First fic, hooray. I was inspired to write this tale based on the art of Lightning-in-my-Hand Star Wars/ RWBY pictures and support from readers like you.
Proofread by Izlawake, please check out his other stories.
Enjoy.

Rebellion! Striking from their hidden base the Rebel Alliance have won their first victory against the evil Galactic Empire.

During the battle Rebel Agents managed to steal the plans to the Empire's ultimate superweapon the Death Star, a super weapon capable of annihilating a planet.

Pursued by the dark forces Princess Ruby Rose of Alderaan races aboard her starship for safe harbor, courier for the stolen plans she hopes will save the Rebellion and restore hope and freedom to the rest of the Galaxy….

The azure hue of hyperspace swirled around the lone Corellian Corvette as it travelled along the hyperlane. It would be almost soothing if it wasn't for the difficult task ahead. The Captain, Raymus Antilles looked over the starcharts of the systems the Tantive IV had just jumped from. Standard procedure in losing Imperial pursuers usually meant three or four hyper jumps, but in this case the Captain had decided six jumps necessary considering the cargo. With a chirrup from navigation the Captain's right wolf ear twitched. "We're coming out of lightspeed," one of the officers called out as the forward view changed from the tunnel of hyperspace to the endless night and a single desert planet ahead, the world of Tatooine.

Though the Captain trusted Senator Rose with his life he had his doubts that this mission was anything more than a wild thranta chase. The Death Star plans had to be sent to Command post haste, but the Senator was convinced the rebellion could use the help of an old Jedi friend as the Senator so eloquently put it. Granted the Captain had heard of those who were called Jedi within the rebellion, he wondered how much was fact as the Jedi were thought to be extinct; wiped out in the aftermath of the last war.

"Helm, take us in. We'll land at…" The Captain was interrupted by klaxons warning the crew another ship had just entered sensor range.

A yell came from the conn, "Imperial Star Destroyer just dropped out of hyperspace."

"My gods," the Captain replied, the Imperials knew they were here. They likely knew the Death Star plans were aboard. "Jump us out of here," the captain ordered as he moved to the tactical display.

Setting navigation to a nearby system the flight officer moved the controls. A pinging came from the console bringing despair to the rest of the bridge. "They're jamming us. We can't escape."

Captain Antilles looked as the Star Destroyer started to close the distance and launch fighters. As it moved something seemed to appear in its wake, an Immobilizer Cruiser. It must've jumped in behind the Destroyer close enough to hide it from sensors. They had only one option left, "Take us into the planet's atmosphere. We'll abandon ship, go underground, find a way to get the Princess and the plans offworld. Set course full burn, gunners to turrets, we can't fight that destroyer, but we can outrun it, just keep those fighters away from the engines, we'll need everything to outrun the Imps."

Blasts of red and green soared between the two ships as the gap continued to close just over the planet's atmosphere. Despite having the advantage in speed and maneuverability, the Star Destroyer had been able to close in thanks to TIE Fighter attack runs and a few lucky turbolaser shots to the corvette's engines. The corvette shook as the tractor beam took hold of the craft, the main gunners fired futilely trying to hit the tractor beam emitters, but it was already too late as the ship was pulled into the Destroyer's hangar. Alarms sounded warning of the impending incursion as rebel soldiers scrambled into position mentally preparing themselves for the incoming enemy.

A buzzing hum filled the air as a crimson blade pierced the airlock doors and started cutting. The men stood their ground, for those who had seen and survived the monster at Scarif they knew there was no other way, they would fight or die. As the blade finished cutting, it vanished behind the doors which flung open unnaturally a moment later, the metal doors bending into the interior.

A single figure passed through the passage though silhouettes of troopers could be see shuffling behind into formation, but not following. The figure unlike at Scarif appeared to be a man with hair as crimson as his lightsaber blade with two distinct horns marking him as a Faunus. Clad in black robes and his eyes covered by a Grimm mask the figure stood out as an opponent without fear.

Blaster fire erupted towards the lone enemy, who swung his blade upward deflecting each bolt of plasma back at the enemy from which it came. Several shots taking out or ending those who'd fired them. Several soldiers thought about using their Dust weapons, they reconsidered knowing that though they were highly effective, but firing them aboard ships risked severely damaging the vessel and potentially punching a hole in the hull. Blasters on the other hand had a minimal risk of causing a breach.

With a singular motion, the enemy lunged forward rushing head on into the rebel soldiers. There were little the soldiers could to resist as they were cut down. A few pulled out their dust weapons trying to melee, the enemy was just too swift, with rebel troops covering the ground, dead or soon to be. The lone man who'd destroyed a contingent of man looked down at them without mercy his face staying stoic.

"Grand Inquisitor," a stormtrooper stepped forward, "should we…" Holding up his hand the Grand Inquisitor silenced the trooper who moved back. He knew better than to interfere in the Inquisitor's work lest he get in the way and be cut down.

With a swift move, the Grand Inquisitor kicked into the air striking an unseen presence. Forced back against the wall the unseen force decloaked appearing to be a wolf faunus and if the uniform was correct, it was the ship's Captain. At his side appeared to be a sheathed sword, probably a Dust weapon. Captain Antilles reached for his weapon only to be stopped, held up against the wall as if by a strong unseen hand. The Grand Inquisitor moved closer one hand forward as if telekinetically pushing against Antilles' form.

"A Cloak semblance," the Grand Inquisitor stated, almost amused. "Perfect for saboteurs, assassins, and spies. You could have gotten past almost anyone, but not me." Using the Force, he moved the Captain up the wall. "Where are those plans you intercepted?"

"We intercepted no plans," Captain Antilles wanted to spit in the Imp's eye, but knowing it would be futile held back, "we're on a diplomatic miss..."

"You're lying!" The Inquisitor raised his voice, "The Force cuts through all deception." Increasing the chokehold he asked again. "Where are the plans you intercepted?"

There was nothing left for Antilles, his hand struggled to reach for his belt, but instead of going for his weapon he reached for the thermal detonator at his belt. If he was going to die, he was going to take as many Imp bastards to hell with him as he could. He only hoped that Princess Ruby would find a way to escape and get back to the Rebel Alliance. Taking hold of the detonator, he prepared to press the button only to feel the burning blade of an activated lightsaber pass through his chest. With the last of his energy he pressed the button, but was telekinetically tossed several meters before the detonator exploded rocking the ship. The bulkheads held, but were badly burned.

Angered, the Grand Inquisitor turned to his troops, "tear this ship apart until you find those plans. Bring me the passengers, I want them alive." Given their orders the troopers set their blasters on stun and moved forward to secure the ship. If any regiment could find those plans the 303rd 'White Fang' Battalion would. For unlike other Stormtrooper legions, the 303rd were an all Faunus legion under the control of the Inquisitorius.

Looking at the burned section of the hallway and the charred and the now unidentifiable remains of Captain Antilles, the Inquisitor looked closer to find the remains of the sword sheath badly burned and damaged by the explosion, but pulling the weapon out it bore no sign of damage. It had to be made of strong material and seemed to be infused with Dust. Re-sheathing the weapon, he called out motioning with his hands. "Trooper."

"Yes, Grand Inquisitor." A stormtrooper approached, the Grand Inquisitor could hear fear in his voice. Looking at the two antlers sticking out of the helmet he could tell the trooper was a stag faunus and likely one of the newbies to the Battalion.

"See to it that this sword is taken to my quarters, then report back to the Commander." He handed the weapon to the trooper and with a nod the trooper headed off swiftly. With that, the Grand Inquisitor turned back deeper into the ship. His men would be done rounding up the remaining crew and passengers shortly and would then along with Imperial Engineers and Technicians scour the ship and its computers for the plans. He on the other hand had the important job of interrogation. As he headed for the ship's bridge, he remained stoic, for he had a lot of work ahead of him.

A few corridors away from the action, a ginger-haired android wandered the halls searching for her target, "Ruby." She called out quietly, already hearing blaster fire in the distance. The ship had been boarded and now her mission was critical. The final orders of the Captain. Protect the Princess and safeguard the Death Star plans. Turning the corner, the Prototype Espionage Neural Network Youth android, or Penny as the crew called her, thanks to Ruby, felt the ship rock and the sound of the detonation. The battle couldn't be going well if the Captain had risked using his detonator aboard his own ship. Updating her information, Penny moved faster, if the lines were broken, stormtroopers could be scouring the ship within minutes.

Hearing the familiar buzzes and beeps of an astromech, Penny rushed towards it. If it was ZW-31 then she had a greater likelihood of finding Ruby. Closing the distance, two figures came into view. One the grey and white ZW series droid the other in her scarlet alderaanian cloak the target of her objective, "Ruby!" She called out quietly, almost tackling the Princess in excitement, but her programming stopped her at the last minute. Now was not the time.

"Penny?" Ruby responded to her android companion. "I heard blaster fire. Is everything alright? Has the ship been boarded?"

Taking all the data into consideration and analyzing it Penny gave the best answer she could, "it is highly probable that the situation has turned for the worse. Which is why we must get you to safety."

"No," Ruby replied, if Penny had a heart it would have sunk at her words, but the Princess continued. "I can't leave. If I run, they'll just come after me and eventually obtain the plans." She turned to ZW-31 and then back to Penny. "Perhaps you two can get away. Go to the planet, find the Jedi Qrow Branwen. He is our best chance."

She looked Penny straight in the eye who nodded back understanding. "I won't let you down." In the distance, the three could hear footsteps and they seemed to be heading in this direction fast. Likely Imperial Stormtroopers flooding in to secure the ship. Ruby looked to her two droid companions smiling before running off. A blaster in her hands telling she wouldn't go down easy. Through a series of bleeps and clicks, ZW-31 told Penny to follow him to which Penny nodded. "I will follow."

Moments later and some sections down from where she had come from, Ruby awaited the nearing stormtroopers. As a small squad rounded the corner, Ruby let out several plasma blasts from her blaster pistol. Not nearly as powerful or versatile as her Crescent Rose, but it got the job done as the squad dropped to the floor. More troopers rushed to the scene, she continued to fire, but enemies were approaching on both sides. "Stun her," one of the troopers ordered as multiple stun blasts erupted from the trooper's lines. Ruby tried to dodge, but without a way out, she could only do so much. With paralysis taking effect, the world went black to the young girl.

At the escape pods, the two droids managed to arrive while avoiding the enemy patrols. A few of them seemed like they were being drawn away. Entering the pod after ZW-31, Penny pulled the release switch. The pod jettisoned away, drifting down towards the planet. The Star Destroyer didn't fire on the lone pod, believing it to be a malfunction given that their sensors detected no life signs aboard. Soon the pod would land and then the droid's quest would begin.

With a loud crash, the pod came to a sudden halt, only lessened by its own maneuvering thrusters. The droids within were a little shaken, but otherwise intact. As the hatch opened to the seemingly endless desert, the two droids exited their pod. A sensor probe drew up from ZW-31's top to scan the surrounding area, and as far as could be told, the two were alone for miles, save for a giant Krayt Dragon skeleton in the distance.

Penny looked down to her companion. "You know what direction we need to go?"

The Astromech whirled with something synonymous to an affirmative revealing to the android that he had a way to track the Jedi, but he wasn't completely sure how. They had several hours of walking ahead of them.

Hours passed with the droids seeing no sign of civilization, and signs of life seemed limited to beasts in the distance and a few small plants here and there. According to ZW-31, they were nearing the target, but would need to go through the Jundland Chasm. Travelling the path down the side of the cliff, the two droids could sense movement, but needed to press on. Halfway down the path, Jawas popped out of small indentures in the rock face. Ion blasts erupted from the Jawas' weapons, to which Penny tried to draw her swords, but the blasts struck, shorting her circuits. She fell over with a loud THUMP . ZW fell as well, and seconds later the small army of Jawas surrounding them, ready to carry their two new treasures back to their Sandcrawler.

Aboard the Imperial Star Destroyer Devastator, Ruby finally awakened cuffed and watched by Stormtroopers. Other than the necessary customization for Faunus extremities, like ears, horns, or tails, each trooper looked identical in white armor, and for this legion, they all had a crest on their left breastplate, a Red Wolf's Head with three claw marks behind it. Ruby stared up at the troopers, her silver eyes focused on whatever features she could see.

Motioning his blaster, one of the troopers communicated for her to get up, a horse Faunus, by the look of the ears. Two troopers led her on either side with three flanking her, escorting the Princess to the Grand Inquisitor.

"Who are you?" Ruby asked the man. "You attacked a diplomatic vessel."

"Don't act so surprised, you weren't on any mercy mission. We know transmissions were beamed to this ship by rebel spies. Where are the plans they sent you!"

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm a member of the Imperial Senate on a diplomatic mission to…" she was cut off.

"You are part of the Rebel Alliance and a traitor." The Inquisitor pointed a single finger at the girl before pointing it down the corridor. "Take her away!"

As the troopers moved the Princess, the Inquisitor thought of how he'd deal with the insolent whelp properly in an interrogation chamber. A naval officer flanked him, "Grand Inquisitor, we've searched the ship. There are no signs of the Death Star plans aboard. An escape pod was launched, but scans revealed no lifeforms aboard."

Pondering the situation, the Grand Inquisitor replied, "The Death Star plans must have been aboard. Dispatch a squad of troopers to the surface to find that pod. Once we do prepare to jump to hyperspace. Have the Interdictor stay in system until reinforcements arrive and then set course for the Death Star."

Penny could feel the vibrations as the Sandcrawler moved beneath her. She was hooked up to a battery unit as looked around at what seemed to be dozens of other droids and piles of scrap. Across from her, ZW-31 sat in a similar situation, being recharged. He looked intact and mostly the same, save for what looked like a restraining bolt. Looking down at herself, she found a bolt had likewise been attached to herself. The situation was bad, but at least they were still together.

As the Sandcrawler came to a halt, the doors opened, Droids and Jawas filed out and many of the Jawas motioned the droids out. Lining the droids up organized by type and function like a used speeder salesman, the Jawas prepared for their oncoming customers. Two potential customers approached, the owner of the homestead Taiyang Xiao Long a moisture farmer and his daughter Yang approached. Yang had primarily tagged along to remind her father they needed a droid that speaks Bocce after the last one got destroyed in the last sandstorm.

Taiyang eyed the merchandise, there wasn't much, and most looked beat up, dirty, cannibalized, and reconstructed. Then he came to a droid that looked out of place. Possibly a protocol droid, though its appearance conveyed that the creator was either very lonely or a complete sicko. The lead Jawa made a remark regarding the droid's appearance and possible functions. Tai replied, "I'm not into that. What I really need is a droid that speaks Bocce."

Seeing an opportunity Penny piped up, "I can speak Bocce, along with five thousand forms of communication." That caught the buyer's attention as no other droid seemed to have the capability. Had to be a protocol droid if it had that capability, Tai thought to himself.

Knowing he wasn't going to get any better from this lot, Tai called for his daughter, "Yang, take this droid and one of the astromechs over to the garage and have them cleaned up before dinner."

As Yang approached she replied, "Aw, I was gonna go to Tosche Station to get some power converters."

Tai looked to his daughter. "Oh really, power converters. And you weren't gonna say, hit up that new club? Remember the Anchorhead Incident last month?"

Yang crossed her arms and clenched her fists, "He totally had it coming." The incident of which Tai spoke of involved a fight at a club run by the Cartel. The details of the situation were somewhat unclear, but by the end of the night, over a dozen guards had been beaten up and the club manager had lost more than just his pride. For that, she was banned from Cartel owned facilities.

"You're lucky you only got banned and not a price on your head. We have enough problems without having to worry about bounty hunters or the Cartel." Tai sometimes just didn't know what to do with the girl, he saw a lot of her mother in her. Whether that was a good or bad thing, he'd yet to decide. Setting his hand on his daughter's shoulder, "you can hang with your friends another day, but I need you to take care of these droids tonight."

"Alright," Yang sighed and gave her old man a loving punch in the upper arm. If it hurt, Tai didn't show it. Turning to the astromechs she motioned for one to follow. "Okay c'mon red, you're with me." The red astromech lurched forwards slowly following its new master. Penny looked back at ZW-31, she would find him again...Somehow. They had to complete their mission. Fate intervened when the red mech malfunctioned and burst into flames. Turning around, Yang called out "Dad, looks like this mech's got a busted motivator."

Tai looked to the Jawa Merchant Chief he'd been about to pay, "Hey, what you tryin to pull, selling a bad droid." The Jawa responded in trader tongue with his hands up, indicating he wanted no trouble.

Sensing opportunity Penny pointed to her companion. "That ZW unit is in optimal order. I've worked with him before."

Yang pondered the suggestion of her recent acquisition, "hey dad, what about this ZW droid?"

Tai turned to see the grey droid, "Yes, we'll take that one." Handing the Merchant Chief his payment he watched as Yang took the two new droids to get cleaned up. Within minutes, the Jawas began packing their remaining merchandise into the Sandcrawler. Hearing a beeping from his pocket, Tai pulled out his holocom. Who could be calling? He wondered pressing the answer button.

Picking up a rag off the garage floor, Yang looked at the dusty grey astromech and started dusting it off. The two seemed rather clean compared to the droids the Jawas usually sold, so she figured they couldn't have been with them for long. "You said you two have worked together before. You're too clean to have been on Tatooine for long." In fact, being with the Jawas for more than a day increased the probability that a droid would end up covered in filth and grime. "Spill, you two are ship droids aren't ya?"

The droid, seeing as the girl had already guessed, replied "Affirmative." It wasn't like she was going to give away any rebel secrets by satisfying Yang's curiosity. "Our last assignment was aboard a diplomatic ship." Technically that was true, though the ship they'd served on hadn't done much diplomacy as of late.

"Hmmm," Yang sighed, "I would've tagged you as smuggler droids." A reasonable assumption considering how most smugglers had a gambling problem when it came to Dejarik or Sabacc. From time to time, a cocky rogue would bet their droids or ship if they think they had a good chance to win or a good bluff. Usually it worked in their favor, but when it didn't, it at best left the gambler a bit shorthanded and without anything to ante up; at worst, it left them having to do work planetside either for the Cartel or Mercenary work. "Once this season's over with, I'm gonna sign up with a freighter crew. Travel the Galaxy, go on exciting adventures, meet interesting people." Her eyebrows winced at the latter topic.

Hearing the last part upon entering, Taiyang replied almost sarcastically, "I fear for the Galaxy then." Tai gave a small laugh before moving towards the far wall. "Really, Yang, you have been listening too much to those smuggler and bounty hunter stories. Most ship work is rather mundane and you still have to worry about this year's harvest." He looked to her while grabbing his weapon off the wall.

"Dad," Yang moaned before seeing what he had in his hand. Looking at her father her thoughts moved from complaining to curiosity, "Where are you going?" She asked, knowing her old man well. The sand staff blaster rifle in his hands always communicated that he was heading out.

"Mos Ila," Tai replied, "Just got off the Holo with a farmer up there. He said they're having trouble with a Sand People tribe passing through, and we know what trouble brings crawling to our gates."

"Grimm,"Yang mumbled in response. The Grimm were monsters that roamed the desert and if the stories were true, most planets of the Galaxy with one goal in mind, the destruction of people and droids often drawn to places of great despair or conflict. Most cities and villages were well protected, having walls and turrets to defend against Grimm while farming homesteads had early warning systems and defense droids to survive, though it often meant more droid maintenance than most places. Usually the Cartel or Empire gave protection to farmers for a cut of their product, but that was usually limited to a few droids, which was not enough to hold off an entire tribe of Sand People, but enough to hold off small waves of Grimm or if worse happened, hold up till reinforcements arrived. "If all goes well, I'm only be gone a couple days."

"I should go with you," Yang piped up.

"No, you're too young and besides, I need you here." Tai retorted, pointing to the two new droids.

"I'm not a child anymore!" Yang exclaimed, her eyes turning from her normal lilac shade to red, thanks to her burst of emotion. "I can help."

Tai moved quickly to defuse the situation. "Depending on the tribe, I may be able to resolve things peacefully or I may have to fight. Either way, you being with me would only complicate or escalate matters." Putting his hands on his daughter's shoulders to try to calm her down, "I know you're not a kid anymore; you're a heck of a fighter and could probably kick my ass, but you'd do a lot more for me here. This job requires tact and experience, both things I have and that you'll gain in time." Embracing his daughter in a hug, her eyes turned back to lilac her rage subsiding. Moving back, he revealed to her a pair of keys he'd taken from her pocket. "You still got much to learn. I'm taking your speeder." She frowned, but knew it was sound. Her speeder was faster, and if he was going to reach Mos Ila before nightfall, her speeder was most likely to make it in time.

Yang turned back to her task of cleaning the droids while her father headed off to likely kick butt while she was stuck watching the farm When am I gonna have my own adventures? she thought. Just as she started to check the astromech's main body, she noticed something in one of the processing ports. "What the heck…?"

She began picking at the port trying to see if it could come out when a holo-recording started to play, showing the appearance of a small girl in a red hood. "Help us, Qrow Branwen, you're our only hope." The recording looped a couple more times before shutting down.

"What was that," Yang asked, being a little befuddled by what just happened. "Who was that?"

Penny looked at ZW thinking this was a potential opportunity. As ZW-31 let out a series of bleeps and whistles while Penny translated. "Old data, nothing to worry about. She was a passenger on our last voyage, I think."

Yang raised an eyebrow, her curiosity having peaked. She pondered the name Qrow. Did she mean the hermit Qrow who lived out in the Jundland wastes? "Is there any more of this recording?"

ZW buzzed in response as Penny replied "Yes, but the restraining bolt seems to be interfering with the playback." The droid hiccuped, a tiny glitch in her programing, but otherwise unnoticeable.

Looking over at Penny for a moment, she shrugged the hiccup off as a malfunction for being out in the desert for too long. Turning back to ZW, she grabbed hold of the restraining bolt. "Guess you're too small to make a break for it." With a few turns, the bolt came off, thus freeing the astromech. Before Yang could say anything, a jolt of electricity pulsed through her body, making her pass out onto the floor. Behind her, Penny still had her hand held out, sparks still flying momentarily between fingertips. This was our best chance, she thought.

As Yang regained consciousness, she shook her head to get over the grogginess. "What hit me?" She asked rhetorically before looking up at the android practically hovering over her.

"You're awake," Penny responded enthusiastically. Looking closer, Yang noticed the restraining bolt removed. She put her hand to her head to try to calm the throbbing pain.

"You stunned me, didn't you?" Yang pointed at the droid.

"Affirmative," Penny replied, "It was necessary."

"Necessary!?" Yang raised her voice almost immediately, regretting it with her throbbing pain. "Necessary for what?"

"Drink this, it should help," Penny replied, handing Yang a bottle of blue milk. "We needed to fulfil our mission."

Yang took a moment to let everything sink in. "You're looking for that Qrow guy, aren't you?"

Penny nodded. "Affirmative. ZW-31 can track him, but I decided to stay behind to ensure you were okay and join up with ZW later."

Looking out the window, Yang saw the twin suns were setting. Night would soon be upon them. "Hope ZW's found Qrow already, otherwise he'll have to be lucky to survive the night." Heading to the wall, Yang pulled a lever activating the farm's early detection system and defense droids. "Night's dangerous out in these parts, only Jawa Sandcrawlers can safely travel at night. In the dark, Grimm have the advantage and sometimes coalesce out of the shadows. Legends even say they're stronger at night. We'll find your friends in the morning, until then I have questions that I think you can answer."

With his lightsaber and newly acquired blade before him, the Grand Inquisitor sat in meditation channeling the Dark Side. Hours of interrogation and still the Princess held her tongue. She was strong willed and has yet to give in, but eventually everyone gives in, the Inquisitor thought to himself, he just needed to focus.

Behind him the door glided open as a familiar presence entered the room. Wearing vermillion and black armor with a full Grimm mask resembling that of a Nevermore, the form of Darth Raven lingered near the doorway. He had felt her coming from quite a distance away, but had been unsure she was coming for him. "Adam," she called forth a tone of almost concern in her voice.

The Grand Inquisitor was irked by his name, being a reminder of the weakling he once was. Beside Raven and the Empress, no one else knew who he was behind the mask and that was how he preferred. Keeping his face ever stoic he responded. "Master." His tone carried an inquisitive implication as he knew Darth Raven never came to him without reason and usually he was called to her.

"I can feel your anger," Raven moved closer the door closing behind her. "I take it your interrogation didn't go as expected."

Getting up from his meditation position he turned to his master. "She will be broken as all do."

"The girl resisted the interrogator droid. You could break her, but rushing it might destroy her before we get the information we want. The Grand Moff feels a stricter hand is needed." Raven clenched her fist at the end, identifying she'd be the stricter hand and taking over interrogation, "but that's not why I'm here. Tarkin's called a meeting and I want you at my side. Afterwards, I have training for you."

"Training?" The Grand Inquisitor asked, "does this mean…"

Raven nodded, "your Inquisitor training has gotten you this far. You shall learn the ways of the Sith, now kneel before your master." Obeying the command the Grand Inquisitor fell to his knees. "At any one time there can only be two true Sith. A Master to embody power and an Apprentice to crave it. As my apprentice you are not Sith until the Empress or myself are eliminated. Today your path begins. Now rise." Returning to his feet the Grand Inquisitor followed his master as the two left for the warroom.

As the duo entered the meeting chamber, they found the room was filled with a dozen high ranking Imperials. Humans mostly, though the Grand Inquisitor noticed a couple Faunus among them. Most were going over reports or talking among themselves while waiting the meeting to start. Among them, only three he had worked with before. Sitting a few chairs down with his eyes closed was Admiral Hazel Rainart, a seldom vocal but brutal leader that had eliminated more than a dozen rebel cells throughout the Mid Rim, likely resting until the Grand Moff arrived. The other two sat across from each other and seemed to be arguing, Director Arthur Watts of Imperial R&D, and Jacques Schnee, president of both the Atlesian Yards and the Schnee Dust Corporation. Both men had been rivals for years, both vying for the Grand Moff's favor, and with the recent passing of Governor Sukari, it meant both men were candidates for the position over the Atlesian Sector.

"Until this battle station is fully operational, we are vulnerable." Watts pointed at the arrogant Atlesian, "The Rebel Alliance is too well equipped and more dangerous than you realize." Watts had already gone over the battle records for Scarif; no one could have predicted the rebels would strike at such a fortress world and succeed. Director Krennic had underestimated the rebellion and allowed the plans to be stolen and Watts wasn't going to let Krennic's failure be his downfall.

"Dangerous to your starfleet, not to this battle station." Schnee scoffed and retorted. "The rebellion will only continue as long as they have their sanctuary."

Watts pounded his fist in anger knowing he wasn't getting through the fool's thick head. "The rebellion will continue to gain support in the imperial senate!" Watts' tirade cut off by the entrance of Grand Moff Tarkin.

"The Imperial Senate will no longer be of any concern to us." Tarkin's timing was impeccable, "I have just received word that the Empress has dissolved the council permanently. The last remnants of the old republic have been finally swept away." All eyes jumped to Tarkin, many astonished.

Surprisingly Admiral Rainart was the first to respond to the Grand Moff. "Impossible! How will the Empress maintain control without the bureaucracy?"

"The regional governors now have control over their territories." Tarkin's words were cold and intimidating, "Fear will keep the local systems in line, fear of this battle station."

"And what of the rebellion?" Watts inquired, erring on the side of caution, "If the rebels have obtained a complete technical readout of this station, then it is possible––however unlikely–that they might find a weakness and exploit it."

Darth Raven was quick to answer. "The plans you refer to will soon be back in our hands."

"Any attack made by the rebels against this station would be a futile gesture, no matter what data they obtained." Schnee's voice seemed to raise by a decibel, "This station is now the ultimate power in the universe!" His tone returned to normal as he clenched his fist slowly. "I suggest we use it."

"Don't be too proud of this technological terror you've constructed," Raven scoffed at Jacques' thought of power. "The ability to destroy a planet, or even a whole system is insignificant next to the power of the Force."

Schnee rolled his eyes at Raven's remarks. "Don't try to frighten us with your sorcereress' ways Lord Raven. Your devotion to that archaic religion hasn't helped you conjure up the stolen data tapes or given you clairvoyance enough to find the rebels hidden…!" His voice was cut off in more ways than one as he felt a grip around his throat tightening. He instinctively held his hand to his throat trying to loosen the grasp, but nothing was there.

"I find your lack of faith disturbing," Raven quipped, ever so sadisticly, her curled hand raised towards him. Everyone watched in terror and awe.

Tarkin had enough, and while it had shut him up and how he would love to see him choke to death he was still useful. "Enough of this! Raven release him!"

"As you wish," Raven responded, a touch of disappointment in her voice as she lowered her hand, releasing Jacques and allowing him to take in air. Jacques glared at Darth Raven with daggers in his eyes, but he calmed himself.

"This bickering is pointless." Tarkin looked to both Schnee and Watts, "Lord Raven will provide the location of the rebel fortress before this station is operational. We shall then crush the rebellion with one swift stroke." Tarkin turned to Watts. "Now, Director,I believe you have a new project to show us."

Watts almost jumped at Tarkin's response. He rubbed his neck, thankful he had never faced Raven's wrath, and as Schnee returned to his feet he pulled out his dossier and plans. "Yes, Grand Moff, I call the project 'Dark Trooper'."

As morning came on the desert world of Tatooine, Yang and her droid companion Penny set out in search of ZW-31 using Taiyang's X-34 Landspeeder. The night had seemed longer with Penny's revelations about the Rebellion, how her and ZW had ended up with the Jawas, and their mission to find this Jedi Qrow, whatever a Jedi was. The two could only hope ZW had continued in the direction Penny had last seen him in. The two searched for hours, but the Jundland Wastes were vast and it was possible he could have been captured by Jawas or worse.

In the distance, a shimmer of a metallic reflection caught the attention of Penny's optical sensors, "There!" She cried out, pointing down into the canyon. Yang couldn't see as well as Penny, but this was the first lead the two had in this search. Turning the vehicle onto the nearest pathway down, the two rushed towards the bottom.

As they came within a hundred meters, the two were able to confirm it was indeed ZW, but damaged. His wires leg conduits had been assaulted, but not by firepower or Grimm, but vermin; more precisely womp rats. Yang noticed a few rats, juveniles at about a meter long by the look of em. Pulling out a blaster, Yang fired, killing one and causing the others to flee. She holstered the blaster as more dead rats could attract bigger predators. Penny pulled a repair kit from the landspeeder and headed to work on ZW.

Watching the walls, Yang noticed movement, then an evil squeal ripped through the air as two Boarbatusk Grimm dropped down the canyon walls. "Frell!" Yang cursed before firing several blaster bolts at one. Why'd it have to be Boarbatusks? Yang thought. Any other type of Grimm a dozen clean shots might kill, but Boarbatusk armor was thick and much harder to penetrate without Dust. "Penny! Lend a hand!" Yang cried out.

Finishing a strand of repairs on ZW, Penny rushed over to help her friend, "I'm combat ready!" She declared as Dust-infused swords emerged from her back. She engaged in combat with the closest Grimm while Yang continued firing at its companion. Penny was able to hold hers off, but the other one was quickly closing in. Other than the blaster Yang had, there was only one weapon to fall back on, her Semblance. She'd have to wait for it to hit her, but after that she might have a fighting chance. About halfway between Penny and its target, the Boarbatusk rolled into a spinning wheel of spines. This was going to hurt, she braced herself.

Almost out of nowhere, less than a meter from Yang, something stopped the Boarbatusk as a large sword and swordsman dropped out of the sky, impaling the Grimm. It shrieked as it died and started fading into nothingness. Penny had already dispatched the larger creature with her swords by slashing its underside. Both looked at the man that had fallen from the sky. The man wore a white and grey outfit with bits of crimson sewn in. The man pulled out a flask and took a long swig before turning noticing Yang, "Hey." His voice was grisled and perhaps a little drunk.

ZW beeped a few times and Penny translated. "This is Qrow Branwen?" Penny inquired. The astromech beeped an affirmative.

"Branwen..." Qrow spoke softly, "...Now that's a name I haven't heard in a long time." A roar of unholy squeals could be heard in the distance. More Boarbatusks. Yang and Penny looked around to see where the sound was coming from. Qrow, on the other hand, looked into his flask, he shook it. "Empty, typical. I have a homestead nearby, and I think it best we head there. Something tells me you have questions." The trio concurred with Qrow's statement. Picking up ZW, Penny, and Yang quickly placed him in the landspeeder while climbing in themselves while Qrow piled in the passenger seat. The landspeeder rushed forward as Qrow directed them to his home.

The homestead was modest, small, and atop a small plateau. It didn't seem to have any defenses other than the standard siege type style of any homestead. Inside the home, it seemed fairly spartan save for the cluttering of liquor containers. Penny almost immediately moved to continue work on ZW while Qrow started sifting through cabinets. "So you're Taiyang's kid, right?" Qrow inquired placing bottles on the counter.

Yang nodded. "Yeah, name's Yang. How'd you guess?"

Qrow chuckled, "So that's the name Tai gave you. You look so much like your mother, cept for the hair color."

"You knew my mother?" Yang asked curious about what Qrow knew.

"It would be weird if I didn't, since she was my twin sister." Qrow sat down after pouring himself a drink. Yang was shocked by Qrow's disclosure, her mouth agape for a moment. "We were known as the Twin Jedi of Tatooine."

"I never knew my mother, Dad almost never talks about her." Yang watched as her so-called Uncle Qrow downed his drink. "He always told me my mom was a navigator on a Dust freighter. Now you're telling me dad lied and I had an Uncle no one ever told me about..."

Qrow set down his empty glass interrupting. "Don't blame your old man, sure he lied, but on my suggestion. You were young when your mother was taken. We thought it best to keep the truth from you, but now I think you're old enough to know." Pouring himself another drink Qrow started his tale. "Before the dark times, before the Empire, the Jedi Knights were guardians of peace and justice in the Old Republic for more than a thousand generations. The Jedi sought to keep balance in the Force by fighting the dark side, by fighting the Grimm. The Great War changed all that, it changed us all. My sister and I fought during the war to save the Republic. She was a cunning warrior, a superb starfighter pilot and my closest friend." After taking a sip from his drink he reached down and grabbed a small case from a nearby shelf. "Your mother wanted you to have this when you were older." The case had a name on the top, Corvus. Opening it Yang picked up the cylindrical hilt inside, pressing a button on the hilt's side the saber sprung to life as blue emanated from the weapon. "Your mother's lightsaber, a weapon of a Jedi Knight. Only truly rivaled in power by Dust infused weapons, but far less clumsy."

Yang swung the saber around, testing it for but a moment. Deactivating the saber she turned to Qrow. "How did my mother die?"

"A young Jedi named Darth Revan, who was a good friend of mine before she turned to evil..." Qrow stopped himself for a moment taking another sip. "...Wait, no, Revan's another dick. I meant to say Darth Raven. Raven was a friend before she was seduced by the Dark Side of the Force. She betrayed and murdered your mother, and helped the Empire hunt down many of the remaining Jedi. I barely survived my last encounter with Raven, but I had an important task to do. Safeguarding her legacy."

Yang had to take a moment to let the information sink in. It all sounded so crazy, she looked closer at the saber's hilt, it had a few scars, but otherwise looked like a pristine weapon. For the first time ever she felt closer to her mother. She didn't know what to say. There were still so many questions, she asked the first to come to her. "What is the Force?"

Qrow thought for a moment how best to put it. "The Force is an energy field created by all living things. It surrounds us, penetrates us, and binds the galaxy together. Surely you know of Semblances?"

Yang nodded. "Yeah, Semblances are the manifestation of a person's Aura, unlocks their soul's innate powers."

"You can think of the Force as a glass of liquid." He set his drink on the table. "A Semblance is just touching the surface; easy to access, but unique for all users, but to a Jedi or any Force-wielder, we are able to tap into it deeper and use more." Qrow picked up and finished his drink to visualize.

A few beeps came from ZW. "Repairs complete. ZW has a message for you," Penny reported. Yang had almost forgotten.

Qrow nodded, setting a hand on ZW. "Let's see what ya got?"

ZW beeped an affirmative and started playing the projection. As before, the girl in the red hood appeared, but this time the message seemed more clear. "General Branwen. My mother told me about the years you served her and the Republic during the Great War long ago. We beg you to help in our struggle against the Empire. Our ship was attacked and my mission to bring you to Alderaan has failed. ZW-31 holds information vital to the Rebellion's survival and my mother will be able to retrieve it. This is the Alliance's most desperate hour, please see ZW home to my mother on Alderaan safely. Help us, Qrow Branwen, you're our only hope." The message ended and the girl disappeared.

Qrow scratched the back of his head in contemplation. Yang seemed to be in a similar state. "You must learn the ways of the Force if you're to come with me to Alderaan."

"I can't," Yang replied standing up and heading towards the door. "I can't go to Alderaan, I have to get home, duties to take care of. Dad needs me."

Qrow got up, this time instead of heading for his liquor cabinet, he followed Yang setting a hand on her shoulder. "Tai will be fine, he's tougher than he looks. Besides, I need you, she needs you too. If I encounter Darth Raven again, alone, I don't know how it would turn out."

"I can take you as far as Anchorhead." Yang opened the door and gasped upon seeing billowing smoke in the distance in the direction of her home. "No…!" She cried, rushing for her landspeeder.

Qrow noticed the smoke seconds later and knew it would be pointless to try and stop her. Heading back inside, he grabbed his holocom and looked at the droids. "We're leaving."

Almost half an hour passed before Qrow and the droids arrived on Qrow's speeder bike at what used to be Yang's home. Smoke continued to billow out as the fires died down, the area around littered with the remains of defense droids. Yang stood just meters in front of what used to be the doorway and it was obvious she was crying. "There's nothing you could've done. Be thankful no one was home. Had you been here, you would be lying among the defense droids right now." Qrow commented as he gazed over the burned remains. "I already contacted Tai and told him, he can have my homestead as long as he needs it. Like I said, he's a survivor."

Yang looked at Qrow, wiping her tears away grateful for Qrow's kind words. "Now what?"

Qrow smiled grabbing hold of his flask. "Now we find a cantina."