Fan Fiction Prologue

 This is a rough cut of my fan fiction prolouge. I don't own the characters, not seeking money, and am only using this for entertainment purposes. Also, some mature themes are implied. 

Prologue

Ren sat on his throne, and was attempting to calm the rage growing at the holographic image before him. The Pyke Syndicate representative had told him of what had happened to the Marshall of Freetown on Tattooine. Not the leader of the syndicate, but a lackey tells him this. A lackey! And to top it off, without coming to him for approval, the Pyke's hired Cad Bane to do the shooting. And now take their turn on Boba Fett, who had done Ren a favor by killing Bib Fortuna, and had taken over Jabba the Hutt's organization.

"So let me get this straight." Ren said as calmly as possible. "You hired Cad Bane to kill a town Marshall because he interfered with a drop, and you now target Boba Fett because he approved the matter? Is that correct?"

"Yes, but the Marshall was not killed. Cad Bane only was to incapacitate him so as not to inspire Freetown residents to support Boba Fett." The representative said. Ren hated the fact that Pyke's wore masks so he couldn't read the man's expression. But Ren being unmasked could easily show his displeasure.

"And I wasn't consulted?!" Ren shouted. His blue eyes widened in anger and he stood up, letting his long brown-gray hair sweep off his shoulders. "And your leader Shaze Krim cannot bother to tell me this personally?!" He shouted louder.

"Well, you see he is busy at the moment-"

"ENOUGH!!" Ren yelled. He took a deep breath to calm down. Slightly calm down. This twerp needed to be made an example of. Otherwise the work he put in to take over the criminal syndicates after Qi'ra and Crimson Dawn had failed to stop the Sith would be all for nothing. The Knights of Ren took over without firing a shot, but by killing the leaders of Black Sun, the Pyke Syndicate and smaller organizations like Black Nebula. They answered to Ren. "Tell your BOSS that if anything happens to Boba Fett, I will see to it that he will suffer a long and miserable death." Another deep breath, and he unhooked his lightsaber and ignited it. "Or the Ren will have to provide some harsh discipline before I pass judgment." Ren in this case meaning the red blade of his lightsaber, and what not only was the origin of their name, but his as well. "Am I clear?" He calmly asked.

"Yes, Lord Ren. I will tell him!"

"Good." Ren turned his lightsaber off and placed it back on his belt. "Get out of my sight." With that the hologram disappeared. Ren then activated the lights. His fellow Knights stood before him. He then sat down on his throne, and had calmed down. Slightly.

"What now?" Asked Cindel, she had been one of the recent additions to the Knights. She wore the outfit of an Imperial gunner, complete with the helmet, which was opened to show her face. On her belt was one of the Sith lightsabers the Acolytes of the Beyond had acquired. She had green eyes and black hair hanging out the back of her helmet. "We aren't just going to sit back and do nothing are we?"

"Why not?" Another Knight, Vicrul, chimed in. "Would it be so bad if Fett took out Bane, and the Pyke's at the same time? We can always name their replacements."

"True, old friend." Ren said. "We could do that, but it would cost us tremendously in the long run. It has taken me this long to finally get the Underworld to respect and fear us. The Pyke's have violated the rules and must be punished."

"How do we do that?" Vicrul asked. "Stopping Cad Bane will be out of the question, he's been paid, and it is his duty to carry out the assignment."

"I took no action on Fett because I would have killed Bib anyway for skimming the prophets on slave trading, plus keeping the good ones to himself." Ren snapped his fingers and a woman came to him with a serving tray, which had his favorite alcoholic beverage, a cold, amber colored drink. She presented it to Ren and he took the glass off of it. He then waved her off, and she bowed her head and walked off. Komat, one of the last Acolytes of the Beyond had been made Ren's servant, among other things. Once she left he remembered what he was talking about and took a sip of his drink. "Vicrul, I want you to take some Knights with you to the Pyke's. Maim, but don't kill Shake Krim. If he shrieks like a whore about what you've done, tell him it's for going behind my back on Fett, and having a lackey tell me about it." Ren took another sip. "Kill the lackey. But dont use the Ren. Use your metal blade. I want them both to suffer."

"Done!" Vicrul turned his face to Cindel. "You want in on this?"

"Absolutely!" She exclaimed. She turned to Ren who took another sip of his drink and nodded. She turned to Vicrul and nodded. Vicrul took a couple more Knights, Ap'lek who used a giant ax, and Kuruk, who was a sniper. Vicrul made certain his lightsaber was on his belt before stretching out his hand and pulling his reaping blade from the armory wall. Moments later, they left. Ren then finished his drink.

"Komat!" He yelled. Komat quickly came as she was called.

"Yes, Lord Ren?"

"Bring in Xanatos and Ardella. Then leave for the night." Ren told her.

"Will you want me in your chambers tonight?" She asked. Ren could sense the fear in her voice. He enjoyed her "company", even more when she didn't. But he wasn't in the mood for that tonight. Komat was his prize after killing the last of the Acolytes, or the ones who resisted him anyway.

"No. You're free tonight, Komat." He handed her his empty glass. "Savor your freedom." Komat took the glass and hurried out. Ren then stood up and walked to the armory wall, which stored many of the Knights weapons. Including 2 masks. One was the mask of Darth Momin, recovered from Mustafar and a prized possession of Lord Vader. The other was the mask of Exim Panshard, and had been worn by Giza, an Acolyte of the Beyond who tried to kill Leia Organa and Han Solo. When she failed, the mask abandoned her. Ren could hear the voices of both masks calling him. Perhaps one day he would put one of them on, and unleash his true potential! If he only had the power to choke someone across space, like Palpatine and Vader had done to them during the Crimson Dawn Rebellion. Movement caught his eye. His two most powerful enforcers had come.

"These walls used to only have the weapons we stole, or created for out use." Ren told them. "The dark runs very strongly in you both, which gives you the edge." He then turned to face them. Xanatos wore the armor of the Imperial Deathtrooper, but with a helmet of a Phase I Clonetrooper painted in all black. On his belt, hung 2 lightsabers, stolen from the planet of Ilum. Ardella wore the outfit of a female Inquisitor, complete with a mask that hid her face, and one of their ring-bladed lightsabers. The only thing Ren knew about them was they found an Inquisitor enclave and raided it on Ilum, where the Empire mined the kyber crystals for the second Death Star. And, they were his best fighters. And rivals. Ren knew they wanted his title. Years ago, Ren had been an initiate, and schemed successfully to kill his predecessor and take the Ren lightsaber and title for himself. But, he had a job for them to do. If they got killed, he would have 2 less rivals. But if they succeeded, they could be trouble later on. "Take out Cad Bane, and Boba Fett. If they kill each other, that's fine. But should one be alive in the end, you know what to do. Now get going." With a nod they both left, leaving Ren to think about which person was best to run Boba's former organization.

Komat listened to Ren's orders and made her way to her chambers. Ren never came in here, he would call for her to join him in his. For once, she was grateful. Komat gave herself to Ren to save the life of her friend, Kiza and the a few other Acolytes. But while Ren let Kiza live he killed the ones who had no use to him. But fortunately, Komat had a secret. She had access to an information broker, one who also had no love for the Knights of Ren. In her dresser was a jury rigged communication panel, which she had taken from her ship and hidden in it. She activated a few dials and her contact appeared as a miniature hologram. Mara Jade had shoulder length red-gold hair, a dancer's figure and green eyes. And her arms were crossed. Hanging on her front left hip was a lightsaber.

"What do you have, Komat?" Mara asked.

"Ren is going after your old friend Boba Fett." Komat heard a noise by her door and came back to Mara. "They mean to kill him."

"I'll head to Mos Espa." Mara said as she uncrossed her arms. "Are you alright?"

"Tonight I'll be fine." Komat took a vial and injected it into her neck. "But my Bota supply is running out. I take this and he can't read my mind."

"Be careful with that stuff." Mara warned. "I can still get you out, Komat. Let me do this for you!"

"One day, I'll take you up on that offer. But I'm not leaving without Kiza. We've been through too much to just leave her here. I don't want Ren to do to her what he does to me!"

"Ren should be killed for what he does to both of you.  My offer to both of you still stands. Whatever it takes to get you BOTH out, I'll do it!"

"I believe you, Mara. But I have to go now, my signal could be traced." With that Komat signed off. And her plan of escape came into motion.

Mara clicked off the hologram, and buried her face in her hands. After taking a moment to process what happened she left her quarters and made her way to the bridge of the Jade's Fire. At the helm was her protocol droid, BT-17, a reprogrammed former Imperial intelligence droid.

"How is Komat?" He asked.

"Not well." Mara said as she sat next to him. "She's also taking Bota in heavy doses."

"Won't that enhance her Force abilities?"

"Yes, but Komat isn't Force sensitive. All she can do is cloud Ren's mind." Mara said as she dropped the Jade's Fire out of hyperspace. Mara glanced at BT-17 who she knew would want to know what she was doing. "We're going to Tatooine."

"Ah, we haven't been there since we helped Boba Fett deliver Han Solo to Jabba the Hutt. Why didn't the Emperor order us to stay there? He was after Luke Skywalker at the time."

"The Emperor sent another after Skywalker." Mara said as she set the new course and they were at light speed, destination: Mos Espa, Tatooine. "I lingered in the chamber when he gave the order. My fellow Hand failed to kill him."

"Do you intend to complete that task?" BT-17 asked. Mara paused for a moment.

"A few years ago I would have said yes. But these last 5 years you and I have helped so many people find what they need to move on." She then took the lightsaber off of her belt. "This was his once. The Emperor sent me to retrieve both this, and his severed hand at Bespin." Mara ignited it, the blue white blade was a sharp contrast to her previous purple bladed lightsaber which was destroyed in a recent confrontation with another Hand of the Emperor, Shira Brie. She deactivated it and put it back on her belt  "Besides, Luke Skywalker is the last person I would expect to ever see." She got up. "Take the helm, I need to check on our cargo. Have you reprogrammed them?"

"Yes, they should respond to your orders. It was quite difficult to do this, but they work."

"What would I do without you, BT?!" Mara said as she left the bridge.

"You'd be homeless and jobless." He muttered. But since there was no retort he assumed she didn't hear him. He enjoyed Mara's company, but also enjoyed annoying her. But as far as humans went, he was pleased to work with her.

Mara made her way to the cargo hold. The four large items they recently added were connected to a computer terminal. From what she knew of what recently happened at Mos Espa, Boba Fett would be outgunned. But what she feared would be retaliation by the Knights of Ren. That's why she carried the lightsaber.

"You better work out for me." Mara said as she stood in the center of the aisle. The four Darktroopers were in their charging bays, their power level was nearly full. She grabbed the lightsaber again, and the vision came back, just like her recent dreams. She and Luke Skywalker were in the middle of a half dozen Destroyer Droids, lightsabers deflecting blaster bolts. And both of them declaring their love for each other. "Dammit!" Mara said loudly, placing the lightsaber back on her belt. But if this vision was coming back, so would the other vision and dreams. The one in which she would be given the task by Emperor Palpatine, where he tells her the last words she ever heard him say: "You will kill Luke Skywalker!"