Forgre

Chapter 15:

– Silas –

I landed on my ass—hard. "Ouch…"

Beside me, Vista hit the ground just as gracelessly, letting out a startled squeak. Groaning, I glanced around, blinking in confusion as we found ourselves smack in the middle of some weird-ass looking city. The buildings were sleek and smooth, with high arches and shiny marble. Something about the architecture was really familiar, but I couldn't quite place it right away.

"What the hell just happened!?" Vista scrambled to her feet, eyes wide in total panic. "Did we seriously just get spirited away? I mean, I freaking love that movie, but I never actually wanted it to happen to me!"

She was fumbling to put her mask on, her hands shaking. Thankfully, she was already wearing the rest of her costume.

"Easy, Vista," I said, quickly climbing to my feet. "Take a breath, we'll figure this shit out."

Just to be safe, I mentally summoned my Nightingale armor. Instantly, it wrapped around me, snug and reassuringly solid. The Nightingale Blade settled comfortably into the sheath at my hip as well. I'd never actually used it up to this point. But I wasn't taking any chances—if this place was anything like Skyrim, it could get nasty fast. Hell, my system had warned about an invasion, so it might be even worse than last time.

Missy eyed the sword warily and gulped. "Do you really think you're gonna need that?"

"Hope not," I admitted grimly. "But better safe than sorry."

Then it finally clicked—we weren't alone. All around us, people were sprinting down the street, shouting and screaming in fear. Their clothing was weirdly formal, flowing robes and elaborate headdresses, unlike anything I'd seen back home.

A frantic-looking woman rushed past us, eyes wide in panic. "The Trade Federation are attacking!" she cried out.

Another guy stumbled past, shouting desperately, "Where is the Republic? Why aren't they helping us!?"

My stomach dropped. Oh shit. Suddenly everything snapped into place—the city, the clothing, the Trade Federation. I couldn't believe it.

"Holy fuck," I muttered under my cowl. "We're on Naboo. This is goddamn Star Wars." And yes, Earth Bet actually had those movies...

Vista whipped around to stare at me. "Eeeeeehhh!?" she practically shrieked. "Are you kidding me? Like, Jedi and lightsabers and stuff? Are you serious!?"

"Pretty damn sure, Vista," I confirmed, watching a group of terrified civilians race by us. "Looks like our 'evil invaders' are actual aliens that have an army of battle droids. And that means this shit's about to get very real..."

"Battle droids? Oh God!" Vista whimpered, glancing around anxiously. She was clearly uneasy, and I couldn't blame her. Hell, I was feeling pretty uneasy myself.

I reached over and gently patted the top of her head. "Relax, Missy. We're gonna get through this. I promise I'll keep you safe."

She looked up at me, startled, her cheeks immediately turning bright pink. Then she straightened her shoulders and stood taller—though she was obviously still way shorter than me. "Actually, I'm gonna be the one protecting you," she declared firmly, putting her hands on her hips. "I've been a cape longer than you have! In fact, I'm gonna protect everyone here. Who cares if we're stuck in some crazy space opera movie universe? I'm Vista, and Vista is a hero!"

I smirked beneath my cowl, impressed. Leave it to Missy—the twelve-year-old—to somehow be the most mature and brave member of the entire Wards team. 

In my opinion at least.

But before I could dwell on that thought too long, the sharp, rhythmic sound of metal footsteps marching along the stone streets caught my attention. I snapped my head around, instantly alert.

Shit, here we go.

Battle droids rounded the corner in perfect, synchronized steps. Each one was holding a blaster rifle, and the civilians ran screaming in panic, desperate to escape them.

"Please do not flee," one droid ordered flatly. "Surrender yourselves."

Another droid stepped forward. "All citizens of Naboo are now property of the Trade Federation and shall immediately report to your detention centers for processing."

"Merchandise isn't supposed to run away!"

I growled in irritation. Fuck, this was worse than canon if the trade federation wanted the naboo people as slaves! But of course, this was reality…

I stepped forward and raised my left hand, feeling magicka spark in my fingertips. Blue-white electricity crackled loudly as it shot forward, immediately slamming into the nearest group of droids.

"Error! Error!" they shouted, jerking violently as sparks erupted across their metal bodies. "Waaaahhhh!"

A second later, they were smoking piles of scrap metal, collapsing uselessly onto the street. I smirked beneath my mask. Yep, shitty, cheaply made droids and lightning clearly didn't mix well.

"Jedi! Jedi!" another droid shouted, pointing its rifle in my direction. "Blast him! Blast him!"

My eyes widened as about twenty battle droids raised their weapons simultaneously. 

Crap. Was my Nightingale armor even blaster-proof? Honestly, I wasn't sure, and I didn't exactly want to find out the hard way.

But just as they fired, space itself seemed to warp right in front of them. Instead of shooting straight toward me, the blaster bolts bent, twisting in mid-air and crashing spectacularly into each other in a fiery explosion!

I turned my head toward Vista. She was grinning widely, clearly proud of herself. "Guess what? They're all robots!" she shouted excitedly. "That means I don't have to hold back my powers at all! Let's kick their asses, Silas—I mean, Dragonborn!"

Damn right. I felt my own grin widening beneath my mask.

"Let's do this!" I called back.

Some of the fleeing civilians slowed down, turning to stare at us in disbelief as Vista and I took off running straight toward the advancing army of battle droids instead of away from them.

—

I swung my Nightingale Blade in a sharp, downward arc, effortlessly slicing the head off a B1 battle droid. The severed head bounced to the stone street with a clatter, and the droid's body crumpled lifelessly. Normally the blade would leech health and stamina from whoever it cut, but unfortunately, these metal assholes didn't exactly count as "living." On the bright side, the blade was basically a borderline Daedric weapon, so even after repeatedly hacking through solid metal bodies, there wasn't a scratch or chip on the surface. 

That was a good thing too, because my magicka was currently drained, and right now I needed brute force more than finesse.

"Surround the Jedi and kill him!" another droid barked mechanically, pointing in my direction as more metallic idiots shuffled forward in formation.

Not a chance!

With a quick grunt, I pushed off the ground, easily leaping high over the heads of the clustered droids. I landed smoothly behind them, spinning around in one quick movement and slicing through their thin metal necks. Their heads went flying, tumbling through the air and scattering across the street. I grinned beneath my mask in satisfaction.

As good as that felt, though, I knew I wasn't the real star of this show—Vista was.

If I could handle groups of three or four at a time, she was absolutely wrecking squads of ten, twenty, even thirty droids simultaneously. She twisted space effortlessly, redirecting blaster bolts back at their shooters and making entire formations of droids crash spectacularly into one another.

"Shaker 9 indeed…" I muttered quietly, genuinely impressed with what she was pulling off.

"This is actually super fun!" Vista cheered, her voice bright and excited despite the chaos around us. 

I could see sweat running down her forehead, though. Even as skilled as she was, she'd been using her powers continuously for almost half an hour straight. She'd been a hero for years and had plenty of experience stretching her limits, but even her stamina couldn't last forever. And she was also 12 which meant she had less than an adult parahuman to start with.

I glanced around quickly, taking stock of our surroundings. For the past thirty minutes, Vista and I had basically cleared the immediate streets of Theed, Naboo's capital city, holding back wave after wave of these dumb droids. But I knew it couldn't last. Up above in orbit, there were massive Federation drop ships—probably carrying hundreds of thousands, maybe even millions more droids. We were only facing their scouting parties and early patrol groups right now, and sooner or later, those bigger numbers would start pouring in.

Honestly, the thought made me pretty damn nervous.

And of course, there were plenty of idiots sticking around to watch the fight. Some people stood on the sidewalks or leaned out of windows, cheering loudly for me and Vista! The smarter civilians had already evacuated, running away the moment they saw trouble. 

But the bravest among the Naboo citizens had picked up discarded blasters from fallen droids and started firing back, joining us in our little street war. They clearly weren't willing to become slaves to the Trade Federation without putting up a fight first, and I respected the hell out of that.

I looked over at Vista, watching her neatly dodge another volley of shots by twisting space around herself. The girl flashed me a triumphant grin, despite her obvious exhaustion.

"You good?" I called out.

"I'm good!" she shouted back, taking a breath. "But I don't know how long we can keep this up!"

I nodded grimly, tightening my grip on the Nightingale Blade and turning to face the next wave of approaching droids. We just had to keep going for now.

—

…About twenty minutes later, I glanced over at Vista and immediately saw how tired she was. She was breathing hard, her shoulders sagging slightly with exhaustion. The regular people who'd joined us were looking just as worn down. Some were even leaning against walls, desperately trying to catch their breath.

I turned my attention down the street, noticing another wave of battle droids slowly marching our way. 

Crap. Reinforcements were already coming.

Before I could think of a plan, a frantic-looking guy dressed in the uniform of the local Naboo security force rushed over to us, his eyes wide with panic. He skidded to a stop, breathless and clearly desperate for answers.

"What should we do, Master Jedi!?" he asked urgently.

"We're not Jedi," Vista immediately huffed, wiping sweat from her forehead. She sounded irritated, probably because she'd had to correct this misunderstanding at least ten times by now with the others.

The officer blinked at us in shock. "You're…you're not Jedi? Then what exactly are you!? I've never seen powers like yours except in legends about the Jedi."

"We're superheroes!" I declared proudly, placing a hand confidently on my hip. "Couldn't you tell from our costumes?"

The guy just stared at us, mouth open. A few nearby civilians also turned their heads in our direction, equally dumbstruck.

"Superheroes are a thing now?"

"They're more effective than any Jedi I've ever heard of so I'm not complaining!"

"What are your hero names!?"

"I'm Dragonborn and this is Vista!" I declared. Mostly everyone was too tired to cheer so we just got a few polite claps.

After a few awkward seconds, the officer shook his head quickly, snapping himself out of it. "You know what? It doesn't matter. Jedi, superheroes, whatever—right now, you're our only hope. You've already taken out at least a thousand droids, but all our communications are jammed. I can't reach any of the higher-ups, so I'm deferring entirely to your judgment."

I sighed, seeing the heavy weight of responsibility was making him way too nervous. He clearly didn't know what to do.

"We need to pull back," I said decisively, looking around at the weary group. "We should find a place we can bunker down and wait for reinforcements of our own—somewhere that's hard for the droids to follow us into."

The officer quickly nodded, seeming relieved to have a clear direction. "Outside the capital city—Theed—there are swamps and wetlands. The droids will have trouble moving through that kind of terrain. I can start evacuating the people there immediately, spread the word to anyone still in the city."

"Good," I said, nodding in approval.

Then I felt a rumbling under my feet and looked down sharply. Beside me, Vista gasped. Three massive droid tanks hovered steadily down the main street toward us, their bulky forms looming menacingly. Their cannons swiveled slowly, locking into firing position.

"I—I can take care of them," Vista stammered, stepping forward shakily. Her voice was brave, but I could clearly see she was at her absolute limit. No way in hell was I going to let her push herself until she passed out—or worse.

"No," I said, stepping directly in front of her protectively. "I've got this one. Save your energy."

"Sir, we need to run!" the officer and several other civilians shouted desperately behind me. "Don't sacrifice yourself for us! You're too important!"

I sweatdropped at that, turning to them quickly. "Relax. I've got zero intention of sacrificing myself…"

Taking a deep breath to steady myself, I walked out alone into the middle of the street, directly facing the incoming tanks. All three stopped instantly when they saw me, their turrets pivoting to aim their huge cannons right at my chest.

"There's one of the Jedi!" a droid in the closest tank's turret shouted robotically.

"Surrender, Jedi, or be destroyed," another droid emoted loudly.

I swallowed hard, suddenly very nervous. This was gonna hurt my throat like hell.

Taking one final deep breath, I steadied my stance, channeling every ounce of strength I had into my voice.

"FUS—"

"ROH—"

"DAAAAAAAH!"

The devastation that followed my shout was honestly pretty glorious. Sure, my throat felt like I'd just swallowed burning coals, but seeing three massive droid tanks—and the hundred or so battle droids surrounding them—get lifted right off the ground and thrown violently all the way to the end of the street made it completely worth it. They slammed down into the pavement and exploded spectacularly, erupting in flames and smoke. It was freaking awesome.

All around me, the people who'd been fighting and hiding broke into loud cheers, pumping fists in the air. A chant quickly rose through the street.

"Dragonborn! Dragonborn! Dragonborn!"

I grinned beneath my mask. Damn right.

Vista stood a few feet away, breathing hard, hands on her hips. She shot me a playful glare and stuck out her lower lip in a mock pout.

"Showoff," she said, trying to sound annoyed but clearly impressed.

"You're just jealous," I teased back, reaching out and gently grabbing her hand. This time she didn't even blush—she must've been way too exhausted. I carefully started pulling her along, moving with the crowd of civilians as they rushed toward the edge of the city.

We hadn't gotten far when suddenly, my system screen popped up directly in front of my face, startling me badly enough that I nearly tripped over my own feet.

[Emergency Secondary Mission: Save the Queen! The Queen of Naboo is about to be overrun and killed! Save her or the planet is guaranteed to fall!]

"Shit!" I hissed out loud, stopping abruptly. Vista stumbled slightly beside me, eyes widening in shock as she read the same message.

"Wait, we're not done yet?" Vista asked breathlessly, looking even more exhausted just thinking about it.

"Apparently not," I muttered.

I quickly turned, searching for the officer we'd spoken to before. Spotting him nearby, I called out, "Hey! Officer!"

The man immediately ran toward us, eyes wide and concerned. "What's wrong? Is everything alright?"

"Change of plans," I said firmly. "We can't follow you guys. Vista and I need to get to the palace right now—the Queen is in danger. If we don't save her, this planet is screwed."

The officer grimaced deeply, looking torn. "We can't just leave you two to do this alone!"

"Yes, you can," I told him bluntly. "Listen to me. You need to get your people safely out of here. Go to the swamps like you planned. We'll handle this. If the Queen dies, the Republic won't have a clue what's happening until it's way too late. Saving her has to be our priority."

He hesitated for a second, then finally nodded, reluctantly accepting it. "Understood. We'll follow your instructions. Please—both of you, be careful."

I nodded back, then waved my hand in front of me, mentally summoning my Ghost Bike. Instantly, the sleek black motorcycle appeared out of nowhere, materializing directly onto the street right in front of us.

"Whoa, so cool," Vista whispered in awe.

I hopped onto the seat, glancing back at her. "Come on, let's move."

Vista quickly climbed onto the bike behind me, wrapping her arms tightly around my waist to steady herself. As soon as she was secure, I revved the engine hard, tires spinning and squealing as we sped forward, racing toward the palace looming deeper inside the city.

– Palpetine –

Sheev Palpatine—also known to a select few in the galaxy as Darth Sidious—sat comfortably in his ornate senator's office, gazing calmly out at the sprawling skyline of Coruscant.

He loved when a plan came together.

As a true Sith Lord, Palpatine had no qualms about sacrificing the lives of Naboo's citizens—the people of his very homeworld—in order to advance his and his master's dark agenda. Soon enough, the Queen of Naboo would be dead, her people enslaved, and the entire galaxy outraged at the tragedy. Palpatine would capitalize on that anger and grief, positioning himself as a hero and quickly seizing the position of Supreme Chancellor. Nothing stood in his way now.

The soft, insistent beep from his desk interrupted his thoughts. A holocall. Palpatine released a quiet sigh, already knowing who was likely contacting him at this inconvenient hour.

Nute Gunray, that idiotic Neimoidian leader of the Trade Federation. Honestly, the fool couldn't even tie his own shoes without explicit guidance. Already feeling the beginnings of a headache, Palpatine pulled the dark hood of his cloak forward and activated the holographic projector. As the shimmering blue image of Gunray appeared, Palpatine's voice became low and sinister—fully embracing his hidden identity as Darth Sidious.

"Why have you disturbed me?" Sidious growled.

Gunray was visibly panicked, fidgeting anxiously. "My lord Sidious! What is going on down there!? Two more Jedi have suddenly appeared right in the middle of Naboo, and they're incredibly powerful! They have already destroyed thousands of our droids and multiple armored tanks! You promised the Jedi would be handled by your apprentice!" Gunray practically shouted, his voice shrill with accusation.

Sidious froze, narrowing his eyes sharply beneath his hood.

Two more Jedi on Naboo? Impossible. He had personally ensured that only Qui-Gon Jinn and his Padawan, Kenobi, would be there. And soon enough, they would be dead, as planned.

"Show me proof of this," Sidious demanded sharply, barely containing his irritation.

"Of course, my lord! Immediately!" Gunray hastily tapped at a control panel. The holo-projection shifted instantly, displaying a live security feed from Naboo.

What Sidious saw on that flickering hologram shocked him to the core.

A figure wearing sleek black armor—a design that vaguely reminded Sidious of ancient Sith legends—was cleaving effortlessly through entire platoons of battle droids with a simple steel blade. He moved with unnatural speed and agility, deflecting blaster fire while throwing arcs of crackling lightning from his fingertips, destroying clusters of droids in bursts of sparks and smoke.

Behind the armored figure stood a younger female apprentice, wearing green, who was demonstrating an unprecedented mastery of the Force. Sidious watched, utterly captivated, as she manipulated space itself, warping reality to effortlessly redirect a hail of blaster bolts back at entire squads of droids. Her abilities were unlike anything he'd witnessed in his extensive studies of the Force.

But the true shock came moments later. The armored warrior suddenly stepped forward into a street filled with approaching tanks. Palpatine leaned closer, intrigued, as he heard the masked man shout out three distinct words in a language unknown to him.

"FUS—ROH—DAH!"

A surge of raw power erupted from the man's voice. Three massive tanks—and over a hundred droids—were violently lifted from the ground and thrown back down the street, exploding spectacularly in flames.

Sidious felt his pulse quicken with excitement, his interest now thoroughly piqued.

How very interesting!

He had to learn these abilities. Such power would undoubtedly serve him well in his grand ambitions. And that young girl... Her astonishing control and strength with the Force was beyond anything he'd seen in generations. He'd believed he would never again encounter such a promising apprentice. Until now.

Oh yes. He would have them both.

Sidious calmly leaned back, his earlier irritation replaced by eager anticipation. His dark lips twisted into a thin, sinister smile beneath the shadow of his hood.

He ended the call with the annoying alien, and immediately sent a message to his apprentice to make sure to capture both of these new targets alive–for study! He obviously left out the part that he was planning on making the girl his next apprentice since she was far more talented than Maul could ever hope to be…

– Silas –

I gripped the handlebars tightly, the Ghost Bike rumbling silently beneath me as it soared smoothly above the streets of Theed. Vista's arms were wrapped securely around my waist, clutching me for dear life as we rocketed towards the royal palace. 

Even from up here, I could see the palace grounds crawling with Trade Federation battle droids—hundreds of the metallic bastards swarming everywhere.

My stomach sank at the sight. Shit, that wasn't good. Vista was already exhausted from the earlier fight, and I wasn't confident I could handle hundreds of droids alone, at least not with my current set of abilities. We'd need a miracle to get through this mess and save the young queen!

As if on cue, my system screen suddenly popped up in front of my face, nearly making me swerve into a building in surprise.

[Congratulations heroes! Holding back the first wave of the Trade Federation has resulted in hundreds of thousands of lives saved! The host and his partner will be rewarded!]

Damn, talk about good timing!

Before I could even wonder what reward I was getting, another message appeared:

[The host Silas has been granted the ability ELECTROMASTER: TOARU MAJUTSU NO INDEX.]

My eyes went wide, and my jaw dropped under my mask.

"Holy shit! Fuck yes!" I shouted excitedly, nearly making Vista jump behind me.

"Huh? What just happened!?" she called out, leaning forward anxiously to peer over my shoulder.

Before I could answer, the screen popped up another notification, this one for her:

[The host's partner Vista has been granted FORCE SENSITIVITY.]

Vista read the prompt over my shoulder, her grip on me tightening even further in surprise.

"EHHHHH!?" she shrieked, completely losing her composure. "Silas! Does this mean what I think it means? I can be a freaking Jedi!?"

– Miss Militia –

"Motherfucking shitballs!" Miss Militia cursed under her breath, pressing a hand tightly against her forehead. 

Silas and Missy had literally just vanished right off the Rig—one second they'd been chatting calmly in the console room, the next they'd disappeared in a flash of light. It was exactly the same thing that happened when Silas first triggered at the hospital, back when he'd disappeared with Panacea!

That weird "system" power of his had to be behind this, dragging another Ward along for whatever crazy ride he'd been pulled into this time. 

Was this seriously going to be a recurring problem with him?

Miss Militia hurried down the hall toward Armsmaster's lab, frustration making her footsteps heavier than usual. As soon as the door hissed open, she heard Armsmaster's voice, animated and excited as he spoke to a glowing monitor displaying Dragon's real face.

"It's unfortunate the motorcycle just vanished," he was saying enthusiastically, "but we gathered such extraordinary data from it, Dragon. The energy readings alone broke half the laws of physics we've established!"

"Oh, hello, Miss Militia," Dragon called out, spotting her approaching the screen and offering a friendly wave. 

Armsmaster turned around, acknowledging her with a small nod.

"Hello, Dragon," Miss Militia replied, sighing and returning her wave tiredly. "Collin. I hate to interrupt, but we have another problem."

"What is it?" Armsmaster asked immediately.

She sighed again, exhaustion creeping into her voice. "Silas just vanished again. And this time he took Vista with him!"

Armsmaster stiffened slightly but didn't respond right away. His face stayed neutral, practically unreadable behind his visor. Miss Militia felt her jaw tighten in frustration. As the new leader of the Wards, she was upset with herself for not having anticipated something like this. She should have seen it coming. She was also the one who sent Silas down to console duty with Vista, thinking it would help him reflect on his actions. If she'd just asked him to serve out his punishment alongside her instead, maybe she would've been pulled along on whatever mission he'd been yanked into, rather than Missy. At least then she could have protected the younger Ward and seen firsthand what they were dealing with.

"Hm," Armsmaster finally said after a long pause, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "That's disappointing. Theresa and I were just analyzing Silas's 'ghost bike' when it vanished right in front of us. Fascinating technology, shame it couldn't remain longer."

Miss Militia stared at him blankly, waiting for him to express at least some concern about the two missing Wards, but he didn't say anything else. Typical Collin, always more concerned with Tinker-tech data than actual people.

This was exactly why he was no longer the leader of the Wards here.

Thankfully, Dragon seemed to understand the gravity of the situation immediately, her expression instantly becoming worried. "Is there anything I can do to help, Hannah?" she asked earnestly.

Miss Militia managed a weak smile. "Thanks, Dragon. I appreciate it. But unless you happen to have a way to travel to completely different planets—or universes—then there's probably nothing any of us can do right now. We'll just have to hope Silas and Vista come back safely..."

Dragon frowned deeply, nodding slowly in reluctant acceptance. "Alright. Keep me updated if you need anything. Seriously, anything at all."

"I will," Miss Militia promised. Her shoulders slumped as she considered everything else that now needed to be done. "Meanwhile, I've got a lot of calls to make. Director Piggot's going to want a full report. Then there's notifying Missy's parents—God, that's going to be fun—and both of the schools that our missing Wards attend. It's going to be a long night."

Armsmaster barely glanced up, already busy tapping keys and bringing up data streams on his screens again. "Good luck," he muttered absently.

Miss Militia sighed again, turning away sharply and heading toward the door. Sometimes she really missed when she was just another cape, instead of being the leader responsible for everyone else's messes.

Tonight was definitely one of those nights…

Chapter 16:

– Silas –

I almost lost control of the Ghost Bike as we dipped low over the city, and Vista yelped behind me, her arms tightening around my waist like a vice.

"Silas!" she shouted over the wind, her voice edged with panic. "Watch it!"

"Sorry!" I winced, trying to stabilize the bike. My vision was starting to blur around the edges, and my head throbbed like it was about to split open. Not exactly ideal when you're flying a damn motorcycle.

"I—ugh—I feel kinda woozy…" Vista mumbled, her voice lower now, more confused than scared.

Shit.

I spotted an empty alley near the edge of the palace district and immediately veered toward it, killing the engine mid-glide and dropping us down for an emergency landing. The bike skidded slightly but held steady, the tires squealing as we came to a stop.

Vista jumped off first, stumbling as soon as her boots hit the ground. I quickly swung my leg over and dismounted, ready to catch her if she fell, but she managed to steady herself against a nearby wall. Her head was darting around, her eyes wide and unfocused.

"I can feel it!" she said suddenly, her voice trembling with something between wonder and overload. "It's all around me! It's flowing through me! Space is everywhere—it's so big! It's infinite!" She steadied herself and stood up straighter, her lips parting in a wide grin. "I can feel the Force recharging me—making me stronger. This is… this is awesome."

I smiled at her, genuinely happy to see her coming into her new powers so quickly, but I couldn't hide the grimace twisting across my own face.

Because I was not having a good time.

If I remembered Toaru Majutsu no Index correctly—and I did, painfully—using esper powers, especially ones like Electromaster, required a lot of brainpower. A lot . And right now, I felt like someone had jammed a live wire into my skull and then smashed it with a sledgehammer. Repeatedly.

I leaned against the alley wall, bracing myself with one hand as the world tilted around me. With my free hand, I pulled my hood back and yanked my cowl down, gasping in fresh air and trying to breathe through the pain. My head felt like it was going to burst open any second.

Vista looked over sharply and flinched. "Silas… I can feel your pain." Her voice had dropped into something quiet and worried.

That was definitely new.

I forced a grin, trying to play it off. "I'm good," I lied. It sounded weak even to me.

She didn't buy it for a second. Her brow furrowed as she took a step closer. "You suck at lying. Especially when I can literally feel how full of shit you are."

I chuckled weakly. "Yeah, okay. Fair point." The pain was slowly settling into a dull throb instead of the spike-through-the-eyeball sensation it started with, but I still wasn't exactly feeling top-tier.

Still, we didn't have time to waste.

I closed my eyes and took a slow breath, and that's when I really felt it—the shift happening inside me. I didn't just have Electromaster now. I was one. I could feel the change deep in my bones, like my entire nervous system had been rewritten.

And weirdly enough… so had my magic.

From what I remembered, esper powers and magic weren't supposed to mix. They practically shorted each other out. So it caught me completely off guard when I felt the small pool of magicka inside me suddenly expand —vastly. It surged with raw voltage, snapping and sizzling through my veins. The arcane energy in me had been completely transformed into something new. Something electric.

I instinctively understood it—knew it with a clarity that sent chills down my spine. I could only cast electricity-based spells now. 

And I was fine with that.

Electric type was the best type anyway!

I opened my eyes slowly and reached out with my senses—and holy shit. I could feel it. The current running through the alley walls. The hum beneath the pavement from buried cables. The buzz in the palace streetlamps, flickering nervously in the distance. I could feel the cold, hard electricity pulsing inside the tanks and droids surrounding the palace. They were walking batteries.

I took a few more deep breaths, letting the pain fade into the background as I rolled my shoulders and pulled my hood back up. Then I slid my cowl over my face again and turned toward Vista.

She met my gaze and gave me a sharp nod. Her eyes were clear now, focused, glowing faintly with power. She looked more confident than I'd ever seen her.

"You good?" I asked.

"Better than good," she said while grinning. "Let's save a queen."

"Hell yeah!"

Vista and I burst out of the alley at a full sprint, boots slamming against the stone streets as we charged straight toward the palace. The roar of artillery grew louder with every step, and as we emerged onto the battlefield, the full scale of the invasion hit us.

Thousands of battle droids were lined up in formation between us and the palace. Ten massive hover tanks loomed among them, their cannons firing in thundering rhythm as they shelled the palace walls nonstop. Dust, debris, and shattered stone filled the air. The ground shook beneath our feet with every blast.

We were behind them all.

I glanced sideways at Vista. She was already looking at me, and even though I was wearing my mask, I was pretty sure she could still sense the massive smirk on my face. 

This adventure had just started, and it was already fucking amazing.

Power surged through me like I'd never felt before. I could practically taste the electricity in the air—sharp, metallic, hot. Every nerve in my body was lit up like a live wire.

"I don't have to hold back anymore," Vista said, her voice alive with energy and pure joy. "The force is with me!" She raised both her hands and focused. Instantly, the space around the droid army began to distort. The roads beneath their feet twisted violently, cracking and bending as if the stone itself had become liquid. Then—just like that—Vista flipped entire chunks of street upside down, slamming groups of droids into the ground with terrifying force. Dozens, then hundreds, were crushed into scrap in seconds.

I didn't hesitate to follow her lead.

The electricity inside me was begging to be unleashed. I lifted both my gloved hands toward the densest cluster of droids and didn't even bother with the basic Sparks spell. 

That was kid stuff now. Instead, I opened the floodgates.

A torrent of white-hot lightning exploded from my fingertips with a deafening crack, arcing through the air and ripping into the droid lines. The bolts tore through metal like paper, melting circuits and sending entire squads flying backward in smoking pieces! 

At least fifty droids went down instantly—and the bolt kept going, slamming into one of the massive tanks. The explosion was instant, violent, and blinding. The tank's hull buckled and then detonated in a massive fireball that sent nearby droids flying like shrapnel. The shockwave hit me square in the chest, but I stood my ground, adrenaline and power holding me steady.

"Holy shit…" Vista breathed.

"Holy shit," I echoed, still staring at the inferno we'd just caused.

The surviving droids finally noticed us. Hundreds of metal heads turned in eerie unison. Blasters raised. Commands echoed across the lines in that annoyingly monotone voice.

"It's more Jedi!" one of them shouted.

"Roger roger—open fire!"

– Padme –

Despite being the youngest queen in Naboo's history, Padmé Amidala was a fighter. She hadn't taken the throne for ceremony or luxury—she'd been elected to fix the mess the last administration had nearly drowned the planet in! The Trade Federation's manipulations had brought Naboo to the edge of financial ruin, signing away their future piece by piece through dishonest and one-sided trade agreements.

That was why her people had cheered when she'd stood before those greedy aliens and cut those deals off. 

That was why the people believed in her! Supported her! 

She didn't think it would end up like this.

Her stomach twisted as she stared at the glowing tactical display on the palace wall. Red dots—enemy forces—covered every major city. The invasion wasn't just happening here in Theed. Roving squads of droids were being reported in settlements across Naboo, rounding up civilians, forcing control collars onto them.

Slavery. They were turning her people into slaves! She could only feel despair at that reality.

And they were trying to kill her, too. Padmé knew that. The Trade Federation wanted her gone. Silenced. They didn't want a rallying symbol. They wanted to crush her and her people's hopes.

The palace walls trembled violently, dust and loose stone falling from the ceiling as another shell from outside impacted nearby. The shield generators were gone—overloaded and collapsed almost an hour ago—and the stone walls, no matter how thick they had been designed to be, wouldn't hold out forever.

Padmé stood in one of the throne room's smaller side chambers, surrounded by her remaining handmaidens, Captain Panaka, and the few surviving palace guards. The hallway outside was littered with wreckage—crumpled metal, shattered marble, blaster burns. The dead, both droid and human, lay in twisted heaps. The smell of carbon scoring and blood filled the space around them.

Every known exit had been cut off.

Still, Padmé stood tall. Her armor-plated royal dress had been torn in places, soot streaking across the once-pristine fabric, but she didn't care. She looked at her people—her real protectors—and she knew what she had to say.

"It's been an honor serving with you all," she said solemnly. "But let's not go down quietly. The people of Naboo will never surrender. Not to this. Not again. We won't submit to injustice. Not now. Not ever!"

There was a pause, then a surge of energy as everyone in the room straightened. Panaka gave a sharp nod, gripping his blaster tighter. Sabe smiled and reached over to squeeze Padmé's hand. 

The rest of the guards checked their weapons with a renewed sense of purpose. A small, defiant cheer broke through the tension.

And then—suddenly—the shelling stopped.

Everyone froze.

Then came the explosions.

Something massive had just gone up in flames! Outside of the palace! 

"What the hell is that?" Panaka muttered, stepping to the window and trying to see through the smoke.

Padmé walked up beside him, heart hammering in her chest. From the haze, she spotted the unmistakable wreckage of a Trade Federation tank—completely destroyed. The hulking remains were on fire, surrounded by piles of smoking droid parts.

More explosions rang out, more tanks were getting destroyed rapidly. Some of them were hit by massive blasts of thunder and other tanks looked like they were being picked right up out of the air by some invisible force–along with the droids nearby. And then they were all crushed together in seconds!

What was this power?! Were jedi nearby? Padme never knew the legendary defenders of the republic were so powerful!

"Whatever it is," Sabe whispered beside her, her voice trembling, "I think we have some reinforcements!"

Padmé pressed a hand to her mouth. She didn't want to cry, not now—not yet. But the burn behind her eyes was impossible to ignore. The galaxy hadn't abandoned them. Not yet.

– Silas –

I was sweating buckets inside my Nightingale armor, my hands braced on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. My chest heaved, and every part of me felt like it was made of concrete and static. I could still smell the ozone in the air from all the lightning I'd unleashed—not to mention the charred metal and scorched stone surrounding us.

Okay… maybe I overdid it a little.

Unlimited power , my ass…

The army of droids that had surrounded the palace? Gone. Reduced to slag and scrap metal in a display of destruction that would've made the Triumvirate jealous. By both me and Vista. Tanks obliterated. Streets cracked wide open. Droids thrown sky-high and rained down in pieces.

It was glorious.

It was also stupid, because now I felt like someone had driven an electric drill through my skull. My brain throbbed with every pulse of light and sound, my muscles twitching from overload. Turns out, unleashing that much juice wasn't exactly free. There was always a goddamn catch.

Beside me, Vista wasn't faring much better.

She swayed slightly on her feet, blonde hair sticking to her forehead, her eyes glassy and unfocused.

"The Force is unlimited…" she muttered with a dramatic sigh, "but my body is not ." She took a half step and stumbled, nearly eating it face-first.

I caught her instinctively. "Alright, alright. You're done. Time to take five, Jedi Lightweight. You're drunk…"

"I'm not drunk," she said immediately, clinging to my arm.

"You're absolutely drunk. On the Force. Which is apparently a thing now," I replied, scooping her up in my arms. "You did good though..."

She didn't even argue, just let her head rest against my shoulder with a tired little groan. I started walking toward the palace entrance, now that we'd turned the courtyard into a smoking graveyard and cleared the way. The stone steps leading up to the main hall were cracked from stray blasts, and the massive doors had scorch marks from tank shells, but they were still standing– barely. 

I kicked one open with my boot and we stepped inside.

We needed to find the Queen— fast. There were probably more droids inbound, and we'd just made ourselves the brightest goddamn target in the galaxy with our displays of power.

I had no doubt the Sith already knew about us. And it wasn't just Palpetine or Maul. I was pretty sure even Darth Plagueis was still alive at this point in Star Wars.

Vista was still murmuring nonsense in my arms as I moved through the echoing marble halls, her voice soft and dazed. "Space is so big…" she mumbled. "I touched it. I touched space , Silas." 

"Yeah, yeah," I said, adjusting my grip on her as I climbed a set of steps. "You can tell me all about it later when you're more sober. Right now, let's just save the queen and try not to die."

– Qui-Gon Jin –

Qui-Gon Jinn stood on the overlook above the royal plaza, the wind pulling gently at his robe as explosions echoed through the city of Theed. Below him, the battlefield was a shattered mess of stone, fire, and smoking metal. The invasion force surrounding the palace had been utterly annihilated. 

It was remarkable. 

And at the center of it all were two figures—unfamiliar, powerful, and unlike anything he had seen in all his years as a Jedi.

One was a man clad in sleek black armor. He had wielded lightning— pure , white-hot arcs of energy that had torn through metal like paper. And yet he wielded no lightsaber. Just raw, devastating power.

The other was a girl, young—barely a teenager by appearance—dressed in a green costume with a mask pushed up onto her head. She attacked with the very fabric of space itself behind her. She had bent reality like it was clay, folding roads and warping gravity, hurling droids into each other in massive waves of kinetic devastation. Her movements were graceful but wild, like she was still discovering what she was capable of as she fought and wielded the force.

Beside him, Obi-Wan Kenobi finally broke the silence. "Master… what did we just witness?"

Qui-Gon didn't respond immediately. He was still watching the man in black carry the girl into the palace, his own mind racing. 

"That lightning," Obi-Wan continued, his tone cautious, "and that armor... Was that a Sith?"

Qui-Gon exhaled slowly, folding his arms behind his back. "I'm not sure."

"But he matched the ancient descriptions," Obi-Wan pressed. "The black armor, the power. He was incredibly strong."

"He did," Qui-Gon admitted. "The old scrolls speak of Sith Lords clad in armor like that, yes. But the presence…" He shook his head. "It was not the same."

"It's strange. I sensed no anger. No hatred," Obi-Wan said while frowning.

"Exactly," Qui-Gon said quietly. "I felt no rage from him. No darkness. In fact…" He hesitated, glancing in the direction of the palace. "I felt almost nothing."

"That's not possible, is it?"

"Not for a Force wielder," Qui-Gon agreed. "Which means… perhaps he's not one?"

"But then how—?"

"I don't know," Qui-Gon said simply. "He used abilities I've never seen before. But the girl… she was using the Force. She bent space without effort. The power around her was… radiant."

Obi-Wan nodded his head. "The Force sang around her…" he sounded almost jealous. 

"Yes," Qui-Gon said softly, the words settling into his chest. "Her power was amazing, and yet for some reason it almost felt brand new. Like a star being born before our very eyes." He looked toward the palace again, eyes narrowing. There was something about that girl that felt right . Important. More than that— fated .

"Do you think she could be…" Obi-Wan trailed off.

"The Chosen One?" Qui-Gon finished, turning to his Padawan. "I don't know. But if there's even a chance, we need to find out!"

He stepped back from the ledge and turned toward the steps leading down to the palace gates. "We're still here to stop this invasion. That hasn't changed," he said firmly. "The Queen is still in danger. We can't afford to be distracted."

"And if that man in black is a Sith?" Obi-Wan asked, already falling into step beside him.

Qui-Gon frowned, thoughtful. "Then it would be the first Sith sighting in over a thousand years. But no… I don't believe he is."

"But the power—"

"I know. I saw it," Qui-Gon said. "I stood close when he unleashed that lightning. I felt it pass through the Force… but I didn't feel him ."

That, more than anything, disturbed him. The man had moved like a warrior, fought like a legend, but his connection to the Force had been faint… disconnected… 

"But the girl?" Obi-Wan asked.

Qui-Gon nodded. "She's the one we need to speak to…"

– Darth Maul –

Hatred. Anger. Jealousy. Rage.

All of it twisted and burned inside of Darth Maul like a storm without end.

He stood cloaked in shadow near the edge of the palace grounds, high atop a domed rooftop that overlooked the smoldering battlefield. Below, the chaos had ended—droids lay in pieces, tanks reduced to burning slag, and two figures had entered the palace through what was once an impenetrable line of mechanical death.

Those two… things .

His master— Darth Sidious —had ordered him to capture them.

Maul's fists clenched beneath the folds of his cloak, the black fabric fluttering slightly in the heated updrafts rising from the wreckage below.

Capture them?

How? How!?

He wasn't blind. He'd seen the girl, the small one in green, twist the very fabric of reality around her like it was nothing but silk. She had bent space, folded it with terrifying ease, and annihilated entire platoons of battle droids without lifting a weapon. That wasn't Jedi training. That was raw power . The kind of power Maul had bled for his entire life to scrape toward. 

The Force clung to her, sang around her, brighter than anything he'd ever felt. 

It disgusted him!

And the man with her? The one clad in black—he wielded lightning. Powerful Force lightning. It had to be! It rolled off him in white-hot arcs that left only ruin in its wake. The kind of destruction only Sith were supposed to touch. 

And yet... Maul felt nothing from him. No hatred. No rage. No darkness. Just that cold, detached hum—like a machine imitating power. It was even more disgusting than the girl! At least she could be corrupted!

These were not Jedi. But they were something. And Sidious wanted them.

Maul gritted his teeth, grinding them together behind his tattooed face.

Of course he did.

Of course.

Sidious wasn't just interested in their abilities. He was assessing them. Considering them. Measuring them against Maul himself.

Maul could see the truth clearer than his master thought he could.

Sidious was thinking about replacing him .

That thought alone made Maul's blood burn. He was no mindless weapon, no expendable blade to be discarded when something shinier came along. He was the apprentice . The chosen one . The instrument of vengeance. He had suffered, trained, killed for his place in the Sith hierarchy. He had bled for it. He had earned it.

He was the one destined to take his master's place. To become a true Lord of the Sith. He would not— would not —be replaced by some untrained brat and her cloaked guardian.

Maul's yellow eyes narrowed, his mind sharpening into perfect, focused clarity.

He would obey—for now. He would watch. He would report what he had seen, just as his master instructed. He would pretend .

Pretend to follow. Pretend to submit. But inside, the storm of hatred continued to grow.

He would bide his time. He would wait. And when the moment was right, when the girl and the cloaked man dropped their guard—he would strike .

He would kill them both.

And then… Sidious would see !

Darth Maul would not be forgotten. He would not be replaced. He would rise —over all of them.

And they would burn!

Chapter 17:

– Silas –

A blaster was suddenly shoved right in front of my masked face, and I flinched involuntarily, jerking back slightly.

"Who are you?" barked the Naboo guard holding the weapon, his finger twitching nervously on the trigger. His eyes darted anxiously toward the smoking hallway behind us, then back again. "What were those explosions just outside the palace?"

Beside me, Vista let out an audible growl, pushing herself upright despite her obvious exhaustion. "Alright, listen up!" she shouted, planting her hands firmly on her hips. "I'm hungry, I'm tired, and it's way past my bedtime! We're superheroes, we just saved your asses, so how about you get that gun out of Dragonborn's face before I give you so much vertigo you start pooping out your mouth?"

The guard blinked rapidly, clearly baffled by the angry rant from the small teenage girl standing defiantly before him. "Superheroes?" he repeated incredulously, lowering his blaster just a fraction, confusion overtaking hostility on his face.

Before he could say anything else, a calm voice cut through the tense silence.

"That's enough, Captain. Stand down." A young woman stepped forward gracefully from behind the line of guards. She was clad in ornate red robes. I recognized her instantly—but something told me this was the decoy, the handmaiden posing as the queen. She inclined her head respectfully toward us. "I am Padmé Amidala, Queen of Naboo. Please forgive my guards—they're understandably on high alert given our current circumstances."

I lifted a weary hand and waved it off, still catching my breath. "It's fine. I get it." Honestly, I wasn't too worried about the blaster anyway. My newfound Electromaster abilities probably meant I could short-circuit the thing with barely a thought as long as it was close enough. 

Regular guns might've been a different story, but blasters? It was almost unfair.

Still eyeing us curiously, the fake queen stepped closer. "Though I must ask—what exactly did your companion mean by 'superhero'? Are you not Jedi?"

"They are not Jedi," a voice spoke up behind us, instantly recognizable.

I spun around. Two figures strode confidently down the hallway toward us, their robes billowing dramatically in their wake. The taller one with the wise eyes and rugged beard was unmistakably Qui-Gon Jinn. Beside him was the younger, clean-shaven Obi-Wan Kenobi, looking serious yet intensely curious.

Beside me, Vista practically bounced on the balls of her feet, letting out an embarrassingly excited squeal. "Oh my gosh, it's Qui-Gon Jinn and Obi-Wan Kenobi!"

I groaned internally, barely resisting the urge to facepalm. She immediately went and blurted their names…

The two Jedi paused mid-stride, exchanging a brief, confused glance before Qui-Gon's lips twitched into a bemused smile. "I suppose our names are perhaps more familiar than other Jedi, given some of the…shenanigans we've found ourselves in?" He chuckled softly as Obi-Wan looked faintly embarrassed.

Vista cleared her throat awkwardly. "Uh, yeah… totally," she said lamely, cheeks flushing slightly. She shot me a nervous glance, clearly realizing she'd nearly blown our cover. 

Good thing she stopped herself—I still wasn't sure exactly how much we wanted to share with these people about our real origins yet. 

Qui-Gon suddenly leaned toward me, his intense gaze fixated squarely on my masked face. He studied my armor carefully, eyes narrowing slightly as his expression turned thoughtful. I felt distinctly uncomfortable beneath his scrutinizing stare—like he was trying to peel back the layers of my armor and see straight into my soul or something.

"Your powers," Qui-Gon began carefully, "I've never encountered anything quite like them. Where exactly were you trained? And your attire—it's unusual. Is there significance behind your choice of black armor?"

I frowned behind my mask, genuinely confused—and a little irritated—by his sudden interrogation. We'd just saved lives, blown away an entire droid army, and he was concerned about my fashion choices? Seriously?

"It's my superhero costume," I responded dryly, doing my best to sound as casual and confident as possible despite my exhaustion. "And it looks badass."

Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan both stared at me in momentary silence, the confusion on their faces almost palpable. Obi-Wan tilted his head slightly, clearly uncertain whether or not I was joking, while Qui-Gon's thoughtful expression briefly slipped into bewilderment.

Then, after a moment's hesitation, Qui-Gon chuckled softly, shaking his head in mild amusement. "I see… well, it's certainly distinctive, I'll give you that."

Vista let out another frustrated growl beside me, her hands balling into fists at her sides. "Now is not the time for twenty questions!" she snapped impatiently, glaring pointedly at Qui-Gon. "Dragonborn and I are both completely drained, and we all still have a literal army trying to kill us! We need to move!"

The fake Queen Amidala nodded quickly. "She's right—we can't linger here. Captain, assemble everyone quickly. We must get to the hangars now, before more droids arrive."

"Yes, Your Majesty," the captain replied, his demeanor instantly shifting to practiced discipline. He turned sharply, barking orders to his men, who swiftly fell into formation around the queen and her entourage.

Qui-Gon gave a single, approving nod. "We'll lead the way. Obi-Wan, keep your senses sharp."

"Of course, Master," Obi-Wan replied swiftly, his lightsaber at the ready but unignited, eyes scanning vigilantly as he took up position near Qui-Gon.

There were a couple of droids scattered around the hangar—nothing even close to the massive army we'd just annihilated outside—but they still snapped to attention immediately, raising their blasters.

"Kill them all!" one of the droids shouted monotonously, and they instantly opened fire.

I rolled my eyes beneath my mask. They weren't even bothering to ask us to surrender this time—not that it had ever worked out for them anyway.

Before Vista or I could even step forward, the Jedi reacted instantly. Qui-Gon and Obi-Wan surged ahead, leaping in front of our group as their lightsabers ignited with the famous electric hiss. The twin blades—one brilliant green, the other a humming blue—whirled effortlessly, deflecting blaster bolts back at the droids with pinpoint accuracy.

"So cool…" Vista breathed beside me, staring wide-eyed and mesmerized.

I couldn't exactly disagree. What we were seeing now was unlike anything the movies had ever shown us. the Jedi blurred forward in sudden bursts of supernatural speed, practically flickering across the hangar floor. Lightsabers flashed, spinning in arcs as droids were sliced to molten pieces in the blink of an eye. 

In mere seconds, the entire hangar fell silent, littered with smoldering scrap metal.

Watching them move firsthand, it finally made sense to me why Jedi were feared so widely throughout the galaxy. Their reflexes, their reactions—they were faster even than me, despite my Dragonborn-enhanced senses. 

Still, a small thought nagged at the back of my mind. Could I possibly use my new Electromaster abilities to push my own reflexes even further? 

Or maybe I just needed more dragon souls—could that amplify my strength even more? Shit, didn't Tatooine have dragons? That was definitely something I'd have to look into…

My thoughts were abruptly interrupted as Captain Panaka's voice cut sharply through the hangar. "Everyone aboard—quickly! That silver cruiser is the only one large enough for all of us!"

Without wasting another second, we all hurried aboard, the palace guards ushering the queen and her handmaidens inside first.

Qui-Gon and Panaka swiftly headed for the cockpit, preparing for a rapid takeoff. 

Vista slumped into a seat next to me, utterly exhausted but still buzzing with excitement. "We're really about to go to space!" she exclaimed, practically bouncing despite her obvious fatigue.

"Damn right we are," I chuckled, finding her enthusiasm contagious.

Across from us, Obi-Wan and one of the handmaidens— the real Queen Padmé –shared a confused glance.

"Wait," she asked carefully, clearly puzzled. "Neither of you have ever actually been to space before?"

Vista shook her head vigorously, eyes bright. "Nope! This is so cool. I've been dreaming about it my whole life!"

The ship shook violently as we rocketed through Naboo's atmosphere. 

I gripped the armrests tightly, feeling my stomach lurch at every sudden drop and twist. Vista, despite her excitement earlier, looked suddenly pale and had her eyes screwed shut as she clutched at her seatbelt.

Outside the viewport, massive Trade Federation battleships loomed ominously, opening fire the instant they spotted us. A flurry of scarlet laser bolts streaked past, narrowly missing the sleek silver hull of our craft. More than a few blasts slammed directly into our shields, sending jarring vibrations throughout the ship's frame and setting off blaring alarms all around.

Thankfully, we had a Force-sensitive pilot at the helm. The Jedi must've been flying because, even with the intense bombardment we made it out! After another sharp bank and roll, the fire abruptly ceased as we finally broke free from the planet's orbit. I let out a shaky breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

"That was a close one," Obi-Wan muttered nearby, exhaling deeply as the alarms slowly faded away.

"A bit too close," Padmé murmured, clearly shaken but composed. She straightened herself, brushing imaginary wrinkles from her handmaiden disguise and forcing calmness back onto her face.

That was when it suddenly hit me. In all the chaos, I hadn't noticed until now, but we were definitely missing someone. Actually, "someone" might be the wrong word. Something?

An iconic alien. Jar Jar Binks.

"Wait," I asked suddenly, turning towards Obi-Wan. He glanced up at me curiously. "Did you or Qui-Gon run into a Gungan earlier? Back on Naboo, I mean?" I asked him.

Obi-Wan tilted his head slightly, looking genuinely confused. "A Gungan?" he repeated slowly, clearly searching his memory. "I'm sorry, but… what exactly is a Gungan?"

I blinked in surprise, momentarily taken aback by that response. That definitely wasn't what I'd expected him to say. Which clearly also meant 'no.'

Before I could respond further, Padmé spoke up from her seat beside Obi-Wan. "The Gungans have been extinct for decades now," she explained gently. "They… they waged war against the humans of Naboo years ago. My people tried again and again to negotiate peace, but the Gungans refused to stop. They just kept fighting, killing indiscriminately, until…" She paused, a shadow of regret flickering briefly across her features. "…until they were wiped out completely."

I stared at her, utterly dumbfounded. A warlike, genocidal Gungan race? Duh fuck? That definitely wasn't canon. It wasn't even remotely close. 

I glanced over at Vista, wanting to see her reaction to this insane revelation, only to realize that she was already fast asleep, her head tilted sideways, blonde hair falling messily across her face. She was slumped against the window, breathing evenly and oblivious to everything around her.

I couldn't really blame her. By Brockton Bay standards, it was probably way past her bedtime, even if it had been morning on Naboo when we'd barely escaped. She'd probably crashed right after we'd entered hyperspace. Honestly, after all the shit we'd been through, she deserved the rest.

Carefully, I unbuckled myself and stood, gently adjusting Vista's position so she didn't topple out of the chair. Then I turned toward Padmé, quietly clearing my throat to get her attention. "Hey, is there someplace quiet where my partner can lie down? She's completely wiped out."

Padmé immediately stood, nodding with an understanding expression. "Of course. Follow me, I'll show you to one of the crew cabins."

"Thanks," I said gratefully, bending down to gently scoop Vista up. She murmured something unintelligible and buried her face into my shoulder, still deep asleep.

Once we reached the quiet crew cabin, I gently lowered Vista onto one of the narrow bunks, careful not to wake her. She barely stirred, murmuring softly before immediately sinking deeper into sleep. Poor kid was totally spent.

With Vista finally settled, I sighed, feeling my own exhaustion catching up with me. Without thinking much about it, I reached up and pulled my mask back, sliding my cowl down as well. 

There was an immediate stunned silence.

Glancing up, I saw Padmé and Obi-Wan staring at me, both wide-eyed and slack-jawed, as if I'd suddenly grown another head or something.

Padmé recovered first, blinking rapidly as her cheeks flushed a faint shade of pink. "I—I didn't expect you to be so young," she said softly, almost stammering. Then she cleared her throat quickly, muttering under her breath, "…or so handsome."

What?

Obi-Wan, meanwhile, looked equally surprised, though his expression shifted quickly from shock to cautious curiosity. I just barely heard him mutter something to himself, eyes narrowing in thought. "His eyes…they aren't yellow," he whispered, sounding almost relieved. "Well, that's good, at least."

I paused, frowning in confusion as I processed what he'd said. Hold up—yellow eyes?

Wait? Did he seriously think I was a fucking Sith this whole time?

Well, shit. 

No wonder Qui-Gon had been giving me the third degree about my outfit earlier. All that suspicion suddenly made sense—they thought I'd been channeling the goddamn Dark Side.

I opened my mouth, intending to set things straight immediately, then promptly closed it again. Honestly, that conversation was probably gonna take more energy than I currently had left. Fuck it. I could clarify things later—after Vista and I caught some much-needed Z's.

I stifled a yawn, giving Padmé and Obi-Wan a tired but reassuring smile. "Look, there's obviously been some… misunderstandings. I'll explain everything later. Right now, though, my friend and I really need some rest."

Padmé nodded quickly, still slightly flushed. "Of course. You two deserve it, after everything you've done for us."

Obi-Wan inclined his head politely as well, though the cautious curiosity hadn't entirely faded from his eyes. "Rest well," he said softly. "We'll speak again soon."

"Yeah," I replied, dragging my tired ass toward the bunk opposite Vista's and collapsing onto it heavily. "Looking forward to it."

– Obi-Wan –

Obi-Wan sat quietly beside his master, Qui-Gon Jinn, in the ship's cockpit several hours later. The gentle hum of hyperspace surrounded them, bathing the cabin in a soothing blue glow. Most of the passengers aboard the Naboo cruiser were fast asleep— completely exhausted after their harrowing escape —but Jedi didn't need sleep as often. In a pinch, the Force itself could refill their reserves of energy, though relying on that too frequently wasn't recommended.

Qui-Gon broke the silence first, glancing at his Padawan thoughtfully. "Obi-Wan, what are your thoughts on these...anomalies?"

Obi-Wan knew immediately who his master was referring to. The masked man who called himself 'Dragonborn' and the teenage girl named 'Vista'. 

"Well," he began carefully, "I didn't have much chance to speak with either of them extensively. However, from what little I've gathered, neither seems to radiate the Dark Side. And the masked one—'Dragonborn'—he removed his hood and mask earlier. He's much younger than I expected. Normal features, ordinary appearance—quite human, really. And importantly," Obi-Wan paused slightly, meeting his master's questioning gaze, "his eyes were blue. Not Sithly yellow."

Qui-Gon nodded slowly, relief evident on his face. "Good. Though I've heard stories of powerful Sith Lords able to conceal their true appearance with dark magic, after speaking with him up close, I genuinely do not believe these two are Sith. Strange, powerful—but not Sith."

Obi-Wan let out a quiet breath of relief himself. Sith or not, anyone capable of unleashing destructive power like that warranted caution.

He hesitated briefly before turning toward his master again. "What about the girl, Master? The one named Vista? You mentioned before how brightly the Force seemed to sing around her."

Qui-Gon's brow furrowed slightly, and he gazed out at the mesmerizing blue streaks of hyperspace thoughtfully. "Indeed. Her connection to the Force was unlike anything I've experienced. But we'll have to observe her further. Perhaps we'll see more clearly when she wakes up. She may need to prove her abilities sooner than we'd like, possibly during the emergency landing."

Obi-Wan's eyes widened, and his calm composure slipped momentarily. "Wait? Emergency landing? What emergency landing?"

Qui-Gon sighed quietly. "I didn't wish to alarm the Naboo crew when they were tired, so Captain Panaka and I decided to keep it between ourselves for now. The hyperdrive took significant damage during our escape. We've only a few hours left before we'll need to exit hyperspace and find a safe place to land."

Obi-Wan's stomach twisted nervously. "And where exactly is the closest planet?"

"Tatooine," Qui-Gon replied, grimacing slightly. "A desert world on the Outer Rim. It's controlled entirely by the Hutts— powerful gangsters and slavers —but it has a large enough spaceport where we can likely find replacement parts. It's a haven for smugglers and criminals, unfortunately—drugs, slaves, weapons trading...you name it, the Hutts probably sell it."

Obi-Wan groaned softly, shaking his head in dismay. Just what they needed—landing on a planet crawling with the galaxy's worst criminals. But, as always, he trusted the Force. The galaxy tended to work in mysterious ways, especially during crises like these.

– Silas –

Missy and I must've been really wiped out—like, near-comatose levels of exhaustion—because neither of us woke up until after our ship had landed on Tatooine, Star Wars' most iconic desert hellscape.

Missy stretched dramatically next to me, yawning widely before offering a cheerful grin. "Wow, Silas! I don't think I've ever slept that well in my life!"

I chuckled softly, cracking my stiff neck as I sat up. "Yeah, nothing like being chased by killer robots to really knock you out, right?"

She laughed, hopping out of her bunk and bouncing lightly on her toes. The rest had clearly done her wonders. I felt pretty damn good myself. My magicka—or psychic energy, or whatever the hell it was called now—had completely recharged while I slept. I felt refreshed, powerful, and ready to blow some shit up again if needed.

"Hey," I said, reaching into my inventory space and pulling out a few emergency PRT-issued ration packs. "Breakfast?"

Her eyes lit up immediately. "Hell yes!" She tore open a ration bar eagerly, devouring it with far more enthusiasm than anyone should ever show for a brick of processed nutrients. I grinned, shaking my head slightly and tossing her a water canteen from my stash as well.

As I chewed thoughtfully on my own bland-ass ration, I was damn glad I'd had the foresight to store emergency supplies in my inventory. Still, considering we'd just landed on a literal desert planet, we'd need to ration our water carefully—because, well, duh.

Once we'd eaten, we exited our small crew quarters and headed towards the ship's central compartment. We found everyone already gathered there, mid-conversation about the next steps.

Qui-Gon stood in the center, speaking firmly and calmly. "I will head into the settlement to find the replacement hyperdrive parts we need. Captain Panaka, stay with the ship—keep everyone safe."

The fake Queen Amidala immediately stepped forward, voice firm. "Padmé must accompany you, Master Jedi. She'll serve you well as an assistant."

I glanced over at Padmé, noticing her subtle sigh of resignation. Apparently, keeping up the charade was exhausting and I wondered why she was still doing it?

Missy stepped forward eagerly. "I'm going too!"

Everyone turned to look at her in surprise. She'd ditched her mask entirely—it seemed pretty pointless now anyway, and now everyone was seeing her face. And how young she really was I guessed.

Padmé looked startled by how young she appeared. "You?" the real queen asked skeptically, clearly hesitating to allow Missy to go with.

Missy puffed up indignantly, crossing her arms and glaring defiantly. "I'm not a baby, you know! I'm twelve!"

Padmé, who I was pretty sure was barely fourteen herself, gave her a mildly apologetic smile. "I didn't mean any offense. It's just dangerous out there."

Missy puffed up dramatically. "Danger's my middle name!"

"It's actually not," I interjected smoothly. "But yeah, she can definitely handle herself. Trust me…" She racked up way higher numbers than I did on Naboo.

I pity the fool who messes with the OP twelve year old cape. She was beyond Shaker 9 now, that was for sure.

Earlier, Missy had quietly confessed to me that she really wanted to meet Anakin Skywalker—before he became Darth Vader and turned evil. I figured it was probably safe enough. Besides, it wasn't like she wouldn't have a Jedi with her for protection if Darth Maul still showed up.

Qui-Gon chuckled softly, nodding his agreement. "Very well. Young Vista will accompany us. I have a feeling her abilities might be quite useful out there."

Vista beamed brightly, clearly thrilled at the chance to join the Jedi Master on his expedition. "You can call me Missy with my mask off, and this is Silas!" she pointed at me.

"Hey…" I waved casually. Most of the crew was seeing my face for the first time as well.

At that precise moment, a familiar blue notification suddenly appeared directly in front of my face, causing everyone in the room to flinch back instinctively. I ignored their confused stares, reading the system notification.

[The Path of the Liberator! Optional Side Mission ! Step One: Head out alone into the deserts of Tatooine and slay a Krayt Dragon by yourself and absorb its soul!]

"What was that?" Qui-Gon asked nervously, eyebrows furrowing in confusion as I dismissed the glowing system notification.

Missy shot me a quick look of concern, clearly worried about the crazy-ass side quest I'd just received. I waved her off casually. Honestly, I was pretty sure I could handle one…very giant, sand-dwelling murder lizard. 

Probably.

Shrugging lightly, I glanced back at Qui-Gon. Truth be told, I still had absolutely zero clue how or why I even had this Hero System, but that didn't mean I couldn't mess with him just a little.

"Oh, you know," I said smoothly, flashing a mischievous grin, "that was just the Force giving me another mission. Happens from time to time. Right, Missy?"

Missy blinked once, instantly catching on. Her eyes sparkled mischievously as she smirked. "Oh, yeah, totally. The Force gives Silas random quests now and then, so we can become better heroes!"

Obi-Wan sputtered incredulously, his eyes darting rapidly between us. "What? That— that's absurd!"

Qui-Gon shook his head sternly, clearly not amused. "That's not how the Force works," he said flatly.

"And you'd know because…?"

Qui-Gon frowned deeply. "Because I am a Jedi Master, young man."

I grinned wider, stepping closer and folding my arms across my chest. "Alright then, Master Jedi. Explain why a random screen just popped up directly in front of my face, ordering me specifically to go kill a Krayt dragon all by myself."

Qui-Gon opened his mouth, then immediately closed it again, clearly at a complete loss for words. He glanced toward Obi-Wan, who gave an awkward shrug, equally bewildered. 

Obviously, neither had any damn clue how to respond.

I chuckled lightly, giving Missy a quick fist bump as I walked past all the baffled and speechless Naboo passengers. "Well, it's been real, but looks like I've got a giant sand monster to slay. I'll catch up with you all in Mos Eisley when I'm done. Try not to get yourselves killed, yeah?"

Missy looked slightly worried again, stepping closer. She dropped her voice low, just enough for me alone to hear. "Be careful, Silas. Seriously."

I smiled softly behind my mask, appreciating the genuine concern in her voice. "I promise. You too, kiddo. Watch out for sandstorms and whiny slave boys."

She snorted, rolling her eyes dramatically. "I'll be fine. Go kick that dragon's ass."

With one last playful salute at the utterly bewildered Jedi and Naboo crew, I strode down the ship's ramp. Feeling pretty badass about my exit.

For about 5 seconds… 

The moment I stepped out onto the sandy planet surface, a blast of scorching air hit me in the face like a damn oven door swinging open.

Holy shit— it was hot as fuck out here!

I sighed heavily, tugging my hood lower to shield my face from the blazing sun, squinting at the harsh brightness of Tatooine's twin suns.

"Maybe this isn't gonna be as fun as I thought," I muttered sourly, sweat already beading beneath my armor. "This planet officially sucks."

[Quest marker updated! Head northeast approximately three kilometers. Krayt dragon nesting grounds detected. Good luck, hero!]

I'd never gotten a Quest Marker before, that was pretty helpful at least