"Once, A Hero..."

"Ghosts"

General Cracken sat at his desk, looking over the offensive plan that Rogue Squadron had laid out for the re-taking of Coruscant. It was very cunning indeed. With the Rouges having recently been 'decomissioned' due to political unrest because several members were ex-imperials, it was very daring indeed. They were inserting themselves individually under guises to the world.

"The problem with this plan is..." He began thinking to himself, he failed to notice the door opening and a man's silouette was cast in the doorway. "The problem is... I don't have Corwin..." He sighed looking it over again, lost in thought. The door closed, the figure walking quietly inside. "They need a distraction, somehting to keep this false Emperor busy... Perhaps, Topper could..." He just noticed the man standing there.

"Excuse me, I don't recall having any appointments today..." Arien Cracken said a bit alarmed as he reached for the emergency comm. Then he froze, his hand did not move. As he cast his gaze upon the older man in the doorway. His comm went off "General Cracken, there is a tactical advisor here to see you, General Solo just delivered him." The receptionist stated

"Ahh, you must be the advisor then. I don't recognize you..." Cracken stated and then he stopped himself again, studying the man who began moving ever so slowly with grace and bearing. There was a power in this man, SOMETHING very powerful yet not frightening. It was almost like he knew him. He was dressed in tattered, yet cleaned garb. He had a robe/cloak around him, tethered at the throat, hood up. It was opened part way and he could see the Jedi utility belt, circa Clone Wars Era. The hair he could see was slivered and long, he wore a beard, of pure silver.

"A Jedi... I don't recall any tactical advisors from the Jedi. But, if you served during the Clone Wars... I would be happy to hear what you have to say." Cracken Continued then motioned for him to have a seat

The figure sat, something all too familar with this man. He wanted to say he could place it, but there were only similarities. No singular man he knew had this one's bearing. Part like a lost friend, and everything else was something more.

The man laid down a Old Republic Symbol, the one that Corwin had Chosen for his Jedi Academy. He set it gently on the table.

Cracken just stared at the symbol, then he was just sitting there as if looking past everything. He was ovbiously touched, there was a hint of watering in his eyes.

"Do you have a name? Jedi?" Cracken said at last breathing deeply in.

The man gently pulled back the hood of this cloak, unclasping the robe at his neck as he finished and laid it over the back of the chair as he sat. His unkempt silver hair now shown to have some black in it, though that color was fast fading from this man's head.

The raked his fingers through his hair, pulling it off his forhead and revealing his face and eyes.

His Eyes...

"I am Corwin Amber, Formerly General of the New Republic, Former Lord of House Mecetti of the Tapani Sector, Now Sir Corwin Amber of house Cadriaan. Some call me a Jedi Master, others believe me to be dead. Exaggerated were the reports of my demise, I have been long awaiting the ability to return to my friends. General, It is good to see you." Corwin Said

Cracken stood, sizing the man up. He came around the side of his desk, moving closer. Corwin stood, an older, wiser Corwin. By the Force there was a power there, something he was missing before. He was no longer burdened by loss and sadness, there was no weight upon his shoulders, lines of stress in his face had softened. The beard made him look at least a decade older than his age. There he stood, extending a hand to his friend.

Cracken took his hand in a firm clasp, adding his other arm to the hold, Corwin did in kind. Then suddenly, and uncharistically Cracken broke the grip and hugged him.

"By whatever gods or the Force... It's good to have you back my boy!" He held him at outstretched arms length lookinginto his eyes

"So, you said you needed a diversion for Rogue Squadron? I seem to be heading in that direction, perhaps I could help out in that regard." Corwin said smiling

Cracken half laughed nervously, then returned the smile wholeheartedly "Well, if it's not too much trouble for you... Only if you are heading in that driection..." Cracken said with humor

"Coruscant is where I was planning my vacation, I was just about to leave but thought I would stop by before I left for R&R. Anyway, you know all too well what happens on my vacations..." Corwin let that one hang in the air full of good humor

"Yes, I do know. Feel like accidently toppling a false Emperor?" Cracken said

"Hmm, now that you mention it. That sounds like fun" he said winking to Cracken

"But first, lets have a drink. I want to hear about life after death." And the two sat down as Cracken decanted his last bottle of Corellian Brandy, courtesy of the 'Late' Corwin Amber...

"There's A Disturbance In The Force..."

On Coruscant, in the chambers of the Emperor

"Skywalker, there is a disturbance in the Force... Have you felt it?" The Emperor Asked

"Yes, Master, however it is elusive. Very much like a signature that seems to not be tied to any one individual..." Luke responded

"Indeed, this is most troubling. It is very much like a Sith Presence, eluding almost all means of pinpointing. Yet, at the same time, it defies my knowledge of the Sith..." The Emperor stated as if looking beyond his student

"Master, perhaps, you should leave this place. Moving to Byss or Bastion would not be a poor choice for now. Something is not 'right' here." Luke's Clone said

"I must concur, my student, I will leave at once. You will head up the defenses and the operations here in my absense." The False Emperor stated as he rose and left with an Entourage of Imperial Knights

Luke's Clone then moved to the dias, and sat on the Emperor's throne. The Regent Emperor for a time, looked down at his right arm... Replaced by a cybernetic limb, he lost it for his defeat at Bothwai. Hatred coursed through him, for his master and his fallen adversary Amber.

"Comm message from Imperial Command, Priority One, Admiral Skywalker." Yasanne Isard's voice chimed in

"I'll take it, Administrator, patch them through." Luke responded

"Admiral Skywalker, a Rebel fleet amasses on the edge of the Ord Torgle System. The fleet bears the markings of both the New Republic and the Remanents of Order 67... The force outunumbers our assets in the sector by almost 2 to 1. I am requesting permission to send in re-enforcements." The voice asked

"No, Ord Torgle is of no consequence to us. You will immediately divert assets to both Bastion and Byss." Luke thought he was cunning, covering the exodus of his Master "You will do this immediately."

"Yes, my lord." The Officer's disgust could be clearly heard "It will be as you command."

Elsewhere...

"Jalib, do you feel the ripples in the sea that is the Force?" A son's father asked

"Yes, Father, there is an elusive tide rising. It falls, however, from time to time." the boy responded

"Yes, much like a sith... but not Sith. This will warrant further investigation. Time, my boy, will reveal this one to us."

Elsewhere...

A Sith being released by one of Corwin Amber's former friends... "I feel a disturbance. Not Sith, yet elusive... The presence masks itself well..."

Across the Galaxy another Master and his last apprentice make the revelation

"I feel a disturbance Master Windu..." a voice states

"Yes, I have felt it too. Much like a sith presence, but not like a sith. Someone very powerful has entered our galaxy... There can only be one Explanation

"What? Could possibly explain this disturbance" an aging O'Barric asked his master

"Amber has returned." Windu stated

"How can you be certain, no other master or Jedi has been able to make that distinction." O'Barric shot back

"Only a Jedi Master, who had lived through the Clone wars, who was familiar with the ebb and flow of the force for generations and one whom had faced the pinnacle of Sith power himself, could make that distinction. The presence is much like young Anakin Skywalker as he shifted from the light to the Dark Side. Yet, I can sense no Darkness. If it is not Amber, then we are in a great deal of trouble..." Windu stated curiously and then with a bit of caution at last

At the Jedi Academy on Bothwai

"I am convening this emergency council meeting to discuss the recent disturbance in the Force. I will take your questions as well as present you with my own..." Jedi Master Raltir Said to his council

Suprisingly, Jedi Master Sylar Topper was there. He was dropping off the students that had been in his care. All save for one, the girl, whom he had requested to continue training.

Raltir was swamped by questions from Jedi and mundanes alike, one of the council's newer mandated placed non-force sensitives in their ranks more out of an appeasement to Borsk, but also because over the past year it allowed the Jedi Council and the Academy to appear as if her numbers had not been culled. Raltir shot Topper a glance for a moment, sending him a message telepathically.

"I know you dislike attending matters of state and all this court business. I want you to find the source of the disturbance." Raltir sent to him

Topper sent back "Why me? Why not send one of your students?"

Raltir Responded "Because, none of MY students will be bale to find the source of the disturbance. As connected to the Force as I am... I have only been able to recognize certain similarities... In my stateroom is a datapad, with a set of coordinates on it. Go to those coordinates, the disturbance will be more telling there... I have forseen it." Raltir said at last severing the connection

Topper was already moving, his student in tow. After picking up the datapad he moved to the hangar bay where a Mundane attendant signalled him

"Yes, Deck Officer?" Topper asked

"I have a Priority message from New Republic Command, and I sent it to the Holo reciever on the Ace of Sabers." The young man stated

"Very well, I will take it there then." Topper said as he and his student entered the ship

The Ace Cycled power, his student running the controls. After requesting permission to lift, the ace and her X-Wing, tethered to her, lifted and burned for space.

Flipping on the reciever, the message played out

"Jedi Master Topper, please rondevous with the fleet at these coordinates. The mission is most urgent, you will recieve additional information as you arrive..." Odd that General Cracken was contacting him, he had not spoken a word to topper since the battle of Death Squadron...

The coordinates... They matched the ones Raltir had given him. Something odd, yet familiar about all of this. That disturbance in the force... To Topper, it was not so much as disturbance as a re-balancign of the force. It was as if things were set 'right' again. It was all too familiar, and did not disturb him in the least.

"Punch it, let's see what kind of pilot you have become" Topper said to his student

R2 warbled something

"I know you can plot the course faster and better R2, I just need her to do it. She needs the experience. We'll get our chance soon enough. I have a feeling we'll be taking the X-Wing out again soon." Topper said to his little companion as he put a hand on his dome

The starlines stretched out past the Ace as she rocketed into the hyperspace corridor at maximum speed...

"From The Ashes... A Hero Rises Once More."

The battle for Coruscant was in full swing, Rouge Squadron had already lit up most of the Shutter Shield Generators with their Z-95's. With the fellign of the last generator, a lone Rogue was shot down. Corran Horn. His Z-95 spirralled out of control and crashed into the remanents of the Emerpor's own Imperial Museaum.

There, in its depths, he would find the first clues that he had a destiny greater than he could have ever imagined...

A lone modified Imperial Message pod emerged from hyperspace, she then lit sublight engines modded into the chassis and burned in to the planet. Her trajectory put her on a collission coruse with the Throne Room of the Imperial Palace.

A New Republic Fleet Emerged, Admiral Ackbar at the lead. Heading up the thrust with his newly christened and RE-Armed MC-80B. She was more than a match for any Imperial One or Two in her current configuration. It would be some time before the 90s and 104s rolled off the line. The fleet consisted of Victory III's, a Drednaught commanded by Ace Starkiller and a smattering of other vessels that the New Republic could commit to the fray. The Ace of Sabers was there, piloted by Sylar's student and crewed by gunners pulled from the ranks of the New Republic Forces. Topper and R2 were at its side in Luke's old X-Wing.

The Millenium Falcon was there too, Han, Chewie and Leia at the controls. She tore through the swarms of TIE Interceptors like a hot knife through butter.

The Imperial Fleet, caught off guard took the first initial losses in the opening of the engagement. Telling losses until Luke's Force Coordination re-formed them and a bitter stalemate between the two force groups formed. Neither side maintaining the upper hand for very long. It looked like the New Republic would take the day, though, through sheer force of will. Her pilots and crews were galvanized in song. The song of the New Republic, images of Ackbar flashed on every ship of the fleet as he held a lightsaber aloft and ignited it rallying the troops to drive onward. Even Enhanced as they were, the Imperial line began to buckle under the renewed 'Morale' charge of the New Republic fleet.

Then, the rest of Rogue Squadron entered the fray and the battle was truly joined.

The Message pod burned into the atmosphere, looking more like a missile than a message cannister. He tradjectory resolved, leveling her for the throne room's main window. Just over the Dias of the Emperor. Luke was stretching out, almost missing the danger. Distracted as whe was by the Enhanced coordiantion of the Imperial fleet. He threw himself out of the way at the last possible moment as the pod smashed through the window and tore throught the Dias, toppling the throne. His 'Enhancement of the fleet' immediately severed, once again threw massive confusion into the Imperial Fleet overhead. It was only a matter of time before the forces of the New Republic prevailed.

Skywalker's clone threw a huge beam off himself, picking his way to the message pod, who's hatch was cycling. It revealed a shielded and inertial dampened interior. A man was inside, and he stirred. As he climbed out Luke ignited his red lightsaber. Ignorant to the danger, he called out to his Knights "Don't worry, I have this one. Hold your positions."

"You look a bit worse for wear, Skywalker." The being called to him

"You do not know me..." Skywalker began

"Oh, but I do." Corwin pulled back the hood from his cloak

"You are mis..tak..en... No, no, no!" Luke was looking upon a ghost "I killed you!"

"It seems you are incapable of a great many things. Long have I prepared for this moment." Corwin said as he dropped his force masking

The Disturbance in the force sang out from Corwin, it was his song, his force harmony that reverberated in the halls of the the Imperial Center at first, then stretching out the expanse of the entire known galaxy in a shockwave that almost dropped Skywalker's clone to his knees.

Now, Skywalker's clone knew fear... Looking about in disbelief and terror he called to his Knights "Kill Him!"

"You will find that you and your knights are no match for me. Let us begin." And Corwin burst into motion making to draw his lightsaber, but it was no more than a feint as Luke committed himself to the assault. Corwin spun, pivoting out of the wak of Luke's parry/strike. Using that same momentum, he ripped his cloak off breaking the clasp at his throat and threw it into Luke's face, covering him and momentarily blinding him. Corwin's other arm moved just behind Luke and ignited his other saber, immediately piercing Luke's chest.

As Corwin's cloak fell to the floor, as the Imperial Knights were rusing to meet the threat of Corwin Amber, Luke looked up at Amber "You... Cheated..." He croaked out.

"Well, I learned that fighting fair when fighting a darksider is folly." Corwin said and then Luke was dead

Odd though, the presence of Luke remained... What was the signifigance of that Corwin Wondered, no time to deliberate on those thoughts though. He was almost immediately engaged by multiple Imperial Knights. Spinning, Corwin locked his sabers and became a blur of motion. The luminescent blue of his sabers playing off his silver hair and casting even more light in every direction. It was almost as if he was made of pure light.

It only took moments, and the Imperial Knights were no more. They were more than a match for any New Republic soldier, perhaps more than a match for many of the ill trained jedi of the New Republic... But Corwin was more than a match for all of them.

Another disturbance, yet familiar rang out as Luke, igniting his red lightsaber emerged from a side corridor. Then another as yet another clone of luke emerged from the opposite side of the chamber.

Corwin looked to one then to the other. "This is about to get really interesting... Wonderful..." At the last statement he felt another "luke" emerge behind at the far end of the Chamber. "Yep, now, I'm in trouble."

Sylar Topper felt the re-emergence of his master. Tears were in his eyes, he broke course and burned for Coruscant immediately. Following the signature of his friend, his brother, his mentor. He, "felt" different though. Corwin was at peace. Then he felt luke die, then a slew of other force presences winked out as well shortly afterward. THEN he felt the emergence of no less than three "Lukes"...

"R2, increase the power! We have to get there NOW!"
Sylar yelled over the screaming of his quartet of engines

The Lukes closed with Amber, not saying a word. They struck in unison, Corwin barely parrying the strikes from three competent saber weilders. Fully on the defensive, the ground began to shake. The shaking became a rumble and it was difficult to stand, for all of them... The Imperial Center was shuddering, as in the distance the ground near the Imperial Center began breaking apart, the tip of a Super Class Star Destroyer emerging from the ground. The breaking of the ground threw two of the Lukes to the ground.

Corwin immediately broke is lightstaff and whirled a saber at each one, neatly cutting them in half. Falling backward the last Luke lunged in at him. Corwin caught his leading arm, pulled him close and slammed his forhead into that Luke's Nose crusing it. Luke released the lightsaber, which Corwin now had. Still falling, Corwin twisted, placing Luke on the bottom, with the lightsaber held aloft like a sword inverted Corwin drove the blade "hilt deep" into Luke's chest.

Picking himself up and looking about, his lightsabers were nowhere to be found, actually, falling debris had crushed them beyond recognition. Spotting another of the Luke's sabers, he called it to his other hand. Just in time to see two, then three then five, total Lukes emerge...

"A Leap Of Faith"

Surrounded by the five Luke clones Corwin was in some dire straights. "I wish I had kep the fizzy glug bottle..." He muttered, as the quintet pale images of his friend Luke Skywalker closed. He was searching the room, for anything... A suppot overhead...

Corwin jumped, the 30 meters overhead to the support hoping to bate one into single combat. It worked, one of the clones followed him up. As the Luke clone neared the completion of his jump Corwin lashed out with both blades severing the clone's arms and legs, swinging one blade high and one low as the clone prepared for an overhead killing blow. Corwin grimaced, "That's got to hurt..." As the clone fell the 30 meters to the floor without limbs.

A spinning saber severed the supports for the warped pillar he was standing on, and it broke free. He leaped from it, to the main window at the head of where the Emperor's Dias used to be. Turning to face his four assailants, his heels touched albeit briefly open air. Debris tumbled off the edge down several stories falling on a sub-roof of one of the lower structures. His mind was racing. No where left to run...

In the atmosphere above Imperial Center...

Topper's X-wing hurtled twoard the site of his friend. THe X-Wing was red hot from its maximum velocity re-entry. Even its shields had failed to protect it completely from the savage angle of his descent.

"Hold her together R2, just a couple more seconds..."

Then he was distracted momentarily as the Super Class Star Destroyer rose up, its main engines just clearing the ground level, exaust which lit much of the upper levels of Coruscant on fire... At least some things were burning... The rest were obliterated by the wake of its exaust and the shockwaves due to its ripping free.

"Admiral Ackbar!" Topper screamed over the priority channel "You have a Super Star Destroyer on its way up!" That was all the time Topper had as the Imperial Center loomed before him.

In space, the New Republic was driving the Imperials back, closer and closer to Coruscant's gravitational well. It was apparent in the sudden loss of many of the Imperial Cruiser's loss of manuverability. Then the priority comm rang out "Admiral, there is a priority message from Jedi Master Topper, do you want me to put it through?"

Ackbar looked from the battle momentarily, "Yessss <sluurrpp> Put it throught"

The Comm barked "Admiral Ackbar! You have a Super Star Destroyer on it's way up!"

Ackbar's eyes widened, the Imperials had not made as much a tactical error as he had anticipated... They were falling back to regroup with the heavy warship!

"Rogue Squadron! Move to holding pattern delta six!" Placing them close to the outskirts of the imperial line. "All vessels of the fleet! Re-form in to battle configuration Beta One!" The order rang out for the ships to close momentarily, wile widening their distance from one another. Then as suddenly as that process began, all capable line vessels spun hard on their axis and formed to broadside in groups of two separated by several hundred meters.

Ackbar could not allow the bulk of his fleet to be decimated in a combined barrage. Spacing the vessels in skirmish formation, along broadside engagement patterns would allow for maximum firepower to be presented against the super and the imperial remanents.

"Rogue's, I need you to hit the West Tower of the Super!" Using the intelligence learned from the Death Squadron battle, Ackbar had placed his units the best he could given the evolving situation.

At the shattered main window of the Imperial Throne room, the Luke clones were probing Corwin's defenses. It was only a matter of time, as a concentrated and well prepared rush would likely push him from the window, to his death hundreds of meters below. If he could only reach that sub roof, he might only break his legs...

One Luke moved in too closely, Corwin saber locked with one blade and took the emitter off his lightsaber with the other. Kicking him in the groin sent that Luke staggering backward.

In Topper's X-Wing "Where is he! R2 do you see anything?" R2 Warbled and gave him an approach vectors. "Thanks buddie! I see him now." Topper could see a figure, with a pair of Red Lightsabers with his back to the edge of the Main Dias Window. He waa facing three other saber wielding figures, & one without a lightsaber. Topper pulled the X-Wing up to the Window, several meters back hovering. No clear shot presented itself.

In his head he heard "Fire torpedos." from Corwin

"No, Corwin's you'll die" he half yelled half projected

"Trust me. Fire" Corwin projected again

That one second was agony for Topper, closing his eyes he pulled the stud for both Proton Torpedos to fire in tandem.

Corwin, leapt up and backward throwing himself, up and over the X-wing as the torpedos emerged from their launchers. Only the Luke Clone deprived of his lightsaber reacted in time, following Corwin in his arc up and over the X-Wing. The clone connected solidly with Corwin furth propelling him into range to the sub roof.

The twin explosions vaporized the remaining three Luke Clones and blew huge chunks out of the imperial palace. Topper tried to follow Corwin's descent, but he was having enough trouble bringing the X-Wing into safety due to all the debris in the air from such a close detonation of a pair of Proton Torpedos. Not to mention the shockwaves nearly threw his fighter into an outer place support.

Corwin and Luke tumbled to their demise. "Now you die Amber!" The clone Screamed

"You first!" Corwin yelled using a slight boost of TK leap from a falling chunk of debris to turn him in midair. They hit the ferrocrete roof, Luke first, Corwin slamming right into him. Luke Splattered everywhere, and Corwin felt a sickening crunch in his ribcage and his right arm... Then he blacked out.

"Where is he... R2! Help me!" Topper half yelled exasperated then he saw the two forms, in what looked like they were splattered all over the roof of the sub structure... He was choking, gagging, at first then he felt Corwin might still be there.

A telepathic message, very weakly spoke to him "Go, the fleet needs you." from Corwin

"I have to save you." Topper shot back

"You already have. Now go..." Corwin croaked back and blacked out again

Topper turned his X-Wing for the battle, albeit reluctantly. Corwin was right, but there was definitley something different about him. More selfless perhaps? No time to ponder, as he rejoined the fleet battle.

On the roof, Corwin painfully picked himself up, his wounds already mending from his excellerated healing. He was covered in gore... "I knew... I could make that jump..." Looking to the smeared remains of Luke's clone "Thanks Pal, you saved me." Then he began to laugh seeing a bit of deranged humor in it all.