Dedicated to itsmiacolucci

     On the oceanic moon of Nur, Captain Kyra Kryze and Princess Leia Organa were brought to an interrogation room housed inside the triangular structure known as Fortress Inquisitorius, the headquarters of the Inquisitors. After her cuffs had been attached to a large metal table, Kyra closed her eyes and tried to meditate, though Leia made it rather difficult.

     "You can't keep us here!" the girl yelled, trying to exert her authority over the Imperials. "My father is Bail Organa, he's a senator. I am a princess of Alderaan."

     "And your 'sister' is a princess of Mandalore," the Third Sister declared as she strolled into the room, dismissing the two stormtroopers that were standing guard. "Did she tell you that? Her mother was the Duchess of Mandalore before she was killed by Darth Maul, but that didn't stop her aunt from throwing her out of her own clan. Then she hid with your family, putting you all in danger. If she hadn't been involved, you probably wouldn't be here."

     "Yes, I would," Leia argued. "You still would've needed me to get to Ben."

     "Who's to say we wouldn't have kidnapped Kyra instead?" the Third Sister asked. "What makes you think he wouldn't have come for his own daughter?"

     When Leia did not answer, the Third Sister smirked, "Oh, that's right, because he deserted her after the Clone Wars and cut off all communication. The only reason he reunited with his daughter ­­ten years later was to save you."

     Kyra could feel the Third Sister's gaze on her, but she ignored the Inquisitor's taunts and continued to meditate.

     "Let me help you understand, Princess. You have no rights here," the Third Sister said to Leia, and Kyra could hear the frustration in her voice. "The Empire doesn't take kindly to Jedi sympathizers."

     "He will come for me," Leia stated with conviction.

     The Third Sister arched an eyebrow and sat next to Kyra as she stated that Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi was dead.

     Kyra opened her eyes just far enough to see the young girl's lower lip quiver as the Third Sister whispered, "Nobody's coming for you."

     Finally, Kyra's hard-won meditation paid off, the Force informing her that her father was still alive. Locking eyes with Leia, Kyra silently conveyed the same message to her sister and hoped that the Third Sister would not catch them conversing.

     Luckily, the Inquisitor's arrogance blinded her as she stood and continued, "We intercepted a transmission on Balnab last year. Bunch of talk of a secret network. A Path. We thought it was a lie. But a safehouse, like the one you were in, has been found in two systems."

     The Third Sister slammed a carving of the Jedi Order's symbol onto the table, causing Leia to flinch.

     "I need to find out where they are, Leia. And I think you know," the Third Sister said, making the mistake of believing that Organa would be more willing to give up the information than Kyra.

     Instead of answering, Leia quietly asked, "How did he die?"

     Kyra suppressed the urge to smile at her sister, who was proving that she could handle the best of interrogators. Not that the Third Sister was the best of interrogators. She was too young, too inexperienced. Kyra could see that she let her emotions drive her, rather than thinking through a situation. Yes, most beings that embraced the dark side were irrational, but the more-experienced Force wielders had learned how to control their rage and use it to their advantage. They thought through what they were doing rather than solely acting on how they felt, as the Third Sister did. As Kyra continued to meditate, she discovered that the Third Sister was obsessed with capturing Obi-Wan in order to please Lord Vader.

     She paused her silent contemplation for a moment as the Inquisitor answered, "He burned to death on Mapuzo. The people I'm looking for left him there to die. If you tell me where the Path is, you, and your sister, can go home to your family. This can all be over."

     Her face a mask of neutrality, Leia's instincts served her well as she replied, "I don't know anything about a Path."

     The Third Sister clenched her jaw and nodded before saying, "Well, let's think a little bit harder, shall we?"

     The young woman outstretched her hand and reached into Leia's mind through the Force, trying to find the information she sought because the girl would not give it to her. In her peripheral vision, Kyra saw the Third Sister's muscles start to twitch as she struggled to break through Leia's well-armored mind, the girl's stubborn determination also serving her well.

     After a moment, Leia asked, "Is this a staring contest?"

     Leia's haughty remark caused Kyra to snort, which earned her a fiery glare from the Third Sister. She dropped her arm and turned to Kyra as Leia leaned against the table, breathing hard from the effort to stave off the Inquisitor as she invaded her mind.

     "You're strong," the Third Sister said, and though she was looking at Leia, Kyra knew the Inquisitor was speaking to her. "The braver you seem, the more afraid you are. I learned that at a very young age as well."

     As the Third Sister talked, she rested Lola in the palm of her hand, "I had a droid when I was younger, too. It was taken from me. Like everything else."

     The Third Sister sat next to Leia, Lola chirping in her hand as she said, "I know what it's like being alone. Kenobi is gone. The people you're trying to protect, they're not coming for you. The only person that can save you now, Leia, is you. Tell me where they are. We're all on the same side here. These people, they'll leave you to die."

     After a hesitation, her eyes brimming with tears, Leia nodded, "Okay. I'll tell you where they are. I just don't want anyone to get hurt..."

     Kyra believed that both Leia and the Third Sister were deceiving each other, her suspicions confirmed when the Inquisitor placed a hand to her heart and promised Leia that no one would be harmed.

     Unfortunately, Leia took her deception one step too far when she said, "I'll have to tell my father first. But that's okay, right? You said we're all on the same side."

     Kyra winced as a range of emotions caused the Third Sister's eyes and her body language to shift rapidly. Disbelief was followed by exasperation, then frustration, and finally – if not surprisingly – anger.

     "Nice try, Princess," the Third Sister said, her jaw clenching as she left the room, returning a moment later with two stormtroopers. "Maybe you just need the proper motivation. I hope you like pain."

     Kyra's heart began to beat faster as Leia yelled, "I'll never tell you where they are!"

     "Oh, I didn't say it would be your pain. I think you'll be more easily persuaded if you have to endure someone else's. It's time to make those tears real, Princess," the Third Sister replied with a bone chilling smile as the troopers grabbed Kyra and dragged her out of the room.

     The apprentice of Obi-Wan Kenobi thrashed and writhed, trying in vain to break free. As a blast door opened to reveal a torture chamber, Kyra's eyes widened and she kicked the trooper to her left in the knee before head-butting the second trooper, disarming both men. She set their blasters to stun and rendered both of the Imperials unconscious before heading towards the blast door. Just as she reached the exit, the door opened and the apprentice of Darth Vader marched in, followed by Leia and another pair of stormtroopers.

     "Going somewhere?" the Third Sister asked as she ignited Kyra's lightsaber, which she had taken upon their arrival. "Strap yourself in."

     The two troopers aimed their blasters at Leia when Kyra hesitated, and she quickly raised her hands in surrender before slowly lying down on the narrow metal table. She secured her feet and her left hand, then waited for someone to tie down her free hand, seeing as she could not do so herself.

     After a third trooper finished the job, the Third Sister stomped towards Kyra and demanded, "You are gonna tell me what I wanna know!"

     Instead of answering, Kyra glared defiantly at the Third Sister, who growled with frustration as she activated one of the devices. As a pair of needles set on either side of the table slowly lowered towards Kyra's face, she closed her eyes and began to meditate once more, tuning out the shouts of both her sister and the Inquisitor. She braced herself as the needles pierced the skin of her neck and injected a pain-inducing serum into her bloodstream. Kyra screamed in agony and felt as though she were burning from the inside out, her traitorous heart pumping the searing fluid through her veins. The pain brought Kyra out of her meditation just long enough for her to hear:

     "What are you doing to her?" Leia asked, her voice filled with such anguish that, in her addled state of mind, Kyra thought the Third Sister had resorted to torturing the girl.

     Anger coursed through Kyra like a fire, burning brighter and hotter than the serum boiling her blood. With more effort than the small amount of movement should have required, Kyra opened her eyes to make sure that her sister was all right.

     She saw Leia standing a few feet away from her – next to the Third Sister – who gripped the girl's shoulder as she answered, "The same thing I do to anyone who doesn't embrace the Empire."

     Kyra blacked out as the Third Sister injected another round of the burning liquid into her veins, waking up shortly after to find the young woman shaking with rage. Her overuse of the serum proved her inexperience, and now she was not only mad at Kyra, but mad at herself because she was not going to get any answers out of her captives if she left them unable to speak.

     "Say something!" the Third Sister shouted.

     "I'll never tell you!" Kyra yelled back, fighting fire with fire.

     "Then your choice is made," the Inquisitor stated as another set of instruments lowered towards Kyra's face, torso, and legs.

     These devices delivered an electric shock to the most sensitive portions of Kyra's body, the pain so excruciating that black spots began to cloud Kryze's vision, and a high-pitched shriek of distress escaped her lips. When she used the Force to push the needles away, the Third Sister marched towards Kyra and pushed her head down, forcing her to lie flat on the table. This contact, however, gave Kyra a glimpse into the Third Sister's mind, and what she saw terrified her:

     In the Jedi Temple on Coruscant, Reva Sevander – now known as the Third Sister – trained alongside her fellow Jedi Initiates under the instruction of Jedi Master Minas Velti. Suddenly, a pair of clone troopers from the 501st division charged into the rotunda and opened fire. Master Velti activated her green-bladed lightsaber and deflected the blaster bolts as Reva instructed her fellow younglings to shelter at the other end of the room. Master Velti quickly defeated the first two clone troopers and led her charges into the hallway, where another Jedi was battling the soldiers he – and every other Jedi – had fought side-by-side with for years.

     As the second Jedi fell, the clone troopers aimed their blasters at Velti and opened fire. The Jedi Master leapt through the air and stabbed the first clone before decapitating the second and catching up with her pupils, who had hid in a nearby corridor. Standing between Velti and a third Jedi, the Initiates watched as Velti was shot in the stomach and fell to her knees. She quickly got to her feet and slashed through three more troopers before the injuries slowed her down and led to her defeat.

     "What do we do now?" one little boy asked.

     "We run," Reva replied, the Jedi Initiates fleeing as Jedi were mercilessly gunned down and – on the speakers overhead – Emperor Palpatine instructed the clone troopers to execute Order 66.

     After crossing the elevated walkway unscathed, the younglings turned left at an intersection and found Anakin Skywalker marching towards them, the 501st clone trooper division in tow. The hood of his dark Jedi robes concealed his face, hiding the tormented eyes and yellow irises that were a common feature of those who wielded the dark side of the Force. The Initiates, not realizing what Anakin had become, ran towards the Jedi Knight in hopes that he would help them. Instead, Anakin murdered the children one-by-one, cutting them down with the blue blade of his lightsaber. Reva hid amongst the bodies of her friends and pretended to be dead, hoping that Anakin would overlook her.

     Kyra's eyes snapped open and she held Reva's gaze with her own, trying to convey the sympathy and understanding that she suddenly felt for the Inquisitor.

     "It's not too late," Kyra insisted. "You can still do the right thing."

     The Third Sister's nostrils flared, and she hissed, "I don't need your pity."

     When Leia called out for help, Reva turned to face her, "I'm sorry, Leia, I really am. But you did this to your sister! Not me!"

     Just as the Third Sister turned back towards Kyra, an Imperial officer walked into the room and stood at attention as she said, "I was told it cannot wait."

     The Third Sister clenched her fists and glared at Kyra before taking a deep breath and powering down the machine. Kyra breathed a sigh of relief as the Third Sister marched out of the dark chamber, which was lit only by a handful of red lights. As soon as the door closed, Leia raced to her sister's side and began to undo the straps that held her in place.

     "No, Leia, don't," Kyra quickly said as the troopers raised their blasters. "Those bucket heads will take you away if you untie me, and in my condition, I won't be able to help you."

     Leia nodded reluctantly, but before she could say anything, the lights inside the chamber went out. The stormtroopers looked around frantically and called out to one another as they tried to gauge their location. Suddenly, the blade of a blue lightsaber cut through the gloom, as well as the first Imperial.

     When the blue light disappeared, the second trooper called into the darkness, "There's no way out. Stay where you are."

     Obi-Wan did just the opposite, sneaking up behind the one remaining stormtrooper and stabbing him in the back. Leia ran over to Obi-Wan and hugged him, the Jedi Master quickly returning the embrace before moving to the metal table and untying the straps that held Kyra in place. He gently lowered her to the ground, grimacing as the low light revealed the burn marks on her face.

     As Kyra hugged her father, she said, "Reva, the Third Sister, told us you were dead, but I knew she was lying. I knew you were alive. I could feel it. I also felt the fire when you were fighting Vader. You should have let me help you. Maybe we'd both be in better shape than we are right now."

     Obi-Wan squeezed his eyes shut and kissed the top of his daughter's head, "I know. And I'm so sorry. You and Leia should never have gotten involved in all of this. I shouldn't have left you by yourself all those years ago, but I was scared, and it felt like my entire world was falling apart around me."

     "It's okay," Kyra replied quietly. "Our world was falling apart. And when it was rebuilt, it was rebuilt with fear and cruelty. But the only way we'll be able to stop it from destroying the hopes and dreams of the entire galaxy is by working together. Finding more of our kind. Fighting back."

     "We didn't tell them anything," Leia added proudly.

     Obi-Wan smiled as he looked between the two girls, "I know. Kyra, do you think you can walk?"

     "I'll be damned if I can't," Kyra replied, groaning quietly as Obi-Wan helped her to her feet. "Besides, the Third Sister took my lightsaber, and I'd like to personally thank her for her hospitality before taking it back."

     At first, Kyra had to lean heavily against her father in order to keep her legs from giving out. After making their way through several corridors, however, the effects of the serum began to wear off, and Kyra was able to stiffly walk on her own. As they reached a well-lit hallway, Kyra noticed that Obi-Wan had changed into a tunic and pants that were similar to the ones he had worn as a Jedi. As they quietly crept through an empty corridor, an alarm began beeping behind the trio, and they turned to find an Imperial seeker droid following them.

     Obi-Wan ignited his lightsaber and pulled out his comlink, "Tala! Tala, we're in the open!"

     "Where are you?" Tala Durith asked, breathing hard.

     Obi-Wan was unable to answer as he ignited his lightsaber, the seeker droid having activated its electrically charged pincers and built-in blasters. As they rounded the nearest corner, a pair of stormtroopers appeared at the other end of the hallway and opened fire. Kyra pushed Leia into an alcove as Obi-Wan defeated the first Imperial with his own deflected blaster shot. As the first trooper fell, Kyra realized that the Imperials had not discovered the daggers she kept in her boots. Kyra drew one of the knives and threw the weapon at the second stormtrooper, the sharp blade lodging itself in the Imperial's throat as Obi-Wan cut the seeker droid in half with his saber.

     Kyra retrieved her dagger and wiped it clean on the trooper's pants before sliding it back into her boot. She then took the fallen trooper's blaster, grabbed Leia's hand, and rushed towards the end of the hall as another pair of stormtroopers came up behind them. Obi-Wan urged the girls to keep moving as he slashed through the third trooper and defeated the fourth stormtrooper by deflecting his own blaster shot. The trio soon found themselves in a tunnel made almost entirely of glass, the thick windows revealing the sea beyond. As Obi-Wan continued to deflect the shots of three stormtroopers and an Imperial officer, one of the bolts hit a nearby window.

     Kyra gunned down two of the three Imperials as a purge trooper appeared behind her, accompanied by another squadron of stormtroopers. Obi-Wan and Kyra stood back-to-back, then side-by-side once Kryze had gunned down the last trooper that stood to their left. As the Imperials drew near, Leia – who had been standing next to the Jedi – moved behind them and ducked into a nearby alcove, watching as the fissure in the glass started to grow larger. Spotting a control panel for the door directly in front of them, Kyra raised her blaster and fired, the blast door closing just as the purge trooper reached it. The Imperials struggled to break through, but at the moment, they were the least of the trio's worries.

     The window caved in, streams of water spraying the hallway as both Kryze and Kenobi extended their arms and attempted to hold back the full force of the ocean.

     When Durith – who was in her Imperial uniform once more – came running around the corner, Kyra gritted her teeth and said, "Tala! Get Leia out of here. We'll hold it."

     The Imperials began to manually pull the doors apart, the gap just wide enough to allow the purge trooper to fire several rounds at the Jedi. Though Obi-Wan managed to deflect most of the shots, his energy and concentration were focused on holding the window together. Because of this, one round hit his right shoulder and another found Kyra's right calf. Kyra yelped and fell to a knee, father and daughter straining to hold back the weight of an entire ocean as the stormtroopers finally broke through, firing as they rushed towards the duo. Kyra locked eyes with Obi-Wan, who nodded when her idea appeared in his mind.

     Kyra and Obi-Wan released the window – along with the ocean it had been holding back – and raced towards the other end of the hall as the troopers were swept off their feet by the fast-moving flood. As soon as they had crossed the threshold, Tala slammed the blast door shut, the trio watching as the Imperials' bodies floated in the corridor beyond. As beads of water dripped down the sealed door, Tala took the cloak and hat from the fallen Imperial officer before handing it to Obi-Wan. As Kenobi shrugged into the coat, Kyra grabbed the officer's boots and emptied a large waste bin. With her upper body covered by the waste bin and her legs concealed by the oversized boots, Leia looked similar to one of the bulky GNK droids.

     As they walked towards the main hangar, passing three Inquisitors as they went, Tala muttered, "Do you really think that disguise is going to work?"

     Nodding towards Obi-Wan, Kyra replied, "It was better than his idea of hiding Leia underneath that massive coat."

     When Tala raised her hands in surrender, Obi-Wan looked slightly offended but shook his head and said nothing as they continued to hurry through the Fortress.

     As they reached the main docking platform, the Third Sister marched towards them, her lightsaber glowing as she shouted, "Traitor! Two children and an old man. Was it worth it?"

     Leia discarded her disguise and turned with the rest of the group to find multiple purge troopers and several squadrons of stormtroopers standing behind the Third Sister.

     "Betraying everything you are," the Third Sister continued as she glared at Tala.

     "This was never who I was," Tala retorted defiantly.

     "Then you die...for nothing," the Third Sister stated, pointing her lightsaber at the former Imperial captain.

     As one, the troopers behind the Inquisitor raised their blasters and aimed at Kyra, Obi-Wan, Leia, and Tala. Before the soldiers could open fire, however, a pair of T-47 airspeeders raced towards the hangar and began shooting the platform. Kyra took advantage of the distraction and used the Force to take her lightsaber back from the Third Sister as the starfighters sent troopers flying through the air, demolishing their squadrons. Kyra saw her sister's eyes light up as she ignited the blade of her saber, a brilliant blue glow filling the hangar as she defeated several Imperials. Though Kyra had not wielded her lightsaber in ten years, the hilt felt as natural in her hand as it had when she first constructed it.

     Tala and Obi-Wan drew their blasters and gunned down multiple stormtroopers, Leia never leaving Kyra's side as they raced towards the airspeeders. The Third Sister – who had been forced to take cover when the ships opened fire – now charged towards the fugitives as they boarded the first airspeeder, which was piloted by Sully Stark. When she was several feet away from the vessel, the Third Sister was forced to stop as Sully's wingman – Wade Resselian – dove towards the platform and opened fire. The Third Sister deflected his shots as Sully took off with the four fugitives. Once Stark's airspeeder had reached a safe distance from the Fortress, Wade disengaged and followed after his partner.

     When the Fifth Brother ordered the Third Sister to destroy the airspeeders, she used the Force to throw an explosive at the nearest vessel, Wade's ship plummeting towards the ocean in a fiery ball. Kyra turned in her seat and looked back towards the landing platform, watching as the Third Sister's silhouette became smaller and finally disappeared. They ascended through the clouds and flew into the hangar bay of a larger ship, that vessel making the jump to lightspeed as soon as they broke through the upper atmosphere. After making their way to a large sitting area inside the ship, Sully numbly introduced Kyra and Leia to Kawlan Roken, who had helped plan the rescue mission.

     Hands were shaken and greetings murmured before Tala went to the front of the ship, appearing a moment later with a flask that she handed to Sully as she sat next to the pilot. Roken went back to the cockpit as Kyra sat next to her father and Leia climbed onto her lap. Leia slowly turned around and lightly traced the burn marks on Kyra's face with her fingertips. When Leia started to apologize, Kyra stopped her and locked eyes with the princess, not needing words – or the Force – to communicate what she wanted her sister to know. When Leia's chin quivered and tears filled her eyes, Kyra pulled her close, stroking her hair until the girl had calmed down.

     When Obi-Wan suggested that Leia explore the cockpit, she hesitated, then nodded and set off. As soon as the princess disappeared, Kyra slumped against her father and sobbed quietly, wincing because the salty tears felt as if they were carving their way down her face. She wiped away the small droplets of weakness, inhaling sharply when her sleeve irritated the raw skin. Obi-Wan produced a vial of bacta from his utility belt and sprayed the healing liquid on her face. Even though she could not see what was happening, Kyra could feel the burn marks on her cheeks mending, then fading all together.

     "You remind me so much of your mother," Obi-Wan whispered. "So busy being strong for everyone else that you forget about yourself. You'll make a fine leader someday, should you choose to return to Mandalore."

     "There is something I need if I am to rule Mandalore," Kyra replied. "Something that will earn the respect of those I have not already gained it from. Until then, I am happy to serve as a captain in Senator Organa's rebellion."

     Obi-Wan smiled and both turned towards Leia as the girl made her way back to the pair. She sat in Kyra's lap once more, leaning against her sister's chest as Obi-Wan enveloped her dainty hand with one of his large, calloused hands.

                                                                   ...

     After the transport had descended beneath the rust-colored, sand-coated surface of Jabiim, the group of fugitives found themselves greeted by a large crowd of refugees and rebels. When they saw that Leia and Kyra had been rescued from Fortress Inquisitorius, the crowd collectively sighed with relief. Quickly after disembarking, the trio was met by a familiar face from Daiyu.

     "Haja?" Obi-Wan asked, his eyebrows raising in surprise. "What are you doing here?"

     "I had nowhere else to go," the self-proclaimed Jedi answered. "Right after I saw you, I got into a fight with that scary Inquisitor lady. Now, I'm wanted by the Empire. But now I know what it feels like being a real Jedi. It's not easy. This place is a good business opportunity though."

     Once Haja had walked off and Leia went to play with the other children, Obi-Wan and Kyra went to find Roken. When they found him, Obi-Wan explained that they still needed to return the Princess of Alderaan to her homeworld.

     "Once we get all these people out of here, I'll do whatever you want," Roken replied. "They've been waiting for months. We used an old trade route to get them out but the window's closing. We held it to help you get the girls. Now, we only have a few hours."

     Obi-Wan nodded and Kyra stated, "We'll do whatever we can to help."

     Roken thanked the Jedi before turning to the refugees and instructing them to leave any unessential items behind. Kyra led Obi-Wan to a wall that was covered in inscriptions similar to those at the safehouse on Mapuzo.

     "'Light will fade but is never forgotten,'" Kyra quietly translated, reading the words that were carved beneath the symbol of the Jedi Order.

     Kyra handed her father a brown robe that was sitting on a nearby table, next to a box of lightsaber hilts from the Jedi who had previously used the Path.

     Thinking about the quote that was carved into the wall, Kyra said, "Master, there's something you need to know about Reva, the Third Sister. When she was—"

     Before she could finish, a loud rumble interrupted her and caught the attention of the gathered refugees. Kyra's stomach dropped as she watched the blast doors above her close, sealing everyone inside.

     When she raced over to Sully and asked why the doors had closed, Stark answered, "The controls aren't responding. An Imperial Destroyer just arrived in orbit above us. She must have tracked us."

     Kyra glanced at Obi-Wan, then clarified, "It's not her. It's Vader."

     "If we surrender, he'll kill us all," Tala said, stating the obvious.

     "He'll attack next. He hasn't the patience for a siege," Obi-Wan agreed, before raising his voice so the entire group could hear him. "Everyone! Everyone! I understand you're scared. The Empire will attack soon. They're stronger than us, better equipped, better trained. If we try to fight them, we will not survive."

     "If this is supposed to be a motivational speech, you may want to start again," Kyra muttered.

     Obi-Wan glared at his daughter before continuing, "But we do not need to fight them. We just need to hold them off long enough to get you all out. Roken, how much time do you need to override the doors?"

     When Roken answered that he would need three or four hours, Obi-Wan replied, "You have one. Everyone else, we're gonna lock down every other entrance in this facility. If we defend our position together, then by the time they get inside, we'll be gone."

     Rebels and refugees alike hurried through the compound, sealing doors and gathering supplies as Kyra, Obi-Wan, and Roken planned their escape route. Several minutes later, the safehouse shook when the Imperials fired several rounds from an E-Web cannon as they tried to break through one of the large, exterior doors. When Roken tested the hangar doors to see if they would open, gears strained and creaked before finally settling closed again.

     "Did you try going in the vents to see what's going on?" Haja asked.

     "I'm a little too big to be crawling around in the vents," Roken protested.

     Before Haja could reply, Leia stated, "I'm going to need a ladder."

     Roken sighed, his voice laced with sarcasm when he said, "It's not playtime right now, Princess."

     "Do as she asks," Kyra instructed, cutting Roken off when he tried to object. "Do you trust me? Well, I trust her. Get her the ladder."

     Roken reluctantly nodded and went to grab a ladder for Leia as Kyra knelt in front of her sister and told her to be careful. The young girl smiled and nodded as she donned her gloves and ran towards the grate that covered the venting system.

     Turning to the former fraud, Kyra asked, "Haja, will you keep your eye on her?"

     Haja started to argue when Kyra's comlink beeped, the Jedi thanking Estree and walking away to take the message before he could protest. Finding a quiet corner of the compound, Kyra activated the comlink and listened to a message that Bail Organa had left for her.

     "I know we said no communication, but your silence worries me," the senator began. "If he's found you, if he's learned of the children...If I don't hear from you soon, I'll head to Tatooine. Owen will need help with the boy. I pray you're safe, Kyra. All of you."

     Kyra sighed and ran a hand through her hair as the hologram of Bail disappeared. She stowed the communications device in her utility belt as Tala walked into the room.

     "Is everything all right?" she asked upon seeing the weary look on Kyra's face.

     "It will be," Kyra replied, knowing that her confident smile was anything but.

     After a moment of somber silence, Tala said, "You know, I was following orders on Garel. The Empire said it was a roundup. People not paying their way, taxes for the cause. They lied. There were four families, all Force-sensitive, and we...we gathered them up."

     Tala took a moment to gather herself before continuing, "I didn't know who they were. I didn't know what the Inquisitors would do. Fourteen people died, and six of them were children, and I couldn't do anything to help them."

     Both women looked at the sand under their feet before meeting each other's eyes again.

     "So now, I do this," Tala soldiered on, revealing the tally marks etched into the side of her holster. "One for every family I get through. You're right, Kyra. And so is your father. Some things you can't forget. But you can fight to make them better."

     Kyra nodded, but before she could reply, Roken informed them that Imperials had made progress on the blast doors.

     "I don't know how long it's gonna hold," Roken admitted as he raised his bowcaster. "We got another plan?"

     "We need to slow them down," Kyra replied. "Tell the Inquisitor I want to talk. She started this when she kidnapped Leia. I'll buy as much time as I can."

     "I'm going with you," Obi-Wan stated, and from the look in his eyes, Kyra knew that he would not take no for an answer.

     As she and Obi-Wan neared the door, the rebels and refugees raised their weapons, ready for the Imperials if they tried to break through. Gesturing for Obi-Wan to stand behind her, Kyra placed her right hand on the cold metal and reached out to the Third Sister through the Force.

     After a moment, the Inquisitor said, "If this is you stalling for time, it won't work. Lord Vader will have Kenobi at any cost."

     "You mean, Anakin," Kyra corrected quietly. "You knew who Vader was. Back on Daiyu, when you spoke of your master, you referred to him as Anakin. At first I wasn't sure how you knew that. Vader would have kept it hidden and you were too young to have known him. Then, I began fitting the pieces together, and while you were torturing me in the Fortress, when we touched, you put the final piece in place. You were there."

     "It doesn't matter where I was," Reva snapped.

     Kyra took a deep breath before stating, "The night of Order Sixty-Six, you were a youngling. That's how you knew him. You saw him. Anakin killed the others."

     "That's enough," the Third Sister snarled, but Kyra pressed on.

     "He killed the other younglings, but somehow you sur—" Kyra said, but the Third Sister interrupted her.

     "Enough! Enough!" Reva shouted, her breath shuddering as the traumatic memories raced through her mind, as well as Kyra's.

     Obi-Wan moved to Kyra's side when she leaned against the door, her eyes shut tight.

     As he took her hand, Reva whispered, "We thought he was there to help us. I tried to help them, but I couldn't. I was too weak. When he left, I played dead. Hid with the bodies. Felt them go cold. They were the only family I knew, and he slaughtered them."

     Kyra's eyes snapped open as Reva's words shone a new light on her decision to become an Inquisitor, "You're not serving him, are you? You're hunting him. Let me help you."

     "Why would I ever trust you?" the Third Sister growled.

     "Because I've been in your shoes, I've felt the anger you have," Kyra replied, keeping her voice calm as she tried to connect with Reva. "When I was ten years old, my mum was killed by Darth Maul. I watched him stab her to death, then cast her aside like she was nothing. Later, I fought him, captured him, and was forced to release him to survive Order Sixty-Six. I felt like I could burn the entire galaxy. Trust me, Reva, we want the same thing."

     "Do we, Kyra?" the Third Sister barked. "Do you really want Anakin dead? Would your father allow you to kill his former apprentice?"

     When Kyra did not answer, Reva addressed Obi-Wan, "Where were you while he was killing my friends? He was your padawan. Why didn't you stop him? Why didn't you save us? I don't need your help. I don't need anyone."

     "You won't stop him alone," Kyra replied, desperately trying to reach the haunted young girl that lurked at the Third Sister's core.

     "You have no idea what I've done alone," the Third Sister retorted.

     "Reva, if you would just listen to—" Kyra started to say, but the Third Sister plunged her lightsaber through the metal and stabbed Kryze in the stomach.

     "Don't call me that!" the Inquisitor yelled as she began to cut through the door. "I am the Third Sister, apprentice to Lord Vader and the doom of those who have not proved their loyalty to the Empire."

     Kyra staggered backwards and fell to her knees, clutching her stomach as the Third Sister – having cut her way through – used the Force to pull the blast doors apart. Still on the ground, Kyra reached out to the Force and sent the Third Sister flying backwards through the air, crying out in pain when Obi-Wan and Tala rushed towards her and picked her up. The pair carried her further into the compound as the other rebels opened fire, holding the stormtroopers at bay. Obi-Wan crouched in front of Kyra after he and Tala had set her on a container, but when he tried to heal his daughter with the Force, she stopped him.

     "Y-you're going to need your strength," she said weakly, and from the look on her father's, Kyra knew he was picturing her mother's lifeless body lying in the throne room on Mandalore.

     Tala – who had been racking her brain for solutions – turned to Kyra and said, "I have an idea, but I don't think you're going to like it."

     "If it gets me back in fighting shape, I don't care what you have to do," Kyra replied.

     The mere suggestion of a smile graced Tala's lips as she retorted, "You say that now. Let me know if you still feel the same way when I'm done."

     The ex-Imperial set off, and when she returned with a laser cauterizer, Kyra knew what Tala had in mind. When Kryze locked eyes with Durith and nodded, Tala sighed and activated the device. Kyra lifted her shirt and gripped Obi-Wan's arm with her blood-soaked hand, gritting her teeth as Tala burned Kryze's skin to stop the bleeding. Luckily, the lightsaber's plasma blade had already cauterized most of the wound, so it only took Tala a minute to finish the job. When Kyra got up, she groaned and leaned against the wall as she swayed unsteadily on her feet. She ignited her lightsaber, and when a look of skepticism crossed Obi-Wan's face, she led him and Tala towards the fight to prove she was ready.

     Once they had reached the battle, Obi-Wan and Kyra positioned themselves in front of the rebels and deflected enemy fire. The Imperial forces quickly moved farther into the breach, forcing the rebels to fall back. As they ducked behind a barricade of containers and stopped retreating, Obi-Wan helped a woman who had been shot in the leg reach safety. The rebels were forced to retreat once again as the legion of troopers rounded the corner, but Tala, NED-B, Obi-Wan, and Kyra stayed behind to cover the civilians. Kryze and Kenobi carried a woman who had been shot in the shoulder around the corner, then headed back to the fight once Roken had taken her.

     When they heard a woman scream, they rushed towards the front line and discovered that Tala had been shot in the stomach. The Jedi tried to reach her, slashing through several stormtroopers as they went, but the numbers began to overwhelm them. As they were slowly forced backwards, they watched as NED-B shielded Tala with his metal body, finally slumping over when the blaster shots began to overload his circuits. Looking back at Kyra and Obi-Wan, Tala activated a thermal detonator and shot the control panel of the blast door, sealing herself – and the Imperials – inside the corridor.

     "May the Force be with you," Tala Durith said, her voice reaching Kyra and Obi-Wan as the detonator exploded.

     Kyra and Obi-Wan stood frozen in place as the door closed, and when they reached the hangar, Kryze collapsed, her physical and emotional wounds catching up with her. When Roken asked if Leia was close to fixing the hangar doors, the girl replied that she was still working on the vents.

     When Obi-Wan stated that he was going to surrender to the Imperials, Kyra started to protest, but Roken beat her to it and grabbed Kenobi's arm as he said, "You can't quit. I fought for too long. You can't just throw that away. It won't make a difference. They want all of us."

     When Obi-Wan argued that Darth Vader was looking solely for his former master, Roken countered, "If you surrender, Tala died for nothing. He'll keep coming."

     "That's why I have to stop him," Obi-Wan replied.

     "You're going to fight him?" Haja asked skeptically.

     "He expects me to surrender," Obi-Wan answered. "He knows I'll do anything I can to protect these people."

     "You'll be on your own," Haja said.

     "No, he won't," Kyra stated as she got to her feet, grimacing when the world tilted slightly. "I'm going with him."

     It was Obi-Wan's turn to see the resolve in her eyes, and to know that any argument he made would be ignored. He looked reluctant to let her come, but when he nodded, she could also see the gratitude in his eyes. After giving Haja their weapons and comlinks, Kyra asked him to look after Leia.

     Haja nodded determinedly as Roken shook his head and questioned, "You want to tell me how you're gonna fight without weapons?"

     "There are other ways to fight," Obi-Wan answered quietly.

     With that, the two Jedi made their way through the Path's headquarters, raising their hands in surrender when they reached the Imperial forces. Kyra and Obi-Wan were restrained and brought to the Third Sister, two stormtroopers escorting each of the Jedi. When the Third Sister saw Kryze and Kenobi, she smirked and instructed the nearest officer to inform Vader that they had captured Kyra and Obi-Wan.

     The troopers forced the Jedi to their knees as the Third Sister stated, "He's on his way. You're gonna die soon."

     "You're not bringing him to us," Kyra whispered, clinging to the hope that Reva would turn against her master. "We're bringing him to you. This isn't over yet."

     The Third Sister's smile disappeared as she moved closer to Kyra, who continued, "There are families back there. Children. Are you going to let him do it again, what he did to you? We could end this together."

     Reva glanced at the stormtroopers that surrounded her and the Jedi before asking in an equally quiet voice, "What makes you think he won't see it coming?"

     "Because all he'll see is me," Obi-Wan answered.

     Taking a deep breath, Reva marched away from Kenobi and Kryze before instructing the troopers to take the master and apprentice back inside the compound. Once the blast doors had closed, Obi-Wan and Kyra used the Force to break free from their restraints and quickly defeated the stormtroopers. After discarding the blasters they had stolen from the Imperials, Obi-Wan and Kyra ran back to the hangar, stopping to watch the blast doors open as Leia climbed down the ladder. As one, the rebels and refugees began loading the shuttle with supplies, making sure that the injured civilians were the first to board. When Leia saw her sister, she ran into her arms and hugged her tightly.

     "Where's Tala?" the young girl asked, looking around the hangar for her new friend.

     Kyra tried to answer but was unable to find the words, although from Leia's expression, she knew the look in her eyes had said it all. The princess looked down and noticed the red sand beneath her feet, her eyes widening when she noticed her sister's shirt was covered with blood.

     "What happened? Are you okay?" the princess asked as Kyra got to her feet.

     "It's nothing. I'll be fine," Kyra assured the girl as she took her hand. "Come on. We need to get to the transport."

     Through the windows of the shuttle, Kryze and Kenobi watched as Vader stopped the second transport – a decoy – from taking off. The Dark Lord of the Sith roared in fury as the real shuttle departed and raced through the clouds, quickly clearing the atmosphere and leaving Jabiim behind.

     After a moment, Roken sat next to Obi-Wan and whispered, "Our hyperdrive is down, and they're behind us."

     Obi-Wan started to respond but leaned forward, and when Roken asked if he was listening, Kyra quietly answered, "Something's wrong."

     Kyra reached out to the Force, trying to figure out what had caused the disturbance. When Roken asked if everything was all right, Obi-Wan nodded and brushed it off, claiming that whatever he had sensed was probably nothing. Kyra frowned, but before she could ask what he had felt, blaster shots rocked the freight transport as the Devastator – Darth Vader's Imperial Star Destroyer – opened fire.

     Roken ran into the cockpit, appearing a few minutes later as he said, "Hyperdrive's almost ready. We're transferring all power to the rear shields and heading for Tessen. Get you out from there."

     As Roken headed back towards the cockpit, Kyra stopped him and asked, "We're not going to make it to Tessen, are we?"

     Roken rubbed his face and sighed as he admitted, "Motivator's shot. Power couplings are bad. I'm workin' on it, but those shields won't last forever."

     Kyra nodded, racking her brain as she asked, "How much time do you need?"

     Explosions rocked the transport and lights flickered as Roken answered, "More than we have."

     As he set to work on the shuttle once more, Kyra turned, surveying the refugees as they huddled together and comforted each other. She could sense their fear, their pain, but also their hope. She knew that everyone gathered on the shuttle would not give up until they were sure defeat was inevitable, and she admired them for that. She even managed to smile when she saw Leia playing with a boy around her age, both giggling as Lola fluttered over their heads, beeping cheerfully.

     When Leia saw her sister watching, she walked over and said, "They're scared. Lola helps keep their minds off it."

     "Maybe I should borrow her, too," Obi-Wan stated as he knelt next to the princess.

     Suddenly realizing what her father intended to do, Kyra bent down and whispered in a fierce tone, "No! No way! I know what you're thinking, and I won't let you. You can't just leave me and Leia here."

     Obi-Wan blinked several times – obviously surprised by how easily Kyra could read him – then replied, "I'm the one that Vader wants. If I go, he will follow."

     Leia's eyes widened and she shouted, "I'm not letting you!"

     Obi-Wan sighed with frustration as Sully asked, "Wait, what happened to all of us staying together?"

     "Roken needs more time to fix the ship," Obi-Wan explained. "This will give him that time. You've spent ten years protecting the Jedi. This is my chance to return that favor."

     "Actually, it's our chance to return the favor," Kyra added as she got to her feet, interrupting both Leia and Kawlan when they tried to argue. "Roken, you know this plan makes sense. It'll buy you the time you need. You need to get these people out of here. You are all the future."

     Kyra crouched in front of the princess and grabbed her shoulders as she added, "You are the future. You're what needs to survive."

     When Leia marched towards the other end of the ship, Kyra tried to follow her sister but was stopped by Haja, who stepped in front of her.

     "I think she needs to be given space," Estree said, and Kyra nodded, pinching the bridge of her nose as she tried to keep her emotions in check.

     After a moment, she quietly said, "There's a good chance that my father and I won't make it back, Haja. I need you to promise me that you'll get Leia home. As soon as we're in the clear."

     "You have my word," Estree vowed solemnly. "Although, I know the word of a liar and a fake Jedi may not mean much to you."

     "It's good enough for me," Kyra assured the fraud-turned-rebel, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek before following Obi-Wan into one of the large drop ships.

     Before they could leave, however, Haja ran into the room and told the Jedi that he had convinced Leia to talk with them. The girl walked slowly over to Kyra and sat in the corner, hugging her knees against her chest.

     Kyra sat next to her sister, and after a moment, Leia mumbled, "You said you'd take me home."

     "I wish I could, Leia. Really, I do. The last thing I want to do is leave you, but Obi-Wan will need my help, I can't let him face Vader alone," Kyra replied quietly as she blinked away the tears that blurred her vision. "Please tell your parents I tried. And thank them for all they have done for me."

     Leia nodded and crawled into Kyra's lap, both needing the comfort and support from the other because they knew they might never see each other again.

     After a moment, Kyra gave Tala's holster to the princess and said, "Roken found it before we left Jabiim. She would have wanted you to have it."

     Leia traced the tally marks and stated, "It's empty."

     "Well, I wasn't going to give you a blaster, Leia. You're still only ten years old," Kyra reminded her, smirking as she rolled her eyes but quickly sobering once more. "But you won't always be, so try not to grow up too fast."

     Leia wrapped her arms around her sister's neck and hugged her tightly before turning and pulling Obi-Wan into the embrace.

     After several moments, when Leia finally pulled away, she whispered, "Please come back."

     Kyra felt as though her heart were being ripped from her chest, but she promised to return, as did Obi-Wan. Leia nodded and reluctantly left the drop ship as Kyra sat on a cargo container and stared at the hilt of her lightsaber. Next to her, she heard Obi-Wan telling Qui-Gon Jinn that he must end his quarrel with Darth Vader, whether he died or not. Roken reminded the duo that they did not have to go through with their plan. When neither Kyra nor Obi-Wan backed down, Roken sighed and asked if they were ready to go, shaking his head as he walked away once they nodded.

     "Roken," Obi-Wan called out, stopping the burly man. "There are not many leaders left. People follow you. Don't stop."

     "I'm just getting started," Roken assured Obi-Wan with a smirk before walking back towards the cockpit.

     As they settled into the pilot and co-pilot seats, Kenobi turned and saw that Kryze was still fidgeting nervously with the hilt of her lightsaber.

     "I remember helping you build that hilt," Obi-Wan mused, a small smile appearing on his face as they piloted the drop ship to a nearby moon. "Do you remember the significance of a blue blade?"

     Kyra snorted, "Of course I do. It signifies bravery, righteousness, and a strong spiritual connection with your kyber crystal. It also indicates the wielder is a Jedi Guardian, someone who has a more physical connection to the Force. Qualities that we'll need for what's to come."

     They sat in silence for a moment, then Kyra whispered, "I'm terrified, Father."

     Obi-Wan – knowing better than to lie to his daughter – admitted, "I am, too. But, as you pointed out, the only way we stand a chance at beating him is by working together. I would trust no one else to fight by my side in this situation."

     "Thank you, Master. I will not fail you," Kyra replied, a weary smile crossing her lips as she repeated the words she had said to Obi-Wan more than ten years ago.

     "I know you won't, my Padawan," Kenobi said as they landed on a barren moon with rock spires reaching out to the stars above.

     Obi-Wan powered down the drop ship with a sigh and discarded his cloak for better maneuverability, and Kyra did the same with her trench coat. When something inside the ship beeped, Obi-Wan reached into his cloak and found that Leia had slipped Lola into his pocket before they left. Kyra smiled and Obi-Wan placed Lola on the dashboard before they disembarked, both watching as Vader's Lambda-class shuttle rapidly descended towards the moon's surface. Kenobi and Kryze made their way to the Imperial shuttle, Vader practically floating down the main ramp as his black cape flowed behind him.

     Upon seeing his former master and fellow apprentice, Vader paused for a moment, then started towards the father and daughter once more.

     The Dark Lord of the Sith stopped several feet away from the Jedi and asked, "Have the master and apprentice come to destroy me?"

     Vader's helmet – just one part of the life suit that encased his entire body and kept him alive – modulated his voice, which now came out as a rumbling baritone.

     As both Kyra and Obi-Wan ignited their blue-bladed lightsabers, the latter answered, "We will do what we must."

     Father and daughter each adopted their own individual fighting stances as Vader activated his crimson-bladed lightsaber, the three opponents tense as they waited to see who would make the first move. When Vader charged, Kyra knew that her father would want to engage his former padawan first, so she stayed back as their blades met and sparks glowed in the dark night. When Vader aimed for Obi-Wan's head, Kenobi ducked under the advance and signaled for Kyra to take over. Their goal was not to overpower Vader, but simply outlast him by each taking turns fighting the Sith Lord. Obi-Wan took several steps backward as Kyra switched places with him, her blade missing Vader's neck by an inch as she rushed towards him and tried to ignore the gnawing fear that worked its way through her body.

     When Vader tried to stab her in the chest, Kyra dropped to her knees and rolled beneath his blade as the fight began to move farther into the rocky spires, having initially started on an open plain. Obi-Wan tried to trade places with Kyra, but before she was able to stand, Vader slashed at her head. She blocked each of his strikes and managed to get on her feet, Vader's blade narrowly missing her back as she spun around. The duo circled each other, Kyra holding Vader's gaze as she pushed his saber towards the ground. The man once known as Anakin Skywalker continued to fight single-handedly, as if Kyra and her father were not even worth the effort.

     When Vader pushed her lightsaber aside, Kryze quickly backed away and let Kenobi take over. Obi-Wan immediately tried to stab Vader in the abdomen, but he parried the thrust and aimed for Kenobi's head and chest in rapid succession. Having both spun around, the enemies who had once been brothers found themselves back-to-back. As Vader grew frustrated, his swings became sloppy, allowing Obi-Wan to easily dodge the blows and switch places with Kyra. After quickly striking at Vader multiple times, the Sith Lord was the first to back down and catch his breath. Kyra slowly circled around Vader as she raised her lightsaber and pointed the blade at his chest.

     Watching his body language carefully, Kyra charged towards Vader and jumped into the air, vaulting over the Sith Lord and landing behind him. As Vader turned to face her, Obi-Wan appeared behind him and took over for Kyra. Vader's temper began to grow, the Sith Lord truly angry, and it showed in the way he fought. As he hacked away at Obi-Wan, his swings frequently missed and, instead, took a chunk out of the rock spires surrounding them. As the space between spires grew narrower, Kenobi and Kryze's attack became quicker, both striking at Vader as the Sith Lord struggled to fend them off. Obi-Wan managed to push Vader backwards and rolled underneath his former apprentice's advance when he aimed for his neck, ducking again when Vader quickly followed up the first swing with a second.

     As Obi-Wan got to his feet and backed away, Kyra advanced on Vader, pulling his attention away from Kenobi. When their blades connected, Vader did not pull away, choosing instead to try and push Kyra backwards, but she managed to hold her ground. Her arms burned and her muscles strained as she fought against Vader, who was nearly a foot taller than she was, and tried to break free from their interlocked position. Finally, she jerked her lightsaber backwards and pushed both Vader and his weapon away, causing the Sith Lord to stagger. Kyra quickly advanced on Vader and struck three times with her saber, not allowing him to regain his balance.

     Backing away from Vader, Kyra reached out to the Force and tried to crush him with the nearest rock spire, but he was able to hold the formation up.

     "Your skills have improved since we last saw each other, little Kyra," the Sith Lord said as she strained, the opponents both using the Force to engage in a battle of strength. "But you still have much to learn."

     Vader lifted the spire as if it weighed nothing more than a pebble and threw it at Kyra, who stumbled but still managed to slice it in half with her saber. Obi-Wan tried to intervene, but Vader had already closed the space between him and Kyra, bringing the blade of his saber down on hers. When their weapons collided, sparks flew and Vader began pushing her saber down, closer and closer to her face. When he was close enough, Vader hit Kyra in the nose with the hilt of his saber and interlocked their blades once more. A metallic taste filled Kyra's mouth as blood dripped down her face, but she ignored the pain, knowing she had a much bigger problem to focus on.

     When Vader realized that Kyra would not easily back down, he used the Force to slam a large boulder against the back of her legs. Kyra's feet were knocked out from under her and she fell hard on her back, the air being forced out of her lungs. She immediately backed away from Vader, his lightsaber narrowly missing her as it struck the rock between her legs. When Kyra got to her feet, Obi-Wan pulled her behind him and prepared to take over her half of the fight. Instead of fighting back, however, Vader slammed a fist against the ground and split the rock beneath their feet. The fissure quickly grew and a sinkhole opened beneath Kryze and Kenobi, swallowing them.

     Before Kyra could hit the bottom, Vader used the Force to stop her fall and pulled her towards him.

     Grabbing her by the throat, Vader said, "Join me, or suffer the same fate as your father."

     Despite her airway being severely constricted, Kyra managed to wheeze, "I'll never join you."

     "Then you will die!" he growled as he threw her into the chasm below.

     Kyra must have hit her head when she landed, for when she woke up, the starry sky had been replaced by a pile of rubble. When she coughed and felt blood seeping out of her mouth, she knew that she had suffered more than just a head injury. When she tried to move, she found that the majority of her body was pinned down, crushed by the rock spires Vader had piled on top of her and Obi-Wan. She tried looking for her father, but a sharp pain shot through her neck and coursed down her spine when she moved her head, confirming her suspicion that she had been badly injured. Settling into the most comfortable position possible, given her situation, Kyra called out to her father through the Force.

     In response, she heard the voices in his head:

     "This is the end for you, my Master," Darth Vader snarled as he and Kenobi fought on Mapuzo. "Admit you are beaten. You cannot run, Obi-Wan."

     "I see through the lies of the Jedi," Anakin Skywalker claimed when he had still been more man than machine. "You're my enemy."

     "You should have killed me when you had the chance," Darth Vader said, taunting Obi-Wan as he watched him burn on Mapuzo.

     "I do not fear the dark side," Anakin stated.

     "I am what you made me," Darth Vader replied, the different voices of the same man fighting for dominance in Obi-Wan's mind.

     Through their connection, Kyra discerned that Obi-Wan was trapped at the far-end of the sinkhole, holding up the rubble with nothing but the Force and sheer willpower. When his determination began to wane, however, she realized that his memories of Vader and Anakin were discouraging him. Closing her eyes and reaching out to the Force, Kyra shared the weight of the stone spires, as well as a collection of good memories for both of them to focus on. In her mind's eye, she saw Obi-Wan teaching a younger version of herself, as well as the happier moments they had shared with Leia on their misadventure. The Jedi grunted with effort, gritting their teeth and straining as they slowly began to raise the rubble.

     Kyra screamed with victory and pain, knowing she was overexerting herself as the spires were catapulted into the sky, revealing the midnight sky above. Kyra heard movement off to her left, and even though she lacked the energy – and ability – to move her head, she knew that it was her father. When Obi-Wan knelt next to her, the look on his face revealed to Kyra that she was in worse shape than she had previously thought. When he placed a hand on her shoulder and began to transfer a portion of his life force to hers, Kyra could not find the strength in herself to stop him.

     After a moment – as he helped Kyra sit up – Obi-Wan said, "I fixed what I could, but you still need to be careful. Your injuries were extensive, and I wasn't able to heal them entirely. I want you to head back to the ship while I go after—"

     "There is no bloody way I'm letting you fight him by yourself," Kyra replied, cutting him off. "If you want to, you'll have to fight me first before getting to Vader."

     Obi-Wan sighed and shook his head, "You're as stubborn as your mother."

     "And don't you forget it," Kyra instructed as she got to her feet, inhaling sharply when every muscle in her body protested.

     They climbed to the top of the sinkhole and intercepted Vader, who was heading back to his shuttle. The Dark Lord of the Sith turned just as they ignited their lightsabers and fought as one, deciding against their previous method of attack because both lacked the patience to take turns fighting Vader. The Jedi fought the Sith Lord mercilessly, strike after strike, blow after blow. Eventually, Vader grew tired and used the Force to stop Kyra and Obi-Wan's lightsabers mid-swing. The wielders of the light side quickly broke free and ran circles around Lord Vader, whose breathing became labored as he desperately tried to block their relentless attacks.

     Planting his feet against the stone, Obi-Wan used the Force to throw Vader into the nearest spire. The man that used to be Anakin Skywalker slammed against the rock formation, groaning as he fell to his hands and knees. Before the Sith Lord could get to his feet, the Jedi reached out to the Force and tore several spires from the ground before pummeling Vader with the large pieces of stone. Vader roared with fury and finally managed to rush towards the two Jedi, but they anticipated the attack and blocked his strikes. When Obi-Wan tried to stab Vader in the abdomen, the Sith Lord grabbed his arm and pinned it behind his back, but Kenobi managed to spin out of the painful position.

     The rivals fought with their lightsabers in one hand while shoving each other with their free hands. Taking advantage of Vader's vulnerability, Kyra raced towards the men and stabbed Vader in the chest, destroying a large portion of his life support system as she did. Vader groaned and stumbled backwards, wheezing as he fell to a knee, but the Jedi did not allow him a moment's rest. Obi-Wan used the Force to hurl another boulder at the Sith Lord, hitting his helmet and dragging his saber across Vader's back before he could get to his feet. Rage could work wonders – as all three of the combatants knew – and it allowed Vader to stand and continue fighting.

     Once again, Vader went flying through the air, Kyra using the Force to send him careening across the rocky surface. Still bent on defeating his former master and the apprentice that had replaced him, Vader managed to get to his feet, just barely fending off the advance of two incredibly determined Jedi. When Vader swung at Obi-Wan, the Jedi Master spun around the blade before aiming his own weapon at Vader's head and cutting the black helmet in half. Kryze and Kenobi remained on edge as the Sith Lord groaned and fell to his knees, sparks flying from his damaged helmet. When Vader finally looked up and revealed the ravaged face of Anakin Skywalker, both of the Jedi fell silent at the horrid countenance of their brother and friend.

     Kyra's hand flew to her mouth as Obi-Wan breathed his apprentice's name.

     "Anakin is gone," the Sith Lord claimed, and because the modulator in his helmet had been destroyed, his voice was an eerie mix of both Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker. "I am what remains."

     Kyra heard her father's shaky breath and saw the tears in his eyes as he whispered, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry, Anakin. For all of it."

     Struggling to breath without his respirator, Anakin gasped as he replied, "I am not your failure, Obi-Wan."

     He continued to speak in both voices, as if the two sides of Obi-Wan's former apprentice were trying to fight for dominance, light against dark. As he spoke, the blue and red light from their lightsabers played across his face, revealing a blue eye that had once belonged to Anakin. The next time he spoke, however, the dark seemed to have won, for only the crimson light bathed his face and his pupil had turned yellow.

     "You didn't kill Anakin Skywalker. I did," Darth Vader growled. "The same way, I will destroy you!"

     Clenching his jaw, Obi-Wan whispered, "Then my friend is truly dead. Goodbye, Darth."

     Vader staggered towards Obi-Wan, who placed a hand on Kyra's shoulder and gently guided her towards the drop ship. Kyra glanced over her shoulder one last time at what remained of the friend she once knew, knowing that the sound of his labored breathing would forever haunt her. When Vader called after his former master and fell to his knees, Kyra could feel the fury rolling off him, the rage at his own inability to stop them from walking away.

     "Obi-Wan!" Vader screamed, the mechanized voice of Anakin Skywalker sending a chill down Kyra's spine.

     As they broke through the upper atmosphere, leaving the barren moon and Darth Vader behind, a shift in the Force made itself known to both Kryze and Kenobi. They glanced at each other before Kyra set the coordinates to Tatooine in the navicomputer, the Jedi heading for the Lars Homestead to aid Luke Skywalker. After exiting hyperspace, the drop ship landed several yards away from the moisture farm that Owen and Beru Lars inhabited. When the Jedi disembarked and heard Luke's aunt and uncle frantically calling his name, they realized the boy was missing. As Obi-Wan and Kyra joined Luke's guardians, Kenobi asked where Skywalker was.

     When Beru confirmed that the boy was gone, Kyra said, "We'll look in the Dune Sea. Don't stop searching until one of us finds him."

     "Who's she?" Owen asked warily, and Kyra knew that – having watched over a Force-sensitive child for ten years – the farmer had learned to be wary of anyone he did not know.

     "This is Kyra, my daughter," Obi-Wan assured Owen, who hesitated a moment before sighing and nodding.

     Before the group could begin their search, however, a dark figure materialized in the distance and appeared to be carrying a small figure in its arms. Stopping several feet away from the boy's aunt and uncle, Reva Sevander gingerly placed the unconscious Luke Skywalker on the sand. Owen and Beru raced to Luke's side, his uncle pulling him into his arms and hugging him tightly as his aunt brushed the sand off his face. As the family disappeared inside their house, Reva fell to her knees and sobbed quietly, Kyra hesitating briefly before kneeling in front of the former Inquisitor.

     "I couldn't do it," Reva whispered after a moment, her voice full of frustration and grief from the trauma she had endured at such a young age. "I couldn't do it. I failed them. He killed them all, and I couldn't do it."

     "You haven't failed them," Kyra assured her in an equally quiet voice. "By showing mercy, you have given them peace. You have honored them."

     After forcefully wiping the tears off her face, Reva asked, "Have I become him?"

     "No," Kyra replied firmly. "You have chosen not to. Who you become now is up to you. Reva, I've been where you have, as I told you on Jabiim. We witnessed the horrors of war at too young an age, saw friends and mentors fall in battle. The only reason I didn't follow the same path as you did was because I had family who took me in. Kept me on the right path. But now, despite not having anyone to support you, to teach you, you still did the right thing. Still knew right from wrong."

     Reva held Kyra's gaze for a moment, then stared down at the double-bladed lightsaber in her hands before throwing it into the sand.

     "Now you're free," Kyra declared as she stood and held out her hand.

     Reva hesitated, then took her hand and the Jedi pulled the former Inquisitor to her feet. Only when Reva winced and clutched her stomach did Kyra realize that Sevander had been injured. Despite the young woman's protests, Kyra managed to sit Reva down before lifting her leather tunic and finding the stab wound, similar to the one she had received from Sevander when she was still known as the Third Sister.

     As Obi-Wan knelt on the other side of Reva, Kyra asked, "What happened?"

     "After you got away, I confronted Vader," Reva answered, groaning. "Thought I could fight him. He overpowered me, then stabbed me with my own saber."

     "You were lucky to survive," Obi-Wan replied.

     When he saw Kyra placing a hand on Reva's abdomen, he grabbed her arm and stopped her. He started to argue but quickly stopped when he saw the determination on his daughter's face. He sighed and nodded with resignation as Kyra closed her eyes and reached out to the Force, breathing in through her nose, out through her mouth. Kyra grimaced as she transferred her life force to Reva, the color draining from her face and beads of sweat dripping off the end of her nose. Gritting her teeth, Kyra opened her eyes just in time to make sure that Reva's wound had healed before she fell onto her side and the world went dark.

                                                                      ...

     When she came to, Kyra realized that she was no longer in the desert, but a medical bay. The white lights were not as bright this time, but Kyra still recognized the room as the one she had inhabited before leaving for Tatooine. For a moment, she thought the events that had occurred over the past several days were just a dream. Then she realized Breha and Bail Organa were not at her bedside, as they had been after she was shot by Vect Nokru. Kyra's stiff muscles ached as she sat up, but other than a couple of minor injuries, her body was in better condition than she expected, considering all she had gone through.

     She slowly stood and stretched, smiling as she dressed in the white blouse, suit jacket, pants, and heels that had been laid out for her. When she heard a cheerful beep behind her, Kyra turned to find Lola – who had, presumably, been keeping watch over her while she recovered – sitting on the nightstand, along with several other items. She left her lightsaber where it was but pinned her rank insignia to her left lapel and smiled again as she stared down at the gold medallion on the side table. Not only did the Organas know her clothing preferences, but they also understood and respected her aversion to fanfare, which she tried to avoid at all costs.

     As she picked up the Medal of Bravery and stepped out onto the porch, listening to the birds sing, Lola perched on her shoulder. She took a deep breath and walked out of the medbay, making her way to Leia's room. She breathed a sigh of relief when she found her sister wearing a long white tunic, white leggings, brown knee-high boots, her yellow gloves, and Tala's holster. Queen Breha was also in the room, and they both turned upon hearing the blast door open, Leia spinning in a circle to show off her new outfit.

     "What do you think?" the princess asked eagerly.

     Kyra smiled as she crouched in front of her sister and said, "I love it."

     Leia hugged her sister tightly before pulling Breha into the embrace, the three women brought together by a bond stronger than blood.

     After a moment, Breha turned to Leia and suggested, "Why don't you keep Master Kenobi company while I have a word with Kyra?"

     Leia nodded and practically floated out of the room, her feet barely touching the ground as she skipped happily down the hallway with Lola hovering at her side. A second after the girl had left, Bail appeared and immediately enveloped Kyra in his arms. The senator was wearing his military uniform while the queen was dressed in a flowing gown similar to the one she had donned to host her relatives, except this dress was teal.

     Pulling the medal out of his pocket, he smirked and said, "I knew you wouldn't willingly wear this, but know that if I have to order you to wear it, I will."

     Kyra raised her hands in mock surrender and allowed Bail to slip the Medal of Bravery over her head.

     Bail kissed the top of her head, "Thank you for saving our daughter. And I hope you will be able to forgive me for nearly getting you, and your father, killed."

     "I never blamed you to begin with," Kyra assured him, and he knew that she was telling the truth. "You couldn't have stopped me from going after Leia."

     Senator Organa chuckled quietly, "I think you're a bad influence on your sister."

     "Or maybe she's a bad influence on me," Kyra countered. "I used to be an obedient padawan. Now look at me. I'm forcing my father out of retirement and drawing him back into a war he wanted no part of."

     As her smile disappeared, Breha held Kyra's face in her hands, "Now you listen to me, Master Kenobi would have been forced out of hiding eventually. You just helped speed up the process. The Force works in mysterious ways, and this time, it reunited you with your father after being apart for ten years. There is nothing wrong with that. Maybe the man he once was had been broken by the Clone Wars, but that man has been put back together, his hope renewed. Because of you."

     Kyra nodded and the Organas took each of her hands in one of theirs before leading her to the docking platform, where the drop ship waited. Her small hand in his, Leia dragged Obi-Wan behind her and towards the Organas, the Jedi Master having apparently forgotten something inside. When Bail arched an eyebrow upon seeing Leia wearing a holster, she reminded him that there were many ways to lead, echoing Kyra's words from their conversation on the balcony.

     "If I'm going to do this, I'm going to want to change a few things," the princess added.

     "Then let's change things together," Bail replied.

     "Hello, Master," Kyra greeted quietly with a small bow of her head.

     Obi-Wan smiled and pulled Kyra into his arms, hugging her tightly as he said, "It's good to see you have fully healed, Padawan. You were in rough shape when we left Tatooine."

     Suddenly remembering the chain of events that had brought her back to Alderaan, Kyra asked after young Luke and the redeemed Reva Sevander.

     "Other than a minor bump on his head, the boy will be fine," Obi-Wan answered. "As for Reva, she helped me carry you onto the drop ship before heading off to forge her own path through the galaxy. A heavy weight has been lifted from her shoulders, Kyra, and she has you to thank for that."

     He took a step back and pulled a small item out of his pocket before pressing it into Kyra's hand. When she straightened her fingers, she found a gold ring decorated with a sapphire.

     As she looked up at Obi-Wan, he explained, "This ring belonged to your mother. I gave it to her shortly after you were born. She wanted you to have it, but after she died, I knew you would need some time before I gave it to you."

     Kyra slipped the ring onto her right index finger as Obi-Wan noticed the insignia on her lapel.

     "You've moved up in the world," Obi-Wan stated, pausing for a moment as he considered what he wanted to say next. "Though the Jedi Order may be gone, I believe I have earned the ability, and authority, to grant you the rank of Jedi Knight."

     Kyra's jaw dropped, and for several moments, she was at a loss for words. When she regained her ability to function, Kyra closed her mouth, squared her shoulders, and bowed.

     "Thank you, Master Kenobi," she said quietly. "You will not regret your decision."

     Obi-Wan smiled, "I know I won't, Captain Kryze, Knight of the Jedi Order."

     "Actually, I was wondering if I could use my full name: Kyra Kryze-Kenobi," Kyra replied. "The Empire knows who I am now, and if there was any doubt that I was still alive, it's gone now. There's no sense using pseudonyms when I still have a code name I can use for undercover missions."

     "As long as it is alright with Senator Organa, then it's fine with me," Obi-Wan replied as Kyra eagerly turned towards Bail, silently asking for his permission.

     The senator smiled, "We will never be able to truly repay you. The least we can do is let you use your full name."

     "Thank you, Senator," Kyra replied. "And not to worry, Leia has already paid us back with her eternal optimism."

     Bail's smile slowly disappeared as he admitted, "I fear for her future. The Empire grows stronger and bolder."

     "Well, if you ever need my help again, you know where to find me," Obi-Wan stated.

     "And I will always answer when you contact me," Kyra added, earning the confused expressions she had expected. "Now that the Empire knows I'm alive, it's only a matter of time before they figure out you were harboring a fugitive. I plan on leaving shortly after my father."

     "What do you intend to do?" Senator Organa asked.

     "I've spent enough time hiding in the shadows," Kyra answered. "Maybe it's time for me to go out and start recruiting others who would prefer to be free from the Empire's tyranny."

     Bail nodded, "Very well, then. I will provide you with a shuttle and the resources necessary to carry out your missions, but should you ever need a place to stay, know that you are always welcome here."

     "I know, Senator. And I am forever in your debt," Kyra acknowledged. "Should you need my help, please don't hesitate to contact me. I will always fight beside you, as well as Captain Antilles, come hell or high water. Anytime, anywhere. No matter where I am or what I'm doing."

     She stood at attention and saluted Senator Organa, who grasped her hands in his and said, "I am grateful for your loyalty. Let's hope that day never comes."

     "I wholeheartedly agree," Kyra replied as Bail turned and shook hands with Obi-Wan.

     When Leia joined them, she turned to Obi-Wan and asked, "So, what'll you do now?"

     Kenobi shrugged, "I don't know. What do you think I should do?"

     "I think you should sleep," Leia said bluntly, and everyone around the young girl laughed.

     "I think you're right," Obi-Wan replied as he knelt in front of the princess. "Leia...when I said before that I didn't know your parents..."

     He paused, sighing as he considered how to phrase what he wanted to say, "Princess Leia Organa, you are wise, discerning, kind hearted. These are qualities that came from your mother. But you are also passionate and fearless, forthright. And these are gifts from your father."

     Leia smiled, and when Obi-Wan faltered, Kyra picked up where he left off, "Both were exceptional people who bore an exceptional daughter. I wish I could tell you more, and I know my father does, too."

     "It's okay. You don't have to," Leia assured the Jedi as she looked over at Bail and Breha. "Will I ever see you again?"

     "Maybe. Someday," Obi-Wan answered. "If you ever need help from a tired old man."

     The princess giggled as Kyra added, "Don't worry, you will be seeing a lot of me. Maybe too much. You'll probably be sick of me by the time you're twelve, but someone has to teach you how to shoot. But we need to be careful. No one must know, or it could endanger all of us."

     "Goodbye, sister," Leia said as she wrapped her arms around Kyra and Kenobi's neck. "Goodbye, Obi-Wan."

     Kyra squeezed her eyes shut and took a deep breath, "Goodbye, dear princess. The Force will be with you. Always."

     After one final hug, Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi stood and boarded the drop ship, waving through the viewport as he headed back to Tatooine. Kyra changed into an outfit more suitable for field missions before packing the few belongings in her possession and returning to the docking platform, where she found a VCX-series auxiliary starfighter waiting for her. The ship featured foldable wings, a dorsal laser turret, and twin laser cannons located at the front of the starfighter, which – including the pilot – could seat five people.

     "She's all yours," Bail said with a smile. "I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of naming her."

     The senator pointed to a panel below the port side window of the cockpit, and when Kyra looked, she found that the shuttle had been named after her call sign. After walking her through the basic diagnostics and functions of the Phantom, Kyra hugged each of the Organas one last time, the family trying to delay the inevitable.

     Kyra glanced at her lightsaber, then handed the weapon to Bail, "I'll come back for this one day. But, for now, it will only put those around me in danger while I'm running recruitment missions."

     Bail nodded as he took her saber, but when she walked up the small ramp located behind the cockpit, he placed a hand on her shoulder and stopped her.

     "Kyra, there is one thing you can do for me," Senator Bail Organa said as Captain Kyra Kryze-Kenobi turned to face him. "Light the fire."

     And light the fire she did.