Lord Greshh

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Koraline Okarr

I sit in the cockpit of the Redshifter, floating in the shadow of the Alderaan fleet. “Uhh, did someone forget to tell Mandalore we are on the same side? What the hell?”

Jakito Twilight

Looking up at the sky battle, I take out my comm and hail HJ. “Hey, kid. Time to let Ava know it’s all over. She can end hostilities. We’re all friends again... I assume.” I glance at Harris.

Supreme Commander Hariss

“Im sure whoever replaces Sucal as a chancellor will be more than willing to offer full pardons for all of you. At the very least, the Republic Military will no longer trouble any of you so long as I have anything to say about it.”

HJ Twilight

I nod my head as Jakito’s voice speaks into my ear. “Got it.” I ride Huntress over to where Ava and the others are howling victory cries and singing Mando’a songs of triumph. “Hey, Ava! Looks like the boys upstairs didn’t get the memo about the battle being over! Call them off, would ya please? The Alderaan Fleet is our ally!”

Mandalore the Risen

The warriors close to me exchange glances as they hear HJ calling to me. Beneath my helmet, my cheeks flushed red. I could tell what they were thinking; he speaks so casually to me. He gives me orders. He calls me by my birth name.

“Right...” I say, raising my flagship on my helmet. “Lydia. I commend your enthusiasm, but the day is ours. The Alderaanians are... not a threat. Allow them to land shuttles... but don’t disperse the blockade either. We aren’t leaving just yet.”

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Jakito Twilight

“The hell we are.” I turn to the Supreme Commander. “You saw what just happened, right? That was your Chancellor. THAT was the guy we’ve now killed twice and still comes back, and the guy you’ve been taking orders from and who made my whole family into criminals. Seeing what you just saw, that make you feel any type of way?”

Supreme Commander Harris

“As a matter of fact, it does.” I activate my helmet comm. “Attention all Republic forces. Stand down. The battle is lost.” I look mournfully Jerus. “You do plan to call off your army, right? I don’t want to be known as the man who handed Coruscant over to the Mandalorians.”

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Darth Traya

“The just yet. The endgame is upon us.” Sucal’s whole body begins to glow with purple light, and the blaster shots of the troopers begin to reflect back at them. From his hands shoot jets of purple fire, forcing everybody nearby to retreat out of range.

Hayden Twilight

As my parents and I bat away reflected blaster shots and do what we can to stay clear of the flames, I can feel the air around us getting sucked towards Sucal. He... or rather Traya or Trayus was gearing up for something big. The fire also seems to be gathering closer around him, almost engulfing his body.

Instinctively, I charge forward, leaping over the walls of flame. I can hear my parents calling out to me, but I ignore them (as usual) and dive towards Sucal, spearing my blade towards his heart.

Darth Traya

The flames all contract around Sucal and, now, Hayden. The purple fire becomes a column of flame that shoots high into the night sky.

Becca Twilight

Jakito and I throw up barriers just in time to protect ourselves and the remaining Republic troopers from the fire burst. After a moment, the flames dissipate into smoke, leaving nothing but charred metal where Sucal and Hayden once stood. “No...”

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Supreme Commander Harris

“We serve the Republic faithfully! If that makes us puppets...” I leave the sentence unfinished as something catches my eye. Perhaps unwisely, I turn my attention away from the four Force wielding assassins and look towards the Chancellor’s body. It may have been my imagination, but I thought I saw it twitch.

Hayden Twilight

I sense the shift in the air, and turn towards Sucal as well. His body is vibrating, slowly at first, but then more rapidly and noticeably. Then comes the sounds of cracking and popping as his body jerks and twists in several directions. His broken bones are resetting themselves. “Guys!”

Darth Traya

Purple light glows from Sucal’s eyes and from his mouth. As he is lifted from the ground, he lets out an agonizing scream as his mind is awakened in a body that should be dead. Over his screams, a second voice speaks. “I am not finished with this one!”

Supreme Commander Harris

My men are equally horrified, and immediately stop attacking the Twilights. The droids stop attacking as well, having been called off my their handlers. I give Jerus a look, then I point to the raising corpse of Sucal. “Open fire!” Every soldier fires on the suspended body, but to no effect. It is protected by some sort of forcefield.

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Supreme Commander Harris

“You murder our Chancellor, then try to talk to me about wasting lives? Who the hell do you think you are?”

Hayden Twilight

“We’re the Sith Hunters, and that smattered mess over there? That’s a Sith! You’re welcome, by the way.” I wink at Jerus.

Supreme Commander Harris

“What? That’s... that’s insane! Impossible!” I look at our transports, and as it turns out, the troopers were not the only passengers. Each shuttle carries a trio of humanoid SHK Droids. “I’m sorry, but if you won’t lower your weapons and come for questioning, I will have to use deadly force.” I frown under my helmet. I was fully prepared to do this peacefully. Had they not attacked first, this whole fight could have been avoided.

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Hayden Twilight

My parents and I join in shortly after, my violet blade spinning through the night as Dad’s silvers hack a trooper into three pieces and Mom’s gold impales an officer. The small Mandalorian squad backs us up.

Supreme Commander Harris

I jump back in surprise, activating the retractable helmet to cover my face. I had hoped this would go smoothly, but I guess not. I raise my blaster rifle and open fire along with my men.

Mandalore the Risen

From behind my army of Mand’ade comes a full roar. As I turn, I see a mob of men and women of all races charging with blasters, vibroswords, pipes, frying pans, and basically anything one might use as a makeshift weapon. They are all Revolution, and they are angry as hell. Cheered on by my warriors, the angry mob surges into the Republic lines, quickly overwhelming them.

As if that weren’t enough, I suddenly spot animals coming our way too: Kybucks, Anoobas, Bomas, Kath Hounds, and much more. There is even a Bull Rancor amongs the herd! I can’t help but laugh at the absurdity. “What the hell is this?!”

HJ Twilight

I ride into battle atop Huntress. “Breakout at the Galactic City Zoo!” I point towards the Republic soldiers, and Huntress responds with a mighty roar. The animals, all seeming to understand, stampede towards the enemy and causing all sorts of damage to man and machine alike.

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Mandalore the Risen

Hearing Jerus' words, I nod to my warriors. "Keep pressing forward! To the palace!" We relaunch our attack, catching the distracted soldiers off guard. Many of them were looking at each other in confusion, and others were trying to raise their commanding officers on their comms. I didn't know what Jerus had done, but it had worked.

Gavin Greshh

I look out of the window of an office I'd claimed in the Senate Building. I could see the battle outside resuming, and the smoke rising from the Palace. "Something has changed... I can sense it." I turn towards Temari, HJ Twilight, and the Revolution leaders. "Arm yourselves. Mand'alor needs all of us to finish this."

Hayden Twilight

My feet finally touch the ground, and I quickly shrug Jerus' hands off of me. Not in rough or ungratefully; just a matter of fact sort of way. I give him a very quick, meaningful look. "Thank you, Uncle." Before there is much time to linger on this 'tender' moment, I rush over to Sucal's body and stare down at his face, locked in a permanent expression of shock. "Gotcha, you piece of shit."

Jakito Twilight

"Gloat later, kiddo. We aren't done yet." I activate my lightsabers, using one to point out the shuttles landing around us. Each one offloads a squad of troopers, lead by an officer. The main shuttle group is lead by a man dressed in specialized power armor. One of his eyes is covered by a metal patch.

Supreme Commander Hariss

I hold up my hand to signal the troopers to stand by as they surround the four possible assassins. There is slight apprehension in my expression, and my good eye keeps flicking between the four and the body of the Chancellor. "Nobody move! In the name of the Republic, I order you to surrender!"

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Hayden Twilight

I finally give up fighting when I realize it’s pointless. As I hang in the air, I watch as Sucal tumbles to the streets below. Even from up here, I can hear his panicked screams suddenly cut off as he smacks sickeningly against the pedway platform. Not for a single moment do I take my eyes off of him.

Becca Twilight

My shuttle does not even land before Jakito and I are jumping off the ramp and running towards the base of Presidential Palace, weapons in hand. However, as we see the crumbled body laying in a slowly spreading pool of blood, we slow to a stop. “By the Force...”

Jakito Twilight

“Is that...” I step closer. “Holy shit. We got him!” I smile back at Becca, but my joviality quickly fades as I see more ships coming our way; Republic ships. “Look sharp!” The Mandalorian squad we brought with us quickly move to defend us, but it is clear these are more men than we can fight.

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Becca Twilight

“Keep looking. We’re on our way to help.” I look back at Jakito, who is flexing his new arm. “Be ready for anything.”

Jakito Twilight

“I always am.”

Jorg Sucal

A pile of rubble shifts, and I push my way out from underneath. I stagger towards the ruined wall and look out at the exposed cityscape. On my belt, my emergency comm is beeping, so I remove it and answer it. “Commander Foy? Yes, I am alright. Another assassin attempt. I just barley survived. I need you to send me an emergency shuttle immedia...”

Hayden Twilight

“Yaaahhh!” I jump down onto Sucal’s back, wrapping my arms around his neck and squeezing. “I won’t let you go, you son of a bitch!”

Jorg Sucal

“Ack! You... stupid...” In the struggle to remove the crazed girl from me, I trip on a piece of rubble and we both go through the hole in the wall, tumbling towards the streets below.

Hayden Twilight

As we fall, I continue to hold on tight, punching and kicking and clawing at Sucal.

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Hayden Twilight

My speeder flies up to the wreckage. A whole section of the Palace was blown out, and already more ships were flying towards our location. “Where is here?” I look around frantically. “Where is Sucal?!”

Becca Twilight

I call Jerus over his comm. “This is Becca. Jakito and I are on our way with a few Mandalorian’s as backup. We just saw the explosion. What’s happened?”