King Mobbs' ship left hyperspace not far from Naboo. The blockade from Malastarian ships no longer surrounds the planet. Instead, the only ship remaining in Commander Nute's command ship. Inside the ship, King Mobbs is meeting with all members of his guard and the Jedi, discussing the plan for when they reach the planet. Elocin Trahkrik sits on the floor meditating.
"As soon as we land, the Malastarians will arrest you and force you to sign the treaty," Captain Menousek said. "I don't know what you wish to accomplish with this."
"I will take back what's ours," King Mobbs replied shortly.
"They are too few of us, your majesty, we have no army. There is no way we can fight against Malastare," Menousek urged.
Without warning, Elocin suddenly stood up and addressed Captain Menousek.
"No, there is a chance," she said. "If Keira stays out of the fighting and remains here to use her battle meditation, we will have a chance of fighting. I sense the only people who are a threat to us that remain on the planet are the Malastarian high unit group, and that group isn't much."
"I also sense Vulcan will reveal himself," Solin added. "However, I think he won't be a problem with Keira's battle meditation and fighting against a Jedi Master and myself."
"Don't be too quick to think, Solin," cautioned Elocin. "He may pose a threat to you, given your past. However, this group of us should suffice getting into the palace and capturing Commander Nute' in order to end this conflict."
"Thank you, master Jedi," King Mobbs said. "My guards and I will discuss battle plans for the infiltration of the palace. If you please…" he finished, gesturing the Jedi out of his quarters.
The Jedi left and went to the cockpit to speak with the pilots.
"The plan is in motion, pilot Senih," Solin said. "I suggest you join them for the planning, along with your co-pilots."
"I don't need to follow orders from a Jedi, but whatever," Young Senih replied and with that, he exited the cockpit leaving the Jedi to pilot the ship to Naboo.
Solin sat down at the controls and began to navigate the ship towards Naboo. As he piloted the ship, he spoke to Keira.
"Keira, I want you to remain here on the ship using your battle meditation until you feel it is absolutely necessary to join the battle yourself, you understand?"
"Yes, master," Keira replied. "I'll only enter the palace if your old friend reveals himself and I feel I cannot intervene anymore with my battle meditation."
"Good. Now let's see if I can't get us to land on the planet without crashing this bucket of bolts."
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In the Naboo palace, Commander Nute' sat in King Mobbs' throne room chair surrounded by Malastarian guards. Suddenly, a hologram of Lord Nacluv appears to speak with him.
"Yes my lord?" Nute' said.
"Commander, the King is returning to the planet in order to lead an assault on the palace in order to retake control of the planet," Nacluv said.
"That won't be a problem, my lord," Nute' said sheepishly. "There is no way they can get past all the guards and…" Nute' said, before stopping, being force choked through the hologram by Nacluv.
"You scum, they have a Jedi Master with them now! You must prepare to fight against them because you don't stand a chance against a Jedi Master. That is why I am coming to the palace to deal with the Jedi," Nacluv said, releasing his hold on Nute' who collapsed out of the chair and stood up, massaging his throat.
"You're coming here?"
"Yes, you idiot. I'm coming there to deal with my old friend and his Jedi friends. I expect you to be ready for battle when I get there or you shall suffer my…. displeasure…" Nacluv said, before the hologram faded.
Commander Nute' turned to his lieutenant and spoke to him.
"Get the men ready for battle," he said. "If it's true that a Jedi Master is involved, then we must prepare for a long and difficult battle."
"Yes commander, I will send word for the troops to get ready for battle,"
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Solin successfully landed the ship in a hangar not too far from the palace. He turned the engines off and left the cockpit with his apprentice and Elocin to meet the King. The group met outside the ship in the hangar, all of Mobbs' entourage armed with blasters, including Ngema.
"All right, master Jedi," Mobbs said. "We are ready to fight our way to the palace, are you prepared to join us?"
"Yes your majesty," Solin replied. "My apprentice will remain here and master Elocin and I will join you at the palace. I sense we will meet no trouble until we reach the palace itself. Lead the way, your majesty."
With cries of excitement for the pending battle, Mobbs' entourage turned and began to lead the group to the palace. They made their way to the palace, meeting no resistance. The streets were empty, nearly all citizens of the planet taken to prison camps by the Malastare forces. When the reached the palace, King Mobbs activated the door and the group entered the palace. They ran down the first corridor, before meeting Malastare troops down another corridor leading to the throne room. Solin and Elocin activated their lightsabers, Elocin's a bright orange blade. Together with the guards, the Jedi successfully protected Mobbs' from harm.
The group continued on, arriving in the council meeting room of the Naboo palace. As they made their way to the other door leading to the corridor that would take them to the throne room, the door opened, revealing a black-cloaked hooded figure. Ngema and Captain Menousek stood closest to the figure, stopped short of the figure and raised their blasters, ready to attack.
"Reveal yourself, intruder," Ngema said confidently. "You are blocking the path of the King of this planet."
Solin and Elocin walked side-by-side through the now completely stopped group to where Ngema and Menousek stood. They removed their cloaks and pulled out their lightsabers.
"What is it, master Jedi?" asked Captain Menousek as the hooded figure raised his head, revealing his face to be Vulcan's.
"We'll handle this, Captain Menousek," Solin said. "This is a personal matter and also one you cannot handle, this is a Dark Jedi."
"Understood, master Solin," said King Mobbs. "We'll take the long way to the throne room and seal the door behind us so you can handle this matter."
With that, Captain Menousek, Ngema, and Mobbs lead their group back out the door they cam in and closed the door. Vulcan lowered his hood and removed his cloak, pulling out both of his lightsabers.
"Well old friend," he said in an unrecognizable voice that revealed his dark nature. "You got lucky last time. Even with a Jedi master on your side, I will still defeat you."
"Vulcan, don't try us," Solin said, activating his lightsaber while Elocin ignited hers. "You cannot hope to stand a chance against a Jedi Master and my apprentice's battle meditation."
"Oh…can't I?" Vulcan replied, activating both of this lightsabers and striking at the Jedi. The trio has a short duel, before Vulcan kicks Solin over and turns to Elocin. Vulcan strikes his lightsabers and her and she blocks, placing them into a lightsaber hold. Quick as a flash, Vulcan slices at her left arm and right leg, injuring Elocin, causing her to collapse onto the ground.
"Hahahahaha." Vulcan laughed. "Now to handle you, my old friend."
Solin got back up and began to valiantly attack his former Jedi friend. The two remember each other's favorite moves, successfully blocking each other's attacks and counterattacks. After much fighting, Solin begins to wear down. He blocks one of Vulcan's attacks and pushes him back. Vulcan quickly recovers and raises one of his hands and blasts force lighting at Solin. Solin is lifted into the air by the force of the attack and is slammed down into the ground.
"No…Solin," Elocin said weakly, before falling unconscious. Vulcan laughed again and raised his blade at Solin, preparing for the kill. Suddenly, a woman's voice is heard screaming "NO!" followed by a lightsaber igniting. Vulcan turned and around and saw Keira standing at the open door, lightsaber active.
"How sweet," he said. "A young apprentice comes to rescue her master. Yet you don't realize something, young one. I am a Sith Lord, the most powerful of all the Dark Jedi."
"Your words mean nothing if you can't live up to your reputation," Keira replied before rushing up and attacking Vulcan. Solin, still conscious watched as his apprentice and his former friend fight for his life. Vulcan blocked Keira's attack and pushed her back.
"Well, I'll have to deal with you first before I can take care of my old friend here."
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Meanwhile, King Mobbs and his entourage made their way to the throne room, meeting several small groups of Malastare soldiers, which they easily took out. Finally, after wiping out every guard who resisted them, the group reached the throne room door. King Mobbs turned to his group before proceeding.
"All right everyone," he said. "The time has come. We must capture the Commander and take out any guards in this room. If it is our time to die, then we cannot do anything about that except take as many as this cowards as we can!"
The group cheered and Mobbs turned around and activated the door, opening it. Inside the throne room, the Commander and his guards turned around in surprise at the group's sudden appearance. Mobbs and his guards stormed the room, firing at all of the guards surrounding the Commander. In a matter of seconds, all Malastare guards lay dead and only Commander Nute' and his lieutenant remain with the guards. Captain Menousek and Ngema hold them at gunpoint while the King approaches them.
"Jam the doors!" ordered Menousek. Two guards ran to the controls and shut the door, successfully jamming it.
"Now, Commander Nute'," King Mobbs said to the cowering commander. "You will have to answer for your actions."
"Don't be so sure you majesty," Nute' said. "Lord Nacluv will be along shortly after dealing with your Jedi friends and will free us."
"I don't think so," Ngema replied. "I have a feeling that Lord Nacluv will be stopped by them and will be forced to flee. It's almost as I can see it happening now."
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Back in the council meeting room, Keira and Vulcan continued to fight. Keira fought hard, Vulcan was having difficulty blocking all of her attacks. In one swift movement, Keira sliced at Vulcan and successfully broke his red lightsaber and then kicked him away. Vulcan recovered and slowly began pacing the room. Keira, seeing a break in the fight, paced also.
"You have fought well young one," he chided. "How about, you say goodbye to all of your Jedi teachings and join me as my apprentice?"
"No way," Keira said. "I would rather die than become a servant of the Dark Side!"
"Very well, young Jedi. I shall deal…" Vulcan said before being force pushed back by a stronger force than normal. When he fell, his lightsaber deactivated in his hand. Keira turned around, and Solin stood there and reactivated his lightsaber. Seeing his former friend standing there, Vulcan let out a scream of fury.
"YOU! I WILL KILL YOU AND THE REST OF THE JEDI!" he screamed before blasting a very powerful wave of force lighting at Solin and Keira. The two Jedi raised their lightsabers and blocked the attack. Together, they moved closer to Vulcan, forcing him to unleash less power in order to prevent from hurting himself. The Jedi continued to move forward until Vulcan let out another scream of fury, and blasted out a powerful force wave that sent Solin and Keira flying around the room. A red cloud began to form around Vulcan as he screamed to the Jedi, "THIS ISN'T OVER SOLIN!" With that, Vulcan force apparated out of the room.
Solin and Keira deactivated their lightsabers and walked over to Elocin, who still lay on the ground. Solin knelt beside her and waved his hand over her face. Slowly, Elocin opened her eyes and looked around her.
"What happened?" she asked.
"Vulcan tried to tempt Keira to join the dark side. I got back up and he blasted force lightning at us. We moved closer to try and capture him but he blew us back with the force and force apparated out of here." Solin replied. "Are you all right?"
"I'm fine. I feel that Ngema could sense what was going on in here when she was in the throne room. I think that will be enough for the council to consider training her as a Jedi."
With help from Solin, Elocin got up. At that moment, Ngema entered the room alone.
"Are you all alright?" she asked. "I had a feeling something was going to happen that would allow you to capture him."
"Well, we tried to Ngema," Keira said. "Unfortunately, Vulcan got away before we could capture him."
"Oh no. What can we do?"
"Nothing yet," Elocin replied. "We must inform the Jedi Council and get their opinion on the matter."
"Well, you won't have to wait long, master Jedi. They are on their way now along with the Chancellor. They want to make sure everything is all right. They will be here tomorrow." Ngema said.
"Good," Elocin said. "Until then, I must be treated for my injuries and we must all get some rest."
"Can't argue with that," Solin replied.
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The next day, Solin and Keira stood before the Jedi Council in the council meeting room, which had been repaired and cleaned up upon the Council's arrival. The Council was seated exactly as they usually are on Coruscant. After Solin finished his report on the recapture of the palace, Sabe' Weinstein spoke.
"You've done well Solin and Keira," he said. "Because of your actions, Solin, you will be promoted to Jedi Master and given a seat on the Council."
"Thank you, my master," Solin replied.
"And you Keira, will be promoted to the rank of Jedi Knight and will take on Ngema Resor as your apprentice."
"I understand, master Sabe' and thank you. When shall I inform Ngema?" Keira asked.
"As soon as possible," replied Sabe'. "She will need to inform King Mobbs that she is going to become a Jedi. Now to the matter of utmost importance: the Senate has voted to create an army of the Republic and we as Jedi have been selected to head this army. At any time that is required, we must lead the army of the Republic against the dangers of Dark Jedi and other threats similar to this one. However, we are not to intervene in battles, merely to lead, unless Dark Jedi are involved. Do you understand?"
"We do, master," Solin said. "We will not intervene unless Vulcan or any other Dark Jedi is involved."
"Good. This council is now adjourned. We will see you tonight at the ceremony of Peace." Sabe' concluded.
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That night, the Ceremony of Peace was held in the palace grounds. King Mobbs led the citizens of Theed in a party celebrated their victory over Malastare. There was dancing, singing, and a very laid back atmosphere. The Jedi Council joined in the celebrating, enjoying drinks provided by the palace' catering. Keira and Ngema stood together, Ngema clad in new Jedi robes. Solin sat alone nearby at a bar, enjoying a drink of his own. His former apprentice approached him and spoke to him.
"Are you all right, Solin?" she asked.
"Yes, I'm fine Keira," he replied. "I just wish it didn't have to come to this. I could never have imagined Vulcan would actually attempt to kill me after all we went through when he was a Jedi."
"There is still hope for him, Solin. You mustn't forget that."
"I know there is," Solin said, twirling the necklace Vulcan had given him so long ago that he still wore all the time.
"Come on," Keira said, tugging Solin's arm. "Let's join in the celebrating. We are going to need it."
"All right, I'm coming," Solin, replied, taking one last drink. As he walked back over with Keira, he looked toward the stars, wondering what was in store for him and Vulcan in the future. Would they meet again? If they met again, what would that mean for the both of them and the rest of the galaxy? Setting aside these questions for a later time, Solin joined the rest of Theed in the celebrations, enjoying the time they all had before new threats could set in…
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