Spike looked down at his feet as he sat in the small tiered room in the temple reserved for just this sombre occasion. He had donned a simple large brown cloak, as had all the other Jedi in attendance, the hoods pulled up and casting their faces in shadows.

Looking up from his feet, Spikes eyes fixed upon the six cloth covered bodies, the sheets each bearing the emblem of the Jedi order, his eyes focusing on one in particular. The body beneath the shroud was smaller than the other five, and Spike knew who was beneath it, the other members of Nexu clan who were sitting around Spike knew to. This would be the last time Nexu clan would be together, and they would have to make the most of this final moment with their ever sleeping friend.

As one, the Jedi present stood up as Grand Master Garton Brine entered the room, similarly garbed in a long brown robe, the only difference being his head was exposed as the hood was pulled back. Slowly, the man began to walk around the room, moving around the sheet covered corpses, before finally, he spoke.

“They are one with the force now, and although they are gone, remember that in time, we to will pass on, and also become one with the force.” He said slowly, moving around the bodies and addressing the assembled Jedi. “We are luminous being, filled with life and passion, but remember that we are only temporary vessels, are bodies are simply containers for the immortal force. I ask now for a moment of silence, to remember them, and to know that we must move on for them. We must live our lives for the living Jedi, and those that have become one with the force will live on through us, through our memories, forever.”

As he finished, he moved his hand slowly across the room, and the plinths that were holding the bodies began to lower into the floor. Eventually, the plinths reached the bottom of their journeys, and a set of stone doors slowly closed over them, sealing them in, leaving only a small hole in the centre over the corpses. A split second later, a beam of brilliant yellow light burst through the hole, and Spike knew that the mortal remains of Asho were even now being reduced to atoms to be scattered throughout the galaxy. In that way, she would always live on, touching more lives as her spirit became one with the force.

Spike closed his eyes and sighed, feeling a tear forming, as well as a hand gently rubbing his back, looking around to see Tarhal, the Wookies eyes were also swimming in tears. It seemed the rest of Nexu clan were holding their own tears back.

For a long time, Nexu clan stared in silence as the beam of light finally faded away, the doors sliding open and the plinth rising again. It was empty and devoid of a corpse, Asho was finally at peace, and was at one with the force.

“Go, spend the day with your friends.” Solaris whispered, catching Spike by surprise as he hadn’t seen his master.

“Thank you master.” He smiled.

***

“I still can’t believe she’s gone.” Zule said softly, looking around at the other members of Nexu clan.

They had moved out of the burial room, and were now sitting in what had once been their own dormitory, the small room brining back memories of a happier time, when they were the full Nexu clan.

“She’s finally at rest.” Corinna nodded.

“And we’ll all follow her someday.” Spike mused softly.

“Agreed.” Tarhal growled. “Isn’t the trial of Ulic Qel-Droma today?”

“The inquisition is having their final private questioning session with him before he’s brought before the senate.” Spike nodded.

“What do you reckon will happen?” Zule asked. “Jedi don’t kill their prisoners, but if they hand him over to the Republic…” he trailed off.

“Come on, it’s not like he wouldn’t deserve it if the Republic got to sentence him rather than the Jedi.” Corinna pointed out. “I mean come on, the guy just lead an invasion of the Capital of the Republic itself. I can’t see people going easy on him or giving him a kind word, can you?”

“No, I guess you’re right there.” Zule nodded. “Do you reckon all Jedi will be able to attend?”

“Probably not.” Spike said after a seconds thought. “Why, did you want to go?”

“I feel like we owe it to Asho to at least know what happens to the guy.” Zule pointed out. “I mean, if it wasn’t for him she could put her own input in.”

“I guess we could go along and try and find out if we can go.” Corinna said, agreeing with her brother’s logic. “Let’s be honest anyway, we just weathered an invasion. What’s the worst that could happen?”

“You did not just ask that did you?” Tarhal deadpanned.

“Universal bitch slap incoming in 5…4…3…” Spike began with a chuckle, before following the two siblings out of the room and towards the hanger bays. If they were going to get across the city to the senate building, they were going to need a speeder.

***

The airspace around the senate building was packed with traffic as the four Padawans manoeuvred their way down back towards solid ground. Spike thought Hearths Warming Eve had come early as he finally managed to throw himself from the tiny craft, landing on the floor in gratitude.

“Oh baby I missed you.” He smiled, running a finger along the ground the way someone might do to a lover.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Spikes first girlfriend.” Tarhal laughed, causing the others to burst out laughing.

“Let’s see how you feel about small craft when you’ve almost died in one.” Spike shot back scathingly.

“Point taken.” Corinna chuckled. “Come on, might as well head inside, you know, try and get in.”

“Agreed.” Zule nodded, tearing his eyes from the sky and looking at Spike. “You know Spike, you never really told us what, this,” he indicated the wings on Spikes back, “is all about?”

“Yeah, I know.” Spike said dismissively.

“Are you going to tell us?” Corinna pressed.

“Truth is I don’t know.” Spike said, turning around and facing the others, stopping them in their tracks. “As I’ve told my master, I have theories, but I have literally no evidence. It’s the same thing with my growth, and why I’ve grown more in my time here than all twelve years in Equestria.”

“Well then what is the theory?” Corinna asked.

“On my planet, there was ambient magic.” Spike began. “Now my theory is that while I was there, my own sub-conscious was projecting some of this magic in to me, which is what kept me small and able to fit in with ponies. Now I don’t need to be small to fit in, or because the magic in the air’s gone, I started growing and maturing into a proper Dragon, hence the wings.”

“So, you’re becoming a ‘proper’ Dragon then?” Tarhal asked.

“That’s the theory.” Spike nodded.

“And how big to proper Dragons get?” Zule asked.

“Big.” Spike said simply. “Like, really big. I want to try to run some experiments at some point, but I really have no idea where to start, and with the war and everything, I, I just have no time.”

“Huh, story of all our lives at the moment I guess.” Zule chuckled.

The four Jedi made their way through the halls of the senate, cutting an impressive figure thanks to the sheer size of Spike and Tarhal, those people walking around moving out of their way as they made their way towards the centre of the building. Even though none of them had ever been to the senate building, they found it surprisingly easy to navigate, and quickly found themselves at an entrance to the senate hall that lay at the heart of the building, as well as the two Senate Hall Guards that barred the way, their Force Pikes held across the door in a menacing X pattern.

“Halt. Only those with official business may enter the hall at this time.” The one on the right spoke.

“We’re Jedi.” Corinna said, taking the leader and gesturing to her Lightsaber.

“Padawans.” The second guard noted, looking at her braid.

“Yes, but we are still Jedi, here on official Jedi business.” Zule butted in. “The council ordered us here.”

“Bloody official Jedi business.” The first guard mumbled, but nevertheless raised his spear, his partner doing the same thing and allowing them to pass into the large hall.

The hall was massive, easily capable of holding a tens of thousands of people at its fullest capacity. All around them, seats rose up the walls, while in the centre stood a large open, rectangular space, only interrupted by a massive stone pillar upon which the Supreme Chancellor was already waiting, flanked by four of his own personal guard, as well as a much smaller pillar that rested just in front of the large one, a long staircase allowing access to its tip.

As they passed out of ear shot of the guards, climbing up so as to avoid being seen, Corinna leaned closer to her brother.

“And here I thought I was the one that improvised.” She whispered with a grin.

“I got us in didn’t I?” He muttered back, before managing to find an empty bench and taking a seat, receiving nods from the other senators who were already sitting down. The others followed his lead, and soon all of Nexu clan was passively watching the floor for the moment when Ulic would be brought in.

They did not have to wait long.

Only a few minutes after they had sat down, a door at the far end of the room entered and a procession of people walked in, one man being held in chains that connected his wrists, ankles and neck together in a heavy duty restraining system. It did not take a genius to figure out that the chained man was Ulic Qel-Droma. Even now, bound in chains and being presented for judgement in front of the Republic, he was defiant, walking tall as he was escorted up the stairs and being secured at the top by the guards, who proceeded to secure the chain to the floor.

As the stepped back, the Supreme Chancellor stood up from where he had been sitting, casting the hall into silence as he began to speak, his voice carrying easily across the massive room thanks to the microphone that was placed just in front of him.

“Ulic Qel-Droma, you are a threat to the peace and security of the Galactic Republic. Your list of crimes is long – the destruction of shipyards, the looting of supply bases, the enslavements of mercenaries, and even worse – you have betrayed you training as a Jedi knight – your vow to protect the Republic. How do you plead?”

Even from this distance, Spike could see Ulic look up at the chancellor, as if only know noticing him, or only just deciding that he was worthy of his attention.

“I don’t plead with fools.” He suddenly said, catching everyone of guard at the volume of his voice, the unassisted sound reaching across the room easily. “You are puppets of a tradition pretending to be important. The coming Golden Age has no place for you. Your Republic is an empty, self-indulgent diversion, signifying nothing.”

Spike was shocked at Ulic’s words, his defiance resonating deep within Spikes mind. He had heard from both Cay and Nomi that Ulic had once been a great warrior, devoted to the Republic and the Jedi, and even after all he had done and ordered, Spike had thought that he may be repentant, or being forced to act against his will. Now however, Spike had to think differently, the man on the plinth clearly did not want to be forgiven, nor did he see himself in the wrong.

“The lost glory of the Sith will turn all your accomplishments to dust!” he proclaimed.

“You there, stop.” Spike heard a voice from below him, and looked down to see a figure jumping through the air, soaring over the heads of the guards as he ran towards the platform holding Ulic. It only took Spike a moment to recognise Cay as he ran towards his brother, his head darting between Ulic and Chancellor Sidrona.

“Ulic, what are you saying? Wait! I’ll make them listen!” He shouted, straining to make his voice heard.

“Cay, stop this!” Ulic commanded, still giving orders even when he was on trial for his life. “I don’t need your help.”

Undeterred, Cay forged on, turning around and facing the senators that were watching the proceedings intently.

“Senators, I beg you, don’t listen to him. He is greatly disturbed by the death of Master Arca. He intended to infiltrate the Krath…but they have warped him somehow. He has done so much good service for the Republic. Please remember…”

“Cay, you don’t understand what’s going on here.” Ulic interrupted. You don’t understand anything!”

“I’m just trying to help my own brother.” Cay replied, and from the tone of his voice, Spike knew that tears were falling from the man’s face.

Suddenly, a large clang echoed around the room, and for a moment, Spike couldn’t tell what it was from, until he looked at guards atop the pillar upon which Ulic stood, and how they were recoiling as his chains fell from his wrists and neck, clattering to the floor.

In an instant, Spike was on his feet, his Lightsabers in his hands but not yet ignited, the remaining members of Nexu clan following his lead. As Spike sprang to his feet, he expected the senators around him to react in some way, but they all remained perfectly still, almost as if they were unable to move.

With a loud crash, the doors at the end of the senate hall were flung open, a single man walking through the massive gap left, flanked by a Mandalorian and a host of red warriors. Behind the man were countless other people, both more of the red warriors, more Mandalorians, as well as a whole host of other species.

The man was tall, easily half a head taller than the Mandalorian warrior who flanked him, his short black hair hugging closely to his head and accentuating his features. The man was garbed in a large cloak, the shoulder pads of which swept up to protect his neck, being made in a similar fashion to the Mandalorians.

“It’s about time Exar Kun.” Ulic said, looking across at the guard who was in the middle of trying to grab him, but was now as immobile as the rest of the chamber, with the exception of the Jedi.

“Didn’t Master Arca teach you patience, Ulic?” The man, now identified as Exar Kun spoke, seemingly not even bothering with the Jedi that were readying themselves for what could only end in a fight. “My Master Vodo was always truing to get me to learn.”

Watching as Numi jumped down to the floor and running over to Cay, followed by a host of others, Spike decided that now was the time to go, jumping from his place on stairs and landing heavily on the senate hall floor, his Lightsabers held inactive at his sides, ready to be fired into life at a moment’s notice as the rest of Nexu clan landed beside him. far across the hall from him, Spike saw Solaris ignite her own Lightsaber, looking at Spike with shock and confusion. Clearly she hadn't expected to see him here. As he watched, Cay ignited his own Lightsaber, only to have Ulic look down upon him in scorn.

“Cay, put that away. You can’t fight us.”

“Ulic, stop this!” Nomi shouted as she sprinted across the floor, her own Lightsaber flaring into life

“Nomi – I have told time and time again to stop interfering. I have…I have made my own choice. Don’t force me to hurt…”

Spike missed the last word, instead captivated by a strange cat like creature as she ran forward, diving at a group of the red warriors. Instantly, Spike began to move forward, not wanting to let the Jedi fight that many foes at once. That was until he saw her dispatching the last of the warriors, barely having broken a sweat, before looking up at Exar Kun.

“Where is my mate Crado?!” She yelled, and Exar Kun’s expression briefly turned to one of anger as he ran his hand along a series of scars on his face. “He always idolised you Exar Kun! What have you done with him?!”

For a moment, Spike thought Exar Kun was going to attack the female Jedi, before he simply scoffed, turning his back on the cat-like warrior and making his way towards the spiral stairs that lead to the chancellor.

“My friend Crado is learning ways to make himself strong – much stronger than you, Sylvar. I’ve sent him off on an errand.” The Sith master paused for a second, looking towards Ulic, a malicious smile spreading across his face. “Ulic, keep them occupied.”

With a roar, the forces that had entered the room with Exar Kun surged forward, leaping at the assembled Jedi with a feral, murderous intent.