Star Wars: Why I Breathe

''"Order 66 has been issued: Their names are Julia Star, Aaron Earthshaker, and Kherev Ra'shah. They don't know each other. They're running for their lives. His name is Darksaber - immortal, powerful, skilled in the ways of the Dark Side - and he lives to see the Jedi die. And the clone? They call him Thirty-nine. He's nameless. Faceless. But different..." - the published summary for "Why I Breathe"''

"Why I Breathe" or "Star Wars: Why I Breathe" (abbreviated as WIB or SWWIB, respectively) is a Star Wars fanfic. It's publicly available on www.fanfiction.net under the pen name "Shadows of a Dream." The story takes place during Revenge of the Sith and fits into the canon, although it techinically only qualifies as fanon.

SWWIB is a story that revolves around a set of OCs: namely, the protagonists are Jedi Padawan Aaron Earthshaker (human, male,) Jedi Padawan Julia Star (human, female,) Jedi Knight Kherev Ra'shah (Togruta, male,) and a nameless clone trooper called Thirty-nine (his technical designation is B-20-84-39, hence he is called Thirty-nine.) The primary antagonist of SWWIB is an OC known as Darksaber (of no relation to the canon SW EU "Darksaber" novel.)

SWWIB begins with a prologue in the 1st-person POV of Darksaber himself as he recounts the events that made him what he now is. He says, "I am not a man, or an alien, or a beast. I am Darksaber. I am hatred and jealously, fury and deceit. I am accursed, cut off my brethren, driven to the brink of madness by my insatiable craving and lust for power and vengeance. I alone am enslaved by Death; I know the sting of his whip, the scorching heat of his anger, the icy fire in his eyes."

The prologue explains that Darksaber was once an unknown species of warriors who drew on the Dark Side for power. The warriors lived in tribes on the planet Ryisyyyk (a location exclusive to SWWIB) until the Jedi discovered them and proceeded to wipe them out, fearing their Dark Side power. Darksaber alone survived the slaughter. After these events, he delved further and further into the Dark Side, opening himself fully to its influence and control.

Ultimately, on a night when he took shelter in a cave to escape a storm outside, Darksaber had a vision of the Dark Side, which forced him to submit fully to its whim. The entity in the vision dubbed him Darksaber. Upon awakening from the vision, Darksaber could no longer remember what his name was before these events. He describes himself as a mist and a shadow of what he once was, but his true form is unknown, as he wears a dark cloak, gloves, and boots to conceal himself. What is known is that he is essentially caught between life and death, half-joined to the Dark Side itself and thus immortal but trapped in the land of the living. He will only be permitted to pass into the Force/netherworld after all living Jedi are killed. Thus, eliminating any and all Jedi is his sole pursuit. Darksaber, fittingly, wields a black lightsaber. For a reason not yet revealed in the fanfic (although it will become apparent in future updates,) wounds from his blade are not cauterized like normal lightsaber wounds and can bleed. The blade is as strange and deadly as its wielder.

When the fanfic begins its chapters after the prologue, thousands of years have elapsed. Darksaber has lived for far longer than any mortal duelist. In chapter 1, SWWIB shifts to the 3rd-person omniscient POV and travels to another original planet - the third moon of Naoraan. This dry, arid rock of a moon is home to several squads of clones who are building a Republic base. Commanders on the moon include B-11-71-17 "Blitz" and H-99-31-87 "Hotshot." Also on the planet is Twi'lek Jedi Master Zenna Merona and her Padawan, Julia Star. Unfortunately, where SWWIB picks up, Zenna Merona has already been killed by her troops in response to Order 66, and Julia Star is on the run, fearing for her life.

In the following chapter, we get our first glimpse of the planet Ryisyyyk as it is now - uninhabited, save for a group of clones and two Jedi who occupy a Republic base. Padawan Aaron Earthshaker arrives to assist Twi'lek Rach'ta Zian and Zabrak Alk Koth (also Padawans) in spreading the troops across the planet's surface. They have a heated debate over tactics, then retire to get some rest. Upon falling asleep, Aaron Earthshaker experiences an indistinct vision where he hears lightsabers, blasters, and something that sounds like someone dying. The vision then shifts to an image of a girl - Julia Star, although he doesn't know this - as she runs for her life. Stars flash across Aaron's dream. Then the vision ends.

When Aaron jolts awake, he finds Alk Koth beside his bed, concerned. Alk says that Aaron was thrashing around in his sleep, and Aaron promptly explains that he had a vision - and that he fears something is about to go very wrong. The two Padawans agree to wake Rach'ta together. After awakening the Twi'lek (who is less than pleased and very startled,) they decide to go outside in the hopes that the fresh air will awaken Rach'ta enough for him to listen to Aaron's explanation and determine what the vision could mean.

To everyone's surprise, the doors of the Republic base have been locked down and Commander Krayt and other clones surround the three Padawans. All fight valiantly, deflecting blasterfire while Rach'ta attempts to cut open the door. He dashes outside, tailed by Aaron and Alk. Unfortunately, Alk is shot from behind as he attempts to flee and he falls in a blur of blasterfire, dead on the threshold.

In his anger, Aaron retaliates against the clone troopers. He slaughters several with great violence before receiving a blaster wound to the arm. At this point, Rach'ta finally manages to convince his ally that they need to flee. Aaron stumbles out the hole they carved in the door, uses the Force to lift a tree, and seals the doorway with the massive trunk. Then Rach'ta and Aaron flee into the night.

The two Padawans have a heated argument over whether Aaron's actions in the fight constituted justice or revenge. The disagreement proves too sharp, and Rach'ta strikes out on his own, leaving Aaron to fend for himself.

SWWIB continues from here, switching back to the plotline of Julia Star. Julia is assisted by a rogue clone (Thirty-nine) who refuses to obey Order 66, and together, the two allies escape Naoraan's third moon... only to experience a crash-landing on Ryisyyyk. At this point, the two alternate plotlines converge as Aaron rescues Julia and Thirty-nine from their ruined, burning ARC-170.

SWWIB chronicles the heroes' fight to survive, but several other plotlines also come into play. The death of three Dark Acolytes by Darksaber's hand is recounted as Falynn Rei, Salok Khaal, and Miera Li'Aku meet an untimely end. Jedi Knight Kherev Ra'shah joins forces with Aaron, Julia, and Thirty-nine. Kherev's former master, Lora Kii, is captured by the Empire with no explanation for her survival forthcoming. There are battle scenes, backstory, and even a romance subplot betwenen Aaron and Julia.

SWWIB is publicly available at http://www.fanfiction.net/s/6917511/1/Why_I_Breathe. The author, Shadows of a Dream, feeds on feedback, so any reviews she receives will be greatly appreciated. Any questions or comments on the fic are welcome; simply go to her author's page and send her a PM.