Beyond The Lands of the Dead (Post-NJO AU: Anakin Solo, Jacen, Jaina, L/M,H/L,many more) New fic 4/16!

Title: Legacy of the Sith (Book 3): The Lands of the Dead
Author: YodaKenobi
Timeframe: Post-New Jedi Order, 32 ABY
Characters: Anakin Solo, Jacen, Jaina, Tahiri, H/L, L/M, Kyp, Jag,everyone else who's ever been seen, spoken, or mentioned in a SW story
Genre: Adventure, Mystery
Keywords: Spaceman Spiff
Summary: A mysterious empire controled by a Sith Lord from deep in the Unknown Regions has become a part of the Galactic Alliance and is determined to destroy the Jedi Order.
Notes:

This is the sequel to "The Age of Heroes" and "Exodus." Don't let the prologue fool you, Legacy of the Sith takes place 3 years after my New Jedi Order AU series ("Revolution," "The Eighth Cortex," and "The Living Force"? links in my profile) which replace "The Final Prophecy," and "The Unifying Force," an an alternate ending to the NJO.

For new readers unsure about jumping into something that's already covered a lot of ground? don't worry Background information will be given as we go so it won't be difficult to follow.

This story takes place 6 months after the events of "Exodus," which puts us in late 32 ABY.during the "Raithian Wars"? a period long ignored.

[image=http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3150/2568390723_eb12850df3_o.jpg]

*Coverart by Maggy*

Dramatis Personae

Aero Gin; bounty hunter (female, unknown species)
Alema Rar; Sith Acolyte (female Twi'lek)
Anakin Solo; Jedi Knight (male human)
Ayddar Nylykerka; Galactic Alliance intelligence director (male Tammarian)
Baliss Phlora; Jedi Apprentice (female human)
Ben Skywalker; Jedi Student (male human)
Boba Fett; bounty hunter (male human)
Booster Terrik; captain, Errant Venture (male human)
Brosh; commander of Thrawn's household phalanx (male Chiss)
C-3PO; protocol droid
Cakhmaim; Leia Solo's bodyguard (male Noghri)
Callista Ming; Sith Acolyte (female human)
Cilghal; Jedi Master, prisoner (female Mon Calamari)
Corssa; Imperial Commander (female Chiss)
Dorrin Kogg; senate speaker (male Sermarian)
Emala; war profiteer (female Squib)
Evlyn Tabory; agent of the Chief Syndic (female human)
Faybol; Darth Malig's Hand (male Kuhr)
Ferani; Tenel Ka's Chamberlain (female human)
Fyor Rodan; Chief of State of the Galactic Alliance (male human)
Garm Bel Iblis; general (male human)
Ghost; Imperial Stormtrooper (male human)
Gijjle Vo Mio; Lady of Treasure (female Twi'lek)
Grees; war profiteer (male Squib)
H'sishi; crewmember, Wild Karrde (female Togorian)
Han Solo; captain, Millennium Falcon (male human)
Harrow; Sith Alchemist (male Rezor)
Hunter; Imperial Stormtrooper (male human)
Jacen Solo/Darth Havok; Sith Apprentice, General of the Raithian Armies, and First King of the Hapes Consortium (male human)
Jagged Fel; CEDF Commander (male human)
Jaina Solo; Jedi Knight (female human)
Jer'um; Raithian Commander (male human)
Jorj Car'das; former smuggler (male human)
Jysella Horn; Sith Acolyte (female human)
Kenth Hamner; Jedi Master, prisoner (male human)
Kirana Ti; Jedi Master (female human)
Khrom; Lord of Law (male, unknown species)
Kurol; shared consciousness of Faybol's brood
Kyle Katarn; Jedi Master (male human)
Kyp Durron; Jedi Master (male human)
Kyrn; Colonel, Chiss Expansionary Defense Fleet (female Chiss)
Lando Calrissian; entrepreneur (male human)
Leia Organa Solo; Jedi Knight (female human)
Lorra Klorne; Commander, Galactic Alliance Fourth Fleet (female human)
Lowbacca; Sith Acolyte (male Wookiee)
Luke Skywalker; Jedi Master, prisoner (male human)
Maichen; child (female human)
Malig; Dark Lord of the Sith (male, unknown species)
Mara Jade Skywalker; Jedi Master (female human)
Malachor; prisoner (male human)
Marekk; Lord of Lords (male human)
Meewalh; Leia's bodyguard (female Noghri)
Mirax Horn; art dealer (female human)
Nyll; Commander of Raithian Elite Commandos (male human)
Na'rul Thun; smuggler (male Gotal)

Prologue: Guthree's Farm

There is a wound cut in space.

A jagged gash torn through the fibers of the galaxy that writhes and throbs and grows in swirls of gas particles and clusters of screaming white stars. The webbed cloud of emissions and plasma shimmers and churns in deep reds and violet, bleeding into the endless black far beyond the Outer Rim.

Against this wound, this nebula, a warship appears.

The Imperial Star Destroyer Admonitor slides through the star-flecked abyss, its hulking ion drives cooking a trail of blue efflux and banks listlessly away from the distant mass of weeping dispersal.

It is two years after a band of rebels destroyed the Empire's Death Star at Yavin? two years before the battle of Endor when the Emperor will die, seventeen years before peace between the Empire and these rebels will be official, twenty-three years before the Yuuzhan Vong will invade and tear the galaxy asunder, and thirty years before another empire that calls itself the Raithians will worm its way into the Galactic Alliance at the behest of a mysterious Sith Lord.

The arrowhead-shaped warship drifts forward and comes to rest above a moon, the planetoid's atmosphere gleaming with the ethereal brilliance of reflected sunlight from the system's primary. This is when the Admonitor's belly hangar opens and a white Lambda-class shuttle falls gently through the star destroyer's atmospheric containment field, its wings unfolding like a crane, and a vanguard of two TIE fighters dropping down beside it.

The shuttle pivots and its own drives flare in a blue band, shooting towards the moon below. It takes only minutes for the vessel and its guards to burn through the wisps of clouds and vapors of the moon's atmosphere and come to land in a clearing on its surface.

This is Caro 2.

The only habitable satellite of the six moons orbiting an otherwise useless gas giant of the same name. It was colonized more than a millennium ago by Republic settlers anxious to work what they believed was exceptionally fertile farmland. While much of the moon was still verdant and thriving, some regions have become barren and desolate, with ramshackle villages built around dustbowls that have become nearly deserted.

The shuttle's landing ramp lowers in jets of flushing exhaust and two figures emerge. One is an aging human with a hawkish nose and dark hair that is quickly transforming to silver. He is dressed in the gray khakis of an Imperial Captain.

His name is Parck.

The other is a tall being with blue skin and glowing eyes of scarlet.

His name is Thrawn.

A brilliant strategist and fleet commander, Thrawn was elevated to the rank of Grand Admiral despite the rampant xenophobia in the Empire.

The pair marches down the ramp and begin to make their way across the terrain in curtains of blowing dust and tangles of shriveled foliage and yellowed grass.

Ostensibly, they have been sent to map the Unknown Regions as punishment for their involvement in a cabal's attempt to take control of the Empire. In reality, the failed coup d'état was orchestrated by the Emperor himself, as a means to send Thrawn and Parck into the Unknown Regions for his own purposes.

"This is a complete waste of time," Parck grumbles, squinting to keep the gusts of dirt from his eyes. "We're chasing shadows."

"If there are shadows, Captain, then there is something casting them."

"Perhaps I'd have more faith in this little exploration if you would tell me everything the Emperor disclosed to you when he banished us out here."

Thrawn only smiles, the slightest hint of amusement tugging at his lips.

For months they have been searching the Unknown Regions, using the resources Emperor Palpatine has given them in secret, to locate a fleet and people the ruler has assured them is lurking outside the farthest edges of known space. They've heard horrific tales, pursued every rumor and clue, and have yet to find a solitary shred of physical evidence that such an empire exists.

They a

Final version coming next week

next week?!

looking forward to it

Nice start. Definitely not what I expected as the prologue.

I'm assuming that the Conquerors are the Raithans and that Adas is Malig.

Just now getting all the way through the immense body of work you've done, YodaKenobi, and I must tip my hat to you for writing some damned good Star Wars fics. If the EU went in this direction during the NJO, I might actually still be reading the profic instead of avoiding it like the plague. Kudos.

Eagerly looking forward to the next installment...

I love it. What a great way to start out a story. An immortal nerf. Reminds me of Captain Jack Harkness from Doctor Who and Torchwood.

Awesomesause.

Good to see some action going on so early.

I'll continue to watch and wait.
PM me if at all possible.

*New Fic posted dance*

[image=http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213/CloneCmdrWedge/gifs/yoda1.gif]

[image=http://i145.photobucket.com/albums/r213/CloneCmdrWedge/gifs/halodance.gif]


YK:There is a wound cut in space.

A jagged gash torn through the fibers of the galaxy that writhes and throbs and grows in swirls of gas particles and clusters of screaming white stars. The webbed cloud of emissions and plasma shimmers and churns in deep reds and violet, bleeding into the endless black far beyond the Outer Rim.

Against this wound, this nebula, a warship appears.

The Imperial Star Destroyer Admonitor slides through the star-flecked abyss, its hulking ion drives cooking a trail of blue efflux and banks listlessly away from the distant mass of weeping dispersal.


Cool. Trying to go for an OT type opening with a Star Destroyer?

FYI, I had the opening to RotJ (When Vader arrives at DSII) going for most of this chapter. Felt kinda apropriate.


The shuttle's landing ramp lowers in jets of flushing exhaust and two figures emerge. One is an aging human with a hawkish nose and dark hair that is quickly transforming to silver. He is dressed in the gray khakis of an Imperial Captain.

His name is Parck.

The other is a tall being with blue skin and glowing eyes of scarlet.

His name is Thrawn.



Ladies and Gentlemen, the awesomness meter for the prologue has just burst.


Thrawn offers a quick smile of amusement. "Have you ever heard the tales of a fleet deep in these regions of unparalleled power? Of an empire that could rival our own?"

"Oh, the Conquerors," Guthree nodded.

Yep, he's heard of them.


They've heard of the Emperor's enemies referred to in a variety of tongues, from dozens of different alien races in their search of the Unknown Regions, and they are often referred to simply as The Conquerors, or something close in translation. The tales are horrific, describing a race and a fleet that dismantles their opponents upon invasion, enslaving their people and cannibalizing them into an ever-growing war machine.

Maybe I'm thinking of this too straightfowardly, but it would seem to me if some group like that was as big and powerful as they were said to be, they wouldn't be 'just rumors'. We're aren't exactly talking about 300 AD where there were it took weeks to get news from one place to another.

Besides, they didn't seem to be that advanced in AoH and Exodus.


"I don't know what he was, but he came here about fifty years ago... looking for the coordinates like you fellas. I don't know how he found me, how he knew..."

"You didn't see him?" Thrawn asks.

"His face was... wrapped in rags," Guthree explains. "All I could see were his eyes and... they were horrible, friend. Yellow like some reptile, but wreathed with red..."


Now that was either someone with some serious drug and sleep issues, or it was a Sith Lord. Then again maybe it was both... I'm betting that this 'stranger' was Malig.


"I don't know really, so I wouldn't know who he was, I guess. But he was injured, real bad, I think. He was holding his side a lot and he seemed to be in pain. Maybe something had happened to his face and he didn't want people to see.

"His voice was... like nothing I've ever heard before. It was so clear, but garbled at the same time. It was warped. Like he had two voices..."

Darth Nihilus + Frank = Darth Malig?


"No, no. He said he needed the coordinates and that I was supposed to help him. Then, he asked me what I wanted more than anything in the galaxy."

"What did you say?"

Guthree shrugs. "How do you answer a question like that? I just laughed and said I'd like a million credits. But he didn't like that much."

Darth Nihilus + Frank + Mr. Morden = Darth Malig (Babylon 5 reference FTW!)


There were several breaks in the long fence, where entire beams are cast off their

Wow! That was an amazong start, your best yet! Just so many shocks! I loved starting it out with Parck and Thrawn! I loved Parck from "Empire of the Hand", and Thrawn is always awesome. So Malig went to see this Farmer Guthree, and can possibly see the future. We'll the flashbacks be a regular thing for this story? All I know is its going to be one heck of a ride!

Wow! We're off to a great start. I'm loving the mystery of going "back in time" to Thrawn and Parck visiting the farmer with the "immortal nerf" ! The visitor had power greater than Palpatine I fear. Our heroes are in for a long painful battle.

We're those they were searching for the Vong?

The writing is incredible, your descriptions and characters are outstanding. It's always a pleasure to read your work.

Okay...I have a confession. I will not be able to participate in the Friday-First contest until the end of the summer. I'm coaching Darth Toddlers soccer team at the usual time that you post...

Unless, you'd like to change your posting time to suit me better?



Well, Wes, I must say...WOAH.

I'm slightly confused...but not really. I'll have to read it a time or two more to fully appreciate it, methinks.

But dude, Thrawn/Parck is teh coolness.

I might even go as far as to say "Thrawn/Parck '08" Cause voting for them makes your defeat democratic!



Great start, can't wait for more!

Cyn

Yay! We're off again.

I love the beginning - and even better the fact we've gone temporarily back in time to one of my favourite eras (before the Dark Times, before the NJO ). The mystery is very cool, and I'm sure it will deepen. I love mysteries even though I'm usually the last person to guess right. LOL

Great to see Parck and Thrawn again, too. Awesome beginning with the evocation of the time frame and the planet.

I won't make any conjectures at present, but there are lots of possibilities racing through my head. Great stuff.

I did not wxpect that sort of opening. Great way to start this fic and get us freaked out - at least getting me freaked out.

Can't wait for more.

*mind boggled by the hints and ideas running through the head*

Adas, huh? Interesting. 48 years prior to Battle of Yavin. Very interesting indeed.

Excellent start, my friend. Great way to get this party started!!

Voz

ooo its good to be starting on the next story! I wasn't expecting to go back in time though! Great opening Yoda. I look forward to seeing this story unfold and to having questions answered.

Maggy: next week?!

Too optomistic? I thought we were getting close to finished.

looking forward to it

Well, whenever it's done No rush.

Thanks for reading!





Ultima: Nice start. Definitely not what I expected as the prologue.

Glad I could surprise you. It seems out of left field but it's actually the natural place to pick up after the end of Exodus when Jacen learned Malig's identity.

I'm assuming that the Conquerors are the Raithans and that Adas is Malig.

Yep, exactly. We saw the Vagaari call the Raithians "The Conquerors" back in Empire of the Hand and the Age of Heroes. we can assume that this is the way most of the worlds outside of the empire know them.

And we know Malig has some sort of interest in King Adas. Back in chapter 16 of Exodus he gave Luke a book titled, "The Chronicals of Adas" and asked him to read it. We don't know what Malig's interest is or if there's a connection there, but there may be a clue in the fact that it seemed to amuse him to be called "Adas."

Thanks so much for reading and replying





Rigil_Kent: Just now getting all the way through the immense body of work you've done, YodaKenobi, and I must tip my hat to you for writing some damned good Star Wars fics. If the EU went in this direction during the NJO, I might actually still be reading the profic instead of avoiding it like the plague. Kudos.

Wow, thanks so much That's very kind of you to say. I'm glad you're enjoying the stories. I started them because I wished the NJO had went in a bit of a different direction myself

Eagerly looking forward to the next installment...

Thanks, I should have more on Friday. Thanks for reading and your reply






GrandMasterKatarn: I love it. What a great way to start out a story.

Thanks I'm glad you liked it.

An immortal nerf . Reminds me of Captain Jack Harkness from Doctor Who and Torchwood.

I've never seen either

As for the nerf, we saw Malig do something like this with a spider in chapter 37 of Exodus. The question is, does he really have the power to bring things back to life like Darth Plagueis was alledged to have, or is this an older Sith trick...

Thanks for reading and replying!






zonzo: Awesomesause.



Thanks!

Good to see some action going on so early.

Next chapter is a massive amount of action topped with two layers of extra action.

I'll continue to watch and wait.

Thanks, I hope you enjoy it

PM me if at all possible.

Will do! Thanks for the interest.






PointGiven: uh-oh

Yeah, Alema, Zekk, Lowie, and Raynar have that same title..

I guess this is what you meant by the quote in your trailer
Luke: "what kind of name is Malachor?"
I was hoping it was the planet but you may get to that.

Maybe. There's a slim chance.

But yeah, that's where the reference in the trailer comes from. There's a character who at least claims his name is Malachor.

Great Prologue! I'm also suscribing to the idea that "Adas" is Malig.

The character in the prologue is definitely Malig, if that's what you mean. I wouldn't say that because he asked to be called "Adas" it means he's the long-dead King Adas of the Sith though.

Have you by any chance read The Monkey's Paw? It's a short story which involves three wishes. One wish is to bring someone back from the dead but it turns out to be like the nerf and the wife in your story. I was wondering if that influenced you.

No, I can't say that I have. I do remember the Simpsons parody of it in one of their Halloween episodes though Can't remember if anyone wished to bring someone back to life, I don't think so.

Thanks for reading and replying






Wedge:

An excellent start, YK. Especially the tales of, and the instructions left by, Malig.

And now I'm wondering just what became of 'Merryl"? I have a feeling we may have seen her before, already...

It has started! This is good news indeed!

I shall watch your progress with great interest.


P.S. Special thanks to jagsredlady for her betawork, guidance, and all-around awesomeness.
You're too sweet.

Just thought of something. Malig's visit to Guthree puts him in about the same shape a certain Lost character was in after time traveling. it leads further credence to my Malig=Ben theory.

Thanks for the PM!

Great start...very cool and creepy! I love the planning you & backstory you've put into this fic. I frequently feel as though I'm missing some inside clue, but that's good, because it's so much fun to discover what I was missing and have that "ah-ha!" moment.

Looking forward to more.

All of those little details aren't random, btw. The fact that Malig is injured, that he has a "Nubian" ship, the year, that he asked Guthree to call him "Adas"? they're all part of Malig's backstory that will be filled in later.

What the deuce?

So he's got a Nubian ship, it's five years before the birth of Anakin Skywalker but interestingly enough the year of Padme Naberries birth, and he's ?injured?.

Also exhibit's creepy T-virus Raise-The-Dead ability...

And Jacen recognizes him.

Malig is...I dunno. But I'm going to figure it out.

I swear.

Cyn

YK:With the exception of Revolution, I've always started every fic in this series in space like the films, but yeah, this is the first time I've gotten to us an Imperial SD for the full OT effect

Cool. Interesting how Zahn did something similar, opening his books with a Star Destroyer passing by. Haven't read Outbound Flight, so I don't know how that one opened up.


Not the most popular pairing in fanfic, but I'm glad you like it I was really excited about writing a scene of them from this time period. Thrawn's "mapping duty" is one of my favorite SW EU mysteries.

Yeah, the EU seems to go back and forth between 'was it the YV, or not?'. Although considering how much time has passed in universe, unless DR is going to suddenly pull something out of thin air (not entirely implausable) it might as well have been the YV.


Great question to be asking. Why is it only rumors? Well, to throw out one theory, Raithian space could be far, far from known space? like weeks or months in hyperspace to get there if you knew where you were going. There's another explanation too, but I have to save that one. I promise it will be explained though.

True, but some of the books and movies give the impression that it takes hours to get from one point to another (ex: Ep III, Palpy going from Coruscant to Mustafar to save Anakin Krispywalker). Then again, there have been games like Rebellion where it took months to go from one end of the galaxy to the other. Then again, you would have to know where you were going, otherwise you might fly into a star.


Way over my head

Well, here's my attempt at an explination. What do want?

Then again, upon further reflection, Kosh here might be more appropriate for Darth Malig...


That's so awesome!

I promise the 5th fic in this 4 fic series will be zombie-centric.

That I'd like to see.

I keep going back and forth on who to replace Jaina with. Most of the pics I can find of Claire are dated, Ada doesn't seem right, so I guess that leaves Jill there. also got another version where I switched Leon and Chris. Malig there was the easiest one for me. Wesker seemed to be the perfect one.


I know what happened to her, but I haven't decided if I'm ever going to tell you guys. Might be better to leave it a mystery... either way, if it doesn't come up in the next fic and you're still wondering about it, I'll tell you what happened to Meryll's body when the series is over.

Is this kinda like the Syfo-Dias(sp?) thing in Episode II? I seem to recall that never getting solved... Should be interesting, though...


The question is, did Malig give Guthree this note so the farmer would kill Thrawn and Parck, or did he give it to Guthree knowing full well that Guthree himself would be killed, thus, eliminating a trail to the Sith Lord?

I was wondering the same thing myself. Thing is, it almost looks like it doesn't matter. Guthree didn't know much of anything about Malig, except that he wanted those coordinates and has something like the T-Virus from RE on hand.

Speaking of which, if that chapter was any indication, it seems as if Malig is right, </Obi-wan> from a certain point of view </Obi-wan>. He can bring things back to life, but they're...changed, different.


That's still freakin' cool

Yes, Garrus is cool.

Maybe it's just me, but all the Turians (even the one on the Council that I nicknamed "Vrook" ) have sort of a badassness about them.


Damn, that would have been better! *Tempted to rewrite*

Yeah, that would've been cool. Come to think of it, was Rukh even with Thrawn at that time? Oh well, wouldn't be the first time cannon was re-written here.

great start man, keep me updated.

Real nice start YK.

Will we see more of this raising the Dead power?

PS: Who will we see in the next chapter?