dark lord - the rise of darth vader (james luceno)

7/27/2019 Dark Lord - The Rise of Darth Vader (James Luceno)

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Star Wars

Dark Lord : The Rise of Darth Vader

by James Luceno

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PART I

T! "T!R RI$ SI!%!S

&

$R'A(A) *I(AL "RS "* T! +L"(! WARS

Dro,,in- into s.ir/in- c/ouds con0ured by $urkhana1s .eather stations2 Roan Shryne .as

reminded of meditation sessions his former $aster had -uided him throu-h) (o matter ho. fi3ed

Shryne had been on touchin- the *orce2 his mind1s eye had offered /itt/e more than an eddyin-

.hiteness) 4ears /ater2 .hen he had become more ade,t at si/encin- thou-ht and immersin- himse/f

in the /i-ht2 5isua/ fra-ments .ou/d emer-e from that co/or/ess 5oid6,ieces to a ,u77/e that .ou/d

-radua//y assemb/e themse/5es and reso/5e) (ot in any conscious .ay2 thou-h fre8uent/y assurin-

him that his actions in the .or/d .ere in accord .ith the .i// of the *orce)

*re8uent/y but not a/.ays)

When he 5eered from the course on .hich the *orce had set him2 the fami/iar .hite .ou/d once

a-ain be stirred by ,o.erfu/ currents9 sometimes shot throu-h .ith red2 as if he .ere /iftin- hisc/osed eyes to the -/are of a midday sun)


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Red6mott/ed .hite .as .hat he sa. as he fe// dee,er into $urkhana1s atmos,here) Scored to

re5erberatin- thunder9 the rush of the .ind9 a .e/ter of muff/ed 5oices)))

e .as standin- c/osest to the s/idin- door that norma//y sea/ed the troo, bay of a Re,ub/ic

-unshi,2 /aunched moments ear/ier from the for.ard ho/d of the %a//ant6a Victory6c/ass Star

Destroyer2 harried by 5u/ture and droid tri6fi-hters and a.aitin- i-h +ommand1s .ord to

commence its o.n descent throu-h $urkhana1s artificia/ cei/in-) eside and behind Shryne stood a,/atoon of c/one troo,ers2 he/mets fittin- snu-/y o5er their heads2 b/asters crad/ed in their arms2

uti/ity be/ts s/un- .ith ammo ma-a7ines2 ta/kin- amon- themse/5es the .ay seasoned .arriors

often did before batt/e) A//e5iatin- mis-i5in-s .ith inside 0okes9 references Shryne cou/dn1t be-in to

understand2 beyond the fact that they .ere -rim)

The -unshi,1s inertia/ com,ensators a//o.ed them to stand in the bay .ithout bein- 0o/ted by f/arin-

anti6aircraft e3,/osions or 0ost/ed by the -unshi, ,i/ots1 e5asi5e maneu5erin- throu-h corkscre.in-

missi/es and storms of .hite6hot shra,ne/) $issi/es2 because the same Se,aratists .ho had

manufactured the c/ouds had misted $urkhana1s air .ith anti6/aser aeroso/s)

Acrid odors infi/trated the cram,ed s,ace2 a/on- .ith the roar of the aft en-ines2 the starboard onestutterin- some.hat2 the -unshi, as battered as the troo,ers and cre. it carried into conf/ict)

!5en at an a/titude of on/y four hundred meters abo5e sea /e5e/ the c/oud co5er remained dense)

The fact that Shryne cou/d bare/y see his hand in front of his face didn1t sur,rise him) This .as sti//

the .ar2 after a//2 and he had -ro.n accustomed these ,ast three years to not seein- .here he .as

-oin-)

(at6Sem2 his former $aster2 used to te// him that the -oa/ of the meditati5e e3ercises .as to see

c/ear throu-h the s.ir/in- .hiteness to the other side9 that .hat Shryne sa. .as on/y the shado.y

e3,anse se,aratin- him from fu// contact .ith the *orce) Shryne had to /earn to i-nore the c/ouds2

as it .ere) When he had /earned to do that2 to /ook throu-h them to the radiant e3,anse beyond2 he

.ou/d be a $aster)

Pessimistic by nature2 Shryne1s reaction had been: (ot in this /ifetime)

Thou-h he had ne5er said as much to (at6Sem2 the Jedi $aster had seen throu-h him as easi/y as he

sa. throu-h the c/ouds)

Shryne fe/t that the c/one troo,ers had a better 5ie. of the .ar than he had2 and that the 5ie. had

/itt/e to do .ith their he/met ima-in- systems2 the fi/ters that muted the shar, scent of the air2 the

ear,hones that dam,ened the sounds of e3,/osions) %ro.n for .arfare2 they ,robab/y thou-ht theJedi .ere mad to -o into batt/e as they did2 attired in tunics and hooded robes2 a /i-htsaber their

on/y .ea,on) $any of them .ere astute enou-h to see com,arisons bet.een the *orce and their

o.n .hite ,/astoid she//s9 but fe. of them cou/d discern bet.een armored and unarmored Jedi6

those .ho .ere a//ied .ith the *orce2 and those .ho for one reason or another had s/i,,ed from its

sustainin- embrace)

$urkhana1s /athered c/ouds fina//y be-an to thin2 unti/ they mere/y 5ei/ed the ,/anet1s .rink/ed

/andsca,e and frothin- sea) A sudden burst of bri//iant /i-ht dre. Shryne1s attention to the sky) What

he took for an e3,/odin- -unshi, mi-ht ha5e been a ne.born star9 and for a moment the .or/d

ti,,ed out of ba/ance2 then ri-hted itse/f 0ust as abru,t/y) A circ/e of c/arity o,ened in the c/ouds2 a

,erforation in the 5ei/2 and Shryne -a7ed on 5erdant forest so ,rofound/y -reen he cou/d a/mosttaste it) Va/iant combatants scurried throu-h the underbrush and s/eek shi,s soared throu-h the

cano,y) In the midst of it a// a /one fi-ure stretched out his hand2 tearin- aside a curtain b/ack as


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ni-ht)))

Shryne kne. he had ste,,ed out of time2 into some truth beyond reckonin-)

A 5ision of the end of the .ar2 ,erha,s2 or of time itse/f)

Whiche5er2 the effect of it comforted him that he .as indeed .here he .as su,,osed to be) Thatdes,ite the de,th to .hich the .ar had caused him to become fi3ed on death and destruction2 he

.as sti// tethered to the *orce2 and ser5in- it in his o.n /imited .ay)

Then2 as if intent on foi/in- him2 the thin c/ouds 8uick/y cons,ired to concea/ .hat had been

re5ea/ed2 c/osin- the ,orta/ an errant current had o,ened) And Shryne .as back .here he started2

.ith -usts of su,erheated air tu--in- at the s/ee5es and co./ of his bro.n robe)

;The 'oori5ar ha5e done a -ood 0ob .ith their .eather machines2; a s,eaker6enhanced 5oice said

into his /eft ear) ;Whi,,ed u, one brute of a sky) We used the same tactic on Paarin $inor) Dre. the

Se,s into fabricated c/ouds and b/e. them to the back of beyond);

Shryne /au-hed .ithout merriment) ;%ood to see you can sti// a,,reciate the /itt/e thin-s2

+ommander);

;What e/se is there2 %enera/


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e c/am,ed his ri-ht hand on one of the s/ide door1s 5ie. s/ots as the ,i/ots thre. their un.ie/dy

char-e into a hard bank2 narro./y e5adin- a ,air of hai/fire missi/es) %unners ensconced in the

-unshi,1s armature6mounted turrets o,ened u, .ith b/asters as f/i-hts of $ank5im Interce,tors

s.armed u, to en-a-e the Re,ub/ic force) The anti6/aser aeroso/s scattered the b/aster beams2 but

do7ens of the Se,aratist craft succumbed to missi/es s,e.ed from the -unshi,s1 to,6mounted mass6

dri5e /aunchers)

;i-h +ommand shou/d ha5e -ranted our re8uest to bombard from orbit2; Sa/5o said in an

am,/ified 5oice)

;The idea is to take the city2 +ommander2 not 5a,ori7e it2; Shryne said /oud/y) $urkhana had

a/ready been -ranted .eeks to surrender2 but the Re,ub/ic u/timatum had e3,ired) ;Pa/,atine1s

,o/icy for .innin- the hearts and minds of Se,aratist ,o,u/ations mi-ht not make -ood mi/itary

sense2 but it makes -ood ,o/itica/ sense);

Sa/5o stared at him from behind his 5isor) ;We1re not interested in ,o/itics);

Shryne /au-hed short/y) ;(either .ere the Jedi);

;Why fi-ht if you .eren1t bred for it


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constructed)

$urkhana a/so housed the finest communications faci/ity in that ,art of the "uter Rim2 and .as a

,rimary source of the ;shado.feeds; that s,read Se,aratist ,ro,a-anda amon- Re,ub/ic and

+onfederacy .or/ds)

Arran-ed /ike the s,okes of a .hee/2 four ten6ki/ometer6/on- brid-es /inked the city to an enormousoffshore /andin- ,/atform) e3a-ona/ in sha,e and su,,orted on thick co/umns anchored in the

seabed2 the ,/atform .as the ,ri7e the Re,ub/ic needed to secure before a fu// assau/t cou/d be

mounted) *or that to ha,,en2 the %rand Army needed to ,enetrate the defensi5e umbre//as and take

out the -enerators that sustained them) ut .ith near/y a// roofto, and re,u/sor/ift /andin- ,/atforms

shie/ded2 $urkhana1s arc of b/ack6sand beach .as the on/y ,/ace .here the -unshi,s cou/d insert

their ,ay/oads of c/one troo,ers and Jedi)

Shryne .as -a7in- at the /andin- ,/atform .hen he fe/t someone be-in to ed-e bet.een him and

+ommander Sa/5o2 set on -ettin- a better /ook throu-h the o,en hatch) !5en before he sa. the

headfu/ of /on- b/ack cur/s2 he kne. it .as "/ee Star6stone) P/antin- his /eft hand firm/y on the to,

of her head2 he ,ro,e//ed her back into the troo, bay

;If you1re determined to make yourse/f a tar-et2 Pada.an2 at /east .ait unti/ .e hit the beach);

Rubbin- her head2 the ,etite2 b/ue6eyed youn- .oman -/anced o5er her shou/der at the ta// fema/e

Jedi standin- behind her) ;4ou see2 $aster) e does care);

;Des,ite a// e5idence to the contrary2; the fema/e Jedi said)

;I on/y meant that it1// be easier for me to bury you in the sand2; Shryne said)

Starstone sco./ed2 fo/ded her arms across her chest2 and s.un- a.ay from both of them)

o/ +hatak thre. Shryne a /ook of mi/d re,rimand) The raised co./ of her b/ack robe hid her short

5esti-ia/ horns) An Iridonian ?abrak2 she .as nothin- if not to/erant2 and had ne5er taken Shryne to

task for his irascib/e beha5ior or interfered .ith his teasin- re/ationshi, .ith her Pada.an2 .ho had

0oined +hatak in the $urkhana system on/y a standard .eek ear/ier2 arri5in- .ith $aster Loorne

and t.o Jedi 'ni-hts) The demands of the "uter Rim Sie-es had dra.n so many Jedi from

+oruscant that the Tem,/e .as ,ractica//y deserted)

nti/ recent/y2 Shryne2 too2 had had a Pada.an /earner))) *or the Jedi1s benefit2 the -unshi, ,i/ot

announced that they .ere c/osin- on the 0um, site)

;Wea,ons check=; Sa/5o said to the ,/atoon) ;%as and ,acks=;

As the troo, bay fi//ed .ith the sound of acti5atin- .ea,ons2

+hatak ,/aced her hand on Starstone1s 8ui5erin- shou/der) ;se your unease to shar,en your senses2

Pada.an);

;I .i//2 $aster);

;The *orce .i// be With you);

;We1re a// dyin-2; Sa/5o to/d the troo,ers) ;Promise yourse/5es you1// be the /ast to -o=;


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Access ,ane/s o,ened in the cei/in-2 dro,,in- more than a do7en ,o/y,/ast cab/es to .ithin reach of

the troo,ers)

;Secure to /ines=; Sa/5o said) ;Room for three more2 %enera/2; he added .hi/e armored2 body6

-/o5ed hands took ti-ht ho/d of the cab/es)

+a/cu/atin- that the 0um, .ou/dn1t e3ceed ten meters2 Shryne shook his head at Sa/5o) ;(o need)

We1// see you be/o.);

ne3,ected/y2 the -unshi, -ained a/titude as it a,,roached the shore/ine2 then ,u//ed u, short of the

beach2 as if bein- reined in) Re,u/sor/ifts en-a-ed2 the -unshi, ho5ered) At the same time2 hundreds

of Se,aratist batt/e droids marched onto the beach2 firin- their b/asters in unison)

The intercom s8ua.ked2 and the ,i/ot said2 ;Droid buster a.ay=;

A concussion6feedback .ea,on2 the droid buster detonated at fi5e meters abo5e -round 7ero2

f/attenin- e5ery droid .ithin a radius of fifty meters) Simi/ar e3,/osions underscored the in-ress ofa do7en other -unshi,s)

;Where .ere these .ea,ons three years a-o


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;Ion Team2 +ommander2 attached to the T.enty6second out of o7 Pity); Turnin- s/i-ht/y in

Shryne1s direction2 the commando nodded his he/meted head)

;We/come to $urkhana2 %enera/ Shryne);

Shryne1s dark bro.s beet/ed) ;The 5oice is fami/iar)))2; he be-an)

;The face e5en more so2; the commando com,/eted)

The 0oke .as a/most three years o/d but sti// in use amon- the c/one troo,ers2 and bet.een them and

the Jedi)

;+/imber2; the commando said2 ,ro5idin- his sobri8uet) ;We fou-ht to-ether on Deko (eimoidia);

Shryne c/a,,ed the commando on the shou/der) ;%ood to see you a-ain2 +/imber6e5en here);

;As I to/d you2; +hatak said to Starstone2 ;$aster Shryne has friends a// o5er);

;Perha,s they don1t kno. him as .e// as I do2 $aster2; Star6stone -rumb/ed)

+/imber /ifted his he/met face,/ate to the -ray sky) ;A -ood day for fi-htin-2 %enera/);

;I1// take your .ord for it2; Shryne said)

;$ake your re,ort2 s8uad /eader2; Sa/5o interru,ted)

+/imber turned to the commander) ;The 'oori5arr are e5acuatin- the city2 but takin- their s.eet

time about it) They15e a /ot more faith in these ener-y shie/ds than they shou/d ha5e); e beckoned

the ca,ti5e for.ard and s,un him rou-h/y to face Sa/5o) ;$eet Idis6human under the 'oori5ar

tra,,in-s) Distin-uished member of the Vibrob/ade ri-ade);

;A mercenary band2; o/ +hatak e3,/ained to Starstone) ;We cau-ht him)

)) .ith his trousers do.n2; +/imber continued2 ;and ,ersuaded him to share .hat he kno.s about

the shore/ine defenses) e .as kind enou-h to ,ro5ide the /ocation of the /andin- ,/atform shie/d

-enerator); The commando indicated a ta//2 ta,ered edifice farther do.n the beach) ;Just north of

the first brid-e2 near the marina) The -enerator1s insta//ed t.o f/oors be/o. -round /e5e/) We may

ha5e to take out the .ho/e bui/din- to -et to it);

Sa/5o si-na/ed to his com/ink s,ecia/ist) ;Re/ay the bui/din- coordinates to %a//ant -unnery6;

;Wait on that2; Shryne said 8uick/y) ;Tar-etin- the bui/din- ,oses too -reat a risk to the brid-es) We

need them intact if .e1re -oin- to mo5e 5ehic/es into the city);

Sa/5o considered it brief/y) ;A sur-ica/ strike2 then);

Shryne shook his head no) ;There1s another reason for discretion) That bui/din- is a medcenter) "r

at /east it .as the /ast time I .as here);

Sa/5o /ooked to +/imber for confirmation)


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;The -enera/1s correct2 +ommander) It1s sti// a medcenter); Sa/5o shifted his -a7e to Shryne) ;An

enemy medcenter2 %enera/)

Shryne com,ressed his /i,s and nodded) ;!5en at this ,oint in the .ar2 ,atients are considered

noncombatants) Remember .hat I said about hearts and minds2 +ommander); e -/anced at the

mercenary) ;Is the shie/d -enerator accessib/e from street /e5e/


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Where ,ersuasion fai/ed2 the +or,orate A//iance re/ied on the tank droid to con5ince com,any

o.ners of the .isdom of accedin- to offers of cor,orate takeo5er2 and scores of those treaded .ar

machines had taken u, ,ositions on the stee, streets of $urkhana +ity to th.art Re,ub/ic

occu,ation)

Shryne kne. the ,/ace about as .e// as anyone2 but he /et the commandos take the ,oint) Dod-in-

b/asterfire from batt/edroids and ro5in- bands of mercenaries2 and trustin- that the ca,ti5e fi-hterhad kno.n better than to steer them .ron-2 the three Jedi fo//o.ed the four s,ecia/ o,s troo,ers on

a circuitous course throu-h the s.itchbacked streets) i-h o5erhead2 /aser and ion bo/ts s,/ashed

a-ainst the con5e3 ener-y shie/ds2 a/on- .ith droid craft and starfi-hters cri,,/ed in the furious

do-fi-hts takin- ,/ace in the c/ouds)

Short/y the a//ied team reached the a,,roach a5enues of the southernmost of the 8uartet of brid-es

that 0oined the city and the /andin- ,/atform) !ncounterin- no resistance at the medcenter2 they

infi/trated the bui/din-1s soarin- atrium) Wan /i-ht streamed throu-h ta// ,erma,/e3 .indo.s9 dust

and debris .afted do.n to a mosaic f/oor as the bui/din- tremb/ed in concert .ith the intensifyin-

Re,ub/ic bombardment)

The ,artic/e6fi//ed air bu77ed .ith current from the shie/d -enerator2 raisin- the hairs on the back of

Shryne1s neck) The ,/ace /ooked and fe/t deserted2 but Shryne sent +hatak2 Starstone2 and t.o of the

commandos to reconnoiter the u,,er f/oors2 0ust in case) Sti// trustin- to the ca,ti5e1s inte//i-ence2

Shryne2 +/imber2 and Ion Team1s e3,/osi5es s,ecia/ist ne-otiated a .arren of faint/y /i-hted

corridors that /ed to a turbo/ift the ca,ti5e had ,romised .ou/d dro, them into the shie/d -enerator

room)

;Sir2 I didn1t .ant to say anythin- in front of %enera/ +hatak2; +/imber said as they .ere

descendin-2 ;but it1s not often you find a Jedi and a commander at odds about tactics);

Shryne kne. that to be true) ;+ommander Sa/5o has -ood instincts) What he /acks is ,atience); e

turned fu//y to the he/meted commando) ;The .ar1s chan-ed some of us2 +/imber) ut the Jedi

mandate has a/.ays been to kee, the ,eace .ithout ki//in- e5eryone .ho stands in the .ay);

+/imber nodded in understandin-) ;I kno. of a fe. commanders .ho .ere returned to 'amino for

remedia/ trainin-);

;And I kno. a fe. Jedi .ho cou/d use as much2; Shryne said) ;ecause a// of us .ant this .ar o5er

and done .ith); e touched +/imber on the arm as the turbo/ift .as comin- to a ha/t) ;A,o/o-ies u,

front if this mission turns out to be a .aste of time);

;(ot a ,rob/em2 sir) We1// consider it /ea5e);

"utside the anti-ra5 shaft2 the deafenin- hum of the -enerator made it a/most im,ossib/e to

communicate .ithout re/yin- on com/inks) Pri7in- his from a ,ouch on his uti/ity be/t2 Shryne set it

to the fre8uency +/imber and his s,ec6three used to communicate .ith each other throu-h their

he/met /inks)

Wari/y2 the three of them made their .ay do.n an un/i-hted ha//.ay and u/timate/y onto a shaky

-antry that o5er/ooked the -enerator room) $ost of the ca5ernous s,ace .as occu,ied by the

truncated durastee/ ,yramid that fed ,o.er to the /andin- ,/atform1s 5eritab/e forest of dish6sha,ed

shie/d ,ro0ectors)

$acrobinocu/ars /o.ered o5er his tinted 5isor2 +/imber scanned the area)


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;I count t.e/5e sentries2; he to/d Shryne throu-h the corn6/ink)

;Add three 'oori5ar technicians on the far side of the -enerator2; the s,ec6three said from his

,osition)

!5en .ithout macrobinocu/ars2 Shryne cou/d sec that the ma0ority of the -uards .ere mercenaries2humans and humanoids2 armed .ith b/aster rif/es and 5ibrob/ades2 the bri-ade1s si-nature .ea,on)

+rania/ horns6a symbo/ of status2 es,ecia//y amon- members of $urkhana1s e/ite6identified the

'oori5ar amon- the -rou,) Three Trade *ederation batt/e droids com,/eted the contin-ent)

;%enerator1s too .e// ,rotected for us to be co5ert2; +/imber said) ;!3cuse me for sayin- so2 but

maybe +ommander Sa/5o .as ri-ht about /ettin- the %a//ant hand/e this);

;As I said2 he has -ood instincts);

;Sir2 0ust because the -uards aren1t here for medica/ care doesn1t mean .e can1t make ,atients of

them);

;%ood thinkin-2; Shryne said) ;ut .e1re three a-ainst t.e/5e);

;4ou1re -ood for at /east si3 of them2 aren1t you2 sir


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e sensed +/imber and the s,ec6three to either side of him2 meetin- .ith simi/ar success2 the

sibi/ant sound of their .ea,ons ,unctuatin- the shie/d -enerator1s cease/ess hum)

A droid burst a,art2 f/in-in- shra,ne/)

Shryne e5aded a .hir/in- storm of hot a//oy that cau-ht a 'oori5ar fu//6on2 ,e,,erin- his sa//o.face and robed torso)

Tumb/in- out of the reach of a tossed 5ibrob/ade2 he noticed t.o of the technicians f/eein- for their

/i5es) e .as .i//in- to /et them -o2 but the s,ec6three sa. them2 as .e//2 and sho.ed them no

8uarter2 cuttin- both of them do.n before they had reached the safety of the room1s ,rimary

turbo/ift)

With that2 the fi-ht be-an to .ind do.n)

Shryne1s breathin- and heartbeat .ere /oud in his ears but under contro/) Thou-ht2 ho.e5er2

intruded on his 5i-i/ance2 and he /o.ered his -uard before he shou/d ha5e)

The shi5erin- b/ade of a mercenary1s knife bare/y missed him) S,innin- on his hee/2 he s.e,t his

attacker1s feet out from under him2 and in so doin- rid the human of his /eft foot) The mere ho./ed2

his eyes -oin- .ide at the si-ht2 and he /ashed out .ith both hands2 inad5ertent/y knockin- the

/i-htsaber from Shryne1s -ri, and sendin- it skitterin- across the f/oor)

Some distance a.ay2 +/imber had been set u,on by a batt/e droid and t.o mercenaries) The droid

had been taken out2 but its s,arkin- she// had co//a,sed on to, of +/imber2 ,innin- his ri-ht hand

and b/aster rif/e2 and the ,air of mercs .ere ,re,arin- to finish him off)

+/imber mana-ed to ho/d one of his .ou/d6be ki//ers at bay .ith .e//6,/aced kicks2 e5en .hi/e he

dod-ed a b/aster bo/t that ricocheted from the f/oor and the canted face of the shie/d -enerator)

Rushin- onto the scene2 the s,ec6three .ent hand6to6hand .ith the mere +/imber had booted aside2

but +/imber .as out of tricks for dea/in- .ith his second assai/ant)

Vibrob/ade c/as,ed in t.o hands2 the enemy fi-hter /ea,t)

Shryne mo5ed in a b/ur6not for +/imber2 because he kne. that he cou/d ne5er reach him in time6but

for the sti//6s,innin- /i-htsaber hi/t2 .hich he toed direct/y into +/imber1s -/o5ed and outstretched

/eft hand) In the same instant the mere .as /eanin- o5er +/imber to de/i5er .hat .ou/d ha5e been a

fata/ b/o.2 the commando1s thumb hit the /i-htsaber1s acti5ation stud) A co/umn of b/ue ener-ysur-ed from the hi/t2 and throu-h the Se,aratist1s chest2 im,a/in- him)

Shryne hurried to +/imber1s side .hi/e the s,ec6three .as mo5in- throu-h the room2 makin- certain

no further sur,rises a.aited them)

4oda or 0ust about any other Jedi $aster .ou/d ha5e been ab/e to rid +/imber of the batt/e droid

.ith a *orce ,ush2 but Shryne needed +/imber1s he/, to mo5e the s,arkin- carcass aside) 4ears

back2 he .ou/d ha5e been ab/e to mana-e it a/one2 but no /on-er) e .asn1t sure if the .eakness

.as in him or if2 .ith the death of e5ery Jedi2 the .ar .as /eachin- some of the *orce out the

uni5erse)

+/imber ro//ed the mercenary1s body to one side and sat u,) ;Thanks for the sa5e2 %enera/);


12/173

;Just didn1t .ant you to end u, /ike your tem,/ate); +/imber stared at him)

;ead/ess2 I mean);

+/imber nodded) ;I thou-ht you meant ki//ed by a Jedi);

Shryne he/d out his hand out for the /i-htsaber2 .hich +/imber .as re-ardin- as if noticin- it for thefirst time) Then2 fee/in- Shryne1s -a7e on him2 he said2 ;Sorry2 sir2; and s/a,,ed the hi/t into

Shryne1s hand)

Shryne hooked the /i-htsaber to his be/t and yanked +/imber to his feet2 his eyes fa//in- on +hatak2

Starstone2 and Ion Team1s other t.o commandos2 .ho had rushed into the room .ith .ea,ons

dra.n)

Shryne -estured to them that e5erythin- .as under contro/) ;*ind any ,atients


13/173

;%ood too/ for o,enin- u, mercenaries2; Ras said from nearby)

+/imber nodded) ;(o ar-ument) ut -i5e me a se5enteen any day);

;Shryne1s a// ri-ht2; Trace said after they had -one back to ,/acin- the char-es)

;I1// take him o5er Sa/5o in a firefi-ht2; +/imber said2 ;but not on a batt/efie/d) Shryne1s too

concerned about co//atera/ dama-e);

+om,/etin- his task2 he .a/ked .ith ,ur,ose throu-h the contro/ room2 assessin- e5eryone1s .ork)

Ion Team1s com/ink s,ecia/ist hurried o5er .hi/e +/imber .as ad0ustin- the ,/acement of one of the

detonators)

;as +ommander Sa/5o been u,dated


14/173

ra//y ,oint);

;nderstood2 +ommander) Wi// com,/y) "ut);

+/imber re0oined his three teammates2 a// of .hom .ere .atchin- him c/ose/y)

;What .as a// that about


15/173

had had e5en durin- his most sta/.art years as an ea-er /earner)

When he .asn1t seekin- .ays to a5oid confrontation2 Shryne .as obsessin- o5er his .ron- ca//

re-ardin- the medcenter)

;A sur-ica/ strike .ou/d ha5e been ,referab/e2; he confessed to +hatak as they .ere hurryin-

throu-h a -/oomy a//ey Shryne kne. from ,re5ious 5isits to $urkhana)

;!ase u, on yourse/f2 Roan2; she to/d him) ;The -enerator .as there ,recise/y because the

+or,orate A//iance kne. that .e .ou/d sho. the medcenter mercy) What1s more2 +ommander

Sa/5o1s o,inion of you hard/y matters in the scheme of thin-s) If both of you .eren1t so hooked on

mi/itary strate-y2 you cou/d be off some.here sharin- shots of brandy);

;If either of us drank);

;(e5er too /ate to start2 Roan);

Starstone /oosed a /oud si-h) ;This is the .isdom you im,art to your Pada.an6that it1s ne5er too/ate to start drinkin-


16/173

Starstone bit her /i,) ;I1// ,retend I1m not hearin- this);

;4ou1d better hear it2; Shryne said2 turnin- to her) They he/d to their south.ester/y course)

The fi-htin- a/on- the shore/ine .as becomin- ferocious) Starfi-hters and droid craft f/yin- .e//

be/o. o,timum a/titudes .ere disa,,earin- in ba//s of f/ame) "5er.he/med by ran-ed ion cannon

fire from the %a//ant2 ener-y shie/ds throu-hout the city .ere be-innin- to fai/ and a mass e3odus.as under .ay2 .ith ,anicked cro.ds of 'oori5ar f/eein- she/ters2 homes2 and ,/aces of business)

$ercenary bri-ades2 reinforced by batt/e droids and tanks2 .ere fortifyin- their ,ositions in the

hi//s) Shryne surmised that the fi-ht to occu,y $urkhana .as -oin- to be /on- and bruta/2 ,erha,s

at an un,recedented cost in /i5es)

T.o hundred meters shy of the rende75ous2 he .as shaken by a sudden resti5eness that had nothin-

to do .ith the o5erarchin- batt/e) *ee/in- as if he had un.ittin-/y /ed his fe//o. Jedi into the si-hts

of enemy sni,ers2 he motioned +hatak and Star6stone to a ha/t2 then -uided them .ithout

e3,/anation to the refu-e of a deserted storefront)

;I thou-ht I .as the on/y one sensin- it2; +hatak said 8uiet/y)

Shryne .asn1t sur,rised) Like Starstone2 the ?abrak Jedi had a dee, and abidin- connection to the

*orce)

;+an you -et to the heart of it


17/173

b/ast radius2 Sa/5o and his troo,ers ye//ed in sur,rise as their he/met ima-in- systems and .ea,ons

res,onded to the sur-e by -oin- off/ine) $omentari/y b/inded by /i-ht6f/are from heads6u, dis,/ays2

the troo,ers stru--/ed to remo5e their he/mets and simu/taneous/y reach for the combat kni5es

stra,,ed to their be/ts)

y then2 thou-h2 +a,tain +/imber and the rest of Ion Team had rushed into the o,en from .here

they had been hidin-2 t.o of the commandos a/ready racin- to.ard the tem,orari/y b/indedtroo,ers)

;%ather .ea,ons=; +/imber instructed) ;(o firin-=;

/aster in hand and he/met under one arm2 +/imber ad5anced s/o./y on the three Jedi) ;(o mind

tricks2 %enera/2; he .arned)

Shryne .asn1t certain that the Jedi techni8ue .as e5en inc/uded in his re,ertoire any /on-er2 but he

ke,t that to himse/f)

;$y s,ecs ha5e their .hite6noise hard.are enab/ed2; +/imber .ent on) ;If they hear me re,eat somuch as a ,hrase of .hat you say to me2 they ha5e orders to .aste you) nderstood


18/173

;+/imber


19/173

Whi/e .ea,ons .ere bein- /o.ered a// around and the first of the reinforcement ,/atoons .as

arri5in-6the troo,ers ,/ain/y confused by the scene unfo/din- in front of them6Sa/5o motioned the

s8uad /eader off to one side)

;as your ,ro-rammin- been .i,ed


20/173

Sa/5o turned to his com/ink s,ecia/ist) ;+ontact the %a//ant) Inform command that .e ha5e a

situation2 and that .e1re -oin- to need .hate5er seeker droids and AR+ detachments can be

s,ared);

;+ommander2; the same ,/atoon /eader said2 ;un/ess the Se,s are in on this hunt2 .e1re -oin- to

ha5e our hands fu//) Are .e here to take $urkhana or the Jedi


21/173

re5erberations attended his ca//) +hatak1s shou/ders s/um,ed) ;They15e been ki//ed); Starstone

si-hed and hun- her head)

;Dra. on your trainin-2 Pada.an2; +hatak said 8uick/y) ;They1re .ith the *orce);

They1re dead2 Shryne thou-ht) Starstone /ooked u, at him) ;Why ha5e they turned on us


22/173

;%enera/ Loorne and the t.o Jedi 'ni-hts he arri5ed .ith .ere ambushed and ki//ed2; Sa/5o shared

.ith +/imber) ;A,,arent/y no troo,ers amon- the T.enty6second staked a c/aim to the mora/ hi-h

-round);

+/imber /et the remark -o) ;Did you re,ort our actions to i-h +ommand


23/173

ambushed by Se,s);

Sa/5o shru--ed) ;$ore than a hundred seeker droids ha5e been de,/oyed) Shou/dn1t be hard to find

three Jedi);

+/imber b/e. his breath out in derision) ;4ou kno. as .e// as I do that they1re too smart to be

cau-ht);

;%ranted2; Sa/5o said) ;y no.2 they1re ,robab/y .earin- bodysuits and armor);

F

!at2; Shryne said2 forcin- some of the rations he had taken from his uti/ity be/t on a distracted "/ee

Starstone) ;We don1t kno. .hen .e1// ha5e another chance);

Se5era/ hours had ,assed since they had f/ed the ambush site2 and they1d tra5e/ed c/ear across the

city to an em,ty .arehouse c/ose to the access ram,s of the northernmost of the /andin- ,/atform

brid-es) It .as midni-ht2 and they .ere attired in the -arb of three mercenaries they had taken bysur,rise behind the Ar-ente To.er)

Shryne continued) ;There may come a ,oint .hen .e1// ha5e to -et rid of our com/inks2 beacon

transcei5ers2 and /i-htsabers) ein- taken ,risoner cou/d be our .ay off $urkhana);

;Shou/d .e use *orce inf/uence


24/173

;Perha,s2; +hatak said) ;ut that doesn1t account for the c/one troo,ers1 dis/oya/ty);

;$aybe there1s been a uni5ersa/ c/one troo,er re5o/t2; Star6stone su--ested) ;The 'aminoans cou/d

ha5e betrayed us) A// these years2 they cou/d ha5e been in /ea-ue .ith +ount Dooku) They cou/d

ha5e ,ro-rammed the troo,ers to re5o/t at a ,redetermined time);

Shryne .as -/ancin- at +hatak) ;Does she e5er sto,


25/173

Shryne -estured to his ,i/fered outfit of robe and head6c/oth) ;We1re 0ust a bunch of 5ery a-i/e

mercs);

+hatak took the /ead2 .ith Starstone ri-ht on her hee/s) Shryne .aited unti/ they .ere ha/f.ay

a/on- before fo//o.in-) The first fe. /ea,s .ere easy2 but the c/oser he -ot to the ,/atform2 the

-reater the distance bet.een the ,y/ons2 many of .hich had been /eft .ith 0a--ed to,s) "n his,enu/timate 0um,2 he near/y /ost his ba/ance2 and on his fina/ /ea, for the ed-e of the ,/atform his

hands arri5ed .e// in front of his feet)

A /ast6moment -rab from Starstone .as a// that sa5ed him from a ,/un-e into the .a5es)

;Remind me to mention this to the +ounci/2 Pada.an2; he to/d her)

The ,/atform .as bein- hammered2 but not ,ast the ,oint of uti/ity) "n one fractured section

-unshi,s .ere be-innin- to /and2 a/on- .ith a 5an-uard f/i-ht of troo, trans,orts) !/se.here2 batt/e

droids .ere bein- f/attened by ma-,u/se busters2 then ,icked off before they had a chance to

reacti5ate by V6.in-s and AR+6&@s ,erformin- /i-htnin-6fast strafin- runs)

With ni-ht fa//in-2 the Jedi .o5e throu-h firefi-hts and fountainin- e3,/osions2 usin- their ca,tured

b/asters rather than their /i-htsabers to defend themse/5es a-ainst teams of c/one troo,ers and

commandos2 thou-h .ithout ki//in- any)

They came to a ha/t at a ruined stretch of ,ermacrete2 at the far end of .hich a s8uadron of

starfi-hters .as touchin- do.n)

;+an you ,i/ot a shi,


26/173

Shryne made his /i,s a thin /ine) ;We sti// need to -et off $urkhana);

They doub/e6checked their b/asters and a-ain .ere on the 5er-e of settin- out for the starfi-hter

.hen e5ery Se,aratist droid and .ar machine on the /andin- ,/atform abru,t/y be-an to ,o.er

do.n) At first Shryne thou-ht that another droid buster had been de/i5ered .ithout his bein- a.are

of it) Then he rea/i7ed his mistake)

This .as somethin- different)

The droids hadn1t sim,/y been da77/ed) They had been deacti5ated2 e5en the hai/fires and tanks) Red

,hotorece,tors /ost their -/o.2 a//oy /imbs and antennas re/a3ed2 e5ery so/dier and .ar machine

stood motion/ess)

At once2 a fu// .in- of -unshi,s dro,,ed out of the noon sky2 re/easin- a/most a thousand c/one

troo,ers2 ridin- ,o/y,/ast cab/es to the ,/atform1s ruined surface)

Shryne2 +hatak2 and Starstone .atched he/,/ess/y as they .ere a/most instant/y surrounded)

;+a,ture is infinite/y ,referab/e to e3ecution2; Shryne said) ;It cou/d sti// be our .ay out);

+/osest to the ra--ed ed-e of the ,/atform2 he a//o.ed his b/aster2 com/ink2 beacon transcei5er2 and

/i-htsaber to s/i, from his hands into the dark .aters far be/o.)

PART II

T! !$P!R"R1S !$ISSAR4

G

The Star Destroyer !3actor2 second in a /ine of ne./y minted Im,erator6c/ass na5a/ 5esse/s2

emer-ed from hy,ers,ace and inserted into orbit2 its s,iked bo. aimed at the former Se,aratist

.or/d of $urkhana) At si3teen hundred meters in /en-th2 the !3actor2 un/ike its Venator6c/ass

,redecessors2 .as a ,roduct of 'uat Dri5e 4ards2 and featured -a,in- 5entra/ /aunchin- bays rather

than a dorsa/ f/i-ht deck)

$o5ed by -ra5ity rather than by their ion dri5es2 the carcasses of ankin- +/an and +ommerce

%ui/d .arshi,s .ere -rim reminders of the Re,ub/ic in5asion that had been /aunched in the

conc/udin- .eeks of the .ar) $urkhana2 ho.e5er2 had fared far better than some contested .or/ds2

and the +or,orate A//iance e/ite had decam,ed for remote systems in the -a/a3y1s Tin-e/ Arm2takin- much of the ,/anet1s .ea/th .ith it)

In his 8uarters aboard the ca,ita/ shi, no. under his ,ersona/ command2 Darth Vader2 -/o5ed and

artificia/ ri-ht hand c/am,ed on the hi/t of his ne. /i-htsaber2 kne/t before a /ar-er6than6/ife

ho/o-ram of !m,eror Pa/,atine) "n/y four standard .eeks had e/a,sed since the .ar had ended and

Pa/,atine had ,roc/aimed himse/f !m,eror of the former Re,ub/ic2 to the adu/ation of the /eaders of

count/ess .or/ds that had been dra.n into the ,rotracted conf/ict2 and to the sustained acc/aim of

near/y the entire Senate)

Pa/,atine .ore a 5o/uminous embroidered robe of rich .ea5e2 the co./ of .hich .as raised2

concea/inin shado. the scars he had suffered at the hands of the four treasonous Jedi $asters .hohad attem,ted to arrest him in his chambers in the Senate "ffice ui/din-2 as .e// as other

deformations resu/tin- from his fierce batt/e .ith $aster 4oda in the Rotunda of the Senate itse/f)


27/173

;This is an im,ortant time for you2 Lord Vader2; Pa/,atine .as sayin-) ;4ou are fina//y free to make

fu// use of your ,o.ers) If not for us2 the -a/a3y .ou/d ne5er ha5e been restored to order) (o. you

must embrace the sacrifices you made to brin- this about2 and re5e/ in the fact that you ha5e

fu/fi//ed your destiny) It can a// be yours2 my youn- a,,rentice2 anythin- you .ish) 4ou need on/y

ha5e the determination to take it2 at .hate5er cost to those .ho stand in your .ay);

Pa/,atine1s disfi-urements .ere rea//y nothin- ne.9 nor .as his de/iberate2 5a-ue/y contem,tuous

5oice) The !m,eror had used the same 5oice to ,rocure his first a,,rentice9 to ensnare Trade

*ederation Viceroy (ute %unray in faci/itatin- his dark desi-ns9 to ,ersuade +ount Dooku to

un/eash a .ar9 and fina//y to seduce Vader6former Jedi 'ni-ht Anakin Sky.a/ker6to the dark side2

.ith the ,romise that he cou/d kee, Anakin1s .ife from dyin-)

*e. amon- the -a/a3y1s tri//ions .ere a.are that Pa/,atine .as a/so a Sith Lord2 kno.n by the tit/e

Darth Sidious2 or that he had mani,u/ated the .ar in order to brin- do.n the Re,ub/ic2 crush the

Jedi2 and ,/ace the entire -a/a3y under his fu// contro/) *e.er sti// kne. of the crucia/ ro/e Sidious1s

current a,,rentice had ,/ayed in those e5ents2 ha5in- he/,ed Sidious defend himse/f a-ainst the Jedi

.ho had sou-ht his arrest9 ha5in- /ed the assau/t on the Jedi Tem,/e on +oruscant9 ha5in- ki//ed inco/d b/ood the ha/f do7en members of the Se,aratist +ounci/ in their hidden fortress on 5o/canic

$ustafar)

And .ho there had suffered e5en more -ra5e/y than Pa/,atine)

Do.n on one knee2 his b/ack6masked face raised to the ho/o-ram2 ta//2 fearsome Vader .as .earin-

the bodysuit and armor2 he/met2 boots2 and c/oak that both camouf/a-ed the e5idence of his

transformation and sustained his /ife)

Without re5ea/in- his distress at bein- unab/e to maintain the knee/in- ,osture2 Vader said: ;What

are your orders2 $aster


28/173

ha5e de/iberate/y refused to com,/y .ith "rder Si3ty6Si3);

Vader ti-htened his ho/d on the /i-htsaber) ;I had not heard2 $aster);

e kne. that "rder Si3ty6Si3 had not been hard.ired into the c/ones by the 'aminoans .ho had

-ro.n them) Rather2 the troo,ers6the commanders2 es,ecia//y6had been ,ro-rammed to demonstrate

unfai/in- /oya/ty to the Su,reme +hance//or2 in his ro/e as +ommander in +hief of the %rand Armyof the Re,ub/ic) And so .hen the Jedi had re5ea/ed their seditious ,/ans2 they had become a threat

to Pa/,atine2 and had been sentenced to death)

"n myriad .or/ds "rder EE had been e3ecuted .ithout misfortune6on $y-eeto2 Sa/eucami2 *e/ucia2

and many others) Taken by sur,rise2 thousands of Jedi had been assassinated by troo,ers .ho had

for three years ans.ered a/most e3c/usi5e/y to them) A fe. Jedi .ere kno.n to ha5e esca,ed death

by dint of su,erior ski// or accident) ut on $urkhana2 a,,arent/y uni8ue e5ents had ,/ayed out9

e5ents that .ere ,otentia//y more dan-erous to the !m,ire than the fe. Jedi .ho had sur5i5ed)

;What .as the cause of the troo,ers1 insubordination2 $aster


29/173

(o *ear2; the +hosen "ne6had died on +oruscant durin- the sie-e of the Jedi Tem,/e)

And to some e3tent that .as true)

Anakin is dead2 Vader to/d himse/f)

And yet2 if not for e5ents on $ustafar2 Anakin .ou/d sit no. on the +oruscant throne2 his .ife byhis side2 their chi/d in her arms))) Instead2 Pa/,atine1s ,/an cou/d not ha5e been more f/a./ess/y

e3ecuted) e had .on it a//: the .ar2 the Re,ub/ic2 the fea/ty of the one Jedi 'ni-ht in .hom the

entire Jedi order had ,/aced its ho,e) The re5en-e of the se/f6e3i/ed Sith had been com,/ete2 and

Darth Vader .as mere/y a minion2 an errand boy2 a//e-ed/y an a,,rentice2 the ,ub/ic face of the dark

side of the *orce)

Whi/e he retained his kno./ed-e of the Jedi arts2 he fe/t uncertain about his ,/ace in the *orce9 and

.hi/e he had taken his first ste,s to.ard a.akenin- the ,o.er of the dark side2 he fe/t uncertain

about his abi/ity to sustain that ,o.er) o. far he mi-ht ha5e been no. had fate not inter5ened to

stri, him of a/most e5erythin- he ,ossessed2 as a means of remakin- him=

"r of humb/in- him2 as Darths $au/ and Tyranus had been humb/ed before him9 as indeed the Jedi

order itse/f had been humb/ed)

Where Darth Sidious had -ained e5erythin-2 Vader had /ost e5erythin-2 inc/udin-6for the moment2

at /east6the se/f6confidence and unbrid/ed ski// he had demonstrated as Anakin Sky.a/ker)

Vader turned and mo5ed for the hatch)

ut this is not .a/kin-2 he thou-ht)

Lon- accustomed to bui/din- and rebui/din- droids2 su,erchar-in- the en-ines of /ands,eeders and

starfi-hters2 u,-radin- the mechanisms that contro//ed the first of his artificia/ /imbs2 he .as

dismayed by the incom,etence of the medica/ droids res,onsib/e for his resurrection in Sidious1s

/ofty /aboratory on +oruscant)

is a//oy /o.er /e-s .ere bu/ked by stri,s of armor simi/ar to those that fi//ed and -a5e form to the

/on- -/o5e Anakin had .orn o5er his ri-ht6arm ,rosthesis) What remained of his rea/ /imbs ended in

bu/bs of -rafted f/esh2 inserted into machines that tri--ered mo5ement throu-h the use of modu/es

that interfaced .ith his dama-ed ner5e endin-s) ut instead of usin- durastee/2 the medica/ droids

had substituted an inferior a//oy2 and had fai/ed to ins,ect the stri,s that ,rotected the e/ectromoti5e

/ines) As a resu/t2 the inner /inin- of the ,ressuri7ed bodysuit .as continua//y sna--in- on ,/aces.here the stri,s .ere anchored to knee and ank/e 0oints)

The ta// boots .ere a ,oor fit for his artificia/ feet2 .hose c/a.6/ike toes /acked the e/ectrostatic

sensiti5ity of his e8ua//y fa/se fin-erti,s) Raised in the hee/2 the cumbersome foot-ear canted him

s/i-ht/y for.ard2 forcin- him to mo5e .ith e3a--erated caution /est he stumb/e or to,,/e o5er)

Worse2 they .ere so hea5y that he often fe/t rooted to the -round2 or as if he .ere mo5in- in hi-h

-ra5ity)

What -ood .as motion of this sort2 if he .as -oin- to ha5e to ca// on the *orce e5en to .a/k from

,/ace to ,/ace= e may as .e// ha5e resi-ned himse/f to usin- a re,u/sor chair and abandoned any

ho,e of mo5ement)

The defects in his ,rosthetic arms mirrored those of his /e-s)


30/173

"n/y the ri-ht one fe/t natura/ to him6thou-h it2 too2 .as artificia/6and the ,neumatic mechanisms

that su,,/ied articu/ation and su,,ort .ere sometimes s/o. to res,ond) The .ei-hty c/oak and

,ectora/ ,/atin- so restricted his mo5ement that he cou/d scarce/y /ift his arms o5er his head2 and he

had a/ready been forced to ada,t his /i-htsaber techni8ue to com,ensate)

e cou/d ,robab/y ad0ust the ser5odri5ers and ,istons in his forearms to ,ro5ide his hands .ithstren-th enou-h to crush the hi/t of his ne. /i-htsaber) With the ,o.er of his arms a/one2 he had the

abi/ity to /ift an adu/t bein- off the -round) ut the *orce had a/.ays -i5en him the abi/ity to do

that2 es,ecia//y in moments of ra-e2 as he had demonstrated on Tatooine and e/se.here) What1s

more2 the s/ee5es of the bodysuit didn1t hu- the ,rostheses as they shou/d2 and the e/bo.6/en-th

-/o5es sa--ed and bunched at his .rists)

%a7in- at the -/o5es no.2 he thou-ht: This is not seein-)

The ,ressuri7ed mask .as -o--/e6eyed2 fish6mouthed2 short6snouted2 and need/ess/y an-u/ar o5er

the cheekbones) +ou,/ed .ith a f/arin- dome of he/met2 the mask -a5e him the forbiddin-

a,,earance of an ancient Sith .ar droid) The dark hemis,heres that co5ered his eyes fi/tered out/i-ht that mi-ht ha5e caused further in0ury to his dama-ed corneas and retinas2 but in enhanced

mode the ha/f -/obes reddened the /i-ht and ,re5ented him from bein- ab/e to see the toes of his

boots .ithout inc/inin- his head a/most ninety de-rees)

Listenin- to the ser5omotors that dro5e his /imbs2 he thou-ht: This is not hearin-)

The med droids rebui/t the carti/a-e of his outer ears2 but his eardrums2 ha5in- me/ted in $ustafar1s

heat2 had been beyond re,air) Sound .a5es no. had to be transmitted direct/y to im,/ants in his

inner ear2 and sounds re-istered as if issuin- from under.ater) Worse2 the im,/anted sensors /acked

sufficient discrimination2 so that too many ambient sounds .ere ,icked u,2 and their distance and

direction .ere difficu/t to determine) Sometimes the sensors need/ed him .ith feedback2 or attached

echo or 5ibrato effects to e5en the faintest noise)

A//o.in- his /un-s to fi// .ith air2 he thou-ht: This is not breathin-)

ere the med droids had tru/y fai/ed him)

*rom a contro/ bo3 he .ore stra,,ed to his chest2 a thick cab/e entered his torso2 /inked to a

breathin- a,,aratus and heartbeat re-u/ator) The 5enti/ator .as im,/anted in his hideous/y scarred

chest2 a/on- .ith tubes that ran direct/y into his dama-ed /un-s2 and others that entered his throat2

so that shou/d the chest ,/ate or be/t contro/ ,ane/s de5e/o, a -/itch2 he cou/d breathe unassisted fira /imited time)

ut the monitorin- ,ane/ bee,ed fre8uent/y and for no reason2 and the conste//ation of /i-hts ser5ed

on/y as steady reminders of his 5u/nerabi/ity)

The incessant ras, of his breathin- interfered .ith his abi/ity to rest2 /et a/one s/ee,) And s/ee,2 in

the rare moments it came to him2 .as a ni-htmarish 0umb/e of t.isted2 recurrent memories that

unfo/ded to e3cruciatin- sounds)

The med droids had at /east inserted the redundant breathin- tubes /o. enou-h so that2 .ith the aid

of an enunciator2 his scorched 5oca/ cords cou/d sti// form sounds and .ords) ut absent theenunciator2 .hich im,arted a synthetic bass tone2 his o.n 5oice .as /itt/e more than a .his,er)


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e cou/d take food throu-h his mouth2 as .e//2 but on/y .hen he .as inside a hy,erbaric chamber2

since he had to remo5e the trian-u/ar res,iratory 5ent that .as the mask1s ,rominent feature) So it

.as easier to recei5e nourishment throu-h /i8uids2 intra5enous and other.ise2 and to re/y on

catheters2 co//ection ,ouches2 and recyc/ers to dea/ .ith /i8uid and so/id .aste)

ut a// those de5ices made it e5en more difficu/t for him to mo5e .ith ease2 much /ess .ith any

-race) The ,ectora/ armor that ,rotected the artificia/ /un- .ei-hed him do.n2 as did the e/ectrode6studded co//ar that su,,orted the outsi7e he/met2 necessary to safe-uard the cybernetic de5ices that

re,/aced the u,,ermost of his 5ertebrae2 the de/icate systems of the mask2 and the ra--ed scars in

his hair/ess head2 .hich o.ed as much to .hat he had endured on $ustafar as to attem,ts at

emer-ency tre,hination durin- the tri, back to +oruscant aboard Sidious1s shutt/e)

The synthskin that substituted for .hat .as seared from his bones itched incessant/y2 and his body

needed to be ,eriodica//y c/eansed and scrubbed of necrotic f/esh)

A/ready he had e3,erienced moments of c/austro,hobia6moments of des,eration to he rid of the

suit2 to emer-e from the she//) e needed to bui/d2 or ha5e bui/t2 a chamber in .hich he cou/d fee/

human a-ain)))

If ,ossib/e)

A// in a//2 he thou-ht: This is not /i5in-)

This .as so/itary confinement) Prison of the .orst sort) +ontinua/ torture) e .as nothin- more

than .recka-e) Po.er .ithout c/ear ,ur,ose))

A me/ancho/y si-h esca,ed the mouth -ri//e)

+o//ectin- himse/f2 he ste,,ed throu-h the hatch)

+ommander A,,o .as .aitin- in the ready room2 the s,ecia/ o,s officer .ho had /ed the C&st

Le-ion a-ainst the Jedi Tem,/e)

;4our shutt/e is ,re,ared2 Lord Vader2; A,,o said)

*or reasons that .ent beyond the armor and he/mets2 the ima-in- systems and boots2 Vader fe/t

more at home amon- the troo,ers than he did around other f/esh6and6b/oods)

And A,,o and the rest of Vader1s cadre of stormtroo,ers seemed to be at ease .ith their ne.su,erior) To them it .as on/y reasonab/e that Vader .ore a bodysuit and armor) Some had a/.ays

.ondered .hy the Jedi /eft themse/5es e3,osed2 as if they had had somethin- to ,ro5e by it)

Vader /ooked do.n at A,,o and nodded) ;+ome .ith me2 +ommander) The !m,eror has business

for us on $urkhana);

&&

Shryne s8uinted a-ainst the -o/den .ash of $urkhana1s ,rimary2 .hich had 0ust c/imbed from

behind the thick/y forested hi//s that .a//ed $urkhana +ity to the east) y his reckonin- he had

s,ent c/ose to four .eeks confined .ith hundreds of other ca,ti5es to a .indo./ess .arehousesome.here in the city) ours ear/ier a// of them had been marched throu-h the dark to a red6c/ay

/andin- fie/d that had been notched into one of the hi//s and .as current/y s.armin- .ith Re,ub/ic


32/173

troo,s)

"n its hardstand sat a mi/itary trans,ort Shryne surmised .ou/d de/i5er e5eryone to a ,ro,er ,rison

on or in orbit around some for/orn "uter Rim .or/d) Thus far2 thou-h2 none of the ,risoners had

been ordered to board the trans,ort) Instead2 a head count .as bein- conducted) $ore im,ortant2 the

c/one troo,ers .ere ob5ious/y .aitin- for someone or somethin- to arri5e)

When his eyes had ad0usted fu//y to the /i-ht2 Shryne scanned the ,risoners to a// sides of him2

re/ie5ed to find o/ +hatak and her Pada.an standin- some fifty meters a.ay2 amon- a mi3ed

-rou, of indi-enous 'oori5ar fi-hters and an assortment of Se,aratist mercenaries) e ca//ed to

them throu-h the *orce2 fi-urin- that +hatak .ou/d be first to res,ond2 but it .as Starstone .ho

turned s/i-ht/y in his direction and smi/ed faint/y) Then +hatak /ooked his .ay2 offerin- a 8uick

nod)

"n their ca,ture at the /andin- ,/atform2 the three of them had been se,arated) The fact that +hatak

had mana-ed to retain her headc/oth ,erha,s e3,/ained .hy her short crania/ horns hadn1t sin-/ed

her out as ?abrak and raised an a/ert amon- her ca,tors)

Assumin- that the conditions of her ca,ti5ity had been simi/ar to his2 +hatak1s bein- o5er/ooked

made ,erfect sense to Shryne) Rounded u, .ith hundreds of enemy fi-hters fo//o.in- the sti//6

,u77/in- deacti5ation of $urkhana1s batt/e droids and other .ar machines2 Shryne had been

searched2 rou-hed u,2 and marched into the dark bui/din- that .ou/d become his home for the ne3t

four .eeks6a s,ecia/ torment reser5ed for mercenaries) Any .ho hadn1t .i//in-/y surrendered their

.ea,ons had been e3ecuted2 and do7ens more had died in fierce fi-hts that had broken out for the

fe. scra,s of food that had been ,ro5ided)

It hadn1t taken /on- for Shryne to -ras, that .innin- the hearts and minds of Se,aratist fi-hters .as

no /on-er to,s on +hance//or Pa/,atine1s /ist)

It a/so hadn1t taken /on- for him to -i5e u, .orryin- about bein- found out2 since he had been

,/aced in the custody of /o.6rankin- c/one troo,ers .hose armor b/a7es identified them as members

of com,anies other than +ommander Sa/5o1s) The troo,ers had rare/y s,oken to any of the

,risoners2 so there had been no ne.s of the .ar or of e5ents that mi-ht ha5e ,rom,ted the i-h

+ounci/ to order the Jedi to -o into hidin-) Shryne kne. on/y that the fi-htin- on $urkhana had

sto,,ed2 and that the Re,ub/ic had trium,hed)

e .as considerin- the ad5anta-e of ed-in- himse/f c/oser to .here +hatak and Starstone stood

.hen a con5oy of mi/itary s,eeders and bi-6.hee/ed 0u--ernauts arri5ed on the scene) +ommander

Sa/5o and some of his chief officers ste,,ed from one of the /ands,eeders9 from the hatch of one ofthe 0u--ernauts emer-ed commando s8uad /eader +/imber2 and the rest of Ion Team)

Shryne .ondered about the timin- of the commander1s arri5a/) Perha,s Sa/5o .as determined to

ha5e a c/ose /ook at each and e5ery ,risoner before any .ere /oaded into the trans,ort) That Shryne

.as farther back from the /eadin- ed-e of the cro.d than +hatak and Starstone .ere meant nothin-)

%i5en the amount of time they had s,ent .ith Sa/5o2 he .ou/d ha5e no troub/e identifyin- a// of

them)

"dd/y2 thou-h2 the commander .asn1t ,ayin- much attention to the ,risoners) is T65isor -a7e .as

fi3ed instead on a Re,ub/ic shutt/e that .as descendin- to.ard the /andin- fie/d)

;Theta6c/ass2; one of the ,risoners said 8uiet/y to the mercenary standin- a/on-side him)


33/173


34/173

;a5e you for-otten anyone2 +ommander


35/173

Huick/y Sa/5o and his officers ste,,ed for.ard2 but Vader on/y sho.ed them the ,a/m of his hand)

;(o2 +ommander) Lea5e this to me);

With that he mo5ed on the commandos)

S,readin- out2 they fired2 but not a sin-/e bo/t made it ,ast Vader1s b/ade) Def/ected bo/ts .entstrai-ht throu-h the he/met 5isors of t.o of the commandos2 and in t.o furious s.ee,s Vader

o,ened the ,air from shou/der to hi,2 as if they .ere f/imsy ration containers) +/imber and the third

commando took ad5anta-e of the moment to break for the nearby tree /ine2 firin- as they f/ed) A

def/ection shot from Vader cau-ht +/imber in the /eft /e-2 but the bo/t didn1t so much as s/o. him

do.n)

Vader tracked them2 then motioned to his cadre of troo,ers) ;I .ant them a/i5e2 +ommander A,,o);

;4es2 Lord Vader);

A,,o1s shock troo,ers raced off in ,ursuit of the commandos) (ot one of Sa/5o1s officers had fired a.ea,on2 but no. a// of them .ere re-ardin- Vader .ith 5i-i/ant uncertainty2 their rif/es ha/f raised)

;Don1t /et my .ea,on foo/ you2; Vader to/d them2 as if readin- their thou-hts) ;I am not a Jedi);

*rom off to Shryne1s /eft2 a fami/iar 5oice shouted) ;ut I am=;

o/ +hatak had un.ound her headc/oth2 re5ea/in- her 5esti-ia/ horns2 and had i-nited the /i-htsaber

Shryne thou-ht she1d had sense enou-h to ditch .hen they .ere ca,tured)

Vader .hir/ed2 .atchin- +hatak as she be-an to sta/k him2 ,risoners and troo,ers a/ike -i5in- her

.ide berth)

;So much the better that one of you sur5i5ed2; he said2 .a5in- his /i-htsaber back and forth in front

of him) ;The commandos sa5ed your /ife2 and no. you ho,e to sa5e theirs2 is that it


36/173

With a .hir/in- motion +hatak -ot far enou-h inside Vader1s /on- reach to inf/ict a forearm .ound)

ut Vader scarce/y reacted to the hit2 and instead of seein- cauteri7ed f/esh

Shryne sa. s,arks and smoke fountain throu-h Vader1s s/ashed -/o5e)

Then he /ost si-ht of them a-ain)

Wed-ed into the cro.d2 he .ondered if he cou/d use the *orce to ca// one of the troo,er1s b/aster

rif/es into his -ri,) At the same time he ho,ed that Starstone had abandoned her /i-htsaber at the

/andin- ,/atform2 and .ou/dn1t attem,t to 0oin her $aster a-ainst Vader)

We need to /earn .hat ha,,ened to the Jedi2 he tried to send to her) "ur time for dea/in- .ith Vader

.i// come) e ,atient)

e .ondered if he .as ri-ht) $aybe he shou/d attem,t to reach +hatak2 .ea,on or no) $aybe his

/ife .as meant to end here2 on $urkhana)

e /ooked to the *orce for -uidance2 and the *orce restrained him)

A ,ained cry cut throu-h the chaos2 and the cro.d of ,risoners ,arted 0ust /on- enou-h for Shryne

to see +hatak do.n on her knees in front of Vader2 her s.ord arm am,utated at the e/bo.) Vader

had sim,/y beaten her into submission2 and no.2 .ith a f/ick of his b/oodshine b/ade2 he deca,itated

her)

Sorro. /anced Shryne1s heart)

nreadab/e behind his mask2 Vader -a7ed do.n at +hatak1s s/ack body)

The c/one troo,ers re/a3ed the cordon some.hat2 a//o.in- the ,risoners to s,read out) And the

moment they did2 Vader be-an to scan faces in the cro.d)

There .ere techni8ues for concea/in- one1s *orce abi/ities2 and Shryne em,/oyed them) e a/so

,re,ared for the ,ossibi/ity that he cou/d be found out) ut Vader1s b/ack -a7e mo5ed ri-ht ,ast him)

Instead2 it a,,eared to focus on /ee Starstone)

Vader took a ste, in her direction)

(o. I ha5e no choice2 Shryne thou-ht)

e .as ready to /un-e .hen a shock troo,er ca//ed to Vader2 re,ortin- that the commandos had

been ca,tured) Vader sto,,ed in his tracks2 -/ancin- in Starstone1s direction before turnin- to Sa/5o)

;+ommander2 see to it that the ,risoners are /oaded into the trans,ort); A-ain2 Vader scanned the

cro.d) ;A /ess accommodatin- dun-eon a.aits them on A-on (ine);

&>

Vader had no sooner turned his back to the ,risoners than Shryne .as in motion2 ed-in-2 e/bo.in-2

shou/derin- his .ay throu-h the cro.d to Starstone2 .hose narro. shou/ders hea5ed as sheattem,ted to su,,ress her -rief at her $aster1s death) Rea/i7in- Shryne .as at her side2 she turned

into his comfortin- but brief embrace)


37/173

;4our $aster is .ith the *orce2; he to/d her) ;Re0oice for that);

She narro.ed her eyes at him) ;Why didn1t you he/, her


38/173

;*oo/ish2; he said2 then asked: ;Were you ab/e to /earn anythin- about the .ar


39/173

e /ooked at her) ;ere is .hat matters: Vader sus,ects that t.o Jedi are -oin- to be aboard the

,rison trans,ort) !5entua//y he1// identify us and .e1// be ki//ed2 un/ess .e take our chances2 here

and no.);

;o.2 $aster


40/173

te//in- him that he .as not as ,o.erfu/ as he thou-ht he .as) The /itt/e s/a5e boy2 co.erin- because

/ie .as not the master of his fate) A mere accessory in the .or/d2 o.ned by another2 ,assed o5er)

And no. ne./y ens/a5ed=

e /ifted his masked face to the cabin1s cei/in- and -ro./ed in torment) Sidious1s ine,t med droids

had done this to him= S/o.ed his ref/e3es2 burdened him .ith armor and ,addin-) e re/ishedha5in- destroyed them)

"r))) had Sidious de/iberate/y en-ineered this ,rison< A-ain2 it .as Anakin .ho asked2 that sma//

node of fear in Vader1s heart)

Was this ,unishment for ha5in- fai/ed at $ustafar< "r had $ustafar mere/y ,ro5ided Sidious .ith

an e3cuse to .eaken him< Perha,s a// a/on- the ,romise of a,,renticeshi, had been nothin- more

than a ,/oy2 .hen2 in fact2 Sidious mere/y needed someone to command his army of stormtroo,ers)

Another %rie5ous2 .hi/e Sidious rea,ed the rea/ re.ards of ,o.er2 confident that his ne.est minion

,osed no threat to his ru/e)

Vader d.e//ed on it2 fearin- he .ou/d dri5e himse/f mad2 and at /ast reached an e5en more

disheartenin- conc/usion) %rie5ous .as du,ed into ser5in- the Sith) ut Sidious had sent Anakin to

$ustafar for one reason on/y: to ki// the members of the Se,aratist +ounci/)

Padme and "bi6Wan .ere the ones .ho had sentenced him to his b/ack6suit ,rison)

Sentenced by his .ife and his a//e-ed best friend2 their /o5e for him .ar,ed by .hat they had

,ercei5ed as betraya/) "bi6Wan2 too brain.ashed by the Jedi to reco-ni7e the ,o.er of the dark

side9 and Padme2 too ens/a5ed to the Re,ub/ic to understand that Pa/,atine1s machinations and

Anakin1s defection to the Sith had been essentia/ to brin-in- ,eace to the -a/a3y= !ssentia/ to

,/acin- ,o.er in the hands of those resourcefu/ enou-h to use it ,ro,er/y2 in order to sa5e the

-a/a3y1s myriad s,ecies from themse/5es9 to end the incom,etence of the Senate9 to disso/5e the

b/oated2 entit/ed Jedi order2 .hose $asters .ere b/ind to the decay they had fostered)

And yet their +hosen "ne had seen it9 so .hy hadn1t they fo//o.ed his /ead by embracin- the dark

side&

Darth Sidious had had most of his be/o5ed Sith statues and ancient bas6re/iefs remo5ed from hisruined chambers in the Senate "ffice ui/din-2 .here four Jedi had /ost their /i5es and one had been

con5erted to the dark side) Re/ocated to the throne room2 the statues had been ,/aced on the dais2

the scu/,tures mounted on the /on- .a//s)

S.i5e/in- his throne2 Sidious -a7ed at them no.)

As some Jedi had feared from the start2 Anakin had been ri,e for con5ersion .hen Hui6%on Jinn

had first brou-ht him to the Tem,/e2 and for .e// o5er a decade a// of Sidious1s ,/ans for the boy had

unfo/ded .ithout incident) ut e5en Sidious hadn1t foreseen Anakin1s defeat by "bi6Wan 'enobi on

$ustafar) Anakin had sti// been bet.een .or/ds then2 and 5u/nerab/e) The fai/ure to defeat his

former $aster had .orked to ,ro/on- that 5u/nerabi/ity)

Sidious reca//ed the des,erate return tri, to +oruscant9 reca//ed usin- a// his ,o.ers2 and a// the

,otions and de5ices contained in his medkit2 to minister to Anakin1s ho,e/ess/y b/istered body and

truncated /imbs)

e reca//ed thinkin-: What if Anakin shou/d die

Ri-ht))) no.2; Shryne o5erheard *i//i te// Starstone)

The communications suite chimed and *i//i2 Starstone2 and !y/ Di3 /eaned in to study a dis,/ay

screen) ;The Jedi shi, has re5erted to rea/s,ace2; Di3 said2 a/most in a.e2 antennae t.itchin-)

*i//i stood to his fu// hei-ht2 stretchin- his arms o5er his head in theatrica/ noncha/ance and

beamin-) ;I /o5e it .hen I1m ri-ht);

Starstone -/anced u, at him) ;I can te// that about you); is fro.ned dramatica//y) ;(o ,ut6do.ns

in the main cabin);

;It1s not a criticism2; Starstone .as 8uick to e3,/ain) ;What I mean is that I .as the same .ay at the

Jedi Tem,/e /ibrary) Someone .ou/d come in /ookin- for data2 and I .ou/d a/most a/.ays be ab/e to

direct them ri-ht to the fi/es they needed) I 0ust had a sense for it); er 5oice broke momentari/y9

then she continued in a confident tone) ;I think you shou/d be ,roud of doin- .hat you do best2

instead of hidin- behind fa/se humi/ity2 or;6she -a5e Shryne a furti5e -/ance6;/ettin- disi//usion

con5ince you that you need a ne. /ife);

Shryne -ot out of his seat) ;I1// take that as my cue to /ea5e);

A droid directed him to the corridor that /ed to the Drunk Dancer1s am,/e cock,it2 .here Ju/a and

rudi %ayn sat in ad0acent chairs behind a shimmerin- s.ee, of instrument conso/e) A crescent of

red ,/anet hun- in the for.ard 5ie.,ort2 and /oca/ s,ace .as stre.n .ith batt/e debris)

Shryne ra,,ed his knuck/es a-ainst the cock,it1s retracted hatch) ;Permission to enter2 +a,tain


73/173

rudi -estured to a ,oint of ref/ected /i-ht far to ,ort) ;That1s them) "n schedu/e);

Shryne studied the conso/e1s friend6or6foe dis,/ay screen2 in .hich a schematic of a shar,6nosed2

broad6.in-ed shi, .as rotatin-) ;Re,ub/ic S troo, trans,ort2; he said) ;Wonder ho. they -ot a

ho/d of that);

;I1m sure there1s a story2; rudi said)

Shryne /ifted his eyes to the 5ie.,orts2 and to the .recka-e beyond) ;What ha,,ened here


74/173

;4ou may not be ab/e to 0am them2; Shryne said) ;They1re not /ike V6 .in-s) And they ,unch harder2

too);

;Try any.ay2 rudi2; Ju/a said) ;Last thin- I .ant is the !m,ire chasin- us a// o5er the -a/a3y) And

I am not about to -et a ne. shi,); She f/i,,ed an intercom s.itch) ;Skeck2 Archyr2 are you there


75/173

A fifth e3,/osion b/ossomed o5er the red ,/anet1s north ,o/e) "ther /aser beams .ent .ide of their

marks)

;They15e fi-ured us out2; Shryne said) ;They1// scatter no.);

;Trans,ort is an-/in- for the mines2; rudi u,dated)

;Just .hat I1d do2; Ju/a said)

The threat board /oosed another a/ert tone)

rudi ta,,ed his fin-er on the /on-6distance scanner array screen) ;Si3 more starfi-hters ha5e

emer-ed from hy,ers,ace);

Ju/a forced a short e3ha/e) ;Te// .hoe5er1s ,i/otin- the trans,ort to -o to fu// thrott/e) e may not

e5en be a.are of the ne. ,/ayers);

;e .on1t miss this2; rudi said somber/y)

Shryne eased out of his seat to ,eer o5er rudi1s shou/der) ;What


76/173

;Ion sur,rise2; Archyr said)

;Laser chaser2; Skeck chimed in)

White /i-ht f/ared in the distance2 and b/ue current coruscated o5er the cruiser1s dark hu//)

rudi bent to one of the screens) ;So/id hit) And they definite/y didn1t see it comin-) Their shie/ds

are da7ed);

;Takin- us back into co5er2; Ju/a said) ;Where1s the trans,ort


77/173

;Trans,ort is aboard2; rudi said sudden/y)

Ju/a c/am,ed her hands on the yoke) ;Di5ert ,o.er to the sub/i-hts) %i5e us a// the distance you

can);

;We1re -oin- to -et our stern burned2; rudi .arned) ;Sma// ,rice to ,ay);

;y,ers,ace en-ines en-a-ed);

Ju/a reached for the contro/ stick) ;(o.=;

And the distant stars became streaks of /i-ht)

>

rudi hadn1t said that the trans,ort .as safe/y aboard2 and Shryne kne. .hy the moment he and

Starstone reached the dockin- bay) The .ed-e6sha,ed shi, had skidded in on its ,ort side2 -ou-in-the deck2 destroyin- arrays of /andin- /i-hts2 reducin- t.o /abor droids to s,are ,arts2 and

u/timate/y f/attenin- its ,ointed bo. a-ainst an interior bu/khead)

(o one inside .as in0ured in the crash2 ho.e5er)

Any more than they .ere a/ready in0ured)

The si3 bedra--/ed Jedi .ho /itera//y sta--ered do.n the trans,ort1s crum,/ed boardin- ram, .ere

a mi3 of a/ien2 human2 and humanoid) (either Shryne nor Starstone kne. any of them by si-ht2

name2 or re,utation) *ace and arms burned by b/aster6fire2 Siadem *orte .as a short2 thick6bodied

human2 o/der than Shryne but sti// a 'ni-ht) is Pada.an .as a youn- To-ruta named Derai/

(a/ua/2 .ho had been b/inded durin- the same firefi-ht in .hich *orte had been .ounded) '/ossi

Anno2 a +ha/actan2 .as a/so a /earner2 her $aster ha5in- died sa5in- her /ife9 .here e3act/y the

o,,osite had ha,,ened to I.o 'u/ka2 a bruised and /im,in- o1Din 'ni-ht) nranked human Jedi

Jambe Luand (am Poorf .ere a-ricu/tura/ s,ecia/ists .ho had been returnin- to +oruscant from a

mission on onadan)

"n board .as a se5enth Jedi2 .ho had died durin- the trans,ort1s hy,ers,ace 0um, to the

rende75ous)

$ed droids tended to the .ounds of ne. arri5a/s) Then2 after the Jedi had rested and been fed2e5eryone -athered in the main cabin2 .here Shryne2 Starstone2 and a fe. of the smu--/ers /istened

to accounts of sa5a-e en-a-ements and c/ose esca,es on ha/f a do7en .or/ds)

As Shryne had -uessed2 no other c/one troo,ers .ere kno.n to ha5e refused to obey the Jedi

e3ecution order Pa/,atine .as be/ie5ed to ha5e issued) T.o of the Jedi had mana-ed to ki// the

troo,ers .ho had turned on them) Another had esca,ed and sur5i5ed by donnin- c/one armor) The

,air of Jedi from the A-ricu/tura/ +or,s hadn1t been in the com,any of troo,ers2 but had been fired

on and ,ursued .hen a shutt/e they .ere aboard had arri5ed at a Re,ub/ic orbita/ faci/ity)

"ri-ina//y ten in number2 they had -athered on De//a/t after recei5in- a G& code transmitted by

*orte2 the e/dest amon- them) It .as on De//a/t that they had commandeered the trans,ort2 durin- abatt/e in .hich t.o of the Jedi had been ki//ed and many of the others .ounded6and seemin-/y from

De//a/t that the /i-ht cruiser and AR+6&@s had ,ursued them)


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y the time a// the stories had been to/d and end/ess/y discussed2 the Drunk Dancer had emer-ed

from hy,ers,ace in a remote system of barren ,/anets that had /on- ser5ed Ju/a and her cre. as a

hideout of sorts) Re/ie5ed of her ,i/ot duties2 she entered the main cabin and sat do.n ne3t to

Shryne 0ust as ta/k .as turnin- to o/o(et accounts of .hat had occurred on +oruscant fo//o.in-

Pa/,atine1s decree that the %rand Army had been 5ictorious2 and that the Re,ub/ic .as no. an

!m,ire)

;Some of the information re/eased has to be fa/se or e3a--erated2; the a-ronomist Jambe Lu said)

;o/oima-es .e15e seen thus far sho. that the Tem,/e .as certain/y attacked) ut I refuse to acce,t

that e5eryone .as ki//ed) Sure/y Pa/,atine .ou/d ha5e ordered the troo,ers to s,are the youn-/in-s)

Perha,s some instructors and administrators2 as .e//);

;I a-ree2; Lu1s ,artner2 (am Poorf2 said) ;If !m,eror Pa/,atine had .anted for some reason to

e3terminate the entire Jedi order2 he cou/d ha5e done so at the start of the .ar);

*orte ridicu/ed the idea) ;And .ho .ou/d ha5e /ed the %rand Army6Senators< What1s more2 e5en if

you1re correct about the Tem,/e2 the best .e can ho,e is that an unto/d number of Jedi areim,risoned some.here) What .e kno. to be true is that $asters Windu2 Tiin2 *isto2 and 'o/ar died

in the attem,t to arrest Pa/,atine9 and that 'i6Adi6$undi2 P/o 'oon2 and other i-h +ounci/

members are re,orted to ha5e been assassinated on Se,aratist .or/ds);

;Any .ord on 4oda or "bi6Wan


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reason enou-h to remain to-ether) Jedi bein- he/d ,risoner) The youn-/in-s) The unkno.n fates of

$asters 4oda and 'enobi)

;To .hat end2 Pada.an


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Shryne -estured broad/y) ;We1re ei-ht a-ainst someone .ho may be Sith2 and one of the /ar-est

armies e5er amassed) What does that te// youB

Rain .as rare on .eather6contro//ed +oruscant2 but e5ery so often microc/imatic storms .ou/dbui/d in the bust/in- sky and s.ee, across the technosca,e) Today1s had b/o.n in from The Works

and mo5ed east .ith -reat s,eed2 /ashin- the abandoned Jedi Tem,/e .ith un,recedented force)

Vader1s enhanced hearin- cou/d ,ick u, the sound of fat2 .ind6dri5en raindro,s s,atterin- a-ainst

the Tem,/e1s e/e-ant s,ires and f/at roof2 an eerie counter,oint to the sound of his boot hee/s strikin-

the adamantine f/oor and echoin- in the darkened2 deserted corridors) Sidious had sent him here on

a mission2 ostensib/y to search the archi5es for certain Sith ho/ocrons /on- rumored to ha5e been

brou-ht to the Tem,/e centuries ear/ier)

ut Vader kne. the truth)

Sidious .ants to rub my masked face in the aftermath of the s/au-hter I s,earheaded)


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Thou-h the cor,ses had been remo5ed by stormtroo,ers and droids2 most of the s,i//ed b/ood

.ashed a.ay2 scorch marks on the .a//s and cei/in- attested to the sur,rise attack) +o/umns /ay

to,,/ed2 herita-e ta,estries hun- in shreds2 rooms reeked of carna-e)

ut e5idence of a /ess tan-ib/e sort a/so e3isted)

The Tem,/e teemed .ith -hosts)

What mi-ht ha5e been the .ind .endin- into ho/ed ha//.ays ne5er before ,enetrated sounded /ike

the funerea/ keenin- of s,irits .aitin- to be a5en-ed) What mi-ht ha5e been the resonance of the

footfa//s of +ommander A,,o1s stormtroo,ers sounded /ike the beat of distant .ar drums) What

mi-ht ha5e been smoke from fires that shou/d ha5e -one out .eeks ear/ier seemed more /ike

.raiths .rithin- in torment)

!m,eror Pa/,atine had yet to announce his ,/ans for that sad she// of a ,/ace) Whether it .as to be

ra7ed2 con5erted into his ,a/ace2 deeded to Vader as some sort of crue/ 0oke2 or ,erha,s /eft as a

mauso/eum for a// of +oruscant to -a7e on2 a reminder of .hat .ou/d befa// those .ho kind/ed

Pa/,atine1s disfa5or)

$ost of Vader1s Anakin memories -re. fainter by the day2 but not Anakin1s memories of .hat had

ha,,ened here) They .ere as fresh as this mornin-1s sunrise2 -/im,sed from the roofto, chamber in

.hich Vader rested) True s/ee, continued to /ie 0ust out of reach2 an ob0ect ,ursued in 5ain in an

unsett/in- dream) e no /on-er had 5isions2 either) That abi/ity2 that doub/e6ed-ed abi/ity2 seemin-/y

had been burned out of him on $ustafar)

ut Vader remembered)

Remembered bein- in thra// of .hat he had done in Pa/,atine1s office) Watchin- the o/d man ,/ead

for his /ife9 /istenin- to the o/d man ,romisin- that on/y he had the ,o.er to sa5e Padme9 rushin- to

his defense) Sith /i-htnin- hur/in- an astonished $ace Windu throu-h .hat had been a .indo.))

)

Anakin knee/in- before Sidious and bein- dubbed Vader)

%o to the Jedi Tem,/e2 Sidious had said) We .i// catch them off ba/ance) Do .hat must be done2

Lord Vader Do not hesitate) Sho. no mercy) "n/y then .i// you be stron- enou-h .ith the dark side

to sa5e Padme)

And so he had -one to the Tem,/e)

Instrument of the same reso/ute intent that had carried "bi6Wan to $ustafar .ith one -oa/ in mind:

death to the enemy)

In his mind1s eye Vader sa. his and the C&st1s march to the Tem,/e -ates2 their .rathfu/ attack2 the

mad moments of b/ood/ust2 the dark side un/eashed in a// its crimson fury) Some moments he

remembered more c/ear/y than others: ,ittin- his b/ade a-ainst that of s.ordmaster +in Dra//i-2

beheadin- some of the 5ery $asters .ho had instructed him in the .ays of the *orce2 and2 of

course2 his co/d e3termination of the youn-/in-s2 and .ith them the future of the Jedi order)

e had .ondered beforehand: cou/d he do it< Sti// ne. to the dark side2 .ou/d he be ab/e to ca// on

its ,o.er to -uide his hand and /i-htsaber< In ans.er2 the dark side had .his,ered: They are


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or,hans) They are .ithout fami/y or friends) There is nothin- that can be done .ith them) They are

better off dead)

ut this reca//in-2 .eeks /ater2 curd/ed his b/ood)

This ,/ace shou/d ne5er ha5e been bui/t=

In fact2 he hadn1t ki//ed the Jedi to ser5e Sidious2 thou-h Sidious .as meant to be/ie5e 0ust that) In

his arro-ance Sidious .as una.are that Anakin had seen throu-h him) ad the Sith Lord thou-ht he

.ou/d sim,/y shru- off the fact that2 from the start2 Sidious had been mani,u/atin- Anakin and the

.ar@

The Drunk Dancer tore throu-h mott/ed hy,ers,ace2 /ea5in- deso/ate Ja-uada /i-ht6years behind)

Skeck had sustained a nasty b/aster burn to his ri-ht arm durin- the troo,ers1 attem,t to disab/e the

dro, shi,2 but no one e/se had been hurt) !mer-in- from the faci/ity moments before *i//i1s time

de/ay initiated the ,o.er -enerator2 Shryne and the others had raced u,5a//ey to the /andin-

,/atform and had arri5ed in time to catch a s8uad of Im,eria/s in a crossfire)

Sea/ed inside the faci/ity2 the remainin- s8uads .ere u, to their T6 5isors in reacti5ated batt/e

droids)

After Skeck1s .ound had been banda-ed2 Shryne had retired to the dormitory cabin s,ace Ju/a had,ro5ided for the Jedi) e had a/.ays had a fondness for hy,ers,ace tra5e/6more2 the sense of bein-

outside time6and .as knee/inin meditation .hen he sensed Starstone a,,roachin- the cabin)

Simu/taneous .ith her e3cited entry he rose to his feet2 eyes on the sheaf of f/imsi,/ast ,rintouts she

.as ho/din-)

;We ha5e data on hundreds of Jedi2; she said2 ratt/in- the ,rintouts) ;We kno. .here more than

se5enty $asters .ere at the end of the .ar6.hen the c/one commanders recei5ed their orders);

Acce,tin- the ,roffered f/imsies2 Shryne thumbed throu-h them2 then -/anced at Starstone) ;o.

many of these hundreds do you think mi-ht actua//y ha5e sur5i5ed the attacks


93/173

Shryne shook the f/imsies) ;as it occurred to you that if .e ha5e this information2 then so does the

!m,ire< What do you think our ad5ersaries .ere doin- in the Tem,/e beacon room2 ,/ayin- hide6

and6seek


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decades) !5en if you shou/d succeed2 you1// re-ret it);

Shryne firmed his /i,s and nodded a-ain) ;Then you and I .i// be ,artin- .ays at $ossak);

Sadness ,u//ed do.n the corners of her mouth) ;I .ish it didn1t ha5e to be this .ay2 $aster);

;That doesn1t be-in to say ho. I fee/ about it);

They stood2 and he hu--ed her tender/y)

;4ou1// te// the others


95/173

;Is this a +ash %arru/an contract


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;e asked that I inform you of an incident that occurred .hi/e he and Lord Vader .ere in the

Tem,/e);

;Indeed


97/173

Sidious -re. interested once more) ;o. is ?ar ,/annin- to reach Sem Prime .ithout2 as you say2

attractin- attention


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scores of s,ecies dis,/aced by the .ar2 bund/ed u, in co/orfu/ c/othin- a-ainst the mountains1 fri-id

do.ndrafts) $any of the refu-ees had been on A/deraan since the ear/iest days of the Se,aratist

mo5ement2 /i5in- in housin- A/deraan had ,ro5ided9 many more .ere recent/y arri5ed on,/anet2 to

sho. their su,,ort) (o. that the .ar had ended2 a/most a// of them .ere ea-er to return to their

home systems2 ,ick u, the ,ieces of their shattered /i5es2 and reunite .ith members of their .ide/y

dis,ersed fami/ies)

ut the !m,ire .as attem,tin- to th.art them)

P/acards f/ashed and ho/oima-es s,ran- from hand 6 and f/i,,er 6 and tentac/e6he/d de5ices as the

thron- mo5ed ,ast ai/1s /ofty ,erch in the north to.er2 behind the ,a/ace1s hi-h .hite .a//s and the

arcs of ref/ectin- ,oo/s that had /on- a-o ser5ed as defensi5e moats)

PALPATI(!1S PPP!T= one of the ho/os/o-ans read)

R!P!AL T! TA= read another)

R!SIST I$P!RIALI?ATI"(= a third)

The first .as a reference to the re-iona/ -o5ernor !m,eror Pa/,atine had insta//ed in that ,art of the

+ore2 .ho had decreed that a// refu-ees of former +onfederacy .or/ds .ere re8uired to submit to

ri-orous identity checks before bein- issued documents of transit)

The ;ta3; referred to the to// that had been /e5ied on anyone seekin- tra5e/ to out/yin- systems)

A/ready a catch,hrase2 the third s/o-an .as aimed at any .ho feared the !m,eror1s attem,ts to bind

a// ,/anetary systems2 autonomous or other.ise2 to +oruscant1s ru/e)

Whi/e /itt/e of the an-ry chantin- .as directed at A/deraan1s -o5ernment or Hueen reha6ai/1s

.ife6many in the cro.d .ere /ookin- to ai/ to intercede .ith Pa/,atine on their beha/f) A/deraan

.as mere/y their -atherin- ,/ace2 after the demonstration1s or-ani7ers had decided a-ainst ho/din-

the march on +oruscant2 under the .atchfu/ -a7e of stormtroo,ers2 and .ith the memory of .hat

had ha,,ened at the Jedi Tem,/e fresh in e5eryone1s mind)

Demonstrations .ere nothin- ne.2 in any case) A/deraanians .ere kno.n throu-hout the -a/a3y for

their missions of mercy and their unstintin- su,,ort of o,,ressed -rou,s) $ore im,ortant2 A/deraan

had been a hotbed of ,o/itica/ dissent throu-hout the .ar2 .ith A/dera ni5ersity1s Students of

+o//us6named for a ce/ebrated A/deraanian ,hi/oso,her6/eadin- the mo5ement)

With his home.or/d thorou-h/y ,o/itici7ed2 ai/ had been forced to ,/ay a carefu/ -ame in the

-a/actic ca,ita/2 .here he .as at once an ad5ocate for refu-ee ,o,u/ations and a ,rinci,a/ member

of the Loya/ist +ommittee9 that is2 /oya/ to the +onstitution2 and to the Re,ub/ic for .hich it stood)

A reasonab/e man2 one of a 1/andfi// of rank/ed de/e-ates .ho had found themse/5es cau-ht bet.een

su,,ort for Pa/,atine and outri-ht contention2 ai/ had understood that ,o/itica/ .ran-/in- .as the

on/y .ay to introduce chan-e) As a resu/t2 he and Pa/,atine had en-a-ed in numerous dis,utes2

o,en/y in the Rotunda as .e// as in ,ri5ate2 on issues re/atin- to Pa/,atine1s ra,id rise to

incontestab/e ,o.er2 and the subse8uent s/o. but steady erosion of ,ersona/ /iberties)

"n/y .ith the .ar1s sudden and shockin- end had ai/ come to understand that .hat had seemed,o/itica/ maneu5erin- on Pa/,atine1s ,art had been nothin- /ess than ins,ired machination6the

unfo/din- of a diabo/ica/ scheme to ,ro/on- the .ar2 and to so frustrate the Jedi that .hen they


99/173

fina//y sou-ht to ho/d him accountab/e for refusin- to ,roc/aim the .ar conc/uded .ith the deaths

of +ount Dooku and %enera/ %rie5ous2 Pa/,atine cou/d not on/y dec/are them traitors to the

Re,ub/ic2 but a/so ,ronounce them -ui/ty of ha5in- fomented the .ar to ser5e their o.n ends2 and

therefore deser5in- of e3ecution)

!5er since2 ai/ had been forced to ,/ay an e5en more treacherous -ame on +oruscant6Im,eria/

+enter6for he no. kne. Pa/,atine to be a more dan-erous o,,onent than anyone sus,ected9 indeeda more dan-erous foe than most cou/d e5en be-in to -uess) Whi/e Senators such as $on $othma

and %arm e/ Ib/is .ere e3,ectin- ai/ to 0oin in their attem,ts to mount a secret rebe//ion2

circumstance com,e//ed him to maintain a /o. ,rofi/e2 and to demonstrate -reater a//e-iance to

Pa/,atine than he e5er had)

That circumstance .as Leia) And ai/1s fears for her safety had on/y increased since his c/ose

encounter .ith Darth Vader on +oruscant)

e had s,oken of the encounter on/y to Raymus Anti//es2 ca,tain of the consu/ar shi, Tanti5e IV)

Anti//es had been -i5en custody of Anakin1s ,rotoco/ and astromech droids2 +6P and R>6D>) The

former had under-one a memory .i,e to safe-uard the truth for as /on- as necessary2 and to assurethe continued ,rotection of the Sky.a/ker t.ins)

+ou/d Vader actua//y be Anakin Sky.a/ker< the t.o men .ondered)

ased on "bi6Wan1s account of .hat had occurred on $ustafar2 Anakin1s sur5i5a/ didn1t seem

,ossib/e) ut ,erha,s "bi6Wan had underestimated Anakin) Perha,s Anakin1s ,eer/ess stren-th in

the *orce had a//o.ed him to sur5i5e)

Was ai/2 then2 raisin- the chi/d of a man .ho .as sti// a/i5e1s dome) ;Don1t you e5en think about -i5in- me the si/ent

treatment=;

Skeck tu--ed the ion .ea,on from his be/t and brandished it) ;$aybe it for-ot about this);

;(o need to threaten us further2; +6P said) ;I1m certain that Artoo isn1t attem,tin- to mis/ead you)We don1t kno. the ,a/ace 5ery .e//) 4ou see2 .e15e on/y been .ith our ,resent master for t.o /oca/

months2 and .e1re not 5ery .e// ac8uainted .ith the /ayout);

;Where .ere you before t.o months a-o


111/173

;We -ot turned around2; Shryne said) ;We1// fi3 it) Any .ord from our bund/e made a sudden /eft into the state/y

corridor and hurried off)

;What2 a// of a sudden it1s in a rush


112/173

A fe. meters a.ay2 standin- at one of the ta// .indo.s2 Darth Vader -a7ed out on cro.ds of

demonstrators .ho .ere becomin- more turbu/ent .ith e5ery ,assin- moment)

The cadence of his dee, breathin- fi//ed the room)

This is Leia1s father2 ai/ to/d himse/f2 certain of it no.)

Anakin Sky.a/ker) Rescued someho. on $ustafar2 and returned to /ife2 thou-h no. confined to a

suit that made manifest .hat Sky.a/ker had become at the end of the .ar: betrayer2 butcher of

chi/dren2 a,,rentice of Sidious2 fo//o.er of the dark side of the *orce) And soon Leia .ou/d be in

his ,resence)))

When reha had com/inked him une3,ected/y2 ai/ had come c/ose to te//in- her to f/ee2 fu//y

,re,ared to suffer .hate5er conse8uences .ou/d descend on him) To ensure Leia1s safety2 he had

e5en been ready to sacrifice *an- ?ar)

Wou/d Vader reco-ni7e Leia throu-h the *orce as his chi/d< What .ou/d ha,,en if he did< Wou/d

he com,e/ ai/ to re5ea/ .here "bi6Wan .as9 .here Luke .as

dark lord - the rise of darth vader (james luceno)

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