Alkea didn't reply as she watched her brother take off. She wondered what will happen now and how her niece will grow up. It plagued her thoughts until the ship came into view of Coruscant. As it neared, she gave the orders to land in the designated landing pad.
Almalexia was watching Coruscant come into view. It had been a long time since she had seen it. It was like seeing it for the first time again. She held her breath as she saw the lights that indicated the buildings and air traffic. She looked out the viewing window and asked Hethra, "Has it always been like this?"
"No. It was once far more magnificent, but sixty-four years ago, an extragalactic race called the Yuuzhan Vong took it from the Republic, and transformed it into a jungle landscape like their original homeworld. They also made the rings around the planet. Three years later we retook the planet, and began to rebuild, but it will take a long time for it to be as vast as it was during the days of the First and Second Republics. Darth Mortis was one of these Yuuzhan Vong, but she was very different. Most of them are Force-dead, but Mortis had a strong presence. Also, she never mutilated her body as Yuuzhan Vong usually do, and she embraced technology." Hethra replied.
"All Republic fighters in the area, shoot to disarm and disable the Sith fighters. The War is nearly over, and leaving the pilots alive will increase our chances of a peace treaty." Komad sent this message to all Republic starfighters around Coruscant.
"She was an anomaly then?" Almalexia replied, searching for the right word. It was hard to imagine Coruscant being anything but that. Still that didin't matter as she was once again with her love.
"Yes. We should get to the loading bay, we're almost ready to dock." Hethra replied.
After rounding up all the remaining fighters, Komad decided to return to Coruscant. He spotted the Jedi Temple and began landing procedures.
Alkea gave the order and the ship began its descent to dock. It was the part she hated. She preferred Jedi fighters to bulk cruisers but what were you to do when you are given command of the fleet? She sat in her seat as she watched Coruscant come closer.
Andros looked out the window as the ship made its descent. He never liked Coruscant but after that business with the droid war, he knew that he had to be close enough to be called again. He pondered the strange feeling he felt when he escaped the Death Star and wondered what it meant. He had his mother's talent, that much was a given by anyone who know his mother but he had his father's quiet reserve and thoughtful expression. He said nothing as the ship made its landing.
Feeling better after everything, Greea stood on the landing dock to wait for her husband. Their daughter was in the nursery being that she was rather a small thing. She scanned the sky as she waited.
Komad's X-38 touched down in the Jedi Temple hangar, where Greea was waiting for him. He kissed her and informed her of what happened. "Officially, we're still at war, but the fighting's over. How is Kalla doing?" He said to her.
"Just fine. She's in the nursery," Greea replied, "I am surprised that you did not come with the others. They share the same feelings as you do."
"I've never been the patient type, you know that. Plus, I had you and the baby to get back to." Komad replied. "And after being in the Death Star a second time, I wanted to get back here as soon as I could."
"And leave Starlighter high and dry?" Greea replied, teasing Komad. She led the way towards the nursery. Any moment they would return but Starlighter knew how to find everyone. She continued, "Things have been quiet, even with all the action in the skies."
Andros, as if hearing her thoughts, chuckled. It was true he knew how to find people. Some said it was the bounty hunter genes within. He waited patiently however until Alkea could get a speeder to fly them all back to the temple. He asked Hethra, "Do you think that this is over?"
"That's good. I'm glad there wasn't much panic here." Komad replied.
"For now, yes. The Sith never seem to truly be defeated, but if they ever return, it will be a long time from now." Hethra replied.
"I would agree with you on that one," Andros conceded, "but I think that while we must be wary, we cannot forget to live." He motioned discreetly to where Alkea was piloting the speeder and Reyvan was sitting next to her, occasionally reaching for her hand.
"I agree. The first thing that must be done is prisoner exchanges, and then peace talks." Hethra replied.
Komad and Greea looked at their daughter, who was currently fast asleep. Like her father, she had human hair and Twi'lek lekku, as well as a facial structure common in both humans and Twi'leks, and like her mother, she had Rodian hands and antennae. "I'm grateful she's going to grow up in a time of peace, something neither of us experienced." Komad said to Greea.
Greea said nothing but hugged her husband. Something didn't seem right but she wasn't sure what it was.
Alkea landed the speeder and jumped out with Reyvan following close behind. The twins followed and went to a second speeder to greet their aunt and uncles. Andros, ever the gentleman, helped Almalexia out. He had just set her down when Greea's padawan, Quinlan came running up. He spoke in a ragged breath, "Master Starlighter? I was told to give this to you as soon as you came in." He handed the Jedi a datapad and turned to go back to his duties.
Andros switched on the datapad and reviewed the contents. His face became dark, as if deep in thought.
This can't be good. Alkonium thought to himself. "What does it say?" Hethra asked Andros.
"I sense the others are back. We should go meet up with them." Komad said to Greea.
Greea gave a slight nod but her thoughts were preoccupied. She sensed that all was not right, specifically with Master Starlighter. His darkened mood worried her. It wasn't anger but something more. She kept step with her husband as they went to greet the others. She didn't even notice her padawan as he passed them to return to his studies in the archives.
Andros was deep in thought. It can't be! But with the Force...Life after death... The thoughts rushed through his mind like an out of control speeder. He was barely listening to Hethra as he felt his dark mood take over. He hadn't felt that way since he exchanged harsh words with Luke a long time ago. He noticed that Komad and Greea had arrived and saw that he would be backed into a corner unless he said something. The first thing that came to mind was, "This isn't over."
"I didn't think it would be, but we need to know more." Hethra replied. "Tyrannus is still alive, isn't he?" "How could he be? There were no unaccounted for ships leaving the Death Star, so he'd have to have stowed about one of our fighters." Alkonium suggested. "That would also mean he was on the landing craft, since I was in the only fighter to leave the Champion while we were returning to Coruscant." Komad pointed out.
Andros was barely listening to the theories. He knew exactly how Tyrannus got off the Death Star. He didn't think anyone would use what his mother developed during the Clone wars to their own ends. It made sense about everything. He stared at the Avalonian script on the datapad. It read, "If you are reading this, then you know that this will never end. You will always be hunted."
"There's no telling where he might have gone, so we need to look over records, find out who has had contact with him, anything that might help." Hethra suggested. "Greea, I believe your brother might know something."
"Maybe," Greea replied but doubting that it might be so.
"You won't find him," Andros cut in. "He will find me."
"Then we'll be ready for him. I'll place guards around your quarters and increase security throughout the Temple. If he finds you, we'll find him." Hethra suggested.
"You do not understand," Andros turned to face everyone. "He will find me because he wills it and through the Force he can pass through any security you come up with. Such is the way of our people and a curse that was to have died by my mother's hand."
"So you're just going to let him kill you? The Andros Starlighter I knew wouldn't have given up so easily, or did he die on the Death Star?" Hethra asked, hoping to provoke a response. Aware of what Hethra was doing, Alkonium decided to help. "No, I think it was with the Imperium of Machine."
Andros looked at his friends. It was hard for someone to understand the meaning of blood feuds on Avalon. His mother supposedly ended it when she killed the last descendant on Belos during the Clone Wars. He said, "Wars leave many scars. Like a scar, the scab protects it, a way of forgetting. The memory comes back when you open it."
Almalexia listened to the conversation. She had heard a similar lesson from her father when he explained about convincing Andros to return to the Republic and fight once again. She understood the meaning. Tyrannus left some sort of scar upon Andros long ago. The interaction had reopened it a little but he had to open it completely to face it. She spoke softly, "He will come but you will face him."
"Yes. There will be a time when we will meet again," Andros replied.
High above them, a hooded figure watched the group from below. They looked so safe but in reality they were not. The others didn't matter but the leader did. They had an old score to settle. His yellow red eyes gazed at them for a long time. The time will come and we shall see if you are the son of Kirabaros, Starlighter. Your mother was.
((Did you want to end it like this? A cliffhanger for a possible sequel?))
"Very well. Be ready for him." Hethra replied. "If you truly believe there is nothing we can do, we will focus on aiding the acting Chief of State to form a peace treaty with the remains of the Sith Empire, or more the Empire now."
Over the next few weeks, all remaining Sith Troops laid down their arms and surrendered to the Republic, and Sith leaders sat down with Republic diplomats and forged a peace treaty. The war was over, and the galaxy was at peace.
Sixteen Years Later...
Komad waited at the Temple landing pad with his son Andros. Kalla was out investigating some unexplained disturbances near the Unknown Regions with her Master, and had informed him that they had discovered something out there, but a minor electromagnetic storm had cut her off before she could tell him what it was. Now he could find out, as two X-45's landed, and out came Kalla and Reyvan Skyrider, her Master and Uncle. Komad immediately hugged his daughter, glad that she was safe. "Your mother and I were so worried about you, what happened out there?" He asked her. "It's bad, he's back." Kalla replied, and though she did not know the man of which she spoke, she knew her father would.
Master Reyvan gave a slight nod to Komad to confirm. Master Andros must be told.
"He doesn't mean me, does he?" Komad's son Andros jokingly asked. Komad wasn't surprised at all that his son could hear what Reyvan said to him telepathically. It was a gift he had inherited from his mother. "No, he means the man you were named for. It's about time you finally met him." Komad said to his son, eager himself to see the legendary Jedi Master again.
THE STORY CONTINUES IN
STAR WARS
THE SITH RESURRECTION
PART IV
ALLIANCES DIVIDED
COMING SOON