SMST: The Life and Times of Darth Lune 15 – By DS Wynne

Disclaimer: "Sailor Moon", "Star Trek", "Star Wars" and other genres belong to their respective owners.

Note: This is a multi-genre story.

Part 15: "Ballad of the Jedi".

Last time: A lot has changed over the past twenty-five years, ever since the Jedi Mari ("Sailor Io") Furuhata learned of the true identity of the ruler of the Galactic Imperium, Empress Serenity—also known as the Sith Lord Darth Lune—on the Cloud City at Bespin. She vowed that she would do whatever was in her power to save the one once known as "Sailor Moon". Was she successful? Let's find out.

3.5 ABY (Three years and six months After the Battle of Yavin): Coruscant.

While training on Tattooine, Luke Skywalker and Mari Furuhata learns of Princess Leia's kidnapping at the hands of Princes Xizor, the crime lord of the Black Sun Empire. Xizor had hoped to use the kidnapping to gain the confidence of Empress Serenity, thereby become her Sith Lord Apprentice. And from Commander Lando Calrissian's description, if this occurs, then Xizor could potentially influence Empress Serenity in the worst possible way. Already, she has increased her authority significantly through her sponsorship of Queen Hoshi of the Terran Empire (from the Milky Way Galaxy); Xizor's help could virtually cement Serenity's control over the Lucas Galaxy much more quickly.

So now, it was a race against time. If Leia is not rescued before Xizor makes his bid, then it is all over.

BLAM! BLAM!

"Come on!" Luke yelled, as he, Lando and Mari ran down the corridor, hoping to break through Xizor's defenses.

"I'm coming, but Lando's wounds are problematic!" Mari yelled, as she tried to help Lando up. Thankfully, Zeus and Chewbacca were waiting back on the Millennium Falcon.

"Just go, Mari!" Lando yells. "I'll provide cover. Just rescue Leia!"

"Alright!" Mari yelled, as she gave Lando another blaster. "Just promise me that you will remain safe!"

"Hey," began the dusky-skinned man. "I still owe Han a favor, so I'm not about to die TODAY."

Mari nods, and runs after Luke.

Meanwhile, and unbeknownst to our heroes, one Sith is confronting another, in another part of Xizor's citadel…

"I'm surprise that one of the Empress' Hands is here," Xizor says, as he sits on his throne. "Care to help out?"

Mara Jade shakes her head, as flips out her lightsaber.

"I cannot allow you to influence the Empress," Mara says. "She needs balance…and you will not provide it. Besides…I rather not have to answer to YOU."

"Foolish little 'witch'," Xizor says, as he stands up, as he brings out HIS 'saber. "I doubt that you have the strength and power to stop ME"

SNAP! Hzzzz…

SANP! Hzzzz...

Mara mere smirks.

"Then you have NO idea what I am capable of!"

And with that, the battle was on.

Mara took to the air, as did Xizor, as the two of them sliced the air. Each of them tried to get past their defenses, but to no avail.

"I have honed my skills in the ways of the Sith, little girl," Xizor says.

"Then, that will be your weakness, Xi-CHAN," Mara replied, as she blocked Xizor's downward swing, which opened Xizor to a-

"Moko Takabisha!" Mara yelled, as a chi-sphere leapt from her free palm, and slammed into Xizor's torso.

"Argh!" Xizor yelled, as he was slammed back.

Mara used this opportunity to perform several combination moves, mostly kicks, while the two combatants were still in mid-air.

"Oof!" Xizor said, as he fell in a heap.

"Told you," Mara smirked. "You loose!"

"Never!" Xizor yelled, as he unleashed a psychokinetic force.

Mara dodges the attack, leaping out of Xizor's line of sight. And then-

ZIP!

Xizor sees Mara seemingly disappear, and then reappear behind him.

Hzzzz-SNAP!

"Good-bye, Prince Xizor."

"What the-?"

And that's when Xizor literally fell to pieces.

Mara sighs, as she checks her timepiece.

"The charges that Mari and the others have set should go off just about-"

BOOM! BOOM!

Mara sees the fire and the force of the explosion heading towards her, so she leaped out of the building, shattering the window in the process, where a skiff was waiting for her. She then hears the familiar roar of the Millennium Falcon's engines, as it takes off for deep space.

"The things I do for the Rebels…"

With the death of Xizor, the Black Sun Empire collapses. However, what remained would be taking over by a mystery person…a person with a personal grudge against Empress Serenity…

4 ABY: Endor.

And it has come to THIS. All of Luke and Mari's work has paid off…they hope.

First, there was the rescue of Han Solo from the clutches of the slug-like criminal Jabba the Hutt…

FLASHBACK!

The next day, two Jedi, one wearing forest green robes while the other was wearing black robes. One of them had a weird-looking, small creature on their shoulder. As they approached the fortress's huge door, one of them casually waved a hand. The door flew up, allowing the two to enter the fortress unimpeded.

"What do you want?" said Jabba's chief attendant.

"Take us to Jabba," said the Jedi in green.

In Jabba's lair…

"Hello, Leia," the Jedi in black said.

"Hello, Luke," said the bikini clad slave. "I'm glad to see you two here."

Mari lower her hood.

"We demand that you release our friends…or else!"

"Oh, really?" Jabba smirked. "Sorry, but 'your friends' are personal property. And don't bother using your Jedi tricks. I'm immune to them."

Mari, I sense something below us, Luke thought telepathically.

I know, Mari replied likewise.

"And now, you will die," the Hutt proclaimed, as he pressed a control panel.

And down Mari and Luke went.

"RRRRROWR!"

Apparently the creature below was hungry.

And then-

"Io Power MAKE-UP!"

FWOOSH!

"What the-?" Jabba began.

BOOM!

"Yipp, yipp, yipp, yipp-!"

"My precious pet!"

Sailor Io leaps out of the pit with her friend Luke, who had his lightsaber drawn. 'Io then cocked her right, ready to pound Jabba's face in.

"I have the strength to punch through starship hulls, you stupid slug!" 'Io said, as she began to crackle with energy. "Release our friends, we leave. You don't, and you become a fine paste, understand?"

"Gulp!"

END FLASHBACK!

Next, there were the revelations that Luke and Mari had to deal with on Dagobah…

FLASHBACK!

Mari cried, as she experienced the full effects of the death of Yoda came to fore. Not only that, she was still wrestling with the notion that she was nothing more than a weapon to destroy the evil version of the Neo-Queen Serenity-

"No, you are NOT a weapon," said a voice.

Mari whirled around to see Sailor Pluto standing there.

"What do YOU want?"

"I…I want to…apologize for not telling you the truth earlier," 'Pluto says, as she sits down on a log.

"Well, it's kind of late for that, right?"

"I…suppose not. The truth is that for a long time, I did see people as pawns; THAT, I cannot change. However…I realize that people are more than tools, otherwise I would have been-"

"Like the Empress?"

"Exactly. I realize that now."

Pause.

"I do have a question, though. Why did Usagi become the way she is?"

'Pluto sighs, and begins to tell the history of Empress Serenity.

"That's…horrible!" Mari replied.

"Indeed. I couldn't do anything about it, but…I hope that you will succeed where I had…failed."

Thus, along with Luke learning that Darth Vader is his father, the pressure was ON.

And then, when the mission to Endor (to shut down the shield that protected the Death Star II) was underway, there was MORE trouble...

Hours later, after the pirated Imperial shuttle went past the Imperial screens on Endor, the rebel squad made its way through the foliage. And then…

"You know," began Mari, "I like to get back to nature now and again-"

BLAM! BLAM!

"But this is ridiculous!" Mari yelled, as she fired her blaster at the Imperial scouts.

"Mari, cover me!" Luke said, as he hopped on a speeder bike.

"Ami, stay here. Luke, wait for meeeeeeeeee-!" Mari yelled, just after hopping on the back of Luke's 'bike.

ZOOM!

"Leave it to those two to cause more trouble than necessary," Han said, as he shook his head.

"Why did Mari insist that I come here?" asked Leia, as she ducked her head.

"I don't know," Han replied. "But at least we can spend some quality time together."

"Ha! You wish!"

After a series of mishaps, involving knocking off more Imperial scouts, Mari found herself surrounded by furry creatures.

"Hello, little guy…"

Unfortunately, the furry creatures were pointing spears at her.

GULP!

A while later, Han, Luke, Mari and the other cadre were being hauled to the camps of the Ewoks. Only the fact that C3-P0 was seen as a god to them prevented its friends' deaths. Ewoks, being small and furry, was a tribal race that lived in trees. And now, Han and the others were about to be the main course for dinner.

"Tin plate, get us out of here!" yelled Han.

"I can't! They won't listen to me!"

"Well, well, well. Look what the cats dragged in. I mean, Ewoks…"

"Mari!" Luke said, upon seeing his friend. "Get us out of here!"

Marii, wearing a gown, simply chuckled.

"No way, fly boy! I'm having too much fun seeing you in this position!"

"Well, fine!" Luke replied. "I do it myself!"

Luke applied the use of the Force…

Suddenly, the protocol droid and its chair began fly about. Believing C3-P0 was truly a god…the Ewoks let them go.

Later that night…

"I have to go face my father, Leia." Luke said. "As long as I am here, I am endangering the mission."

"If you think so, then you have my blessing," Leia replied. She then looks at Mari. She, too, had to face her destiny.

"Mari?"

Mari looks down at Zeus.

"Um…"

"Don't say anything," Zeus says. "I know that I tend to be over-bearing at times, but…"

"I know," Mari said, as she hugged her companion.

"Just…be careful."

"I will."

Luke and Leia hugged each other tightly, as did Mari and Leia, before Luke and Mari meet their destiny. Leia had much to think about. After all…Luke was about to confront THEIR father…

END FLASHBACK.

And now…it was time to confront the Empress Serenity.

While the Rebel attack force fight the Imperial forces, waiting for the shield surrounding the Death Star II to be dropped, Serenity, dressed in her full garb, sits patiently.

"I'm surprised that you chose this moment to confront me," Serenity says. "Then again…Fate is an interesting master."

Surrounding her was Lord Vader and Mara Jade; Supreme Moff T'Pol is conducting the operations of the defenses, with her former compatriots providing the defense.

"We will stop you the best way possible," Mari says. Both she and Luke had their hands still cuffed."

"Oh, where are my manners?" Serenity says, as she casually released Mari and Luke's handcuffs.

"The two have built their own weapons," Vader says, as he hands the devices to the Empress.

Serenity examines the weapons.

"Excellent craftsmanship. You do go work."

The two say nothing.

"Oh, did I mention that this FULLY OPERATIONAL battle-station is ready to fire its main weapon?"

As if on cue, the DS2 began firing it's main gun at the Rebel fleet.

"No!" Mari cried.

"Well…I WAS attacked first," Serenity says. "Of course…if you want me to call off the attacks, defeat my 'Hand'. And you, Mr. Skywalker…defeat my Sith Apprentice."

"In other words…WE join YOU," Luke said flatly.

"But of course. However…you could simply strike me down…but I don't think you have the guts, little boy! HOHOHOHOHOHO-!"

In anger, Luke willed his 'saber to his hand, ran quickly to Serenity's position, and tried to strike her down…

SNAP! Hzzzz-

SNAP! Hzzzz-

BLAM!

"Humph," Serenity said. "I guess you chose the hard way of doing things."

Vader willed the Force, by flinging Luke back.

"Luke!"

Mara gets into Mari's face.

SNAP! Hzzzz…

"No," Mara replies.

With tears in her eyes, Mari willed her 'saber to her.

"Then so be it…"

The fight was brutal. However, the two Jedi were clearly out-classed, since both Vader and Mara were in their prime…thanks to Serenity's efforts. Vader deftly removed Luke's weapon from his hand, after a lucky strike to the stomach, and was ready to strike his own son down-

"No!" Mari said, as she dropped her weapon, and ran to Luke's side.

Empress Serenity rose to her feet…fingers crackling with power, as she was prepared to deliver the death sentence.

"And so it ends for the much vaunted Jedi," Serenity says. "I'm sorry that this is the end, but I cannot allow an unknown variable to live-"

Stop…

Huh? Serenity thought to herself.

You cannot do this, my daughter. Do you see what you are about to destroy?

Serenity looks at Mari cradling Luke's limp form…

"What is THIS that I feel from these two?" Serenity says to herself.

Mara steps out in front.

"What you are feeling…is love," Mara replied. "It is something that you have forgotten…Usagi."

And that's when Mara changes to her true form…Ranma Saotome.

"R-Ranma?"

"Yes," Ranma replied.

"I thought…I thought you were no more, after I…stripped you of your essence; your true self."

Ranma was stripped of his male form and his memories, when he had initially confronted Serenity.

"Well…I kind of had helped from the Jedi Obi-Wan Kenobi."

Luke managed to lift his head up.

"Ben is alive?" Luke manages to say.

"Impossible!" Vader interrupted. "He should have died when he tried to escape from his confinement!"

"Well…it was me who is at fault, here. True, I was assigned to escort Kenobi to his new "home" on Dantooine, and that he managed to cause the accident on our transport as a means of escape. However, we ended up on an uncharted planet, where we were forced to work together. And it was he who helped me to restore my true self."

"Then why did you continue to work for the Empress?" Mari asked.

Ranma grinned.

"Who do you think was giving intel to the Bothans, who, in turn, gave it to the Rebels? And who assisted in a certain Sailor Io's escape?"

"Oh."

"Then…then you betrayed me?" Serenity fumed.

Ranma gently took Serenity's hands.

"This is NOT you. True, you are destined for greatness. And true, you are a stabilizing force in this galaxy. But you lack the one thing necessary to be a good leader: compassion."

Serenity sighs. She then touches her com-link (that looked like a bracelet).

"Supreme Moff T'Pol, this is Serenity."

"T'Pol speaking," came the reply.

"New orders: contact the Rebel Alliance to sue for…a ceasefire."

"Ma'am?"

"It's time for a new order…"

In the days and weeks of the ceasefire, the two factions engaged in intense negotiations. In exchange for amnesty for all parties concerned, monetary restitution was made. Secondly, the government was restructured, granting the restored Supreme Chancellor and Galactic Senate greater political powers than the Empress (though she would remain "commander-in-chief" of the military, as well as "head of state" status). Furthermore, the restored Jedi Order, headed by Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, would fall directly under the jurisdiction of the SC, thereby providing over-sight. Thus, a constitutional monarchy was formed, under the banner of the revised Galactic Imperium; Coruscant and Byss would serve as the twin planets that would administer the galaxy, with Empress Serenity conducting her business on Byss.

There were still those who liked the idea of being a part of an empire, especially since Serenity had conquered TWO galaxies during her reign, and was more or less fair, if not brutal, than not.

Finally, there was one more thing to do.

Location: Naboo.

A year later…

"I would like to propose a toast," Senator T'Pol says, as she raised her glass to the newlyweds. "May you live long and prosper."

"HOORAY!" yelled the crowd.

Since leaving her position as the Supreme Moff, T'Pol has been working on providing greater input in the affairs of the Imperium as Vulcan's representative. Thanks to cloning and the Force, T'Pol is still as young and vivacious as ever. Even the old crew of the ISS Enterprise seems to be doing well for themselves, including Prince Archer of the new "Black Sun Empire". After his beheading, one of his agents incorporated Darth Sidious' midichlorians (that which Serenity had originally regurgitated in an effort to rid herself of her predecessor's influences) into his new body, thus merging Archer with Sidious' essence. Needless to say, this combined being challenged Serenity for the title Lord of the Sith…and failed spectacularly (mainly thanks to Serenity incorporating her mother's essence into herself after Archer had died). However, a deal was cut that would allow Prince Archer to reform the Black Sun Empire, and conduct special operations for Serenity within the criminal world…as well as secretly assist the Romulan Commander Sela from the other timeline (Serenity STILL wanted to hurt her alternate counterpart). And unknown to the both of them, Mara Jade (aka "Ranma Saotome") would do her best to undermine them both…for Serenity's own good. So, that's that.

In the meantime, the recently wedded Luke and Mari Skywalker (now dubbed Jedi Masters), and Han and Leia Solo sat in the spot in front of everyone at the reception hall. While Luke would go on to help "Ben" reform the Jedi (having retired from the military as a "General", Mari will continue to serve the Imperium as an Admiral. Princess Leia would work with her father in political circles as a Senator of the restored Alderaan, while Han will go into business with Lando and Chewbacca doing…something.

Meanwhile, Luke did notice a bit of sadness in Mari's eyes.

"Mari, what's wrong."

"Oh, it's nothing," Mari replied.

"Come on, really. What's wrong?"

"I wish my parents were here."
"Then we arrived just in time," said a voice.

Mari looked up to see Sailor Pluto, and-

"Mom! Dad!" Mari said, as she leaped over the table, with her wedding dress on, and hugged her parents.

"Mari!" Lyta said, as she hugged her lost darling.

"We finally found you!" said Andrew.

Zeus, who was lying at Mari's feet, comes running up to see her charge's parents.

"Ma'am, sir, it's good to see you two again," Zeus says.

"Well…we're just glad that you took care of Mari during all this time," Andrew says.

"Even though we are STILL upset at Setsuna for doing what she did," Lyta said, as she glared at the Senshi of Pluto, we're just happy to see."

"How come you two look so young?" Mari asked.

"It was only a few minutes for us, Mari dear," Andrew says.

"Wow…"

"Mari?" Luke asked, as he steps forth.

"So, you're man who is marrying my baby-girl," Andrew said, as he shook Luke's hand. "I DO hope that you have been honorable in this regard."

"Um…"

"DAD!" Mari whined.

"Then you ARE a virgin!" Lyta says happily. "I'm so proud that you waited until your wedding night."

"MOM!"

Meanwhile…

"Look at them," Padme said, as she cuddled her husband. Thanks to Serenity, she was brought back to life. "Were we like that, once?"

"No, I was WORSE," Anakin replied, having gave up his Sith persona for good. He wanted to be just himself with his beloved for a change, maybe help Ben restore the very order he had helped to destroy. At least, he can have this bit of peace before deciding his future.

Location: Byss.

"Rise," Serenity says, as she stood back. "From this day forth, you will be known as…Darth Vilde."

Ranma Saotome rose, as he accepted the role of Serenity's Sith Apprentice. After all, his work to help Usagi see the light is a never-ending battle. Besides, if his altered counterpart can be present for HIS Usagi, then perhaps he could be there for HIS. And from Serenity's premonitions, the arrival of the Yuuzhan Vong in twenty years will force both Sith and Jedi to work together to save the Galactic Imperium…

25 ABY: Coruscant.

The Supreme Yuuzhan Vong leader was at a lose for words. He could have sworn that the 'Vong's push into this galaxy, all in the name of a Luddite-like ideology, would be a cakewalk. After all, these creatures relied on machines for their sustenance.

How wrong he was.

Standing shoulder to shoulder was Empress Serenity, the Lord of the Sith, and Chancellor Anakin Skywalker, the Grandmaster of the Jedi. And around them was the combined might of the chaos incarnate Sith, and the order minded Jedi. Together, they were "The Grey", the completion of the Force.

Meanwhile, Lady Mari Furuhata-Skywalker, although she was pushing forty these days, wanted to fight alongside her husband and children. Zeus, who was watching her new grandchild Makoto on Tattooine, would be proud of her.

In unison-

SNAP! Hzzzzz…

Dozens of different colored lightsabers were lit and ready for action.

"Now, 'Supreme Leader'," Serenity began.

"Let's negotiate," Anakin finished.

The Supreme Yuuzhan Vong could only sweat-drop in reply.

Fin.

Author's note: That's that. I'm done. I do hope you liked what you read. So, until next, peace.