After a couple minutes of sustained fire on the station proved to have no effect, I order the fleet away from the station and to begin simply putting distance between themselves and it.

I pass the last of the supplies to Luci, and she takes them into the ship. “We need to move now! Where are Becca and Zar’kun!?”



The speeder flies up just as he asks, and we jump out. “Is this everyone?”



I do a quick head count. “You, me, Zar’kun, Luci, HJ, and Hank. I think that’s everyone... No, wait! Where is Korre? And Xan, for that matter?”



“Xan is on the way, I’m sure. But Korre needs out help. I’ll go look for her.” I run past the group and enter the hotel.



I look to Zar’kun. “What are we gonna do, Grandpa?”

"We need to evacuate. Chancellor Organa is already getting all the citizens into the bombardment bunkers and shelters, so there really isn't anything we can do."



The Invictus, the Republic's first in a new line of ships that were armed with railguns instead of turbolaser weaponry, was enroute to Coruscant to help deal with the station attacking it. However, I wasn't sure that we would make it in time and the main weapon, the Planetary Railgun, took time to power up. I still chuckled at the name, since at most, the massive weapon could level a city in a single shot. The R&D department theorized that if we'd had it during the war, Imperial capitol ships wouldn't have been able to draw out the fights for so long and into their favor. I sigh as I turn to the helmsman, as once more I file it away for further thought later. "Helm, ETA to Coruscant?"

The Twi'lek grimaced as she looked back at me. "Too long sir. Unless this weapon takes another cycle to finish its job, it'll be gone by the time we arrive."

All around me, the storm is laying low the skyscrapers of Coruscant, turning Galactic City into a ruin. As if the battle with the Mandalorians wasn’t enough. My personal speeder returns to the hotel and lands on an unoccupied landing pad. I jump out and run towards the building, just in time to see Korre being led out by Hunter. “Korre!”



“Mi’lady!” I should, waving with my free hand. “Thank the stars you’re alright! I was worried...”



“Forget worrying for me!” I say, pulling her and Val into a hug. Hunter stays respectfully back while I do so. “You need to go now, Korre. This storm isn’t going to stop.”



“My ship is nearby. We can all make it if we hurry.”



I look up at the ships already trying to escape, but are easily struck by lightning and sent crashing. “No... we can’t make it.” I look at Korre, then at little Valkorion. “I think.... I think this is where we part ways.”



“What? What are you talking about?” My eyes fill with fear. “Come on! We have to go together!”



“No, I... I think I’ll stay.” I caress her cheek. “I’ can’t hold onto you anymore. You need to go, and don’t look back at me. Go to Dantooine, like we planned. The Twilights can protect you far better than I could.” I run my fingers through Val’s dark hair and give Korre a kiss on the cheek. I then turn to Hunter. “Get then out of here, please.”



I nod, taking Korre’s arm. “Come on, Miss.”



Tears well in my eyes as Hunter takes me away towards his ship. I look back over my shoulder at Xan as I go. I want to stay, but I know that Val needs to be somewhere safe, so I go.



I watch Korre go for a few moments before I turn towards the hotel and begin to walk. While everyone is spilling out, I am the only one who is heading inside.



After finding that Korre’s room is empty, I began searching the halls for her and her son. Most of the people are gone now, so I have an easier time getting about. Pulling out my comm, I call her and ask her where she is. When she tells me she’s safe with Hunter, I breath a sigh of relief, but her revelation about Xan staying behind surprises me. “What does she think she’s doing?!”

I come running out of the hotel, a couple of cats in my arms to the exasperation of Zar'kun. "Just be glad I didn't grab the whole litter!"



"Observation: My turret is running out of energy and we are still on the ground. Suggestion: Perhaps we should depart?"

"We need to wait for Becca and Korre!"



I return to the pad alone. "Korre is accounted for. We need to hurry before this entire place is leveled." I wave everyone towards their ships. "And Xan... I think she's planning something crazy."



I walk out onto the roof of the hotel, looking up into the eye of the storm. I could sense Sucal up there, controlling the maelstrom of energy and directing it down to obliterate the city. Every fiber of my being screamed for me to flee, but I resist those urges. I'd always run away before this, and cheated death too many times. Now, I would stand my ground... and do something right for a change. Slowly, I lift my hand towards the sky, and begin channeling all of my magick. I can hear the rumble of thunder in the clouds above, and when another lightning bolt comes, it strikes directly into my palm. I do my best to absorb the power, but it still courses through my body painfully. Clenching my teeth in pain, I lift my other hand and double the power I am calling upon. In this way, I become a magnet for the energy of the lightning storm; a proverbial lightning rod. In this way, I open a temporary window for as many ships to escape as possible.

I glance back and up at the roof where the lightning strikes have been redirected and shake my head. "Xanthippe Naberrie...you crazy woman." I turn to the others as Zar'kun starts to speak. "No, don't dishonor her sacrifice. We need to take this window of opportunity and escape."



I turn towards Alice and for the briefest of moments, consider arguing that leaving anyone behind to die was out of the question, even if I did dislike the woman, but I dismiss it. She was right. "May the Force be with you, Xan. Always." I turn to the rest of us gathered. "We need to go, now. Hank, let it be." The HK unit mutters something but does as he's told, heading for HK's ship.

I make sure everyone is aboard their respective ships before I run aboard the Cora and yell for Luci to take off. My ship lifts up along with the Rancor's Den and the Remembrance. As we head for the relativity clear patch of sky Xan has opened for us, we are joined by a Mandalorian transport, which transmits it's ID signature as the Wayward Son. I can only assume this is Hunter's ship, and the four of us stick close together as we make our escape.

Several other ships join us as we make a break for orbit, though some are still clipped by the lightning and sent careening back into the cityscape. While the trip is wrought with worry and could have gone wrong at any moment, the majority of the ships with us, as well as ourselves, manage to break atmosphere and join the Republic and Alderaanian fleets far from the storm, the Mandalorians having taken a similar approach.

I can sense Xan exhausting herself down on the planet, and could see how the storm bent towards her location. Ships were escaping, including the Twilights, but it didn’t matter. What little was left was hardly a match for what I had at my disposal.



I enter the main chamber with a weakened Hayden Twilight in cuffs. Trailing behind me is the grotesque monster that was once Gendry. “She has awoken from the mind prisoner, my lord.”



My head lulls to the floor, so Gendry yanks it up by my hair so I can look at Trayus. I smile weakly. “Ha... You look worse for ware, old man.”



“Charming to the last.” I point to the window, through which she can see Coruscant being destroyed. “See what you’ve made me do? All these people die because of your stubborn refusal to join my side.”



“They don’t know how lucky they are. To die in this world would be far greater than to live on in yours.”



“You won’t be so lucky. Until you embrace your true destiny, your torment will be eternal.” I lean closer. “And believe me, I mean eternal.” My eyes flash purple. “Submit to me or submit to Kreia.”



I can feel the cold hand of the ghost reaching out into my mind, and I try to resist. I had already been through days of mental torment, but the thought of this Sith spirit taking control was beyond horrific. “I’ve... killed you twice already, Sucal. Third time will be the charm, I promise.”



“We’ll see. Once Coruscant is in ruins, we have one final stop before I run out of patience. Until then, enjoy the show.”



Outside, I dodge and weave through the storm towards clear space. “Alright! How the hell are we getting out of here and where are we going?”



“I don’t know yet.” I keep a channel open to the other escaping ships. “We need to find someplace to regroup. Possibly either Dantooine or Alderaan.”



I look towards the station, feeling a familiar presence. “Hayden’s aboard that station.”

"We can't, Becca. No matter how much we want to. But..." I close my eyes and reach out towards Hayden's presence, brushing her mind with my own. "Hold strong, Hayden. We're coming for you."

I hear the voice of Zar'kun in my head, and I give him a slight touch back. "Follow me."



"We're almost to the end. There are only so many places Sucal can hide that big ass space sation. Once we're ready, we'll come back and finish this!" I press a couple buttons on the console. "Calculate the jump to... Hoth, how about? Our last secret base is there. Plus, it's close to Belsavis, so Jerus and Salazar can meet us there quickly enough."



I lean into the mic. "Hunter, get Korré and her son to Dantooine. You know the codes to the compound. Keep here there with defenses on high alert until we return."



"You can count on me!" I punch in the coordinates for Dantooine. "See you guys when this is all over!"

I glance at Alice and she nods. This was the best way to find Trayus' and Kreia's base of operations. "You guys head there, I'm going to follow this station. Hayden's idea."

"Alright, but don't do anything crazy without us. You're one ship against a massive station. Good luck, my friend, and my the Force be with you."



"May it be with us all. Forever and always." I pull the level to initiate the jump to lightspeed. The Cora jumps away, following shortly after by the Rancor's Den and several of the remaining Republic, Alderaanian, and Mandalorian ships. Hunter's ship, the Wayward Son, shoots off in a different direction, headed for Dantooine.



I can sense my allies shooting away, and I know they are safe for now. There are still many who are struggling to escape, but the majority of people are away. My spell is weakening, and I can't hold back the lightning storm for much longer. Through my thoughts, I reach out to Korre one last time. I don't say anything, but I let her know I am there for a few moments before my spell collapses. I, along with the hotel I stand atop and several kilometers of skyline around me, am obliterated in a shock wave of energy.



I feel Xan's presence next to me, as if she is embracing me from the side. Then, as soon as it came, it is gone, and I know that she is dead. I lower my head in sadness, holding my son close to me.

Zar'kun punches and hyperdrive and while the others went to Hoth or Dantooine, they took off after the retreating space station. The two retired, but powerful Jedi Masters would bring home the member of their family, they swore it.

The Genesis Engine makes a short jump from the Coruscant system, leaving the storm still raging by itself. In time, the storm would dissipate naturally, but not before hurricanes ravaged the cityscape. My space station flies deeper into the galactic core towards Tython.

I half turn towards Hayden. “Soon we will reach the homeworld of what remains of the Jedi Order. As we speak, they gather at their temple to mourn the loss of their former Grand Master, Satele Shan. A perfect opportunity to strike, wouldn’t you say?”



“A perfect opportunity for you to die, you mean. The Jedi will sense you’ve come. Your little thunder storm trick only works once.”



I chuckle wickedly. “The Jedi, as always, are too wrapped up in themselves to notice the world around them. Plus, you should know by now how skilled I am at hiding my presence from others. And as for the thunder and lightning... you’re right. That gets old fast. I had a better idea.” I kneel down before Hayden. “You are going to use your power, and drain this planet of the Force.”



I bark a laugh. “Even if I was willing to do as you say, I’m not nearly powerful enough to drain a whole planet. Without the Tempest Eye, such a thing is impossible without lengthy rituals.”



“Oh, I have the Tempest Eye, or at least part of it. The important part.” I hold up the Orb. “This device channels the power of the Force. It is what allowed me to amplify by Force Lightning to destroy Coruscant. It is what will amplify your ability to drain the Force from others. The half that Zar’kun Je’and has is the storage unit, but we can make do without it. The power we drain will be stored within YOU.”



“Good luck. I drained one Jedi Master and it nearly killed me. I could never do a whole planet even if you forced me.”



“You are far stronger than you know. There may be pain, but someone such as yourself, a natural conduit for the Force, will not die. Quite the opposite, you will become far more powerful than any Jedi or Sith you have ever known. More powerful even than Emperor Vitiate.”



“I doubt that... you would never allow me to become that powerful.”



“I would if you joined me willingly. Think about it; we could become the New Sith Triumvirate. I, Darth Trayus, as the Lord of Betrayal.” I gesture to Gendry, who is standing off to the side, breathing raggedly through his layers of bandages. “Gendry, my Lord of Pain. And you, Hayden, as the Lord of Hunger.”



“I might not know much of history, but I know the ancient Sith Lords well enough. Darth Nihilus was barely a phantom, consumed by his insatiable hunger. He was cursed by his own power. I have no desire to be like him whatsoever, so to hell with your new Triumvirate and to hell with you!”



I stare at Hayden for several seconds. As we exit hyperspace, I sigh. “Very well. If you will not be turned...” Without finishing my sentence, Kreia steps out of my body and rushes into Hayden’s. Her residual power continues to sustain me, but I can feel myself weakening without her. Hopefully this wouldn’t take long.



I am all at once overwhelmed. I can feel my own consciousness being pushed down, and something else taking over. I struggle with everything I have to keep focused and fight back, but despite everything, I can feel my hands reaching out to grasp the Orb from Sucal’s hand. As I look out the window towards Tython, I feel a vibration in my fingertips, and the familiar yellow glow begins to emanate from them. I can almost see the Force aura around the planet slowly reacting to me; first as a ripple, then as a cyclone of invisible energy being sucked into my hands. In the back of my head, I can hear hundreds of voice crying out in pain and terror, then suddenly silencing. Jedi, Flesh Raiders, and animals of all sort, all dying simultaneously.”

The Remembrance exits hyperspace just as Tython begins to be drained of life and all I can do is grab my chest as thousands upon thousands of lives of all kinds are snuffed out in an instant. Alice nearly faints from the shock, but she fights through it as I open a channel to the others. "Zar'kun to the Sith Hunters. He's...guys, he's forcing Hayden to drain the Force from Tython and everything on it. I don't know how, but...he's doing it. We have to strike now, no time to regroup and plan."

We had just arrived at Hoth when the transmission came through. “Seriously? Oh, son of a...” I press a new button and flip the switch to full. I am sending a general broadcast to every ship within range. “Everyone who can hear this, we need to get to Tython immediately. Sucal is killing everything on the planet as we speak. This is only the first step in what I’m sure will be total Galactic annihilation. We don’t have time to plan. We need to turn everything we have against him now!” I punch in the new coordinates and pray the other ships are doing the same.



I watch as the color drains from Tython, and I smile. “Perfect. All that power is now yours, Hayden.” Looking down at Hayden, who is convulsing from the intense influx of power. “Now... give it to me!” I reach out my hand and begin draining Hayden. My abilities were not nearly as strong as hers, and had I attempted to consume a planets-worth, is likely had perished. But now, with Hayden as my sponge, I could leech from her as much as I needed to restore me to full strength and then some.

As Hayden screams anew, I can feel my wounds healing, and within moments, I am even more powerful than I was before. The girl collapses back to the deck, and I breath deeply, reenergized. “Ah, at last.”



I rise from the unconscious Hayden. The Force of thousands still flows through her, even after Sucal’s massive drain on her. It is her mind that has been weakened, not her body.

“Watch her, Ursa. Make sure she is contained until we need her again.” I float back to Sucal and re-enter his body. “We are not alone. The Sith Hunter Zar’kun Je’and is near, along with another I do not recognize. The others are surely on their way.”



“Then I look forward to facing them. I am as a god now. My power is supreme.” I hold up my arms, feeling the renewed energy surging through me. “I shall go to the planet’s surface to wait. Let the corpses of these Sith Hunter lay with the ashes of their fallen Jedi allies.”

"By the Force..." The color was completely gone from the Jedi homeworld, any indication that it had once been full of life and wonder gone due to the machinations of a Sith Lord who should have become one with the Force centuries ago. I stand and turn away from the sight as Zar'kun heads for the surface of the planet. "No one's left."

The man I'd fallen in love with decades before smiles sadly. "I didn't give up on Ziost, I won't give up on Tython."



I nod to my helmsman and send orders to head to Tython. "For honor and glory, Mando'ade!" And once more, our ships jet into hyperspace to engage in glorious battle.



"You heard the lad, head to Tython, post-haste! And send word to the Invictus! Tell them to reroute as soon as they can!" The new Tigershark-Class battle cruiser jumped to hyperspace, the rest of the Republic fleets remnants close behind.

The Cora jumps out of hyperspace, followed closely by the Rancor's Den. "HJ, stay in orbit and wait for the rest of our fleet." I direct the ship to follow Zar'kun's ship towards the planet. "We're here to back you up, old friend. The others will be here shortly." I say that, but the sight of the massive space station looming over the planet made me wonder if it would be enough.



A starfighter jumps behind them and also follows Jakito and crew towards the planet. "This is Greshh. I heard your transmission and came straight away. Jerus is rallying the others at Hoth base. and will arrive with the fleet."



I walk through the ruins of the Tython Jedi Temple. Grass has been turned to sand, and all over the place, there are lightsabers scattered; dropped when their owners had turned to dust. There is no sound but the wind. "Peaceful." I find an open area and have a seat in the sand, meditating on the void. I patiently awaited the Sith Hunters to arrive.