Dedicated to sacredsonatas

     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.

     Kallus sighed, "The Tantive IV was intercepted by an Imperial Star Destroyer prior to reaching Tatooine and Organa was taken into custody. An escape pod was jettisoned, though Rebel Command has been unable to contact its occupants."

     Kyra excused herself and got to her feet, rushing into the bedroom and closing the door behind her as she slid to the floor and buried her face in her hands, her shoulders shaking as she wept. She wanted to scream, expel the anger and pain from her body, but she did not want to frighten the small boy that would surely hear her cry. She glanced over at her colorful armor that was visible through the open closet door and stood, taking the beskar off its stand and laying it out on the bed, along with her holstered WESTAR-35 pistols. Next she went to her closet and removed her Alderaanian uniform from the wooden rod it hung on, clenching her jaw as she suppressed the fresh wave of grief that washed over her.

     She laid her uniform on the bed next to her armor and retrieved the Medal of Bravery Senator Bail Organa had given her for rescuing Leia, running her thumb along its golden surface before setting it on top of her uniform. She unclipped her lightsaber from her belt and stared at the bronze, brown, and silver hilt for a moment before placing it between her Mandalorian armor and her Alderaanian uniform. As she stared at these items, Kyra realized that she was now a daughter – and princess – of two lost worlds, both taken from her by the Empire. Kyra had struggled her entire life to balance the two different cultures she had been born into, the Mandalorians and the Jedi.

     When her life had been thrown upside down because she belonged to both of these worlds, the Organas had taken her in and made her feel welcome, despite her conflicting bloodlines being completely different from the peaceful world of Alderaan and its people. Now she had lost the one family who helped her embrace all sides of her identity, and the one place where she did not feel obligated to decide between the teachings of her father and the legacy of her mother. Kyra closed her eyes as she began to meditate, an idea coming to her a few moments later. Standing, Kyra took her uniform and cut it apart with a pair of shears, modifying the cape and tunic to resemble the traditional robes of a Jedi Knight.

     She left the cape on her bed, having seen the number of cloaks that were discarded before battle during the Clone Wars. The uniform's pants did not need to be modified, and she pulled them on before trying out her newly made tunic, which fit perfectly. She slipped into her black, knee-high boots and cinched her belt around her waist, attaching the holsters and the pistols they contained. She considered attaching her shoulder pauldrons and chest-plate to her tunic, but decided against it, knowing the armor would hinder her maneuverability in the loose-fitting robes. After a moment, she clipped her lightsaber to her belt and walked over to the floor length mirror.

     She braided her hair and coiled her bright red locks atop her head, as Queen Breha Organa had taught her to do when she was a little girl. Satisfied, Kyra returned the rest of her armor to the stand and grabbed the Medal of Bravery before finally returning to the living room, where she found Kallus and Hera waiting with three shot glasses containing an Alderaanian brandy Kryze had been saving for a special occasion.

     Hera handed one of the small glasses to Kyra and said, "To Alderaan."

     "To Mandalore," Alex added.

     "To the Rebellion," Kyra finished, the trio holding up their drinks before tossing them back.

     Kyra crouched in front of Jacen, who sat on the couch, and gave him the Medal of Bravery, "Keep this safe for me, youngling."

     Jacen Syndulla giggled as he stuck the medal in his mouth, smiling happily at his new found friend, who stood and turned to find Kallus wearing a holster and satchel. Kyra tried to find the words to thank him, but when she could not, she settled for pulling both Kallus and Hera into her arms.

     "Take the Phantom," Hera said. "Contact me if you need anything."

     "I will," Kyra assured her. "May the Force be with you."

                                                                      ...

     Alex let Kyra fly, and after a short period of time, the Phantom II broke through the upper atmosphere of Tatooine. Kyra piloted the Neimoidian shuttle low over the Dune Sea, and eventually the Force guided her to the Lars Homestead, Kenobi circling over the moisture farm several times before finally setting the Phantom II down. As she walked down the main ramp, the house came into view and confirmed Kyra's suspicions. The Empire had already been there. They were too late. The charred remains of Owen and Beru Lars depicted their final moments, ones wrought with torment and fear.

     Kyra asked Kallus to stay with the ship, and when he instantly argued, she said, "If we leave the Phantom undefended, the Jawas will strip it for parts and we'll be stranded here."

     Before Kallus could reply, Kyra drew her blasters and quickly searched the home for its third resident, relieved when she did not find the body of Luke Skywalker. Knowing that the boy – now nineteen years old – would have found his way to her father's small hut in the nearby canyon, that was where Kyra decided to search next. Obi-Wan's latest residence was only slightly larger than the cave he had inhabited nine years ago, though the furnishings were more like that of an actual dwelling. At some point, her father had decided that this cabin was more than just a refuge from the heat, that he had, in fact, begun to think of this barren planet as home.

     Kyra entered the house but stopped just inside the threshold, the uneasiness growing in the pit of her stomach giving her pause. As Kyra holstered her pistols and ignited her lightsaber, she heard Kallus draw his own blaster, Alex following close behind her as she explored the small residence. They quickly searched the front half of the house, and when they did not find an intruder, they moved through the living room and into the small dining area, which was adjacent to the equally petite kitchen. While Kyra went into the bedroom and looked for the cause of her apprehension, Kallus remained in the hallway to prevent any would-be invaders from sneaking up behind them.

     When Kyra found nothing amiss in the bedroom, she deactivated her saber and clipped it to her belt, resting a hand on each of her holstered blasters. When someone grunted in the hall, followed by another person cursing in Huttese, Kyra quickly crept towards the hall and stood to one side of the door, listening. A lone blaster shot echoed through the small house, and Kyra drew one of her blasters, holding it in a two-handed grip as she cleared the threshold. Kallus was nowhere to be seen, and the house had fallen silent once more, the bench seat that served the dining room now scarred by a sole plasma bolt.

     As she crept through the house, inhaling and exhaling through her mouth to quiet her breathing, Kyra's footsteps made no noise. She stopped just short of the kitchen and side-stepped to her right, her back against the pantry and blaster pointed at the ceiling. Kyra took a deep breath and held it, waiting for the intruder to give themself away. After several moments, when she was rewarded by the sound of a floorboard creaking, Kyra stepped around the corner and found herself face-to-face with another Mandalorian. His olive-colored armor was dented and scratched, but the blaster he was holding to Kallus's head was in pristine condition.

     "Lower your blaster, General," the Mandalorian instructed, and Kyra recognized his voice as that of a clone trooper.

     "I'll lower mine once you lower yours, Trooper," Kyra replied.

     "I may be a clone, but I never served your Republic," the Mandalorian countered, revulsion lacing his voice. "The troopers who owed my father their very lives fought against him."

     "Boba Fett," Kyra stated, and the bounty hunter nodded.

     "Drop your blaster, General," Fett repeated. "Make no mistake, I will gladly settle for one rebel prisoner if I have to shoot your partner."

     Ignoring the bounty hunter's instructions, Kyra said, "I thought you worked for Jabba the Hutt."

     "I do," Boba acknowledged. "But the Empire pays well for traitors and other high-profile targets such as yourself."

     "As flattered as I am to discover the Empire considers me a 'high-profile target,' I won't be dropping by to thank them anytime soon," Kyra retorted. "Drop your weapon. I'll only ask once more."

     When Fett scoffed and started to reply, Kyra shot him in the chest, using the Force to prevent his index finger from pulling the trigger. Kallus quickly moved to Kyra's side as Boba groaned and fell to the ground, trying in vain to hold onto his blaster as Kryze used the Force to pull the weapon out of his hands. When Boba raised his right arm and launched a small projectile from his vambrace, Kyra tackled Kallus to the ground and covered her head as the sandstone wall crumbled around them. Kyra got to her feet but was quickly pushed into the dining room table by Boba, who pinned her down and held her in a chokehold.

     Kyra tried to break out of the bounty hunter's grip as he constricted her airway, but Boba stabbed her upper left thigh with the knife concealed in his right vambrace. Kyra gasped for air as she fought with Boba, kicking him in the groin when he tried to take one of her blasters. The bounty hunter staggered backwards, breathing hard as the two opponents took a moment to collect themselves. When Boba straightened and pulled a dagger from his boot, Kyra did the same, unprepared for the searing pain that tore through her side. Kyra cried out, only partially aware of Kallus tackling Boba as she fell to the ground and experienced another fight on a distant battle station.

     "The circle is now complete," Darth Vader stated. "When I left you, I was but the learner. Now I am the master."

     "Only a master of evil, Darth," Obi-Wan Kenobi replied as his lightsaber collided with Vader's.

     "Your powers are weak, old man," Vader claimed as his saber carved a gash in the wall, narrowly missing his previous.

     "You can't win, Darth," Obi-Wan said, refusing to use the name of his fallen padawan. "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

     "You should not have come back," Vader growled as the battle continued.

     The duel was short-lived, as Kyra knew it would be. Obi-Wan Kenobi closed his eyes and held his lightsaber in front of him, a small smile on the Jedi Master's face even as the monster once known as Anakin Skywalker delivered the killing blow.

     Kyra remained paralyzed for several moments, clutching her left side in the same place her father had been struck, unwilling to believe that her last living family member was now one with the Force. Unable to believe the man who had fought bravely in the Clone Wars, the man who had survived the Great Jedi Purge and persevered after the death of his lover, the man who had been her father and mentor, was gone. She heard someone yell in pain and turned to see Boba standing over Kallus, the fight having moved into the living room. Clenching her jaw, Kyra got to her feet and rushed towards Boba, not about to let fate take Alex from her as well.

     When Fett saw Kyra coming, he activated his jetpack and tried to fly away, but Kenobi prevented him from doing so. She used the Force to stop him in his tracks and slashed through his jetpack with her lightsaber before releasing him, sending the bounty hunter spiraling into the canyon below. Kyra knelt beside Kallus and grimaced when she saw the stab wound in his upper abdomen, the red stain on his shirt small but steadily growing larger. Kyra glanced at the front door, and when she was sure Boba Fett would not return, she lifted Kallus's shirt and placed her hand on his stomach. Closing her eyes, Kyra slowed her breathing as she transferred a portion of her life force to Alex.

     The jagged wound slowly closed and Kallus's shallow breathing began to stabilize, the color returning to his face. Kallus sat up and pulled Kyra into his arms, brushing her hair out of her face as she angrily wiped away the tears that streamed down her face.

     "What happened?" he asked quietly, gently raising her chin so she met his eyes.

     "My father's gone. I saw him die, watched Vader kill him, but there was nothing I could do," Kyra whispered angrily.

     She buried her face in Kallus's neck and screamed, finally releasing the anger and misery that had been building inside of her, the force of her muffled cry knocking over several items in the living room and shaking the house's foundations. Kallus stroked her hair, hanging back when she got to her feet and stormed out of her father's cabin because he knew she needed space. Kyra drew her blasters as the bright suns nearly blinded her, but there was no one to shoot at and nothing to destroy.

     Looking up at the sky, Kyra spoke to the Force, "Why did you tell me who I was? Why did you allow me to love, knowing full well I wouldn't be able to set aside my feelings and turn off the pain when I lost everyone I cared about? Why did you give me these powers, these abilities, when you knew I wouldn't be able to save the ones I love?"

     "You saved me," Kallus answered, and when Kyra did not turn to face him, he moved in front of her, forcing her to look at him.

     "There's something I need you to tell me, Kyra, because I've been trying to figure it out for a while now, and I haven't been able to," he said frustratedly. "You and I have been together for a year, known each other for longer, but I hardly know who you are. I know when something's bothering you even though you never tell me anything, and I can't, for the life of me, understand why. Don't you trust me? All this time—Have you ever loved me?"

     Kyra's heart broke when she saw the pain in Kallus's eyes, a pain she had caused. Because she knew that words would not console him, Kyra wrapped her arms around Alex and pulled him close, putting every ounce of the love she felt for him into the kiss until she was sure he knew how she felt.

     "I do love you, Alex," she whispered. "Which is why we can't be together. Everyone I love ends up getting hurt simply because I care about them."

     Kallus closed his eyes, and when a single tear trickled down his cheek, Kyra gently wiped it away. She grasped both of his hands and hoped that, by sharing the voices and visions that constantly tormented her, Kallus would understand why their relationship had to end.

     "Remember, my dear Obi-Wan...my sweet Kyra...I've loved you always. I always will," Duchess Satine Kryze said with her last breath, caressing her lover's face and squeezing her daughter's hand.

     "Anakin is gone," the Sith Lord claimed, and because the modulator in his helmet had been destroyed, his voice was an eerie mix of both Darth Vader and Anakin Skywalker. "I am what remains."

     "You abandoned me! You abandoned your people! Where were you when Mandalore fell?" Bo-Katan Kryze retorted as horrible visions filled Kyra's mind.

     One by one, Kanan Jarrus looked to Kyra, then Ezra Bridger, and finally Hera Syndulla before launching the gunship away from the fuel depot and letting the fire consume him, the Jedi sacrificing himself to save his lover, student, and fellow Knight of the Jedi Order.

     "You can't win, Darth," Obi-Wan said, refusing to use the name of his fallen padawan. "If you strike me down, I shall become more powerful than you can possibly imagine."

     "You should not have come back," Vader growled as he delivered the killing blow.

     "Loss will be your constant companion, Kyra. Those you love will either betray you, perish, or be pushed away by your own hand because you are destined to be alone," Darth Maul growled as memories from the Night of a Thousand Tears and the Great Jedi Purge rushed through Kryze's mind.

     When Kyra let go of Kallus's hand, he shivered and took a shaky breath, looking down at the ground as he collected himself.

     "That's what you deal with on a regular basis?" he asked incredulously.

     Kyra nodded, "More or less."

     Kallus took another deep breath as he looked out at the canyon behind them before finally meeting Kyra's eyes.

     "I understand why you feel the way you do, but I'm not going anywhere, Kyra. If we can't be lovers, then we can still be friends," Alex said. "You need to surround yourself with people who care about you, Kyra, with people who support you. You don't have to face your demons alone."

     Kyra sighed, "I know. Thank you for understanding."

     "Of course," Kallus replied as they walked back to the Phantom II. "I just wish you would've told me sooner."

     "I'm sorry," she whispered as she settled into the pilot's seat. "For everything."

     "It's alright," Alex assured her as he gave her hand a squeeze.

     A small, grateful smile appeared on Kyra's face, and when her comlink beeped a moment later, Hera stated, "We've been instructed to return to Yavin Four. That's all I know."

     "We'll be there," Kyra replied as she ignited the shuttle's engines, injecting a vial of bacta into her leg as she made the jump to lightspeed.

     Kyra rendezvoused with the Ghost above Yavin 4, the rebels landing near the command center and finding that the base was bustling with activity. Pilots, officers, and soldiers ran to their stations while those still waiting to receive their orders helped move supplies and prepare starfighters for takeoff.

     As Kyra, Hera, and Kallus disembarked, an officer ran up to Kenobi and said, "General, Princess Leia wishes to see you. She's in the command—"

     Before the officer could finish, Kyra sprinted towards the ancient temple that housed the majority of the rebel fleet, her eyes frantically searching for her adopted sister. Luckily, Leia was easy to find, her white dress – though tarnished – stood out against the dark stone walls of the temple. The women locked eyes and ran towards each other, neither wanting to let go of the other as they embraced. Kyra kissed the top of her sister's head and tried to tell her how much she loved Leia's parents, but found herself unable to speak, the lump in her throat refusing to go away no matter how many times she swallowed.

     Leia sighed and stared at her feet, giving Kyra's hand a squeeze as she quietly said, "We have no time for sorrows, General. You must use the information in this Artoo unit to help plan the unit attack. It's our only hope."

     When Leia gestured to the blue and white astromech behind her, Kyra's jaw dropped and she knelt in front of the droid, "Artoo? How did you get yourself into this mess?"

     R2-D2 beeped and whistled, giving Kyra a short version of how he and C-3P0 had crash-landed on Tatooine before coming into the possession of Luke Skywalker, which led to a reunion with Obi-Wan and an adventure aboard the Death Star, the superweapon currently making its way towards Yavin 4.

     After the schematics for the mobile battle station had been downloaded, General Jan Dodonna gathered the more experienced rebel pilots and reported, "The battle station is heavily shielded and carries a firepower greater than half the starfleet. Its defenses are designed around a direct, large-scale assault. A small, one-man fighter should be able to penetrate the outer defense."

     "Pardon me for asking, sir, but what good are snub fighters against that?" Captain Jon Vander asked as he gestured to the blueprints.

     "The Empire doesn't consider a small, one-man fighter to be any threat, or they'd have a tighter defense," Dodonna explained as he enlarged the schematics, focusing on a specific portion of the Death Star. "An analysis of the plans provided by Princess Leia has demonstrated a weakness in the battle station. The approach will not be easy. You're required to maneuver straight down this trench and skim the surface to this point. The target area is only two meters wide. It's a small thermal exhaust port right below the main port. The shaft leads directly to the reactor system. A precise hit will start a chain reaction which should destroy the station.

     "The shaft is ray-shielded, so you'll have to use proton torpedoes. Man your ships, and may the Force be with you," Dodonna finished, and the pilots ran to the main hangar bay.

     Kyra changed into an orange flight suit and was heading towards the Y-wing assigned to her when someone called her name. When Kyra turned to find a young man with sand-colored hair standing behind her, she instantly recognized him as the son of Anakin Skywalker and Padmé Amidala, the twin brother of Leia Organa.

     "General Kenobi? I know we haven't met, but I wanted to introduce myself. I'm—" the young man started, but Kyra held up a hand and stopped him.

     "We've met before, though I doubt you remember. You were just a little boy. It's nice to officially meet you, Luke," she said, a small smile appearing on her face. "My father spoke highly of you."

     "I wish Ben were here," Luke replied quietly, and Kyra placed a hand on his shoulder.

     "He's with us," she assured him, lacing her voice with an optimism she wished she felt.

     When she gestured to the nearest X-wing and asked if he was joining the assault team, Luke nodded, "I'll be up there with you."

     "Take Artoo with you," Kyra said. "That little droid and I have been through a lot together. He's the best there is."

     Luke smiled, looking more like his father than ever as he stated, "I know. Good luck up there, General."

     "Call me Kyra," Kryze said as she walked towards her bomber. "And Luke, may the Force be with you."

     Skywalker nodded and ran towards his own starfighter as Kyra climbed up the ladder and settled into her small cockpit. Kallus climbed up the ladder as a red and white astromech was placed in the droid socket and the ground crew removed the fuel lines.

     "Hera and I have been asked to remain here," he told her. "Be careful. We'll be waiting for you when you get back."

     Kallus rested his forehead against Kyra's for a moment, Alex reluctantly climbing down when the Phoenix Squadron was instructed to prepare for takeoff. Kyra put her helmet on as the dome was closed and the cockpit was pressurized, the engines growling as they came to life. She joined the thirty other rebels – consisting of X-wing, A-wing, and Y-wing pilots – as they flew towards the Death Star, which was fifteen minutes away from completing its orbit around Yavin. As she passed through the battle station's magnetic field, Kyra activated her deflector shields and stared at the Death Star, unable to comprehend the magnitude of the Imperial superweapon even though it was right in front of her.

     "Look at the size of that thing," Lieutenant Wedge Antilles marveled, his thoughts echoing her own.

     Kyra took a deep breath and followed the Gold Squadron as the Red Squadron moved into attack position, drawing the Imperial fire. As Kyra flew low over the Death Star's surface, she dropped two of her charges and destroyed a pair of gun turrets that had already shot down Jek Porkins and were continuing to lay down a barrage of blasterfire.

     "Squad leaders, we've picked up a new group of signals," an officer on the ground reported. "Enemy fighters coming your way."

     Kyra looked over her shoulder as seven Imperial TIE fighters came racing towards them, the enemy forces quickly gunning down another X-wing. When Biggs Darklighter – a member of the Red Squadron – could not shake the TIE fighter pursuing him, Luke shot down the enemy pilot.

     Kyra cheered, her good mood quickly disappearing as her proximity alarm blared, "Watch your back! Fighters above you, coming in."

     When Luke's X-wing was hit by the nearest TIE fighter and one of its four engines disabled, Kyra circled around and used a plume of smoke for cover, the Imperial pilot only realizing he had been lured into a trap once it was too late.

     Kyra opened fire and destroyed the TIE fighter, flying through the debris field as Luke said, "Thanks, General. Good shot."

     "Phantom, this is Gold Leader. We're starting our attack run," Captain Vander, who was also flying a Y-wing, stated.

     "I copy, Gold Leader. Moving into position," Kyra replied as she followed Vander into the trench, flanked by another pair of bombers. "The exhaust port is marked and locked in. Switch all power to the front deflector shields."

     "How many guns do you think, Gold Five?" Vander asked.

     "Say about twenty guns," Gold Five replied, "some on the surface, some on the towers."

     Kyra heard Vander sigh before instructing his wingmen to activate their targeting computers a moment later.

     When the gun turrets suddenly stopped firing, Kyra glanced down at her scanner and said, "Stabilize your rear deflectors. We've got incoming enemy fighters."

     Kyra cursed as the Y-wing on her right was shot down, her blood running cold as she recognized the advanced TIE fighter that belonged to Darth Vader.

     "It's no good. I can't maneuver. We're too close," Vander stated, but when he tried to retreat, he was gunned down by Vader.

     Kyra did not have time to grieve for Captain Jon Vander and ordered Gold Five to pull up. When the pilot did not follow her instructions and claimed that he could make it to the exhaust port, she tried to intercept the incoming TIE fighters but was forced to break away when her Y-wing shuddered, the left engine going up in flames. As she tried to compensate for the damage that Darth Vader had caused, she watched the Sith Lord chase down and destroy her fellow pilot.

     "Red Leader, this is Phantom. I've suffered too much damage and won't do you any good by staying up here," Kyra said through clenched teeth, infuriated at her inability to help her fellow rebels.

     "Copy that, Phantom," the Red Leader replied. "We'll cover you."

     Kyra flew back to Yavin 4, her Y-wing catching fire as she landed and forcing the ground crew to extinguish the burning bomber as Kallus helped her out of the cockpit.

     As Kenobi ripped her helmet off and threw it onto the ground, Kallus tried to reassure her, "You did all you could, Kyra."

     "Like hell I did," Kyra whispered fiercely as they made their way to the command center, Wedge Antilles informing Rebel Command that his starfighter had been damaged and he was heading back to base.

     Over the comm channel, Biggs Darklighter urged Luke to accelerate, but his transmission was cut short and Kyra quickly realized that Skywalker was the last remaining member of the air strike. Knowing she did not have time to find another starfighter, Kyra closed her eyes and pictured Luke in her mind's eye, urging him to use the Force when she saw he was utilizing the ill-equipped targeting system. Luke's brow furrowed, and when he brushed her off, Kyra heard Jedi Master Obi-Wan Kenobi impel Skywalker to let go of his doubt and trust in the Force.

     A moment later, an officer reported, "His computer's off. Luke, you switched off your targeting computer. What's wrong?"

     Kyra smiled as Luke replied, "Nothing. I'm alright."

     Her smile quickly disappeared as a technician stated, "The Death Star has cleared the planet."

     Kyra locked eyes with Leia, who stood across the console from her, the sisters both taking a deep breath and remaining strong for the others. Hera moved to Kyra's side and gripped her hand, Kallus doing the same as they supported each other, the trio knowing full-well that the Imperial battle station could fire at any moment and destroy the rebel base, as well as the moon it resided on.

     Suddenly, a new voice came over the comm channel, "You're all clear, kid. Now let's blow this thing and go home."

     Kyra let out the breath she had been holding and saw her sister lean against the console, closing her eyes as Luke launched his proton torpedoes. Kyra ran outside, followed by Hera Syndulla and Alexsandr Kallus, the rebels watching as the Death Star exploded in a bright starburst of light. After those in the air returned to Rebel Command, they were quickly surrounded by the fleet, everyone hugging each other as they cheered, cried, and celebrated. Kyra watched the festivities from afar, turning when Leia appeared at her side and handed her a package.

     "For the ceremony," she explained. "I'm going to need you up there with me."

     When Kyra accepted the parcel, Leia set the Medal of Bravery on top of it, as well as a golden ring that held a dark blue bead.

     "This was our mother's ring," Leia said quietly as she fingered the matching band that adorned her right index finger. "She would've wanted you to have it."

     Kyra hugged her sister and slid the ring onto her finger, the young women similar despite their different upbringings and both princesses of a lost world. As Leia went to prepare for the ceremony, Kyra did the same, heading to the private quarters she had been assigned before opening the parcel. Inside was a beautiful gown, the style reminiscent of the fashion found on Alderaan, the soft fabric a bright white that was Leia's preferred color in clothing. Typically, Kyra was opposed to wearing a dress, but Leia had incorporated hints of a Jedi's uniform into the outfit. The sleeveless gown featured a cinched waist and trailed to the floor, which Kyra would have to change if she wished to wear it in the future.

     When Leia walked into Kyra's quarters, she grabbed the Medal of Bravery and lowered it over Kryze's head, despite her older sister's objections. Leia herself was wearing a white, long-sleeved dress with a silver belt, necklace, and a cape trailing behind her. Kyra smiled when she saw that they had both chosen the same hairstyle, their braided locks coiled high atop their heads. Kyra took a deep breath and followed Leia into the bright assembly room, the Princess of Alderaan and the Princess of Mandalore taking their place in front of the rebel forces they commanded, one having helped build the small rebellion that was now the Rebel Alliance and the other following in her father and sister's footsteps.

     As Leia stood at the center of the stage, Kyra moved next to Dodonna, the high-ranking rebel leaders waiting for the award recipients to make their way down the long corridor formed by the soldiers, pilots, and officers. After a moment, Captain Han Solo and his Wookiee co-pilot Chewbacca walked down the aisle with Commander Luke Skywalker, the trio stopping in front of Leia. General Dodonna handed the first Medal of Bravery to Leia, who placed the golden medal around Han Solo's neck, the captain winking at Organa and smiling. Kyra then handed the second medal to Leia Organa, who lowered it over Luke Skywalker's head as the newly repaired R2-D2 waddled onto the stage, having been damaged during the battle.

     Both men bowed in a show of respect to the young leader standing before them, then turned to face the ranks behind them, the rows and rows of rebels bursting into applause. Kyra Kryze-Kenobi looked at the four rebels standing in front of her and smiled, her hope renewed for a future free of tyranny because she knew the galaxy was in good hands.