Between Two Worlds: A Prequel to the Mandalorian Series

Chapter 35: A New Hope - 1 BBY to 0 ABY

     Instead of immediately returning to the rebel base on Yavin 4, General Kyra Kryze-Kenobi stayed on Lothal to help repair the damage the Empire had inflicted. Nearly a year after the Liberation of Lothal, Kyra and the Spectres were instructed by Rebel Command to engage an Imperial fleet above the tropical planet of Scarif, where they distracted the enemy forces and allowed the ground teams to recover the plans for the Empire's superweapon – the Death Star – to the rebel fleet. Those plans were then relayed to the Tantive IV and transferred to the capable hands of Princess Leia Organa, who had immediately traveled to Tatooine in search of Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi, hoping to recruit him to their cause.

     The Ghost and her crew were lucky to survive the Battle of Scarif, many of their comrades had perished at the hands of the Empire while trying to steal the Death Star's plans. After returning to Lothal, Kyra entered the apartment she shared with Alexsandr Kallus and threw her leather jacket into the closet, staring at her armor – which had been in her closet ever since the Liberation of Lothal – for a moment before returning to the living room, where she found General Hera Syndulla waiting for her with a small child in her arms. The boy – around two months old – greatly resembled his father, though the Twi'lek blood running through his veins gave the tips of his ears a dark green tinge and turned his hair the same color.

     "So much has happened since Lothal, I didn't get a chance to introduce the two of you," Hera said as Kyra sat next to her dear friend. "This is Jacen. Jacen, say hi to your Aunt Kyra."

     Jacen favored his aunt with a toothless grin as Hera handed the boy to Kyra, who gently bounced him in her arms.

     "He's shown signs," Hera stated quietly, answering the question that Kyra had been about to ask.

     "That's not surprising, given who his father was," Kyra replied as the baby's delicate hand wrapped around her finger.

     "It isn't my place, but I was wondering if you—if you would—" Hera started, sighing as she tried to gather her thoughts. "He's going to need a mentor, Kyra. A guide. Someone to teach him the ways of the Force. And there's no one I trust more than you."

     Kyra looked from Jacen to Hera, then back to the boy again, the child representing both the future of the Force and the galaxy as a whole. She handed Jacen back to his mother and stood, stalling as she poured a glass of blue milk for each of them. As Kyra returned to the living room and placed Hera's glass on the table in front of her, she started to speak, but stopped when a disturbance in the Force pierced her like a knife. Kyra dropped her glass, which shattered as she fell to the floor. As Hera sat beside Kyra, she closed her eyes and tried to block the millions of voices crying out in terror. Just when Kyra thought she could not take their agony any longer, the screams were cut short by a terrible weapon, the plans of which had been stolen by the rebels less than a month ago.

     Kyra took several shaky breaths and tried to prevent herself from hyperventilating, not sure of how much time had passed since she collapsed. When Hera's hand slipped into hers, she held it tightly, only opening her eyes when she heard someone enter the apartment. Kyra met Alex's eyes as he knelt beside her, the former Imperial out of breath and pale, a haunted look in his eye.

     Without having to ask, Kallus answered Kyra's silent question, "The Empire. T-they've destroyed Alderaan. It's gone."

     "The Death Star," Kyra said quietly, Kallus nodding even though she had been stating rather than asking. "Bail...Breha...They're gone, aren't they?"

     The subsequent silence that followed told Kyra all she needed to know.

     "And Leia?" Kyra whispered.