He brought the two halves together, twisting them until they attached, forming a rod that hadn’t been seen for generations. His father screamed, but Ro wasn’t listening, not anymore. He could almost feel the Leveler baying, deep within the Gaze. How hungry it would be, after all those years unable to move, frozen deep beneath Rystan. Now it would feed.

His hands shaking with anticipation, Ro pressed a button on his chest plate. Deep beneath him a trap sprang free with a resounding clang. The artifact glowed brighter than ever, calling the Leveler, guiding its path as it bounded from its cage, claws clattering on the deck plates, breath ragged and guttural.

Ro stepped toward the hatch, the wind catching his cloak. He watched the Jedi cleaning up the camp, Loden and his apprentice, the Vectors twisting in the sky.

“Look at you all,” he wheezed. “So noble. So brave. You have no idea what’s coming.”

CHAPTER SEVENTY-FIVE

Grizal

“That’s her, Master. That’s the Nihil commander.”

Lourna Dee was running for a waiting shuttle, her lekku trailing behind her.

Loden looked confused. “She’s the Nihil commander? But I thought …”

Bell didn’t give him time to complete his sentence, breaking into a run to intercept the woman. “We can’t let her get away.”

Bell felt like laughing, even in the midst of such chaos. This was the way it was meant to be, back with his Master. His real Master. He meant no disrespect to Indeera Stokes. She’d taught him well, but now Loden was back. The two of them would stand together now, Bell supporting Loden, helping him recover. The scars would heal; even his lekku could be replaced with cybernetic parts. Bell would nurse Loden back to his full strength, just as the Force had planned all along.

“Bell,” Loden wheezed as they ran into the cluster of docked ships. “You go ahead. I … I can’t keep up.”

Ember whimpered as Loden stumbled, his lightsaber spluttering out. Bell spun around, catching him before he could fall.

“No. We can do this together.” Bell pressed his forehead against Loden’s own. “Do you hear me? The Force is strong.”

Loden fought for breath. “The Force is strong. Yes. You’re right.”

Engines fired behind them. Bell looked up, seeing a shuttle rising from its pad.

“Dee’s on that ship. I know it.”

“Then we must stop her.”

Loden pushed himself, raising a shaking hand in the direction of the shuttle’s thrusters. Bell mirrored the movement, reaching out with the Force.

“The Force is strong,” he repeated.

Loden nodded. “And so are we.”

Marchion Ro watched as Lourna’s ship stalled in the air as if it had been caught in a tractor beam, its engine straining. He could imagine her behind the controls, cursing as she realized there was no escape.

The Jedi have her, Marchion. See their power. Fear them.

“Pity them,” he wheezed.