Blasts bounced off the shielded plating of the Jade’s Fire., ricocheting in every direction. The same was not true for the two men racing up the landing ramp.

As Luke had thought, one of the officers got lucky and let off a shot that caught him in the thigh, causing him to stumble halfway up the ramp.

Mara continued to fire and her heart lurched as Luke stumbled. The Tech turned to help Luke up the remainder of the ramp but was himself hit in the chest before he could reach the Jedi Master.

Stormtroopers continued to fall as the blasts from the ship’s guns and Mara’s expert aim dropped them easily.

Mara bashed the landing controls and the ramp began to rise, blocking some of the blaster fire, Luke’s lightsaber blocking others.

It wasn’t enough, however as a blast impacted above their heads sending a shower of sparks across the deck.

"Damn," Mara screeched as the ship shook with a violent bang. She raced back to the cockpit, muttering choice words to the man behind her, and fired up the engines . Just as Luke scrambled to the top of the ramp, it slammed shut behind him.

Explosions rocked the ship as Luke limped his way to one of the forward gun compartments. Switching the controls, he began firing at any Imperial that moved.

The ship began to rise and Luke could hear Mara’s screams of rage as her ship continued to be pummeled by laser fire. As the ship reached the outer atmosphere, a dark luminous ship blocked their path. Jade banked hard right but it was not fast enough to avoid the tractor beam that locked to the ship.

Luke left the gun compartment and limped to the cockpit , slouching into the seat with a soft sigh.

She glared at him, hate melting from her gaze as she realized that he was in pain. He could not use the Force to block it out or to heal it. She reached over him to a small med kit and removed a bacta patch. She worked quickly, wordlessly cleaning the wound as Luke grimaced, attempting to convince her that her techniques did not hurt.

"We aren’t far enough away from the planet to regain control of the Force," Luke said softly, knowing that they had lost this battle and would be captured.

"No one is getting in this ship without a fight." Mara snapped, and flipped some more switches on the control panel in front of her. The blast shield lowered and she cut off the underside blaster fire.

As she began to lock the ship tight, he reached for her and drew her into a tight embrace. If they were going to go down, they were going to go down together.

"No matter what happens…." The ship shook as it landed in the docking bay of the World Devestator," know that I will always…."

She touched a finger to his lips and then replaced it with her soft, wet mouth. The kiss deepened and they held tight, hearing the vibro cutters as they cut away at the ship.

"Shall we…." Mara began when their lips finally parted.

"Surrender with no more fighting," Luke completed the sentence she was not planning to say.

She shook her head violently and he stilled her," we can do more good alive now then dead."

She nodded wordlessly and turned her gaze to the door. The footsteps became louder as they stood and awaited the inevitable.

Clamps locked around their wrists as they were escorted from the ship, guards flanking closely behind them.

Mara’s eyes blazed green hatred at their escorts while Luke remained calm, his eyes blue pools of unconcerned emotion.

Their Force sense still evaded them as they stepped onto the deck of the only remaining World Devestator.

Mara knew this would not be a pleasant experience for Luke, remembering that he had once commanded an entire fleet of these deadly warships.

Recollection flooded Luke’s mind as he thought back to when he last set foot on these powerful, mechanical beasts. The Dark Side had flowed freely through him then and he had willingly used it to kill thousands of innocent people . ‘To save billions, sacrifice thousands’ was the excuse to justify his brief liaison with the Dark Side. But the shame still remained and he had fought hard to bury it.

Mara’s eyes darted around the bay, searching, memorizing the area so she could use the information to the best of her ability when the opportunity arose.

A dark robed figure strode quickly toward them, his pace short and unsteady , as if he was afraid to be in the presence of the Jedi Master.

"Well, well," his eyes gleamed, " I couldn’t have hoped for a better beginning to my conquest of the New Republic. Welcome," he raised his arms out toward the huge bay," to the Word Devestator ‘Armageddon’."

Luke willed himself to stay calm. Should the demented child see that he appeared weak, it would be easier for the boy to aggravate him. Maybe he could convince the boy that he wanted to taste the dark power again, as he once had before. Maybe that would give them the chance they needed to escape.

Luke struggled to push the feeling aside. Without the use of the Force, it was too difficult to ignore the painful memories. The memory of the power that coursed through his body when he was last on these ships was intoxicating. As intoxicating as Mara’s scent as they made love throughout the night. He understood how his father had succumbed so easily to the temptation. Maybe it was in his blood.

‘The Dark Side is a choice not a birthright.’ A deep, calm voice echoed in Luke’s mind. A voice that Luke was not accustomed to hearing.

"Take them to the observation tower," Irek motioned," I want them to witness firsthand the destruction of the New Republic."

The guards handled them roughly as they were pushed towards the large bay doors.

"Oh," Irek said almost as an afterthought," Since the Force is not you, it will be a pleasure to see your bodies twist in pain at the torture I will inflict upon you."

Irek stalked toward Luke, his face inches from the older man’s, "I will punish you severely for killing my father. You will know pain like you have never known before."

"Take them away," Irek turned and strode toward the command deck as Luke whispered, "unlikely."

The troopers pushed them into the lift that would take them to the tower where they would watch the final destruction of the New Republic and the Jedi Knights.

As they stepped through the large lift doors of the observation tower, they were pulled apart. Mara’s green eyes shot vibro blades at the stormtroopers as Luke turned his gaze to an officer who had just walked through another side door.

"Hmm," the man said, staring at Luke’s leg," It seems as though one of our prisoners has been injured."

The floor rumbled with the power reverberating through the ship as it lurched into hyperspace and toward its destination.

An officer shoved Mara against the wall , her wrist bound to a bar running across the length of the room, and leveled his blaster at her.

Luke was shoved unceremoniously to the floor and as he attempted to stand, another officer swung a stafflike weapon at him, narrowly missing his head as Luke ducked out of the way.

"It will be such a pleasure overseeing the torture of the great Jedi Master," the officer sneered,.

"Our little friends," he pointed absently to cages littered throughout the large tower, "will keep you on our level for the rest of your miserable life."

Luke stood quickly, favoring his injured leg and prepared to dodge another attack.

The officer smiled broadly and swung low at Luke’s leg in a vain attempt to knock the man off his feet.

Luke again dodged the attack easily and backed away from the officer. That physical defense training he had practiced, and continued to teach his students, was finally coming to good use.

Luke was doing surprisingly well without the Force, Mara noted, her green eyes piercing the back of Luke’s attacker.

A side door slid open to reveal a slim figure, clad in a tight fitting jumpsuit, and Mara’s heart twisted. The woman strode confidently to Mara and slapped her hard across the face causing the young woman to gasp in momentary pain and surprise.

The former Emperor’s Hands glared at one another, each wishing the other a slow, painful tortuous death.

Roganda lifted Skywalker’s lightsaber and ignited it, the blade stretching a hairsbreath away from Mara’s neck.

Mara noticed whose lightsaber Roganda held and was momentarily frightened that Luke had been killed, until she heard him yelp in pain as he was struck in the side with the strange stafflike weapon.

"You have no right to wield that weapon," Mara snapped," that is the weapon of a Jedi Master and …."

"One that will soon have no use for it," Roganda sneered as she momentarily glared at the Jedi Master who now had blood stains on various portions of his clothing.

"Don’t underestimate him," Mara snapped, " or me."

"Never," Roganda raised the saber towards Mara’s head and she readied herself for the small movements that she would be able to make to avoid a death strike.

Luke saw the blade out of the corner of his eye, saw it arch towards Mara’s head and made a lunge for it.

His concentration broken, the officer thrust at him with the opposite end of the weapon and struck him in the side, sending a bolt of electricity into Luke’s body, rattling him to the bone. Luke collapsed to the floor unconscious.

Luke’s cry of shock and pain was the last thing Mara heard before the crackling of the saber changed course and sliced through the clasp that bound her to the railing.

Mara stood in place, willing herself to remain calm and not to run to Luke. She didn’t trust that Roganda would not thrust the saber into her back.

Roganda raised a hand behind her back and a guard Mara had noticed standing toward the back of the room approached, his arm outstretched toward Roganda.

Roganda took the lightsaber from his hand and extended Luke’s to Mara, unlit, blade end first so that Mara could not ignite it without turning it around.

Mara smiled evilly and made motion to strike the man who had been battering Luke, and who now stood over Luke’s motionless body. Roganda anticipated the move, ignited her new blade and sliced at Mara with the red lightsaber, causing Mara to veer away from the two men.

Mara whirled around, forcing herself in the defensive posture despite her raging temper, ignited the green blade and raised it.

Without the use of the Force, Mara didn’t know how proficient she would be with the blade but she grinned at the satisfaction that Roganda would be at the same disadvantage.

Roganda was on the offensive and swung the overlong blade at Mara’s legs. Mara noticed the difference in the construction, but let it pass in the face of avoiding the deadly blade.

Mara dodged the strike easily and noticed something she might be able to press as an advantage. The blade was meant to suit another’s hands and arm length. Roganda was using a blade that did not belong to her.. The lightsaber was too long for her and she was having to compensate greatly for it.

Mara immediately went on the offensive, striking and slashing at Roganda’s head, arms, legs and heart, her green blade impacting with the red one exploding in a shower of sparks whenever they touched.

Mara was at a similar disadvantage, since the blade she was using did not belong to her either. Even though it’s weight, grip, and blade length were considerably longer in proportion to her size, she learned to compensate for it. She swung the blade easily causing Roganda to step back.

The guards in the tower, including the officer battering Luke, stared at the two combatants.

Seeing that Mara did indeed have the advantage, Roganda began showering her with insults. She knew that anger led to mistakes, and giving in to it would be Mara’s destruction.

"Traitorous whore."

Sabers clashed, sizzling in the silence of the room.

"Disobedient wench."

"Slut."

"Unable to carry out a simple order."

"Jedi lover."

Mara was careful not to take the insults too seriously, her temper was too far over the edge as it was and she would have to be in control if she and Luke were going to make it out alive.

The ship rattled and slowed as it left hyperspace.

They ‘had’ to get off this ship and warn the Republic, or, she truly believed, the galaxy would again fall into desolation and despair as a new Emperor claimed the throne.

In between the sizzling clash of the lightsabers, Mara stole glances out the large windows surrounding the tower. Hundreds of carrier, cargo and transport ships were being dropped all over the planet from larger Star Destroyers. As the massive Devestator turned, she got a full view of the first planet to fall under the World Devestator’s attack; Yavin IV.

Mara thought of Luke, lying unconscious on the floor, and of all the dedication and determination he had put into the rebuilding of the Jedi Knights. She was grateful he was not awake to see this abomination. She knew this sight would tear at his heart and soul; not to mention his sanity.

Mara was furious, angry because Luke had wasted so much of his life in solitude training and rebuilding the Jedi. Now it would all be destroyed by one demented child craving the power, if Mara got her way, that he would never wield.

Mara faltered, allowing her anger consume her and she drove Roganda back again and again until she tripped and fell to the floor, lightsaber rolling from her grasp.

Luke regained consciousness as Irek’s blade ignited and arched towards Mara’s head.

"No!" his mind screamed as he frantically searched his memory for a way to help her.

Somewhere in his subconscious, a name repeated over and over like the pounding of those little annoying Ewok drums: Akanah, Akanah……

Recollection snapped and Luke concentrated, releasing his tension filled muscles, ignoring the pain, allowing him to concentrate on the one and only power of the White Current that he could manipulate: Invisibility.

As his body relaxed, natural and trained instinct took over as he concentrated on Mara’s body.

‘Yes’ Luke heard in his mind. The same deep voice commanding, ‘Use the power. Your mothers gift to you.’

Mara dodged out of the way as the saber crackled towards her head, and she hit and rolled across the floor.

Roganda seethed at Irek. "She’s mine!"

Roganda twirled the blade around her hand, and another blade shot out of the handle.

Mara and Luke gasped as Roganda advanced on the younger woman, the double bladed lightsaber crackling with deadly heat.

Luke shook his head, his eyes narrowing as Mara directed her full attention to deflecting not one, but two deadly blades without the use of the Force.

"I’m pleased to know that my new construction has had its intended effect," Roganda taunted, bringing one end down toward Mara’s head. Mara leapt out of the way and Roganda twirled the blade so that the other end whirled toward Mara’s legs.

‘She can’t defend against that without the Force,’ Luke muttered and closed his eyes. He could feel a slight tremor shoot through his body as he gained tedious control of the White Current.

It was not the Force and could not be blocked by the Ysalimiri scattered throughout the ship.

Mara stole a glance at Irek as Roganda screamed, "No!!!"

She saw Irek’s eyes widen in disbelief. Mara glared and raised her blade when she heard Luke scream.

"Stand still! They can’t see you!"

Mara’s head snapped toward where Luke once lay and to her surprise he was gone as well.

Roganda grunted and Irek’s eyes darted around the room, searching for the slightest movement by which to locate his two prisoners. Roganda raised the double-edged blade and swung at the open air, hoping that she would strike her target.

Mara launched herself out of the way quickly and rushed to Luke’s side.

"We have to get out of here," the invisible Mara whispered to Luke, bending over to lift him.

As they raced for the lift doors, Luke noticed for the first time what planet the massive ship was orbiting. His heart sank as he watched the ships powerful lasers impact with the planets surface, sending fire, dust and debris into the atmosphere.

"No!" he mouthed words as Mara put a comforting hand on his shoulder.

All of his students, teachers and friends. They’d had no warning, no time to prepare a defense. They did not have enough defense systems to ward off a World Devestator much less one carrying thousands of Ysalimiri. Robbing them of their one chance at defense, they would die bereft of the Force at their enemies mercy.

Luke chastised himself for not thinking of this sooner. He should have prepared the Academy for threats of this kind. He should have seen that this might happen one day. Now the deaths of his students and teachers would be on his hands like all of the others.

Luke’s concentration faltered as torment and anger raged out of control, causing his tentative hold on the powers of the White Current to waver.

Iken, Roganda and the guards turned towards the doors as they opened to admit a now visible Luke and Mara.

"They can see us! Go!" Mara squealed, pushing him into the lift and pressing any control to make the doors close.

As the lift started to move, Luke calmly pressed a control that he knew would take them to the docking bay. He knew the design of these ships well and that may be the only thing that would save them.

He concentrated again, finding it more difficult to tap into the powers of the White Current, an energy similar to the power of the Force but vastly different, because of the strain on his emotions.

"Pull it together , Jedi!" Mara snapped, "or we’ll both be joining all of your dead friends down there and many more will die on Coruscant!"

Luke bit back the pain her insensitive comment caused.

They raced down and around corridors, doors opening and closing of their own volition, confusing the guards.

"We have to help them," Luke whispered, as they rounded yet another corner and ran towards the Jade’s Fire on the far docking pad.

They sliced through the few troops guarding the ship just as a large, powerful bright explosion illuminated the planet below.

"No!" Luke screamed as he stopped mid-stride and stared at the fires burning what used to be Yavin’s Great Temple.

His concentration broke again and they became visible to the guards racing though the lifts after them.

A lucky blast caught Mara in the ankle and she yelped in pain. She grasped Luke’s arm and dragged him up the ramp.

"C’mon Skywalker, there is nothing you can do for them now," she screamed, as blaster fire exploded around them.

He couldn’t leave them. Luke thought as he followed her up the boarding ramp. He couldn’t abandon something he had worked so hard to build but, Jade was right, there was nothing he could do for them now. They could get to Coruscant in time to warn the Capitol. He had to decide now. The future of the new Republic again rested on his shoulders as he made yet another painful decision. One that would cost hundreds of lives but hopefully save millions.

As the ramp raised and sealed them into the ship, Mara started the swivel blasters and began to pave the way for a quick exit.

"Strap yourself in flyboy," She screeched," It’s gone be a bumpy ride."

She switched on the forward lasers and burned a whole in the docking bay doors, sucking the air out of the bay and all who were not firmly attached to the dock were sucked out into the vacuum of space.

She locked down the hole the intruders had burned into her hull with a cross-wiring of a few controls.

Luke slid into the co-pilots seat and strapped himself in just as the Jade’s Fire thrust its way out of the bowels of the mechanical beast.

A few modified TIE fighters chased after the escaping ship and managed to hit one of the communications arrays.

"Damn," Mara swore," they hit a com array! Now we won’t be able to connect with Coruscant until we are almost on top of them!"

Mara turned to him momentarily forgetting that ‘she’ was making the decisions on what coordinates to set. Her eyes locked with his and she felt such pain and agony in the sea blue eyes that she almost tore her gaze from his.

"Set course for Coruscant," he said flatly, his heart breaking as he sentenced the Jedi Knights to complete destruction.

"As fast as this baby will get us there," Jade turned, punched a few controls and the ship lurched into hyperspace.

"We will be out of range until my portable comm can pick up a signal or until we get there, whichever comes first. I will transmit an emergency signal on all frequencies and hope that a passing Republic ship will pick it up." She was immediately overwhelmed with feelings of death, destruction and despair, causing her to gasp in shock. She gripped the edge of the chair to steady herself.

The Force had been returned to them.

Luke remained silent.

"Snap out of it!" She screeched and slapped him gently across the face to get his attention.

Blue eyes glared at her and she slid from the seat and took his hands in hers.

"There was nothing you could do," her eyes softened," we would have had no chance…"

"I know."

"Can you contact Leia from here? Or any other Jedi?"

"Yes," he nodded, " help me."

He gripped her hands tightly and waves of grief flowed over her threatening to choke the breath from her lungs.

She used her own strength in the Force to heighten Luke’s and to push the hurt and pain away.

Their Force senses joined and mingled, sending a tingling sensations through their bodies, jolting every nerve ending to life.

"And this is why we must approve funding for…" Leia was struck by waves of pain and grief and was physically shaken. She had been unprepared and collapsed to her seat desperately gasping for air.

"Leia?" Mothma rested a hand on her young friend’s shoulder, a questioning look in her eyes
"Highness?" another Senator spoke, concerned for the young woman.

Leia’s eyes widened in horror as the realization of what she was feeling hit her with the force of a death star beam.

"Luke!" she screamed," oh no!"

Mothma’s eyes widened. Something had to be terribly wrong for Leia to loose her professional demeanor in front of the entire Senate Chamber.

Murmurs erupted from the gathered delegates, most realizing that the professional demeanor with which Senator Organa-Solo governed was not shattered easily.

"The Jedi," she snapped her head around, eyes darting around the room like a wild woman gone mad," Yavin IV is being attacked."

Eyes widened throughout the senate chamber as a communications officer attempted immediately to contact Yavin IV.

"Ysalimiri, they are using them to block the Jedi powers." Leia stared at the wall as she repeated what Luke was sending her through the Force." The Academy has been destroyed and the remainder of the Imperial fleet, led by Irek Palpatine’s World Devestator is launching for……Coruscant."

All eyes looked expectantly to the frightened Chief of State. Startled gasps followed her statement.

"All communications with Yavin IV have been cut," the comm officer announced.

Murmurs erupted throughout the hall and several Admirals opened communication links with their generals around the planet.

Mothma held a glass to the younger woman’s lips, noticing her hands were shaking too much to hold the glass on her own.

Mothma turned her gaze to the assembly as Leia took a sip the cool water then took the glass from the older woman’s grasp.

"We need to raise the defense shield," Mothma ordered.

"Madame," Admiral Madine spoke as Admirals, Generals and the defense council rushed into the Senate hall, having been called moments before by the comm officer. "The shield is not fully operational. It may not withstand an all out attack by a World Devestator."

"We must raise it. It may be our only protection until we can get the remainder of our fleet here to defend us."

"The defense grid will be operational momentarily," Admiral Ackbar relayed from his terminal.

"Good," Mothma nodded," contact as many of our fleet ships as you can and get them here quickly."

"Luke will be arriving shortly in the Jade’s Fire," Leia said, struggling to regain her composure," we will need his reports of the destructive capabilities of that Devestator. Their communications array was damaged so they will not be in range until they are on top of us."

"We must send out a planetary emergency broadcast and re-route commercial and pleasure traffic coming in and out of the system." Leia said." And send out a warning to all neighboring worlds to keep their traffic well away from this area."

"Working on it now," the communications advisor noted," all spaceports have been closed and will remain open for military traffic only until further notice."

"The vidographers are demanding to know what is happening," the press advisor to the office of the Chief of State intervened," signals leaving the planet have been terminated and they are in an uproar. News has spread that the spaceports have been closed to all except military traffic."

"I need to make a statement." Leia stood, having regained her composure.

"Highness," the press advisor stood as well," we don’t want to create a planetary panic but we do need to implement a planetwide emergency broadcast."

"Orders have been transmitted to open planetary shields for the Jade’s Fire only," the comm advisor said.

"Good."

"If the Imperial Fleet comes in on their heals," Mothma sighed," the shield will have to remain in place until the battle is won or it is destroyed."

"Everything is set," Mothma said," no more can be done from here. All non-essential personnel need to get to shelters. The Senate chambers and governmental seats will be the first to be hit should the shield fall."

"The rest of us," Mothma looked around at the remaining Admirals and defense advisors," let’s adjourn to the defense platform."

"All defense grids and planetside weapons will be operational when we arrive," Defense advisor Granson said as heavily armed guards escorted the remained of the council to the lifts and to the underground defense platform.

"We’ll be within comm range soon," Jade turned to a still despondent Luke," They will be right on our heals."

Luke nodded and sighed," I know. Leia has the council alerted and the emergency defense system operational."

It angered her to see him this way. He had no fire, no rage nor anger no emotion. She was furious. At him for behaving so childish in this time of crisis, for showing no emotion or anger for what had just happened. She was furious as the ragtag Imperial Navy who had, by some miracle, been able to pull together enough manpower and munitions to cause real danger to the New Republic.

She didn’t want to slap him again so she reached out, cupped his cheek in a slim hand, and brought his lips to hers in a gentle, but firm kiss.

He responded immediately , his hands sliding around her neck, deepening the kiss.

As his tongue darted into her mouth, his Force sense creeped into hers and his emotions flooded her mind overwhelming her.

Once they parted, she turned to the controls to see when they would be in comm range. It would be another 20 minutes or so and she allowed his touch as his hands wrapped themselves around her waist.

She could feel his need to be grounded, to be loved in this time of overwhelming destruction.

He stood and resumed the kiss, backing her towards the exit. His hands fumbled for the fastenings on her pants and she shivered as they brushed roughly against her.

"Luke maybe we…." Mara stopped as her back hit the wall and he pressed his body against hers, rubbing his hips suggestively against her thighs.

Desire swelled in her loins as she longed to feel him fill her again. Almost dying with him, and the possibility of still doing so, caused a great need in her body. The need to become part of him, to be held, to be loved. She reached, quickly unfastened and removed his pants, undergarments and all, and allowed them to slide down his legs to the floor.

"I need you." He breathed, his voice deep with emotion. " I need to feel…"

"I know." She whispered as she pressed a deep, wet kiss to his parted lips.

She nodded and allowed him to slide her pants and undergarments over her hips and down her legs. He rubbed against her immediately before she had the chance to curl her fingers around his throbbing organ. His hips gyrated against hers and she could feel his bulging hardness brush against the soft flesh of her abdomen. She felt a moist wetness spread in her loins and against the inside of her thighs.

She stepped out of the pants as his hand moved quickly between her legs. She gasped as he probed her womanhood, burying his fingers deep within her, testing her warm valley to see if she was ready for him.

She moaned against his mouth and then pulled her lips from his, emerald eyes locking with sea blue ones. She nodded in silent agreement as his fingers left her slick warmth, creating the desire to swell. She braced herself against the wall as he lifted her hips up to meet his powerful thrust. He impaled her with his hard organ time and time again as she rode his hips.

She crossed her ankles behind his back, ignoring the momentary pain from the injured ankle, and reveled in the depth of his penetration.

Her arms snaked around his neck as he lifted her and lay her gently on the floor, never slipping from her slick wetness.

Their Force sense mingled, twined, causing their passion to heighten as they felt one another’s pleasure and the sensations assailing their bodies.

His thrusts became harder, quicker as he penetrated not only her innermost body but her mind and soul as well.

They cried out together in bliss as she came to a quick climax, her body’s juices flowing with his as he erupted within her.

A few moments later , he rolled away from her and she missed the grimace that spread across his face. He left her lying contented on the floor, absorbing the sensation and the aftermath of their quick, hard coupling. He returned seconds later with a portable med pack.

"I’m so sorry," he apologized staring into her bright green eyes still trying to comprehend the quick coupling.

She shook her head as he continued," I didn’t know you were injured."

He began to tend the wound. He tenderly cleaned the burned flesh and applied antiseptic cream then bandaged it with a bacta pack.

"And I didn’t mean…" she sat up quickly , her finger flying to his lips, silencing him. She didn’t need to hear his feelings of guilt about behaving like a sex starved madman.

She stared into the large blue eyes and became lost in the beauty of them.

Before she could respond, her mobile comm unit beeped with transmissions from Coruscant.

Luke jumped to his feet, wincing in pain from the laser burn on his thigh, kissed Mara softly on the lips and turned to answer the transmission.

Mara moved to quickly to redress and followed her lover to the cockpit as she heard Luke speaking with the defense platform.

"They are coming in on our flank." Luke said into the comm, "Don’t, I repeat, Do not lower the planetary shield. You would never get it back up in time."

Mara turned to the console, and began to flip some controls, readying the ship for battle.

As the ship lurched out of hyperspace minutes later, Luke gasped at the sight that greeted him. Battle cruisers, transports, single-man fighters stood guard around the planet waiting for the Imperials to arrive. It seemed that every member planet of the New Republic had sent help to defend the capitol.

As Luke opened communications with the fleet, the dark luminous World Devestator lurched out of hyperspace, a trail of smaller ships following like bits of asteroids trailing behind a comet.

The battle had begun.

The Devestator turned its powerful weapons array immediately toward the planetary shield that protected their goal, ignoring the Republic battleships completely.

Luke heard Leia’s plea to remain out of the battle and ignored it.

Once again Leia was forced to wait, watch and listen as she stood around a large screen that displayed the planetary shield strength. Her heart lurched at this replay of more than twenty years. She was getting too old for this. But there was more at stake this time. Now she knew the man out there was her brother, rather than a brash, hotheaded young pilot.

The defense council worked, operated and controlled the defense grid as they sent off volley after volley of blasts towards the Devestator.

The Star Destroyers engaged the Republic battle cruisers, destroying them one by one.

One Super Star Destroyer buckled under the assault and plunged toward the planetary shield. If the ship was going to go down, it was going to take part of the planetary defense shield with it.

The ship exploded against the shield sending wave after wave of explosions into space. The defense shield vibrated under the heavy strain, weakening considerably. The defense council didn’t know how much longer it could withstand the stress. As soon as the Imperials figured out that they could destroy the shield by sacrificing some of their ships, they were sure to do it.

"The shield is weakening," Granson said, flipping more controls, lighting up the grid in front of them.

Leia’s fingers were ghost white as she gripped the edge of the long table.

"How could they amass so much firepower," Leia whispered as she stared at the red indicators flashing around the image of the planetary shield.

"The Home Guard is doing their best but they are considerably outnumbered and outgunned even with the defense grid in place, "Drayson announced," we need to get help here as soon as possible."

"Send an intersystem distress message," Mothma ordered," and continue to try to raise our fleet. There ‘has’ to be someone close enough that will be able to hear it before it is jammed leaving the system."

"Trying Senator," the comm officer grumbled," but most of the transmissions are being jammed as they leave our center."

"Keep trying," Mothma nodded," and use frequencies that have not been active New Republic frequencies. Use some that the rebellion used and even the Old Republic. There has to be some ships out there that have adopted those frequencies. It will take the Imperial Fleet a little longer to tap into those frequencies and it will give us a little time before they are jammed."

The defense grid surrounding the planet took heavy damage as those indicators lit in front of Granson.

"The grid is going to fall any minute," He announced. The firepower from the grid was the only thing the planet could do to protect itself. The shield had not been completed and the defense grid was not meant to take on such an invasion force.

"That Devestator is certainly impressive," Madine glared at the live vid feed appearing on large monitors above their heads," even more so if it wasn’t blasting our fleet out of space."

"Still trying to reach outsystem ships. Transmitting planetary distress signal and emergency announcement on all known Old and New Republic frequencies."

Leia and Mothma nodded and gasped as they watched A-9 Vigilance Interceptors drop from the landing bays of the Devestator.

"That damn ship is manufacturing them as they fight," Madine exclaimed," we have to destroy those launch bays."

Leia nodded. She had heard Luke’s reports about the World Devestator’s. They had been the biggest in the Imperial Navy , powered by massive ion engines and repulsorlift gravity transformers As material was gathered from destroyed Republic ships, the Devestator would suck it in it’s massive open maws and the parts were broken down into molecules by the large black furnaces aboard the ship. Then the parts were reassembled, at an impressive speed, within the onboard factories, as new Imperial ships.

"We need help now," Leia breathed," let me send Luke and Mara outsystem, past the jamming arrays, to submit the distress call." Leia turned to the comm officer," Contact the Jade’s Fire and upload the signal."

It would be Leia’s way of removing her brother from the heat of the battle.

The defense grid exploded across the screens and the hearts of all those gathered sunk even lower into the pit of their stomachs.

Deep Space

Unknown Region

"System check clear Captain," the comm officer announced," we are all clear to return to home base."

"Good," Rynd said," prepare to make the jump."

"Sir!" the officer stood, startling the bridge crew," priority emergency transmission coming in over subspace from Coruscant!"

"Emergency?" the captain arched his eyebrows," put it on speaker."

"It’s patchy sir," he advised and opened the comm lines to the bridge. The transmission crackled , went silent and became static," it’s as if they are being jammed."

The bridge crew stood in astonishment as they listened to the distress signal.

"……planetary emergency….under attack…….World Devestator….request immediate assistance…" The signal went dead.

"Re-calibrate maximum speed and jump to Coruscant!" Captain Rynd commanded," and re-transmit that signal to all available New Republic Ships! Bounce the signal to every known area under Republic Control!"

Bilbringi Shipyards

Communications Center

"Sir," the comm officer turned to his commander," we are receiving an emergency transmission from Coruscant."

"What?" the man chuckled," emergency transmission? You have been listening to empty space for too long."

The commander grunted. No way would Coruscant ever be given a reason for broadcasting an emergency transmission.

"Let me put it on speaker." The man turned a few controls and flipped a few switches and a voice masked in static filled the small comm center.

"……….to all New Republic ships and allies. We are…….attack. Repeat, we are …defense shield crumbling. Send help…."

"The transmission has broken apart sir," the man frantically tried to reconnect the signal," it is being jammed sir. This is the only part of the message that we received. The rest must have been lost as it was scrambled."

"What in the seven Corellian hells is large enough to block transmissions from the entire planet!" the commander exclaimed," Contact the foreman in construction, I want every ship that can fly and every pilot available to set course for Coruscant immediately. We need to send them some help."

"Sir, our investors…."

"The New Republic has been good to us, they have funded many of our projects and they have aided in our defense a number of times. It is now our turn to repay that debt of gratitude. Do it!" he ordered.

The officer shook his head. The investors were not going to like this.

Alderaan System

Graveyard

The massive war machine’s automated system read and re-read the frequency carefully. Lights flashed on, power was restored to the weapons array and communications console

as the autopilot prepared calculations for the jump to hyperspace. Automated transmission directed towards the source of the signal and was bounced back reading as too much interference or ionic storms.

The ship, and ancient design by these days, was finally being called home. The frequency could not be mistaken. "Another Chance", a massive armory ship destined to continually jump through hyperspace until called home by the Council of Elders, was receiving a transmission on the exact frequency it had been called to monitor over twenty years ago.

The ship rattled and creaked as it lurched into hyperspace towards its destination.

Warship Larkhess

Core World Space

Captain Afyon gazed out the large port view screen at the starlines speeding past him. His beautiful war ship, Larkhess, had been relegated to cargo transport duty and he was more than bitter. Bitter that all the credit for the work of re-building the New Republic, was given to those hot-shot starfighter pilots.

Red warning lights illuminated the comm console and Afyon turned and strode toward the comm officer.

"Sir!" The officer turned as Afyon approached." Emergency transmission coming in from Home World sir. It appears they are under attack!"

"What?!" Afyon’s eyes widened," who in their right mind…"

The signal was immediately patched through to the bridge and the crew listened in shock to the explosions and laser fire preventing them from hearing the entire emergency message.

"…….World Devestator is weakening the defense shield…..need reinforcements….will fall….."

"Re-calibrate course for immediate jump to Coruscant. Armaments at full power, arm the forward batteries, raise the forward shields!" he reached over his comm officers shoulder and flipped on a shipwide comm link," This is Captain Afyon. Battlestations. I repeat, battlestations."

Afyon returned to his seat and smiled. He would get his one last battle defending the New Republic and this time, would receive credit for doing so…..

"Communications outsystem have been completely severed," the comm officer turned to Leia and Mothma, " we can no longer send any transmissions off Coruscant."

The large display screen beeped as more red areas appeared around the planetary defense shield.

"It can’t hold much longer." Leia sighed, closing her eyes.

She could feel Mothma’s presence beside her and the worry etched into her features. Leia could feel the gasp beside her and opened her eyes. She turned sharply toward the edge of the large display. Green blips appeared along the outer edge of the system and her eyes widened. Help had arrived. But would it be too late once they made it to Coruscant.

"We can’t communicate with them yet but I believe they are aware of the situation. Forward shields are up , weapons are armed and they are all coming in at full throttle ."

More ships, which had not been on their comm screen, lurched out of hyperspace and shiver went down the spines of all gathered around the defense station. Their call signs immediately registered and a cheer went up within the underground defense platform.

"Calamari Capitol Ships, Senator!" the comm officer relayed," 6 of them. They are positioning themselves between the defense shield and the incoming Imperial ships. Their smaller freighters are launching towards the Star Destroyers and the Capitol Ships are firing on the Devestator."

"Couldn’t have been better timing. The Home Guard has almost been completely destroyed," Drayson growled low in his throat," if we don’t get more help soon," he pointed to the Calamari Capitol ships," they can’t hold that Devestator all by themselves…not without someone else drawing fire from the other Imperial ships away from them."

Warning signals illuminated the defense controls as part of the planetary defense shield crumbled and a volley of laser fire struck a far away land mass.

"Oh no," Mothma heard Leia whisper.

More and more of the defense shield crumbled as the Devestator moved into a position to launch its powerful guns through the gaps.

"Arm the planet-side ion cannons, and defense systems. Prepare to begin firing once the shield crumbles." Drayson ordered." Planet-side deflection towers and defense shields are in place but will not hold under more than a direct hit from that Devestator."

The underground defense platform shook as another volley of blasts shook the city from above. Leia steadied herself and gasped as the green indicators inched closer to their destination. More appeared on the outline of the Coruscant system and if they didn’t get there in time, the cities of one of the richest political and economical planets in the New Republic, not to mention the entire New Republic government, would be reduced to desolate wasteland.

Small drop pods slid between the volley of laser fire and the planetary defense shield and began descending towards the planets surface. Their repulsors prevented them from crashing, killing the inhabitants inside.

Luke’s voice crackled over the comm and Leia frowned.

"Leia, destroy those pods! They are carrying Ysalimiri and will prevent the Jedi on the planet from focusing their attack on the Imperials!"

A strange sensation began to form around Leia and she shivered to rid herself of the feeling.

"I can already feel them closing in on us here, Luke." She turned to the gunner manually operating the planet-side ion cannons," destroy those pods and anything that comes through the shield."

"Trying Ma’am," he let off a blast that exploded against one of the drop pods, destroying the life within," they are falling at an enormous rate and it will be impossible to destroy all of them."
"Do we still have some ground troops?" Leia questioned?

"Yes ma’am."

"Deploy them and have them kill those creatures one at a time if need be!" She exclaimed," If those things are able to block the Jedi communication link then we will fall as fast as the Jedi Academy. The Jedi are essential in our defense. They are mentally holding some of the Imperial fighters at bay and if that link is broken, they will land on the surface and we will be finished."

More of the shield crumbled and the Imperial City and Capitol were now open for ariel attack. The ground shook under the tremors caused by the lasers impacting with the planets surface. Impressive towers crumbled, leveled by the enormous firepower striking them, medical centers and libraries were reduced to a flattened burning heap of twisted metal and debris. Those who remained in the streets were struck with debris of all kinds, killing or maiming them beyond recognition. Most had fled to hidden shelters and even they had been struck, killing those who huddled together for safety.

Republic ships had all but been destroyed when the reinforcements arrived. The ragtag Imperial fleet was taken by relative surprise and turned from the planet to engage the incoming New Republic Navy.

Hundreds of ships had gathered just outside of scanner range and regrouped. The one last assault on the Imperial Forces would have to be a combination effort. The decision was made to wait until more NR ships arrived and then they would strike all at once. Ships flying in to help the planet would only have met with destruction had they gone in one by one. So the self proclaimed commander of this operation made the painful decision to hold back a few extra minutes, allowing more reinforcements to arrive. Knowing that he had condemned a great many inhabitants of the planet to certain death.

‘Sacrifice the few to save the many,’ Afyon sighed.

Captain Afyon’s voice crackled over the comm system of every New Republic ship gathered for this one last stand against the Imperial fleet," Every Capitol ship direct all of your firepower to the Devestator, leave the smaller ships to take care of the rest of the Imperial fleet. We need to destroy that Devestator if we are to have any hope of surviving this. Maintain comm silence until after we jump." He sighed," May the Force be with us."

The gathered New Republic ships lurched into hyperspace for the short jump to Coruscant. As they emerged from hyperspace, Afyon gasped, his heart sinking at the sight before him. There were little or no Coruscant defenses left and the fires burning on the surface were large enough to be seen from space. His temper flared and he switched on the comm system, addressing every ship in the vicinity." This is Captain Afyon of the Republic Heavy Cruiser ‘Larkhess’ , I demand that you cease firing and surrender your ships by order of the New Republic or you will be destroyed."

There was no answer.

Afyon turned to his comm officer and nodded. The signal had been sent to begin attack.

Tears streamed down her pale cheeks as she surveyed the destruction around her. The Temples had been destroyed, bodies littered the courtyard as students at all levels of training had been cut down where they stood.

Tionne glanced up at Kyp as he set another body next to the pile and he strode towards her. He embraced her wordlessly and they remained in one another’s tight embrace for some time.

"I can’t get through to anyone!" Kam sighed," all communications equipment has been destroyed and those damn Ysalimiri are blocking any telepathic communications we could get through! I don’t even know if the New Republic knows what happened here!"

"That was a World Devestator," Kam whispered," and I would venture to guess that it was headed straight for Coruscant."

Tionne shivered as Streen walked slowly behind them, favoring his right leg. "I would have to agree with you Kam." He said, leaning on a small cane made from fallen tree branches. His injury had been cleaned and bandaged as well as they could manage, but with no Force ability, bacta or med facilities, he would be unable to heal it quickly.

"How is your arm, Tionne?" Streen asked.

Tionne glanced down at her twisted arm and sighed," as good as it can be can I suppose. I’m ignoring the pain as much as I can."

"We need to find those Ysalimiri that were dropped on the planet and destroy them." Kyp snarled.

"No," Streen glared," We need to get off this planet and get to Coruscant as quickly as we can." He turned his head to look at the remaining Jedi Knights as they slowly approached. Not one of them had escaped this battle without an injury of some kind. "Are the underground bays still intact?"

"Well….yes and no." one Jedi answered." They are intact but most of the ships have sustained damage. None are space ready at this time."

"Fix one that will be able to carry all of us as soon as possible." Streen ordered," I will come with you."

"Sir, the only one capable of carrying all of us, " he looked around the assembled group," is the ‘White Blade’ and she is gone."

Streen nodded. "Luke took her a few days ago, that’s right. I’d forgotten." He sighed. "Well lets start repairing as few ships as possible and get off this planet as soon as we can. We need to have someone continue to work on Communications. Send an emergency transmission to anyone that will listen, and use all frequencies available."

Tionne nodded but did not follow as the other instructors made for the underground bays to work on repairing the ships.

She walked into the forest, her mind on the devastation that she knew would follow once they escaped the Force block caused by the little lizards.

She collapsed as the weight of the Academy’s destruction weighed on her shoulders. She cradled her head in her hands and leaned against a small rock wall that jutted from beneath the brush.

She blinked, when she felt the wall give way behind her and turned to investigate.

She pushed the undergrowth away to reveal a small passage. A passage that looked to be a back entrance to the Great Temple.

She crawled into the dark space, igniting her lightsaber to illuminate the darkness. She had lived here for years and had never seen this tunnel.

A glint of metal caught her eye and Tionne’s eyes narrowed. She reached for the piece and as she did so, a feeling of unbelievable love and lust permeated her Force sense through the barrier the Ysalimiri had constructed around the Force.

She turned the small chain over in her fingers, the heavy design attached the thin string of metal, sliding smoothly across her fingers.

It was an intricate design. One that blended, what looked like a current of electricity, with a flowing waterfall.

On the back of the blue/white metal was engraved, ‘To Serve and Protect. At all costs.’

Tionne closed her eyes. She had never encountered such a design and she searched her mind for a history, something that would tell her where this beautiful piece of jewelry had come from.

Scenes of destruction filled her vision, of a momentous battle, fought on this very planet. Bodies strewn across a small plateau, lightsabers being collected by a strange looking woman with shaved hair.

A pair of eyes so blue, they pierced her mind, stared at her and her head snapped toward the small tunnel opening.

‘Return this to my daughter,’ Tionne heard in her mind. The voice was deep, powerful, commanding, but sad, regretful.

A fallen Jedi, Tionne surmised, and she was correct.

"Who would that be?" Tionne asked the darkness.

A rustle of wind was all that was heard and another image materialized before her of a woman, red hair and green eyes blazing, covered in a deep brown robe. She was crying, clutching a small green cube – a message cube used in the days of the Old Republic. Tionne recognized it. Many Jedi Holocron’s had been created using the technology.

The imaged flashed to an image of the young woman draped in a deep red cloak, escorting an ornately dressed woman down an equally large, ornate corridor.

And then a montage of images of this young woman fighting beside others, beside Jedi Knights, as their destruction became swift and final.

Tionne shuddered at the memories and gasped for breath, realizing that she had been holding it through the memory replay.

She crawled from the tunnel and was immediately met with a large glowing form. She had never seen this man before and she stared at his noble, chiseled features.

His head lifted to the sky, as if he was contemplating something and then his gaze lowered to meet hers.

"Rebuild the Jedi. The balance was satisfied long ago."

Tionne nodded as the form vanished, and she picked herself up and rushed back to the remnants of the Temple.

Behind her, the form materialized once again. "It is all that she will have of her mother. She will feel the Current flowing through the metal and will know that she was loved, despite the circumstances surrounding her birth."

The apparition sighed as a comforting hand rested on his shoulder. Blue eyes met with their equal and smiled. "Come Master, we no longer live in the past."

Another form appeared beside the two Jedi, smiling slightly, "From the past we learn how to mold the future. They have learned from our mistakes and will create a balanced order much more powerful than the first."

Finally the Devestator was appearing to take some serious hits, but not before it had caused the destruction of a large part of the New Republic Navy and it’s planetary capitol. Its shields were crumbling and there were visible fires protruding from many ports around the large manufacturing furnaces.

When the Devestator and the remaining Imperial fleet realized that they were being defeated, smaller ships launched into hyperspace as soon as the calculations were made. The Devestator, however, was determined to take as much of the planet with it as possible as it began it’s fiery descent into the atmosphere towards the capitol city.

Leia’s eyes widened as the remaining council members in the underground defense platform watched in utter silence as the massive warship descended towards the city.

"We would never get out of its path in time. It’s too large," Drayson sighed.

Leia nodded as she transmitted loving thoughts through the Force to her family, whom , she hoped, was far enough away and safe from the impending collision. She heard Luke’s frantic cries for her to get out of the defense platform, but she sought to soothe his fright at the thought of being forever separated from the twin it had taken 20 years to find.

Captain Afyon glared as he watched the Devestator change direction and calculate a trajectory towards the capitol. It’s massive guns all but destroyed and it’s powerful shielding crumbling, all it had left to do now was to impact with the planets surface and it would destroy the population and ecology for hundreds of miles in any direction.

"Change course to intercept," Afyon ordered," we have to stop that ship from impacting with the surface!"

"Sir," his weapons officer spoke," our forward batteries are inoperable. We cannot fire at the Destroyer!"

"I am aware of that, lieutenant," Afyon stared out the forward view screen and said flatly," plot ‘intercept’ course. Ramming speed."

The bridge officers swallowed and rushed to carry out their captain’s orders.

"And transmit orders to the fleet. Let them know what we are doing," he turned toward his comm officer," tell them to let loose all the firepower they have!"

He turned to his pilot," time to impact?"

"5 minutes, captain."

He reached over his comm officers shoulder and flipped a switch," Attention this is Captain Afyon. I want all non-essential personnel into escape pods immediately. You have 3 minutes! Abandon ship now! That is an order!" He turned to his bridge crew informing them that he needed a few officers to stay and help him pilot the ship, the rest needed to get off the battle cruiser immediately. He received more volunteers then he needed and chose to send those with families to the escape pods.

He made one last transmission to the New Republic Fleet, causing the hearts of the pilots, commanders and council members listening to flutter with pride.

The defense council uplinked a transmission with the Larkhess and the rugged Captain soon appeared on the viewscreen before the Council.

"You’re sacrifice will not go unrewarded," Mothma smiled at the Captain, keeping a wary eye on the trajectory of the plummeting Devestator.

"May the Force be with You, Captain," Leia whispered just as artificial light filtered across the bridge and the first of many explosions could be seen and heard from within the ship.

Leia’s eye fluttered closed unable to witness the sacrifice made to save her life and the lives of thousands. When she opened her eyes, the visual transmission had been cut and she raised her fingers to her lips and saluted as was the custom of her home planet of Alderaan.

The New Republic warship impacted with the World Devestator in a shower of explosions that rocked space and land masses combined, sending pieces of twisted metal into space and into the planets atmosphere. The mighty Devestator snapped into two pieces after collision, sending it’s massive hull spiraling towards Coruscant at lightening fast speed. The tail end of the Devestator was reduced to pieces as the Larkhess impacted at maximum speed.

While the Larkhess had destroyed part of the Devestator, the rest now veered slightly off course and now headed towards the Ocean that bordered one side of the large capitol city.

The impact of the massive hull would send enormous tidal waves into and across the city, causing more death and destruction.

Chatter erupted along New Republic comm lines as commanders frantically searched for a way to destroy the remaining piece of the destructive Devestator.

Suddenly the Jade’s Fire erupted into the system followed by a strange looking ship, It’s ancient markings drawing the attention of all who noticed it.

Leia and Mothma’s eyes widened as the live vid stream caught glimpse of the hull of the ancient ship.

"By the gods," Mothma gasped and elder council members old enough to remember what the markings represented were equally caught off guard.

"Alderaan," Leia whispered.

Drayson flipped the comm open and attempted to contact the Fire and it’s pilot.

Jade’s voice crackled over the comm and told them all, in a not so kind a tone, to shut up so Luke could concentrate. He was attempting to mentally pilot the ship towards the remaining piece of the Devestator as it plunged towards the surface of the planet.

She called for all of the Jedi to join their minds to arm the remaining weapons of the ‘Another Chance’ as Luke struggled to plot a course for the ship to intercept the Devestator before it struck land.

Leia’s mind joined her brothers and Jade’s to pilot the ship towards it’s destination as the ship, under the Jedi manipulation, began to fire at the remaining portion of the Devestator.. Explosions rocked the Devestator as "Another Chance’ reached its destination. The large ships exploded in a fiery explosion of twisted metal as the armed weapons impacted and blew the ship apart. Much smaller pieces of the Devestator continued to fall but were targeted and destroyed by the planet-side defense systems, and New Republic ships racing to stop the plummeting Imperial warship.

A cheer went up over the open comm lines as the pieces of burning metal caused colorful streaks in the atmosphere much like the aftermath of the Battle of Endor.

Luke, Mara, Leia and the rest of the Jedi leaned back , in their respective shelters, in exhaustion, the battle having taken all their strength, mental and physical.

As more and more New Republic ships raced into the system having received the distress call , cleanup immediately began.

If there was one thing that the New Republic had learned from this terrible battle, it was never to take the freedom they had fought so hard to achieve for granted. It could be snatched away at a moments notice.

There was no doubt that there would be more threats to the sovereignty of the New Republic in the future, but this latest struggle would live forever in the hearts and memories of all those impacted by the thousands of deaths and new lessons would be learned.

A new and greater Republic would rise from these ashes and become more powerful than ever before.

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