffed in amusement. “Has she finally gone back to Jacen?”

“Indeed. I ordered the Ghost to go back to Lothal, so Sabine can help with the resettlement of her clan, and Hera can spend some time with Jacen.”

“Good. I didn’t like the idea of keeping them separated anyway.”

“Me neither, honestly. And I had to fight to convince Hera not to follow me on Korriban.”

Ezra finally sighed. The reminder of what his sister was about to do didn’t encourage him in the slightest. “Is Korriban presided by the Empire, anyway?”

“Worse. Sith cultists who answer to Palpatine. The only upside is that they have old warships. With the Geth’s technology, they shouldn’t pose much of a hindrance. The worst will be venturing into the ancient tombs and whichever sorcery lie in there.”

“Then I hope you didn’t skip on your daily training, because you’re gonna need it.”

“Don’t worry. Actually, since we have the New Republic to take care of many military affairs, I have much more time to dedicate to Jedi training.”

“Good to hear. That said, I should get back to work. Hug Mum and Dad for me and...tell Sabine that I wish I was there for her.”

Jaral smiled in a comprehensive way. “ It will be my number one priority. Be careful out there, Ezra. ”

Ezra made a nod, then closed the transmission before heading back into the command room to discuss the situation with the other key members of the crew.

“She really wants to just dive into one of the most dark places in the universe?” Luke asked dismayed at the end of the recap.

“Hey, she survived Malachor when she was barely a Padawan. I trust her to do what she promised. We only need to focus on our mission here.”

“I concur.” Belisarius said. “With the loss of the mandalorian fleet, our forces will be stretched thin. We need to create a threat that the Empire won’t be able to ignore and split its forces.”

“That objective might be more attainable than we anticipated, Colonel.” Kherat said, raising a finger with his right hand while the left kept tapping on his keyboard around the holo-table.

“Intelligence has just confirmed that, around a month ago, the Empire has sent a new fleet into the Trailing Sectors. A fleet from the Core.”

“And now we notice it?” Han asked sarcastically.

“Of course not.” Kherat replied with a calm tone. “We had noticed an increase in activity almost immediately, but we didn’t know if it was a new fleet or if the Empire was just moving its forces around to make us think they had more forces than expected.”

Ezra hummed. “A new fleet sent in right after we entered the region? That cannot be a coincidence.”

“Maybe we should investigate.” Leia suggested. “But if it’s true that they’re pulling fleets from the Core, than it means that the Empire might not be so healthy as we feared.”

Those words caught the interest of Ezra and the other officers: so far, the Coalition had been deciding their strategy by factoring in that the Empire could deploy bigger fleets to fight on the frontline, not including those that were needed to guard key infrastructures all along the galaxy. However, if this turned out not to be the case, Jaral and the Coalition Command could really use this intel.

“Any idea where we should start?” he eventually asked.

The group thought for a while until Han raised a hand and spoke. “I might have a lead. A merchant who owes me a favor supplies the imperial navy in the Trailing Sectors. He can be found on Rintonne.”

“Very well. Take Leia and Luke and go find this guy.” the Jedi decided, making Luke turn around in confusion.

“You’re not coming with us?” he asked.

Ezra slightly shook his head. “I will take a squad and head directly on Ryloth to scout the area. We’ll help the insurrection to get rid of the biggest obstacles. Once you’re done with your task, get back to the Amerigo .”

Luke nodded. “I won’t fail you.”

Ezra made a lopsided grin. “I wouldn’t send you if I didn’t think you’re ready.” he reassured, then made a nod with his head to signal the three of them that they could go, which they did.

He then turned toward Belisarius. “Colonel, have the N7 and the Ranger squads report at the hangar. We’ll go in with the Silver Bullet .”

The turian made the salute. “Yes, General. Good luck.”

Ezra nodded and walked out.

April 18.

“Make sure the doses of vaccines are all in stock.”

“Yes, Doctor Bridger.” the Twi’lek nurse said before returning to her duties.

Just at that time, another shuttle landed at the platform of the Wren colony, coming straight from Capitol City with another batch of mandalorian refugees. Unfortunately, it seemed like some of them had contracted a rare virus during their brief stay on Lianna against which they weren’t immunized and there was the risk of an outbreak on Lothal, so the first thing to do was to have them all screened and made sure to quarantine the colony. Mira put on her CBRN suit and led her squad outside at the entrance of the landing zone, preparing her omni-tool for scanning.

The Kodiak opened her doors and the refugees started pouring out. They were mostly young adults and late teenagers. Only a few of them wore an armor.

“Your attention, please.” Mira announced loudly. “Come one at a time for scanning.”

The small mass of people complied. One at a time, the mandalorians lined up and walked in front of Mira, who activated her omni-tool and scanned the first young man. She had a program installed that would highlight the presence of the virus into a person’s body. After passing the ray from head to toe and return, she let the first person pass.

“Clear. Head on the right for the vaccine.” she instructed him, pointing at his colleagues behind her.

Then a teenage girl showed up, and she was uncontaminated as well.

The third patient, though, was not. “Infected. Please head to the left for treatment.” she instructed, and the process went on and on, until all the 35 passengers that were packed inside the shuttle were all sorted out. Mira could finally removed the mask on her face and ordered the decontamination team to clear the cargo hold of the shuttle.

“Good job, everyone. That was the last one.” she said to her staff. “I need a full report on the infected once the triage is over.”

“You’ll have it, Doc.” one of the nurses reassured.

Mira went, disinfected the suit and herself, and when she went out of the medical post, she found unexpected guests waiting for her: Sabine, Tristan and Alrich Wren.

“Hi, Mira.” Sabine said, trying to muster a smile.

Miss Bridger, however, could read right through her, and instead went to put hands on her shoulders. “Sabine...Gentlemen...I’m so sorry for what happened to the Countess.”

The three of them diverted their gazes briefly. “She died like a mandalorian. We can only accept it and honor her legacy by ensuring our clan survives.” Tristan said with acceptance.

“And it looks like we owe you gratitude for taking care of our sicks.” Alrich added with gratitude.

“Thanks the administration of the planet.” Mira replied with humility. “I simply asked to be part of the team.”

Sabine replied with a smirk and patting her mother-in-law’s arm. “Which is still a great thing. I know our people is in good hands with you, Mira.”

They took a moment to admire the colony standing a few hundred meters from the quarantine zone. The newly arrived were being welcomed by one of the clerks and directed to the local administrative office for registration, though some of them were reuniting with friends and families who had arrived during the previous hours of the day. New house modules had been brought in and the mandalorians were working tirelessly to set them up to put everyone under a roof. Loth-cats were also waltzing in from time to time, something that the younger people seemed to appreciate particularly.

“So. Which one of you is going to take charge?” she eventually asked to all three of them.

“Good question.” Alrich quipped.

“How’s that a question?” Tristan asked. “Clearly it’s Sabine who should…”

“Nice try, brother. But no.” the young woman spoke up, having her brother turn and look in disbelief.

“But...mother clearly wanted for you to be the next head of the clan.”

“Only because I’m the older child and I am already married, but I always thought this was quite a short-sighted way to see things.” she replied, and turned her whole body to face Tristan. “You are clearly much more qualified to become Count.”

“Sabine, I…”

“No, let me finish. I’ve been away from Krownest for years, meaning I barely know who is what in the clan anymore. You, on the other hand, have been preparing all this time to become a chief. Every clansman knows and respects you, and you’ve already proven to be a good leader. You’re strong and you clearly care for our people. I can’t imagine a better Count than you.”

Those words left Tristan staggered. Mostly because he had never heard Sabine complimenting him so wholeheartedly, but it was clear to everyone that she meant every single word she had just pronounced.

“I...don’t know what to say.”

“Oh, I think you know very well. Just say it.” Sabine said with a smirk, shaking his arm playfully to stimulate an answer.

Tristan had to turn his head and look at their father, who smiled at him and made a small nod to ensure that he was going to support him in every way possible. So the young man strengthened his resolve and faced his sister again.

“All right. I’ll take care of things here.” he proclaimed.

Sabine smiled and, to everyone’s surprise, suddenly hugged him. “Thank you, lil bro.”

Mira and Alrich couldn’t help but smile as Tristan returned the hug, but also quipped. “You’ve been spending too much time with the Bridgers.”

Sabine detached from him, smirking. “Is that a bad thing?” she said, lightly punching him on the armor.

Tristan shook his head. “I think I can live with it. What are you going to do, then?”

“I’m rejoining the Ghost, officially. I can’t just sit back when they need me.”

“Never doubted that for a second.” Tristan commented ironically.

That said, the new Count Wren turned to get a look at the colony, then he took another look a the prairie that surrounded it. The village actually set next to a small mountain made of volcanic remnants that made the soil fertile, but there were many square miles of space that could be used for settling.

“What are you thinking?” Alrich asked with curiosity.

“There is a lot of space here. I know that Eldar and Wolffe Clans are looking for a place to resettle, I’ll see if we can arrange them to move here.” and started to walk around

Sabine walked next to him. “You want to create a House?” she quipped.

“Now more than ever, we need to stick together.” he replied seriously.

“Clan Eldar...didn’t you eye one of the Count’s daughters?” the woman asked with a teasing tone.

“Meaning?” Tristan replied as their voices became even more muffled for the distance.

“I better go and see what I can do for the colony.” Alrich concluded and made another bow to Mira. “I thank you again for your care of our people, Doctor Bridger.”

Mira waived a hand. “No big. I’m just doing my job. See you around, Lord Wren.” and Alrich walked away, letting Mira return to her duties.

A.N: With this chapter, I've finally caught up with the writing published on other sites. From now on, this series will be updated on par with the others, so no more a chapter a day. I hope you're enjoying the story so far, and I'll see you on the next update.

Chapter Text

April 22.

“Entering the Ryloth system. Thorsten, make sure the cloaking is operative.” Ezra ordered to one N7.

“Yes, General.” the man replied as he configured the console on the side of the cockpit.

The co-pilot seat was occupied by Master Gozo, who was instead sending a beacon to the Amerigo to keep a line of communication even with the predicted imperial jamming. Aside from them, the N7 team also counted a Turian ‘Havoc’ saboteur, Servius. In the cargo hold, a squad of 4 New Republic Rangers, named ‘Squad G’, was awaiting deployment.

“Message from the Amerigo.” Gozo said the moment they left hyperspace and entered the Ryloth system. “They traced our route, but they’re waiting for the Falcon to return.”

“Oh. Were they successful?” Ezra asked.

“They didn’t report any casualty, so I think we can stay positive.”

“Let’s make sure to keep the good news coming in. Engage the cloaking device. Hide our signature.”

“Yes, sir.” Thorsten replied and engaged the device as the Silver Bullet sped toward Ryloth, which wasn’t actually that far, being the last planet of the system.

“Jinx, give me a scan. What are we dealing with?”

The AI connected to the ship’s sensors and replied after a few seconds. “There is a total of 20 imperial warships orbiting the livable ring of Ryloth. A single Star Destroyer and minor escort ships.”

“Just that?” Servius asked. “So it is true that the Empire is stretched thin.”

“Let’s not assume anything, Lieutenant.” Ezra said calmly. “They might have reinforcements just waiting in the next system. For now, prepare for the descent.”

The Gauntlet carefully flew through the imperial blockade, passing over the ‘Bright Lands’, the side of Ryloth stuck toward the local star, and headed for the habitable lands of the planet, following the coordinate they had been given by the Twi’leks and the local republican forces who had been assisting the local movement since Jaral became Grand Marshall. With the necessary degree of caution, Ezra managed to avoid a TIE patrol and eventually reached the canyon where they were supposed to meet up with their contacts.

“Jinx, take command of the ship. Be ready to bail out just in case. Everybody else, let’s move.”

“Right behind you, General.” Thorsten dutifully replied.

Both squads gathered behind the Jedi, who materialized his armor and his lightsaber at the belt and walked out of the ramp. In front of them there was nothing but rocks and sand, but Ezra knew better even without looking at the sensors of his helmet. He raised a fist to order a halt, and shortly after, a group of Twi’leks and two soldiers of the former Rebel Militia. The former were wearing old clone armors and even clone weapons stolen after the rise of the Empire. The one who seemed their leader, though, came out unarmed and made a polite bow in front of Ezra.

“Master Bridger. Welcome to Ryloth. I am Sauchii, at your service.”

“Greetings, Mister Sauchii.” the Jedi replied in a cordial tone, then turned his head toward the two human soldiers. “And I suppose you two are from the rebel expedition on Ryloth.”

The two made the salute with their right hand while still holding their rifles and the woman on Ezra’s left replied. “Yes, sir. Corporal Emsia and Private Alser. 80^th Infantry Company.”

Ezra made a quick nod, then turned toward the Twi’lek. “Are you with General Syndulla?”

“Like everybody else on Ryloth, Master Jedi.” the alien replied in a quipping tone. “And he’s waiting for you.”

From there, the Twi’leks led the group back toward their hidden base inside one of the mountains, where there was still room for the Gauntlet. Eventually, Ezra was led once again in front of Cham, who greeted him fondly with a handshake.

“Ezra Bridger, it’s always a pleasure to meet you, even though it’s always because of the Empire.” the man quipped.

Ezra had his helmet dematerialized and returned the smile. “I’m glad to see the Empire still hasn’t figured out how to catch you. I’m sorry I couldn’t bring your daughter along, this time.”

“Yes, Hera has contacted me a few days ago.” Cham said with no weight on his heart. “But in all honesty, I prefer to know that she is taking care of my grandson.”

Ezra chuckled. “Sounds like we share the same worries.”

Cham chuckled back. “Well, all the more reason to win this war. I want to meet little Jacen as soon as possible.”

“Then how about you give me a Sit-Rep?”

“Sure.” Cham concluded, showing the holo-table around which were also two other acquaintances: Numa and Gobi. Ezra greeted them with a quick gesture of the hand while he gathered around the table and his two squad leaders joined the briefing.

A large hologram appeared, showing a series of imperial strongholds and key points that the resistance had in its sight. Those were the main objectives that they needed to take at first when the uprising would start: the main spaceport of the capital, Lessu, without which the imperials wouldn’t be able to bring in enough supplies for their garrison. The imperial headquarters, situated in the Tann Province ever since Thrawn had taken it from Cham, meaning that this goal had also a personal relevance to him. Finally, the imperial fortress in the Masdar Region, which was the main surface strategic base. Destroying it would severely cripple the ability of the Empire to gather its forces for large scale counter-offensives.

“How’s the status of your forces?” Ezra asked at the end of the briefing.

“We have many fighters living in the major cities, waiting for an order to take up arms, but they will need our support to make any significant damage, or to defend themselves against any imperial reprisal.” Cham explained.

Ezra leaned on the table and stared at the statistics of the three objectives. It soon became clear to him that, if the Twi’leks needed help to take all of those objectives, then he could only afford to take one of them. Those places were too well-defended, and even the two battalions aboard the Amerigo would have to focus their efforts on a single one. He voiced this issue.

“We can only afford one target at a time. General, what do you think it would be best?”

Cham grunted in thought and replied. “My heart honestly would like to kill as many imperials as we can, thus the fortress. However, all three targets are equally important.”

“I beg to disagree.” Thorsten intervened. “The capital and the spaceport should clearly be our priority. Not only we would isolate the imperial forces on the planet, but the liberation of the capital would certainly inspire the rest of the population to rise up.”

“It’s not like the imperials would immediately crumble if we take the spaceport.” countered Savand, the squad leader of the Rangers. “I think we should attack the Tann province and decapitate their command structure. Experience proves that they are very slow to adapt their hierarchy, so if we kill their commander, the other garrisons will be unable to coordinate a counter-attack.”

“The final say is yours, Ezra.” Cham eventually said. “Where do you want to commit your forces first?”

Silence followed. Everybody waited for the Knight’s answer. His gaze kept wandering around the holograms of the three targets, also considering the distance between each other and calculating all the variables he could see. He closed his eyes, trying to see if there was a hint in the Force to help him decide. Then he finally reopened them and made up his mind.

“The capital is centrally situated and it’s a more defensible bridgehead, we’ll start from there.” he finally declared.

Everyone else nodded. “I’ll go prepare my people.” Cham said before walking away with Numa and Gobi.

Ezra then turned toward Thorsten. “Tell Master Gozo to contact the Amerigo , we need to study a way to bring our forces in without angering the blockade.”

The man nodded vigorously. “Yes, sir.” and walked away.

Savand also walked away, leaving Ezra to contemplate his decision. He was fairly sure that this was the most efficient way to liberate the planet, but only time would tell him.

April 28.

“This is a waste of time.” Iulius grumbled under his breath.

“You can always try and tell that to the Emperor.” Qathora said sarcastically, making her friend sigh.

The Grand Admiral decided that it was useless to complain, even if undergoing this parade was the last thing he wanted to do. For one, he thought that, since the war was far from over, him being recalled all the way to Coruscant was only serving the rebels, since they surely were using that truce in fighting to reinforce their flanks and cover the hole in their line left by the demise of the mandalorians. But the Emperor had insisted on celebrating such a monumental victory, and one couldn’t simply say no to Palpatine.

So here he was. Standing in front of the line of troops that were expected to start the parade as soon as the gate of the base opened. Right behind him there was a company of his Army troopers, followed by an AT-AT and then by various other units of the 101 ^st . Even the crew of the Admonitor would participate. It would all end at the base of the imperial palace, where the Emperor himself would award Iulius with a medal. A banquet would follow and, Iulius hoped, by the next morning he would be on his way back to the front.

Finally, the sentinel announced that the gates was opening. Iulius turned around and nodded to Cody, who yelled the command to start marching. He made sure that the Darksaber was well clipped to his belt and then waited.

Usually, a military commander celebrating a victory would be carried by some kind of chariot, but Iulius had declined the offer. Officially stating that he didn’t want to stand out more than the soldiers who risked their lives to bring the victory against the mandalorians. In reality, he simply found those things embarrassing.

As the gate finished to slide open, Iulius walked forward, followed on the side by his loyal servant. Immediately behind him, the soldiers started to march in unison, and the AT-AT also started its march at the lowest pace possible.

The moment he left the perimeter of the base, Iulius was welcomed by a thunderous roar of cheers and shortly after by an endless cascade of confetti. From the roads of his level, above and below, from the terraces and even from the windows of the surrounding buildings, a swarm of imperial citizens gestured signs of victory, waved hands of little imperial flags at him. Many were clapping so hard that they could almost snap their own hands.

Iulius was taken aback for a second by the immense force of that crowd. He only needed a moment to understand that this was different than the usual parades he had witnessed in the past. On those occasion, the people usually clapped and cheered with much less enthusiasm, simply because attendance was mandatory. But this time, the tribunes were filled to the brim and the public was so lively, that it was impossible to even think that they were acting.

No, that time, the people were being genuine. The strength they put into chanting his name was simply too heartfelt to be circumstantial acting.

“Iulius! Iulius! Iulius!…”

Their facial expressions too were full of energy. Some young girls threw flowers at him and screamed his name with too much emphasis for the Grand Admiral’s taste.

Still, a warm sensation washed Iulius’ heart as he noticed the sincerity of those compliments. A half-serious smile appeared on his face, and as he walked down the road toward the Imperial Palace, he raised his right hand and started to waive back, even if with a very restrained attitude.

With Qathora walking at his side, her hands joined in front of her in a graceful way, the Grand Admiral kept marching at the head of his soldiers. With the military march resonating from the speakers and a dozen of camera droids floating around to transmit the Empire’s victory all over the HoloNet. Then Titan Squadron flew the TIE Defenders in formation right above the street, prompting another loud round of cheers.

And so the parade went on as Iulius lead the march toward the Palace, which took an hour or so. When he arrived, he found the 212 ^th battalion lined up on different square formations, with an AT-ST standing at every space out between the formations. The soldiers presented their weapons and defined the trail to the base of the stairs that led to the first terrace of the Palace. And on top of that first ramp stood the Emperor, with a few ministers standing at a distance and imperial banners behind them.

Keeping his composure, Iulius signaled Qathora to wait for him down there. She made a respectful bow and complied, letting the Grand Admiral start the climb. Following the rhythm given by the drums, Iulius took a step at a time until he walked over the last one. As he found himself in front of the Emperor, he bent the knee as protocol dictated, showing submission to his liege. The latter, on his part, raised his hands to quell the loud cheering, being transmitted all over the planet by the HoloNet, even though his image was being modified to appear like a normal human being instead of the horrid scarred face with glowing yellow eyes that Iulius was seeing right at that moment.

“Rise up, Grand Admiral.” Palpatine eventually proclaimed, his voice resonating through the speakers.

Iulius obeyed and stood at attention in front of him, staring exactly in front, something that helped him ignore the uneasy feeling he felt around the Emperor.

“Iulius Tanis.” the Emperor then started. “In one of the most difficult hours for the Empire, you stood as the champion of order and peace. We will all rest much more at ease, in the knowledge that that you and your men bravely stand against the invaders and their rebel puppets.”

The ministers behind him started a round of clapping, quickly followed by more cheers from the crowd. When these faded, Palpatine proceeded with his speech.

“For your invaluable service, I hereby declare you Lord-Protector of the Mid Rim. And I award you with this.” at those words, Mas Amedda stepped forward with a decorated case, inside of which, laying on a cushion, was a shining gray medal that Iulius saw by moving his irises.

It had a tower-like design at the top, which ended with three prongs, and the circular medal featured an engraving that resembled a TIE Advanced. It also had a black ribbon with purple linings, as well as three silver dots on each side near the medal.

Palpatine took it with his two hands, grabbing the ribbon on two extremes to put it around Iulius’ neck. The Grand Admiral made a bow and the Emperor slipped the medal around his neck, after which he stood back up.

“The Medal of the Emperor’s Fist.” the sovereign of the Empire declared. “Wear it with pride. And may it always represent your loyalty to the Empire.”

The Grand Admiral replied by clacking his heel and making the salute, then the Emperor turned around and walked away while the Ministers and officers stepped forward to shake hands with him while the crowd resumed cheering.

That jovial atmosphere was in stark contrast with the dull, almost lifeless procession that Iulius was seeing in front of him. Clearly, those upper echelons were bored, when not irritated, in having to deal with him. Most likely because of jealousy that he could easily spot in their expressions, or by a note in their voice as they said ‘congratulations’ as if they were pushing something down their throats.

At least that was the case, except for the last one: a woman around her 30s, with tan skin and reddish hair. She was wearing the uniform of an ISB officer. Differently from those who preceded her, she smiled cordially, which Iulius interpreted as a sign that she wasn’t there just for a mere formality.

“Grand Admiral, it’s a pleasure to meet you.” she said as the other officials were already following the Emperor into the Palace.

“I feel at a disadvantage, here.” Iulius quipped.

The woman smirked. “Agent Yagler, Imperial Security Bureau. I was sent here to extend the congratulations of my superior, the Director.”

“I see.” Iulius replied, with a tone that clearly specified that he knew something else was brewing. “In times like these, I suppose the ISB has its hands full with handling traitors.”

“Like you would not believe. In fact, the Director is personally looking into some...whispers, regarding some of the people you just shook hands with.”

“Should I get worried?”

“Just watch your back while you win the war, Grand Admiral. We’ll take care of this.” she concluded with a witty tone before turning around as well.

Iulius contemplated for a second what those words could mean. What could the highest Moffs and Chiefs of the Empire be plotting? Were they preparing a coup? Sell the Empire to the invaders? Those questions would have had to wait. Right then, he turned around and walked down the stairs, prompting his troops to start the return march toward the barracks as they made another pass among the jubilant crowd.

May 1.

“Recon Alpha to Specter-7, come in, please.”

Ezra touched the side of his helmet, answering the call. “I read you, Recon Alpha. Did you find the refinery?”

“Affirmative. Two clicks south-west from the capital. It’s not even much defended.”

“Civilians?”

“The Twi’leks are being used as slave labor, however it shouldn’t be impossible to just sabotage the pipeline without causing a chain reaction to the whole plant. We will make sure to get them out anyway before the detonation.”

“Copy that. Proceed.”

“Yes, sir.” and the transmission was closed.

Ezra didn’t waste a second and reported the news to Cham. The two of them and the Ryloth Resistance had gathered in a hideout just outside Lessu, ready to attack the capital from the outside while three different Twi’lek cells were waiting underground inside the city, ready to strike at the police station, the local military headquarter and, most importantly, the controls for the energy bridge, the only path to access the city, which was surrounded by a deep and bottomless moat. Cham had narrated Ezra of that time during the Clone Wars when Jedi Master Windu managed to get over it in an insanely dangerous stunt. This time, Ezra wouldn’t need to do anything crazy, because he had a jetpack. Now, though, they needed to coordinate with the Amerigo , so they gathered around the holo-communicator and called the ship, being answered by Riccardi and Belisarius. They detailed the last aspects of the plan, where the Amerigo would use her stealth mode to enter the atmosphere, position herself at a safe distance from the capital and allow for the transports and fighters to scramble in order to provide reinforcements to the insurrection. All while a small fleet of volunteer captains gathered from the region, which also included a Bothan assault cruiser, would engage the small imperial flotilla in orbit.

After the transmission ended, Ezra went to sit in a corner and opened his Force bond with his sister, reporting to her and explaining the plan to start the liberation of Ryloth.

“And that’s it. It won’t be easy, but we have gathered ships from the rebel cells from the nearby sectors, we should have a fighting chance. How are things there?”

“Could be worse. We have reorganized our line of defense, but the only thing that saved us is that Iulius was on Coruscant for a parade.”

“Uh. I didn’t figure him as a man seeking glory over duty.”

“Darvos thinks that he had been ordered to do so. Nonetheless, the Admirals he has left behind have not tried to resume the attack. On the contrary, I ordered Ackbar and Dodonna to plan a new offensive to give you respite.”

“You truly are the best big sis in the universe.” he quipped.

Jaral chuckled into the bond. “Consider it my gift to you. Happy birthday, lil bro.”

Right. Ezra had almost forgot that, at least for the calendar on Lothal, today he was turning 19. Certainly, leading a people to freedom was a unique way to celebrate.

“Thanks. Now I should go. Take care.”

“Copy that. Good luck, Ezra.” and they closed the bond.

Ezra opened his eyes and walked back toward the Twi’leks arming themselves. Squad G as a whole was taking care of the refinery, so for now Ezra only had Gozo and the N7s to support him in the main task.

After briefing the team, and parting with Cham, Ezra took a group of freedom fighters and headed out for his true mission: diversion. He was going to show up in front of a fortified outpost that guarded the access to Lessu, hoping that his presence alone would be enough to divert the imperial garrison of the city away and leave a path open for Cham and the allied forces. Such outpost had an important comm device that linked the capital with the rest of the planet, so the imperials would have to defend. It was so important that it was guarded by a company of stormtroopers.

The outpost was placed on a plateau. It wasn’t difficult for the Twi’leks, who knew the region like the palm of their hand, to reach the perimeter unseen. Ezra already wore his armor. Now he took out the M-3 pistol in his left hand and his lightsaber in his right hand.

“We’re ready on your mark, Ezra.” Gobi whispered as they hid behind a group of rocks.

Ezra nodded, then used the integrated binoculars to take a look at the first defenses. There was a very small bunker with a machine-gunner, some sandbags with two sentries behind it, and they were covered by some very primitive barbed wire. Behind them there was the small complex of trenches and fortifications that hosted the relay.

After taking a peek, Ezra hid again and turned toward his ally. “Have your sniper take out that gunner. It will make our approach much easier.” he ordered.

The Twi’lek nodded and gestured toward the sniper of the team to take out the bunker.

As the marksman took position and aimed, Ezra prepared to jump over the top, ready to draw the attention of the imperials as soon as the first shots were fired.

That shot didn’t come much later. The crack of the Valken echoed trough the valley. A moment later, the gunner’s helmet lit up and he fell on the floor lifeless.

The sentries immediately ducked behind their cover and alerted their comrades, only to see Ezra stand out and activating his green lightsaber while wielding a pistol in the other hand.

“This is RS-931. Contact with a Jedi. I repeat…” Ezra heard one of the troopers say with an alarmed tone in the comlink of his helmet.

“Forward!” Ezra yelled, pointing his saber before charging at the enemy himself, prompting the Twi’leks to yell a battle cry and start the attack.

The Jedi Knight dashed forward. The sentries fired at him, but he easily deflected a bolt back to the head of the shooter and then placed a bullet through the helmet of the second one, who just fell under his own weight. Ezra then easily jumped over the barbed wire and charged in, easily outpacing his allies.

While the Twi’leks tried to reach him, Ezra jumped into the camp, easily gaining the attention of the imperials, who all moved to fight him. The Jedi Knight jumped left and right, deflecting bolts, returning fire with his pistol whenever he could and still managing to use the Force to throw objects around. Sure enough, he caused enough confusion and cut down at least a dozen stormtroopers before the Twi’leks took the area by storm and a furious fight ensued. The rebels suffered some casualties, but they still took out most of the stormtroopers and their commanding officer, forcing the survivors to escape, making the Twi’leks gesturing for victory.

“Ezra, do you read me?” the voice of Cham broke into the comlink just in time.

“Copy you, General. We just took the outpost.”

“Then your plan worked. The sentries just spotted a pretty big column of imperials coming out of Lessu. At least a battalion. I suggest you leave that place immediately.”

“Say no more.” Ezra concluded before turning toward his allies. “Gobi, let’s get out of here.”

“Just a second, sir.” he replied, before turning toward the other guerrillas and order something in their language.

It didn’t take long for Ezra to notice what they were doing, and he didn’t like it. He walked next to Gobi and calmly asked. “Is this really necessary?” as the Twi’leks were booby-trapping the corpses.

“At least we’re going to hit their soldiers.” Gobi defended himself. “Our women and children didn’t have much choice when the bombers destroyed our villages.”

There was no point in discussing, so Ezra dropped the matter, only promising to himself that he had to put an end to this war as soon as possible.

After a few minutes, the group hastily left the outpost before the armored column arrived, and only after destroying the relay so the imperial combat reactivity would still suffer a major blow. Just in time to learn on the comlink that the Amerigo and the local rebel fleet has just come out of hyperspace and was quickly moving to engage the imperial flotilla. The insurrection at Lessu had taken what was left of the garrison totally by surprise and the N7s had already taken the control room for the energy bridge. In the distance, a rumble signaled that the Rangers had destroyed the pipeline of the refinery, cutting off the energy of the turbolaser turrets surrounding the capital.

The battle for the freedom of Ryloth had just begun.

Chapter Text

May 5.

Iulius was expecting the title ‘Lord-Protector’ to be an honorary one. Instead, at the banquet held in his honor, he found out that he was basically becoming Grand Moff of the Mid Rim, if not even more powerful, but it also came with an enormous responsibility: now, every minor military setback in the region would be blamed on him.

This wasn’t a promotion. It was an attempt to make him crash down under the adage ‘the higher the stand, the greater the fall’. And there was a chance that such fall wasn’t that far away.

The Grand Admiral had just taken office the previous rotation on Naboo, the homeworld of the Emperor, and had immediately asked for a report by the cadre of ministers that he had been assigned. All agents of Palpatine, for sure, but at least they did their job with no bias.

When Iulius read the report, the situation delineating was one of absolute chaos.

Ryloth had staged a massive uprising with the help of a small fleet gathered by various rebel cells and the planetary capital had already fallen. On the Perlimian Trade Route, imperial intelligence caught notice of the rebels and their allies gathering a massive fleet, which could only be the prelude to another offensive. And to top it all, there was still major unrest on so many worlds that he didn’t bother learning the precise number.

On the major worlds, like Naboo and Kashyyyk, Iulius had already managed to put more moderate Governors after his first package of reforms, so slavery was abolished, taxes had become less burdening, and these two had become quiet worlds, from which he could count on to build the base for future campaigns. But many other Moffs had mostly ignored him since they could. Now, the Grand Admiral and Lord-Protector would use all the authority delegated by the Emperor to change things. The Empire had to adapt, or it would succumb.

“You know, they will push back with all they have.” Qathora commented as he enunciated this last point. “And I don’t think the Emperor will let you remove his henchmen.”

“Not without a plausible excuse, at the very least.” Iulius commented with an ounce of optimism. “But the problem here is that I won’t have much time to go the frontline. I need to pick up some good Admirals, and there aren’t many.”

“What about Sloane? She seemed to know what she was doing at Charros.”

Iulius hummed. “You’re quite right…” he replied and tapped the datapad to go and pin the name of Sloane into his list of people to promote for Sector Commands. “Have I already sent the new curricula for the Academies of the Mid Rim?” he asked to his confidant.

“Yes.” Qathora answered from her seat on the desk. “Along with the order for all fleets to stay on the defensive, for the moment.”

He nodded tiredly before massaging his eyes with his left index and thumb. He hadn’t slept much in these last few days. He didn’t want all of this responsibility. He had always argued that mixing political and military careers was one of the major flaws of the Empire. He feared that the prospects of a political fallout might start poisoning his mind and lead him to bad decisions.

He quickly recapped in his mind what he had done since the day before, to see if he was leaving some important matter behind, but nothing else came to his mind. He had already ordered to enact major reforms: slavery was to be made illegal, as of now, the Mid Rim would recognize all sentient species as citizens of the Empire, therefore annulling the imperial law that stripped them of every right. He had instructed the military industrial complex to shift production from the Star Destroyers to smaller classes of ships, especially because the loss of the Outer Rim had severely reduced the resources available to the war machine.

And yet he felt that all of this might be too little, too late. He had ordered his new responsible for the propaganda, some guy named Tonio Gauvanis, to focus the public attention on the so-called ‘New Republic’, and underline that in reality it was only a puppet state set up by the extra-galactic invaders, who wanted to subjugate this galaxy by destroying its culture and identity. Gauvanis certainly took the task on with a certain degree of diligence, as the HoloNet was bombarding the public channels with this narrative almost non-stop.

Iulius’ hope was to divert the public attention from internal matters while he fixed whatever he could, and try to create at least a minimum cohesion among the numerous species that still lived in the Empire. But honestly he couldn’t blame the aliens for hating a State that had treated them like cattle or worse for two decades.

After all of this passed briefly in his mind, Iulius left the datapad on the desk and stood up. He walked until he was in front of one of the three large windows behind his post. He pushed a button and raised the shutter, allowing the sun of Naboo to shed some light in his office and to give him an outstanding view of the city of Theed. A thought immediately got to his head.

“You know what? I still haven’t had the chance to see the city. They say it’s beautiful.” he commented.

Qathora slipped down from the desk and replied. “Very well, I’ll call up a squad for escort.”

Iulius however, gestured to tone it down. “No need. 517 and 518 out here will be enough.”

The Togruta looked at him with widened eyes, then she frowned in irritation and walked angrily next to him. “I’m sure you’re smart enough to understand that you have a target on your back now more than ever.”

“The galaxy at large barely knows that I’m here. And I doubt that even a Moff who wants me dead would dare to do anything so soon.” he replied calmly.

“At least let me call up Marek. You can’t go around with just two guards.”

“Three guards. You’re coming too, right?” he asked with a smirk.

“Yeah, but…” she insisted, but couldn’t find the words.

“Look,” Iulius said in a reassuring tone. “the people of Naboo are known for their commitment to peace. I want to appear approachable, and if two Death Troopers might already be intimidating, our devious assassin friend would certainly send the wrong message.”

Qathora grunted under her breath before sighing in resignation. “If anything happens, I told you so.” she concluded with sarcasm.

“Noted. Let’s go inform my most...trusted official, first.” Iulius joked.

The two exited from the door, where 5-17 and 18 were standing. The troopers immediately followed the Grand Admiral as he reached an office just three doors away. Iulius opened it and saw the desk in the room, with his mother sitting behind it.

She was going through a list of reports sent by the local administration, something that Iulius had asked, but when she saw her son she stood up with a large smile on her face.

“Iulius.” she said happily.

The Lord-Protector also smiled and went in front of her desk. “How are things going, Mother?”

“I’m still sorting out whatever requires your attention and what doesn’t. And how are you feeling?”

“Tired from all the bureaucratic work. I’m going out for a walk, so please if anybody is looking for me, just tell them to be patient. I’ll be back in two hours at most.”

“Of course, dear. Have fun.” she replied, then looked at the Togruta. “Qathora, make sure he doesn’t get himself into trouble.” she quipped.

The alien woman smirked. “As you wish, milady.”

“I’m not defenseless, you know.” Iulius replied, lightly touching his belt, where both his pistol and the Darksaber were hanging.

“I know.” Sekta replied. “But be careful anyway.”

So Iulius and Qathora left the office. After the two Death Troopers also protested that the Grand Admiral needed additional escort and this was turned down, the four of them left the base and ventured into the streets of Theed.

517 and 518 were constantly on guard, but Iulius wasn’t tense at all. People in fact turned around to look at him with curiosity rather than fear and he thought of that as a promising start.

As he admired the beauty of Naboo architecture, Iulius stopped to look at a sign over a door. He recognized the name of a famous restaurant of the capital that he had casually read over a pamphlet lying somewhere in the main base.

“You know what? I’m tired of the food at the base.” and he entered into the building with no hesitation whatsoever, so much that the other three had to jolt in order to follow him closely.

Iulius found a tranquil environment. The restaurant was a simple place and it was quite crowded with workers, employees, generally the lower strata of the population. But as he walked in and waited at the post where one of the waiters welcomed the customers, many noticed him and turned around. Unsure if they were to be afraid or not.

The waiter himself, a young man, looked at him with a frozen face, and stuttered. “L-Lord Tanis.” he said in a submissive tone, also making a clumsy bow.

Iulius calmly put a hand on his shoulder and smiled at him in a reassuring way. “Calm down, man. I’m just here to grab a bite, if possible.”

Such language would be unfit for a man of high rank, but Iulius intended for those people to look at him not as a tyrant, but as what his new title implied: Protector. To such end, he turned around and signaled the Death Troopers to put the rifles on their backs, which they did.

The young man recomposed himself and, though still afraid, he escorted the group to a single table with two seats as Iulius asked. The Grand Admiral and Qathora sat at the two ends and it didn’t take long before the owner came to greet them, making sure to stand at a sufficient distance that wouldn’t upset the guards.

“Lord Tanis. It’s an honor to have you here…” he said in a reverential tone that still stated how alarmed he actually was. “How may we help you?”

Trying to appear as relaxed as possible, Iulius replied in a calm tone. “Settle down, good sir. What is your name?”

The man hesitated, rubbing his hands nervously, but eventually answered. “Sammick, my lord.”

“Very well, Mister Sammick. I’m not here for official business, I’m just here to try your food. So I would be immensely grateful if you can just bring us two menus.”

The innkeeper made a bow and replied. “Right away, sir.” and walked away with a fast pace to give priority to the Grand Admiral.

“Is it even possible for you to have these people trust you?” Qathora asked with a point of sarcasm after witnessing such a scene.

“I never said it was going to be easy. That reminds me, since we are on Naboo, I have to find a way to reach the Gungan population.”

“Easy, there. They barely trust the naboos, so focus on your fellow Humans, first.”

Iulius hummed. “Maybe you’re right. But let’s forget about politics in here. I have no rush to go back to the desk.”

They did just that. The personnel and the customers slowly but certainly became less uncomfortable having the new supreme ruler of their planet around. When the innkeeper wanted to just offer lunch to him, Iulius steadfastly refused and insisted on paying the full price.

May 18.

Another soldier in front of him fell and Ezra dashed to drag the wounded man to cover, deflecting a couple of bolts headed their way. After injecting the emergency medi-gel with his omni-tool and sending the position of the wounded on the company’s HUD, Ezra rejoined the fight infuriating all around him.

Nearly four rotations before, the allied forces had noticed that the imperials were hastily evacuating Ryloth and Ezra was afraid that they might have been preparing for a Base-Delta-Zero, so his battalion was rushing to take control of a planetary shield generator as quickly as possible and to take prisoners if possible.

The mission of Luke and the Falcon had indeed revealed that the imperials were now much more careful not to waste men and resources. Allied intelligence had also learned that Iulius had been promoted to be overall commander of the Mid Rim and responsible to hold out the remaining dominions of the Empire in the Outer Rim. In the past, Ezra might have been quite safe in the knowledge that Iulius was pretty moderate, but after Mandalore that perception had changed. It was clear that he was willing to do everything to save the Empire, so there was the risk that the Imperial Navy would completely destroy Ryloth rather than leave it in the hands of the Coalition.

Now, while he and his fellow Jedi Padawan led the land forces of the Amerigo to conquer the shield generator, the Twi’leks were fighting a general insurrections all over the planet, focusing their efforts on the few landing zones the Empire was using to evacuate men and materials. In orbit, the Falcon was taking part on another phase of the space battle. They had already managed to destroy the Star Destroyer already on the third day of fighting, thanks to a masterful use of aeronaval tactics by Riccardi and the consistent firepower of the Amerigo supported by the bothan cruiser Shadow Fall . But there were still several frigates and small cruisers to contend the control of the skies over Ryloth.

The news of the insurrection on Ryloth was also inspiring other rebel cells in the Outer Rim to scale up the hostilities against imperial garrisons. Strategically speaking, the mission to Ryloth had been a huge success, but now Ezra had to bring his people out of there alive, and make sure that the Twi’lek homeworld would survive in the process, by capturing this shield generator.

The combined forces of Alliance Marines and New Republic militiamen had already breached the gates and there was just another ramp to conquer before taking the generator. But the last stormtroopers had dug in and were holding the only ramp of stairs that granted access to it. The allies took cover behind some crates, but they were suffering casualties.

Ezra was wielding his TL-50 now, while Luke was next to him, returning fire with a DL-44 pistol.

That was actually Ezra’s weapon. As time went on, the young Knight had essentially switched his arsenal to three main weapons: his lightsaber, his old TL-50 and an M-3 pistol. That was because he had found that pistol to be more easy to wield and more precise, so he had decided to cede his blaster to Luke, who instead appreciated it.

“Ezra.” said Jinx suddenly from the left forearm of the Jedi as he fired a burst with his weapon. “I just detected a communication from the imperials. They are preparing to destroy the generator.”

“Karabast.” Ezra mumbled. Then he quickly looked around and analyzed the situation. His squad could only go through the stairs, but they would be easy targets even if he and Luke used their lightsabers to protect the advance. All other Legionnaires were busy taking another section of the fortress and probably wouldn’t make it in time to save the generator.

There were three Krogans fighting alongside him. They might have been useful as shock troops, but previously the imperials had used incendiary grenades, and if those stormtroopers still had some, they could take them out, too.

He probably found a way, but it was kind of a bet. The stairs were only needed to scale the tall wall on top of which stood the level with the generator, but perhaps Ezra could attempt to just jump over it. Thinking fast, he decided that it was the best opportunity and turned toward Luke while putting away his repeater.

“Luke.” he called. The Padawan ducked behind his cover and turned to face him. “I’m going to jump over the wall. Be ready to lead the attack once I distract them.”

“You want to go up there?” Luke asked stunned as he looked at the huge wall.

“Trust me, it’s not the craziest thing I have ever done.” Ezra quipped to reassure him.

“That doesn’t make me feel safer.” Luke replied sarcastically.

Ezra smirked under his helmet, but then crouch-walked around the crate he was standing behind to. It was large enough that the opposite corner would put him out of the general field of view of the stormtroopers still firing down. After reaching he peeked quickly over the edge. After being sure that the blaster and plasma bolts were not flying around him, he dashed toward the wall while materializing his jetpack. He jumped over a pile of steel boxes standing at the base of the structure and used them to propel himself even higher. It was a technique that he used in the streets of Lothal, but with all of the experience and equipment acquired in the last years, he could make it even further. He managed to gather enough momentum that he could literally ran on the vertical wall for a few steps, and just before his speed ended he activated the jetpack, which gave him enough additional sprint to finally surpass the top of the fortification and land on the upper level.

He ignited his lightsaber, catching the stormtroopers completely off-guard, as they were amassed on the stairs, each ready to take the place of any of their comrades when they fell.

“Jedi!” one of them exclaimed, shooting at Ezra and making a group of the reserve troopers turn around to face the new threat. Ezra easily deflected bolts back to them, knocking two of them down, at which point a soldier with a DLT-19 turned to face him and released a rain of blaster bolts, hoping to overcome the Jedi with sheer firepower.

It might have worked, normally, but if Ezra wasn’t able to deflect one bolt or two, his armor and shields were more than capable to take the hit. Meanwhile, Luke had noticed the ruckus going on up the stairs. He had ignited his own saber and was now leading the charge of the allies. As predicted, two stormtroopers still firing downward tried to launch grenades, but Luke was able to use the Force not only to see them but push them to the sender. The imperial formation was blown away, and the few survivors quickly overrun. Only a handful decided to surrender.

“Secure the generator!” Ezra immediately ordered.

A turian engineer who was with the squad dashed to do just that and with the discipline that distinguished his people, calmly disarmed the bomb, despite the fact that there were only a few seconds left.

“Target secured, General. And it’s still operative.” the engineer said.

Ezra sighed of relief. “Call up the technicians. I want this thing raised as soon as possible.” he said to a rebel corporal next to him.

“Yes, sir!”

He was then reached by Luke, who put away his lightsaber and was still impressed by Ezra’s feat. “Do you always resort to these stunts?”

“Hey.” Ezra shrugged in a playful tone. “One must be resourceful.”

A moment later, the voice of Rex broke into the comlink. “ Rex to Specter-7.”

Ezra touched the side of his helmet. “Go on, Commander.”

“We have secured the command room of the fortress. We only need to do some mopping up.”

“I knew I could count on you, buddy. We have secured the shield generator, use the command room to inform the fleet.”

“Right away, sir!”

And as the fleet finally received the good news, Riccardi finally pressed the attack when the shield generator was reactivated, thus protecting the surface from possible bombardments or the wrecks of destroyed ships.

May 24.

The news of Ryloth’s liberation had been well covered by the republican HoloNet, and Jaral, too, couldn’t have been happier to see Ezra celebrated for the hero he was. But almost a week had passed. With Ryloth relatively safe, where the scientists of the Amerigo had built innovative underground greenhouses to help the Twi’leks be more self-sufficient and also welcome other rebel cells in need, the exploration cruiser had set sail again and had gone radio silent. Ezra was still looking to set a new operative base, after all. And his final objective was still Sullust.

She remembered the day she herself had ordered him to embark on such endeavor with Luke, the only other Jedi left. They were inevitable thoughts as she walked with Darvos toward the office of Mon Mothma, inside the new Senate building on Lianna.

They reached it and the two honor guards stood at attention, presenting their pikes to the Grand Marshall.

“The President is awaiting for you, ma’am.” one of them reported.

“Thanks.” Jaral replied, then turned quickly toward her husband. “I’ll just be a moment.”

Darvos smiled in a supportive way and nodded. Jaral returned the smile and then entered, letting the door closing behind her once she stepped in.

The room was clearly a unique sign of the new era they lived in: it was a mixture of both galaxies. Mothma sat behind her desk, but used a holo-terminal of the Milky Way and she had even been gifted an IV mostly to manage her agenda. Aside from that, the furniture was definitely from Andromeda.

“Jaral, always good to see you.” Mothma greeted cordially.

“Same for me, President.”

“Please, make yourself at home.”

“Don’t mind if I do.” she concluded and went to sit on one of the two seats standing in front of the desk.

“So.” Mothma said, leaning forward on the desk. “What do I owe this visit?”

“Actually, it’s about work, if you would say. I want to rescind my position as Grand Marshall.” she said bluntly.

Mothma was clearly caught off-guard as her eyes widened. After a few seconds to elaborate, she shook her head, but still kept a good degree of composure. “Why is that?”

“It’s mostly due to my upcoming mission, the one I already told you about.”

“You mean, your expedition on the Sith worlds?”

“Yes. In order to maximize my chances of success, I need to focus all my energies into my Jedi training. Not only this means I won’t have much opportunities to lead the war, there is also a considerable possibility that I might come back from this mission in a state unfit to command. Or not return at all.”

Mothma was clearly both surprised and admired by the incredible tranquility that Jaral showed in reporting such unsettling scenarios. Eventually, the President had to accept the will of the Jedi.

“It’s going to be hard to find a substitute.”

“I beg to disagree. We have found many great commanders since we have managed to reunite the Alliance. Which is another reason why I think it’s time for me to step down. It made sense for me to act as a symbol when we were desperate, but now we have our New Republic. We may not yet be ready to liberate the entire galaxy, but nonetheless we have the forces to face the Empire in open war, and that requires a true soldier.”

“You talk as if you didn’t plan winning strategies all the way here.” Mothma said to remind her of the numerous triumphs. “Lothal, Mon Cala, even Lianna owe their freedom to your skill as a commander, Jaral.”

“I appreciate your words, Madam President, but the point remains. I cannot delegate the mission to Korriban, and at the same time there is a risk that I won’t come back, so it’s better that I stand down. That way, the Republic won’t suffer too much if I disappear.

“But rest assured of one thing: if I come back in one piece, not only the Republic will always find a strenuous defender in me, but I will dedicate everything to my next project, one I think you will definitely agree on.”

“May I inquire on what that would be?” Mothma asked calmly, but certainly with her full attention.

Jaral slowly leaned forward, as if she wanted to whisper it, even though she spoke with her usual tone. “I want to recreate the Jedi Order.”

Mothma didn’t move, but a spark was clearly visible in her eyes, at least to Jaral it was. “Tell me.” she asked eagerly.

“I talked with Ahsoka and Nimbus, recently. They are quite positive that there are more Force sensitives that we might recruit. Some are still children, but some are a little older. Who knows, maybe there are more former members of the old Order who are still hiding among the stars. Once I find them, I’ll gather them on Lothal with the children we already transferred there, and if needed, I’ll help training them.”

Mothma hummed, the back of her hands propping up against her face. It definitely sounded too good to be true, but Jaral so far had never failed in delivering whatever she promised and more. If there was a chance to recreate the Jedi Order and make it a valuable support for the New Republic, she couldn’t possibly pass this opportunity up.

She rose her head again and replied. “Very well, Jaral Bridger. I accept your resignation. Who do you think should take your place?”

“Actually, I was thinking about making a few modifications to the position. Since we are now in an alliance with different nations, how about you talk with the other governments and you all decide on who should take my place?”

“Makes sense. I don’t want the New Republic to monopolize all positions of power. Our allies would resent it in the long run. I’ll propose it to my ministers. Nonetheless, if you have a preference, it would certainly help us decide.”

“Of course. I propose Admiral Ackbar. Not only he’s the best leader for our fleet, but he’s technically a citizen of the Mon Cala Kingdom. That should send the message that the Republic shares power.”

“I concur.” Mothma concluded before standing up and extending a hand. “Well, I can only thank you for everything you have done, Jaral.” she said. Jaral shook the hand and Mothma added one last sentence. “For every generation coming, you will be reminded as the Mother of the New Republic.”

Jaral chuckled. “I’m flattered. I only did what I thought was right.”

Mothma smiled back and finally bowed to the Jedi. “May the Force be with you. Always.”

Jaral replied with another bow in respect, and the Jedi finally left the office, being saluted by the guards again.

“How did it go?” Darvos asked, even though he could clearly tell.

“All is in order. She didn’t object at all.” she replied as they started walking.

“Told you so. Now, when do you think it will be time for you to leave?”

“I need Ahsoka and Nimbus with me. But nonetheless, I want to train as much as possible. I’ll head back to Lothal and meet with the Ordo Quaeris. They’re the closest thing I have to other Jedi, for now.”

“I’m sure Hera will give us a lift.”

“She has to. I already asked the Ghost to be put under my command. I may not be the Marshall anymore, but I’m still a General.”

“So is Hera, technically.” Darvos quipped. “But I doubt she will have any complaint, as well.”

Jaral chuckled. “You really enjoy rubbing the fact that you’re good at understanding people, uh?”

“Well, you can see the future, move things with your mind and even make our armies perform better just by meditating. Leave me something.”

The two chuckled, then Jaral put her arms around that of Darvos’ as they kept walking toward the exit of the Senate.

May 27.

“Here it is, Your Highness.” Iulius said as he handed over the nicely crafted scroll to Queen Dalné. “With this, I personally restore the powers over the planet of Naboo and its system to You and the Advisory Council.”

The young Queen carefully unrolled the scroll and carefully read at least the first lines, where the Lord-Protector of the Empire officially recognized the autonomy of the civilian government of Naboo. After being convinced enough, she closed the scroll again and turned her face toward the imperial officer.

“This is a most generous gift, Lord-Protector. I swear that your faith in us will not be wasted.”

Satisfied, Iulius made a small bow, imitated by Qathora next to him, then spoke up. “I look forward to a fruitful cooperation. Now, I must take my leave.”

The Queen made a bow with her head, so the Human and the Togruta walked away in a fashionable manner so long as they were required to, then they became less tense.

“Now I’m genuinely impressed.” Qathora commented as they walked down the stairs at the entrance of the palace, heading for their transport. “But are you sure you won’t get into trouble with the Core?”

“Whatever I do is troublesome to them.” he coldly stated. “But when the Emperor will see the results of my activity, the others will have to hold their tongues.”

As he finished, they reached their ITT. Iulius saluted back the driver, who then went into the cockpit and the convoy was soon on its way to imperial command.

“It’s not the Emperor who worries me.” Qathora said. “The Moffs notoriously hate to share. I know that many were open to the idea of reforming the system, but I saw at least a dozen of them looking at you with daggers at the last meeting.”

“Most of them simply want to preserve their power. And if the rebels and the invaders roll over them, they will lose it. They will adapt or they will perish. It’s simple as that.”

They spent the rest of the small trip in silence. Per Iulius’ order, the convoy didn’t run too fast along the city, not wanting to risk hurting the people or give the impression that he was afraid of them. And it was a good opportunity to see the fruits of his hard work of public relations in the last month: as the convoy passed, many people at the sides of the road waved at it or cheered. Iulius smirked, regretting that the ITTs didn’t have windows.

They reached the command base, eventually. First thing to do was to head to Sekta’s office to see if anything happened while he was away.

“Well, you got a lot of mail to read, honey.” she said from her desk. “But a few minutes ago your Commander, Ciena, was looking for you.”

Iulius raised an eyebrow. “Wasn’t she on leave with Kyrell?”

“Yes, they were both in civilian clothes, but she said she needed to see you. The poor creature seemed quite distressed, actually, you should talk to her.”

Iulius nodded. “Got it. You know where she went?”

“Last time I checked she was in the relax area at the end of the corridor.” Sekta explained with a brief nod of her head.

“Thanks, Mother. That will be all.”

“Anytime” Sekta concluded before returning to her own duties as her son’s secretary.

Wasting no time, Iulius headed toward the relax area, a big room that he had converted into a space with a bar, some holo-games and other recreational possibilities. Once he got in front of it, he signaled Qathora and the Death Troopers to wait outside, as he had already spotted Ciena, Thane and even Nash sitting at the same table.

Indeed, Ciena was hiding her face into one of her palms while Thane was tenderly holding the other and Nash rubbed one of her shoulders to comfort her as much as he could.

Hands behind his back, the Grand Admiral walked in front of their table. The two men noticed him only when he stopped and looked at him, with Ciena noticing him a couple of seconds later.

“You don’t look like someone on leave, Commander. What happened?”

Ciena adjusted herself a bit and stood up to make a request. “Sir, I ask your permission to travel to Jelucan.”

Iulius was curious. “Your homeworld? Why?”

Ciena lowered her head in shame. “I...I don’t wish to bother you, sir. It’s a personal matter.”

“Ciena.” Iulius said sternly, making the young woman look at him with incredulous eyes. Even for him it was extremely rare to call his subordinates by name. “You are part of my crew and you’re my best officer. Just tell me what it is so maybe I can help you.”

The woman nodded a couple times with emotion building up a little. “My mother. I just received news that she has been accused of embezzlement and will be trialed in a week.”

“Embezzlement?” Iulius asked with a suspicion. “Isn’t your mother a supervisor in a mine operation?”

“Yes, sir. But something is off...you see, she has been denied the right to a defense.”

Iulius’ eyes widened in an enraged surprise, but then he thought about it. There was only one kind of person who could allow such thing.

“Who is the Governor responsible for Jelucan?”

Ciena hesitated, but eventually answered. “Moff Goreed. Governor of Eriadu.”

It all made sense now: Goreed was one of the Moffs who openly opposed Iulius’ policies. He was trying to hit him by hitting his loyal second.

Enraged at such dirty move, Iulius’ face turned into one ready for war. He turned his gaze and gave the order. “Nash. Recall the crew of the Admonitor and her escort. We’re going to Jelucan.” he said with a calm tone that still let sheer determination shown.

Clearly agreeing with the sentiment, his Navigation Officer stood up and grinned. “With pleasure, sir.” and jogged away.

Ciena was still unable to realize what was happening. “S-Sir?” she stuttered. There was no way a Grand Admiral would mobilize his own Star Destroyer for a trial that he normally wouldn’t even be informed about.

Iulius, however, was not messing around. He looked at her and put a hand firmly on her shoulder. “Nobody threatens my crew.”

Ciena slowly started to smile. Thane, too, went next to her and patted her back and the two chuckled with emotion at each other.

“Looks like you’ll have to delay your date.” Iulius said sternly, though the joke was obvious. “Go get prepared.”

“Sir, yes sir.” Thane said before pushing his lover away with him.

Iulius calmly walked out of the room, preparing for his first political duel ever.

Chapter Text

May 29.

After the Admonitor left hyperspace over Jelucan, followed by the Corvus and three escort cruisers, Iulius brought Ciena and a small squad aboard his Lambda shuttle and ordered the pilot to head for Valentia, the planetary capital.

His arrival had actually been kept a secret, therefore there was no parade to welcome him and no dignitary of the local government, so he quickly sped toward the local prison, right next to the tribunal. The guard at the entrance was extremely confused when he saw his uniform first, and his face second.

“L...Lord Tanis?” he asked bumbling.

In response, Iulius took out one of his cylinder codes and pushed it into the plug of the main gate, obtaining immediate access. The guard stepped aside and let him and his group go in.

All he had to do was to ask the warden to bring out Verine Ree for a talk. The officer wasn’t actually keen at first, but a quick stare from DT-518 with her helmet and armor on was enough to convince him otherwise. In less than five minutes, Verine was brought into one of the conversation rooms without her shackles and Iulius entered along with Ciena.

“Mamma.” the girl exclaimed, rushing to hug her parent who returned the gesture.

“Ciena.” Verine replied, happy to see her daughter but confused. “W...what are you doing here? How did you get in?”

“It’s all thanks to him.” Ciena said, turning to show Iulius, who made a polite nod as he still kept his hands behind his back.

“The Lord-Protector?” Verine said incredulous.

“Madame Ree, I would like to ask you some questions about your charges.” Iulius frankly said.

“I...sure. But I don’t understand. This case is definitely not worth your time, my Lord.” the woman said humbly.

“On the contrary, Madame. Ciena has helped me a great deal since she came aboard the Admonitor. I’m here to return the favor.” he stated calmly.

While that wasn’t a lie, the main reason he was there was because he wanted to counter the attempt of Moff Goreed to threaten Ciena and, by large, Iulius himself.

After introductions were over, they all sat at a round table of the block. Aside from them, there was only a guard standing at ease next to the entrance, to escort Verine back to her cell once the talking was over. Iulius thus started with his questions.

“Madame Ree, I know that you First-wavers value honesty and the vows you make are considered sacred. So, I’ll start with the most basic question. Did you falsify the income reports of your mining operation in order to steal?”

“No.” Verine replied without hesitation and with a completely calm tone.

Iulius scrutinized her face and stared into her eyes, looking for any sign of falsehood, but he didn’t find any. She was being perfectly honest.

“Good. Then I promise, I’ll immediately restore your right for a defense. Who did you send your reports, usually?”

“Directly to the department of industry on Eriadu, sir. I only know the serial number of my correspondent, though.”

“It will be enough.” Iulius calmly replied and took out his datapad on the notes. Verine typed the serial number, allowing Iulius to memorize it before putting the device away. Then he stood up. “Don’t worry, Madame. I’ll make sure this judicial error will be rectified.”

“Thank you, Lord-Protector.” Verine replied humbly.

Iulius nodded and turned to leave, followed by Ciena after she bid her mother goodbye. Before leaving the prison, though, Iulius talked with the warden and ordered him to keep Verine in a single cell, cause if he was going to learn that she had been put in isolation without a reason, the entire personnel would answer to the Lord-Protector himself. And with that said, they left the prison and rejoined Iulius’ guards, Qathora and Thane. The Lord-Protector turned thus to Ciena.

“Commander, I think it’s time to enjoy your leave. Go home, stay here on Jelucan and see if you can find any witness to help your mother.”

“Yes, sir. Thank you, sir.” Ciena replied.

Iulius then turned toward Thane. “Lieutenant Kyrell, you’re going to help her. Your family is part of the capital’s administration, isn’t it?”

“Yes, sir. I’ll reach for them immediately.” Thane promptly replied.

“I’ll go to Eriadu and make sure that the magistrate who will judge Verine Ree will come from another sector, so he won’t be in Goreed’s pocket. Keep me updated if you find anything useful.”

“Sir, yes sir!” they both replied, to which Iulius nodded and headed back to his shuttle.

“How do you plan to take on Moff Goreed?” Qathora asked while the shuttle lifted from the ground. “If you humiliate him, other Moffs might become wary of you.”

“I’ll simply follow the law.” Iulius calmly replied. “Nobody will be able to contest the result.”

“You know what I mean.” Qathora replied, mildly irritated that he was trying to convince himself with a lie.

Iulius knew that. The Moffs had always been allowed to do whatever they wanted, and they only used the convoluted imperial laws only when they needed to take each other out, but of course each and every one of them didn’t like the idea of one Moff getting more power than others. It was a world of schemes and influence, with a very fragile balance built along the years, and not even the emergency of having a powerful external enemy would convince the highest imperial officers to set aside their squabbles and work together. The Emperor had been pretty much forced by the events to give a new title to Iulius hoping that he would manage to stem the hemorrhage of territory the Empire was suffering, but at the same time, if he failed, Iulius would end up disgraced and his rising influence in the Empire shattered.

“Look,” he finally said. “It’s not ideal, but this type of infighting it’s the main reason the Empire is barely holding against the invaders. Besides, Goreed is already suspected of many abuses, so if I manage to expose him and have him removed, maybe I can convince the Emperor to put someone who will take the job more seriously.”

“Sure. Keep telling yourself that.” Qathora concluded sarcastically before slumping on her seat, waiting for the shuttle to get back on the Admonitor, which was already turning to make the jump toward Eriadu.

June 1.

“I need to make up for everything…”

“Nice to meet you…”

“You must end it…”

“I can teach you…”

As various voices buzzed into Jaral’s mind, she heard the faint sound of footsteps on the grass behind her and she recognized the aura of Darvos. She slightly turned her head to make him understand that she had heard him, but she didn’t open her eyes, trying to hold the grip on the meditation. She did, however, saw a bit of turbulence into her husband’s aura, though she couldn’t tell if it was positive or negative.

“Hey.” she said gently after realizing that Darvos was waiting for her to be done. “What news?”

“I’ve just received a call from Camp Garibaldi. The Ordo Quaeris has just sent in the specialists you asked for.”

“Then let’s not waste time.” she stated, opening her eyes and seeing the endless prairie that was next to the Bridger Complex. Until then she was kneeling down on the grass. It was a sunny day with only a gentle breeze that made that spot perfect for relaxing and achieve the peace of mind necessary for meditating. Jaral calmly stood up while Darvos added.

“Also, I think I got something on the alien you encountered on Mandalore.”

Jaral’s interest was caught. When she turned around, ready to walk back home, she said she was listening.

“His name is Urai Fen. He is the right-hand-man of Tyber Zann.” Darvos bluntly explained.

“Zann? What was the Consortium doing on Mandalore?” Jaral asked.

“That’s the same question I was asking myself, so I made some digging and...I think it’s possible that the Mandalorians were dealing with the Consortium to develop new weapons.”

The news alarmed Jaral. Their allies were really working secretly with a criminal organization, when they could’ve easily turned to the New Republic for help?

“Why is that?”

“I can only speculate, but honestly I think that ‘allies’ doesn’t mean ‘friends’. Perhaps they didn’t want to rely solely on us for help.”

“Any idea what he stole from the Forge?”

“None, but with your permission, I can go to the mando colony here. Some of the armorers who worked at the Forge are here on Lothal.”

“Sounds good, Colonel Tanis. Take the guys with you, just in case.”

She used a quip tone to stress the new rank Darvos had just been awarded for his huge contribution to reform the Alliance Intelligence into the New Republic secret service: the Inter-branch Coordination Office, which had been founded just two weeks before.

“As you wish, ma’am.” he quipped back for a moment. It seemed like he wanted to say something more, but then changed his mind. Jaral decided to leave his thoughts alone.

In a couple minutes they reached the complex. The Ghost was parked just outside the perimeter of houses and even at that distance they spotted the rest of the Specters waiting just outside the ramp of the cargo hold. It was easy to see that they were gathered around Hera, who was holding Jacen in her arms and already showing him the Ghost, even though the kid was barely six months old. As it was late morning, Mira and Wolffe were already at their respective workplaces. Jaral and Darvos walked until they reached the group.

“Oh, there you are Jari.” Hera greeted with a smile along with the others.

Jaral smiled back and almost immediately, Jacen turned toward and extended a hand, cooing.

“Hey. Mum is right here, remember?” Hera asked jokingly, making everyone else chuckle as she delivered Jacen to his godmother’s arms.

Jaral happily took him and observed him. The pointy ears were now much more pronounced and his teal eyes were just the same color as his father. Every time she looked at those, a warm and peaceful feeling always calmed her mind. It seemed to her like Kanan was looking through those, and the fact that she was now clearly perceiving a very feeble Force bond with Jacen, which made it increasingly clear that he was a sensitive, probably helped building that strange feeling.

Jacen raised a hand and Jaral understood. She smirked at him and approached a hand to his own, particularly exposing the pointer. The child grabbed the finger and let out a laugh.

Among all the uncertainties of the universe around her, that single moment was for Jaral an incredible boon to her resolve. Now more than ever she realized what she was fighting for and how much she wanted to achieve the defeat of the Empire, ushering an era of peace and freedom where kids like Jacen and maybe, one day, a child of her own, could grow up.

After spending that precious moment among the positive atmosphere of the whole group, Jaral returned Jacen to Hera.

“He really likes you.” Sabine commented.

“What can I say, I’m good with kids.” Jaral replied with a lopsided grin, shrugging. Then decided that it was time to get down to business. “That said, I have a mission for you guys.”

“We’re listening.” Zeb said.

“Accompany Darvos at the Wren colony, he’ll explain everything along the way.”

Sabine was clearly surprised by the request, but accepted the condition. Instead she asked. “Where are you going?”

“To Camp Garibaldi. I asked the Ordo Quaeris to help me train for my mission on Korriban. I’ll likely spend most of my time there in the upcoming weeks.”

“Right, about your mission…” Hera said with a wary tone. “Is it really necessary for you to go alone?”

“I won’t be alone, Hera.” Jaral reassured. “Ahsoka and Nimbus have already promised their help when I’ll give the signal.”

Chopper warbled, reprimanding her that she knew that wasn’t the point.

“Look, kid.” Zeb said rubbing his neck and speaking cautiously. “While I’m fine leaving you doing your Jedi stuff, I can’t say I’m comfortable with you going on another Sith world. Last time you did...well, it didn’t end pretty.”

Jaral understood that. Malachor had been mostly a terrible outcome, with Ahsoka lost, Kanan blinded forever and even the usually unshakable bond between the siblings severely cracked. And Malachor was simply a planet where the ancient Sith had put a weapon on. Now she was going to Korriban, the birthplace of the Sith and ground for the tombs of the most fearsome Dark Lords in galactic history. Who knew what she was going to find?

“I appreciate your concern, guys, but it’s not something I want to expose you to. I need you guys to keep helping the war effort on the frontline.”

Darvos stepped forward and put a hand on her shoulder, intervening with the others. “I have faith in you. We all do.” he reassured. “So go do what you must. We’ll take care of everything else.”

Hera, Sabine and Zeb also tried to smile in order to reassure her. Jaral appreciated the gesture, though she was going to Korriban whether her family liked it or not, because that was her duty. Because the quickest way to destroy the Empire was to find a way to defeat Palpatine and Vader as soon as possible.

Eventually she nodded and, without saying anything else, she turned around to reach her skycar, leaving the complex and heading toward Camp Garibaldi.

There she got the authorization to land into the parking lot and a junior officer was there to greet her with an escort of a dozen human soldiers with the blue armors of the Systems Alliance.

“Admiral.” the young Lieutenant saluted. “The psionics are waiting for you on their training ground.”

“Lead the way, Lieutenant.” she replied calmly.

The man clacked his heels and turned around while the soldiers formed two lines around Jaral. On her part, the Jedi Knight realized something and talked to the young officer.

“Excuse me, Lieutenant, can I ask where are you from?”

The man kept walking but still turned his head with a curious face. “I’m from Garel, ma’am. Why?”

Jaral realized. “Oh...sorry, I assumed you were from the Milky Way, but my translator didn’t kick in.” she explained.

The man chuckled. “Yes, I’m one of the first few hundreds of new junior officers coming from the Lothal Protectorate. The Federation wants to create a local fleet so we can defend ourselves.”

“I see. Do you like it?”

“Sure. Thanks to the Federation, Garel has rebound completely from the misery the Empire brought upon us. I’m proud to be here.”

“Nice to hear that.” she concluded gladly.

After that, they didn’t talk anymore before reaching the section of the base reserved to the psionics of the Order.

“Here we are.” the Lieutenant said. “I already warned them of your arrival.”

“Thanks, Lieutenant. Dismissed.”

The officer made another salute then went away, bringing the escort with him. Jaral reached the entrance and the door slid open. She entered into the building, which was pretty much just another barrack made of concrete and steel, but she had learned already that the most dedicated members of the Ordo Quaeris worked tightly with the military and the government of the Her Imperial Majesty.

“Miss Bridger?” a woman with a fairly casual outfit came out from one of the corridors to greet her.

“That would be me.”

The woman made a polite nod. “I’m Khazira. Mister Barrioca is waiting for you. Follow me, please.”

Jaral was then escorted along the building. There weren’t many people, actually, and she had the time to peek into one of the rooms just to notice that the dormitories only had two single beds, which confirmed that only a handful of psionics of the Ordo Quaeris had come on Lothal, and most of them didn’t actually help in the war but were more like cultural ambassadors and scholars.

Anyway, she was led into the training room, where she found three middle-aged men and a woman, and they wore large clothes that resembled that of monks, or even those that Jaral had seen on Obi-Wan.

Khazira notified them of Jaral’s presence and left. After a round of presentations, it was the leader of the psionics, such Barrioca, to speak up.

“Well, Admiral Bridger, how can we help you?”

“I heard that you, Master Barrioca, are specialized in psionic powers targeting the mind of another subject.”

The man slightly tilted his head, but sported absolute calm. “I may have helped the MI6 with interrogations, from time to time. Why are you interested?”

Jaral made a step forward and looked straight into his eyes. “Because if it’s true, I would like for you to use those powers on me.”

June 3.

The simple sight of Moff Goreed struggling and sweating so much to find a counter-argument was simply priceless to Iulius as he sat on the opposite side of the desk in a completely relaxed attitude, with Qathora leaning against his chair.

Eventually, the Moff bowed his head in defeat and resignation. “Why are you showing me this? What do you want?” he said, pointing at the hologram projected in front of him. An extensive compilation of the numerous infractions that the Moff had committed in just the last five years.

Most important among those, were the numerous cases of Goreed embezzling money from the military-industrial complex of the Empire, the only kind of crime the Emperor would never forgive to one of his Moffs.

“For now,” Iulius replied calmly. “that you withdraw the false charges against Verine Ree. Furthermore, I expect you will work hard to remedy all of your sins against the Empire. It would be a shame for this report to end up on Coruscant, don’t you think?”

Forced to swallow the bitter pill, Goreed called up his secretary.

“Marpus. I want to withdraw the charges against supervisor Ree. Tell the security forces on Jelucan to release her immediately.”

“Yes, Moff Goreed.” the man on the other side of the comlink replied dutifully before closing the transmission.

Iulius stood up and retook his holo-projector. “I look forward to a fruitful cooperation.” he whispered with a mocking smirk. The Moff gave him a furious stare, but there was nothing he could do.

“Yes...Lord-Protector.” he grumbled.

Satisfied with that, Iulius turned around and walked out calmly, hands behind his back and straight up. Qathora followed suit. When the door closed behind them, the Togruta commented.

“Now that’s something you don’t see every day.”

“Enjoyed the show?”

“Absolutely. I’m almost sorry that you decided to let him off the hook, though.”

“All things considered, I prefer him this way. He will keep running business in this sector and he will not try to stab me in the back too soon.”

“Only if you don’t slip terribly in the next months. You better watch your back.”

“As always.”

They left the government palace of Eriadu and mounted on the shuttle back to the Admonitor . He then gave order for the ship and her escort to set course for Naboo. It took a couple of hours before everything was said and prepared, and by that time, Iulius was sitting at his desk and a transmission from Ciena came in.

“Go ahead, Commander.” he calmly said.

The hologram of the young woman showed how much she still wasn’t able to believe it.

“Sir, you...you did it. We just received a notification that my mother will be home in an hour.” she said, gesturing for the disbelief.

“Well isn’t that wonderful news?” he joked about it.

“Grand Admiral, I...I really don’t know how to thank you. I don’t think my family and I will ever be able to repay you.”

“You don’t have to, Ciena. I wouldn’t have gone this far without your help, so watching your back is the least I can do. For you, as for everyone else on the 101^st.”

Ciena took a moment to internalize those words, then smiled confidently. “ Thank you sir. I will follow you no matter where you may lead us. ”

Iulius made a half grin of satisfaction before going on with the conversation. “Take two rotations more of leave. You deserve some time with your family.”

“Thanks, Grand Admiral.” she then turned on her left and remembered something. “Oh, should I send Lieutenant Kyrell back?”

Iulius feigned to think about it.

“I believe it would be better for my closest officer to have at least a bodyguard, he should be up to the task.”

Ciena chuckled. “ Copy that. We’ll be back on time, I promise. ”

Then they closed the transmission.

Qathora was looking at the datapad, and as soon as Iulius was done, she urged him to look at a report that just came in. The Lord-Protector did that and his eyes expressed interest: apparently, his father had tracked down the stealth ship of Ezra Bridger and was asking permission to intercept. Iulius promptly sent the reply back, also adding that, in the future, there was no need to ask for his authorization. That cruiser was to be neutralized as quickly as possible.

“Didn’t he receive the new guidelines?” Iulius asked quite bothered.

“Maybe he just didn’t read them.” Qathora said sarcastically. After being his slave for six months, she knew a thing or two about Chimbros.

Iulius sighed. “Likely.”

“Do you think he will manage to catch Bridger?”

“Not in a million years, especially if he’s traveling on a stealth ship. But perhaps he will manage to disrupt their operations while we wait for Lord Vader to take charge of this mission. Speaking of which, has his squadron answered?”

“Yes. They destroyed the last rebel cells in those few territories the Empire still holds in the Northern Fringe, but it seems like Vader has executed Tagge.”

Iulius barred his eyes and his head jolted toward Qathora. “What?!”

The Togruta, on her part, extended her arms and shrugged. “All I know is that he charged the General with treason. They didn’t say anything else.”

Iulius covered his face with a palm and leaned against the desk. He didn’t know what was worse: whether Tagge was actually a traitor, or if Vader had made a huge mistake and took out one of the best commanders left in the Empire, a kind of people they were clearly running out of.

“Let’s just...get back to work.” he concluded grimly.

There was still an important matter at hand: both Qathora as Fulcrum and the ISB had confirmed that the Coalition was preparing another offensive on the main front of the war and Iulius had to make sure that the new Admirals he had promoted would be supplied with everything they needed to fend off the attack.

“All hands to battle stations. All hands to battle stations. This is not a drill.” the voice of the ship’s AI, Kolt, announced through the speakers as the alarm blared.

The Amerigo had just been caught off-guard by two Star Destroyers, despite making a stop for maintenance at the edge of a system with just two uninhabited planets. Ezra believed that, since they had to take down the cloaking device for the repairs, they had been probably detected by an imperial sensor somewhere in the sector, but he needed to think about that later.

“Focus energy on our rear deflectors and calculate a jump to hyperspace.” Riccardi instructed the AI.

“Red Squadron, what’s your status?” Ezra asked.

“We’re starting the launch sequence right now, General.” Biggs reported.

“This is the Falcon, we’re moving to distract the imperial TIEs.” Leia transmitted from the freighter.

“Roger that.” Ezra replied.

Just at that moment, the Star Destroyers opened fire on the fleeing cruiser, but they were still quite far and Kolt’s cyber-guerrilla measures messed with their targeting computers, forcing the gunners to fire on sight, which is very difficult in space.

Thanks to the Falcon’s diversion, the X-Wings managed to take off undisturbed and sped to fight against the TIEs, engaging in a furious dogfight where Luke played a major role, once again showing his innate talent for flight. Still, two X-Wings, Red Three and Seven, were shot down before the Amerigo signaled that she was ready for the jump and the republican ships immediately followed suit with their own hyperdrives.

“Two more pilots. Great.” Ezra sighed as he observed the report compiled by Jinx.

“There are many systems in this region who oppose the Empire.” Belisarius said calmly. “I’m sure our network will be able to find us replacements.”

“I’m positive we will find them at our next destination, but first...Jinx, Kolt, any idea how they found us?”

His AI spoke first. “I monitored their transmission. It appears like they had a sensor array in the Reuss system. We got caught right at the edge of its range.”

“Of course…” Ezra commented sarcastically. “Do you think we can find a safe spot somewhere?”

“We’re elaborating a solution.” Kolt stated. “For now, we suggest we stay as far away as possible from the major trade routes. The Empire is slowly withdrawing from the Outer Rim but is still holding control of them.”

“Very well. Use this parameter to calculate a path toward the system of Pantora.”

“Understood, sir.” the ship’s AI replied.

They waited a few minutes until Luke, Leia, Han and Chewbacca were all back on the bridge as Ezra requested, then the Jedi General decided it was time to announce the next part of the campaign.

“The liberation of Ryloth has been a huge blow to the Empire, and we have confirmation that they are retreating along a more defensible axis of the Outer Rim. In doing so they are leaving some important civilized systems behind, with governments loyal to the Empire wherever they can. Pantora is such a planet. There is a civil war going on, and one of the major factions has asked the help of the New Republic. First we will make contact with them, then we’ll see if there is any chance of freeing Pantora from the imperial loyalists.”

“I know the leader of the rebels.” Rex said. “I’m sure we have a good chance.”

“Who is her?”

“Riyo Chuchi.” Leia intervened. “She represented Pantora in the Senate before the Emperor dissolved it. My father worked with her in the past.”

“You think you can try and make contact with her?” Ezra calmly asked.

Leia made a nod. “I’ll let her know we’re coming.”

“Very well. Dismissed.” the Jedi Knight concluded, and while everyone left the table, he turned toward Luke, inviting him to follow.

They stopped at Ezra’s cabin to pick up the jedi holocron and headed for the meditation chamber, where they happened to find someone already occupying it.

“General. Commander.” Gozo said from her seat on the floor.

“Sorry to intrude, Master.” Ezra politely said. “Would you like to help us look into the holocron as an apology?”

“It would be my honor.” the woman replied, opening her eyes and undoing her posture into a more relaxed one.

Ezra nodded to Luke and the two Jedi went to kneel down in front of each other, leaving the psionic right next to both of them.

Without much effort, Ezra used the Force to make the holocron lift and opened it.

Chapter Text

June 6.

Much like Ezra had hoped, the holocron revealed that there was a secret hyperspace route that would allow the Amerigo to cut right through the final trail of the Llanic Spice Run and head straight to Pantora. Or to be more precise, they were directed toward Orto Plutonia, the frozen moon of the Pantora system, where apparently the rebel faction of the homeworld had set up their main base with the help of the local species.

After being allowed to pass three different jump points controlled by the rebels, the crew of the Amerigo reached the frozen planet. A small fleet of pantoran ships was protecting it, mainly frigates and corvettes around a single line cruiser. After receiving permission to head for the surface, Ezra collected Luke, Leia and Rex. The latter two because they knew former Senator Chuchi and the Jedi wanted to approach her with familiar faces. On behalf of the Imperial Federation, Captain Riccardi asked Ezra to bring Saori, whose training in the Ordo Quaeris also included advanced diplomacy. Ezra gladly accepted the request.

After putting on some heavy clothes, or in Rex and Gozo’s case some environmental regulators in their battle gear, the group mounted on a Pelican and headed for the surface.

“So, you two have already met Chuchi?” Ezra asked to Leia and Rex.

“First time was on this same frozen rock.” the old clone said. “She prevented escalating a war between the Pantorans and the Talz.”

“She’s an ardent believer in democracy.” Leia added after Rex. “I think she will do anything to restore the values of the old Republic to Pantora.”

“A promising start. What do we know about the situation on Pantora?”

“Ever since the rise of the Empire, the planet has been divided into three factions. The Appeasers, the Republicans and the Expansionists. Now, the third one was a very small minority and has been rooted out for years by now. As for the rest, the Appeasers believe in an integration of Pantora inside the Empire, while the Republicans believe that the Empire stands for values incompatible with their people’s culture. Chuchi has been a figurehead of the latter for a long time, but since the Emperor dissolved the Senate, she has returned to Pantora.”

“But if I heard correctly, the Pantorans had managed to avoid touching their weapons until recently.” Rex commented.

“Is that true?” Ezra asked.

“Yes. Despite disagreements, Pantorans would hardly go against each other, so the situation might be more complicated than what it seems.”

“Things are always more complicated than they seem.” Ezra quipped. “You should know this far better than me.”

Leia chuckled. “You’re right about that.”

“And what about the Talz?” Luke asked.

“They are a fairly primitive species, but they’re smart. It is actually quite surprising that they allowed the fugitive Pantorans on the planet.”

“Your former Senator evidently commands a great deal of trust on their part.” Gozo commented.

“You’ll see for yourself soon enough.” Rex reassured as the Pelican began its final approach at the Republicans’ base, which was built mostly in caves and canyons. One of these caves hosted a hangar a few meters underground, where they were allowed to land.

Ezra motioned Leia and Rex to go forward to make introductions, then he dematerialized his helmet in order to show his face and made sure that his lightsaber could be seen hanging from his belt. Luke did the same next to him as he already shivered.

“I never imagined there could be a place so cold in the galaxy.” the Padawan commented.

“Before this mission is over, you’ll probably run out of habitats to explore.” Ezra quipped, making Luke chuckle before the cargo doors opened up.

When they finally got visual on the inside of the hangar, they found a delegation of Pantorans waiting for them, with a female pantoran elegantly dressed and around 40 years old. Aside from the armed guards, she was surrounded by a male pantoran and other two females who looked a bit alike.

Leia and Rex walked down and they were immediately greeted cordially by the woman.

“Princess Organa. Words can’t express how good it is to see you again.”

“I feel the same, Senator Chuchi.” Leia replied with a smile.

Chuchi then turned toward the old clone. “Captain Rex. Always eager to fight, I see.”

“That’s what I do best, Senator. And by the way, it’s ‘Commander’ now.”

“Oh, congratulations.” Chuchi chuckled.

“Senator,” Leia said a bit formally before stepping aside to show the Jedi. “Allow me to introduce Jedi Knight and General of the New Republic Ezra Bridger and his Padawan, Commander Luke Skywalker.”

Chuchi’s eyes blinked with a bit of surprise when she heard the surname. She stepped a bit closer to Luke. “So it’s true…”

Luke waited for a following up, but Chuchi seemed lost in wondering, so he asked. “You...knew my father?”

The pantoran recomposed herself. “And, if I’m thinking correctly, your mother mostly.” then turned toward Ezra and made a polite bow. “Master Bridger. It is an honor to finally meet you.”

Ezra returned the bow. “The honor is mine, Senator Chuchi. I hope we can work to a peaceful resolution of your conflict.”

“That puts me at ease. I thank you, Jedi.”

“Before we go, this is Commander Saori Gozo of the Systems Alliance. She is also a powerful Force-user, as well.”

The two women shook hands. “It’s the first time a see someone from the Milky Way.” Chuchi commented with admiration.

“I am honored to represent my people and my Empress.” was Gozo’s answer.

After that, Chuchi went to make her own presentations. “These are the children of former Chairman of the Pantoran Assembly Notluwiski Papanoida.” she then pointed at the man first. “This is Ion, and these are his sisters Chi Eekway and Che Amanwe.”

The three people, all around the same age of Chuchi, if not slightly older, looked at the Jedi with a mixture of curiosity, hope and disbelief. Much like billions of other people in the galaxy, it was hard to believe that there were still Jedi around fighting the oppression of the Empire.

“What happened to the Chairman?” Leia asked in doubt.

“Father was already old, and this planet is not exactly a merciful one.” Che Amanwe said. “He passed away five cycles ago.”

“I see. Sorry for your loss.”

“We will honor his memory by restoring peace to Pantora.” Ion said. “I suggest we start the reunion.”

The group agreed and they all headed into the command room of the base, which was actually quite small, with a holotable in the center and two consoles attached to the ice walls, where two operators were ready to intercept transmissions or reading the long-range sensors.

Once everyone was gathered, Chuchi activated the holotable, showing the picture of a pantoran politician.

“I present you Meitsek Radunnari, at the moment Chairman of the Pantoran Assembly and staunch leader of the Appeaser faction.” she explained. “As of now, he and his militia control all the major cities on the moon.”

“Yeah, let’s keep the military considerations for another moment.” Ezra interrupted, stunning everybody else. “What can you tell me about these people?” he asked without concern.

Chuchi was clearly caught off-guard, like everybody else, but after taking a moment to reorganize her thoughts, she replied. “I’m not sure I follow, Master Bridger.”

“I mean, isn’t their name quite curious?” Ezra asked with a tone indicating he already knew where he wanted to go. “Appeasers. Not Loyalists or something the like.”

“I think I see your point, Ezra.” Gozo intervened with a calm tone. “The etymology of their name suggests that they didn’t want to serve the Empire, but simply making sure that Pantora wouldn’t suffer too much under it.”

“Wait a second…” Ion said in an irk tone. “Are you perhaps suggesting that we can talk with these traitors?”

“Actually, Ion, their reasoning stands on solid ground.” Riyo intervened to calm him.

“You want to go with the diplomatic approach?” Leia asked, actually baffled.

“If there is a chance to help the Pantorans resolve this issue without bloodshed, then it’s the duty of a Jedi to always try diplomacy first.” Ezra calmly answered.

“Ok, but how do we even get to talk with this guy and his friends?” Luke asked skeptically.

“The Imperial fleet has already left Pantora and we know they won’t come back any time soon. If I can show the proofs of this to Radunnari, he might see the futility in keeping this schism going on. The Pantorans will have a chance to stay independent from the Empire only if they unite again.” the Knight stated in a lucid tone.

“I agree.” Che Amanwe said. “Our father wished for nothing more than our people to mend this division and regain our freedom. We must at least try diplomacy.”

“I am with you, Master Bridger.” Riyo said without hesitation. “If you think you can do this, I will give you my full cooperation.”

“Thank you, Senator. For now, see if you can convince Radunnari to talk with me, then we will arrange a meeting on neutral ground.”

“Right away.”

While Chuchi got to work immediately, Ezra asked Rex to inform the Amerigo of the decision while he took Luke and Leia into a corner of the room.

“I must say, I’m quite surprised that we are not going to blow up everything on our path, for once.” Leia commented a bit amused.

“Then I guess you’ll be even more thrilled to this next question.” Ezra quipped before assuming a more serious tone. “I will set up the meeting, and once in front of the Appeasers I will make introductions. However, I would like for you to lead the negotiations, Leia.”

The twins were both taken by surprise and quickly looked at each other. “Are you sure?” Leia eventually asked.

“Didn’t you become a Senator just before it was an available title? Besides, I saw you in action and you clearly have much more experience than me.”

Leia pondered on it for a moment, so Luke used the opportunity to make his own question. “Then, what I’m supposed to do? I don’t know how to speak with politicians.”

Ezra replied by putting a hand on his shoulder in a reassuring way and quipped. “Don’t worry, Luke. You’ll learn by observing your sister doing the job. In any case, if things go terribly, we might need your help to get out of troubles.”

Luke accepted the task and made a simple nod, allowing Ezra to focus back on Leia. “So?”

The former Princess of Alderaan finally opened her eyes again and declared resolutely. “I’ll do it.”

“Splendid. Then let’s get prepared.”

June 7.

Once again, she felt as if her mind was cracked open and steel rods were entering from the bigger cracks, prying it open. The pain was excruciating. The voice of Barrioca commanding her to surrender.

It had been like this every day for the last week. As the invisible threads that the psionic was trying to put on her mind caught up with the most important areas of her brain, Jaral felt her will to resist become weaker and weaker. She pushed back, even cutting some of the threads, but in the end she was only able to prolong her suffering before her mind stopped answering to her.

“Ok, that’s enough.” Barrioca said, releasing the mental grip.

Jaral fell on one knee, letting out a breath of relief as the pain vanished, but frustration came in its place.

“Karabast.” she grunted before standing up again.

The Master of the Ordo Quaeris stepped closer and tried to reassure her. “You have managed to push back in just a week of training, Admiral. Don’t get discouraged.”

“I thank you, Master. It’s just...I’m not sure if I’m getting the gist of it or if this was pure luck.”

“We Seekers do not believe in luck. If I’m correct, the Jedi don’t either.” the man quipped.

Jaral huffed amused. “The ones I met surely didn’t.”

“You can’t push yourself too much. While it’s true that a strong will can counter the Mind Control more easily, I spent a decade perfecting this ability. It’s honestly impressive that you’ve been willing to subject yourself to this kind of training for an entire week.”

“Don’t you guys train to resist this kind of power?”

“Not with this much daily exposure. Your determination is honestly admirable.”

“It’s a necessity.” Jaral replied calmly. “The more I delay this mission, the longer the war will last.”

“But if you go in prematurely, you’ll achieve nothing but your death.” Barrioca noted patiently.

The young woman sighed, then Barrioca patted her shoulder in an encouraging way. “You probably know what they say about preparations, right?”

“That to be prepared is half the victory.” she replied confidently, quoting one of the authors in Earth’s history that she had been reading in the last few months.

Barrioca smiled at her. “And a rested mind, is a productive one. Tomorrow at the same time?”

“I don’t have much else to do, anyway.” she quipped. “See you tomorrow, and thank you for your time, Master.” she concluded with a respectful bow, which the psionic returned before the woman left.

When she stepped outside of the door of the building, she was quite surprised to find not just Darvos with his skycar, but a T’au with an advanced suit of armor, escorted by a transport and a few Fire warriors.

“Who’s your friend?” she asked nicely as she stepped closer to both of them.

“Jaral Bridger, meet Jis’Lum’Yir. Commander-in-Chief of the Tau Expeditionary Force in our galaxy.”

After observing him for a while, Jaral thought she recognized him. “Did I met you in the company of Kor’Met’Zor, perhaps?”

“Indeed, Admiral. The day you proclaimed your New Republic, I was there to accompany the noble Ethereal.”

“I see. Well, what can I do for you?”

“Actually, I was sent on behalf of the Geth and the Alliance Command. The machines have dispatched the fleet you requested, but they could only muster a fraction of the forces required. Since our fleet will be held in reserve in the next campaign, I am here to offer you additional help.”

Jaral turned her head toward her husband, who calmly replied. “The problem came out a few hours ago. The Commander has just arrived here.”

“I appreciate the offer, Commander, but there was I reason I asked for the Geth.” she said politely.

“Yes, Colonel Tanis just explained it to me. However, I do insist. According to the Geth’s own data, the fleet they sent might not be enough to face the one used by the fanatics holding Korriban.” as he said that, he took out a small holo-projector and activated it. It was dusk, so it was dark enough for the hologram to be distinguishable.

The new data sent in by automated Geth drones indeed brought up that the Sith cultists around Korriban had much more ships than anticipated. Jaral wondered where they could possibly find the resources, since Korriban was nothing but a barren wasteland.

“How can they upkeep such a large force? Korriban itself has negligible ore deposits?” she asked.

“I had this question as well when I saw the map.” Darvos said. “They’re isolated from the Empire, so either they trade with the Corporate Sector, or they hold more territories than those we know of.”

Jaral observed it carefully. A huge portion of space behind Korriban was vastly uncharted, but perhaps there were more ancient Sith worlds that she had no intel on.

“If Palpatine gave them so much resources while he could, they probably host something important. Darvos, see if you can arrange a call with Mon Mothma and the Coalition Command, we need to discuss this.”

“Roger that. Oh, while we are at it, Ahsoka contacted me not long ago. She and Nimbus will be here by the next rotation. She says she has found some volunteers for the mission to Korriban.”

“Volunteers?” Jaral asked confused.

“Don’t ask me, I’m already busy trying to figure out what the mandos revealed to me.”

“Right.” Jaral said before turning toward the Tau. “Commander, I graciously appreciate your offer for help. When the time will come, we will start the journey from Lianna.”

The alien put a hand on his chest and made a grateful nod with his head. “It will be our honor to fight at your side, Ji’Dai .” then he turned around and motioned his men to mount on the transport again.

Jaral and Darvos went back into the skycar. While he drove the vehicle back toward home, Jaral asked. “So, what did you find from the forgers?”

“It wasn’t easy to convince them, but they confirmed my theory: Bo-Katan had turned toward the Consortium to obtain and develop new weapons. Apparently, the project stolen by Fen was for a new heavy cruiser, codename ‘Krayt’.”

“What’s its peculiarity?”

Darvos sighed. “I’m still working on making them spill that bean.”

“They are resisting?”

“Technically, they made a solemn vow not to divulge their work at the Forge, that’s why it took me a week to get out something, and I still needed Sabine to talk with them.”

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yes, today she reminded them of her own story with the Duchess. How her own weapon was used against the mandalorians, so they realized that it might happen with their own creation.”

“That’s my lil’ sis for you.” Jaral said with satisfaction as she looked at the world outside of the window. An idea was starting to form in her mind.

Darvos probably noticed that. “What’s on your mind?”

“You remember I said that the mission to Korriban is to prompt the Emperor into making a rash move?”

“Uh...yes…”

“I’m thinking we can provoke him before the mission even starts.”

“There it is.” Leia indicated outside of the cockpit of the Silver Bullet when she spotted the small space colony where they were going to meet Radunnari and his collaborators.

Ezra opened up a channel and spoke into the comlink. “This is Ezra Bridger of the New Republic, requesting permission to land. Transmitting clearance codes now.”

Luke sent the codes. After a few seconds, they received permission and headed at the designated docking bay. Letting Leia take the lead, the Jedi stood at her sides. All three wearing their usual clothing as the former Princess intended to go. They were welcomed by a civil servant who was still cordial, if just a little afraid that things could end up badly, but they were led into a room, with a table in the middle and the Appeaser delegation on the other side of it.

“Chairman Radunnari?” Leia asked politely.

The pantoran standing at the other side of the table replied. “Yes. And I suppose you are Princess Leia Organa of Alderaan.”

“Indeed. Thank you for granting us this audience.”

Radunnari then looked at Luke and Ezra, who were quietly standing behind Leia. “I never thought I would see a Jedi again. Much less two.”

“The universe is full of surprises, Chairman.” Ezra replied.

“I agree. And just like the Old Republic, the New one likes to mess with internal affairs of other planets all the same.”

“Is helping you mend the fracture in your society such a bad thing?” Leia asked calmly.

Radunnari sighed in resignation. “I appreciate the concern for the well-being of my people. But I doubt you can offer me anything that will convince me to accept the Republicans back on Pantora.” he said, walking a bit up and down in front of the table. Leia gently lifted a hand in a reassuring way.

“I understand your fears. You’re only trying to do what you think it’s necessary to spare your people the wrath of the Empire. But times have changed Chairman. The fact that we managed to create a dozen of independent nation beyond the New Republic is a testament to that. If only you find the courage to stand with your people, Pantora will be free again.”

“For how long?” Radunnari contested. “The Empire might have pulled out for now, but who guarantees that they will not come back and we will not pay the price for treason?”

“They will not come back.” Leia reassured. “With the help of our allies, the New Republic has already established a solid base territory and we’re pushing back the Empire every day. They left Pantora because they’re retreating toward a defense line. This might be the only opportunity you have to regain your independence.”

Silence fell as Radunnari pondered heavily on those words. Eventually, he asked for the three envoys to give him some time with his councilors, and the Jedi agreed. They all left the room and waited outside. There were only two armed guards, which reassured Ezra as it was a sign that Radunnari wasn’t double-crossing them. After around a quarter-hour of waiting, one of the guards was called in his comlink, as Ezra saw him touch his earpiece.

“The Chairman is ready to welcome you back.” he said, touching the button to open the door.

“Thank you.” said Leia before the three reentered the room, finding Radunnari waiting at the table.

“Princess Organa, I appreciate your offer and I am really inclined to agree, but before I can do that, I’m afraid I’ll have to ask your help for one thing.”

“We’re listening.”

“If we are to become independent, we need to secure the necessary pool of resources to feed our economy. Right now, the Empire still controls the planet Alzoc III and they give us just enough scraps to survive. If we are to side with the rebellion, we need insurance that we can retake the planet as quickly as possible.”

Leia hummed positively and turned toward the General in the room. “Ezra, what do you think?”

The Jedi Knight stepped forward, hands behind his back and calmly asked. “Send us the coordinates of the planet and any intel you have on the imperial fleet. Maybe we can plan a coordinate strike to defeat it.”

Radunnari nodded. “Do it. And all our assets will be yours.”

“Thank you, Chairman. We’ll deliver the good news.”

Radunnari made a gentle nod with his head and the meeting finally ended.

“Great job, Leia.” Luke complimented as they headed back to their ship.

“It’s all about experience.” she replied with a smirk.

“Still, it was impressive.” Ezra reinforced. “Now let’s go. We got another system to free.”

June 9.

“Third battalion, move forward.” the Colonel ordered as the mass of Army troopers, supported by ITTs and AT-STs attacked the fortified position held by the simulation droids on Enarc.

The other simulation droids were being pushed back on the right wing of the fortified line and the main thrust proved to be decisive. Not simply because the tactic in itself worked, but because these Army troopers, drilled by the new book dictated by Iulius since the battle of Yavin, were working incredibly well in coordination with the mechanized forces and the air support. The soldiers were also being more precise in general, used cover more frequently and their squad-level ability had made a huge leap forward. These guys had been training for five whole months instead of the usual four weeks and it was showing.

Once the position was taken the commanding officer decreed the end of the exercise and the division started to demobilize.

Iulius spoke up. “Your performance and that of your men has been really impressive, Colonel Veers.”

“Thank you, Grand Admiral.”

“Come here.” he invited, bringing the officer in front of a galaxy map, where he indicated a system along the Perlimian Trade Route. “I want your division to join the Reserve Army that is gathering in the Roche system. We are expecting an enemy offensive and I want your troops to be ready to plug any hole in our defense and reconquer possible lost positions.”

The Colonel made the salute. “We’ll depart as soon as we can, sir.”

“Dismissed.”

The two split up, with Veers going to order his men to regroup and prepare for redeployment while Iulius and his escort headed toward his shuttle. He ordered the pilots to set the course back for Naboo and then headed into the cargo hold where he found Qathora focused on her datapad.

“Everything in order?” he asked.

“Apparently…” she said, still focused on the pad. “Hey, does the name ‘Korriban’ mean anything to you?”

Iulius thought for a moment while he sat down next to her. “Korriban?”

“I was going through some of the messages going through the Fulcrum network and it seems like Jaral Bridger is mustering some forces to attack this planet. At least I think it’s a planet, but I’ve never heard of it.” Qathora explained before passing the datapad to Iulius.

The Grand Admiral read the report, which confirmed Qathora’s words. But he just slightly shook his head. “Rings no bell to me. Anyway, put it into my weekly report for the Emperor, you never know.”

Qathora did just that while the shuttle, escorted by five TIE Defenders, reached the orbit of Enarc and entered hyperspace. It took only a few minutes to get back into the system of Naboo. The Defenders returned to their carriers in orbit while another squadron of TIE Fighters from the local Army Starfighter Corp took over the escort all the way to Theed. Just as the shuttle entered orbit Iulius received a call on his holo-projector, coming from his mother.

“Mother.” he greeted.

“Hope you’re doing well, Iulius. I wanted to inform you that Captain Fel is waiting for you in your office.”

“Ah. Thank you, Mother. I’ll be there shortly.” he replied satisfied before closing the transmission.

After landing at the spaceport, the escort convoy brought him back to Imperial Command. Iulius and Qathora headed in his office, where they found a tall, robust man with very short black hair, a thinly defined beard and mustache, brown eyes enshrined in a strict frown. He was probably around 28 years old. But as soon as the officer with the rank of Captain on his uniform spotted Iulius, he stood up and made a stern salute.

The Grand Admiral arrived a meter away from him and said “At ease, Captain.”

The man obeyed and relaxed his muscles a bit. Iulius then started. “Captain Soontir Fel, commander of the 181^st Fighter Wing, winner of Ord Biniir, the best pilot of the Empire.” and after saying that, he extended a hand. “It is a privilege to meet you.” he added with a smirk.

The man returned the smirk and shook the hand gladly. “Believe me, Grand Admiral Tanis, the privilege is all mine.”

“Come on, Captain, I’m being serious, here.” Iulius quipped as they separated hands.

“Same as me, sir.” Fel replied, keeping the smirk. His tone also became somewhat hesitant. “My son is a big fan of yours...well, me too, actually.”

“Oh, right, you have a son. Jagged, if I’m correct?”

“Affirmative, sir. He is still five years old but he’s got your poster in his room and searches for every news about you.” Fel chuckled, making Iulius blush a bit. “Meanwhile, he asks why I’m just 28 and I’m not and Admiral yet.”

“Let no one say we’re a generation of slackers.” Iulius quipped before turning toward the Togruta at his right. “This is Qathora, my personal agent. By all intents and purposes she’s an extension of my authority.”

Fel nodded respectfully. “Ma’am. I actually saw you at the parade on Coruscant.”

“That would be a first.” Qathora commented sarcastically, which made Captain Fel unsure whether he had offended her somehow or not.

“Don’t mind her sharp tongue, Captain,” Iulius intervened to ease the tension. “Qathora is a reliable asset.” then showed gently the chair to Fel, who sat down again.

Iulius then walked around the desk and went on his own chair, while Qathora leaned against the wall behind him. “Let’s get straight to the point, Captain. The war against the self-proclaimed ‘New Republic’ is about to enter a delicate stage. ISB has already confirmed that our enemies are preparing a massive offensive between the Perlimian Trade Route and the Hydian Way. In order to stop them, I need the best of the best. Which includes your 181 ^st .”

“Say no more, sir. I know for sure that many of my subordinates wish to fly for your fleet.”

“Oh...that was easy.” Iulius said a bit amused.

“Why would have that been hard?” Fel asked with a smile. “You might not be aware, sir, but it is thank to you if me and many other pilots in my squad still have the will to fight.”

“What do you mean?” the Grand Admiral asked confused.

“I was assigned to the 181^st just a few days before your first victory at Columex. At that time, I can tell you, the units in the rear were demoralized. Many thought, though they didn’t say, that the Federation and the Rebels had become invincible, after taking over so much of the Outer Rim. In all honesty, I was worried about the future of the Empire myself. But then news came of your victory at Columex. How you crushed the enemies so easily. That day, we all understood that we have a chance. That we have you.”

Iulius was honestly left dumbfounded by that shower of compliments. He had never heard anybody say such things. Most people complimented his performance, sure, but nobody seemed to ever doubt that the Empire would win the war.

“I...I don’t know what to say, Captain.”

“You don’t have to, Grand Admiral. Let me assure you, I will fly for you wherever you may lead us.”

Iulius made a slow nod. “I thank you, Captain. For the matter of flying, there are some new TIE Defender arriving from Fondor in a few days. I want your wing to take them.”

“Absolutely, sir. Although, I have a request, if I may.”

“Sure.”

“If possible, I would like to arrange the transfer of my family here on Naboo.”

“The air of Coruscant is not healthy anymore?” Iulius quipped, thought there was clearly a double-meaning to those words.

“That’s...one way to put things.” Fel said a bit casually, clearly understanding the allusion.

“Very well. Qathora, please tell my mother to arrange the necessary paperwork. I’m sure the people of Naboo will be glad to host a person the caliber of Wynssa Starflare.”

While Qathora headed out, Fel chuckled. “Don’t tell me I’ll have to watch my wife from you, sir.” he joked.