On board the Star Destroyer Atrus:


Throughout the many changes in the Vast Empire, there were starfighters as well as new pilots that came to pilot them. They were new conflicts as well as old ones that still linger on as the years go on. However, through all that, there has been one question left unanswered: What happened to Lukas LeNighter?

The last time anyone has heard of Lukas was during the mission at Nkllon, where he ejected from his TIE after a vicious fire fight. The ejection was successful, but the explosion from his TIE's destruction caused him to be sent straight into the waiting gripping arms of a Tug. The Tug carried him into the Atrus, knocked unconscious because of the shockwaves of the explosion. Once on board, the med staff carried his body into a bacta tank, hoping that the healing fluids of the tank can heal Lukas's injuries and help him to regain consciousness and resume his duties. However, only the wounds healed. Lukas stayed unconscious inside the tank as his mind was completely shut off from the world of reality.

No one has heard from since.



One year later:


Within a flash, thousands of images began to flood through the once-dormant mind of Lukas LeNighter, disturbing a sleep that seemed to last a lifetime. Scenes that included different war plans, various designs of weapons and TIE craft; in a sense, everything that he learned in the Vast Empire. It was as if his brain had begun a reboot in order to jumpstart him back to life.

On the outside, his eyes started to flutter open and closed as his brain activity started to read on the computer charts. A med-droid, who was assigned to keep an eye on him, rose from its standard post to look at the charts. Lukas's brain was reading at an all-time high, forcing the med-droid to call the lead doctor who was on-duty at the time.

More images continue to pass through Lukas's mind like a movie on drugs, each moment seen and absorbed within seconds. Every moment of him and his squad mates from Viper and Kaph squadrons gave him a renewal of joy and fulfillment that he can have those moments again, and more in the future to come. Just as the last memories were put in their place, a strange voice, old and crackly, spoke to Lukas as his muscles started to spasm and wake to their newly refueled strength.

Rise, my old friend.

At that moment, Lukas's eyes opened to the realization that he was inside the bacta tank, his body finally feeling the fluid moments of the liquid that surrounded him. The on-call doctor entered into the medical bay to see what was going on as the med-droid showed him the info that it gathered. Lukas's body was at 100%, and now, so was his mind. The doctor walked towards the tank and stared at Lukas, wondering how he could have survived all of this long. Lukas touched the glass of the tank as he wanted out of the tank.

"Patient, do you know who you are?" asked the doctor.

Lukas wanted to say something, but he didn't know how do say it. It has been a whole year since he said something to anyone, so it was hard to try to sound his own voice out. Again, the doctor spoke.

"Patient, do you know who you are?"

Finally, Lukas started to smile a little as he finally found his voice out.

"L....L....Lukas. Lukas....LeNighter. Sq....Squadron Commander of....Kaph Squadron. Wh...Where am I?"

"You're in the medical station of the Atrus. You have been here for nearly a year. It's a miracle that you are still alive and in great condition."

Yeah, I normally am lucky....like that.

"Listen, there is a lot that you need to know. Everything that you have known has changed. I'm going to release you form the tank, and then, we are going to have a chat. Okay?"

Lukas nodded to him as he watched the doctor instruct the med-droid to release him from the bacta tank. He closed his eyes as he could feel his body being lifted slightly as the healing fluid began to exit the tank, draining back into their reservoirs. Lukas did wonder what this talk was going to be about, as well as if any of his old friends were still alive. Everything was going to be so new to him, and he couldn't wait until the Fulfiller would take flight in space again.