Chapter Seven

All your words and sad, sad thoughts burn through my
brain because you started the flame that left me high and
wanting more of you. -- Jessica Barber -- Fire --A Day
Without Light

   Kayro sat down at his desk and watched Eon.  The aging
man stared back, waiting for Kayro to have the first word,
which, was what he was supposed to do.  Kayro leaned
back in his chair, taking his time.  He might be acting the
way he should be, but it was probably all a cover up.  Kayro
had not grown up with the Empire and survived by trusting
people.  That was what had been drilled into his head over
and over again as one warlord after another gained more
men and ships at the expense of his partner.  But, Eon was
the only man that could even slightly be trusted, that
troubled Kayro, but he could live with it.  He only needed
Eon for a little bit, and if Eon remained trustworthy and
loyal throughout the time Kayro needed him, he would be
rewarded with a quick death.
  "So, we've agreed that you will be helping me attack
certain planets," Kayro said slowly.
  "Yes, Admiral Inin, but can't you tell me the reason that I
am attacking these planets?"
  "No," Kayro said briskly, "the only reason you need, is,
that you, taking care of these planets, will keep the New
Republic from figuring out my plan, at least until it's too
late."
  Eon squeezed his gloved hands together. "I see, well I'm
off then, Admiral."
  "Yes, take your time, Admiral Eon, victory shall be ours,"
Kayro said nonchalantly.
  Eon stood up ignoring Kayro's uncaring tone.  "I'm sure it
shall be, the Empire will certainly rise again."
  Kayro scowled as Eon left his office, to board his Star
Destroyer.  The victory would be their own, but whoever
said the Empire would rise again?  The New Republic
would fall, sooner or later; himself and Eon would not be
the ones to bring the Empire back.  They never would, they
did not have enough power, and certainly not enough time.
  Kayro narrowed his green eyes.  Stenner would be back
soon.  Kayro had heard about the attacking of Khomm, that
was, at least, some good news.  The other good news was
that Eon had indeed joined him, and he would be attacking
two planets: Clenicis and Unisosia.
  Soon, Kayro's other Star Destroyer would be arriving, and
Eon's would be leaving.  Once Darien returned with the
_Evening Death_, Kayro would board it, and the
_Vengeance_ would leave to attack two other planets.
  Minutes later, Kayro watched as the Star Destroyer, the
_Evening Death_ came out of hyperspace.  Two minutes
later his other Star Destroyer, the _Hunter_, came out, right
behind.  He let himself smile, as he watched his beautiful
ships come closer to the _Vengeance_.
  Eon was preparing to leave in ten minutes, during which,
Kayro would be boarding the _Evening Death_, as Darien
boarded the _Hunter_ to take command.
  Ten minutes later Kayro was on the bridge of the
_Evening Death_. Stenner had boarded the _Vengeance_,
and was preparing to leave.  Eon's Star Destroyer suddenly
entered hyperspace, along with the _Vengeance_, and then
the _Hunter_.  Now all Kayro had to do was sit back and
wait for the news of more New Republic planets being
attacked.
                                            *                  *             
*

  Kyp awoke, and sat up in his bed.  Briefly Kyp wondered
if Serena had left the Academy.  When he felt her presence
in the room next to his he knew that she had stayed.  With
great relief Kyp stretched, and then dressed in dark pants
and a shirt quickly.  Walking to Serena's door, he knocked
on it lightly.  No one came to answer it, and he wondered if,
like the day before, she was already up . . . or gone  and his
tired senses had tricked him. Never, Kyp smiled grimly to
himself, he was too good for that.
  After a moment, Kyp shrugged and decided to enter her
room anyway.  He opened the door and stepped in. He got
on his knees by her bedside.  He stared at the sleeping form
of Serena, and smiled to himself.  She looked so beautiful.
  "Serena," he whispered in her ear, "Rena."
  Serena rolled over, and opened her eyes.  "Oh, Kyp.
_Kyp_?"  Serena sat up quickly only to be met by Kyp's
awaiting lips.
  Serena giggled, breaking away from Kyp.  "What a way to
get up.  Wanna do that every day?"
  Kyp stood up and smiled. "If that's what you want," he
walked to the window and looked out.
  The sun had risen a long time ago, and all the fog and
clouds were gone.  Kyp began to recall the night before and
suddenly found himself uncomfortable because of what he
had told Luke about not caring for Serena.  "I've never slept
this late before."
  Serena pulled on her slim fitting dark grey pants, and
pulled a tight fitting pale blue shirt over her head.  She
espied Kyp's back. "Neither have I.  I don't know why I
slept this late, either."
   Kyp turned back around, and watched Serena pull her hair
back as if she were going to braid it, and drop it.  She
brushed it out again, and then turned to her bedside where
her knee high boots lay on the floor.  Serena sat on the
small cot and pulled the black boots over her pants.  Serena
stood up, "Well, let's go," she said impatiently.
  They walked out of Serena's room and went down the
hallway.  "Wait, Serena."  Kyp stopped in mid stride.
  Serena turned around.  "What is it?"
  "It's Dorsk, he's not here."  Kyp's face muscles tightened,
and for once he ignored Serena's beauty.
  "What do you mean?"  she asked studying his face.
  "His presence is gone."
  "Oh. Is something wrong?"
  "I don't know, let's go find Master Skywalker." Kyp said,
not able to think about what he should be feeling, worry or
nothing at all?
  "Okay,"  Serena shrugged, oblivious to Kyp's worry, and
they started walking again.
  Kyp and Serena found Shal'lyindraa in the main room of
the temple.
  "Hey, you guys, come here."  Shal'lyindraa motioned for
Kyp and Serena to come over to her with a slight wave of
her elegant hand.
  Serena and Kyp came up to her.  "Shal, do you know
where Dorsk is?"  Kyp asked, before anything else could be
said.
  Shal'lyindraa nodded her head at Kyp's question. "He left
early this morning for Khomm.  It was attacked, just like
Koretin."
  Kyp's eyes widened.  "Really?  I can't believe it."
_Khomm, Anoat, Hander . . ._ Serena swallowed hard.
  "I'm just glad that none of the planets of Hander have been
attacked, and if they are, it's one chance out of thirty that it
will be mine, and even a smaller chance that it will be
anywhere near my family's land. But, then I doubt it will be,
there would not be any reason."
  Serena looked down at the ground.  "Yeah, that's a good
thing."
  Shal'lyindraa nodded her head.  "So, ya'll are gonna go
train for a while?"
  Kyp nodded. "Yep."
  "Well," Shal'lyindraa pulled out a newly constructed
lightsaber. "I'm going to practice with this."  She flipped it
on, and a bright red blade appeared before them.
  Serena's eyes widened. "Wow. Where did you get that?"
  "Made it myself, took two weeks."
  Kyp furrowed his brow.  "You never told me."
    Shal'lyindraa smiled.  "I know.  I wanted it to be a
surprise."
  "When will I make one?" Serena asked, turning from
Shal'lyindraa and her red lightsaber to face Kyp.
  "When I think you're ready." Kyp said, before
Shal'lyindraa could say anything.  Serena turned to
Shal'lyindraa for a brief moment and mouthed the word
'figures'.  Shal'lyindraa smiled and nodded her head.
  Serena looked up at Kyp. "Well, when's that?"
  "I don't know, not for a while."
  "Oh.  Why didn't you ever let me see yours?"  Serena
asked, just noticing the metal cylinder hooked to the belt
that was strapped around Kyp's waist.
   Kyp shrugged, "I guess I never thought about it. It's really
nice, Shal.  Good job."
  Shal'lyindraa turned off the humming blade. "Thanks, you
would not believe how long I've waited to have this."
  Kyp smiled.  "I understand."
  Shal'lyindraa hooked the lightsaber back to her belt.  "I'll
catch you two later, okay?"
  "Sure, we'll be in the clearing, if not here."  Kyp said.
  "Okay,"  Shal'lyindraa said and walked off, her long hair
swaying back and forth.
  Serena and Kyp walked out of the temple and headed
towards the jungle.  Serena noticed with relief how the
humid stickiness of the jungle did not bother her as much as
it had in the beginning.  It could still be annoyingly wet and
hot, but she was growing accustomed to it.  In the same
clearing that they used every day to train Serena in, they sat
down opposite each other.
  "So.  What am I going to do today?"  Serena asked.
  "Meditate,"  Kyp said simply.
  "That's all?"
  "Yes, Rena, that's all."  Kyp said, as if he did not want to
talk.
  Serena did not know what to say, instead she reached out
with the Force to Kyp.  Kyp had suddenly been taken over
by a small amount of depression.  To what had caused it,
Serena had no answer.  She shrugged it off, sure that when
she was done meditating he'd be back to his brisk,
argumentative, and happy self.
  "Okay.  I'll meditate then."
  Serena closed her eyes and took a deep breath; she let
herself drift into the Force.  Today she did not feel like
meditating, so what she saw she saw half-heartedly.  Serena
ignored most of the visions that passed through her eyes,
they were of no importance to her.  They were mostly
things from the past, her time on Tatooine where she had
been a vagabond with no one or place to go to.  Now she at
least had Kyp, Shal'lyindraa, and the Academy.  The
Academy was the only home that she had, Serena realized.
This was the only place that people knew her, and where
she knew other people.  Even though she kept to herself
unless around Kyp or Shal'lyindraa, she also knew others.
Others mostly consisted of Dorsk 81 and Luke Skywalker,
but she recognized Tionne, her boyfriend, her boyfriend's
little sister, Kirana Ti, Kam Solusar . . . the list went on.
  Keeping her mind off her current love situation with Kyp,
Serena thought about Shal'lyindraa.  She did not know
much about Shal'lyindraa except that she was from Hander,
was seventeen, and was training to be a Jedi.  Her parents
had literally kicked her out of her home on Hander when
she had started to show the powers of witches and the sort,
of course, that was only the Force.  Shal'lyindraa's uncle
and cousin had taken her in at that point, until they could
not raise her anymore, they did not have enough money.
So, Shal'lyindraa had been taken to Corellia to be left with a
friend of Dain's (who was her uncle), a smuggler named
Rubin.  Surprisingly enough, Rubin had raised her as they
moved from Corellia to Tatooine.  When Shal'lyindraa had
turned sixteen she had recognized her powers in the Force,
but had not left Rubin until she was seventeen.  The story of
Shal'lyindraa's life ended there.  She had come to the
Academy and was training.
  Now, Serena realized she had completely forgotten about
meditating and was just sitting in the clearing with her eyes
closed.  She briefly wondered if Kyp knew that she was not
meditating.  Serena did not care much, she had not felt like
meditating, later that night she would.
  Serena opened her eyes.  She had no idea how long she
had been meditating/thinking; it could have been from five
minutes to five hours.  She, at the beginning, had been
meditating and then had resorted into thinking about other
people, mostly Shal'lyindraa.   So, she was not sure if she
had been out of touch with reality for a short time or long
time.    Looking up at the sky, Serena figured it was closer
to being a long time.  The sun was straight overhead now,
and shining down into the clearing.  Kyp still sat in front of
her; his eyes were closed.  Serena briefly wondered how
time could pass so quickly.  She let it slip through her
thoughts and disappear.  It did not matter much.
  "Kyp?"
  Kyp opened his eyes immediately and smiled.  "Done?"
  "That's up to you."  Serena said, glad that he was smiling,
glad that he had not noticed her slight lie.  'Oh, who am I
kidding? He's just playing along with me,' Serena thought
dryly.
  "Then I guess you are."
  Serena looked into her lap and then back to Kyp uneasily.
"Kyp?" she asked softly.
  "Yeah?"
  "Are you still mad at Master Skywalker?"
  Kyp smiled lightly and shook his head.  "No, how did you
know, anyway?"
  "I heard you yelling at him."
  "Did you hear what we said?"
  "No,"  Serena lied and immediately asked, "Do you really
not care?"
  Kyp's eyes widened and he stood up. "Yes! Yes, I care. I
love you, Serena."  He sat down beside her.  "I love you."
   Serena bit her lip. She had promised herself long ago that
she would never let herself fall in love, but already she knew
she was so in love with Kyp she would die for him if need
be.  That thought was painful.  "I love you, too."
  Kyp kissed Serena, and pulled her closer to him.  "I should
not have said that."  He admitted, " I was just angry, and a
little embarrassed."
  "It's okay, I understand."
  Kyp smiled. "I'm sure you do."
  Kyp leaned his back up against the dark brown tree behind
them and let his head fall slightly back.  He pulled Serena to
him, and wrapped his arm around her shoulder.  He stared
out into the jungle, not really concentrating or caring about
what he was looking at.

                        *            *        *

  Kyp Durron always liked to watch the sky.  Night was the
best time -- not because of the multicolored lights that
decorated the incoming and leaving ships even though that
was a part of it -- but because he was able to watch, and
study, and memorize the constellations that passed him by.
What fascinated him the most, though, was the fact that in
some of the constellations the bright blue, red, and white
stars were actually planets, and on those planets lived
people.  People or aliens, that he would never meet, but,
somewhere there was a young girl or boy out there who
would be a big part of his future.  Hopefully it was a boy
'cause girls had dirty germs that turned boys into ugly fish.
  Kyp concentrated on one bright white, almost brown, star.
It did not twinkle like most stars which obviously meant it
was a planet.  A big planet, with living humans and other
creatures.  Maybe, somewhere on that planet, a kid was
thinking the same thing he was, and was now staring up at
the planet Kyp was on.  Who was the kid then?  And, would
he ever meet him or her?
  Kyp could not wait to leave his home on Deyer.  His
parents said that he could leave as soon as he was eighteen,
of course, they did not believe he was serious when he told
them that he wanted to leave.  They had asked him why
would anyone want to leave the beautiful world of Anoat.
He had said for adventure.
  They had laughed.
  It was from today, exactly ten years until he turned
eighteen.  Today had been his eighth birthday.  The years
were going by slow, but his older friends who were twelve
and thirteen told him the older you got the faster the years
went by, so hopefully when he reached ten he'd start getting
older quicker and when he turned eighteen he'd stop aging.
  It was possible.
  Kyp, now standing outside on a wooden porch a few feet
from the doorway leading into the Durron's blazingly lit
home, looked up at the sky.  It was pitch black, he
recognized practically every constellation that was out
tonight.  He had no names for them, but that did not matter.
He was sure that when he was older he would name them.
He would use big words, too.  The kind his brother, Zeth,
used.  He could use words like ethereal or hyperbola.  It did
not matter to the young boy.  The constellations were
beautiful with or without names.
  "Kyp."  Zeth, Kyp's fourteen year-old-brother, knocked
him on the shoulder lightly.  "It's time to come in, supper's
on the table . . . and so is your present."
  Kyp smiled at the mention of a present.  He hadn't been
sure that year if he would get one because his parents had
been so intent on their political meetings. But, like always,
his loving parents had come through.  "Is it big, Zeth?"  he
asked, excitedly.
  Zeth patted Kyp on the shoulder and followed Kyp's gaze
towards the sky.  "Big enough for you, shorty."
  "Just you wait, Zeth, when I'm older and bigger I'll be out
of here for good.  No stopping me, don't even try."
  Zeth laughed at Kyp's childish remark, for who would ever
want to leave a place like Deyer a colony on Anoat?  "I
promise, I will not try to stop you.  Now, come on, or your
present might just disappear like last year."
  "It went away 'cause you took it."
  "But I gave it back."
  "A week later!"
  "Give me a break, Kyp!"
  The chilled wind that came off the water blew Kyp's bangs
into his dark eyes, and he pushed them away with his hand.
He followed the shadowed form of his brother back to the
house, lit in a happy, loving glow.  At the white stone
doorway, Kyp turned around and let his gaze drift once
again across the gray and white stoned houses that rested on
the pale green lakes.
  Every house looked the same: two story stone, rounded
features, and every one was brightly lit.  It was beautiful,
perfect.  That was why few people ever left Anoat, but Kyp
was different.  Maybe he was different from everyone else,
but it did not matter.  He still wanted to leave as soon as he
could.
  Zeth took Kyp's small hand in his.  He studied the raft
cities that were anchored down in the huge terraformed
lakes, with wide, wooden and stone bridges connecting each
house and other buildings.  Daily he would take his little
brother out to play in the water.  To swim, fish, and play
with his toy boat -- which had been sunk days before by
accident.  That was what Kyp's present was, obviously.  A
brightly colored, not to mention expensive, well-built, toy
boat.  Zeth knew Kyp would be more than delighted to
receive something like that.
  Kyp watched as a large, barely lit, transport docked a few
hundred yards from the house.  Something, almost like a
little voice deep inside him was telling him to run.  'Run'. This ship was 
bad.  'Run.'  His family would be hurt.
'Run!'  His life would be changed forever.  'Run, are you
crazy?  Run!'  His destiny . . . to leave this place . . . 'run' .
. . the darkness . . . 'run for your life!'
  Zeth squeezed Kyp's hand.  "Come on, Kyp.  We'll come
out later, okay?"  Zeth smiled to himself as he realized how
much his little brother meant to him.  He could not let Kyp
leave when he was older.  He could not bear to not be able
to ever see his brother again.  But, if something drastic did
happen, and Zeth did not see Kyp for years, as long as
before he died he was able to see Kyp just once, then he
could die happy.
  Kyp followed Zeth, who was still holding his hand, into the
happy home of the Durron's. It was lit up brightly, ready for
a happy -- bright -- celebration.  Every light in the house
was on, creating a warm glow.  'It will soon be dark and
cold', the little voice spoke.
  'Run . . .'

                 *    *    *

  Of course, he was never able to open his present, or go
back outside with his brother.  The stormtroopers had come
in a few moments before he could open his present.  He
never knew what it was.  If only he had gone by his feelings,
if only he had run.
   "What are you thinking about?"  Serena asked Kyp,
speaking soothingly.
  Kyp gave the slightest hint of surprise.  "I was just thinking
of a saying that my parents used to tell me and Zeth. I don't
know why, but I can never forget it."  It was really not what
he had been thinking, but he did not want to upset Serena
with his problems.  She had enough things to worry about,
the worries mostly consisted of her father.  He could sense
her father was the forefront of her thoughts easily.
  Serena chewed on her lip for a moment.  "What is it?"
  Kyp let out his breath. "Wisdom is like a forgotten world,
far beyond the ultimate bound of human concept."
  "And that means?"  Serena asked Kyp, looking up into his
darkened face.
  "No one will ever really know everything.  There's so
much knowledge that one will never attain all knowledge;
therefore, you should seek wisdom and knowledge," he
sighed, "constantly."
  "Is something wrong, Kyp?"  Serena asked, suddenly
concerned about Kyp, ever since she had been here, she had
never seen him act this way.
  Kyp looked down at her, and his face cleared. "No."
  "You know, you _can_ tell me," she said, with a fierce
determination in her eyes.
  "I know, baby, I'm fine."   Kyp took his stolid gaze off of
her and looked back into the jungle.  "It's just, innocent
people are dying out there, and you and I, we're here, doing
nothing."  A hint of restrained anger flickered like candle
light in Kyp's dark eyes.
  "We're here training to become Jedi Knights, Kyp!  We're
learning how to protect the people that are out there.  Soon
you'll be doing something about it and helping those people,
but we are doing something.  Isn't that good enough?"
Serena asked, trying to make Kyp feel better.  It wasn't just
the fact that there were innocent beings dying that was
causing the turmoil that Serena could feel inside Kyp's
heart.  It was something else, but she could not pinpoint it
exactly.
  "No,"  Kyp said bluntly.
  "That's really bothering you, then?  Is that all?"  Serena
asked, trying to figure out what else was bothering the man
so much, he was so good at keeping his feelings under
wraps with the Force.  She had no idea what else it could be
other than what he had said, but there was more.
  Kyp stood up, knocking Serena backward against the tree.
   "Ow! Kyp!" Serena half-yelled, rubbing the back of her
neck where the dulled end of a broken branch had stabbed
into it.
  Kyp looked down at her, with anger flashing across his
face.   "Yes, that is bothering me! I want to leave this place,
I want to kill off every single Imperial without mercy, I
want every being in this galaxy to fear me, and I want, I
want   . . . " Kyp stopped yelling, and heaved a sigh,  "I
want my family back."
  Serena stood up, and walked over to him.  She caressed
his cheek, "Oh, Kyp, Kyp. If only I could help you to forget
those times."
  Kyp's lower lip slightly trembled. Tears flowed down his
cheeks as he sobbed.  Serena wrapped her arms around him,
and he wrapped his around her.  'Poor Kyp,' was all Serena
could think.  She did not know that much about him, but
she did know his parents had died in the spice mines of
Kessel, and that he had killed his brother by accident.
  When Kyp had been turning to the dark side, thanks to the
help of Exar Kun, he had gone to Carida to find his brother,
Zeth, so as to set him free from the Imperials.  He had come
in the _Sun Crusher_ and when the Imperials had lied and
said that his brother had died during training, Kyp had fired
two of the torpedoes into Carida's sun.  If the sun hadn't
exploded for another few seconds, Kyp would have been
able to save Zeth, but moments before Zeth would have
been inside the _Sun Crusher_, safe from harm, the sun had
exploded, disintegrating Zeth's body in the process right
before Kyp's eyes.
  Serena brushed her fingers through his dark hair.  "It'll be
all right.  Things will be better; you'll see, in time."  Serena
whispered to him, "I'm sorry, I'm so sorry."
Kyp pulled away, and turned his back to her.  Serena stood
and stared at Kyp's back, not knowing what else to say.
"I know that it's not my fault that my parents are dead, but
it is my fault that Zeth is."
  "Let it go, Kyp.  Everything happens for a reason.  You
might not understand why it happened now, but in the
future, you'll be able to look back, and see why everything
happened the way it did."
  "You just can't understand."
  "If you'd give me a chance, I might be able to."
  "No."
  "Then I guess I won't understand," Serena said dolefully.
  "I love you, Serena."
  Serena was surprised at the remark and sudden change of
topic.  He was avoiding something.  What, she did not
know.  Maybe it hurt him too much to talk about his parents
and brother.  Serena decided to say nothing in return,
sensing Kyp did not want her to say anything to that
statement.
  "Serena, you and Han are the only people I care for.  It's
not enough. I need a mother, a father, and a brother,"  Kyp
said, his head was now lifted upward as if he were studying
the sky.
  "Kyp, all I have is you, maybe I know a little bit of how
you feel,"  Serena whispered, just barely loud enough for
Kyp to hear her.
  Kyp turned around, and held each of her shoulders with his
hands.  Beads of sweat glistened on his brow, curling his
dark hair into tight ringlets.
  "Then you'll never leave me?" Kyp asked pleadingly.
  "I'll always love you Kyp," Serena said.  She knew she had
not answered Kyp's question, and by the way he let his
hands drop from her shoulders, she knew that was not the
answer he had wanted.  But, she still was planning to join
Karrde, so what else could she say?

                 *    *    *

  Eon stood on the bridge of his Star Destroyer, looking out
the viewport.  In front of him was the beautiful planet of
Unisosia, a planet filled with dazzling museums, diners, and
beaches. All in all, a tourist's haven, for the New Republic.
  "Attack." Eon waved his hand in the air, and he watched
as TIE fighters burst from their compartments and began
spitting out laser beams and torpedoes.
  Soon the TIE fighters would be attacking the museums,
beaches, and diners.  Many people would die.  Innocent
people would die.
   Eon yawned.  This was very boring. He remembered
when he use to fly in a TIE fighter; those had been the days.
The days when the Empire ruled with a strong hand, a long
time ago.
  The Empire would rise again as soon as he took over
Kayro's forces -- if he could take over Kayro's forces.  With
three Star Destroyers he could do wonders.  Of course, Inin
was back in the Kanat system, lazily waiting for his men to
attack different, random, planets.  The first thing he would
do if he could have all those Star Destroyers, though, would
be to have his men put all their helmets back on.
   What did Kayro see in that?  Could he read their minds by
looking into their eyes?  That would be the day.  Eon
smirked, he may not be as young as Inin, but he was
experienced, something Inin would never live to learn
about.
  He already knew that the New Republic had found out
where Kayro was hiding . . . thanks to him.  They would be
there soon, and he would not.  He would do what Kayro
wanted him to do; contact Kayro, like he wanted him to do,
and never show up again.
  The New Republic would rid him of Kayro, and he would
not have to lift a finger.  It was a shame that he could not
capture his ships, but he had heard a rumor that Kayro had
some in hiding.  He could at least find those.
  "Comm officer, contact ships, tell them to come in. I want
a report filed in two hours.  Contact Admiral Inin, and tell
him we have just finished attacking Unisosia.  Tell him that
we're on our way to Clenicis."
  "Yes, sir."


  Darien stood on the bridge, looking out the viewport
waiting for the TIE fighters to burst out from under the hull
and rain torpedoes and lasers on Chandrila.
  "Report from hangar bay.  TIE fighter squadrons three and
seven are away," a young man, the fighter control officer,
spoke calmly.
  Darien nodded his head, and allowed himself a smile.
"Acknowledged."  He turned his back from the view.  He
cared little about this attack.  Nothing out of the ordinary
should happen. Darien let his eyes wander across the bridge
crew.  All young, all trying there best, and yet if what they
gave was their best, then the Empire would never even have
a chance of returning.  Of course, at seventeen he was
rather young himself, but he was experienced, he was smart,
and he was loyal.
  Loyalty, that was something you rarely ever found in the
Empire. Maybe that was why he had come so far in so little
time.  Kayro being his father had nothing to do with his
loyalty.  His father had personally trained him once he had
been smart enough to join the Empire.  Darien had then
changed his last name from Inin to Stenner for safety
precautions.  He had then rid himself of his year older sister.
  "Captain, sir?"  A female voice spoke up, the comm
officer.
  "Yes?"  Darien turned to look at her, immediately
forgetting what he had been thinking.
  "Twelve A wings have just come out of hyperspace right
on top of us," she said, her brown eyes wide with surprise.
  Darien turned to look out the viewport.  "Contact Helm
and tell them to turn us around; and contact both TIE
Squadrons and tell them to return to the docking bays
immediately." He looked out the viewport as they slowly
turned around and came face to face with the twelve A
wings. He turned to the fighter coordinator. "Power up bow
turbolasers, and activate deflector shields."
  The older man nodded and signaled to two other crew pit
officers.
  "Sir," the comm officer spoke up, "squadron three is in the
docking bays, filing a report, but squadron seven has run
into the A wings."
  "Tell them to fire at will, but tell them this is not a battle,
and I want them back in the docking bays as soon as
possible."
  "Yes, sir," the female officer replied
   The huge ship shook as the turbolasers began firing at the
twelve A-wings, only hitting one.  Darien grimaced, the
New Republic either had very good luck, or he his men had
very bad aim.
  "Sir, six B-wings have just come out of hyperspace,
surrounding an unknown ship," someone spoke up.
  He turned to the comm officer.  "Squadron seven?"
  "Is in the docking bays, sir."
  "Damage report?" Darien called out.
   An officer in the crew pit answered. "Two TIE fighters
destroyed."
  "Enemy damage?"
  "Two A wings destroyed."
  "Admiral Inin is not going to like this," he mumbled to
himself.
  Darien turned back to the comm officer.  "I want reports
filed in the next hour."
  "Yes, sir."
  "Is our course set for the twenty-ninth planet of Hander?"
  "Yes, sir, we will be entering hyperspace in five . . . three .
. . two . . .one."
  The _Vengeance_ entered hyperspace, and Darien slowly
shook his head. Kayro would _not_ like this.  Two TIEs
was not that much, but Kayro had specifically said he did
not want one ship destroyed.
  Darien shrugged it off; Kayro could not really do anything
to him because he was too important to kill. "Lieutenant
Killeryer, take over command until I come back."
  "Yes, sir."
  Darien walked to his office, and sat down into a high-
backed, black leather chair. He closed his eyes, and let out
his breath.  Maybe he wasn't going to be in trouble with
Kayro; they _had_ destroyed two of the A- wings.
  Now they were heading towards the twenty-ninth planet of
Hander.  Hander was a group of thirty planets, ten to a sun.
They were all rich planets, where silk and jewels were
exported from.  Most of the people lived rather primitive,
though a few of them did not.  Women were mainly in
charge of Hander, though men did have important roles.
Women also made up seventy percent of the population; it
was hard on the men.  These planets --not including the
third and fourth planets of Hander -- consisted mainly of
humans.
  Darien knew of the girl at the Academy whose parents
lived on Hander.  He had not known of her, though, until he
had met her cousin and uncle, the uncle being a complete
fool.  The girl's name was Shal'lyindraa Ta'ao.  Soon, her
family would be dead.
  Darien remembered back a week ago when he had met
with Dain and his son Jonnic.  They had given him the
location of the Ta'ao's, the times that all of them would be
at the house, and when and where the Handerin ships that
guarded each planet would be at the specific time of the
attack.  The Handerin clusters had huge battle ships
guarding each planet.  These ships were known as the
Handerin Fire Fleet.  They were cylinder shaped, and about
half the size of a Star Destroyer.  They were dangerous
enough that Darien wanted -- at all costs -- to attack the
planet at the exact time the Handerin Fire Fleet would be at
the opposite side of the planet so there could be no possible
way of meeting up with the large ships.
  Jonnic had not been sure about giving Darien all that
information because the Ta'ao's were his cousins.
However, from Imperial intelligence, Darien had learned
that he was in debt, big time, and needed money.  The
Ta'ao's were going to pay him money, but Darien offered
Jonnic and Dain even more money, he had offered him
fourteen thousand credits when the Ta'ao's were going to
only give him nine thousand.  Darien almost felt sorry for
Shal'lyindraa for she was his age, almost.
  Darien's heavy eyes did not open, and a troubled sleep
took over him.


  Darien opened his eyes and rubbed them.  Slowly he stood
up, how long had he been asleep? What if they were already
out of hyperspace?  Darien brushed down his hair, and
quickly, but calmly walked out of his office, heading
towards the bridge.
  When Darien reached it, he slowed down, noticing that
they were still in hyperspace.  He caught the attention of
one of the crew officers. "How long until we're there?"
  "Twenty-five minutes, sir."
  "Get me Lieutenant Killeryer."
  "Yes, sir."
   Moments later Darien turned to see Killeryer standing
behind him, "Sir?"
   "Have you found the location of the Ta'ao family?"
  "Yes, sir, we shall be arriving right over the island."
  "Good.  And I presume our fighter coordinator  has told
squadrons two and four that they will be attacking the entire
island."
  "Yes, sir.  The men are ready and awaiting your
command."
  Darien nodded. "Good."
  "Sir?"
  "Yes, Lieutenant." Darien turned his back to Killeryer and
looked out the viewport, something he found himself doing
more often than usual.
  "We have also found out that there is another relation to
the Ta'ao girl."
  "And they are?"
  "Her uncle and cousin, Dain."
   Darien smiled grimly to himself.  Only Kayro knew of the
meeting he had had with the two men.  "Leave them be,
why kill when it will not help any, the girl Jedi will leave the
Academy anyway."  Darien said, acting as if it had been the
first time he had ever heard of the two men.
  "Yes, sir. As you wish."  Killeryer walked off.
  The _Vengeance_ suddenly came out of hyperspace.  The
tunnel of blue light blurred into lines of stars, which quickly
shot back into pinpricks of light.  Before them was a
beautifully colored planet covered with a huge expanse of
green water, broken apart every now and then by a group of
small, even greener, islands.
  "Report from hangar bay," the female comm officer spoke
up again. " Squadrons two and four are off and awaiting
your command."
  After a moment of complete silence as everyone awaited
his command, Darien said, "Attack."
  Coming out from the underbelly of the ship the TIEs
swooped down in tight formation.  Parting into separate
groups, they quickly entered the planet's atmosphere.
   Darien began to see circles of red light dotting the clouds
which covered the Ta'ao's land from view.  Every now and
then the clouds would part, and Darien would get a quick
glance of brown land instead of the once vivid green.
  "Sir, squadron two reports enemy damage is at a
maximum, all the land is completely destroyed.  They are
awaiting your command to go on to the Dain's, or to
return."
  "I want them to return, no use spilling useless blood."
  "Yes, sir."
  The clouds parted, and TIE fighters burst forth, a beautiful
scene to Darien.  They flew back under the _Vengeance_,
and Darien smiled.  His part of the mission was almost
completed.  It was time to visit the Jedi Academy.



  Kayro stood on the bridge of the_ Evening Death_.
Gerem, captain of the _Hunter_, had just reported in.  He
had finished attacking Tyaniac, and all had gone well.
Deyer, a colony in Anoat had been totally destroyed; Gerem
had not spared a soul.  'How terrible,' Kayro thought
sarcastically.
  Soon Gerem should arrive back in the Kanat system, and
then Darien, who would be carrying the joyous news of the
destruction of the Jedi Academy.  Kayro's spies on
Coruscant, Corellia, Bothawui, and many other planets had
been contacted and told to spread the news of the attack of
the twenty-ninth planet of Hander, Chandrila, Tyaniac, and
Anoat, and as soon as Eon contacted him, Unisosia, and
Clenicis.
  "Have Helm bring us over to Deneratin  and put us in its
orbit."  Kayro told a stormtrooper who was now standing
beside him.
  The stormtrooper walked over to the comm officer and
relayed the message.  Slowly the Star Destroyer turned
around, and began to almost float towards the volcanic
planet of Deneratin.
  Kayro had just received news that the New Republic had
figured out where he was. That was bad, but it could not be
helped.  He would let them send their small forces to fight
against him and his Star Destroyers; let them see who really
was in control.  Maybe that would weaken and scare them.
It could even bring around the fall of the New Republic
though Kayro new that the destruction of a few ships would
not break the New Republic, it would take years, and he
was patient enough.  His teacher had taught him to be
patient, and he was.

                  *   *    *


  Shal'lyindraa let herself drop onto Serena's bed, laying
down on her back and staring up at the ceiling.  Her blonde
hair draped over her shoulders and the rest hung off the bed,
brushing the stone floor.  She closed her icy blue eyes, and
let out a sigh.
  Four days ago, her home one the twenty-ninth planet of
Hander had been attacked and destroyed.  "My family . . .
my mother, father . . . my sisters. I can't _believe_ that my
family is dead." Shal'lyindraa said with a heavy sadness in
her usual happy voice.
  Serena sat down beside her friend.  She had now been at
the Academy for a total number of seven weeks.  Things
had been going smoothly after the attack on Chandrila, --
Serena had, had no premonition of the attack on Chandrila
--for no other planets had been attacked.  Things had been
peaceful until three weeks after the attack on Chandrila, the
twenty-ninth planet of Hander had been attacked, but the
only place destroyed had been the land and homes owned by
the Ta'ao's.  "I'm truly sorry, Shal."
  "Well, it's not that bad, I mean, they did just drop me off at
my uncle's home when I was four . . . but they were still my
family."
  "But, your uncle and cousin were at least unharmed,"  Kyp
offered, standing over Serena and Shal'lyindraa.
  "Oh.  Yes.  I am very relieved about that, too.  I love my
uncle and cousin.  They were always so kind to me."
Shal'lyindraa opened her eyes.
  "Shal, do you want to go . . . and visit them, or
something?" asked Serena, thoughtfully.
  Shal'lyindraa sat up with a new burst of happy energy.
"Why, that's a great idea, and you and Kyp can come with
me!"
  "Whoa there Shal, you want me and Serena to come, too?"
Kyp asked.
  Shal'lyindraa furrowed her brow. "Of course, why not?"
  Kyp shrugged. "No reason, let's just go tell Master
Skywalker.  I mean, I guess it doesn't really matter."
  Serena nodded.  "I'd love to.  Who knows what trouble
we'll run into."
  "Very funny, Serena."  Kyp gave her a sarcastic smile and
narrowed his eyes.
  Serena gave him a lopsided grin. "I know."
  "What I just can't figure out is why."
  "Why, what, Shal?"  Serena brought her attention back to
her one-year younger friend.
  "Why would anyone in the Empire kill my family?  And
then there was Chandrila, and then . . ." Shal'lyindraa
sighed, "And then whatever other planets are going to be
attacked in the future."
  Kyp glanced at Serena, who was looking at the floor, her
cheeks a slight pink. "I don't know, Shal, I really don't,"
Serena managed to mumble.
  Shal'lyindraa quickly stood up.  "Let's go find Master
Skywalker, I want to leave as soon as possible."
  Kyp and Serena exchanged glances, followed Shal'lyindraa
to the outside of the temple where Luke was.  He was
talking to one of the newer students.  The young girl looked
over Luke's shoulder, and then nodded at what he was
telling her.  She smiled, flipped her red and silver colored
hair, and gracefully walked off.  Serena recognized the girl
from the first day she had arrived on Yavin Four.  She had
winked at Kyp, sparking a small flame of jealousy in her.
Now Serena felt no jealousy, there was no need to, anyway,
Kyp did not even know the girl.
  "Master Skywalker?"  Shal'lyindraa asked in a conciliatory
tone. "You know how, " Luke turned around, "my home
was attacked?"
  Luke nodded.
  "Well, Kyp, Serena, and I were wondering if I could go
and visit my uncle and cousin there for a while." She looked
up at him pleadingly, widening her blue eyes.
  Luke thought a moment.  "Yes, you may go, I doubt that I
could keep you here anyway," he smiled at them. "Go
ahead, but hurry back. I don't want some of my strongest
Jedi gone for too long."
  "Don't worry Master Skywalker.  We'll hurry back."  A
smile passed across Serena's full lips and slowly faded
away.
  Luke nodded his head forward.  "Go ahead, and try not to
get into any trouble."
  "Cut us some slack, Master Skywalker, please.  It's not
like we're leaving to go look for trouble." Kyp said, smiling
at his teacher as he turned around and headed towards the
_Corellian Sunrise_ with Serena and Shal'lyindraa.
  They walked through the jungle for a few minutes, until
they came out into a clearing.  The _Millennium Falcon_was gone, the 
_Corellian Sunrise_ was left alone in the
clearing.
  At the _Corellian Sunrise_ Serena moved her hand across
the small, sleek ship.  Walking up the ramp after Kyp and
Shal'lyindraa, she closed it, and walked quickly towards the
cockpit.  She walked ahead of Kyp, and Shal'lyindraa,
telling them to follow her.
  Sitting down in the pilots seat, Serena looked up at
Shal'lyindraa, and Kyp. "So, who wants to be co-pilot?"
  "I do." Shal'lyindraa quickly said, slipping into the leather
seat beside Serena. Serena powered up the ship and took
control of the helm.  Serena glanced at Kyp, raising her
eyebrows.  Kyp shrugged, and sat down in the chair behind
Shal'lyindraa.  Lifting up, they left Yavin Four.
  "Okay, you chose to help, now, look up the coordinates to
the twenty-ninth planet of Hander, it should be in there."
Serena nodded towards a computer terminal to the right of
Shal'lyindraa.  Shal'lyindraa nodded her head to Serena's
command.
  Kyp, who was sitting down behind Shal'lyindraa, looked
out the viewport.  Kyp watched Shal'lyindraa's exquisite
hands work over the console. "All right, got it, and we will
be ready for lightspeed in two minutes."
  Serena rested her hand on the levers, waited patiently for
two minutes to pass, and pushed them forward. The
_Corellian Sunrise_ slightly lurched forward; the stars
mottled together and became long lines which blurred to
become a bright blue tunnel of light.
  Serena leaned back, "Well, there you go, we're on our
way."
  "And you, Serena, are going to meditate."
  "Kyp," Serena whined, "why?"
  "I'm your teacher and I say meditate."
  Serena stood, giving up easily.  She did not feel like
getting into any kind of argument with Kyp. " Fine, I'll go
meditate. I'll be in the back if ya'll need anything."
  Serena walked out of the cockpit, and headed to the back
of the ship, turning left, then right before she reached a
partial dead end.  The room opened into a refresher station
on her right and a bunk bed on her left.  She sat down
beside the bed and leaned against it.
  Closing her eyes, Serena let out her breath and let herself
drift into the Force. Kyp had once told her that through
meditating one could sometimes see the future.  She had
once, and so far it had come true. Khomm and Hander had
been attacked, and soon Anoat would be attacked.
  Before Serena's closed eyes images of the past began to fly
by, images of her father, of Kyp, of her mother, of
Shal'lyindraa.  Then a vision appeared before her eyes,
something she did not understand, something she grabbed
onto before it could fade away.
  It was her, and Shal'lyindraa, flying through space, being
chased by something, someone. The vision slipped away.
Then another one, she was somewhere, in a large room,
being stared at, scoffed at.  Everyone knew . . . _everyone_.
  The vision slipped away as all the others had. None of it
had really shaken her.  Nothing for her to be afraid of.
Whoever had been chasing her and Shal'lyindraa would be
taken care of.  Whatever all those people knew, Serena
could not change it; they would still find out.  She would
not let any of the visions bother her.
  Standing up,  Serena stretched her aching muscles. In the
background she heard a strange noise, one that she had not
heard in a long, long, time.  Somehow she remembered the
sound from her childhood.
  Walking towards the front of her ship, and then turning
right, she entered into a room with a small booth, food, and
drink processor.  In the middle stood Shal'lyindraa and Kyp,
their lightsabers in hand, laughing.
  "I'm better than you are, Kyp, you have to admit it."
  "You wish Shal'lyindraa. You wish."
  Something about that stirred a long forgotten memory, one
that she could not completely grasp.  Serena crossed her
arms over her chest. "Okay, so, when do I get to have some
fun?"
  Shal'lyindraa and Kyp turned off their lightsabers.
Shal'lyindraa walked up to Serena, her skirt rustling against
the floor. She handed her the lightsaber. "Go ahead, Sere,
have fun."
   Kyp turned to Serena. "Well, what did you see?"
  "It's inconceivable, and it's impossible to describe
something if it's beyond description."
  Kyp shook his head. "Nothing's impossible, Rena."
  Shal'lyindraa stepped between Serena and Kyp.  "There
are only possibilities waiting to be encountered." She
smiled, and stepped back.  "So, go ahead Sere, turn it on."
     Serena smiled and turned the lightsaber over in her palm.
She held it in her right hand, and flicked it on with her
thumb.  A bright red blade appeared before her, she swung
it back and forth.
  "Nice, I like it." Serena walked up to Kyp, "Wanna teach
me how to use it?"
  Kyp smiled. "Sure, no problem."  Kyp lifted his lightsaber
up and brought it down towards Serena who brought up
Shal'lyindraa's to deflect his blow.
  "Are you crazy?"  Serena asked, "You could have killed
me!"
  "Yes," Kyp brought the lightsaber up and brought it down
in an arc.  "But I know that you have good reflexes, so it
doesn't matter."
  Serena laughed and deflected Kyp's lightsaber again.  "Try
a little harder next time."
  Kyp nodded his head and turned around in a circle, using
the force of it to bring the lightsaber down.  He swung it
sideways, and Serena lunged, but Kyp blocked her.  Serena
stepped backwards, and happily braced herself for Kyp's
next attack.
   Minutes later Serena lifted the lightsaber up above her
head and swung it around in a circle. Quickly, Serena
brought it down towards Kyp. As soon as she brought her
lightsaber down, Kyp brought up his vertically and blocked
her move.
  "Okay, okay.  That's it, I'm worn out." said Serena, wiping
the few drops of sweat that were beginning to form on her
forehead.
  Kyp nodded as he turned his lightsaber off, and Serena
turned off Shal'lyindraa's.  "You're a quick learner, and you
have good reflexes.  That's good."
  Serena smiled, "Why, thank you."
  Kyp bowed his head down. "My pleasure."


  Tionne hurried into the main room of the temple and
scanned the room.  She caught Guy's gaze and motioned
for him to come to her.  He slowly stood up and walked
across to her.
  "What is it?" he asked Tionne.
  "Master Skywalker is leaving."  She pointed towards the
outside.
  Guy looked over her shoulder, then back at her. "Why?"
  "Coruscant called; the Inner Council wants him.  They said
that, that some other planets have been attacked, not just
Koretin and Khomm.  They said that they need Master
Skywalker so they can figure out what to do."
  In the distance Guy was able to faintly hear a roaring
sound, which quickly faded away.  It must have been Luke
Skywalker's X-wing. "What other planets?"
  "Unisosia, Tyaniac, some Handerin planet, Anoat, Clenicis,
and Chandrila."
  "Chandrila?"
  "Yes. I'm sorry."
  "Where in Chandrila?" Guy asked, as a lump formed in his
throat.
  "I don't know, that's it, I told you all I know."
  Guy narrowed his eyes. "Wait, so, Koretin was attacked,
and Cilghal, and Nembany left.  Khomm was attacked and
Dorsk 81 left, Hander was also, what about that Handerin
girl, Shal'lyindraa?"
  "She's gone, too, and Kyp Durron, and the other girl."
  "Serena."
  "Yes, her."
  "And now Master Skywalker is gone . . ."
  Tionne's eyes widened, and she slowly nodded her head.
"Guy, all of the strongest students are gone."
  "Plus Master Skywalker."
  "Guy, that could only mean one thing --"
  "If we were attacked, there would be no way to protect
ourselves."  Guy frowned.  "Now, what do we do?"
  "Well," Tionne furrowed her brow.  "We could tell
everyone else that's here, but we also tell them that we don't
know for sure, so we need to make some plans."
  "And, I'm sure that if we were attacked, the first target
would be the temple, so we need to go into the jungle,
which will be the safest place."
  Tionne nodded.
  "And we need to contact Coruscant--"
  "Oh, no --"
  "What?"
  " --Oh, no" Tionne shook her head.
  "What is it?"
  "We can't contact Coruscant, we can't contact anyone.
Our communications center is destroyed."
  "How?"
  "Some of the temple caved in on it."
  "I can't believe it, we're on our own.  The gods must be
against us."
  "But we don't know for sure if we are going to be
attacked. I mean, Unisosia, Tyaniac, and Clenicis.  No one
here is from any of those planets."
  "You're right," Guy put his hand on Tionne's shoulder.
"But we still need to tell everyone.  Look, you get everyone
in the temple into here, and I'll go out into the jungle."
  "Okay."
  Twenty minutes later, all the trainees were sitting and
standing in the main room. Tionne stood by Guy in the
front of the small group, made up of about ten other
trainees.
   Guy caught everyone's attention.  "As you all know,
Master Skywalker, plus six of the most powerful students
are gone because all of their home planets were attacked."
  "What does this have to do with us?"  A female voice
asked.  It was a young woman that Tionne recognized as
Kirana Ti, a girl from Dathomir.  Beside Kirana Ti was an
older man, named Streen whom Luke had found at the
abandoned Cloud City.
  "It seems to have a lot to do with us." Guy continued,
"Now, we are unprotected against any attack that could be
put against us.  Our communication center is destroyed; so
we're all by ourselves."
  A young woman, with red and silver streaked hair
shrugged, narrowing her dark green eyes. "Who said we
were going to be attacked?"
  "No one, but we could be.  If we are, then I want us all to
head out into the jungle--"
  The woman rolled her eyes.  "We're not going to be
attacked, Guy."
   "You don't know that, Melisa ."
  "I doubt we are, so thank you for the unneeded warning."
Melisa walked smoothly out of the room, followed by the
trainees except for three of them, one including Exana.
  "Do you know for sure that we're going to be attacked?" a
female Bothan asked. "I risked a lot coming here, I don't
want it to be destroyed."
  Guy walked to the female Bothan and the older man,
Streen. Exana ran up to him and hung onto his waist.
  "I don't know for sure, but all those planets being attacked
was for a reason.  There has got to be an overall plan, and
this may be it.  Since the strongest or most experienced
students are gone, we're unprotected.  We have no idea how
to protect the Academy."
  "I hope we're not attacked," the Bothan said, blinking her
teal green eyes rapidly.
  "What do we do if we are?" Streen asked.
  "Hide in the jungle.  The temple will probably be the
target.  We need to get as far from it as we can. "
  "Guy, what's going on?" Exana asked.
  Guy picked her up.  "Nothing for you to worry about, sis,
nothing."

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