Destiny Eclipse/Chapter I

I was but a boy; younger then you are now, when I began my journey...-Xander Vos to his Apprentice, Wes Odo

Chapter One


 * 4 ABY – 1 Month after Endor **

Tatooine – Vos Homestead
Heat, nothing but heat, the harsh rays of the twin suns, beat down upon the fragile dwelling below. The dwelling was a rare sight out amidst the sand dunes and valleys on Tatooine. The intricately carved surface helped to keep the heat off, allowing the residents inside to remain at least partially cool in the sun.

Korto Vos, a moisture farmer, toiled steadily upon the stubborn earth and sand that he lay claim to, trying hard to dig away a patch to plant a new moisture vaporator. The family’s last one had exploded in a puff of highly charged steam last night, the heat finally having taken its toll on it.

Korto Vos did not look any different to the other farmers in his area. He had shoulder length black hair, the touches of grey – a symptom of living on Tatooine, greys before your time – hair beginning to set in, leathery, tanned, and wrinkling skin. He wore a short brimmed cap over his head, the brim tugged down low, as to conceal his face. This was partly to keep his face out of the sun, and partly because he still felt the need to hide, the need to run, and stay as far away from the evil might that was the Empire.

For Korto, despite his appearance, was not a normal farmer, not even having been born on Tatooine, but on far away Nar Shaada, a planet in stark contrast to the world he had chosen to spend the rest of his life on. The bleak conditions of Tatooine were in severe contrast to the noisy crowdedness of Nar Shaada, as much as a womp rat was from a Hutt. Korto was not a farmer. He was the son of a Jedi Master.

Quinlan Vos, famed Jedi Master, and assumed dead as of the Battle of Kashyyyk, had, in fact lived on, witnessing the birth of his son, and then relocating them to the beautiful world of Naboo. Korto still had faint memories through the Force of Nar Shaada, even though he had left before he was even a year old, indicating his power in the Force.

The Force. The concept, even now, was laughable. The Empire had all but destroyed the Jedi, though every year there was yet another report of Jedi who had survived the Jedi Purge, with most proving to be nothing more then over-dramatised holo-net reports. They ranged from people having been witnessed at casinos with long winning streaks, to people who actually possessed a lightsaber. Even when proved unable to use the Force, these individuals were put to death for fraud, and for treachery to the Galactic Empire.

Korto suppressed the Force every time he felt a vision oncoming. Recently, his visions had been getting worse, showing, what he assumed, a Temple on a remote world, Jedi milling around, and a Council, strong and proud. He knew this was impossible, the Empire would have tracked them down long ago, and so knew that it was from the past. Yet still... he felt something in the vision, as if his son, his only son, belonged there.

After having grown up into a striking young man on Naboo, under the name of Xander Antilles, Korto had met a beautiful young woman. He had been shocked to learn, under the strictest of confidences, that she herself had once been a Jedi Knight, serving on the Outer Rim world of Maridun.

The two had been unable to deny their feelings for each other, that had grown stronger every day, and the two had wed in a lovely location, far from the prying eyes of the Imperial garrison posted on the Emperor’s home world. Then, terror had struck.

Even now, thinking back to that moment, Korto’s eyes still clenched shut in pain, the horrible image upon arriving back at his house had been too painful to ever die away.

Returning from their brief honeymoon to the Gallo Mountains, the largest mountain chain on the planet, Xander, who had not yet assumed his true identity, and his newly wedded wife, had discovered Xander’s hovel smashed and destroyed, raided by Imperial Stormtroopers. His mother, by now a feeble old lady, lay dying in the wreckage, unable to see or to attempt to call for help. Rushing to her side, Xander had received her loyal blaster as he cradled her in his arms, watching her die.

According to later reports, a Jedi Master’s family had been discovered and executed for crimes against the Galactic Empire, hiding on Naboo, of all places. Xander, assuming his original identity, Korto Vos, and his wife, travelled through the Galaxy, barely staying in one place long enough to settle down.

Before long, his wife fell pregnant, with their one and only child. They soon realised that they couldn’t keep running from the Empire when they now had a child to be fearful for. Scouting the Outer Rim, Korto finally decided on Tatooine as the last planet he would ever see, vowing never to leave, for fear of bringing Imperials down upon him and his family, as his father had done just by allowing his mother to relocate to Naboo.

They had decided to name their child after the man Korto’s wife had fallen in love with, Xander, and giving him back the surname Xander’s grandfather had worn with pride, Vos.

By now, the twin suns were beginning to set in the sky above Korto, who paused in his work to watch them cast a rosy glow across the land, the one time of day Tatooine looked even remotely desirable.

Shaking off the emotion welling in his gut, Korto returned to his work, knowing he would never see any other.

Tatooine – Mos Hurga
“Wowee! You’ve got an astromech! Your so lucky,” Xander Vos gushed, watching as the rusty R4 droid spun in its own tracks, digging into the loose sand, and spinning it up into the air.

“That’s not all I’ve got,” Xander’s friend and confident Jysek Talore said smugly, “I’ve got a speeder bike. My papa gave it to me as soon as he knew I was old enough to ride it.”

Xander sighed in disappointment. He longed for a speeder of his own, but knew his father thought it was dangerous, despite his abilities that Korto had begged him not to mention. Even at the age of ten, Xander felt like he was a small baby, presided over by his over-protective parents, who would never allow him to do anything on his own.

Jysek was four years his senior, already a teenager, and allowed to go out at night with only a Defence Droid to halter any unfriendly contact he could run into in Mos Horga. He was a friendly boy, a head taller than Xander, though always quick to Xander’s defence if ever trouble arose in his father’s centre.

Jysek was born from a rich family, which Xander was jealous of, having always known that poverty was a constant in his life, and that it would never change. Jysek’s father owned a large shuttle business, allowing people transport wherever they desired with no questions asked, though there was a hefty sum of money involved, Xander was sure of that.

“A speeder bike? Woah, your so lucky Jysek, can I take a ride?” Xander asked, hopefully, as he looked up into the hazelnut eyes of his friend, searching for an answer buried in them.

“Sure,” Jysek said, after a moment of consideration, “In a month or two, I wanna make sure its at optimum safety levels first, don’t want to have to explain to your Papa that I caused your death, now would I?” He asked, nudging Xander in the ribs, a grin splayed across his face.

Xander grinned ruefully, “Ah, ok. I guess I can wait,” he said, secretly disappointed that the only speeder bike he would ride would be the one he rode in his dreams, “But how awesome would it be to have your own star cruiser?” He said, changing the subject.

“Yeah,” Jysek said, smiling, pretending he didn’t notice the abrupt change in tempo, “My Papa says he’s set aside two. One for you and one for me.”

Xander’s eyes lit up, his heart lifting, “Really? My very own star cruiser?”

“Well, not exactly,” Jysek admitted, “It’s a one man ship, a salvaged X-Wing fighter, from one of the battles the Rebels had against the Imperials.”

They both paused for a moment, their dreams of joining the Rebel Alliance soaring through their minds, as fast as the X-Wings they both imagined they were flying. Luke Skywalker, a now famous Rebel Pilot, had left Tatooine only a few years ago, and Jysek claimed to have met him once or twice, though Xander discounted that as hopeful wishing.

“Wow,” Xander murmured, “My very own ship.” Immediately, his heart sank, “But my Papa! He might not let me! After all, he doesn’t want me ever leaving here, because of the Imperials. He thinks I might get hurt,” Xander said, rolling his eyes. He still didn’t understand what the Imperials could want with him that they wouldn’t want with someone like Jysek, who had a rich family.

“I’m sure my Papa can talk to your Papa, and sort the whole thing out,” Jysek said, gently. He looked glum, realising that mentioning the ships that his father had only just begun working on, may have sparked false hope inside Xander, and he instantly regretted it.

“Well, I gotta get home, or my Papa will get mad,” Xander said, glancing out at the setting sun, and the patiently waiting protocol droid.

“Oh, ok, nice seeing you again Xander, talk to you tomorrow,” Jysek said.

“Yeah, see you Jys!” Xander said, using his friend’s nickname, as he backed away, towards the waiting speeder, piloted by the Protocol droid that his father called his protector, but Xander saw through it. The Protocol droid was his nanny.

“Greetings Master Vos,” the droid said, bowing dutifully to his master, as the young boy clambered into the speeder.

“Yeah, yeah, thanks Ty,” Xander muttered to D-40, as he gazed up at the shining stars far above his head. As the speeder sped along, back to his hovel of a home, Xander wished that one day he would be able to fly amongst them.

Kroprulu – Sith Commander Minious’ Private Office
Commander Minious toiled dutifully in his office, working hard to compensate for recent losses in battles with blasted space pirates. Three Star Destroyers had been damaged, their aft engines had been forced to shut down for fear of starting a chain reaction and blowing the craft out of space.

The Empire’s ship yards on Felucia, usually only used if Rhen Var’s were over taken by an invader, were working over time, producing resources to accommodate for the growing fleets. Recently an extra fleet had been put under construction, as well as the need to put more TIE squadrons in the Star Destroyers.

As such, the battle against the pirates had been taxing in more ways then one; several Golan stations over Dargon had lost power, and so also needed repairs. Darth Minious’ rarely used office had seen a lot more frequency in the last few days as he calculated what they could use to make up for the materials needed.

The Super Star Destroyer orbiting Rhen Var was nearing completion, with half its compliment of Star Destroyers already complete. The other half was nearing completion, for many only needing the shield generators added, others requiring engines installed and others needed small systems installed.

Once they were complete, the three Star Destroyers in his fleet would be repaired, and he could once again return his fleet to maximum capacity.

Rubbing his eyes as they struggled to remain open, Darth Minious sighed, staring out the grand window in his office, glancing up at the shining stars, longing to be amongst them again.