Guardians of Light

My Past

3667 - The Battle of Alderaan

Alderaan was a place of unspoiled beauty, dedicated to a peaceful existence within the chaos of the surrounding galaxy. 

Considered the 'Shining Star' of the Core Worlds, it was the very high esteem in which it was held that made it the perfect target for Imperial action. 

The peace and tranquillity were soon shattered when newly titled Darth Malgus led his troops in a devastating attack on the once beautiful landscape, burning cities and destroying lives in his wake. 

Lexa had passed the Jedi trials just over a year earlier and found herself on Alderaan at that historic moment. Her former master had requested her presence on the neutral planet to investigate, alongside fellow Jedi Knights, the circling rumours of Imperial interference in the political affairs of noble families. 

The request had not come as a surprise to the Jedi. She had passed her trials with flying colours in all areas, but her main strength had been focused on combat and control. Diplomatic processes were just as important in the galaxy and it was something that she required more experience in if she was to progress as a Jedi. 

Peace was only a distant dream if you could not overcome the need for action with the more persuasive routes of diplomatic communication. 

Lexa had been investigating leads at Apalis coast when the orbital bombardment began. Townships and settlements were destroyed in the most populous areas of the planet even before Malgus set foot on the surface. 

The air strike filled the atmosphere with thick, dark smoke and Lexa could only look on in horror as the distant plumes of smoke hurtled up from decimated buildings and landscape. 

Malgus' forces consisted of thousands of battle droids, fellow Sith and Imperial troops. It was an army that Alderaan was not prepared to counter. The Republic Navy had been diverted light years away and could not help any time soon. 

It was a disaster. 

Lexa had commandeered a speeder to cross to expanse of plains as fast as possible, but it was not enough. She knew that her fellow Jedi were in the presence of the noble houses but there was only so much they could do against the overwhelming numbers of enemy troops. 

As Darth Malgus set his sites on the Capital city, smaller battalions split away to crush any resistance they met on their mission to eradicate as many lives and settlements as possible. 

The Jedi did what she could, her lightsabre slicing through metal and bone alike as she directed fearful civilians towards relative safety, but it wasn't enough. 

Time was meaningless as city after city fell before the Sith Lord, unprepared and weak in the face of such power. 

Satele Shan, a fellow Jedi Knight, had managed to get a message though to the Republic, calling for reinforcements even as the situation fell into despair. The planet was all but lost.  

As terror and destruction descended over the planet, it was a great relief to all the defenders when the Republic Navy finally returned. By this time however, the noble families had already been captured and Malgus was well on his way to reaching the capital city, his march taking him directly through the Juran mountains.

'Lexa! Lexa do you copy?' 

The voice of Master Eadon bled through the comm link securely position at the Jedi's waist. 

Lexa gritted her teeth and leapt up into a forward somersault, straight over the final droids domed head as it followed her path with a blast of gunfire. She sliced her sabre down against the unprotected metal, tearing a ragged slash deep into its inner mechanics and the blaster fire ceased as quickly as it began, the droid collapsing in defeat.