> Star Wars: Legacy of the Force > by Revan > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- > Prolouge: Skirmish Over Ossus, Seven Years Ago > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 250 years After the Battle of Yavin (ABY) The ships came out of hyperspace without warning, emerging in orbit around Ossus below the orbital defenses. The original defenses had been constructed in 167 ABY by order of then-Jedi Grandmaster Cade Skywalker. They were replaced with new, automated defense stations after the original defenses' destruction in 208 ABY by a fleet of Imperious-class Star Destroyers on the orders of then-Emperor Sombra during the opening phases of the Third Galactic Civil War. Since that war's end in 210 ABY, the stations had been nearly deactivated on a number of occasions. Now they proved their worth once more. Alarms went off as the ships opened fire on the orbital defenses. On the planet below, Jedi fighter aces clambered into their heavily modified and updated but aging X-83 Twintail starfighters, taking off and heading straight towards the hostile ships. In her chambers, Jedi Grandmaster Celestia raised her head as she sensed a presence familiar to her - a former padawan that she had thought deceased for the past five years. "Sunset Shimmer", she whispered to herself. On board the Indomitable-class Star Destroyer Vengeance, Sith Lady Sunset Shimmer stood, looking out the bridge viewports at the unfolding battle. The Jedi's X-83 Twintails were streaking in, as the orbital defenses poured fire upon her quintet of ships. She waited, then turned to her commander, a battle-scarred Twil'ek. "Release the fighters", she commanded. "Yes, my lady." The commander turned, giving the necessary orders. The hanger doors opened, and black and gray fighters spewed out. They were similar in appearance to the TIE/D Defender design that the Galactic Empire had utilized as part of its arsenal approximately two hundred and fifty years earlier, but with one immediately noticeable difference - they had four wings instead of three. As the fighters engaged the Jedi starfighters, the attack on the orbital defenses began to take its toll. One of the stations had its shield generators fail, and explosions began to rock the structure. Another, its shield generators taken out in the first strike before it could respond, began to fall out of orbit, as explosions added downward momentum to its path. Sunset smiled. Her knowledge of the defenses from her time as padawan to Jedi Grandmaster Celestia had paid off handsomely, and soon this section of the orbital defenses would crumble, making this early strike worth it, as she could decapitate the Jedi Order at a single stroke. The landing craft were ready, and after her squadron pounded the Temple into rubble, they would land and make sure that there were no survivors. Then her smile turned into a snarl as sensors suddenly reported the arrival of a fleet of nineteen aged M140 Scythe-class cruisers. Reaching out with her force senses, Sunset detected that there was only one person onboard the lead ship, and no one on any of the others- they clearly had been heavily modified to be automated, just as the orbital defense stations were automated. Even though they were outdated, the Scythes were still dangerous. Forty proton torpedo tubes, supported by nine turbolaser batteries and two ion cannon mountings were concentrated along the frontal hull and massive hammerhead, creating a 'cross of fire'. As her ships reacted to the new threat, the Scythes began to pound them. Her ships blew five up, and heavily damaged six more. But the Scythes took a harsh toll - one of her ships exploded into fragments of wreckage, and the other three were being heavily battered. Her ship was taking hits of its own along with the rest. Sunset whipped around. "Enact Protocol Traceless and jump to lightspeed NOW!!" "But my lady, we don't have time to do the hyperspace calculations, and our ships-" "NOW!!!" The Vengeance blindly jumped into hyperspace. At that precise moment, all of Sunset's remaining ships detonated, Star Destroyers and starfighters alike vanishing into blossoming fireballs. There were no survivors. On the planet below, Celestia felt the sudden surge of pain in the Force as the ships died. She keyed instructions into the pad that controlled the personal holoprojector in her room. A Duros, whose insignia proclaimed his rank of Admiral, appeared. "Report, Admiral Dar Stazi." "A squadron of ships of unknown origin attacked the orbital defenses. They deployed a type of fighter that we haven't seen before. When I jumped into the battle, the ships fought back with determination. I lost five Scythes, and six more will need extensive repairs", the Jedi Admiral reported. "And the simultaneous deaths?" "One of the capital ships jumped to hyperspace. All the others exploded, including the fighters. We believe that they were equipped with suicide charges." Celestia closed her eyes for a moment, then looked at the distant relation of the legendary Galactic Alliance Admiral Gar Stazi once more. "Any indication of who attacked us?" The Admiral shook his head. "We're analyzing the wreckage now, but the preliminary reports don't look promising." Celestia bowed her head. "Thank you Admiral. Celestia out." A Jedi Master as well as an Admiral, Dar Stazi ignited his lightsaber and flourished it in a formal salute before his holographic image faded out. Celestia sat upon the floor once more, stretching out with all of her power through the force, looking for the presence that up until a few minutes ago she had thought blazed no longer in the galaxy. Celestia sensed Sunset, but she was heading away rapidly, and the taste of anger and rage was unmistakeable - as was the darkness in her spirit. Celestia sighed and opened her eyes, tears unshed glimmering in them. She thought of the bright, hopeful student that had been almost like the daughter she had never had to her. "What happened to you, Sunset? And what will you do now?" she whispered to herself, mourning the person whose loss she regretted almost as much as the loss of her siblings. Somewhere in the Unknown Regions A dark, cloaked figure spoke as it sat in a meditative position. "So, Lady Sunset has failed me - just as I foresaw." A smile appeared on its face. "At least she knows enough to run, for I will offer her no mercy if she returns to me now." The figure stood, its black robes glinting in the red lighting. "And I wonder what my sister will think when she sees this countenance again", the figure stated as it threw back its hood, exposing a head of flowing, blue hair, with gleaming spots of white. Lady Nightmare smiled again, her icy blue eyes piercing and cold. "I doubt that she will be expecting it." Elsewhere in the Unknown Regions, some weeks later Sunset Shimmer opened her eyes. Wasting no time, she swiftly strode out into the hall, used the force to open the turbolift doors, and leaped up the shaft, not even attempting to wait for the car. She used the Force once more, then strode onto the bridge. "Emerge from hyperspace now, Commander." The Twi'lek looked at her, about to protest. Then, seeing her merciless expression, he nodded, giving the necessary orders. Sunset looked out as they emerged from hyerspace, seeing a planet with distinct oceans and continents. "Any idea where we are, Commander?" "No, milady. We're attempting to figure that out even as we speak." Sunset looked out at the world again. "Deploy the landing transports now. And ready my shuttle for immediate departure." The Twi'lek had learned long ago not to question a Sith. He had nearly violated that rule just now, and he wasn't about to do that again. "Yes, milady." Four weeks later Applejack stared in shock at the human woman who had just ignited a brilliant beam of red light and decapitated her parents. Sunset turned and looked at the young, eight year old girl, who shivered at her gaze. She could sense, however, that this one was different from the other beings that she had encountered so far. She could actually feel the girl through the force, for one thing - the other humans that she had met on this world had no midi-chlorians and could not sense the Force, nor be sensed through it. The other, however, was that she could feel the anger and hate surging through this girl, and her eyes narrowed as she contemplated a previously unentertained possibility. Yes, this one could do quite nicely, she thought to herself. A smile appeared on her face, a calculatingly cold grin that made the girl tremble more violently. Quite nicely indeed. > Chapter 1: Investigation and Assassination > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- 257 ABY, Kuat The door slid open noiselessly, allowing a dark shape to step through. The door closed, and the figure walked on silent feet. Outside lay the remains of a number of security measures. Guard droids, hidden laser emplacements, scanners; all had been quietly and swiftly disabled. Now the figure drew a metal knife, which was archaic to be sure, but had a significant advantage over a blaster or even a vibroblade: it was absolutely silent. It stealthily walked over to the sleeping form that lay on the bed. That form was Darrick Shen, a dark-haired human that was in charge of Kuat's orbital shipyards. He slept deeply, enjoying his vacation at the luxury resort. He almost never was away from the Shipyards, so when he was, he always attended a resort known for the quality of its sleeping arrangements. Now, however, his sleep was about to be terminated permanently. The dark shape walked to the side of the bed, and it readied its knife, then slashed at Darrick Shen's throat. However, that deadly thrust was suddenly terminated by a purple lightsaber blade, which sliced the hand right off. The figure whirled around, and was confronted with a young human woman, dressed in a black cloak. Her violet eyes were focused on the failed assassin. "Surrender." The figure suddenly threw back its cloak, revealing a black, metallic body, which looked like a cross between the ancient HK-series assassin droids and the commando droids that the Seperatists had used nearly two hundred and eighty years prior. Its photoreceptors glowed a menacing shade of red, and the droid spoke. "Negative, Jedi. Failure to accomplish my mission is not acceptable." A hidden compartment on its right thigh opened, and the droid drew the hidden vibroblade with its left hand, slashing at the Jedi as soon as the blade's tip cleared its hidden sheath. The purple blade blocked, and a second lightsaber, concealed from view in the folds of the robe, leaped into her other hand, which ignited and cut off the droid's remaining hand, which clattered to the floor, the vibroblade still held in its grasp. "You're wrong, droid. Surrender. Now." Her gaze never wavered from the droid for a moment. "Denied." The droid suddenly leapt out through the apartment's window. Darrick Shen, startled awake by the noise, looked on with astonishment at the young woman standing next to the head of his bed, lightsabers drawn. "What-" "I just saved your life from an assassination attempt. Awaken everyone else in the resort and leave as fast as you can. There's probably a backup team with orders to destroy the entire building." "Who are you?" "I am Twilight Sparkle, padawan to Jedi Grandmaster Celestia. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have an assassin to catch." Before Darrick could say anything more, she turned and leaped out the shattered window, her cloak billowing behind her. Two Hours Later Applejack was sitting at the cantina bar, drinking a glass of juma juice. Her trusty blasters sat on her hips, their presence familiar and reassuring. She was infamous among custom officials of both the Empire and the Alliance, who cursed her ability to make a clean getaway, and to be present where she shouldn't be able to get into. Like now, for example. Her presence on Kuat was a testimonial to her ability to just walk in right under the law's nose, without seeming to do a thing. Her straightforwardness was considered to be quite odd for one who had to lie on a routine basis, but her piloting skills were deemed to be legendary. Add to that her quick draw and unerring aim, and it was no wonder that the galactic underworld in hushed tones compared her to Han Solo before age had dulled his senses - and even then, he was faster to react and improvise than almost all his opponents. However, while Han's history and achievements were still known close to two hundred years after his death, no one knew of her past, for her first emergence upon the galactic scene had been when she hijacked the Hutt freighter Boonta's Eve, which had a full load of glitterstem from the spice mines of Kessel, at the young age of thirteen. That hijacking was still spoken of, some with anger, some with shock, but all spoke of it in tones of amazement. For she had suddenly appeared, having somehow hidden aboard ship, and had strode onto the bridge, declaring that its crew and cargo were now hers. When she had been attacked in response, she drew her now famous pistols and mowed down the enforcers and the captain, and took control of the ship. She went to Tatooine, and landed in Mos Eisley. She somehow managed to get an audience with Zora the Hutt, and sold the freighter and its valuable cargo. When she returned, she distributed the profits from the sale of the freighter and its cargo among the downtrodden crew before setting them loose from her control to do with their lives as they wished, earning her their grateful praises. She then vanished with the remainder of the profits, and when she next appeared, she was piloting her legendary light freighter Darkness's Bane. That ship she had heavily upgraded over the years, and it bore a striking resemblance to Han Solo's Millennium Falcon, a fact invariably noted by those who compared her to him. However, the coloration was different, for while the Falcon in its time was various shades of grey, Darkness's Bane was a dark black. But there was another side to her, one that was hidden from most. Her beautiful green eyes were often unsettling to look at, for they spoke of a hidden pain. Now, however, Applejack's attention was attracted to a figure cloaked in black. The being's face was hidden by a hood, but nevertheless Applejack felt that it was watching her. She sauntered out onto the adjoining dark alleyway with deliberate casualness, and her suspicions were confirmed when she heard light footsteps following her. She whirled around, her blasters drawn with lightning quickness. Only to be faced with a drawn lightsaber, its purple blade casting a purple glow onto the alley's walls. "Who are you?" "I am Twilight Sparkle." The figure threw back its hood, exposing a barely tanned face, framed by shoulder-length violet hair, which had two streaks of pink and purple running through its center. Applejack quickly processed her name, vaguely recognizing it. "Aren't you-" "The padawan of Jedi Grandmaster Celestia herself, I know." Twilight's violet eyes narrowed as she added, "And I know who you are, Applejack." "What do you want with me?" Applejack demanded. "I need a fast ship and its captain, one that isn't associated with the Jedi Order or the other members of the Triumvirate. The word is that you're surprisingly honest, considering your chosen occupation, and that you keep your word when you give it." "What's the job?" "Tracking an assassin droid's flight. You'll be paid, of course." Applejack's eyes narrowed. "And if I don't accept?" Twilight shrugged. "Then I turn you over to the Galactic Alliance authorities, who I'm sure would love to have the most famous smuggler in the galaxy go into early retirement inside of a maximum security jail cell." Applejack looked at her, but there wasn't exactly a choice to be made. "Deal. When do we leave?" "Now." > Chapter 2: Ambush and Fight > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Applejack and Twilight rapidly made their way through the streets to the nearby spaceport. As Twilight opened her mouth to ask Applejack how she planned on getting through security, Applejack turned and gestured. "Lead the way, Jedi." Twilight looked at Applejack. "You're going to use me as a free pass through security?" "Yep." Twilight sighed. "I should've expected that." After Twilight used her Force abilities to gain her and Applejack clearance, they walked down the hall. Soon Applejack halted Twilight, gesturing to the door to the hanger. "This way, Jedi." Twilight opened the door. Rainbow Dash was in position, her custom-built sniper rifle aimed squarely at the door. Though she was focused entirely on the door, she knew that Pinkie Pie was in her position with a rocket launcher in case everything went south on them. Not that she expected it to, not with her skill with ranged weaponry. The door began to open, exposing their target. Rainbow Dash pulled the trigger. And was surprised when a purple lightsaber ignited, deflecting the blast that was meant to render Applejack DOA. "What the-" She heard the distinctive sound of Pinkie Pie's rocket launcher firing, which sounded way too cheerful for such a destructive weapon. The rocket suddenly exploded in midair as a thrown lightsaber carved through it. However, Rainbow had no time to think about that, as a woman cloaked in the robes of a Jedi leapt high into the air, two purple blades raised for a blow clearly intended to cleave her in two. Then a figure in pink armor suddenly interrupted her leap, ramming her into the hanger wall. The Jedi slid down to the floor after Pinkie Pie zoomed off. Rainbow, meanwhile, was engaging Applejack, the two skilled gunfighters utilizing every bit of cover in the hanger. Pinkie, having slung her rocket launcher onto her back, suddenly dived out of the air, landing on Applejack and delivering an armored Mandolorian punch to her face, rendering her unconscious. Rainbow, seeing that Applejack was now out cold on the floor, turned to where the Jedi had landed in a heap - only to suddenly hear the ignition of a lightsaber, instinctively freezing as the blade suddenly appeared across the front of her throat. "You will answer my questions and release that woman into my custody." Rainbow could feel the Jedi attempting to influence her - but Rainbow's sheer willpower and training for resisting mental manipulation enabled her to resist. Pinkie Pie looked up. "Silly Jedi, Mandalorian armor is made out of beskar. Lightsabers can't cut through that!" Rainbow Dash had already successfully disengaged by the time Pinkie Pie ended her statement. She whirled around, her fist hurtling at the Jedi's face. Only to feel herself being thrown back, as the Jedi used the force to hurl her into Pinkie Pie. She got up again. Or tried to, rather, as she and Pinkie Pie were both lifted into the air. "Whatever your job was, it is now over. You shall not attempt to harm me or Applejack again." Rainbow snorted. "Or what? Throw me into jail for attempting to apprehend a wanted smuggler??" "No, I'm afraid your punishment would be quite a lot greater than that, for attempting to murder Jedi Grandmaster Celestia's padawan." Rainbow's eyes widened. She's just a Padawan??!!! She's short on experience, but she's already a powerhouse!!! Rainbow studied the Jedi more closely. Her robes were clearly designed for freedom of movement, but what caught Rainbow's eye was her face, with those violet eyes and hair. "But, seeing as that would attract even more attention, I have a proposal for you." Pinkie Pie suddenly spoke up. "You want us to help you track down an assassin droid?" The Jedi was clearly put off by this statement. "Well, in essence, yes." "We'll do it!!" Rainbow Dash sighed, having learned back in their shared youth that once Pinkie Pie decided on something, it was pointless to attempt to change her mind. "Fine, I'll do it too." "Excellent. And, in case you're wondering, I will pay you." Rainbow was thrown off her stride. "That's... quite generous of you, Jedi." The Jedi looked straight at her. "My name is Twilight Sparkle." "Fine. So when do we leave?" Rainbow grumbled in response. Twilight, having placed Pinkie and Rainbow back on the ground when they had agreed, had used the force to bring Applejack's limp body to her, then slung the woman over her shoulder. She gestured to the heavily modified light freighter that sat in the hanger bay's center. "Now." > Chapter 3: Pawns and Queens > -------------------------------------------------------------------------- Somewhere Deep in the Unknown Regions Lady Nightmare, Lord of the Sith, meditated, her anger churning at her core. She reached out, tapping into the dark side. The familiar insight of dark clarity came, razor sharp and deadly. She felt her thoughts wander down a familiar path, as time fell away... They stood at the entrance of an ancient Sith temple, the air around them thick with the dark side. The wind tugged at their robes, but the atmosphere felt stifling. "I don't like this place, Sister." Luna looked towards Celestia. "Neither do I. But our intelligence suggests that Emperor Sombra is here, attempting to reclaim dark side knowledge." Celestia's twin bladed lightsaber was in her hand, but its yellow blades remained unlit. "Why did he come alone, then?" Luna demanded. Her lightsaber ignited, casting a pale cyan glow over the stones they stood on. "I suspect that it is because he does not wish for others to gain it - or to learn about what he's doing." Celestia shifted slightly, her mouth set in a determined line. "It will be his undoing." Luna gripped her lightsaber tighter. "And he'll pay for murdering Terra." Celestia looked at Luna warningly. "Keep yourself calm, Luna. The dark side is strong in this place. I don't want to lose you too." Luna sighed. "Yes, sister." Celestia ignited her lightsaber, then twirled it once before she placed her other hand on the hilt. "Come. The more time that passes, the stronger that Sombra will become." Luna nodded. They walked up to the door, and plunged their lightsabers into it, carving it out. The door fell, revealing a long, dark passage. Side by side, they walked into the darkness. A beeping noise disturbed Nightmare's concentration. She looked up, seeing that the terminal was blinking with an incoming message. She stood and moved with an economy of motion. Her eyes absorbed the fact that it was coming in from one of her assassin droids. She accepted it, and the dark black face of HK-99 C4 appeared on the screen. His red eyes glowed with a malevolent look. "My apologies, master, but I failed in my mission to assassinate Darrick Shen. The security measures were successfully disabled, but a Jedi was hidden in the room. I await further instructions." Nightmare frowned, her face creased in irritation. "Who was the Jedi?" "Analysis indicates a high probability that the Jedi was a padawan named Twilight Sparkle, apprentice to Jedi Grandmaster Celestia. Further analysis indicates that she is tracking me down as we speak." From the visuals, Nightmare could tell that HK-99 C4 was currently piloting a shuttle, his arms wired into the control panels. She chuckled darkly, her mind flashing over an old Sith saying: "Luck is the remnant of manipulation". "Head to Korriban. There is a Sith temple there that I wish you to enter. The Jedi will follow, and she will be trapped when Commander Barkain's ships emerge from hyperspace and destroy the Jedi forces guarding the system. You will contact them and inform them that they are to support you in your mission on my orders." "Affirmative, master. Receiving coordinates for the Sith temple now." "And one more thing. You are not to kill her. If it is at all possible, I want her alive." Nightmare's icy blue eyes narrowed as she spoke. "Understood, Master. HK-99 C4 out." The screen went dark. Lady Nightmare turned. She smiled icily. "Let's see how well your padawan does, Celestia."