It was strange. She should have felt some sense of relief. Her desperate gambit had worked, after all. The Empire was going to leave, and she knew Eskel had enough boldness and intelligence to help his people and planet recover. Maybe her father could assist them. He always did do better when he was working. Between the three royals, she trusted that they could help the rebellion to go to ground.

Master Yoda would be fine, she was certain. He had been right, after all, about her being too attached. Perhaps this would be a lesson for another hot-headed woman, decades from now.

And Adam would-

Adam-

Kijani felt like her soul was being ripped out. It hurt, physically, like someone was squeezing the very air from her lungs. She thought of him. The warmth of him in her arms, the way he looked at her when he thought she didn't see, their first and last kiss. Everything she thought they would have. Her happiness was meaningless, in the face of the galaxy's survival. But his...

Adam, Adam, Adam.

I love you with everything I am. Everything that I was.

Thinking of him being with someone else, loving someone else. Living out his life with someone who truly deserved to be by his side. It would truly kill her, to never see him again, to hold him, to hear his voice.

Hate me. Despise me. Spit and swear every time you hear my name.

That was best. Kijani needed to die.

Mourn me.

Forget me.

I'm sorry.

The soft gold of Kijani's spirit screamed out through the Force. Echoing across space and time. I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry --

And then there was nothing but an empty hole in the galaxy. Like Alderaan, shattered into so much dust.

Darth Oratrix rose up at the Emperor's request. "As you wish, My Lord." She walked without pause, and was swallowed up by the dark of the ship.

"What are you talking about?" Adam said, keeping his lightsaber raised and ignited. The soft blue light filled the stone room. Sure enough, this was a tomb, but for whom, he didn't know.

"Padme was a Queen of Naboo, and a good friend. She would have been a good mother, had you not killed her." Darth Vader said, casually taking a step towards Adam.

"Kill her? I don't even know who that is..." said Adam as the realization dawned on him. "My mother was a queen?" he said, feeling his guard begin to relax.

It was all Vader need. With the speed of the wind itself, he closed the distance towards Adam and ignited his own saber. Adam nearly failed to recover in time, but managed to catch Vader's red weapon on his own.

"Is that why were down here, Vader? For you to tell me who my mother is? How could you even possibly know that?"

"Obi-wan never told you the truth about your father, Adam Skywalker." was all that Darth Vader said. At first, it didn't even register with Adam, but the words echoed around both the nearly empty room as well as his own mind. Adam, seeing the words for what they are, felt the sting of tears come to his eyes.

"No..." was all he could say, as his mouth had begun to dry and his heart began to beat faster and faster. The Sith Lord, sensing Adam's resolve weakening, pushed Adam way and grabbed him by the neck with one, massive arm.

"Search your feelings, you know it to be true!" he said, flinging Adam against the wall. The young Jedi hit the stone and felt the air pushed out of his lungs.

Adam felt weak in his limbs, and looked up at the black, skull-like visage of his father. Even saying it in his mind nearly brought him to madness.

"I don't want to kill you, my son." Vader said. "The Jedi have betrayed you just as they have betrayed me. Obi-wan kept you from me and turned your mother against me." Vader lowered his saber but didn't shut it off. Adam rose to his feet, but kept his eyes on his foe.

"Join me, son, and together we can rebuild this galaxy, defeat the Emperor and bring peace at last."

"Peace? I've seen what this peace of yours looks like. You can't get peace and prosperity by standing on necks!" Adam blurted out. He felt his vision begin to turn red. This... man, after all the pain he caused Adam. Killing his master, murdering thousands of innocents across the galaxy and tormenting him and his friends had the gall to make an offer like this? Not a chance in hell.

"The galaxy is a violent, flawed place, my son-" Vader began before Adam cut him off.

"STOP CALLING ME THAT!" Adam said before rushing him again. With a leap, Adam brought his saber down on the Sith Lord's shoulder, causing Vader to give a mechanical cry of pain. Before Adam could strike again, however, Vader decided that the time for niceties was over.

Vader, now in pain, began an assault on the young Jedi. Adam called deeply on the Force, but even as dialed in as he was, he knew that his opponent had been holding back until now. This could only end one way.

The Sith Lord's red saber slipped past Adam's guard. For just a moment, the red lightsaber blade flicked past the front of his face. For just a moment, Adam thought he had stepped away just in time.

Then the left side of his face erupted in pain and Adam smelled burning ozone and flesh. His lightsaber switched off and hit the stone floor with a loud clang. Adam could only hold his face and scream.

"You brought this upon yourself." Vader said from outside of Adam's now limited vision. "You are strong in the Dark Side, young Skywalker, but if only accepted it, you might be able to defeat me. I trust that the next time we meet, you will be more receptive."

The last words from Vader echoed throughout the chamber and Adam felt himself cast into total darkness. Despite his body's protests, he fell to stone floor and let the shadows envelope him.

Yoda stood on the command deck of the Death Star, watching the escape pods and shuttle craft evacuate the space station. His role in this war was over, and he knew it. He sensed something terrible had happened on green and blue planet below him, but he sensed that both of his pupils were still very much alive. That would have to be enough for now.

Adam's X-wing had already been sent away, and with any luck, the astromech droid on board had already sent a message to the Rebel Alliance explaining the situation. By now, the entire fleet would be on their way to consolidate their latest victory.

On the view screen before him, Master Yoda could see several Star Destroyers move into position. Surprisingly, they did not move to bombard the planet. Rather, they were preparing to destroy their own super-weapon.

"Such a waste, this is." Yoda said to no one in particular. Perhaps the Emperor was sure they could build another and didn't want to let this one fall into the hands of the Rebels. Tarkin was surely spinning in his grave right now.

The first destroyer opened fire, and the old master felt the entire station shake under the oppressive firepower. Yoda, leaning on his cane, steadied himself.

"Fear death, I do not. For my ally is the Force. And a powerful ally it is." Would be the last words the nine-hundred year old master would ever say, as the cannons from multiple Star Destroyers ravaged the Death Star, breaking it apart.
------

And so it came to pass. The Battle for Naboo ended in a tactical victory for the Rebel Alliance, as the Death Star had been destroyed. Greater still, Naboo, under the rulership of King Eskel, threw its support behind the Rebellion, granting it a permanent foothold in the galaxy. Other nearby planets would follow, and in the wake of the victory, Mon Mothma would declare the New Republic to be reborn, with the senate seated at the Royal Palace of Naboo.

For all of this, however, the battle was a strategic stalemate. Both the Imperial and Rebel fleets survived to fight another day. With two major powers in the galaxy, a line had been drawn in the sand. It was time for every planet in the galaxy to pick a side and determine it's own destiny.

On the planet of Naboo, however, a curious event was taking place. One that would have great ramifications for every planet in the galaxy...
-----

The speeder dashed across the verdant green hills of the Naboo plains. It was a government issue model, and Sergeant Kael was at the controls. He carried only a single passenger, who wasn't saying much. They had been driving for nearly an hour at top speed, but the young man sitting in the back had kept to himself nearly the whole trip.

Eventually, the pair arrived at the villa. Gently lit by the falling dusk, the stone and marble building seemed to glow.

"Here we are, sir. Varykino Villa. No one has lived here for decades now, and the previous kings were thinking about demolishing it." said Sergeant Kael. "Are you sure this is what you are looking for?"

The man in the back of the speeder stepped out and gazed at the building. He would need to inspect the interior of course, but so far it looked perfect.

"So far, I think this is exactly what I need." said Adam Skywalker. "The Force is strong here, and I can think of no better place to start an academy."

"Very good, sir. Shall we take a look inside?" said Sergeant Kael, motioning for the Jedi to step inside.

Adam gazed out over the lake. It had been a week since his fight with Vader. His new, mechanical eye was certainly advanced, but Adam felt like he needed more time to get used to it.

He signed, inwardly. Kijani would love this place. he thought to himself.

Eskel had told him she died fighting the Emperor, and the news shattered his heart into a million pieces. But something in his heart told him it was wrong. Kijani was alive somewhere. Adam had vowed to find her, no matter what it took. But it was something he knew he couldn't do alone. Perhaps with a new generation of Jedi, the galaxy might finally right itself...

The Lambda shuttle came out of hyperspace both on target and on time. The pilot, a youth straight from the academy, breathed a sigh of relief. They felt safe in the knowledge that their charges would soon get off his ship. Flying with one dark Jedi was bad enough, but two was enough to make him sweat.

He gazed out into the view port at their final destination. The Death Star II was finally beginning to take shape, but it was still far from complete. The hanger bay was fully functional, so that was good enough for him.

"We should be landing in just a few minutes, my lords." he said to his passengers.

"Good." said the looming black shape of Darth Vader. "Do not disturb us again until we land." The Dark Lord turned to his new apprentice.

"They are weeks behind schedule. The Emperor has decreed that we must... motivate them. I will let you take the lead on this, my young apprentice. Do not disappoint me."