Beyond - Legends The Suppression Crusades (post-TUF AU: Jedi, Vong, etc.; updated 1/8)

Thanks for reading. I'm sorry I didn't reply sooner - I've been busy with various 'fics, juggling things.

I've got a long-range plan for Jacen this time around - I think, and hope, his character arc will be both plausible, given the AU, and interesting. One thing I can say is that he definitely won't be going Sith.

And now ... an update.

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Chapter 17: 28.1 ABY: New Aldera, New Alderaan, Outer Rim Territories:
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"Leia!"

The Princess of Alderaan smiled, hugging her cousin Nial Organa, before greeting his wife - and Han's daughter - Danielle Kieran-Organa at the foot of the Falcon's ramp. Their son Raynal, now almost 19, was warmly greeting Han and Chewie, and Threepio chatted eagerly with the Kieran-Organas' protocol droid, TC-48, as Cahkmaim and Meewahl kept watch.

"Thank the Force you're all all right. We've only heard bits and pieces of what happened at Coruscant, but we caught the Knighting ceremony on HNE. I'm so glad Anakin is alive - and Jacen escaped Yuuzhan Vong captivity? It sounds like there's been almost a complete reversal of the war!" Nial said, his voice both a haunting and warming echo of his uncle (and Leia's adoptive father) Bail Organa.

"Almost, except for the threat posed by this Kane' Kwaad. Losing Rothana will be a serious blow, even when - not if - we liberate it. We're already too dependant on the Kuat shipyards as it is. We have a verbal commitment from the Yuuzhan Vong Warmaster that he's opposed to Kwaad's rampages, but this is another destabilizing element we didn't need. I'd hoped for more than a few days of peace," Leia said, taking a moment to soak in the midwinter sights and smells.

Even with the chill, New Alderaan still reminded Leia of her lost homeworld - the mountains, the transplanted plant life, the architecture and clothing styles. It was both soothing and melancholy, until Leia smiled at the general good mood she sensed in the air. There was hope here, again, and she slipped her hand into Han's as she hugged Danielle when the younger woman crossed the landing pad to greet her.

"We've spoken to the Alderaanian Council. There's a lot of support for refugee resettlement - even with the birth rate growing in recent years, we've still got plenty of room," Danielle said, thanking TC-48 as the droid went to get the Organas' speeder.

"And it's in keeping with Alderaanian tradition that we help those in need, especially after we've been helped. We'll review the draft of the proposal we've drawn up back at the house. The meeting with the Council isn't until tomorrow," Nial said, and Leia relaxed even more. She'd hoped for a chance to just sit and have a moment to not worry about the literally billions of crises remaining after the war's end.

Now is a time to celebrate, especially those who survived, Leia thought, smiling as she hugged Raynal - her cousin, and through Han, her grandson, since the teen's mother Danielle was Han's daughter. Raynal's strong resemblance to Han had only grown during the past few years, and he even copied Han's cocky grin as he looked at Leia.

"I'm glad you're OK, too, Leia. Everybody's doing OK? Dad said Jacen got away from the Vong, and Anakin's alive? How about Jaina?" Raynal asked.

"They're all ... well, they're free. Jaina and Anakin are doing the best, although I think Anakin would just as well go to Tatooine with Tahiri and settle down. He's very modest, you remember. I'm just sorry we couldn't tell everyone that he survived Myrkr, but it was part of an NRI - now GAI - plan to bolster the Galactic Alliance's resistance while Anakin and Tahiri infiltrated Coruscant and rallied the Shamed Ones to resist Shimmrra's rule," Leia explained.

Raynal waved a hand dismis

 

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Chapter 18: 28.1 ABY: Roon, Cloak of the Sith, Outer Rim Territories:
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There is a disturbance in the Force ...

Lumiya stirred from her meditative/regeneration cycle, opening yellow-orange eyes within her quarters; something had shifted the balance of the Force significantly. Not exactly toward the light, but there was a strong - VERY strong - new Force-sensitive now within the energy field.

A new Skywalker? I'd not heard that Mara or Jaina were pregnant ... the former Shira Brie mused, examining her data feeds. Roon wasn't exactly the complete backwater of the galaxy, but the dust cloud which smothered the Roon system - and made it hard to navigate to and from - gave the world a fair degree of isolation. That isolation, and Roon's history as a Sith world long ago, made the planet an ideal base for those practitioners of the dark side who sought to work in privacy.

The Dark Lady arched an eyebrow, examining the intel from her sources in the "Galactic Alliance" government. It seemed there had been a Skywalker birth - a daughter, born to Mara, no less.

And what interesting information there is about the child ... and dangerous, Lumiya thought, frowning behind her mask as she read through the rumors. Non-artificial growth acceleration of a pregnancy was known, if not particularly commonplace, for Force-users, but usually in primitive societies such as the Witches of Dathomir.

The "Phoenix" entity's apparent affinity for Mara's bloodline, however, was most troublesome, especially given some of the scraps of Force-lore surrounding the firebird. Neither the Emperor nor Lord Vader had ever been able to discover more than a handful of references, but what they had had been so unsettling that Palpatine had ordered the avenues of inquiry closed. PERMANENTLY.

Well, the child seems to have stabilized in growth. Perhaps a potential recruit, if the Force is with me ... for now, I have my current efforts to pursue, Lumiya thought, shutting down her comsuite and heading for the holding cells.

Her current apprentice, W'dira Phaath - the only known naturally-occurring Force-sensitive Yuuzhan Vong whom Lumiya had encountered, during an interesting meeting on Poderis - bowed, her cybernetic right eye gleaming in the low light of the hallways of the ancient Sith fortress.

The two women, with the aid of labor droids - and, later, W'dira's prospective Sith apprentice, the now-fallen cyborg Jedi Daye Azur-Jamin - had excavated the underground fortress' ruins; it had belonged to Darth Blear, reputedly one of Ruin's followers who retreated after foreseeing Kaan's ultimate defeat at Ruusan more than a thousand years earlier.

We never did find Blear's tomb, nor his treasure, the Orb of Crimson Sclerae - a Sith oracle stone - but we have time. Wise of him to keep his resting place seperate from his fortress, but the latter serves us well, Lumiya thought, opening the viewport into the cell of their current captive. It was filled with six olbio tree stands, surrounding a battered but unbowed figure chained to a chair.

Over the captive Kyle Katarn stood Daye Azur-Jamin, a neuronic whip humming in his hand. The cyborg Jedi whispered - with a note of regret Lumiya frowned at - "The security codes for the Jedi facilities on Mon Calamari, Kyle."

"And. I. Said. NO. Daye. Snap out of it - what would Tiinian or Tam think of this?" Katarn snapped, and Azur-Jamin twitched at the mention of his wife and son.

His only response was a quick backhanded slap to Katarn's face, and a defiant, "You don't speak of them. You speak of what my Mistresses demand."

Better, Lumiya thought, still not quite approving of Azur-Jamin's hesitation. He was thoroughly in the dark - W'dira's unique combination of Yuuzhan Vong pain techniques and Sith-learned "persuasion" methods had proven effective - but he was more a dark Jedi than a Sith appren

 

A/N: A VERY quick update ...

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INTERLUDE: 27.2 ABY: Myrkr System, Inner Rim:
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The battered YV-888 class freighter lurches from Baanu Raas, the Sithlings who hijacked it cackling as they flee Yuuzhan Vong captivity. The raven-haired woman in the captain's seat sneers as the freighter's shields start to crumble beneath magma spitter fire.

"DO something, fool!" she orders her blond male counterpart, her Dathomiri heritage betraying her. "We have to report back to -"

She never gets a chance to finish the sentence, as an annoying surge of light behind them presages the stumbling arrival of their unwelcome passenger.

The blond youth rubs the back of his head, his eyes widening as the Sith spin on him, the little droid in the Jedi's hands squawking, "Oh, dear!"

And the Jedi knows, he must act as he has never acted before.

"I - I won't let you -" he stammers, still dazed from the voxyn's neural shock - but not so much that he can't ignite his lightsaber and rush forward, half-bravely, half-recklessly.

"IMBECILE!" the blond Sith man spits, hurling lightning - which the Jedi desperately deflects, striking the raven-haired witch-queen and knocking her to the deck, twitching.

He trips over her feet, his lightsaber flying - and the Sith youth is run through, accidentally. He dies, before the blond Jedi can withdraw his lightsaber, and the Jedi darts to the controls.

"I'm not a good pilot! Can you help?" he asks the droid, setting it on the control panel.

"I believe so - Master! Look out behind you!" the translator droid shrieks, and the Jedi spins, flailing telekinetically.

It's enough to strike the Sith woman backwards, driving her into a power conduit - which explodes beneath a Yuuzhan Vong artillery strike, and the Force ripples with another Sith death.

The Jedi feels horrible, but he knows he has to grieve later - the Yuuzhan Vong still want to capture him.

So his hands dart across the controls in imitation of what he's seen his friends attempt before, and the Tachyon Flier leaps.

And Raynar Thul and Em-TeeDee escape, to parts unknown, as the ship's relativistic shielding sputters.

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to be continued ...

 

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Chapter 19: 28.1 ABY: Rrorwrooku, Kashyyyk, Mid-Rim:
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Betsy had suspected she'd like visiting the Wookiee homeworld from the first time she'd found herself in the galaxy. The Wookiees she'd met were intelligent, mostly kind, and had a definite sense of fun, with a slightly dangerous edge that appealed to her.

And Kashyyyk is the same way ... I could vacation here and be happy, if I didn't have other responsibilities, Betsy thought, leaving The Angel's Wing with K'urod. The Zabrak boy was drinking in every detail, a slightly awed smile at the corners of his mouth, and he bowed with Betsy as their contacts approached.

<Lady Braddock! Welcome to Kashyyyk - Father called ahead, and we've met with Commander Ors. The strike team is ready to go,> Lumpawaroo, or "Lumpy" - Chewbacca's son - called, shaking Betsy's hand as she and K'urod met him about at the halfway point of the landing pad. Betsy was once again glad she'd telepathically learned Shriiywook telepathically from Chewbacca when she'd rescued him on Sernpidal - she might not get every Wookiee dialect, but at least she wasn't at a loss when she met with a Wookiee.

"Glad to hear it, Lumpy. It's good to see you again - Jan!" Betsy called, waving as Jan Ors approached with a mixed group of Wookiees and other species. Beside the Wookiees, the legendary NRI/GAI agent looked positively tiny, but Betsy had no doubt that Jan would be more than competent in the mission to rescue Kyle Katarn from Lumiya. They'd worked together on a particularly thorny mission to Nar Shaddaa late in 26 ABY, and had become friends.

"Betsy. Thanks for coming so quickly - this must be your apprentice? K'urod Var-Tasik, right?" Jan asked K'urod, who masked his surprise well as he bowed respectfully to her.

"Yes, Commander Ors. It is an honor - Knight Azur-Jamin," K'urod said, nodding at the young human man with shoulder-length reddish-blond hair who stood near Jan. At 20, Tam Azur-Jamin was among the Order's younger Knights, but nobody doubted his competencies - or his determination to rescue his father.

"Padawan Var-Tasik - Knight Braddock. I appreciate your taking this assignment, both to rescue Master Katarn ... and to ... face my father," Tam said, soft-spoken as Betsy remembered him being. He was composed, at least externally, but Betsy didn't blame him at all for the quick roil of emotions that flickered through him when he mentioned his father Daye.

Telepathically, Betsy reassured Tam, ~We'll rescue Daye as well, Tam. And we'll turn him back to the light, if need be.~

The young man just nodded, not trusting himself to say more, and he let Jan take charge of the briefing. "Our Bacta team will be all Wookiees, charged with keeping any followers of Lumiya from interfering with us - I'll ask Var-Tasik to stay with them. We're keeping the actual strike team small - you, me, Tam, Lumpawaroo, and two additional, last-minute additions," Jan said, gesturing with her thumb over her shoulder as the crowd of Wookiees parted.

To Betsy's momentary surprise, the Wookiees actually were a bit wary of the new arrivals - until she saw who they were, and Jan smiled apologetically. "Belinda Kalendi insisted we bring them along," she said, before Betsy could vent her opinion of the acting GAI chief's choice.

"I'll be sure to send her my thanks," Betsy ground out, forcing a smile when she nodded at the Sullustan who brightened considerably upon seeing her. "Jae. Small galaxy."

"Lady Braddock! This is so wonderful - I was just saying it's been too long since we worked together on Nar Shaddaa! Didn't I?" Jae Juun - part-time GAI agent, full-time pilot and well-meaning adventurer - asked his business partner.

The business partner - a black-furred Ewok with a white slash across his chest, and a belt full of various lethal weapons - chattered in a melange of Ewokese and Huttese which made Betsy frown while

 

A/N: Just a quick update, Valentine's Day-related ...

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Chapter 19: 28.1 ABY: Olie' Memorial Starport, Theed, Naboo:
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For once, it felt really, really good to punch tragedy in the figurative nose.

We're getting on with rescuing Master Katarn, we've freed Naboo from Yuuzhan Vong harrassment, and Raynar's alive. It's about time, Zekk thought, smiling with Padme' as an old Lambda-class shuttle descended from orbit, tractoring the wrecked Tachyon Flier behind it.

With them were Queen Kylama and many members of her court, who were preparing a more formal celebration of the arrival of the Jedi rescuers who'd helped to reconnect the Naboo system with the rest of the galaxy. Among them were Padme's nieces, Ryoo and Pooja Naberrie, and members of their extended families.

The sun was shining, the sky was a perfect blue, and the light in Padme's eyes and mental presence warmed Zekk, while he fingered a few important objects in one of the pockets of his robe. He knew things were extremely busy, both with the situation on Naboo and the plans he and Padme' were preparing to set in motion.

But some things just needed doing when the moment was right, and Zekk's heart screamed at him that now was the moment.

So - not particularly caring who saw, or about protocol - Zekk dropped to one knee, producing one of those important objects from his robe, and looked up at the woman whom he'd come to love more than life itself as he asked:

"Padme' Amidala-Skywalker ... will you marry me?"

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to be continued ...

 

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Chapter 20: 28.1 ABY: Olie' Memorial Starport, Theed, Naboo:
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Padme' spun around from where she was watching the Tachyon Flier being tractored in by the rescue shuttle. She was caught off-guard only for a second as she saw Zekk drop to one knee, speak a few words, and hold up a ring.

A ring.

He - I - now -

Padme' set all that aside, wiping away happy tears, and nodded, mouthing the word "Yes" over the sounds of starship wash and thruster noise.

Zekk's eyes lit up as he beamed, placing the ring on Padme's left hand, and he stood and kissed her. It might not have been by moonslight and soft music, but it would do.

And for now, the future Lord and Lady of Varykino stood, watching as one of their lost friends returned.

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Raynar half-stumbled, half-wobbled down the ramp of the Tachyon Flier, shielding his eyes against the sunlight while Em-TeeDee floated behind him. With all the gravitational and emotional stresses - and the lingering aftereffects of the shock he'd received from a voxyn tail before even escaping Baanu Raas - the Alderaanian was still overwhelmed.

"Uhm ... hello. I'm Jedi Raynar Thul ... I think I might have time-traveled by accident ...?" he tried to explain, as medical droids and security personnel checked him over. That didn't last long, though, and Raynar was pleasantly surprised to be greeted by a small crowd of Jedi - some of whom were familiar.

"Raynar! Force be praised - we just arrived in-system ourselves. How did you escape? You don't look a day older than the Myrkr raid!" Klin-Fa Gi exclaimed, smiling, as her boyfriend Uldir Lochett nodded. Nearby, four other Jedi stood, radiating friendly greetings through the Force - a Bothan male and a teenaged Bothan female, a blue-skinned Omwati girl, and a 20-something human man whom Raynar thought he'd seen around the Yavin Praxeum before its destruction.

"I think the relativistic shielding on the hyperdrive failed from all the plasma spitter blasts the ship took. I can't believe we're 10 months in the future ... did the raid succeed? Did we stop the voxyn?" Raynar asked, and the other Jedi's faces flickered with a bunch of different emotions.

"We did stop the voxyn," a more familiar voice replied, and Raynar found himself almost bowled over when Zekk clapped him on the back, smiling. "Glad you're alive, pal. The war's almost over. We took Coruscant back just a few days ago -"

"Wait, we lost Coruscant? Even for a while?! What about the other Jedi? Lusa? Eclipse? My mother -" Raynar stammered, overwhelmed for a second until he took a deep breath. Panicking wouldn't help, and if things had gone horribly, Zekk wouldn't be so reassuring.

Zekk's expression became understanding, though, and the dark-haired man looked around as he said, "We'll let you call New Alderaan right away. Give Raynar some time to adjust, OK, guys? Master Im'nel, I'd ask you check him over more thoroughly when we have time - I trust the Naboo medical establishment, but there are some things that Jedi healers can find more specifically than those without the Force."

Raynar was grateful, even if he did have a flicker of embarrassment at being treated like an invalid. They're just trying to help, he reminded himself as Zekk nodded at a brown-haired woman a little older than they were - whom Raynar recognized, and bowed to.

"Lady Amidala-Skywalker! You're all right - and your family?" Raynar said, as Jaina and Jacen's grandmother smiled at him. She'd always been very kind and supportive, and Raynar appreciated that right now.

"They're all alive and doing well, Raynar, thank you. Jaina's still running Twin Suns Squadron with Jagged Fel, while Jacen ... well, he's alive, and out of Yuuzhan Vong captivity. It's a very long story. Anakin and Tahiri are helping stop Bothan extremists, and Luke, Mara, Ben, and Artoo are rest

 

A/N: Getting back to this ...

NOTE: This chapter takes place after the opening chapters of Shores Yet Untrod, a companion piece, although either 'fic can be read without having to read the other:

http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/31579431/p1/?1

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Chapter 21: 28.1 ABY: Temporary Jedi HQ, Heurkea Floating City, Mon Calamari:
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Mara twitched as she stood and stretched; she was still recovering from giving birth, and Force trances only fixed so much of that.

I don't mind, though - wouldn't the sludgefeed types blow a fuse, seeing 'Mama Mara,' she thought, smiling as she peeked into Ben's bedroom. The toddler was curled up on his side, and Mara brushed his red hair before concentrating in the Force.

She'd known, before napping, that Luke had taken Hope with him to work - or at least, to the office - and Mara was glad that Luke was making a real effort to be a dad. He deserved that, just like she did, and after all the carnage of the past few years, Mara wanted to savor every moment. It was a little strange, not having Hope right near her, but Mara could sense her entire family through the Force.

Including ... ah, Mara thought, nodding when she detected Jaina getting closer, fast - frustrated, more than a little upset, and needing to talk. She slipped out of Ben's room and back into her and Luke's bedroom, and changed from her pajamas into a comfortable pair of sweats and slippers, raising an eyebrow when Artoo rolled toward her and raised his sensor antenna.

"It's just Jaina, you know - or maybe you don't?" Mara asked the droid, a little teasingly. She actually liked Artoo, since he had an edgy wit, a great deal of sense, and a real streak of compassion.

"Bweet fredweep ardeet-dweet," Artoo replied, a little sarcastically but also with a warble of "I just wanted to give you a heads-up."

"I'm not complaining. Keep up the watch," Mara said, opening the front door as she nodded at Jaina. "Hey - what's going on?"

The girl - young woman, Mara reminded herself, especially since it was hardly a secret how close Jaina had gotten to Jag - sighed with uncharacteristic exhaustion and asked, "Can you help me figure out men?"

"They're not that hard to understand. Come in, raid the fridge, say hi to Artoo - Ben's asleep and Luke's got Hope with him. What's going on with Fel?" Mara asked, letting Jaina enter the conapt and head for the kitchenette.

Jaina patted Artoo's dome, smiling a little as the astromech tweedled a worried-sounding, "Dwooo. Ardweet-fretweep?"

"No, Jag's fine, Artoo - and I'm just ... Kyp made me look back at a particularly ugly moment during the war, before he left on an extended mission for the Council. We parted well enough. It's just stirred up some old ... issues," Jaina said, getting some chilled shuura juice from the fridge and pouring herself a glass.

Oh, boy, Mara thought, biting the inside of her cheek and willing herself to keep her mouth shut. She'd heard, through Luke, that Durron had gone to check on the Jedi who'd been scattered early in the war in Operation: Green Sowing. But the news that Kyp had talked to Jaina before leaving was troubling.

Jaina raised an eybrow as she walked back into the living room and sat down on the couch, looking at her aunt. "Be nice. Kyp's a good guy. You just don't like him because he speaks his mind and he's not afraid of you," she pointed out.

Mara's mouth twisted in a moue of annoyance before she finally muttered, "I see my teaching you to get to the point produced results after all."

Jaina's mood improved a little as she sipped the juice and half-smiled. "You're not going to like the rest of the news. It seems that Kyp still has feelings for me. Which I find flattering, and that's the problem," she said, her expression falling as she took another sip.

Mara sat on a footstool and looked at Jaina fo

 

I'm kind of wanting to have a Hope sighting or even a fic where she's the star when she's older. Maybe some interactions between her and Ben with reactions of what happened in Delusions of Grandeur (mostly their reaction to Jaina coming back with Rian). More around the time you put up in the Ben story where he's a droid repairman. Just some interactions between grownup!Hope and grownup!Ben.

 

whatever: Here's something with Hope and her brothers, down the line (although Coric hasn't been born yet, as of Crusades):

http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/31585108/p1/?0

Meanwhile, more on what's going on with Anakin, Tahiri, and friends ...

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Chapter 22: 28.1 ABY: Watchgate, Imperial-II Star Destroyer, approaching
the Columex system, Outer Rim Territories:
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Anakin cracked open an eyelid as he sensed disbelief, amusement, and some surprise in the officer's lounge he'd thought would be empty for a while. I was kind of hoping to work with Kettch at least a little before we got busy with the mission, he thought, looking around.

Between the initial orientation meetings with the Watchgate's crew, and the hyperspace mapping work needed to be done along the Giblim Route, then the Lesser and Greater Cronese Arc hyperlanes, it had been very hectic for Anakin and his group. They were almost a week out from Mon Calamari, and had only come as far Coreward as Columex, on the Perlemian Trade Route, since they were transmitting updated hyperspace data to the Bureau of Ships and Service to aid in filling in gaps in the galactic hyperspace coordinate database.

Anakin's Ewok Padawan was sitting cross-legged, as Anakin was, concentrating on a pile of simple holobooks. Kettch was keeping one of the holobooks aloft, while trying to levitate himself, also. It wasn't as simple an exercise as one thought, especially not for Jedi who were below Master level - Jacen was able to do it, but ...

Well, Jacen's Jacen, Anakin reflected, standing and stretching as the holobook started to wobble. He caught it, then smiled at Kettch as the Ewok opened his eyes, and Anakin said, "Don't worry. We'll work more on it later."

"Yub. Sorry, Anakin. Still working on shutting out distractions," Kettch said, standing and watching the small crowd of Imperials who'd walked in. One of them was the shuttle pilot, Jarl Nayf, who'd flown them to the Watchgate from Mon Calamari before they'd left that system to head for Bothan space.

"Sorry to interrupt, sir - Kettch. We didn't know that anybody would be in here," Nayf said, but Anakin just shook his head with a little embarrassment.

"My fault, Lieutenant. I should've filed a request with the central scheduling office. We've made some progress; Kettch isn't that far behind me, in studies of the Force," Anakin said, smiling confidently at his friend.

"Yub. Thanks," Kettch said, grinning. He tilted his head, then, and asked, "Watchgate coming out of hyperspace?"

Anakin concentrated with his technometric sense and his more mundane senses, feeling and hearing the shift of the Star Destroyer's systems toward the reversion to realspace. "We must be coming up on Columex for the course correction onto the Perlemian," he said, turning toward the viewport.

The blue tunnel of hyperspace reverted to individual stars scattered across the black velvet of space, and a brighter dot in the distance blazed bright - but not quite so closely or intently as a greenish-black orb that hung in the void. Anakin reached out, frowning a little at the sense of ... mixture that radiated from the planet.

"Is that Columex? Reports were that it'd been hit hard by the Vong, but that's a mess," one of the other Imperials - a dark-skinned woman with a medical officer's badge on her uniform jacket's shoulder - said, worry evident in her tone.

"Moreso than we can tell from up here ... excuse me, I need to call Captain Yularen," Anakin said, thumbing on his comlink. He'd made sure to tell Linx Yularen, and of course Tahiri, where he'd be, but otherwise he'd gone offline to try and be a good teacher.

"- General Solo?" Anakin heard Yularen ask. "We're receiving multiple messages - one priority transmission from Mon Calamari, marked private for you, and a distress message from Col

 

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Chapter 22: 28.1 ABY: Jedi Temporary Headquarters, Heurkea Floating City, Mon
Calamari, Outer Rim Territories:
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"Master Jaina?"

Jaina looked up from her datapad as she organized details for Twin Suns Squadron to go hunting for Kane' Kwaad. After attacking Rothana and its shipyards, the rogue Vong warlord had apparently vanished, leaving a token occupation force on Rothana which was about to be attacked by Galactic Alliance forces.

That leaves us to try and find Kwaad ... us, and our Padawans. If they're ready, Jaina thought, nodding for her Padawan, Daerna D'Arsan, to find a seat in Jaina's office.

"Sorry we haven't had much of a chance to talk lately. Just because I'm busy doesn't mean I have the right to put off your training," Jaina said, and the girl nodded - she was nervous, but not out of discomfort.

"I've been working on the drills you've been teaching me - I think my deflection work is getting better. And Tiernam's been helping me practice my mechanical skills," Daerna said, brightening a little at the mention of her twin brother. Tiernam's temporary bout of sorrow at his abandonment by Jacen had quickly faded when the Masters assigned Tiernam to Lowbacca, whose generally upbeat temperament was similar to the human boy's personality.

Daerna's not so upbeat, though ... Jaina realized, watching Daerna grow quiet, and a bit embarrassed.

"I'm ... not sure I'll be much help, flying, I mean. I've trained on the simulators, but I don't want to be a problem, and you're so accomplished ..." Daerna said, hanging her head.

This wasn't teenaged angst, Jaina could tell - she was unpleasantly familiar with the emotion. Daerna was worried, but being Desevran and noble both, didn't want to admit to her understandable fear.

At least she's not being a brat, Jaina recognized, waiting until Daerna looked at her before giving the girl a supportive smile.

"Well, the Masters say that Padawans are supposed to accompany the Knights and Masters they're assigned to. But I've looked at your flight reports, and I think you're better than you think you are. That said, it might be best if you keep working on your mechanical skills and lightsaber work here for a while," Jaina said.

Daerna relaxed, smiling with relief. "Thanks, Master. I want to help, and make sure that I am helping," she said.

"I get it - I've been there myself, wanting to be sure I'm at my best," Jaina said.

Daerna nodded, then blushed a little and said, "I didn't think I would learn so much from Hu - er, non-humans. I think I've been ... close-minded. Being a Jedi learner is a lot different than I'd expected."

Jaina ignored the near-slur Daerna had almost let slip; the girl was trying to come down from her prejudices, and that deserved recognition. "You can learn a lot from different species and cultures," she agreed, thinking fast ... and slowly smiling.

To Daerna, she said, "You need work on your piloting and mechanical skills, right? Well, I think I know someone else whom you should work with ..."

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Comms Room:
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Valin looked up from where he was analyzing signal data coming in from the new hyperspace beacons being dropped off in various star systems to try and reestablish a database of hyperspace navigation coordinates. Master Ahsoka was ... nervous, and that wasn't like her.

"Master?" he asked the Togruta woman, who was paying close attention to data coming in from one particular beacon, while Knight Lusa and her Padawan, Valin's Bothan friend Kolir Hul'ya, looked over at them.

"This doesn't make sense ... Lusa, are the hyperspace beacons able to detect distress signals? Like, from planetary surfaces?" Ahsoka asked the Chironian woman.

"Well, sure. Have you picked up something?" Lusa asked.

 

Hmmm... just reading this last chapter, I have a lot to catch up on...

"Oh, my! Mistress Leia, Captain Solo, I'm receiving a priority message from Artoo! Mistress Mara's pregnancy radically accelerated because of the Phoenix Force - she's safely given birth to a healthy daughter! And - oh, dear - Master Jacen has quit the Jedi Order!? That can't possibly be right!" Threepio exclaimed, checking the comlink he was holding -

Wait a minute?

"Mara gave birth!? And Jacen did WHAT?!" Leia demanded - oddities in Mara's pregnancies were, by now, almost to be expected, even if the news of her new niece's arrival both elated and worried Leia. But she felt a fresh wave of fear for Jacen - he wouldn't leave the Jedi without a powerful reason.

That's not usually how one should break news like that... *chuckle*

 

Daena: Yeah, there's been a lot of poorly-delivered news in this 'fic.

It'd help if I updated it more frequently, too. Speaking of which ...

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Chapter 23: 28.1 ABY: Galactic Alliance Sector Headquarters, Centax II,
Coruscant, Core Worlds:
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The military-style buzzcut wasn't the worst problem - Jacen had had his head regularly shaved during the early part of his imprisonment by the Yuuzhan Vong after Myrkr. Besides, Jedi were supposed to be above worrying about physical appearance (cleanliness was another matter - the idea was to promote respect for all species).

Nor were the barracks, or the exercise, or the hundred little rules that the drill sergeants were forcing the recruits to follow. It was all about promoting conformity, which Jacen could see through (he certainly had done enough pushups to confirm that).

No, the problem was that he could see through the attempts at indoctrination. Even the worst snarling of drill sergeants compared poorly to the wrath of Yuuzhan Vong warriors.

Oh, Jacen could follow orders, and with Jedi reflexes. Even the presence of ysalamiri to ensure that he wasn't having an unfair advantage over his fellow recruits had been unable to keep him from keeping up with the others.

In truth ... Jacen just wasn't feeling challenged. He was able to keep from making the same mistakes, so the amount of punitive physical training he underwent rapidly decreased. And he was making some friends among the other recruits - well, some.

As he'd suspected, a lot of them were viewing the "Jedi son of Han and Leia Solo" with a wide array of feelings. Confusion, some resentment (oh, yes, the stories about Jacen's early heel-dragging during the war had filtered their way down to the "common folk"), and an uncomfortable amount of hero-worship were all reactions Jacen had received.

After all, he'd helped set up Shimmrra to be killed by Anakin and Tahiri. And it was Jacen who was directing the World Brain to help with counter-Vongforming Coruscant (a process that, he had confirmed for researchers including Danni Quee, would very likely take years to counteract).

By the third week, one of the drill sergeants - a Advozse, named Bralgan - had taken Jacen aside and said, "Look, Solo ... you're getting better at this, I reluctantly admit. But you sure you want to stick this out?"

"Sir. With respect, sir, I believe I need to stick this out," Jacen had tried to explain.

Well, he'd asked for it. The rifle drills, the bayonet training, the group chanting - it was all still pretty obvious. But Jacen had noticed his strength growing, his physical stamina becoming less dependant on Force-renewal.

And he might even have added some real muscle and height; it was possible, since some humans didn't stop growing at age 18.

So, Jacen kept up with boot camp, occasionally helping Danni and her team of researchers (and some sympathetic ex-shapers) with their work on restoring Coruscant. That, especially, was central to Jacen's efforts - restoring the heart of the galaxy.

And if he ever needed a reminder of the ultimate reason he needed to get stronger ... the dream sometimes crept into his mind.

There are Sith gathering on Korriban. Maybe. I need to be ready to fight them - the galaxy needs to be ready to fight them ...

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Cloak of the Sith, approaching Roon, Outer Rim Territories:
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Even after nearly three years in the galaxy far, far away, Betsy Braddock could still find her breath taken away by some seemingly little things.

Viewing hyperspace from the bridge of a Mon Calamari star cruiser, surrounded by Wookiee shock troops, NRI agents, and fellow Jedi? Oh, I think that qualifies ... the telepath thought, smiling as the Unsheathed Fang closed in on its target.

Ro

 

A/N: UGH. I'd meant to update WAY before now ... This will, by necessity, be a short update for Crusades, but one that'll play out across several other 'fics in the Braddockverse (and which will be updated shortly).

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Chapter 24: 28.1 ABY: Vjun, Outer Rim Territories:
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While Vjun's acid rains, insane natives, and flesh-eating moss - not to mention the dark-side aura of the planet - made it an unattractive stopover for most people, it was on a hyperlane between Botajef and Columex. And since Columex could be reached once again via the Perlemian Trade Route - which, itself, could be reached from Mon Calamari by taking the Giblim Route and skirting the Tion Hegemony - getting to Vjun from Mon Cal hadn't taken terribly long.

It was still too long for Ahsoka Tano's preference.

She'd left the old Jedi Order to raise Rotta in 21 BBY, a decision that had saved her life, then returned early in the Vong War to help the new Jedi. With Rotta's ascension to a place on the Hutt Council of Ancients for his valor in helping save Hutt Space from the Yuuzhan Vong early in 26 ABY, Ahsoka had felt confident in remaining with the Jedi - even accepting Knighthood and becoming Valin Horn's Jedi Master.

Least I could do to give back. But hiding on Nar Shaddaa all those years left me wondering about everyone I could've saved ... or not saved ... and the ones I left behind, the middle-aged Togruta wondered, activating a worn, static holoproj she kept tucked inside her pocket.

It crackled a bit; the resolution wasn't the greatest, after more than 40 years and not a few wild escapades after looking out for Rotta. But the holo resolved itself quickly, displaying Ahsoka, Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Commander Cody, and Captain Rex.

Rex ... that hyperspace beacon seeded in the Vjun system picked up your distress beacon. Only one place on Vjun it could be coming from ... Bast Castle. My ex-Master's 'vacation spot,' Ahsoka considered, shaking her head.

She'd figured out fairly early on in the Imperial era that Vader had been Anakin. After the chat Ahsoka and Obi-Wan had had on Nar Shaddaa when Obi-Wan had taken Luke to Tatooine, Ahsoka had learned that Anakin had led the attack on the Jedi Temple.

When the 501st Legion was shifted over to the Emperor's main enforcer, Darth Vader, Ahsoka had quickly realized the truth, regardless of whether she wanted to believe it or not. She'd kept up on Vader's exploits - the Hutt infonet, with its long-time connections to the Bothans, had been invaluable - and one nagging question had remained: What happened to Rex?

One of the few parts of Skyguy's personality that survived into Vader was his respect for his troops. Especially after how close he and Rex became during the Clone Wars, I can't see Anakin just ... killing Rex. Something had to happen ... I have to be prepared for the worst, Ahsoka reminded herself, taking a deep breath.

She'd never been much better at Jedi detachment than Skyguy, to be honest. Then again, she'd fled Null after Anakin had killed Cad Bane, believing the bounty hunter had killed Ahsoka. Rex was the closest sentient Ahsoka had had to an older brother, someone she could talk to without reservation (unlike senior Jedi).

But she'd never been brave enough to learn Rex's fate.

I had enough excuses during the Empire's reign to avoid dealing with it. But not anymore. I owe him - and all the people who maybe I could've saved, if I'd come forward during the Clone Wars and confronted Anakin - closure, Ahsoka thought, shaking her head. She still wasn't sure if staying undercover for so many years had been common sense or cowardice.

And if I'm going to teach a Padawan, then I have to have courage enough to be honest with myself and him, Ahsoka thought, glancing over at Valin while he dozed in the co-pilot's seat. He looked very young when he was asleep, despite being on the brin

 

A/N: Uh, yeah - updating this ... It's been a little ... hectic, these past few months?

Anyway, since I'm updating Shores Yet Untrod again, I thought it might be a good idea to catch this up.

SYNOPSIS SO FAR: In an alternate timeline, the Yuuzhan Vong War came screeching to a halt in First Month, 28 ABY, thanks to the survival of Anakin Solo. Anakin slew Shimmrra Jaamane and, with Tahiri Veila, rallied the Yuuzhan Vong Shamed Ones to fight their oppressive upper caste brethren. At the same time, Jacen Solo convinced Vergere to save the life of Ganner Rhysode, and shortly thereafter slew Onimi. Mara Jade-Skywalker used the Phoenix Force to save Luke from Shimmrra's amphistaff venom, and the Skywalker-Solo clan quickly reunited - along with Padme Amidala-Skywalker, who had been released from stasis on Polis Massa early in the war.

Revitalized, the Galactic Alliance began the work of reclaiming Coruscant. Mara, however, found herself not only pregnant, but the pregnancy was artificially accelerated to full term by the Phoenix. Mara quickly gave birth to a healthy daughter, Hope, and with a recuperating Luke, the family are reconnecting with Ben on Mon Calamari. Padme', with her paramour, Zekk of Ennth, traveled to Naboo with a team of Jedi to try and learn what happened to the Mid Rim planet, and they freed Naboo of interdiction by the Yuuzhan Vong. Zekk's expedition even managed to rescue Raynar Thul, who with Em Tee-Dee narrowly escaped the disastrous Myrkr mission months earlier.

Meanwhile, Han, Leia and a very-much-alive Chewbacca are working with Leia's cousin Nial Organa to help refugees from the war, while Jacen quit the Jedi Order to enlist in the Galactic Alliance Defense Force after having a vision of the arrival of A'Sharad Hett on Korriban. Jacen also continues to assist the Alliance with reversing Coruscant's Vongforming, through his connection to the World Brain.

Jaina continues to lead Twin Suns Squadron, and Anakin and Tahiri are working with Imperial Captain Linx Yularen - grandson of Wulff Yularen, former fleet admiral and later ISB agent - to thwart Bothan rebels seeking revenge upon innocent Yuuzhan Vong. The Jedi Order is proceeding with rebuilding its ranks and aiding the Alliance, Imperial Remnant, Hutts and other wartime allies in repairing the galaxy.

Unfortunately, a new threat to the fragile piece has risen - Kane' Kwaad, a Yuuzhan Vong warrior and the illegitimate son of the dreaded Master Shaper Mezhan Kwaad. Kane', whose escalations include the ability to split his arms lengthwise in intentional homage to General Grievous, has sworn not to allow the peace agreement between the Vong and the Alliance stand. To that end, he attacked the Outer Rim shipyards of Rothana, and attempted to break the spirit of Jedi Knight Rosh Penin. During a rescue attempt, Rosh was rescued, but the Sith Lady Lumiya - with the fallen Jedi Daye Azur-Jamin, and a mysterious Force-sensitive Yuuzhan Vong female - captured Kyle Katarn.

To save the Battlemaster of the new Jedi Order, the Jedi Council approached Betsy "Psylocke" Braddock, former member of the X-Men and close friend of the Skywalker and Solo clans, to lead the rescue mission. With her Zabrak Padawan, K'urod Var-Tasik, Betsy has traveled to the Outer Rim world of Roon, with Tam Azur-Jamin (Daye's son), Chewbacca's son Lumparawaroo, several other Wookiees, Jan Ors (Kyle's longtime paramour and accomplished spy), Galactic Alliance Intelligence operative Jae Juun, and the dreaded Ewok bounty hunter Tarfang.

What neither Lumiya nor Betsy know, however, is that Kane' has learned of Kyle's location, and seeks to kill more Jedi ...

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Chapter 25: 28.1 ABY: Roon, Abrion Sector,
Outer Rim Territories:
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There was something comforting about having Wookiees, a deadly Ewok, and Kyle Katarn's girlfriend watching one's back.

And I complained about having Tarfang along, Betsy thought, repressing a smir

 

A/N: With a new year, I thought it best to get back to some 'fic I want to finish. This is the companion piece - and woefully behind in the timeline - to Shores Yet Untrod:

http://boards.theforce.net/beyond_the_saga/b10477/31579431/p1/?1

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Chapter 25: 28.1 ABY: Estate of House Organa, New Aldera,
New Alderaan, Ash Worlds Sector, Outer Rim Territories:
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"No, we can get this - guys, seriously, it's OK. Get back to perimeter security," Raynal told two human guards as the speeder came to a rest and the Solos and Organas disembarked. Leia raised a curious eyebrow, noticing the men were dressed in House Organa colors, and she gave her cousin Nial a querying look while Threepio and Nial's protocol droid offloaded the luggage.

Nial smiled a bit, shrugging as he, Danielle and Raynal walked with Han, Leia, Chewbacca and the Noghri toward the main manor, which was built in a hauntingly-familiar pre-Destruction Alderaanian style. "We've come a long way from prefab settlement housing and relying on power supplies in town, Leia. Since you and Master Skywalker defeated the Reborn Emperor, New Alderaan's worked hard to recover our cultural legacy, to build a new home that keeps the best of the past and incorporates the best of the modern era. If we happen to have house retainers, it's nothing new - you have your Noghri, after all," Nial said.

"That's true, but Cahkmaim and Meewahl aren't servants ... I guess I just hadn't had time to really think about how much I missed Castle Organa. This is a ... nice reflection of it," Leia agreed, looking up at the looming castle-like mansion with a lump in her throat.

She felt Han's warm support, and his hand on her shoulder, while Danielle whispered something to Nial and Raynal blushed a bit. "Dad, we can talk more after we're in from the cold. Besides, we shouldn't stay out here and make ourselves targets," the young man said, drawing Leia and Han's attention.

Nial scowled, especially when Danielle gave him a look that was pure Han. "Listen to our son, 'my prince.' I agree that it's a silly tradition, but if Darima's even remotely crazy enough to try it, I'm not going to risk our safety," the ex-smuggler said.

"Wait - 'tradition'? And who's Darima?" Han asked, gently but firmly moving toward the main door of the mansion.

Old memories flared in Leia's mind, and she blinked in disbelief. "Darima's alive? How'd she wind up on New Alderaan! I thought the Ulgos were wiped out in the Destruction!" she demanded.

Nial took a deep breath, waiting to speak until they'd all found themselves in his drawing room. "This is going to require some stout beverages - TC-23, get me the '16 l'lahsh, and that spare flask of Corellian whisky from the vault, please. Chewbacca, is there anything special we can get you?" the moustachioed lord of the manor asked after greeting another TC-class protocol droid.

<Just water, please,> the great Wookiee rumbled, and the other protocol droid whisked off to obey Nial's orders. Han and Leia found seats on one of the couches, while Danielle and Nial sat in matching recliners that could've doubled as a queen and king's thrones, were the Organas still holding court (and Leia wouldn't put it past her cousin to do so).

Nor even myself, if things were different ... but holding court seems so trivial, compared to the rest of the galaxy's problems. But I'm getting a lot of reminders of the past, too, Leia thought, nodding as Raynal and Chewie sat in flowform chairs.

Danielle frowned a bit at Nial and asked, "The l'alhsh? Isn't that a little strong before lunch?"

"You didn't know how badly Darima Ulgo made life for Leia, my love. Finishing school was quite the unpleasant ordeal for you, wasn't it, cousin?" Nial asked, not unkindly, as Leia took a deep breath.

"I knew you hated the whole fancy balls and fluffy dresses thing, but ... did she hurt you?" Han asked, and Leia smiled at his concern.

"No more - or