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Against the Empire is a short story that was written by Darth Void. It was released on May 20, 2009 to coincide with Memorial Weekend and Universal Day of the Jedi.
Publisher's summary
A Long time ago in a Galaxy Far Far Away: Jedi Knight Jance Byington is searching for an old friend that may have survived Order 66.
Jedi Knight Jance Byington has felt Anakin Skywalkers presence in the force, and he assumes that Anakin is alive, Jance sets out in search of Skywalker, will Jance discover the horrible truth or will he be destroyed?
Appearances
Characters
- Darth Vader
- Darth Sidious
- Boba Fett (Mentioned only)
- Obi-Wan Kenobi
- Jance Byington (First appearance)
- Kreighton Sul (First appearance)
Ships
Locations
Events
- Duel near Theed
- Duel at the Shrine of One
Story
Chapter 1
Stormtroopers were searching the streets of Arcadia. Jance could sense that they were afraid, not of him, but afraid of returning to Darth Vader empty handed. One of the Stormtroopers was headed into the alley that Jance was hiding in. Jance had lost his lightsaber to a Bounty Hunter, the Bounty Hunter had used a flamethrow to set Jance's tunic on fire, Jance had thrown off his tunic which contained his lightsaber, his lightsaber had been disentigrated. Jance had escaped by redirecting a missle back to the Bounty Hunter, that had bought enough time for him to escape. Jance waited as the Trooper walked by and Jumped him, he snapped the troopers neck and put on the armor after stashing the body in a dumpster. Jance walked by the other stormtroopers and successfully mader his way to his safe house. Jance moved a large boulder blocking the entrance to a cave, he then checked it to see that nothing had been disturbed, satisfied Jance block the entrance with the large boulder and climbed onto his cot and went to sleep.
Chapter 2
While he slept he dreamed that he was in the Jedi Temple with his friend Anakin Skywalker, they were walking down the Jedi Temple corridor when a dark garbed figure leapt in front of them, it had a burnt face, it sort of resembled Anakin. "Run" screamed Anakin. The Anakin that was beside him was crushed by a column of the Jedi temple, Jance escaped the burning temple. Jance woke up to see it was morning. Jance made his way to the Imperial Academy.
Chapter 3
Jance was placed in the 326th Division, the division had one purpose, to locate and kill Jedi. In less than a week the 326th Division had managed to track down a Jedi Knight to a planet on the Outer Rim called Callus Prime. Jance and the other Jedi Killed off the 326th Division. Jance approached the Jedi. Jance held out his hand and said "I am Jance Byington." "Kreighton Sul" said the Jedi shaking Jance's hand. "I am looking for Anakin Skywalker." "I don't know if he is alive or not, but I can take you to his former Master, Obi-Wan Kenobi." Jance and Kreighton made it to a landing pad, jacked a ship, and set course for Tatooine.
Chapter 4
The hut owned by Obi-Wan Kenobi was very clean, crates were stacked in the back. It was easy to see that Order 66 had taken an emotional toll on Obi-Wan, his robe was tattered, his once bright eyes were now dull, his hair had turned white possibly from fear, no it wasn't fright, it was stress, Obi-Wans face was more serious and solemn than it ever had been. "Hello." said Obi-Wan. "Hello Master Kenobi, I am Jance Byington a Jedi Knight." "It's nice to meet you" replied Kenobi shaking Jance's hand. "Now what can I do for the two of you?" "Jance is looking for Anakin Skywalker, your old apprentice." replied Kreighton. Jance saw the Ex-Jedi wince and he could sense anger... no not anger... but pain.. Pain and Regret. "He is Dead." "How?" "He found out that Palpatine was the sith we were looking for and then told Master Windu, Windu and Anakin arrived and attempted to kill the Sith Lord, just as Master Windu was about to kill Palpatine, the "Other" Sith Lord, Darth Vader, arrived and cut off Windu's hands and Kicked him out of the office, Anakin fought bravely, brave enough to injure Vader, forcing Vader to need his suit, However, Palpatine killed him." "He can't be dead, I sensed his presence in the force a few days ago." "Perhaps the force is trying to tell you something?" "That is possible, will you come with us to destroy the Emperor?" "That is someone else's battle, not mine." "Farewell Master Kenobi." Jance and Kreighton departed for Palpatine's Home world, Naboo.
Chapter 5
"Lord Vader, you are to go to Naboo, you have an old "Friend" headed there now." Said The Emperor. "I shall depart at once, my Master." Responded Darth Vader.
Chapter 6
"Do you think that the Queen of Naboo would really help us?" asked Jance. "Yes, she has to or else her people may never be free from the Emperor's Watchful gaze." Kreighton and Jance made their way undetected into the Queens Chambers... The Queen of Naboo opens her eyes to see Kreighton and Jance enter the room, she quickly grabs her blaster pistol next to her bed. "Freeze or I will blast you." "Your majesty, we mean no harm." Replied Jance. "Your Jedi..." "Yes, we have come to you for help, we must destroy the Emperor." "I see, let me arrange the army for you." The Queen presses an intercom button on the wall. "We have Jedi in the Palace, set your blasters to stun!" "What the hell are you doing?!" "I am make this place safe for my people, if I don't hand you over to Vader the Emperor will find out and destroy us all!" The two Jedi ran out faster than the speed of sound, the palace flashed by in a blur.
Chapter 7
Jance and Kreighton became seperated in all the madness. Jance stopped to rest once he reached a cliff that over looked the city of Theed. Jance heard heavy breathing behind him and swirled around to see Darth Vader looming over him. Jance Gasped when he saw Kreighton's lightsaber clipped to the Dark Lords belt, he knew that Kreighton was dead. "I am suprised that you made it this far without a lightsaber." Jance felt an invisible fist closing around his throat. "It is not the lightsaber that makes the Jedi, nor is it the Force, it is the Beliefs that one chooses to follow, even at the very end." Jance was losing his hold on reality, in despairation he used the force to drive an invisible fist of his own making into the Emperor's Lackey. Jance was free and he managed to call Kreighton's lightsaber to his hand in a mere second. Vader quickly rose to his feet and the two dueled at the speed of sound. Vader soon managed to gain the upper-hand, Jance was stuck at the edge of the cliff. As Vader brought his blade into position he felt his lightsaber tug, Vader was able to keep his grip of his lightsaber, the little tug had been a cunning ploy, Darth Vader had focused all of his attention to hold onto his saber, Jance sliced his blade through both of Vader's hands.
Chapter 8
Jance pointed the blade at Darth Vader's throat. "You will take me to Palpatine Now!" "No." "Fine have it your way." Jance reached out to the force and entered Vader's mind. It was harder than he had thought it would be, but he managed to slowly push into Vader's mind and tugged away at the useless thoughts, he could feel Vader resisting after a lengthy search he found what he wanted, the location of the Emperor, he had also managed to find something much more interesting in Vader's mind, Darth Vader was Anakin Skywalker.
Chapter 9
"Damn you, Damn you!, you killed everyone!" Vader lowered his head staring at the ground. "I hate you, you shouldn't be alive, stand up and prepare to meet you end, you... you Monster!" To Jance's surprise Darth Vader stood up. "How could my best friend do this!" Vader turned and looked down at Theed. "I don't even know what I should do with you, your unarmed, but you deserve to die, if I kill you I will probably fall to the Dark Side." Jance felt a hand on his shoulder and turned around to see no one there. Jance turned toward Vader again and heard a voice in his head, it was Kreighton's Voice, stay calm Jance, kill him, but cast aside your hatred first, if you don't then you shall fall to the Dark Side. Jance closed his eyes and cast aside his hatred and then opened them so he could Kill Darth Vader. Jance pushed Vader off the cliff using the force and then picked up and activated the Sith's Lightsaber and threw it after him, the blade bore into the Sith Lords back, when the Sith Lord was out of Jances sight, Jance walked to Kreighton's shuttle.
Chapter 10
Jance Stepped off of the shuttle ramp and walked to the shrine in which the Emperor was located. The Two activated their lightsabers and dueled. The Blades hissed and hummed when they met. Jance threw all of his weight into his strikes. Midway into the duel Jance saw something that horrified him, Darth Vader was approaching and he had new prosthetic hands. "Now you will die, Jedi." said the Emperor. "I will not be forgotten!" Jance swung his blade and severed palpatine's left leg. Before Jance could turn around Vader's blade pierced his back.
Chapter 11
The Emperor levitated himself into the air as Vader pulled out of Jance. Jance's vision turned red, Jance then attempted to crawl toward Kreighton's lightsaber, as he reached toward it with his arm the Emperor shot him with lightning. Jance's vision turned from red to blue, the lightning was the most painful thing he had ever felt. Jance managed to pull himself to his feet only to feel Vader's lightsaber cut them off. The agony was intense but so was his resolve to reach the shuttle, The Emperor sent another blast of lightning into him, the blast caused Jance's clothes to fuse with his skin, Jance was afraid for the first time in his life. Jance's vision started to fade right at the ramp of the shuttle, he felt Vaders blade stab through his back and into his heart. His eyes shut and then fluttered open. Jance caught a quick glimpse of the future and saw a young man, Vader and Palpatine. The Emperor was shocking the young man while Vader watched. The young man reffered to Vader as father and due to his son's pleaing Darth Vader lifted the Emperor off the ground and threw him into a seemingly endless shaft. The last thing Jance did was chuckle.