The desert winds howled as the triple moons began to rise above the horizon, casting pale light over the towering sandstone walls of Fortress Zarrak, the last major stronghold of the Hutt-aligned slaver cartels on Tatooine.
Inside, mercenary sharpshooters lined the walls. Portable shield emitters hummed with violet energy. High-value slaves were shackled in the inner courtyard. And at the center, cloaked in darkness, Aurra Sing leaned against a pillar—her pale skin ghostly in the moonlight, a long rifle slung across her back, Saber hilt hanging from her hip. She narrowed her eyes.
The Jedi were coming.
The sands exploded as three gunships landed in a staggered V-formation outside the fortress gate. Paladin troopers and 501st clones spilled out in perfect synchronicity, forming a semi-circle around the gate.
Anakin Skywalker stepped off the lead gunship, his amethyst lightsaber already active, reflecting off his armored robes.
At his side were Sarah, and Ahsoka, crouched and ready,, her eyes focused.
Anakin surveyed the stronghold with the calm of a general and the anger of a former slave.
"This ends tonight."
The Assault Begins
Captain Rex raised his hand, signaling the breach teams.
"Blast charges!"
With a thunderous BOOM, the front gate erupted, sending chunks of durasteel and stone flying.
The clones stormed in first, laying down suppressive fire as they cleared the way. Paladins moved in tight squads, deflecting blaster bolts and engaging mercenaries
Anakin moved like a blade in a storm—leading from the front, parrying bolts, tossing enemies aside with the Force. His presence was a beacon, every move commanding the battlefield.
Sarah flanked him with a fireteam of Spartans, taking the high walls by force, disabling turrets, and slicing through Hutt war droids with merciless efficiency.
Ahsoka moved with speed and grace, slipping through side corridors, freeing prisoners, and engaging patrols with confidence.
But something else moved in the shadows.
The Duel
Aurra Sing emerged from the upper balcony of the fortress as Ahsoka rounded the northern corridor, flanked by two Paladins.
Ahsoka paused, her sabers glowing softly in the gloom. "Aurra Sing."
Sing sneered. "Jedi brat. You're not ready for me."
"It's Jadaii, and we wont know until I beat you ."
Ahsoka lunged.
The clash was instant. Sing activated her crimson lightsaber, her attacks brutal and direct—countering Ahsoka's acrobatics with grounded, vicious strikes. Sparks flew as blades met. The corridor echoed with the hiss and clash of combat.
Ahsoka ducked low, rolled beneath a slash, and brought her sabers up—but Sing countered with a spinning kick that sent Ahsoka crashing into the wall.
"You're fast," Sing growled, stalking closer. "But you lack edge."
Ahsoka's eyes narrowed. "I learn fast."
The next exchange was faster. Ahsoka pushed with the Force, throwing Sing off balance. She flipped overhead, slashing—Sing blocked it, but Ahsoka's other blade came from the opposite angle and cut through Sing's shoulder armor.
Sing screamed in pain and fury, lunging for a killing blow.
Ahsoka disarmed her in a blinding twist of both sabers, kicked the saber hilt down the hallway, and locked eyes with her foe.
"It's over."
Sing spat. "You won't kill me."
"I don't need to," Ahsoka said, swinging her saber into the ceiling supports, collapsing the walkway and dropping a blast door between them.
Below – Anakin and Sarah Push the Advance
Anakin carved through a line of slaver brutes as he and Sarah fought their way to the inner courtyard.
They reached the holding cells, releasing over a hundred captives. Anakin stood guard as Sarah and the medics helped the injured.
An explosion rocked the far side of the fortress.
Rex's voice crackled over comms. "General, we've cleared the outer courtyard, but enemy reinforcements are tunneling in from below. We're getting weird seismic readings—heavy movement."
Anakin tensed.
"Sandcrawler?" Sarah asked.
"No," he said slowly. "Something worse."
The ground rumbled.
A low, monstrous growl echoed across the fortress as a portion of the southern wall collapsed, dust and rock exploding outward.
From the darkness emerged a massive creature—a Krayt Dragon, ancient and battle-scarred, at least thirty meters long, its scales glistening like obsidian in the moonlight. Its yellow eyes locked onto the battlefield with cold fury.
Slavers and clones alike froze in place, weapons trembling.
Rex's voice came over the comm again, quieter now. "Uh… General? Permission to retreat?"
Anakin stared at the beast, jaw tight.
The Krayt Dragon's roar shook the desert.
Its jaws unhinged with a scream that shattered stone and sent weaker-willed men collapsing in terror. The sands rippled as its massive claws tore through the outer wall of Fortress Zarrak, shaking the ground with every step.
But Anakin didn't move.
He stood tall before the ancient monster, his amethyst saber glowing bright in the rising moonlight.
At his side, Sarah unsheathed both golden blades, planting her feet into the cracked earth. Her body language was perfect: centered, calm, fearless.
Behind them, Ahsoka, Captain Rex, and two squads of Paladins and clones engaged the remaining mercenaries, covering the escape of the remaining slaves from the inner prison blocks.
"Clear the fortress!" Anakin commanded. "Rex, get everyone out! Ahsoka, cover the civilians—do not engage the dragon!"
Rex nodded. "Copy that. Let's move, men!"
Blaster fire erupted behind them, but Anakin didn't flinch. The dragon's eyes locked on him, as if it knew who the threat was.
It charged.
Sand exploded as the monster barreled forward. With a burst of Force-enhanced speed, Anakin and Sarah darted in opposite directions, circling the beast like twin comets.
Anakin slid low, slicing across one of the dragon's forelimbs, drawing a spray of molten ichor. It roared, twisting to bite—but Sarah was already on its back, her sabers carving a glowing path down its armored spine.
The Krayt Dragon bucked hard, throwing her off, but Anakin caught her, flipping her gently to the ground.
She landed in a crouch beside him. "Thanks."
"You're heavy," Anakin grunted.
"Its muscle," she grinned.
They dashed back in unison.
The beast swung its massive tail, crushing a piece of the outer wall. Anakin vaulted over it, landing a precise slash along the creature's flank, while Sarah stabbed into its side and climbed again, relentless.
Its claws struck near Sarah, knocking her off the creature again—but this time she used the momentum, flipping off a broken tower and driving both blades into its chest as she descended.
The dragon howled in agony.
Anakin landed opposite her, his saber held in reverse grip. He and Sarah shared a look—no words. They didn't need them.
They charged together.
They leapt, one after the other—Sarah angled toward the jaw, Anakin toward the heart. As she forced the dragon's mouth wide with the Force, Anakin spun in mid-air and hurled his saber deep into its throat.
The beast gurgled, staggered, and began to collapse.
Anakin held out his hand calling back his saber just as the Krayt Dragon's body hit the sand with an earth-shaking crash.
For a long moment, there was nothing but the sound of the wind.
Anakin and Sarah stood side by side, soaked in sweat and grit, staring at the dead creature before them.
"You fight like a well," Anakin said.
Sarah smirked. "You as well sir."
He let out a short laugh.
The fires were dying down. The fortress had been secured. Mercenaries captured. Slaves freed. Paladins and clones were working shoulder to shoulder to rebuild what could be salvaged into a new command post.
Anakin stood near the new command tent, wiping down his armor, his thoughts distant.
Sarah approached, her helmet off now, Her face was calm, but there was something in her eyes—unspoken tension.
"Lieutenant," she said, half teasing.
"Don't," Anakin replied, tired but amused.
They stood in silence for a moment before Anakin sighed and said, "I'm sorry."
She tilted her head. "For what?"
"For pushing you away. For not… acknowledging what this means. You didn't ask to be born. But you've done nothing but prove yourself."
Sarah looked away. "I wasn't looking for a father."
Anakin nodded. "I know. But… I'd still like a chance to get to know you. If it's not too late."
Sarah smiled softly, eyes shimmering just slightly. "It's not."
She held up two Krayt dragon pearls, one in each hand.
"I pulled these from the beast's belly before the medics moved it."
Anakin blinked in surprise. "Those are good prizes worth alot of money"
She nodded. "One for me. One for you. Cain said you're better at forging lightsabers than most. I'd like to make a new one. A proper one. With your help."
Anakin took the pearl and studied it in the fading light—warm, shimmering, alive with resonance.
He smiled. "Of course."
The command room of the Eternal Alliance flagship, Dawnfire, was alight with strategy projections.
Cain stood at the center table, flanked by Selene, Obi-Wan, Bo-Katan, and Commander Cody, each armored and prepared for battle.
Dozens of generals, Paladins, and Republic sympathizers were connected by holo-feed—officers who had answered the call for the Kadavo liberation.
Cain tapped a section of the hologram showing the main Zygerrian slave fortress.
"Kadavo is the core of their empire," Cain said. "Their slave markets, war factories, and torture camps are all centered in that prison."
Bo-Katan crossed her arms. "It's also where they're gathering remaining Death Watch extremists. Some may try to make it a last stand."
Obi-Wan looked grim. "There will be Jedi prisoners inside. Possibly children."
Cain nodded. "We get them out. We burn the system down. And we leave nothing behind."
He turned to the command crew, raising his voice.
"The time of indecision is over. The Eternal Alliance does not negotiate with slavers."
"Tomorrow," Cody said, stepping forward, "we bring war to their doorstep."
The chamber fell into determined silence.
Outside, the Eternal Fleet loomed—thousands of ships, from Paladin war cruisers to Mandalorian carriers, all waiting for the order.
Cain stared out the viewport, golden eyes glowing.
"Let the Siege of Kadavo begin."