AN: So sorry again for the delay. Hopefully it being extra-long makes up for it. Enjoy! It's a doosy!

The Storm Before the Calm (Pt.2)

Galen

As he and his family were being marched out of the cave by the armour-clad figure, one drilling thought continually manifested itself without reprieve in his head: He was a fool. There was no chance at escaping Krennic: as soon as he landed on the planet he had lost. To allow himself hope because a Jedi came calling…it was a desperate, misguided, and now, a fatal feeling that he had allowed himself. Thousands of Jedi had died at the hands of clones. Even Skywalker had been gunned down in that old temple of theirs. The worst part of all, was that he had delayed Krennic beyond the point of acceptability. His old friend was not a patient man at the best of times. He may as well have kicked a Granger hornet's nest.

The trooper soon commanded them all to take the steep trek to the top of the cliff that overlooked the cave that had been their hiding spot. It was difficult in the rain, and had to have taken at least 10 minutes, but they pushed on, because they had to. Their capturer made sure he arrived at the top first, ensuring no one would make a run for it if they had tried to get there first. He then pointed his blaster down at the group, so that no one would try to escape by going down the incline.

Kento came to the top first, likely helped by his abilities, and then Galen. When the ex-scientist completed his ascent of the cliffside, he could see four towering, clad-in-black troopers on the approach, not 20 feet away and closing. Lyra came up a minute later, followed lastly by Jyn, who had to be pulled up by one of the black stormtroopers.

"We wait for the Director." Their captor said to the rest of the assembled squadron when they arrived. Apparently, he was their leader.

Galen shivered. Whether it was in fear or in cold, he could not know. By now, the rain was coming down hard and was soaking the thin material that composed his farmer garments. To his right was Jyn, holding on tightly to his hand. She was whimpering, but he could not tell if she were crying or if it was the rain water streaming down her face, perhaps both. Lyra was to his left, silently fuming, a mixture of defeat and anger, and at the end of the line was Kento. He was the hardest to read, Galen saw. His hooded head angled downward, it would be difficult for anyone to understand the Jedi. Was he meditating, as so many of his kind did? Was he angry or sad, like his wife? Was he waiting for the right moment to strike? Galen certainly placed all hope he had left on the latter.

Kento

This is what it's like to be ex-Jedi, Kento Marek right now. You feel old, older than any man (or sentient) should be able to feel. You feel useless, despite years of Jedi doctrine milling about in your head, that says you are the most powerful thing out there. And now, after years of denial, the simple fact bursts from a dam of stubbornness and floods you with the reality that their teachings were lies. While you are being internally flooded, you also feel the drenching of the outside rain while the feelings of your family join in your personal deluge.

Lyra, with the furious exterior, is breaking inside. Experiencing the rise of hope and then having it swiftly crushed is a travesty in anyone, but with her the pain stings extra. For her and Kento.

Jyn, you notice next. For her age, she is brave – in or out of the Jedi Order, you'd argue. And when she glances at you, you look away. You were a hero…and now she wonders how a great man like you could fail in circumstances such as these. But you also think 'What right does she have to place that on you when you never wanted to be a damned hero in the first place?'

And lastly, you notice Galen. In him you are surprised to feel his cluttered mind filled with only a single presence. Quiet fear. And you blame him for it. If he had just bucked up and gotten his family, his Lyra, out of here, or hidden them better, you and Lyra wouldn't be in this situation.

Finally, you turn to yourself again and realise that you are afraid. More afraid than you've ever been. Afraid that you'll die with your sister and her family here, brutally and forgotten. Afraid that the urgent trip that you convinced Mallie was necessary and that you'll be back soon…that she'll be wondering the rest of her days how and when and where you died.

You realise that, above all, you need to see this Krennic for yourself; if he is the quiet terror that Galen is thinking of, the figure crushing Lyra's hope, that if he really is all that…you'll need to use your fear.

'Fear leads to anger. Anger leads to hate. Hate leads to suffering.' Are words that come to you, drilled into you by Yoda and countless dogmatists.

No.

Fear makes you faster, stronger, efficient. Anger gives you focus. If anything, it's your enemies that will be suffering. That's how the Sith usurped the stagnant Jedi. Strength and efficiency are the tools of the enemy; therefore, it should be yours as well. You will get yourself out of this, and then you make sure to show Galen and Jyn how to properly respect him and his sister.

This is how it feels to be Kento Marek right now. This is how it feels to truly die as a Jedi. This is how it feels to be reborn as an agent of Darkness.

Krennic

'Victory is sweet.'

That is what the Director thought to himself when his Death Squad Leader contacted him over com. He had to admit, that he was surprised that they had been caught so quickly, that no struggle occurred.

'The Jedi must have lost whatever touch he had. He got this far on luck.'

Still he was at a loss for words when the call came. So he didn't speak. Instead he let himself grin like an idiot as he trudged through the earthy slush towards the Death Leader's position – and towards his owed prize.

He'd decide how he'd punish Galen for wasting his time when he arrived. 'Send Lyra off to the Kessel Spice Mines? Withhold food from the child?' It was hard to decide. He had to assert authority over the stubborn fool, but if he went too far, the brilliant scientist would just mope about and stall work on the project. He'd be exactly where he started if that happened.

The walk to the site commed to him was shorter than he expected. At the edge of a cliff edge stood his tall imposing troops in formation. In front of them, presumably, stood Galen and his failed posse of rebels.

"Good work, 5537!" he yelled over the downpour.

At this the troops parted in the middle, allowing him to look at his prize, and the unfortunate additions that came along with him.

The Director allowed himself a few moments to observe the state of his captives.

They were a pathetic lot. The child, as children do, was crying. She clearly has no concept of the traitorous machinations her parents had brought her into. He would be merciful to her, he decided. Krennic would send her off to the Imperial academy; they would ensure her weakness be crushed and her life made to serve the Empire.

Galen was next to her, and like Krennic was him, the ex-scientist appeared to be observing him. His eyes were studying the Director's face, surely making note of the age lines that had appeared since Galen had fled. He himself was surprised as to the state of his comrade's facial hair. Most prominently, Krennic could practically taste the fear from Galen.

'Good,' he thought.

His attention then turned to Lyra. Unlike past years where the two operated together under the façade of civility, the woman's disgust and hatred of him were finally fully present for him to see. 'So visceral' he thought. He wondered then if the escape plan was Lyra's. The impudent nature of it fit her style more than it did Galen. Oh, he would find a special hell for her, Krennic decided,

Finally, he turned his attention to the Jedi. Like members of his Order of old, he wore brown hooded robes and had an air of serenity about him. Curiously, though, he exhibited none of the Jedi arrogance that typified his ilk, for he did not look into Krennic's eyes, in quiet challenge, like he expected. Instead, the Jedi had his bowed, as if in meditation.

The Director simply raised his eyebrow in curiosity.

Finally, he spoke, turning towards Galen.

"You're a hard man to find, Galen."

Galen's head turned up at him.

"But," Krennic continued, walking towards him "Did you really think that you'd really be able to run, once I found you?" His friend was silent.

"Was it because of him?" he gestured his head towards the silent Jedi.

"Why have you come?" was all Galen said, ignoring the question.

"You know damn well why!" Krennic shouted "The work has stalled, so I need you back. Don't act the fool, Galen. You ran, you know why I'm here."

"I won't do it Krennic" his stubborn friend replied.

"Won't!?"

Krennic slapped the man hard across the face, bringing him to his knees. Lyra made for him, but the cocking of his troops' guns stalled her.

The Director ignored the woman and tried to soften his approach.

"We were…on the verge of greatness. We were this close to providing peace and security for the galaxy."

Galen stood up timidly, nursing his wound. "You're confusing peace with terror."

'What a bloody idealist' he thought "Well...you have to start somewhere."

This illicited no response from his old friend, so he switched tactics, turning his attention now to Lyra.

"Your husband is coming with me" he said definitively "You understand?"

She too, said nothing.

Krennic then looked at his hand and clenched it in frustration. "You made this so difficult Lyra. I was willing to forgive all. Place you all back in the same apartment...supervised family visits, best Imperial education for the child…hell, I was willing to drop you back on this miserable, rustic backwater when the project was completed!"

He stopped at this point, out of breath. Seeing Lyra's look of incredulity, he continued.

"I can still forgive this, I will even keep it from the Emperor and Darth Vader that I've found you with a Jedi…but I need to know how you and Galen know the man, Lyra. And he needs to die."

Lyra paused, considered, and then…produced a small blaster from her sleeve and pressed it right to his forehead.

Guns cocked again towards her, but the Director held up his hand to stop them.

"Lyra, Lyra…troublesome as ever." he produced as much venom in his voice as he could.

"You will never win, Orson" returning his disdain in equal measure.

"Put the gun down, or your brother is getting the brunt of my blaster bolts."

Krennic recognised the filtered voice of 5537 and suddenly so much was clear. If only the trooper could have delivered that information to him earlier' he thought, irritated. 'I'll deal with that later.'

He noticed that Lyra's grip on her blaster was loose, she was trembling. She did not anticipate him getting that piece of information.

"A brother?" He let the understanding dawn in his voice.

Krennic then looked directly into Lyra's eyes. It was time to enact his little plan.

"Don't worry about your brother, Lyra" he said calmly, while deftly activating his comm to the correct channel, "You won't be alive to see us kill him."

Then, for all, came the sound of a high calibre blaster shot, that impacted Lyra Erso square in the back. The foolish woman crumpled before him, sprawling out by his feet.

The child screamed, Galen cried out. This was expected, now for the Jed - .

*Bzzring*

Krennic turned in alarm. From the Jedi's person, he had equipped his lightsabre, which glowed a brilliant azure that illuminated the dark area around the man.

The Jedi was no longer in a pensive, calm state. His face, no longer obscured by a hood, Krennic could see the man snarling in rage…this was no Jedi, they did not get angry, they did not seek revenge. No, this creature was much more dangerous than a Jedi. And he had just provoked it.

The man now looked directly at Krennic, his eyes burning yellow, and full of rage.

'Oh shit.' The Director did not pretend to hide his panic anymore.

"Fire!"

Kento

Kento was seeing red, he was seeing yellow, he was seeing and feeling burning in his eyes, and throughout his whole being.

He was a conduit of rage.

The first shot came from behind, from that bastard sniper who killed his baby sister. So he dropped to his knees and whipped his lightsabre behind him into the starting position of Djem So. The faint thunk of plasma on armour confirmed his deflection had succeeded with deadly accuracy.

His next need was to get his sabre through the Imperial labdog's heart. He had been too preoccupied with the sniper, however, for the coward had retreated behind the wall of his remaining four troops. They wasted no time trying to fill him full of holes, but, for whatever reason, they were holding back. Probably don't want to hit Galen.

Good. 'They will be much easier to kill' he thought hungrily. And his vengeance grew.

The first tall troop in his way met the brunt of it, for Kento saw fit to remove the blaster from his person by removing his arm from his person. For good measure, he severed the monster's head from his body in one lethal swish.

Turning towards the remaining three, the ex-Jedi sprinted for those that kept Krennic from him. They shot for his legs, a good move if they were fighting a Jedi novice. But he was no novice. And he was no Jedi.

Yet, for how brightly rage burns, it rarely sustains, so Kento dispatched with those firing on him quickly, with sabre cuts to the chest. He had finally reached his goal, but…why, the terrified fool was running away.

'Hard to see a man flee when his bodyguards are the size of Wookie teenagers. No matter.'

Kento reached out into the force and commanded it do his will. He found the putrid force presence of the aging man and, thrusting out his arm, yanked. Hard.

Krennic

Orson Krennic, like any who worked in the Republic during the Clone Wars, heard stories concerning the abilities of the Jedi. The Director could now see that tales which had always thought were full of hyperbole and embellishment, were underselling the raw power that they possessed.

As soon as the Jedi had focused his attention on his sniper, he ran for his troops. Embarrassment did not enter his mind, reputation did not enter his mind, for he right then was as scared as he had ever been. Being the faithful soldiers that they were, they parted, allowing for him to surround himself with the best killers under his command.

But he could soon tell that it was not enough.

Soon after Lyra's brother had killed his sniper, he rushed toward the outermost troop in his guard and dismembered him (TWICE). Krennic saw the man do it with the ease of a cook slicing Lexrulan ham, but with a rage and power that would make Imperial torturers quake in their boots.

So he ran. Damn Galen, damn the project, damn the Emperor, he was not going to end up like his men would. In years to come, The Director would entirely leave out this part of the ordeal, when asked at social functions; it was damned stupid – not to mention traitorous.

But as he was running, trying to ignore the whooshes and slices and screams, he found himself being pulled back towards the murderous lunatic, as if by some invisible force, and felt the searing pain of the ancient blade detaching his right arm from his body.

He landed ungracefully on the muddy ground, and before he could process the pain, shock, think of what to do,..

*GLONK*

The cruel bastard had kicked him in the side.

Hard. So hard it probably broke a couple ribs.

Above him Krennic saw the panting form of the Jedi. His eyes were still a disconcerting yellow, and his mouth had formed a snarl that was threatening to froth. Most alarmingly, his azure sabre was a hair's width away from his throat.

"You do not run from me, Empire!" yelled the crazed man. "You've. Taken. EVERYTHING. From me! You don't get to run. No one gets to run! Cause as soon as I'm done with you, old man, I'm taking care of the stupid husband and daughter who got my Lya in this spot in the first place

Krennic said nothing, he just took in every detail of the man who would become his killer, and who, it seemed, was going to murder the people he came to protect. He refused to say a word. He and Galen and his daughter…everyone would be discovered here, dead, by Delain. He would contact Vader or Tarkin and they would hunt down the Jedi and the project may be lost, the weapon never completed. He closed his eyes as the Jedi raised his weapon, regretting the loss of his life, the death of his project, and, surprisingly, the soon to be death of his old friend and his daughter.

*PROHW*

He felt the thud of the Jedi onto the wet ground next to him. After a few moments of apprehension, Krennic opened his eyes and shifted them to his right. There lay Lyra's brother, dead…with what looked like a plasma impact.

The Director managed to get himself to his feet with his one arm and saw none other than his Death Squad Leader, 5537. The trooper was kneeling on one knee, his blaster rifle still pointed at the area where the Jedi had recently occupied. 5537 was also propped up against Galen, who, to his surprise, seemed to not be bothered by the fact at all.

Krennic hobbled over towards him.

Upon further observation, 5537 was sporting a parting slash across the breastplate of his armour. He had survived the onslaught, if just barely.

"Thank you." He finally said, and 5537 deserved it.

Krennic then turned to Galen, who had stood up and was cradling his daughter in his arms.

They both stared at each other, for what seemed like minutes, just taking in the other's shape.

"Kento" Galen finally uttered.

"What?"

"Kento…Lyra's brother. He said he'd take us away. Said he would protect Jyn, Lyra, and I." it seemed like Galen was struggling to get the words out. "But…he slaughtered you all…was going to kill us after killing you. That wasn't peace. That wasn't security." He finished.

"What are you saying, old friend." Krennic said, as he was nursing his stump of an arm.

"I'm saying..." He glanced at Lyra, at the dead bodies scattered across the downpour, at the downed form of Kento, at Jyn who Krennic had just now noticed was softly crying into his shoulder, and then, finally, to him and Death Leader.

"I'm coming back."

AN: Woah! What did you guys think? Review if you got something to say, I love input!

To address some things:

Kento's been through a lot. I'm curious what y'all think of the turn and his motivations. Imo, he would've been able to come back from his dark thoughts if Lyra hadn't been killed.

I will admit that writing action is my biggest weakness. If anyone wants to suggest how I can improve, or hell, rewrite the action in this Chapter way better and show me your stuff, I might want to make you a credited consultant! God knows, there's a lot of action in Star Wars.

Galen makes a pretty radical decision here that may seem a huge departure from canon. I hope I gave enough reasoning here, but not to worry, there will be more. If I get enough feedback I will publish a tie-in "This is what it's like to be Galen Erso right now" piece that takes place during the chapter proper

Until next week!