HP: Dance of the Veela

Sundari, Mandalore…. A Week Later…

The crowd cheered as a new sport was begun here on the home world, one that by the cries of crowd would become very popular when it was seen around their space.

Haron had decided to introduce professional sporting events in their culture as a way of not only bringing his people together but also to encourage a sense of competition. He remembered that feeling from Hogwarts when all four houses had come together to watch a Quidditch game. Regardless of if your house was playing or not you could feel the energy of the crowd and the excitement of the contest.

That was something he wanted to give to their people, a sense of excitement at a contest that was not merely a fight like the martial arts contests they held often on the small scale but an event that was never the same twice.

With that decision made, he had brought Quidditch to the Mandalorians.

He had been forced to make some changes which actually made it more inclusive, using special speeder bikes in place of brooms while the snitch and bludgers had been replaced with droid versions. It had taken a little doing but already it looked like the crowd was loving it.

He smiled, sensing their enjoyment and considered the other sports he was adding over time, his people needed a lift so he would act some muggle sports too. Rugby and Basketball were two that he felt would be enjoyed by the Mandalorians along with hockey. Professional ship and speeder races were also in the works in hopes of finding innovative minds with sublight and ground engines. Even a version of the Olympics possibly.

They needed a distraction from the war, from all the pressure Haron thought hoping to ensure their wellbeing. Even the best warriors needed some respite or at least something to look forward too.

Forest Array, Koboh, Outer Rim Territories…

Obi-Wan and Kalifa crept into the old Jedi facility known as the Forest Array, according to Master Cordova it was a place where the path to Tanalorr might be discovered. A small number of compasses devices existed that could show the way and most had been destroyed, supposedly only one remained but they had no idea just where it was and hoped it might be here.

Apparently according to Master Cordova's research, a lead to where that last compass was remained here if not the compass itself, information was unfortunately very scarce and as he crept inside the facility with Kalifa at his left, Obi-Wan felt the dark side around him. It was faded by time but it was still there, he would have never noticed it if he had not had the experiences, he had in his earlier years but he knew something of the dark side was here.

Now more on edge than ever Obi-Wan explored the facility but found little left intact, much of it was High Republic Era like other places on this planet but when they came to the medical wing, they discovered a single bacta tank that was still full and more importantly had someone inside.

"Is there someone alive in there?" Kalifa asked with astonishment as she looked at the bacta tank. Obi-Wan was concerned as he felt the dark side aura grow stronger here and felt the living force inside.

"Indeed, there is, while impossible for most species some can stay alive for centuries especially when drawing on the force and their bodies being preserved by the bacta." Obi-Wan said seeing whoever it was in there was indeed humanoid but that meant nothing. There were many different species it could be and more importantly they knew nothing of just who it was in there. The presence of the dark side certainly didn't make him feel any better.

"Then shouldn't we release them?" Kalifa asked with confusion as to why they wouldn't just let them out but wherever else he could have said to answer her was rudely interrupted by an explosion. Both Jedi took cover as a bunch of the rough Bedlam Raiders came in wielding lightsabers of different colours. The old crossguard design reflecting the High Republic era so both Jedi assumed they had likely scavenged them from other Jedi sites on the planet.

Obi-Wan and Kalifa ignited their own lightsabers and began to clash with the Raiders, thankfully they were not as skilled in their use as the two Jedi who swiftly overpowered the poorly trained raiders but this provided enough of a distraction for their leader…a Gen'Dai no less to get passed them to the bacta tank and open it.

The liquid drained quickly and revealed a pale looking humanoid male with greyish green hair. He was missing an arm and spluttered as he tried to regain his strength, the Gen'Dai handing him a lightsaber.

"Thank you Rayvis." The figure said with a nod before turning to the two Jedi and snarling at the sight of them. "The Jedi dare come back here after abandoning Tanalorr!" He said enraged, the crystal of his lightsaber being bled before their eyes. Obi-Wan was concerned as he felt the force strongly with this person whoever they were and they were full of rage and anger.

"We came seeking a safe haven. The Republic has turned into an Empire and is hunting down the Jedi who remain." Kalifa said hoping to reason with him but the man was beyond calming down and told them with fury.

"After the Jedi abandoned the planet to the Nihil, they don't deserve it!" He said with a disgusted look at them. Obi-Wan seeing a fight was fast approaching asked one thing at least.

"Then may we at least have your name before we duel? It seems impersonal to duel without knowing at least who you are. I am Obi-Wan Kenobi and this is my former apprentice and now Jedi Knight Kalifa." Obi-Wan said with a cold formality. The pale skinned man looked at him with amusement for a moment before telling him.

"A funny master. There is always at least one. Very well I am Dagan Gera, you can take that name with you to your graves." Dagan said with a glare as he ignited a double bladed red/orange lightsaber, while Rayvis prepared himself for battle also.

"We shall see." Kalifa said as she leapt at Dagan, crossing her single blue with his which Obi-Wan didn't like but then found himself under attack by Rayvis and unable to help her as he dealt with the infamous Gen'Dai who had slaughtered many Jedi in his time.

- x -

Rayvis attacked with a hybrid mace and fail, built Obi-Wan suspected from Phrik as it resisted his lightsaber extremely well but as Obi-Wan moved and defended from that shoulder mounted rocket launchers and blasters who attack him. Obi-Wan gritted his teeth and was at a lost as to why this Gen'Dai would be working with a fallen Jedi and asked him as he deflected his attacks away with his lightsaber and the force.

"Why are you helping him? I have met your kind before and they are no fans of the Jedi." Obi-Wan said calmly and Rayvis told him with a sense of depression.

"Dagan defeated me in combat, the only one to ever do so and denied me a warrior's death. So, I serve him until I can gain an end benefitting my people." Rayvis said as if it was a tragedy which was true and while it was not the Jedi way, Obi-Wan made him an offer.

"Tell me how to find the compass, and I will give you what you desire." Obi-Wan said and Rayvis was immediately looking hopeful if guarded.

"There is a second array, on the shattered moon. That is needed to find the way to Tanalorr. Now Jedi, do as you say you would." Rayvis said almost eagerly and Obi-Wan nodded with a resigned look in his eyes.

"As you wish. The force be with you." He said giving a final blessing before changing his style into a more aggressive one. His fights with Durge who was of the same species having driven him to find out as much as he could and knew how to kill one of the extremely resilient Gen'Dai.

He summoned the force to bombard Rayvis with all the debris around him and then which the huge warrior struggled against him, Obi-Wan leapt over him and with a single effortless strike severed the core nerves at the back of his neck. Giving the warrior what he wanted and ending his fight in one move.

Rayvis in his last moments was actually pleased with his death, something Obi-Wan found hard to swallow but it was their way he thought with sadness. They wanted to die as warriors and if given the choice of how they were going to die then most if not all of them would choose to go out like this.

- x -

Kalifa had never heard of Dagan Gera until today, many Jedi had either been forgotten by history or in his case she suspected been deliberately erased. But now she was finding out why Dagan had been a powerful and respected Jedi in his time.

She charged in, her saber meeting his in a shower of heavy sparks but despite missing one arm Dagan was flawless in his technique and used a strong force push to force her back.

"Pathetic." He said with a sneer as she regained her footing and charged in again, switching to Ataru to try and knock him off balance, using a mix of the acrobatic normal style and the cleaves of her master's modified style.

The unusual style seemed to catch Dagan by surprise, allowing her to try and regain some ground as she pressed her attack, Dagan used an efficient one-handed parry to counter her and they locked blades momentarily and Dagan taunted Kalifa.

"You are weak, like the Order that trained you…they gave up to easily." Kalifa however countered with a statement of her own.

"And you are obsessed, obsessed over a planet that you thought you could make in your own image. I care for others, those we protect…you only care about yourself." She said, taunting him right back as they strained against each other. Dagan didn't like that she noticed and broke the blade lock to attack with a rapid series of stabbing jabs splitting his double bladed lightsaber into two separate ones and turning to Jar'Kai using the force to hold the second half, Kalifa countered with a force push of her own that knocked him back in surprise and she managed to get a cut on his arm stump, the pain making him weaken his hold on the second saber, allowing her to pull it from his force grip.

Now with two lightsabers she began to go on the offensive, launching a blistering series of swipes and jabs at him. Dagan was not one to simply give up though and he concentrated the force against her. The world seemed to twist before her eyes as the floor became the ceiling and the ceiling became the floor. Kalifa was struggling not to become disorientated but it was a losing battle and then just as she managed to stand Dagan seemed to be coming at her from every angle, either strafing her with lightsaber attacks that seemed to be coming constantly or throwing objects at her out of nowhere.

Kalifa was confused and unsure of just what was happening, it was taking all her efforts to hold him off when a voice from the force helped her see the truth of what was happening.

"The shuttles are leaving…I will not return." The unfamiliar female voice said and Kalifa opened her mouth to repeat the words but they came out in the strange voice and not her own. Kalifa didn't understand it but she felt a warm and strong presence in the force. Dagan froze as he heard the voice, not able to believe it.

"You're lost." Kalifa said, whoever it was using her as a mouthpiece. "You've strayed from the Path. And you are no Jedi."

Dagan was unnerved by the voice of Santari Khri coming from the other Jedi's mouth, almost seeing her when she spoke. Enraged by Santari's 'betrayal' even now he cried out in rage as he attacked her.

"YOU!"

Kalifa finally starting to regain her strength managed to block his attack and used the leverage this gave her to knock his remaining saber away and impale him through the chest.

Dagan looked down in shock, not able to belief it especially as she had done with his own weapon before she cleaved through his chest to end him properly with her own.

Dagan collapsed, falling to the ground in a heap with his body almost in two pieces. Kalifa feeling the illusion he had been casting collapse around her and the space returned to normal.

She looked and saw Dagan was dead, Rayvis lay not far away with a mournful Master Kenobi standing over him before he came over to her.

"Kalifa, are you alright?" He asked, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder and she nodded slowly as her racing heart began to slow.

"I will be, I think the ghosts that left him behind helped me though." She said, not sure exactly just who that woman had been but she had given her the chance to defeat a strong opponent and for that she was grateful.

"I know the feeling." Master Kenobi said mindful of his own experience on Mandalore many years ago. "We will take what remains here and seek out the array the Gen'Dai mentioned, to find the compass and the way to Tanalorr."

"And the Jedi will have another, much better sanctuary." Kalifa said with relief, glad the Jedi would have a safe place to call home. Without the compass it was impossible to reach Tanalorr and many might find safety there. She knew there were already other places that the Jedi had to hide from the Empire but this place would allow them to live in the open without fear.

To train the next generation so that one day, the Jedi Order would return to the galaxy to put right what had been wronged.

Obi-Wan for his part was exceptionally proud of his former apprentice, while not as powerful as Anakin or as wilful he had never found someone who cared as much about their fellow Jedi and the rest of the galaxy as Kalifa did. She was a worthy student and a fantastic Jedi, worth carrying their name and the responsibility that came with it.

While he was hoping to one day train his daughter himself though apart from Anakin, Kalifa was the only other Jedi he would ever consider fit to do so in his place and he would eagerly wait for the day when she finally took an apprentice of her own.

992 ARR…

As the next year dawned the galaxy remained in a state of upheaval, the Kalderans continued to strike at any world that they could reach, stealing and killing whatever they could while the Galactic Civil War raged across the entire galaxy.

- x -

Kaitain, Padishah Imperium…

Almost a year had passed since the death of the Paul Atreides' consort and the new family dynamic was finally settling as Paul refused to deal with his grief and treated Irulan coldly, not doing much at all and just moping around.

Governance of the Imperium fell increasingly on the shoulders of his own mother Lady Jessica and the Emperor's Queen Irulan and their council. It was a difficult situation, leaving great uncertainty at the future of the Imperium with Paul being so absent.

For Irulan though it was even harder as she was not just trying to rule the Imperium and hold it together, not to mention keep the upgrade program on schedule but she had her hands full raising four children virtually alone. Paul was not spending any time with his children whoever they came from and this left Irulan filling all of the parental roles.

The stress was hard, Irulan honestly felt like giving up at times as she slumped behind her desk but the sight of the four children in the playpen nearby gave her the energy to carry on. She had nursed them herself and put them to bed herself, she read to them when she could and had been the one to introduce all four to the court…a move that hadn't gone unnoticed by the Imperium.

Leto was the heir and she would not make it so her own son could take his place, no she thought with dismay as some people had been whispering that she would do. Some of her family's loyalists were actually suggesting she even eliminate Paul and Chani's children so she and her twins would be the only heirs to the throne.

She felt incredible revulsion at that, she might not love Paul as he had made it quite clear he did not love her but a line that she would not cross under any circumstances would be to kill innocent children…especially children that she had been raising for the last year. She had even nursed them at her own breast and sung to them in the nursery so they would sleep at night. She had even when she had a rare spare moment resumed writing the history of House Atreides so they would all know their heritage when the time came for them to learn it.

Irulan smiled as she looked at the sleeping children, they honestly were the light of her life and so far, at least she had kept her promise to Chani to watch out for them and raise them as her own. She leaned back in her own chair and sighed in exhaustion but there was still much to do and so reluctantly she sat up and continued her work, dealing with the mountain of tasks that came with running a large territory such as theirs.

- x -

Manaan, Inner Rim…

Manaan had once been the most important planet in the galaxy at least from a medical point of view, the planet being the sole producer of the best healing agent in the galaxy, Kolto.

Unfortunately for the local population the Selkath, bacta had since replaced Kolto as the best healing agent in the galaxy and so Manaan had drastically slipped in terms of importance.

Kolto was still a widely valuable commodity as a lower cost alternative to bacta and the Empire knew it, having established a strangle hold on bacta supplies to the entire galaxy they now intended to the do same with kolto.

The Empire had been ruthless, stopping any chance of the Selkath seeking safety in their underwater cities and using depth charges to destroy their great cities and force them to the surface where they would be all but helpless against the Empire. They had little weapons or resources to speak of so the entire population would have been enslaved to the Empire.

The Rift Alliance though had other ideas, with Thyferra too heavily defended to liberate immediately and too far from their borders to even try, they had resolved to ensure that kolto would not be lost to them as well. In fact, it would benefit not only the Rift Alliance but the Rebel Alliance and Liber8 and the Underworld Alliance to see this planet liberated from the Empire.

Forces and material had been sent to the planet to assist the local Selkath as they fought the invaders, Ahto City the only surface city on the whole planet had become a fierce battleground as Imperial and Allied Forces fought for control.

- x -

Liber8 Base, Location Unknown…

Leia Skywalker was bored.

She had little to do but meditate and study and she had quickly grown fed up with those things, they were so dull she thought with anger as again she was denied the chance to even see what was happening.

The grownups were busy in the planning room; mother, father, Kahr, HK-47, Master Kagame and even their Noghri friends with the battle being fought at Manaan. She wished Allara or Ahsoka was here so she could at least train with them but Ahsoka was on her home world and Allara was on a mission in a place she wasn't allowed to know about.

That only made her angrier, she was ten! Nearly Eleven! She was old enough to know what was going on and yet everyone was treating her like a child. She was going to be Jedi one day, a knight! She was the daughter of the most powerful Jedi! She was almost as strong as him in the force! She trained harder than either of her brothers and she would surpass them both! Even Luke, she thought with determination to be the best. She would be the most powerful Jedi ever! She thought to herself with her own arrogance and pride spiking.

She saw Luke as playing force ball with Mace and she was again annoyed they would just blindly accept this dismissal of them.

"Young Mistress Leia. It is time for lunch." C-3PO said suddenly, interrupting her thoughts and she glared at the droid before going to get her food and the droid just stepped back before saying to R2 who gave a worried whistle as he looked at the girl. "What did I say?"

Leia almost stomped to the table and took her food, eating it quickly and being quite aggressive to get it down as quickly as possible. Luke and Mace followed behind her looking happy with smiles on their faces which only made her scowl. Luke could sense her feelings through their twin bond but she purposefully was keeping him out the best she could although much to her growing frustration she couldn't block him out completely.

Finishing her lunch, she went to fume elsewhere while Luke felt worried for her. She sat in the landing bay, her anger and frustration building inside her until finally she couldn't stand it anymore.

She went to one of the shuttles and smirked, as a Skywalker she was a natural at piloting she thought with some arrogance, she wanted to see Manaan for herself and maybe even show them that she could fight.

After all, her father at nine years old had won a big podrace and destroyed a droid control ship to save her mother's home world, she would be fine she thought with complete confidence.

With that decision made she walked over to one of the shuttles and quickly made her way up the ramp and into the shuttle, she went up to the cockpit and with some difficulty given her lack of height she managed to get the shuttle to take off and out of the hanger. She smirked with satisfaction as she leapt to hyperspace on the way to Manaan, eager to finally see some actual fighting for herself and to maybe show everyone that she wasn't a little girl anymore.

A sudden sound next to her made her look around in surprise and saw to her great annoyance that Luke had somehow snuck onboard and was looking at her with shock.

"What are you doing?" Luke asked her in confusion as to why she would steal a ship and run away.

"I was going to see Manaan, on my own…without you!" She said with anger and Luke was hurt by his sister's coldness when once they had been so close. He personally thought going to Manaan especially without their parents was far too dangerous but he couldn't leave Leia however much she wanted him too.

"We should go back! Mom and dad will be worried." Luke said with hope she might agree and turn the ship around but Leia was unaffected and told him.

"I just want to see it! That's all." She said and sat back in the pilot's chair, infuriated that Luke had ruined this by tagging along but there was nothing she could do about it now. When they got there, she would just have to keep an eye on him however much she hated it as it spoiled her fun.

Luke meanwhile was scared as he listened to his parents when they and others had told him how dangerous a battlefield is, they had lightsabers that they had just built but neither had mastered using them yet and the moment he was able he would get them both back to their parents who hopefully would not even have realised something had happened.

However, Luke failed to grasp just how long it took to get places even in hyperspace, hours went by as he and Leia sat in silence, Luke wanting to try and reconnect with his twin but Leia stubbornly refusing to even speak to him. She would just glare if he even tried.

Eventually though, they dropped out of hyperspace and saw to their amazed eyes just what was happening.

In orbit of the planet warships fought small scale battles with starfighters dogfighting all over the place. Wreckage of different ships littered the area and the twins were mesmerised by the sight having never seen anything like it before.

But this proved their undoing as a Tie Fighter caught sight of the shuttle and took a shot at it, the aim was bad and they only clipped it before an ARC-170 took it down but it was enough, the forward momentum of the shuttle sent it straight forward into the planet's gravity as it shook violently, Luke and Leia were frozen with fear as they realised the ship was going to crash and there was nothing they could do. They didn't know how to deal with this and both grasped hard at the controls trying their best to remember the piloting lessons their father had given them to try and land the ship where it was safe rather than crash headfirst into the ocean where they would drown.

They both were for the first time in quite a while actually working together and in unison, pushing whatever control of the ship that they had to make sure they made it to Ahto City, the only ground on the entire planet that they could reach and unfortunately the site of the battle for control of the planet.

The shuttle thankfully retained enough control they were able to get there but slammed down hard onto the city, skidding across the surface before coming to a stop, knocking the two young children around as it did so.

Neither thankfully was badly hurt, just shaken with some bumps and bruises and they managed to get out of the shuttle before it exploded but this left them stranded on Manaan with no means of contacting their parents or anyone they knew.

That fear left them even Leia who now was starting to realise the great danger she had put not only herself but her brother in was scared and unsure what to do. This was made worse when they looked out over the city or what parts of it that they could see and the complete madness that had engulfed it. Unaware of a danger that was approaching their position.

- x -

The streets of Ahto City were lined with rubble and wreckage as the Imperials fought against the Selkath along with their Rift Alliance supporters. Canderous Assault Tanks moved through the streets with modified TX-130 Tanks and Basilisk war droids, flanked by Rift Alliance soldiers which included not only the Mandalorians but Separatist battle droids, Mon Calamari and Wookiee soldiers.

Sky Troopers and Mandalorians flew through the air strafing ground targets as they did their best to force the enemy off this planet for good. Even in the water it was a battle field as submarines and aquatic troopers fought each other.

- x -

Selkath/Rift Alliance Command Centre, Ahto City…

"AT-AT spotted on main street." One of the officers, a Quarran said from the communications position and Haron who was standing at the battlefield management table which displayed the positions of all units allied and enemy alike nodded before giving his order.

"Has your order got any one in the area?" He said to a Selkath who was standing opposite him. Tref, the current leader of the planet's own force culture the Order of Shasa nodded and said in their native tongue.

"We have a squad there; they will use the force to deal with it." Tref told him and Haron who thankfully understood their language nodded.

"Good, they are throwing just about they have at main street. As long as we control that, we have the city." Haron said with a considering nod as he looked at the state of things. He looked over to Markus and Astoria who had finally joined them for their first battle and both were also here to learn not only the reality of war but also how to fight a battle.

"We have managed to reclaim the western sector." Chewbacca said to him in his own native tongue as he reported the status of the Wookiee warriors.

"Excellent, superb work." Haron said with a nod of respect to Chewbacca who let out a small noise of satisfaction. Markus and Astoria where comfortable around Wookiees having known Grahuur and his family most of their lives, they even played with his cubs who were still their best friends or at least among them so Chewbacca didn't scare them. They actually liked him a lot and would have gladly hung around the Wookiee all day if given the chance.

"We have them on the run." The Separatist commander Kleeve said with satisfaction only to be censured by Haron who was also teaching his children a vital lesson.

"No battle is over till it is won, never underestimate how fast the weather can change." He told him and the children sternly, both Markus and Astoria nodding in acceptance of his wisdom.

That was proven a moment later when they felt a disturbance in the force nearby, someone…no Haron thought as he focused on it…two younglings were in serious danger and terrified by it. They were strong in the force or he would never have felt it, Markus and Astoria both felt the disturbance as well but lacked his practice in localising it.

"Rally some of the warriors." Haron said with seriousness to his people who nodded and went to carry out his orders. He turned to Chewbacca, Kleeve and Tref before telling them.

"Something is going on elsewhere, I will investigate this personally. Keep me updated on any further developments." Haron told them as the battle was well in hand as his people knew what they had to do and Tref who unlike the other two could also sense the disturbance nodded.

"Will do, good hunting." He said and Haron left the command centre as his personal guard surrounded him and much to his own worry so did Markus and Astoria, he would have left them behind but without anyone he trusted in the camp he reluctantly allowed them to accompany him.

They leapt into the air and activated their packs, flying in the direction of the disturbance to see just what was happening.

- x -

Luke and Leia meanwhile were finding just how much they had to learn as the Sun Guard surrounded them, they drew their lightsabers but the Sun Guard were well prepared for them and pulled out a pair of rare tractor rifles and fired them straight at the lightsabers they holding, ripping them from their startled hands and leaving them all but defenceless.

Leia never one to give up tried to use the force against one of them and leapt in for a kick but the Sun Guard had reflexes that put many force users to shame and easily blocked the attack before slugging her right in the stomach. Leia instantly winded gasped for air and fell to the ground in shock while Luke now more terrified than he had ever been in his entire life as he tried to use the force to make them back away but he was too scared to concentrate and lacked the focus to blast them very far.

They found themselves being grabbed by members of the Sun Guard who held them tightly as they struggled but were too inexperienced to get themselves out of this.

Leia who had been so confidence only a short time ago was now more frightened than she ever had been before, she tried to struggle but the men holding her were too strong and she didn't know how to get out of this.

But then for them, the situation got even worse as a new figure appeared. He was tall and looked skeletal in appearance with extremely pale skin stretched over his bones, dressed in dark robes and had an implant with a red Lense replacing one of his eyes. They had a harsh, cold aura surrounding him making them feel awful and shiver at the sheer strength of it.

"Interesting." The man said in an emotionless and intelligent voice, looking at them like they were specimens under a microscope. "Very powerful, a little training…yes I think I can make something out of the two of you." He said a with cruel look in his one remaining eye.

These two were powerful, very powerful in the force he thought with excitement at having found such a prize. With the right training they would be able to overthrow the Emperor himself! His perfect little puppets and enforcers when the throne was his Antinnis Tremayne thought with cruel cunning as he planned to make the most of this, conjuring up streams of force lightning at the pair from his hands to soften them up a bit.

Both children screamed in pain as they had never been subjected to such things before and at their young age didn't have a clue how to handle it. Tears ran down their faces as they screamed out for their parents in the desperate hope that they'd come but Antinnis used the force to keep them from reach out.

Antinnis was smirking at the great opportunity that had fallen straight into his hands, given time he was certain he could make them into the perfect little puppets, he would need to break them down first but it would be only a matter of time he thought with certainty as the two younglings screamed.

Then a series of blaster shots came out of nowhere, the force giving only the slightest warning before the Sun Guard holding the younglings were shot in the chest and he was forced to abandon his attempt to soften them up to defend himself. His red lightsaber leaping to his hand to block the incoming blaster fire.

The Sun Guard fought back but the Mandalorians as they arrived had better armour than they did and better weapons, not to mention the Sun Guard had no cover to protect themselves with. Not to mention Akaan were among the Mandalorians, igniting two lightsabers of viridian and cyan blades respectably and seeing them cut through the Sun Guard was enough to make Antinnis jealous that he had no time to really interrogate one to draw out their secrets to make them his own. They were highly efficient as they cut them down with lightsabers and the force, using abilities he had scarcely dreamed of but then found himself confronted with the most dangerous of all.

Haron Ordo himself landed in front of him with the Darksaber lit and his voice as it spoke was terrifying.

"Torturing younglings." He said with a cold equal to that of Hoth and Antinnis honestly felt frozen to the spot for a moment as Haron was openly channelling his power which was far great than the Dark Disciple's own. "The Emperor's little minions are really nothing more than playground bullies picking on those smaller than themselves. So, I will have to show you what it feels like to be on the other side of that." Haron said with anger as he began to batter away at him with Form 7 in a furious assault that left Antinnis who had always been more of a thinker than a fighter overwhelmed, he tried to come up with a strategy to get out of the situation but Haron simply gave him no time to think and then he was hit by a blast of light which in the force that froze his body in place, leaving him helpless as Haron bisected him first at the waist and then at the neck.

Luke and Leia who had fallen to the ground and held each other in fear as while they were thankful to be rescued from their rather dire situation by the Mandalorians, neither knew them but they understood that they were no friends of the Empire and were fighting against it. They might not be safe but they were much better off than they had been a moment ago both twins realised.

"Hey. Want a hand? You're both safe now." A younger Mandalorian boy who looked to be a few years older than them said as they looked up, holding out his hand. Leia refused it and struggled to her own feet while Luke swallowed his own pride and accepted the help. The boy looked at Leia and scoffed at her which only made Leia snap at him.

"Don't laugh at me!" Leia said with anger partly to shake off the fear she was still feeling at their situation.

"I'm not…yet." The boy said and they could almost feel the smirk he had under his helmet. Leia spluttered with indignation before Haron looked at them himself, feeling echoes in the force he recognised and more to the point with a good look at them he realised just who they were.

"Where are your parents?" Haron asked the two sternly, not sure what Anakin and Padme were thinking letting their twins run around unsupervised. "Where is Anakin and Padme?"

Both Luke and Leia were surprised that he seemed to know who they were and then Luke realised just who he was facing and bowed in respect.

"Mandalore, thank you for saving us. We…we…they're not here. We came alone." Luke managed to say remembering their father had told them of his friend from the Clone Wars that now ruled the Mandalorians. He had offered their family a place to hide when the Empire was rising and been one of the key leaders against it.

Haron sighed with exasperation, they were just children! How in the blazes had they managed the trip here on their own and without their parents noticing? He asked himself.

"What possessed you to come out here on your own?" Haron told them both severely given how much danger this placed them in. "This is a war zone! Hundreds if not thousands will die here and much of the city has been torn apart. Why would you come here without your parents?!" He demanded of them and Luke folded like paper, wilting in shame. Leia however was regaining her own arrogant fire and answered back.

"I'm not little girl! I can handle myself!" She said with complete conviction which only got her a moment of silence before the Mandalorians started laughing. That only infuriated her even more.

"Stop it! Stop laughing!" She demanded stamping her foot which only made it worse. Haron was the only one of the Mandalorians not laughing though and his eyes narrowed at Leia as he started to understand just what had happened.

"I am guessing Luke followed you and that you are the one that decided to come here all by yourself. Am I right?" He asked her with suspicious eyes and she without fear told him.

"Yes!"

"You stupid child." Haron said with anger as he considered just how idiotic Leia's actions were. His people and his own children stopped laughing as they realised his anger. "How could you be so arrogant that at ten years old you think you can take of yourself? You can't even reach the controls of a ship properly yet! You crashed your ship and nearly got captured yourself by the Empire! Do you know what they do to force sensitives they capture? I will tell you; they torture them until they serve the Empire! For weeks…months even. How would you feel to see your brother be tortured possibly until he died? Or him to watch you being tortured to death?" Haron told her brutally, making sure she understood the full weight of what she had done.

"It is bad enough that you put your own life in danger but what's worse is you put your brother in danger too! And my warriors who had to rescue you including my son and daughter." Haron told her waving towards Markus and Astoria, Leia was looking more and more downcast as each level of reality was poured on. She was having a rude awakening to reality; he was stern with his own children so this sort of thing didn't happen and clearly Leia needed some cold water to wake her up.

He knew this wasn't his place, this should be Anakin and Padme doing this but they weren't here and someone needed to stop this behaviour before she did get herself into real trouble that they wouldn't be able to rescue her from.

Leia was now feeling extremely foolish and guilty of her own arrogance and selfishness, her parents had tried to tell her about how dangerous it was out here but she had always been protected and done so well in her training that she had not paid attention. But the pain of being electrocuted and the fear of being taken by the Empire had finally made her understand just what her parents had been trying to protect her and her siblings from.

"I'm sorry…Luke. I should never have left the base." Leia said with her head bowed in shame and anguish. Her brother had nearly been killed because of what she had done and she was so sorry to have dragged him into this. She honestly was close to tears and while Haron worried he had gone too far; he had said what needed to be said.

Luke was surprised at how harsh the Mandalore was with Leia that he was honestly ready to argue but feeling how depressed Leia was and how truly sorry she was, opening up to him for the first time in so long he only smiled and hugged her. She returned it straight away, clinging to him tightly and glad he didn't hold her foolishness against her.

Haron sighed and turned to Roon who was standing nearby.

"Prepare a ship, we need to return these two to their parents."

Liber8 Base…Some Time Later…

Panic was spreading through the base as they had discovered that Luke and Leia had disappeared, all personnel were tearing the place apart looking for any trace of them or trying to track the missing shuttle in case they had been on it.

"How could we let this happen?!" Padme said with tears flowing down her cheeks as she curled up on the sofa with Mace wrapped in her arms. She had refused to let her youngest son out of her sight for fear of him disappearing too, however uncomfortable he found it Mace was not only scared for his siblings himself but able to feel his mother's terror and knew she needed it.

Anakin was pacing, unable to think or even concentrate with the thoughts of what might have happened to his eldest children. He had Kahr and their Noghri friends not to mention all the droids tearing every part of the base apart for any sign of Luke and Leia and every moment that went by without news his fear mounted higher and higher.

Kagame was working to find where the shuttle had gone as he was fairly certain Luke and Leia had been on it but as to who might have taken them…he didn't have a clue. The horrible thought that the Emperor might have gotten his hands on Luke and Leia struck terror into Anakin's heart.

He honestly had never felt as powerless in his entire life, even when he had been a slave, he had never felt this helpless. He sat down next to Padme and held both her and Mace in his arms, needing the comfort more than anything at this moment.

The small but incomplete family just held each other, all scared out of the minds by the absence of their two missing members but unable to do anything. They stayed like that for quite a while until Kagame came in with a small smile on his face.

"I think you should go to the hanger bay." He told them simply with his small knowing smile. The scared parents and Mace looked over to him in surprise and Padme asked him desperately.

"Is there news on the twins?" She hoped with her eyes wide and begging for it to be so, much to her and Anakin's relief Kagame nodded and without wasting another moment both parents grabbed Mace and ran down to the hanger.

It didn't take them long to get there and while the sight of Kom'rk class transport sitting there was strange along with a squad of Mandalorian warriors around it, there at the foot of the ramp was Luke and Leia!

Padme broke into a run the moment she saw them, Mace and Anakin just behind her and seeing them Luke and Leia likewise ran to meet them.

Padme pulled them into her arms the moment they were close enough and hugged them so tightly, crying as she held her children as they held her back and cried too. They were so relieved to be in their mother's arms and Anakin and Mace joined in the moment they were able.

Everyone looked on with relief that the two children were alright including Kahr and Master Kagame who nodded in thanks to Haron who took it with good grace. This went on for a moment before Anakin finally asked the questions that they needed to answer.

"Where were you? We tore this place apart looking for you." He demanded, Leia and Luke looking worried but Kagame who had already been told the series of events by Haron answered for her.

"It seems that Leia became determined to see just what was happening on Manaan and decided to take a shuttle to see for herself, Luke following her when he realised what she was doing. Only when they got there they were shot down and nearly captured by the Sun Guard and one of the Emperor's disciples. Fortunately, the Mandalore was close by and sensed they were in danger, rescuing them before returning them here."

"They're just lucky they look enough like you both that I recognised them." Haron said with an amused voice. Padme looked at the twins with shock and then fury at putting themselves in so much risk.

"You did what?!" She exclaimed in a strained voice and wanted to scream at them both for being so foolish and Anakin who was right behind her at least realised how lucky they'd been and was just thankful that Haron had been there.

"Thank you Haron." Anakin said with real gratitude which Haron took with grace.

"Don't mention it, I understand believe me. Especially since I started bringing my children with me." Haron said putting his hands on the shoulders of two smaller figures who had accompanied him. "My son Markus and my daughter Astoria." He said to introduce them, Anakin smiled and shook both of their hands.

"Our father has said good things of you." Astoria said as she shook his hand, Anakin nodded and replied.

"And I of him. He's been a good friend."

"As have you. Now, unfortunately duty requires I be elsewhere so for now, at least until we meet again hopefully under better circumstances. Till next time." Haron said with a sadness that he and Anakin only seemed to meet briefly these days and usually when there was some sort of emergency on. Anakin felt the same but understood, letting Haron and his people board their ship and depart.

Anakin now his fears were relieved looked at the twins who already where being scolded by Padme for their foolishness and looking very much like they wished the ground would swallow them up.

Oh, they would be wishing that for a long while yet, Anakin thought with anger at all they had put them through and worse putting themselves into so much unnecessary danger. He and Kagame would make sure they regreted it when they intensified their training to make sure that they never did something so stupid again! He fumed as he stared at the children frowning, never having thought himself a disciplinarian but in this case he most certainly would be.