Well. I know I wouldn't die on Mustafar when Darth Maul killed off Black Sun's leadership. Taking over the organization for the Shadow collective. Cause I wasn't in that scene, and Order 66 didn't come till latter. Of course not being a Jedi myself, or even a Force sensitive. I wasn't an actual target of Palpatine's genocide of the Jedi. Just a casualty of it.
So here's how it went down. Not every Jedi was killed right after the order was given. Some lasted a very long time. This particular Jedi lived for six years after Order 66 went out. Her name was Icon. Well that was her code name, when you're in a shady business like smuggling Jedi you don't use real names. We were on Bespin, Cloud City. Meeting up at a warehouse. She wanted transportation out into the Unknown Regions. Far away where The Empire could never find her. The pay was really good, enough for the risk and time investment such a trip would take. That wasn't going to happen though, because one of us screwed up and they caught wind of our rendezvous. Maybe a minute after we'd met, Stormtroopers blasted the doors in a shower of flames and shrapnel. A gunfight broke out between my pirates and the troopers. We took a lot of casualties, I think eight died there before we escaped out the other side. I swear I saw a soldier in black armor as I took one last look and some pot shots on our pursuers. An officer? Whoever it was we wanted distance.
The rest of the men, the Jedi, and yours truly made way to the docks. Pier 17 where my ship the Wild Luck awaited our return. We encountered more troopers on the way. Fighting was fierce but we'd had years of experience of these close quarters combat aboard ships. They fell like a sack of Corellian potatoes, each and every one on our w to the ship. We've our heavy blasters and illegal weaponry to thank for that.
At last we made it to the dock. We were home free, even with Troopers so hot on our heels blaster bolts were whizzing over our shoulders. That's where everything went to hell. Before my very eyes the Wild Luck was torn asunder by a barrage of turbo-fire from above. An Imperial Star Destroyer out of the clouds hot and fast took her by surprise. Never in a million years would we have stood a chance against such a beast.
Hope was fading, with our only means of escape gone we were trapped between a wall of white armor and a death by atmospheric crush below us. The only way out was to kill each and every one of those Emperor loving bastards. Our Jedi companion ignited her saber and rallied us to make or stand. With cover from the crates we fought for ten minutes brave as we ever were. And to a man we killed them as they did to us. Now the man in Black Armor appeared. His troops exhausted, so alone he would face us. I was the last man on our side. The Jedi too, but remember I only said to a man.
I could recognize who he was. Lord Vader himself. The right hand of the Emperor and the most feared person in the galaxy. No shame admitting I was scared, but dammed I wasn't going to go quietly. The Jedi and I took the fight to him. His red saber came to life. I shot quickly with two blasters but he was quick enough to deflect each and every bolt. I reloaded as Icon took to dueling Vader. My shots had to be held for fear of hitting her as they clashed It was the finest swordsmanship I'd witnessed, but the Dark Lord bested her. With a flurry of slashes he broke her defense and decapitated the poor woman.
Now it was just me and him. The pirate and the Sith. The odds were not with me, but I had nothing I hadn't already lost. And I could take him with me. Furiously I tried to cut him down with my blasters, that saber just swatted them away. I drew my swords. Sweat poured down my face. Liquid fear escaping me and adrenalin taking its place inside my body. Now I had a literal edge against him. I never said at the start of my story that I knew Icon before meeting her in Cloud City. We'd tangoed a few times during the Clone Wars. Because of that I'd invested in a Cortise sword and a Beskad, even got to use them against her once. The last time we met before the war ended and The Empire came to power. I lost that fight, having to run because I couldn't beat her. Now I didn't have that option. Nor did I have the chance to say my goodbyes to her before this monster killed her. She was my friend, our old hatred buried to fight a common enemy. Now I stood alone. Anger swelling in my veins. Vader could see my hatred of him. Under his lifeless mask his ugly mug surely twisted some sick grin of pleasure. I intended to wipe it clean off.
My swords rose to challenge him. His as well. Joined with that mechanical laugh to toy with me awhile before finishing yet another of the Emperors tasks like a good dog. I moved first, my Phrik blade coming to meet his Lightsaber. He must of been shocked when it didn't just melt apart but pushed his blade near to his mask. If only I were stronger I might have plunged his own tool of misery through his skull. But alas I did not. With force he pushed me away, but I would not relent. My Cortise blade swung from below and deactivated his saber. I spun and slashed across his chest before he could recover. Both swords only scratching the paint. Before I could press on he blew me away with The Force. The mystical power they possessed was not foreign to me as I'm sure you could figure out. It was my downfall though. Vader was through playing. With another wave of his hands after I crashed to the floor my; weapons were ripped from my grip and thrown away. He threw my whole body towards the open sky, I was only on the pier now. As I pulled myself up I could see the body of Icon, lifeless and hidden by the shadow of the hanger. And Vader, forbiddingly marching towards me. I only had one trick left, and it was a suicide move but I was doomed anyways. I had to get the last laugh in though, so I started to run my mouth off.
"Am I the first Vader to best you in a duel? Why don't you give me my swords back and we can finish this like gentlemen, fairly. No blasters. No Force. Only metal on plasma. What do you say"?
Vader wasn't a gentleman though, quick to deny me. "I think not pirate. And you've bested me at nothing".
"Your scratched armor says otherwise my Lord. Do you fear there is someone greater than you at swordsmanship?
"I fear nothing scum. And you relied on nothing but the metal of your blades, not skill. I will enjoy ending your worthless life".
The whole time I'd been preparing my trump card. A weapon I possessed not even he could survive. A modified class A Thermal Detonator. He'd be vaporized along with me, but getting my revenge was worth it. And cleansing the galaxy of him would be a nice bonus for everyone else. "I think I'll take you with me then. Earn a hero's title with my death and not be so worthless". I whipped a grappling cable from my belt and attached it to the guard rail of the pier. I then revealed my grenade to him, activating it to spell our doom. The weapon fused itself to my gloves. With it on me and me attached to the pier. I wasn't going anywhere. Grinning like a madman though and laughing to was the last thing I did. A heroic mad man.
Vader tossed me from the pier with a blast of The Force. I swung as the cable caught me. I regret the timer wasn't shorter. I would of had him on that pier in Cloud City. Avenged the death of Icon. Saved the galaxy so many troubles. It wasn't my destiny though. I annihilated that dock. A blinding light was the last thing I remembered before my atoms were converted to energy and heat. Vader must have jumped away, or flew, something, whatever he did spared his life and continued his reign of terror. Damn I hope he felt fear though, the fear of death he put into so many before and after this day. I hope I see Icon, wherever I go.
Hope you enjoyed the read. This is how I got Order 66'd if I'd have lived back in the days of The Empire.