Unknown

The Master scoffed at the apparition claiming to be ‘The Master.’ “Me? Is that so?”

The white-robed man shrugged. “If you prefer, I am what you could have been. You may call me Servant.”

The Master, a being bound to the Dark Side, and Servant, a being of Light. “Fitting. For Jedi are merely servants, and I am master of all things.”

Servant nodded. “Perhaps, but it is better to serve a greater purpose than to become a master of nothing.”

The Master sensed Servant was hinting at something. “To what do you refer?”

Servant lifted his right hand up to eye level and snapped his fingers. In that instant the galaxy around them was set aflame. Planets were engulfed in fire. Screams echoed around them as the planets lit up like burning stars. In mere moments the screams were silenced as the planets around them were reduced to nothingness. The stars around them winked out. There was only darkness, but for one light: the shining white robes Servant wore.

“This is the future for the galaxy.” Servant said. “If you are victorious, if the Jedi fall, you will be consumed by your darkness, and then you will consume the galaxy.”

The Master recovered from his initial shock and glared at Servant angrily. “What is this? This is no simple vision.”

Servant laughed under his breath. “Your perceptions are clouded by the Dark Side, you cannot see the truth, even when it stands right in front of you.”

The Master stormed up to Servant and grabbed him by the collar of his tunic. “Enough riddles, give me answers!”

Servant was unfazed by The Master’s aggression. “This is your chance to realize what you have become, and stop this madness before the galaxy is brought to ruin.”

The Master hurled Servant several meters away. “This is no vision, this is an illusion fabricated by my enemies!”

Servant stumbled back to his feet and brushed himself off. “And is that so wrong?” He asked with curiosity in his voice. “If you are shown the future, does it matter where it comes from?”

“That is not the truth!” The Master said again. “It is only what they perceive because they fear me. This is not the future!”

“It could be, but it can be avoided,” Servant said calmly as he held out a hand. “If you only turn back from this path.” At the end of his sentence, the galaxy around them returned to normal. Planets and stars returned to the darkness and rotated around the center of the galaxy, where The Master stood.

“This is not the future,” The Master said again. “I can change it, I will change the galaxy.” The Master unsheathed his lightsaber and activated it, casting a red glow over the galaxy. “And if I must cast down this illusion, so be it.”

Nal Hutta- Ardunna the Hutt’s Palace- Audience Chamber

Ardunna the Hutt’s audience chamber was cluttered with bounty hunters, musicians, slaves, and servants hoping to please the great Hutt for whatever reasons were important to them—usually just to continue living in his good graces. It was a noisy place as the band played its music and patrons chattered about business Han Solo didn’t care about. The chamber was a large one, properly large so Ardunna could be moved in and out on a hovering dais, which was required as the Hutt had lost the ability to move on his own.

Han’s entrance caused the music and the chattering to end abruptly. They all knew who he was by reputation. Though he had become infamous across the galaxy for his work with the Rebellion and New Republic, this group of people knew him as the smuggler who killed the ‘Great’ Jabba Desilijic Tiure.

As Han Solo reached the center point of the chamber, Ardunna gargled some orders in Huttese, sending the patrons and musicians back to the Cantina. The bounty hunters and guards stayed. Ardunna glared at Han and said something in Huttese.

C-3PO was kind enough to translate almost immediately. “Ardunna is asking why someone of your stature is visiting—um, to be exact—‘a mere Hutt’.”

Han was able to understand Huttese well enough, but Threepio was here to ensure proper communication was made, per the orders of the Galactic Alliance Chief of State—as if that made Han feel comfortable with the droid’s incessant chatter. More importantly, Han kept Threepio and Artoo with him as a favor to Luke, to keep the two of them out of the fighting as much as possible.

“Ask him what his relationship with ‘The Master’ is.” Han told Threepio. And he did, translating Han’s request in Huttese through his vocabulator. Han didn’t need Threepio to translate, as Ardunna was capable of understanding Basic, but he figured he may as well make Threepio useful for something.

Ardunna responded with a long drawl of guttural noises. Threepio translated. “He says that he owes a debt to The Master.”

Han rubbed his chin. “Ask him what happens after that debt is paid.”

Threepio translated again, and Ardunna responded. “Ardunna does not know, he says that part was not discussed.”

Typical, Han thought. The Master didn’t plan on letting the Hutt go, or he may have had something worse in store.

“Tell him that, if The Master wins this war, the Hutt Cartel will be destroyed.”

Another exchange between the two. Threepio translated Ardunna’s response: “He hardly believes that, sir.”

Han exhaled loudly. “Tell him that The Master’s plan does not include the Hutt Cartel.”

This time Threepio didn’t translate right away. Instead he asked, “Is that true, sir? We shouldn’t lie to a Hutt.”

“I know what I’m doing, just tell him.”

“Yessir,” Threepio said, then translated. Ardunna responded in anger, and the guards and bounty hunters reacted by priming their weapons. Threepio relayed the message. “We seem to have made him upset.”

Han nodded nervously, but never losing his composure. “Yeah, what did he say?”

“Oh, he says that his position is secure.” Threepio said flatly.

“Tell him The Master wants to rule the galaxy and won’t allow a rival power like the Hutt Cartel to flourish.” Han said out of the side of his mouth. “Tell him that the Galactic Alliance has been led to believe that he will wage war on the Imperial Remnant, Mandalorians, and the Hutt Cartel if he destroys the Galactic Alliance.”

Threepio paused for a moment, possibly considering if he should ask Han if that’s true, but he translated anyway. This time Ardunna paused to think. He mumbled to himself as he pondered Han’s translated words. Ardunna then flailed his arms and angrily shouted commands. The guards and bounty hunters raised their weapons. Four Weequay guards approached cautiously, weapons pointed at Han’s head. Han’s hand dangled next to his blaster, but he carefully pulled it away and let two of the guards grab him by the arms. The other two guards began to shove Threepio and Artoo out of the chamber.

“What’s going on, Threepio?” Han asked. He guessed Ardunna was angry and assumed that Ardunna did not believe them, but he didn’t understand everything Ardunna had said because the Hutt had been speaking so fast.

“We’re being put in the dungeons, sir!” Threepio said frantically. “We’re doomed!”

Unknown

Servant shook his head as The Master took a fighting stance, his lightsaber casting a red glow over the galaxy. “So quick to violence. How did it come to this?”

“I do what is necessary.” The Master stalked forward with his blade raised to strike Servant down.

Servant merely waved a hand, throwing The Master to the ground with a blast of pure Light Side energy. “Violence is not always necessary, that is your failing.”

The Master leapt to his feet and thrust out a hand to retaliate with his own Force attack, but Servant simply absorbed the blow with a hazy blue sphere.

“There is no more power in the Dark than there is in the Light,” Servant continued. “But the Dark is only a temporary power, insufficient in providing true strength.”

The Master snarled. “I am more powerful than I have ever been. I have succeeded where all others have failed in taming the Dark Side.”

Servant shook his head. “Such was believed by many servants of the Dark Side, yet they all failed. Your arrogance has made you believe that you are special in this regard.”

The Master grinned. “Not special, better.”

“Indeed,” Servant scoffed. “But, in the end, that power will destroy everything.” Servant waved his hand, draining the power from The Master’s lightsaber and causing the galaxy to spin. The planets of the galaxy were drained of life and stars died. “Once you have destroyed all life in this galaxy, you will move to other galaxies, destroying them as well in a mad quest for power.” Servant became translucent and slowly evaporated. “I leave you with this: If you do not stop this madness, the entire universe will suffer.”

And with that, Servant vanished, and the planets and the stars dissipated with him. Darkness closed in around The Master and he felt himself being pulled away from the vision, back to reality.

Coruscant- Jedi Temple- Medical Center

Leia, Jaina, and Ben lay unconscious in the Jedi Temple’s medical center, their bodies connected to brain scanners and various other types of medical equipment. General Hargreeves had been taken to a Galactic Alliance medical facility for medical treatment. Luke and Cilghal observed their patients from the overlooking observation room.

“How are they?” Luke asked her.

“Thanks to your efforts, they are recovering.” She responded, her skin a bright red with relief. “They should be fine in a few days, physically.”

“Physically?” Luke queried.

“Yes,” Cilghal nodded. “I expect the attacks on their minds will require further mental rehabilitation before they fully recover. But Ben should be fine.”

Luke nodded. Leia and Jaina had been exposed to powers that would ravage the mind. He didn’t expect them to recover quickly. But he was glad that he was able to wrest them from The Master’s clutches.

He put a hand on Cilghal’s shoulder. “Do what you can for them, I think—“ A beep from his comlink interrupted him. He retrieved it from his robes and activated it. “What is it?”

“Master Skywalker,” A female voice on the other end started. “It’s Admiral Bwua’tu, he’s dead.”

Hutta- Jigunna- Argunna The Hutt’s Palace- Dungeons

Typical of a Hutt prison, the walls were corroded and covered in slime, the prisoners were pleading to the Gamorrean Guards to be released. Han’s cell—which he shared with Threepio and Artoo, fortunately for them—was much like the rest of the cells in their decrepit and filthy nature.

Han was pacing the cell nervously. They couldn’t get stuck in this cell, and they certainly couldn’t end up getting executed by an angry Hutt. No one in the Alliance knew Han and the droids were here, so there would be no one to rescue them if things got any worse.

The echo of boots against the floor stopped Han’s pacing. The sound got closer until two Weequay guards stopped at the cell.

“Alright, ‘Captain Solo’,” one of the guards said. “The boss wants a word with you.”

Coruscant- Ysanne Isaard Correctional Facility- Solitary Confinement

The correctional facility had changed since The Beastmaster had been here last. The Galactic Alliance was still repairing the facility after her breakout and they had moved the prisoners into the only stable part of the facility: solitary confinement. The guards had been equipped with heavier armor and weaponry and several Jedi had been assigned to keep the prisoners in line.

As if that were enough, she thought to herself. Getting captured hadn’t been in the plan, and escaping this time would be much more difficult. For now she would have to play their games.

One of the guards escorted her down the hall of cells. The Beastmaster took a glance into one and saw The Master’s son sitting on the floor, looking pitiful. She grinned and laughed to herself as the guard pushed her forward. Coincidentally she found herself pushed into an empty cell right next to The Seeker’s cell.

The guard pushed her into the cell and said, “Don’t get too comfy, prisoner, you and your friend are getting the freeze tomorrow.”

The Beastmaster rolled her eyes and laid down on the bed. She couldn’t help but grin that The Seeker had ended up here, too. She heard a knock on the wall her bed sat against and then a voice came through.

“How’d you end up here?” It was the boy.

She knocked back. “I ran into Skywalker on Anaxes.”

Another knock a few moments later. “Mother is back.”

The Beastmaster had to think for a moment. The boy’s mother, Shara, had been exiled at The Master’s order. Why she came back was unknown.

“How do you know?” She asked curiously.

“That’s how I ended up here.”

This confused her even more. She had moved against The Master because he had put their children in danger. For her to openly attack her own son seemed very odd.

“What does she want?” She asked.

“My interaction with her was short, but I was able to feel her surface emotions. There was rage and a desire for revenge.”

The Beastmaster did not know much about the woman The Master had taken into the fold. He rarely spoke of her in the presence of others, only saying that she was the one to give him children. If she did want revenge, she was pursuing it in an interesting way.

“She is a threat to our master.” She said back. “If she shows herself, I will kill her.” She cared not for the boy’s feelings. The Master’s safety was all that mattered to her.

Coruscant- Galactic Alliance Mental Rehabilitation Center

Nek Bwua’tu’s cell was a mess. The former Admiral was slouched in a corner, his brown uniform and fur—what remained of it at least—was stained red with blood. The white walls, too, were stained with blood, the sticky fluid used to write something in various dialects on the walls. Luke recognized many of the dialects. Basic, Bothese, Dosh, Durese, Kaleesh, Huttese, Shyriiwook, Mando’a, Rodese, and even Ancient Sith dialects had been scrawled on the walls. One of the rehab center’s technical personnel had a datapad in his hands that was scanning and translating each of the languages.

Luke stood outside the cell, observing crime scene investigators and medical personnel as they determined what had happened. Eventually, one of the medical personnel—a young Twi’lek with green skin with blue streaks—approached him.

“Master Skywalker,” She said. “The cause of death appears to be from severe blood loss.”

Obviously, Luke thought. But he knew the real cause of death was far more sinister. The Master had invaded the Admiral’s mind in the first stages of the war and drove him to insanity. From across the galaxy, The Master used Bwua’tu as a messenger, dominating his mind and forcing him to convey ominous messages. When Bwua’tu was of no more use to him, The Master forced him to announce his imminent arrival and then shattered his mind. Nek Bwua’tu didn’t deserve to die like that, a petty death just to send a message. The Master was cruel and he no doubt delighted in torturing the Admiral’s mind like that. But he only strengthened Luke’s resolve to put an end to The Master’s terror.

The technician scanning the languages joined Luke outside the cell. “Master Jedi, I’ve finished scanning the words on the walls.” He said as he handed Luke the datapad.

Luke found that each of the dialects was a translation for the same sentence: Death is coming.

Herald of Death- Command Center

The Master had fully recovered from the reactor’s explosion during the Battle of Anaxes. The Force had purged any radiation poisoning from his body and his time in a bacta tank had healed his physical injuries. Even more fortunate, the vision he had experienced during his time in the tank had focused his resolve. His will and determination had been sharpened, honed like the edge of a sword. He had received his second wind, and he was all the stronger for it.

And now he stood before his loyal military commander. A clone of Chiss Grand Admiral Thrawn. The man had been faithful to The Master’s cause since his awakening all those years ago. The Master had put a great deal of time and effort into crafting the clone into a suitable weapon for his cause. Mental conditioning, political instruction, and the study of military tactics that served to increase his natural grasp of the art all prepared him for his service. And in that service he swayed the Chiss Ascendancy to the cause, masterminded several contingency plans for The Master’s military strategy, and now he had full command of all military actions against the Galactic Alliance.

The clone bowed his head with respect and leaned forward in his command chair. “My lord, I am glad to see that you have survived your injuries.”

The Master folded his arms. “It was of no issue,” He replied waving the topic off before it could begin. “Now, are we prepared for battle?”

“No,” he answered promptly. “The ship is still being repaired, but she is hyperspace-capable. She can be repaired in transit.”

The Master nodded. “Good, I have sent the Alliance a warning of our approach.”

The Thrawn clone’s face frowned with confusion. “Is that wise?”

“It may not be,” The Master grinned. “But that is my concern, not yours. Gather the armada at Anaxes and prepare for the final stage in my plan.”

The clone bowed his head again. “Yes, my lord.” As The Master exited the chamber, he punched in Anaxes’ coordinates for the jump to lightspeed.

The final battle was rapidly approaching. Though the Galactic Alliance knew they were coming, they could not hope to defend themselves from what was coming. The Master’s entire armada would wash over Coruscant and engulf it in darkness. Never had The Master’s forces been deployed at their full strength. Nothing could stand against the armada in its entirety. Coruscant would fall, and its Jedi defenders would feel the full power of the Dark Side.

Coruscant- Galactic Alliance High Command

“Death is coming.” Wedge Antilles read the words on the datapad aloud. “That’s ominous.” He put the datapad on the robust holoterminal and leaned over it, sighing as he placed his palms on the terminal.

Kyle Katarn wiped his brow. “So, Luke, you’re telling me this guy can control anyone’s actions from across the galaxy?”

Luke shook his head. “No, that’s not it. He may need to have an established telepathic link between himself and the subject if he wants to reach that far.”

Wedge pushed himself off of the terminal. “Well, whatever it is, he’s given us a glimpse into his plans.” Wedge punched a key on the terminal to bring up an image of Coruscant. “He’s coming for Coruscant.”

Chief of State Wynn Dorvan, sitting in a chair next to Wedge, stroked his chin. “So what’s the plan?”

Wedge exhaled loudly. “We let him come.” Wedge tabbed another key, which caused the terminal to switch to a map view of the Core. “I’m betting he expects us to try to stop him, so we’ll let him come.”

Wynn’s brow furrowed with confusion. “If he is coming, his ship must have been repaired. How do we stop it this time?”

“I have a multi-tiered trap in the works,” Wedge quickly responded. “We’ll catch it in the trap and destroy it, by any means necessary.”

At that Wynn stood up and prepared to leave. “Good, now if you’ll excuse myself and the Jedi, we have some dangerous prisoners to deal with.”

Luke raised a hand to stop Wynn before he turned to leave. “About that.” He said abruptly. “I believe we should arrange for their escape.”

Wynn’s jaw dropped, utterly perplexed by what Luke had said. “Are you serious?”

Luke nodded solemnly. “I am. The Master’s servants are mentally unstable and prone to weakness due to their corruption. I believe The Master cares little for his servants, and that I can exploit that. If we allow the servants to escape and join the battle, we can manipulate The Master and make him do what we want him to do.”

Wynn regarded him with confusion, but also curiosity. “How do you mean?”

“I mean that we can force The Master’s servants into dire situations and make him choose between them or me.” Luke answered. “And then we can set traps for him no matter what he does. I can arrange for these circumstances to occur as well as for the traps to be set.”

Luke had a plan, and that was enough for Wynn to go along with it. He nodded in agreement. “Very well. Then let’s go put on a good show for them.”

Coruscant- Ysanne Isaard Correctional Facility- Carbonite Freezing Chamber

Everything had been moving as Shara had planned. The Master’s fleet was active once again, the Alliance was marshalling defense forces, and the Jedi had gathered her last two pawns in the lower levels of their largest prison. She had delivered her son and the witch to them so they could be kept on Coruscant, locked away until they could be released at the proper moment. They had a larger part to play in the coming battle…

And that is why she was here, hiding in the shadows, watching as the two prisoners were made ready for their freezing. The most powerful of the Jedi stood by with several squads of soldiers to make sure the prisoners didn’t attempt to escape, but that wouldn’t stop Shara.

She had moved the necessary pieces to this room, everything was ready. The soldiers—two dozen, at least—had positioned themselves around the room so as to be able to attack any escapees from all angles. It was set up perfectly for chaos.

Shara fell into the shadows and reached out into the minds of the soldiers. She delved into their minds, worming her way in deeper and deeper until she found their greatest fears. A simple touch was all that was necessary for them to see those fears manifested before them. Illusory monsters and other horrifying images appeared before the soldiers. They raised their blasters and fired wildly around the room. Blaster bolts streaked through the air, cutting through the pipes and causing steam to spray everywhere. The Jedi leapt into action, trying to calm the soldiers down, but the illusion was too strong for mere words or simple mind tricks. The Jedi were forced to incapacitate the soldiers with waves of Force energy. Steam continued to fill the room as Shara moved through the chaos towards The Master’s servants.

She waved a hand, freeing the prisoners from their restraints and allowing them to escape. The—now former—prisoners raced for a turbolift that would take them up to the main level. There they would find their lightsabers and directions to a covert exit.

Shara, though, would not follow. She would retreat to the shadows and wait for the Jedi and soldiers to chase after them. When they do, she would impede their search by sabotaging the lift.

Just as she planned, her son and the witch took the turbolift up. The Jedi, sensing their prisoners had escaped, raced for the lift, but it had already gone up. Rather than wait, one of the Jedi—Kyp Durron—reached out with the Force to grab hold of the lift. The lift screeched as it strained against the Jedi’s hold on it.

This was unexpected… Shara thought. She didn’t want all her work to be for nothing. She ran over to one of the incapacitated soldiers and resuscitated him. The soldier quickly jumped to his feet and fired on an illusion she had shown him near the Jedi. The blaster bolts fired from his blaster were quickly deflected by one of the other Jedi, but the attack had served as a split second distraction for Kyp Durron that allowed the transport to reach its destination and offload its passengers.

Shara’s temporary minion was incapacitated and she returned to the shadows before she could be seen. Her plan had been a success, and the Jedi had been completely unaware of her presence. She only had to hope that the escapees followed the instructions she left for them. They had important parts to play in the coming conflict and were vital to the next part of her plan.

Coruscant- Sewer Systems

The Seeker and The Beastmaster rounded another filth encrusted corner to finally reach the exit their directions had pointed them to. The exit was simply a crude ladder. Based on the directions, The Seeker assumed that the tunnel they were in was a maintenance tunnel because the ladder went up to the water control systems.

At the base of the ladder was a small crate. The Seeker opened the crate to see some clothes—black robes with red stripes. They were the same clothes the both of them had been wearing before being thrown into the orange jumpsuits they were currently wearing. Rather than waste time changing clothes, they simply draped the black cloak over their jumpsuits.

The Seeker took this moment to speak his mind. “You know how we got out, right?” He asked The Beastmaster.

The Beastmaster wrapped her cloak tightly around her body. “We were freed, of course.”

The Seeker nodded. “By Mother.”

The Beastmaster put the cover back on the crate and sat down on it. “But why? What does she gain from this?” She crossed one leg over the other.

“I don’t know,” he replied. “Even my senses can’t feel her out.”

Neither knew what she wanted, but they both knew that her intentions were certainly malicious. The last time The Beastmaster saw her, they were exiling her at The Master’s command. The Beastmaster expected that Shara was back for revenge.

“No matter her intentions,” The Beastmaster finally said. “She is a threat to The Master, a threat that must be ended, permanently.”

The Seeker did not want to go against either of his parents, but his mother had turned against his father. He would have to choose his loyalties eventually. Until then, he had to prepare for the Day of Reckoning.

The Seeker started up the ladder. “Come on,” he said to The Beastmaster. “Father is coming, we should get ready.”

Executor-class Dreadnaught Enduring Spirit - Bridge

Wedge Antilles had marshaled a large fleet above Coruscant in preparation for the coming battle. Six dozen warships had been positioned above the planet to defend it against a battle that the Galactic Alliance had to win. Anaxes had been swallowed by the war. Alliance soldiers desperately fought against The Master’s droid armies in cities across the planet. But the arrival of The Master’s fleet—estimated to be at least four Super Star Destroyer class vessels—had quelled any resistance and obliterated all contested areas of the planet from orbit.

Only an hour later, the sensor web had detected the fleet’s departure for Coruscant. Everything had been silent after that. The waiting, the calm before the storm. A layer of cold seemed to fall over the system like a blanket, a rush of freezing death heralding The Master’s arrival. Indeed, it didn’t take long for The Master’s fleet to arrive.

The Master’s flagship was escorted by a trio of Executor-class warships. The Executor-class warships themselves wouldn’t be an issue, but it was believed that these warships had also been modified with ancient and advanced technology far superior to that which was used by the Galactic Alliance.

Wedge was about to give the order to open fire, but he felt a presence enter his head. Time seemed to slow down considerably. In reality, this presence he was feeling had entered the minds of all those who defended Coruscant, even those on the planet below.

Your resistance was expected, but your tenacity at times surprised me. However, your determination hasn’t stopped me; you haven’t even slowed me down. Your Alliance has defeated many foes and survived apocalyptic wars. But for all of your strength and all of your ideals, you could not stand against me.

I gave you the chance to surrender, but you refused such a gracious offer. The galaxy is lost to you, yet you fight as if you are still in control. The galaxy is mine. It has always been mine. You have merely acted as stewards occupying my vacant throne. Now I claim what is mine. Your resistance is at an end. Prepare yourselves... Death has arrived.

Herald of Death

Coruscant was vulnerable. Despite all of their efforts, the Galactic Alliance found its defenses lacking. Its defending fleet was numerous, but lacked the firepower to defeat its opposition. Coruscant’s planetary defenses had been shut down upon The Master’s arrival by an unknown saboteur, further diminishing the planet’s defenses. Thousands of starfighters streaked through the skies, shooting down innocent bystanders, setting buildings aflame with streaks of red, and catching Alliance responders by surprise and destroying them. Atmospheric drop droids descended upon the planet in hyperspace pods, gunships and cargo haulers offloaded troops and beasts atop buildings and in suitable landing areas.

The lower levels of the planet’s massive cityscape had been thrown into chaos as droids and monstrous creatures ran amok. Fortunately for them, the Alliance had been made aware of the impending attack and had mobilized military forces to defend the planet. The alert had prompted people to be evacuated and the politicians to be hidden away in bunkers across the planet.

The Jedi, of course, had leapt into action immediately, purging their Temple of intruders and deploying to combat zones to aid Alliance soldiers as they fought against a seemingly endless swarm of droids and monsters.

The Master’s telepathic message had struck their morale, but it seemed to only make them fight harder. The Master, wrapped in steel and a black cloak in similar guise to the same armor he wore when he was but a spirit, marched towards his personal hangar, his black cloak whipping about his ankles as his pace quickened. A hologram of the Thrawn clone followed him to his personal hangar.

“My lord, perhaps you shouldn’t have made them aware of our arrival.”

“Are their defenses too much for you, Admiral?” The Master asked back as he slipped on one of his steel gloves.

“Of course not,” he quickly replied. “It just seems tactically unwise.”

“Indeed.” The Master said. “But they felt dread upon learning of my imminent arrival, and that can be turned into a weapon.”

“I see,” The clone said. “Every move is designed to wage psychological warfare against our enemies.”

“Precisely.”

The Master entered his personal hangar and approached his second personal starship—a prototype shuttle designed similarly to the Lamba-class shuttle with a small transport body and wings pointed upwards when it was landed. Standing on either side of the boarding ramp was a pair of golden armored members of The Master’s Golden Guard, the most elite sect of The Master’s personal guardsmen. They had not received the same treatment as his students, but they were trained to their peak levels and instructed in every form of combat. Their Captain, a man the other members believed to be more powerful than any of The Master’s students, had been one of The Master’s personal experiments, and trained to be a weapon unleashed only when necessary. He and the rest Golden Guard had been deployed to Coruscant to locate The Master’s captive allies, fortunately for the two guards traveling with The Master, as their fear of their Captain was as strong as their devotion to their Master.

The Master stopped at the ramp and turned to the clone’s holographic image. “I want this battle won in short order,” He said. “Wipe them out, all of them.”

The image bowed. “It will be done, my lord” The clone said before the image vanished. The mechno-chair that produced the image waddled away on four legs, heading back to the ship’s command center.

The Master waved his guardsmen to follow him aboard the shuttle. “Come forth,” He told them. “We have a meeting with the Chief of State, and I am dressed to kill.”

Coruscant- Lower Levels

The Beastmaster and The Seeker had been in hiding since their escape from Alliance custody. The arrival of The Master’s armada had allowed them to escape detection and move about the planet undetected. The air around them as they moved up from the lower levels had been filled with smoke from raging fires and the screams of dying civilians and soldiers as war consumed Coruscant yet again.

The two had taken an elevator up to the rooftop of one of the planet’s many skyscrapers. From there they could see the carnage in full view. Buildings were on fire and on the verge of collapse, the smoking carcasses of repulsorlift vehicles were embedded into several buildings or crashed onto landing platforms, military vehicles fired on droids and starfighters, only to be ravaged by flying beasts. Soldiers used intact buildings as cover from the starfighters as they fired at droids and beasts making their way towards symbolic landmarks using a series of connected floating platforms. The fighting had spread across the planet. Here the largest deployment of The Master’s armies had been made. Millions of battle droids fought with thousands of The Beastmaster’s experiments, steadily overwhelming Alliance defenders and Jedi. The sea of darkness was unending, however, as the molecular furnaces within The Master’s flagship continued to construct battle droids just as quickly as they were destroyed.

An ear splitting roar shook the planet and turned The Beastmaster’s attention up to the sky. A carrier ship descended onto the planet, only to be ripped apart from the inside as her Krayt Dragon burst forth from its insides, causing the ship to explode in a ball of flame. The beast had attracted more than just The Beastmaster’s attention. Five artillery platforms launched globs of energy at the Krayt Dragon as it descended towards her.

The Beastmaster reached out a hand and stretched a defensive barrier around the beast. The energy dissipated against the barrier, leaving the dragon completely unscathed. The dragon retaliated with a flaming missile released from its mouth. The missile streaked through the sky and engulfed the artillery platforms in fire, destroying them and killing all Alliance defenders in a twenty meter radius around the place of impact. The dragon then descended onto the rooftop The Beastmaster and The Seeker were standing on and let out a roar that shattered the transparisteel windows of several nearby buildings.

The Seeker recoiled in awe, but quickly hid his expression. “Impressive,” He said over the sounds of battle. “Take your beast; I have something else to deal with.”

The Beastmaster laughed as she took a seat on the dragon’s back. “Are you going to try to make up for your previous failure?”

The Seeker laughed back. “Maybe,” He looked around and finally saw the Jedi Temple through a gap between two skyscrapers. His targets were there, fighting a second wave of droids. “Maybe the son isn’t my only target.”

Coruscant- Senate Building- East Wing Landing Field

In homage to the Old Republic, the Galactic Alliance Senate Building had been restored to the bulbous rotunda shape that had served as a gathering place for Senators for generations. It was a massive mushroom-like structure rising up from Coruscant, radiating beautiful silver as a shining representative of all the hopes of those who sought a better galaxy.

It was burning now, the first casualty in an overwhelming strike against the defenseless planet. Coruscant’s defenses had been sabotaged by an unknown assailant, which had left the planet completely defenseless against the enemy’s ferocious assault. Droids and monstrous creatures slaughtered the first responders and took control of the Senate Building. Luke and a group of Jedi Masters joined General Hargreeves in the counter-attack, quickly retaking it. General Hargreeves—shortly after recovery—had designed a strategy to defend the planet and the Chief of State. The majority of his battalion would amass at the Senate Building. He believed that such a large group of soldier gathering at a high-value target would make the enemy think that the Chief of State was still within the building, when he had been moved to a secret bunker underneath the Jedi Temple.

It was working. Airborne monsters and aerial assault droids struck from above and provided a screen to allow a seemingly endless number of transports to land on landing pads. They had taken the bait. Luke and Corran fought on the East Wing’s landing field, single-handedly fighting back the brunt of the enemy assault. Thousands of droids and vicious monsters fell on their blades as the two Jedi Masters fought together in a tremendous display that awe-struck the snipers positioned within the Senate Building, who were simply not fast enough to keep up with the Jedi.

The enemy assault ended after an hour of constant fighting against tens of thousands of enemies. The Krayt Dragon that flew the skies had retreated with the rest of the monsters and droids. Their retreat surprised Luke, but it made him feel like they were preparing for something. His suspicions were proved correct. A ripple in the Force tore at Luke’s mind, forcing him to clutch his head with his new cybernetic hand. The ground shook as a shuttle similar to Lambda-class Imperial shuttle flew overhead. The darkness seemed to follow the shuttle like a shadow that fell over the planet like a blanket. Luke could feel what was in that shuttle. It was The Master, and his shuttle was headed straight for the Jedi Temple. Luke watched as it descended down past the Temple’s landing fields. The Master was headed straight for the Chief of State’s bunker. Luke immediately realized that his plan had failed. Despite all of their efforts to conceal Wynn’s location and suppress any means of detection, The Master had easily located him. Luke broke into a run and leapt up to the roof of a nearby skyscraper. He let the Force carry him, swearing not to let Wynn be killed by a madman.

Coruscant- Chief of State’s Office

Shara stepped over the corpses of two Jedi and a decoy Chief of State and took a seat in the Chief of State’s chair. Predictably, the Chief of State had been moved and, also as predicted, The Master had seen through their decoy and gone to the Chief of State’s true location. But The Master’s attack had come sooner than expected. She had hoped that his war would continue longer. In fact, her plan had depended on it, but now those plans had to be accelerated. She had to move the pieces faster. Fortunately the Chief of State’s office was one of the few places on Coruscant capable of sending transmissions without being detected.

And so she opened a communication line with the second Star Forge.

“We must accelerate our plans, Brain.” She started. “The Master was supposed to attack Corellia, but he has chosen to attack Coruscant directly. My intervention has made him desperate. When the time comes, you must fulfill your part of the deal.”

The speaker on the desk crackled. “My part of the plan works on a precise schedule.” The Brain responded, his voice heavily synthesized as it went through the speaker. “It is impossible to fulfill my part now.”

Shara put a hand to her brow and brushed her bangs aside. “That’s not good enough. We don’t need the other Watchers; you can still fulfill part of the plan.”

“I cannot. Without them the plan fails.” He replied. “I apologize for the inconvenience.”

Shara angrily tabbed the console to close the connection. She leaned back in the chair and exhaled loudly. The Brain was useless. She should have known that much. He would have been a valuable ally if The Master had gone along the way he was supposed to. The Master must have realized that she had returned and that she was the one aiding the Alliance in predicting his movements. He may have even realized that she was responsible for the vision he saw. He was understandably disturbed by her return. But she was disturbed that her return had caused events to advance so rapidly.

Her intervention had forced The Master’s hand, and Coruscant suffered for it. Under normal circumstances, the planet could have defended itself, but an unknown saboteur had deactivated Coruscant’s planetary defenses. Coruscant was helpless against the assault, and the Jedi wouldn’t be able to stop The Master without her help. The Master would come to her, though. Now that she had revealed herself physically and in the Force, he would come to her. She just had to wait.

Coruscant- Chief of State’s Bunker

The Master’s shuttle dropped him and his guard off on top of the Chief of State’s secret bunker, which had been disguised as a simple storage warehouse attached to the Jedi Temple. The exterior of the bunker was protected by a shield. The Master knelt down and pressed a hand against the shield. He released burst of Force energy into the wall, shattering a small section of it and causing it to cave inward.

The two golden-armored guards dropped through the shield first. The Master heard lightsabers flare to life and short-lived sounds of blaster fire. He dropped through the shield and landed softly in the bunker, fixing his hair as he surveyed the room. The room he found himself in was a deception. It was empty besides the now-dead two dozen guards, himself, and his guards. The room led to a small tunnel that The Master believed connected to the real bunker.

The Master broke into a quick walk down the hallway, his guards rushed ahead to clear the way. They cut through soldiers, droids, and automated defenses at the behest of their master, never allowing a single one of them to harry The Master’s pace. They raced through the corridor like dark phantoms followed by the silver streaks of their lightsabers. Most hostiles were cut down before they could even fire their weapons, but those that did were cut down before they could pose a threat to The Master. They did their job well, for The Master’s pace was never broken.

In short order The Master and his guards had reached the end of the tunnel, and, as expected, it lead to the Chief of State’s secret bunker. Their way was barred by a think durasteel door, but it proved nothing for The Master. He walked up to the door and heard voices from within.

“The Master is coming!” One voice said. “If we don’t stop him he’ll-“

The Master tapped the door, sending a ripple of Force energy through the door that burst its hinges and caused it to fall inward, interrupting the person speaking mid-sentence.

Within the room protecting the Chief of State was a quartet of Jedi Masters led by Jaden Korr. The Chief of State was behind them, masking his fear as best he could as the lightsabers of his guards acted as a barrier between him and The Master.

The Master grinned. “Don’t stop on my account,” He said gleefully. “By all means,” His voice then darkened and he narrowed his eyes. “Give me some ideas.”

Wynn said nothing. Jaden Korr, however, did: “We won’t let you touch him.”

The Master smiled. “As well you should,” He said back. “But you shouldn’t expect to be able to ‘let’ me do anything.”

Jaden’s battle stance tightened. “Maybe not, but Master Skywalker is coming, and you won’t stop him. We will protect Wynn Dorvan until he arrives.”

The Master laughed at that. “My dear boy, you can’t even protect yourselves.” He then let out an annoyed sigh. “But you are correct, Skywalker is coming.” He turned his head to look back at his guards from the corner of his eyes. “Give him the welcome he deserves.”

They nodded and stepped out of the room.

The Master turned back to the Jedi. “Now, shall we begin?” He raised his arms outward from his sides. “Who will strike first?” He smiled and chuckled. None of the Jedi moved to strike. “No one? I’m giving you the first move, take it while you can.” His influence spread over them, goading them to give in to their emotions and attack.

One of the Jedi Masters—a blonde-haired human wielding a blue bladed lightsaber—succumbed to the invisible influence on him and charged, swinging his lightsaber for The Master’s neck. The Master did not move, he simply cocked his head right to give the Jedi a target on his neck. But the blade stopped just before reaching his neck, halted by the power of the Force.

The Master showed his teeth with a grin. “Oh, you are just a treat.” He froze the Jedi with the Force, and then reached a hand up and tapped the Jedi’s forehead with a finger. A wave of Force energy rippled through the Jedi’s body, shattering every bone in his body in several places, crushing the bones inward to spear vital organs. His skull caved inward and crushed his brain. The Jedi was dead in an instant and crumpled to the floor in a heap.

The Master drew his lightsaber and pointed it at the Jedi. “Come closer, if you dare.”

Stares of defiance hid their fear. They did not move to retreat. They each charged forward. Two of them broke off to either side while Jaden came from the center and stabbed at The Master. The Master spun right, flicking his wrist to catch one of the Jedi with his blade across his chest. Jaden turned and thrust a palm out, summoning his strength to attack The Master with the Force. The attack did nothing but ruffle his hair. The other Jedi charged past Jaden and leapt into the air, pointing his blade down in an attempt to impale The Master on the spot.

The Master simply stepped back and allowed the Jedi to land before grabbing his wrists and pulling his lightsaber away, at the same time driving a steel boot into the Jedi’s knee, breaking it backwards with a sickening crunch. He flipped the Jedi’s blade back upward and threw it at Jaden, simultaneously running the other Jedi through on his own blade.

Jaden grabbed the now-dead Jedi’s blade out of the air and took a defensive stance, his bravery killed in seconds. He carefully strafed The Master, but The Master simply fixed his hair again and sheathed his lightsaber. He was ignoring Jaden now, staring at the Chief of State.

“As you can see, your eminence,” The Master said casually. “Your Jedi guards have failed.” Jaden charged The Master, swinging both blades furiously, but The Master didn’t even turn to look at him. He simply flicked his fingers at Jaden, sending him flying across the room. “It is time to surrender, Chief of State Wynn Dorvan.”

The Chief of State stood erect and took a position of defiance and authority. “The Galactic Alliance will never surrender to your ilk, monster!”

The Master put a hand to his chest and recoiled. “You wound me, sir.” He laughed and grabbed Jaden with the Force before thrashing against the wall again, knocking the Jedi unconscious and caving the wall in. The Master approached Wynn Dorvan, who rightly stepped back in fear.

“We can dispense with the pleasantries now, Chief of State.” The Master wrapped a gloved hand around Wynn’s jaw. “Now you’re going to do something for me.”

Coruscant- Jedi Temple Library

The Seeker had encountered no resistance as he walked the Jedi Temple’s halls. The Jedi were distracted by the battle or recovering from injuries sustained in the initial droid assault on the Jedi Temple. But his leisurely stroll through the Temple was ended when he entered the Jedi Library, a massive room filled with dozens of bookshelves that housed countless records of innumerable subjects. He room had been cleared of desks and computer systems, and at the center of the room stood Jedi Master Tionne Solusar, who stood in a meditative pose silently in preparation for The Seeker’s arrival.

“You’ve entered sacred ground, dark sider.” She said calmly. “Leave now, or surrender.”

The Seeker smirked. “I have more important things to do than talk with a librarian.” He said as he retrieved his double-bladed lightsaber from his black robes. “Do me a favor and die quickly.” He activated one end of the weapon and snarled.

But before Tionne could activate her own lightsaber, a voice echoed from an unknown source.

“People of the Galactic Alliance,” The voice belonged to Chief of State. “This is Chief of State Wynn Dorvan. It is my misfortune to declare the Galactic Alliance’s official and unconditional surrender to The Master. All soldiers will cease fire and surrender to The Master’s forces. The Jedi will either stand down or become enemies of the galaxy.” A gurgling sound interrupted the speech for a brief moment. “All hail… the new Emperor.” A final gurgle and the channel cut out.

The Seeker grinned at Tionne. “It would seem that our victory is complete,”

Tionne activated her lightsaber and pointed it at him. “The Jedi will never surrender to the forces of darkness.” And then the trap was sprung. Half a dozen Jedi Knights dropped from the balconies above and surrounded The Seeker.

This only made The Seeker’s grin grow wider. “Is this it? Come forth, Jedi, the Force awaits you.”

Rather than attack one at a time or in pairs, three of the Jedi launched themselves at The Seeker, attacking from different angles simultaneously. One swiped for his legs, another stabbed for his chest, and the third leapt forward to swing for his neck. But The Seeker was far faster than them. He leapt away, and the other three Jedi followed after him, one leaping into the air to meet The Seeker’s blade with his own. The Seeker let a gust of Force energy drag him to the ground with all speed. Upon his landing he pulled one of the Jedi with the Force, dragging him into the way of the above Jedi’s attack. A shock of Force lightning stunned him and kept him from moving, and a tug of Force energy on the airborne Jedi pulled him down, forcing his blade into the electrocuted Jedi.

The Seeker then dashed back away from another Jedi’s attack and then ran him through.

“Stop!” A voice called out, and everyone stopped and looked to the source. At the far end of the chamber, stepping out of the entrance to the Jedi Temple’s Main Atrium, was Jaina Solo. She rushed up to Tionne and put a hand on her shoulder. “Get them out of here,” She whispered. “Get them to the fallback point. The battle is lost; I’ll buy you some time to evacuate.”

Tionne nodded. “Let’s get out of here!” She called to the Jedi around The Seeker. She then turned to Jaina and put her hands on her shoulders. “Please, be careful.”

Jaina said nothing as Tionne and the other Jedi ran back for the Atrium. She activated her lightsaber and took a basic fighting stance, lightsaber held vertically in front of her.

“Well, well, look who it is!” The Seeker said. “Our secret infiltrator!”

Jaina’s left eye twitched. “What are you talking about?”

The Seeker laughed and said: “You were our secret weapon! How do you think this invasion was so easy?”

Jaina scowled. “Explain yourself, or I’ll run you through!”

The Seeker pointed at her gleefully. “There’s the woman he wanted to replace my sister with!” He cackled. “My father knew that he might not be able to hold on to you, so he made sure that he could control you from afar.” He kept his finger pointed at her. “You were the one who would shut down Coruscant’s defenses! You made this all possible!”

“You’re wrong, that’s impossible!”

The Seeker laughed again. “You thought you were safe from him? You could no more withstand him than you can stop me!” He thrust a hand out and waved in challenge for her to come at him.

And Jaina took the challenge, charging The Seeker and furiously swinging her blade at him. The Seeker raised his blade to block. Their blades clashed in a shower of sparks.

Jaina started to push The Seeker back. “I won’t let him control me, and I won’t let you win!”

The Seeker stepped back and broke away from the fighting. Jaina chased after him, swinging her blade furiously, striking at The Seeker from all sides as her blade weaved a cage of violet energy around him. The Seeker continued to fall back and activated the second end of his lightsaber. He spun the weapon in his hands, forming a shield of light in front of himself to fend off the furious Jaina Solo’s assault. But even that shield wasn’t enough. Jaina’s attacks were so fast, so precise that he was struggling to move the weapon fast enough to block Jaina’s strikes.

The Seeker fell back farther and farther and spun his weapon faster and faster. He felt himself being pushed to the closed entrance. She was going to pin him against the wall if he didn’t do something to take the offensive. He slowed himself down and left a hole in his defense. He saw Jaina’s blade stab for his right leg and he placed one end of his blade to block. He pushed the blade aside and spun the other end of his blade to come down on Jaina’s shoulder. She was fast enough to dodge, but it gave The Seeker the opening he needed to go on the offensive.

He rushed Jaina, flying into a flurry of attacks with his double-bladed lightsaber. He switched between styles and alternated strikes between the ends of his lightsaber. He constantly stayed on the move and pushed her around the library, dashing to different sides of her to strike from multiple angles and herd her around the library.

Their duel quickly turned into a tug of war, a push and pull, as both sides gained and lost ground. The battle appeared unending, two equals locked in eternal conflict. Eventually The Seeker grew furious with Jaina’s resilience and began to hurl objects from around the library at her while also pressuring her with his lightsaber, but this method of attack was ineffective as well, as Jaina either dodged the objects or sent them flying away while still matching him blow for blow.

Their battle had turned into a war of attrition. Neither side would be defeated until one of them ran out of energy. The Seeker’s offensive turned into an all-or-nothing desperate assault. As he pushed her towards the Main Atrium, he began to realize that this Jedi was much stronger than he had anticipated. He realized that he could not defeat Jaina Solo without calling on more power than he had ever done before. He had always held back his power at his father’s request, for fear of being consumed by the darkness. But now he had a reason to embrace the darkness in its entirety.

He followed after Jaina as she ran back into the Main Atrium, bringing with him the same darkness The Master had.

Herald of Death- Command Chamber

The Thrawn clone’s armada of four Super Star Destroyers had quickly engaged the enemy fleet after The Master’s initial monologue. Though the Alliance fleet was far greater in number, it was severely outgunned. The initial bout had seen the Alliance quickly pushed back, but then Commander Antilles had sprung a trap. A massive fleet of nearly one hundred warships had appeared from behind the Herald and her escort and opened fire. Thrawn’s fleet had quickly positioned itself to engage both fleets, but the trap had already done its damage. One of the Super Star Destroyers—an Executor-class dubbed the Evolution of Warfare that served as The Beastmaster’s flagship—had been severely crippled and destroyed in combat with a Viscount-class Star Defender and Nebula-class Destroyer.

Soon after the destruction of The Beastmaster’s flagship, the Chief of State’s declaration of surrender had caused a ceasefire. The ceasefire, however, was ended when Thrawn commanded the fleet to open fire at The Master’s telepathic command.

Quickly, the Alliance fleet was torn to shreds by the massive firepower of The Master’s flagship. They had not been caught off guard by the attack, but the Alliance ships were ill-equipped to do any more than try to do as much damage as they could before they were destroyed.

The Herald slowly turned its guns on the Alliance command ship and prepared to open fire. Thrawn’s confidence in victory forced a grin. “Well, Commander Antilles, it looks like I win.”

And then the first volley was unleashed. Bolts of plasma flew through the breadth of space like a swarm of angry insects before burrowing into the shields of the Alliance’s flagship. Explosions rocked the Executor-class warship that served as the Alliance command ship and brought its shields and life support systems down. But before the Herald could unleash another volley, a second trap was sprung by the Alliance. A large fleet of pirate frigates, and Bothan and Corellian warships entered the system within point-blank range of the Herald and immediately opened fire. At the same time, the other two Executor-class warships that escorted the Herald were torn apart, destroyed from within by Alliance commandos.

The Thrawn clone’s eyes widened. At this moment he began to realize the stunning truth. Despite his genius, he was not his father. The real Grand Admiral Thrawn would have seen these traps coming, but the clone did not. He realized then that he paled in comparison to his father. He knew that he could never live up to his father’s greatness, and now he was being pushed to the limits of his tactical ability. He had begun to rely on the firepower of The Master’s flagship. He had come into this battle prepared for a straight fight. He hadn’t even considered attempting to outmaneuver the Alliance forces in this battle. He was overconfident because of the massive firepower The Master had given him. He had failed, but he would not give in. Not yet.

The Corellian cruisers had used their speed and light laser cannons to break through the swarms of starfighters, pirate frigates armed with shield-piercing weaponry focused fire on the Herald while the heavy Bothan Cruisers acted as defensive bulwarks to shield the smaller ships from enemy fire. The Herald was outnumbered severely, but it continued to withstand enemy fire. Its shields absorbed the turbolasers’ fire while its hull withstood the missiles and mass driver bolts fired from the pirate vessels.

But the Herald could only last so long, especially against shield-piercing weapons. The Alliance flagship was crippled, thus the clone turned all batteries to the new threat and opened fire, all the while hoping that the Alliance did not have any more traps to spring.

Coruscant- Senate Building- East Wing Landing Field

Corran Horn and General Hargreeves headed the defense of the Senate Building’s East Landing Field, where the hardest of the fighting had been taking place. So far, the General’s plan had been successful in drawing the enemy to the Senate Building, but it had not drawn The Master. They had watched The Master go straight for the real location of Wynn Dorvan’s bunker, and they watched Luke chase after him.

But, for some reason, The Master’s forces continued to assault the Senate Building, their assault led by that flying Krayt Dragon. The Krayt flew high above, sending down streams of flame every so often to torch vehicles and incinerate soldiers. Its attacks had forced the Alliance soldiers to retreat into the Senate Building to take firing positions on covered balconies. They had lost vehicle support and were going to be overwhelmed by the combination assault from droids and corrupted beasts.

Master Horn couldn’t let that happen. He and General Hargreeves had been fighting side-by-side at the East Wing entrance, but the time had come for Corran to step forward and stop that Krayt Dragon before it turned its full fury on the Senate Building and annihilated them in fiery death. A deafening roar shook the ground beneath him, and Corran felt surprisingly fortunate when he saw the dragon’s silhouette streak down through the clouds and smoke rising from burning skyscrapers, streaking down straight for him.

Corran ran out to the center of the landing field and sheathed his lightsaber. The Krayt Dragon dived down towards him like a missile and let loose a river of flame that threatened to engulf Corran and the whole landing field. Horn raised his hands up and projected an energy field that drew the flame in to his hands. He felt a rush of energy flow into him, it was more energy than he had absorbed into his body in a long time. He let the energy swell within him, and then—as the dragon passed over—he let it out in a massive wave of telekinetic energy.

The rush of energy slammed into the dragon, blistering its hardened scales and sending it crashing into the roof of the Senate Building with a resounding crash that shook the whole platform. The dragon’s fall created a massive crater in the building’s roof. Corran looked back up to the rooftop. A red lightsaber appeared on the rooftop, and the woman that carried it rushed down the building’s sloped roof. Her black robes whipped around her as she leapt off the building and flew towards Corran. She spun her body around and unleashed streaks of lightning at the soldiers on the balconies each bolt leaping towards the nearest body several times, disintegrating those who were struck. The woman spun back towards Corran and landed on the landing field with the impact of a meteor, sending waves of energy out that sent tank, soldier, and gunship carcasses flying off of the platform.

At the same time, alchemically altered flying creatures rose up from under the platform and burrowed into the Senate Building, creating holes in the building and diving through to attack soldiers garrisoned within. The woman was The Beastmaster, the same woman who had escaped Corran Horn earlier in the war. She commanded these creatures, and Corran believed that her defeat would turn the tide back into the Alliance’s hands.

Corran activated his lightsaber and pointed it at the woman in challenge.

Coruscant- Chief of State’s Bunker

The Master dropped Wynn Dorvan’s corpse on to the pile he had made of the three dead Jedi. The Chief of State’s mind was easily broken, and he served his purpose by acting as a puppet to declare the Galactic Alliance’s surrender, making The Master’s takeover legitimate. But his mind couldn’t survive the process, and thus he died. Unceremonious as his death was, it served The Master’s purpose. The Alliance was effectively defeated, and his victory was assured.

Behind him, Jaden Korr groaned as he awoke from unconsciousness, clutching at his head and using the Force to dull the pain. The Master turned away from the corpse pile to face him.

“Ah, mister Korr,” The Master said flatly. “You survive.”

Jaden Korr struggled to his feet, his shoulders hunched over in exhaustion, a look of shock spread on his face as he saw the pile of corpses. “What have you done?”

The Master faked recoil. “What have I done?” He grinned. “I’ve won the war.” He reached out a hand and formed a pincer with his fingers, emulating the invisible fingers that wrapped around Jaden’s throat. “And now you can join your friends.”

Just as The Master’s invisible fingers began to crush Jaden’s throat, The Master’s guardsmen entered the room.

“My lord,” One of them called from behind his golden mask. “The Jedi Grand Master is moving through the tunnel.”

The Master closed his hand into a fist, crushing Jaden’s throat. “No, it’s too soon.” He said thoughtfully as he put Jaden’s body on the corpse pile. “Are you both aware that Skywalker will kill you?”

“Yes, my lord.” The guards said in unison.

“Then fight him,” He said as he rose a hand over the pile of bodies. “I have other business to attend to.” He snapped his fingers, setting the corpse pile ablaze.

Luke Skywalker raced through the long corridor to the Chief of State’s bunker with all of the speed he could muster, flying past corpses and broken machines with such speed that he seemed invisible to even the eyes of trained Force sensitives. It didn’t take long at all for him to reach the bunker. Waiting for him outside of the bunker were two golden armored, lightsaber wielding guards. An eerie glow from within the bunker cast a bright, yellow light on their armor. Both of them raised their silver-bladed lightsabers and vanished, appearing a moment later on either of Luke’s flanks and swung their lightsabers for his head.

But Luke was expecting the attack and had already backed away, but he didn’t fall back onto the defensive like they expected. He didn’t have time to fight them. He struck back, hard. He stepped between them and smacked his palms against their armored torsos, simultaneously letting loose a rush of Force energy that took the guards off their feet. Their bodies crashed against the durasteel walls with such force to dent the bulkheads, and shatter the armor and bones of the guards, killing them.

With the threat eliminated, Luke ran into the bunker and recoiled in shock at the sight of a burning pile of corpses, the bodies only barely recognizable. Luke waved a hand at the fire to put it out before it destroyed the bodies any further. He then turned left and saw The Master standing in the shadows, but he quickly evaporated into a wisp of black smoke. A tremor in the Force rippled over him, its source coming from the Senate Building, as if The Master was calling him, taunting him.

Luke pulled a transmitter beacon out from his robes and activated it as he set it on the floor next to the bodies. The Master had set their bodies aflame, mocking the tradition of a funeral pyre. Wynn and his protectors deserved proper burials, they didn’t deserve to be left to rot as silent victims of The Master’s evil.

Luke stepped out of the bunker, turning off the lights as he did. The Master had killed far too many innocent people. Luke could not allow any more people to suffer for The Master’s cruel goals. He resolved to kill The Master, or die trying.