As Luke and Lumiya fight lightsaber-vs-energy whip, he tries to match her skills but is quickly defeated by the combination of physical and energy strands in her whip. She imprisons him and Den congratulates her on defeating her old enemy. Having fought the Alliance when it was still the Rebellion, she knows they are formidable foes; she only kept Luke alive to make him suffer as he made her suffer. Den is fascinated by his lightsaber, but still prefers a knife. Sent to establish bases across the galaxy as a precursor to invasion, they learn of the Kabray failure, and though Den is shocked, she is not, for Zeltrons approach fighting and romance with equal passion, making them deadly enemies. He decides to keep Dani as a subject of study, though his fascination seems more personal. Faron brings her to Den's quarters, choosing slavery over death, as Kiro awakens in water. Though pained, he sets out to find Luke and Dani; dragging himself to the ship, he finds, rather than his rebreather gear, Leia's dresses. He manages to find a helmet, knife, stinger, and tools, then heads for the Nagai base, where he kills three guards, Mendo, Rei, and Taru, and finds Luke's cell. Blasting the door open, he tends to Luke's wounds and admits to restraint when killing out of respect for Luke. Touched, Luke offers to train him as a Jedi if they survive. Using tools and power packs, he constructs a short lightsaber, then sets out to find Lumiya. He finds her near the ocean and uses the Force to retrieve his other 'saber from her side. As they again battle, this time he defeats her, cutting her whip into shreds. With one last lunge, he shatters her helmet, revealing her true identity: Shira Elan Colla Brie, like her mentor, more machine than human now, twisted and evil. He appeals to her good side to turn away from the Dark path, but she mocks him and enjoys seeing him suffer as they wonder where Dani is. Suddenly, the sky coalesces into strange shapes forming bizarre-looking ships, and Lumiya boasts of their defeat at the arrival of the Nagai invasion fleet.

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