A/N: THANK YOU FOR 1K READS ALREADY JAISJDSA <3

Sometimes, he saw Kanan. It was only a hallucination, he knew, but he never told himself that.

He wondered what Kanan would think of him now. Lost, alone in the dark. Would he look down on him for what he'd become, or would he be proud of his strength?

It was at times like this he'd feel so broken over his master and it would hit him that he was really gone. He wouldn't be coming through the door to bring him back into the light and he wouldn't be there to help him along his way.

Not now, not ever, never anymore. Never again.

*

L o t h a l

Jacen, Zeb, and Alexsandr had escaped the angry locals and stood panting in the fields outside of Capital City. Alexsandr wiped his forehead.

"A close call," he mumbled. "Are we vandals now?"

"If Hera finds out..." Zeb left the threat open and all three of them shuddered.

"What even happened?" Jacen scratched at his arm. "It just kinda... fell over."

"Alright, Hera's gonna kill us either way," Zeb mumbled. "We may as well tell him-"

"No way," Alexsandr shook his head. "Hera should be the one to tell him. Its her decision, and besides, its a family matter."

Zeb exhaled. "I guess you're right."

"Would you guys stop that?" Jacen folded his arms. Both of his uncles looked down at him.

"Stop what?" Alexsandr asked.

"Acting like I'm not here," Jacen grumbled. "Treating me like a kid."

"Its not you, bud," Alexsandr's face softened slightly. "There are just some things that aren't up to me and your uncle." he ruffled Jacen's hair and the boy let out a reluctant sigh and leaned into the partial embrace.

"I feel kinda weird," he mumbled. "Felt weird since we got here."

"There's nothing wrong with you, kid, I promise," Alexsandr pulled some strands of stray hair out of Jacen's face. "Hera'll explain everything soon enough."

"Alexsandr?" Jacen looked up at his almost uncle. "What does my dad have to do with all of this?"

Alexsandr shook his head. "Everything, kiddo. Everything."

*

t h e  O u t e r  R i m

There was something about Kalar that put him off. He had a friendly composure, and he was different from the other Imperials he had met.

But underneath that all... he could feel the darkness and destruction that the Warlord had inside. And those girls he kept with him, they were just as unsettling.

All of it was great. He was finally free, back into the world, holding the new position of Grand Inquisitor. And the person he was now working with had all the dark ambitions he did.

Deep in meditation, he felt the darkness from all around the ship. And then... something else broke through it. Something he had felt back in the prison but now coming from somewhere else. Lothal.

After all, if he was going to be a Grand Inquisitor, didn't that mean he needed other Inquisitors to be above?