Destiny's Duel

Mar followed after Serenity as he gestured for Ryze to follow. The group ran through the corridors, Mar leading them to where they had breached the destroyer. However, as they turned down a large corridor they found Liden standing at the other end in front of a locked blast door. The destroyer shook as the attacking New Republic forces began to bombard it with torpedoes and blaster fire. Mar was taken aback by the sight of her, he recognized her face, but he'd grown accustomed to the cybernetic horror she became and not the hauntingly beautiful woman she had once been.

She was also much taller than he recalled. But the eyes... they were eyes he'd never forget... the eyes of the one who had taken his arm.

He knew then that this was Jin'Lor's work.

"Leto..." Liden said, so softly it was almost a whisper. "You have no idea what you've done..."

"I'm taking Serenity... Let us pass." Mar said as his hand went to his saber.

Liden looked down at the floor as the destroyer shook again. "All my work... undone... All those years reuniting the broken fleets of The Empire... Finding Jin'Lor and using his science..." She looked like she was at a loss. The star destroyer shook again and she looked up. "Damned Republic... Blind... All of you... so blind."

"The only one blind is you, Liden." Mar said. "Blinded by The Dark Side."

Liden looked to them listlessly. "Perhaps... Perhaps I was... but it matters not..." She pulled out two lightsabers. One was her own and the other was Serenity's. "You want this, child?" She hissed as she tossed the saber at Serenity's feet. "You don't deserve it, a child so overcome with the very emotions she fears..."

"She will learn." Mar said. "I will teach her."

"You've decided to walk the path of a Jedi then?" Liden chuckled. "Never thought I'd see the day. But then it doesn't matter. Nothing matters, Leto..." She ignited her lightsaber as she tucked Serenity's into her belt. "The galaxy is lost."

Mar ignited his lightsaber. "No... Only you."

Her eyes filled with rage as tears streamed down her face. "I WAS TRYING TO SAVE YOU ALL AND THIS IS HOW I AM THANKED!"

Mar looked to Ryze. "She's like you... I think I'm gonna need help here..."

Liden was shaking. "I will tear through you all! Fools!" She twirled her saber around, the red blade humming wildly as she took a stance and waited for them to engage.

---

Keran was the first to sense the undying legion as they approached from the corridor to their right. He ignited his lightsaber and looked to Mira who was quick to grab Thrass and pull him behind some consoles just as the the troopers entered and began to open fire on everyone in the room.

Keran deflected the bolts that came his way as he used the force to rip a large piece of lab equipment from the wall and hurl it at the troopers. The bolts and the piece of equipment hit true, yet the troopers were quick to get back up, their flesh knitting together as they resumed their attack.

"They're altered with Jin'Lor's science!" Keran shouted as he continued to deflect blaster bolts. He looked to Jin now. "For your sister, Jin! Help her daughter now! Help us all!"