"It was hard to bear the knowledge that my people were suffering," Elijah said, his voice tinged with sorrow as he and Ruby sat on a weathered bench in the tranquil garden. Ruby, lost in thought, absentmindedly played with a dandelion in her hands, her gaze averted from him.

Elijah turned to her, his heart heavy. "I know you didn't mean to push me away while I was with Ebba, but I assure you, that chapter is closed for good. Please," he urged, placing a gentle hand on her thigh. "Come back home."

Ruby finally looked at him, a deep sigh escaping her lips. "Elijah, you're right. Our chapter is closed for good." She stood, resolve lighting her features. "But I'll come home for one week to help Draograth restore what it was before my father's time." A smile broke through her solemnity. "Come on."

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In her modest quarters, Ruby bustled about, packing a small satchel for her journey back to Draograth. The quiet concentration on her face was suddenly shattered as the door burst open, admitting the imposing figures of Kylo and Hux.

Kylo's brow furrowed in displeasure, his voice dripping with accusation. "You're leaving."

Ruby did not turn to face them, her hands steadily continuing her packing. "I need to, or else Elijah will never leave us be."

Hux, uncharacteristically ruffled, stepped forward. "You can't just abandon your post. There are matters that require your attention here."

Ruby paused, finally meeting their intense gazes. "My loyalty is to Draograth and its people, not to your endless power struggles." She slung the pack over her shoulder, her expression resolute. "I'm going, and nothing you say will stop me."

With that, she pushed past the two men, her stride purposeful as she made her way towards the hangar, leaving Kylo and Hux to seethe in her wake.

Arriving at the bustling hangar, Ruby's face lit up with a smile as she spotted Elijah standing beside a massive 8-time class freighter, more than capable of carrying a full class of 32 people.

"Let's go," Elijah offered, extending his arm to her. Ruby took it without hesitation, and together they swept into the transport ship, leaving Hux and Kylo to stew in their frustration behind them.

The cavernous interior of the freighter echoed with the sound of their footsteps as they made their way to the cockpit. Ruby could feel the anticipation building, a sense of purpose and possibility filling the air. This journey back to Draograth was more than just a trip - it was a chance to restore what had been lost, to reclaim their shared legacy.

Elijah reached for the controls, his movements sure and confident. As the engines roared to life, Ruby settled into the co-pilot's seat, her gaze fixed on the hangar doors as they slowly parted, revealing the vast expanse of space beyond.

With a final glance back at the figures of Hux and Kylo, growing smaller in the distance, Ruby felt a surge of determination. This was their moment, their chance to shape the future of Draograth. And she was ready, side by side with Elijah, to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

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Ruby sat in the cockpit, her attention focused forward, when Elijah approached and settled into the co-pilot's seat beside her. The tension on his face was palpable as he spoke.

"There are a few things you should know before we get home," Elijah began, his voice heavy with concern. Ruby turned to face him, her brow furrowed with curiosity.

"I am the emissary of Dragorath." Elijah paused, wringing his hands nervously. "A bounty hunter has been after you." His gaze fell, the weight of his words evident. "I didn't want this to happen."

Ruby's eyes widened as she absorbed the gravity of the situation. Before she could respond, a thunderous shudder rocked their ship, and she whipped her head around to see a massive metallic vessel looming over them, its presence ominous and foreboding.

Ruby held Elijah's gaze, her expression a mixture of trepidation and determination. She knew they were facing an unknown threat, but with Elijah by her side, she was prepared to confront whatever challenges lay ahead. The future of Dragorath hung in the balance, and Ruby was ready to fight for the restoration of her homeworld.

Tension hung thick in the air as the ominous figure of a Mandalorian warrior strode into the cockpit, his heavy armor echoing with each step. Ruby's breath caught in her throat as the stranger leveled a blaster directly at her, his modulated voice growling a chilling demand.

"You're coming with us, Empress."

Elijah instinctively moved to shield Ruby, his hand reaching for the blaster at his side. "She's not going anywhere with you," he declared, his brow furrowed with defiance.

The Mandalorian's visor shifted to Elijah, the threat in his stance palpable. "This doesn't concern you, emissary. Our quarrel is with the Empress."

Ruby's mind raced, her heart pounding in her chest. Empress? What did this bounty hunter know that she did not? Glancing at Elijah, she saw the same mix of confusion and protectiveness in his eyes.

Squaring her shoulders, Ruby met the Mandalorian's gaze unflinchingly. "I'm not going anywhere. You'll have to go through us first."

The tension in the cockpit was palpable as the three figures stood at an impasse, the fate of Dragorath hanging in the balance.

The room fell silent as the towering, robed figure stepped forward, his mask resembling the ancient visage of Darth Vader. Ruby's heart raced, a gasp escaping her lips as she recognized her father's former appearance.

"Anakin..." she breathed, the name tinged with a mix of reverence and trepidation.

The man's response was cold and unyielding. "That name no longer concerns me," he hissed, before nodding towards the Mandalorian. "I assume you're familiar with Boba Fett."

Ruby glared defiantly, her jaw set with defiance. "I am, but what do you want? You're an old fossil - a mistake in my father's legacy."

The air crackled with tension as the two squared off, a history shrouded in darkness hanging between them. Elijah remained steadfast, his hand gripping his blaster, ready to defend Ruby against this new and ominous threat.

"You have something that belongs to me, child," the Vader-like figure growled, his mechanical breaths filling the cockpit. "And I intend to reclaim it, by any means necessary."

Ruby's eyes narrowed, her mind racing to decipher his cryptic words. What could she possibly possess that this dark specter from her past desired? The fate of Dragorath and their entire future hung in the balance as the confrontation reached a fever pitch.

Ruby's laughter echoed through the cockpit, a cold and unyielding sound that took even the imposing Vader aback. Boba Fett tilted his head slightly, while Elijah recognized that tone - he had heard it only when Ruby was growing angry, her fury about to be unleashed upon a vulnerable soul.

"Oh, Vader," Ruby spat, her voice dripping with contempt. "You might be alive, but you're just as foolish as you were with your son."

With a flick of her wrist, the Force wrapped around the Dark Lord of the Sith, constricting his mechanical breathing apparatus. Vader's deep, labored gasps filled the cabin as he struggled against Ruby's powerful grip.

"What... do you know..." he rasped, his masked visage betraying a glimmer of surprise and unease.

Ruby stepped closer, her eyes blazing with a fury Elijah had never seen. "I know more than you could ever imagine, Anakin Skywalker," she hissed, the name laced with disdain. "And I will not be your pawn any longer."

Boba Fett tensed, his hand hovering over his blaster, but a sharp gesture from Ruby froze him in place. Elijah watched in awe as the young woman he had known wielded the power of the Force with such mastery and conviction.

The air crackled with the intensity of the confrontation, the fate of Dragorath and the balance of the galaxy hanging in the precarious balance.

Ruby's grip on Vader's throat suddenly released, and the Dark Lord collapsed to the ground, gasping and clawing at his mechanical breathing apparatus to restore it to normal function.

Boba Fett immediately leveled his blaster at the Empress, his voice laced with threat. "You won't get away with that, Empress."

But Ruby merely smiled, a dangerous glint in her eyes. With a casual flick of her wrist, the blaster flew from Boba's grasp, clattering to the floor. In the blink of an eye, she drew the Mandalorian warrior towards her, their faces only inches apart.

"But I will, little child," she purred, her tone dripping with condescension.

Elijah watched in awe and trepidation, realizing the true power that coursed through Ruby's veins. She had clearly been concealing the full extent of her abilities, and now, in the face of these imposing foes, she unleashed her mastery of the Force with a chilling confidence.

Vader, still struggling to regain his breath, glared up at Ruby, his mechanical respirator hissing and wheezing. The balance of power had shifted, and the young Empress now held the cards, her control over the situation absolute.

The confrontation hung in the air, the fate of Dragorath and the galaxy itself hanging in the precarious balance as Ruby stood poised to face down these formidable adversaries.

With a dismissive flick of her wrist, Ruby released Boba Fett from her Force grip, the Mandalorian bounty hunter stumbling back a step. She then turned her back on the pair, her gaze focused on the ship's console.

"Take them to the holding cell on this ship and keep them there," she commanded, her voice cool and authoritative. "We're going home, no matter who wants my head on a platter."

Elijah watched in stunned silence as Ruby steered the ship towards the lush, verdant planet of Dragorath, her home. The power and resolve radiating from her was palpable, a stark contrast to the trepidation and uncertainty he had seen from her before.

Vader, still struggling to regain his composure, glared at Ruby's back, his mechanical breathing a constant reminder of his weakened state. Boba Fett hesitated for a moment, his hand twitching towards his holstered blaster, before grudgingly complying with Ruby's orders.

As the ship hurtled towards Dragorath, the air thick with tension, Elijah could sense that the balance of power had irrevocably shifted. Ruby, the young woman he thought he knew, had revealed herself to be a force to be reckoned with - the true Empress, wielding the power of the Force with a mastery that even the legendary Darth Vader could not match.

The future of Dragorath, and perhaps the entire galaxy, now rested on Ruby's shoulders, as she set a course to reclaim her rightful place and confront the ghosts of her family's past.