Battle at Amaxine Station

The Setup

The Initiative to Unlock the Cage

During her war aimed at annihilating the Dark Lords of the Sith, namely Darth Sidious and Darth Vader, the leader of Crimson Dawn, Qi'ra, acquired the Fermata Cage. This Cage was a dark side of the Force weapon capable of freezing moments in time, designed to trap Vader and Sidious. To realize her objective, Qi'ra concocted a narrative about an ancient Sith Lord supposedly imprisoned within the Cage, with the intention of drawing the Sith Lords into a confrontation where she could ensnare them. To propagate this rumor, Qi'ra, while being pursued and eventually located by the Imperial Navy, sacrificed her flagship, the Vermillion, and communicated with Sidious via hologram, informing him of the alleged Sith Lord she intended to unleash. The destruction of her vessel led Sidious to presume Qi'ra had been killed, but she had secretly survived and escaped to Cataract Base, where the Dawn Fleet was prepared for deployment. Despite uncertainty regarding the veracity of Qi'ra's claims about the trapped Sith, Sidious instructed Vader to locate the Cage, deeming the risk too significant to ignore.

"The Archivist" and Kho Phon Farrus, having failed in their initial attempt to open the Fermata Cage, received instructions from Qi'ra to relocate to their next location. Simultaneously, Sidious commanded his apprentice to pursue Qi'ra's allies, eliminate them, and secure the Fermata Cage. Following another unsuccessful attempt by the Archivist and Farrus to unlock the Cage, Sidious and Vader detected their location through a disturbance in the Force, prompting Vader's dispatch to retrieve the artifact. During a battle involving Chanath Cha and the Orphans, Vader discovered Qi'ra's survival of her supposed demise. Although Vader defeated Cha and two Orphans were killed, the Archivist successfully escaped aboard their starship, the Siroto, carrying the Fermata Cage. Subsequently, Vader and Sidious sparred while discussing the impending confrontation with Qi'ra and the potential Sith Lord. Sidious reiterated the Sith Rule of Two to his apprentice, emphasizing the necessity of only two Sith, a master and an apprentice.

As she escaped, the Archivist informed Qi'ra of a location where the Cage could be opened safely: the Amaxine space station, an ancient space station situated in the Outer Rim Territories. This station, once utilized by the Amaxine warriorss, had been overrun by living Drengir plants, inherently strong in the dark side, making them an ideal energy source for the Cage. Recognizing Crimson Dawn's dwindling time, Qi'ra instructed the Archivist to immediately set course for the Amaxine space station. At Dawnfall Base, Qi'ra attempted to enlist allies to combat the Sith, but her initial contact, the assassin Deathstick, declined her offer. She then reached out to the Knights of Ren, former allies who had departed due to dissatisfaction with Qi'ra's leadership and the deaths of two of their members. Qi'ra successfully persuaded the Knights to rejoin her cause, providing them with coordinates for their assistance in defeating the Sith. Following this, Qi'ra spoke with Cadeliah, a young girl and heir to the Mourner's Wail Syndicate and the Unbroken Clan, whom Qi'ra hoped to unite the criminal underworld through.

Cadeliah discerned Qi'ra's desperation and imminent loss, questioning why she didn't simply abandon her current life. Uncertain of her identity without her current purpose, Qi'ra informed Cadeliah of her impending departure, suggesting it would likely be their final encounter. Qi'ra entrusted Cadeliah with a device, instructing her to play the contained message if Qi'ra failed to contact her within five days, to which Cadeliah agreed. As Cadeliah departed, Qi'ra received a communication from the Spark Eternal possessed body of Doctor Chelli Lona Aphra, a rogue archaeologist, with an offer, as the Spark hated the Sith as much as she did. Farrus, having abandoned the Dawn over fears of Qi'ra's plans, informed Aphra's allies of Qi'ra's strategies.

Preparing for the Decisive Confrontation

Upon returning to Dawnfall Base, Qi'ra addressed her assembled forces, expressing gratitude for their presence and emphasizing the necessity of their collective effort for her plan's success. She urged them to recall moments of injustice under Palpatine's rule, reminding them of their insignificance to Sidious. Concluding her address, she clarified that she was not requesting rebellion, but rather encouraging them to act upon their existing desires: to channel their resentment towards Sidious and the Galactic Empire and "shove it down his throat." Subsequently, the Dawn Fleet departed from the base to reinforce the Amaxine station. Meanwhile, the Archivist had arrived at the Amaxine Station, where she set up and activated the Fermata Cage, which quickly began to consume the plant life and dark side energy around it. As the Cage began its consumption, Vader's flagship the Executor, which Sidious took personal command of for the battle, arrived, making the Archivist realize she was out of time.

To ensure the complete eradication of Crimson Dawn, the Sith were supported by a fleet of Imperial-class Star Destroyers. Aboard, the Sith sensed the activation of the Fermata Cage. Driven by a strong desire to board the station, both Sith Lords hoped to experience the power of the potential Sith Lord, one deemed dangerous enough to be confined within the Fermata Cage, and to test their own strength against this entity, regardless of the outcome. However, Sidious dismissed these desires as imprudent. He instructed an Imperial officer to utilize the full power of the Executor to immediately destroy the Amaxine Station. Before the order could be executed, another officer reported the emergence of a fleet from hyperspace. While Vader initially suspected the Alliance to Restore the Republic, Sidious recognized it as Crimson Dawn.

The Engagement

Incursion into the Station

As the Dawn Fleet emerged from hyperspace, Qi'ra's trusted advisor Margo initiated their battle plan, assuming command of the Amaxine Station's defense from her starfighter. Class Three and Class-Two ships targeted the long-range cannons of the Executor, while Class One ships engaged the Executor's starfighter complement. Margo also dispatched Crimson Dawn transports into the station, enabling Dawn soldiers to establish positions and provide the Archivist with additional time. In the ensuing space battle, TIE fighters and TIE/IN interceptors were deployed. Although the Dawn's fighters posed a limited threat to the Executor, they successfully targeted the ship's long-range weapons as planned. Consequently, the Executor was compelled to divert power to its shield batteries, delaying Palpatine's order to destroy the station. Despite the admiral assuring a brief delay, Sidious, unwilling to risk the situation, departed with Vader on a Lambda-class T-4a shuttle to personally resolve the crisis. The Sith were accompanied by an escort of Royal Guards and death troopers to assist in boarding the station.

Upon the arrival of the Dawn transports at the station, a team of Dawn soldiers, led by an officer, prepared for combat with Imperial troops by securing the hangar, establishing cover, and deploying turrets. Simultaneously, a higher-ranking Dawn captain led several platoons deeper into the station to create a perimeter around the Archivist. Escorted by four crimson TIE Interceptors, Vader and Sidious's shuttle entered the hangar shortly thereafter, with their crimson TIEs destroying all landed transports. Royal Guards and death troopers quickly disembarked and began firing upon the Dawn troops. As both sides sustained casualties, Vader and Sidious exited the shuttle. Sensing potent waves of dark side energy, originating from both the Fermata Cage and elsewhere, Sidious cautioned Vader about the unknown dangers within the station, emphasizing the need for a policy of no survivors.

Leading their troops, the Sith deflected blaster shots, much to Sidious's amusement, who, due to his duties as Emperor, was not usually able to take a direct hand against his enemies. In response to their deflection of blaster bolts, the Dawn captain ordered Squad Two and Squad Three to switch to electrified melee weapons, with which they direct engaged the Sith. Squad One and Squad 4, meanwhile, were ordered by the captain to continue shooting, albeit with a focus on the escort. However, Squads Two and Three were no match for the Sith, with the longest surviving member of the grouping only fighting as long as he did because Vader was toying with him. When told to stop by Sidious, Vader quickly executed the soldier.

The Demise of the Spark Eternal

With her task nearing completion, the Archivist notified Qi'ra, who oversaw the engagement from outside the station, and requested permission to depart to avoid being caught between the Sith Lords and the Fermata Cage. Qi'ra granted her request, stating that her soldiers would delay the Sith long enough for the Cage to open, and if they were not enough then another individual, referring to the Spark Eternal, was on their way. After the Spark Eternal arrived on the station, Qi'ra herself journeyed aboard it to personally greet the AI near the Cage before the Crimson Dawn leader rejoined the fleet in a personal ship. As Vader and Sidious approached the Fermata Cage, the Spark Eternal revealed itself, stating its awareness of Aphra's memories and fears, viewing the Sith as mere men rather than the demons Aphra perceived. Vader noticed that she was now changed and inhabited. Sidious left the two, informing Vader to deal with Aphra and the Spark, and then join him at the Fermata Cage, as he knew something was coming and he wanted him at his side.

As Sidious departed, Vader engaged the Spark in combat, the Spark wielded a cortosis sword known as the Null Blade, which could short out lightsabers for a brief time. As it struck at Vader, the Spark declared that the sword made him weak. As the Spark spoke, the Spark knocked the Sith Lord's deactivated lightsaber out of his hand. After the Spark questioned if Vader saw what it meant, he responded that he did not and pushed the Spark Eternal out of Aphra's body, responding that the Spark was weak. Aphra, now free of the Spark, attempted to hide from Vader, which he told her was not possible. As Aphra pointed out was the better option, however, Vader decided to abandon the search for the doctor and made his way to the Fermata Cage to join his Master, whom Aphra believed was up to something up ahead.

So close yet so far

Vader then joined his Master's side at the Fermata Cage, where Sidious informed him that the Fermata Cage was opening after millenia. Declaring that they stood ready to face whatever was locked away, Sidious declared they would triumph over whatever was released. At this moment, a small disc-like dropped to the ground next to the Sith, much to their confusion because they had no connection to the Sith nor the Force. Aboard the Siroto outside the station, the Archivist informed Qi'ra she could see everything happening. Seeing that the two Sith were in the vicinity of the open Fermata Cage, Qi'ra declared the only thing left to do was win. Sidious concluded that Qi'ra had lied to them and that they been lured into a trap, but the Archivist activated a switch and locked the two Sith inside a time-lock. While overjoyed, Qi'ra reminded the Archivist that it was not over yet, instructing her to seal the Fermata Cage and trap the two Sith Lords within. Qi'ra intended to then throw the Cage into a star.

At this moment, the Knights of Ren arrived at the station in their ship, the Night Buzzard, with Marinda taking note of the wide-scale battle before them. Looking into the station with binoculars, Ren confirmed he saw Vader and Sidious and that both looked to be in trouble, much to his surprise. However, Ren was sure that the Emperor would be able to escape somehow. He then added that after the Sith killed Qi'ra, they would then turn to kill the Knights after they had carried out the heist on Vader's Castle. Believing they owed Qi'ra nothing after she had treated them as disposable idiots and made them enemies of the Sith, Ren informed the Knights that the only way they could turn the situation around was to become allies of the Sith. With this, the Night Buzzard fired on the Fermata Cage, freeing the Sith Lords as it collapsed, sending out a Force Wave in the process.

Once they were freed, Sidious remarked that Qi'ra had come so close yet so far to killing them. The collapse of the Fermata Cage devastated Qi'ra, with the wave from its collapse also destroying a number of the Dawn ships and giving the Empire an advantage in the battle. In response, she informed her forces she had failed them. She then told them to flee, scatter and start new lives for themselves. As the Imperials began to destroy Qi'ra's forces, Admiral Firmus Piett was informed that the Crimson Dawn forces had nearly been annihilated, and the admiral ordered for no survivors to be left. As she saw her forces wiped out, Qi'ra said goodbye, wished them luck, and fled.

The Consequences

The Waning of the Dawn

Vader and Sidious left the machine that housed the Fermata Cage with the artifact in Sidious' hands. The two Sith spoke of sensing a great rending in the Force that had rippled through the galaxy, which caused Sidious' own grip on the Force to become tenuous. As Vader questioned how they had been freed, the Spark Eternal made its way inside the devices dropped by the Fermata Cage. Before Sidious could answer Vader's question, the Knights of Ren arrived and informed the Sith they had been the ones to free then. In response, Sidious, remembering they had stolen from Vader's Castle before, questioned the Knights as to think their actions at the station had earned them his mercy, to which Ren responded that it actually was their hopes. Sidious informed the Knights they were mistaken and electrocuted them with Force lightning. As the Knights laid on the ground. Sidious informed them that what was left of them would serve him now, and that he was sure he could put them to excellent use. As the Knights remained on the ground, Sidious instructed Vader to go with him, and that were done with the small matters.

Crimson Dawn was destroyed by its failure in the battle. Back at Cataract Base, Cadeliah played the message as she had been instructed to by Qi'ra, who had recorded a farewell to the young girl because she had always known, for one reason or another, she would likely be gone. Instead of leaving Cadeliah empty handed and seeing much of herself in the young criminal heir, Qi'ra left her three gifts: the knowledge she had gained firsthand with the Dawn, resources that included the credits that remained in her Dawn accounts, which Cadeliah could access via details encoded on the message datacard, and the ability to live a free life as she saw fit, something Qi'ra never had. Qi'ra's pre-recorded message, in which the Dawn leader had begun crying, ended by noting she had no idea if her attempts to destroy the Sith had succeeded. Although Qi'ra even believed that she had never been able to free herself, she took solace in the fact that she had managed to free Cadeliah.

The Era Following Crimson Dawn

The collapse of Crimson Dawn prompted those inclined to defy Imperial authority to adopt a low profile, thereby hindering the Rebel Alliance's efforts against the Empire, particularly their investigation into the DS-2 Death Star II Mobile Battle Station. The rebellion had learned of the second Death Star's existence from two Dawn agents, a couple called Jon Melton and Bevelyn, with both telling the rebels everything they knew over the course of ten debriefings. Even with their intelligence, it was not enough for the rebels to properly counter the new Death Star. The lack of sources thanks to any leads lying low in the wake of the Dawn's destruction further hurt their efforts.

Sometime later, Qi'ra was in a cantina when word came through that Sidious had been killed during a battle with the Rebellion in the Endor system. As footage of an uprising on Coruscant played, the crowd went wild, stating that the Empire was gone and that the Rebel Alliance had freed the galaxy.

Lasting Impact

Years after the battle, the Archivist recorded Qi'ra's attempts to destroy the Sith in a holocron. She stated that after the battle Crimson Dawn had been destroyed and that she did not hear from Qi'ra again. The Archivist then expressed her presumption that either the Empire or one of its remnants found Qi'ra and killed her. The Archivist spent time considering the reason why Qi'ra had come so close to completing her plan, but ultimately failing. The reason she came to the conclusion with was that despite all of Qi'ra's power, her skill and influence, and all the loyal and strong allies she had gathered, Qi'ra did not trust, she did not have faith, or as the Archivist finally came up with, Qi'ra was alone.

Years after the fall of Crimson Dawn, Luke Skywalker and his sister Leia Organa, discovered the holocron and played it, learning all about Qi'ra's attempts to destroy the Sith. Once the Archivist's recollection was finished, Organa stated that the story was almost too much to believe. Skywalker agreed, though he added he thought that Qi'ra had not failed. He recalled how Melton and Bevelyn had informed the Rebellion of the second Death Star's construction. Skywalker continued that without the knowledge, they may have only learned of it's existence when it was too late and that the Rebellion could have been destroyed. Organa the recalled a Syndicate War that Qi'ra instigated to keep Sidious occupied, which gave the Rebel Fleet time to regroup. Skywalker then stated that Qi'ra had saved the galaxy from the Sith, just not in the way she thought she would. In response, Organa expressed that she had wished that Qi'ra had gone to the Rebellion, and that also wished that she had lived to see the rebels win, unaware that Qi'ra was actually in fact alive.