[IC] Star Wars: Rise of the New Empire (Accepting new players)

[Kalistar]

To Serra it seems that sometimes the meetings of the Republic Senate are pointless. Instead of working together to solve the problems facing all of the citizens of the Republic, the various senators and representatives are working against each other to satisfy their own egos, at least enough of them are. While discussing the current issue of increasingly frequent and violent encounters with pirates closer and closer to the Core, Supreme Chancellor Eshka Liska’hag and Senator Salo are constantly butting heads over how to best deal with the situation.

While Serra knows that these are important matters, she has a matter that she would like to see to herself. To her, it is a matter of utmost importance. Recently, she was given information by a friend in Intelligence that led her to believe that her parents may be alive after all. She does not know if the information is true, and she doesn’t want to get her hopes up, but she has to look into it. Unfortunately, Val’Sil Zian, the Vice Chair of the Republic has tasked her with a diplomatic mission to Rodia before she can begin looking into this new information. Rodia is one of several worlds that have been openly discussing leaving the Republic, and Serra has been asked to ensure that it does not happen. Ironically, it was because of her parents that she was chosen for this mission. Her parents had enjoyed a good relationship with Navik Roosh, the Grand Protector of Rodia. Despite the benefit of her name, Serra knows that it won't be an easy mission. The aforementioned pirates have been harassing ships Tyrius System, and the Rodians are less than enthusiastic about the Republic’s ability to protect them. However, more disturbingly, Rodia and several other worlds throughout the Republic feel that the government has lost its way, and has become just as bad as the Empire that it had replaced. Fortunately, that sentiment is only shared by a few systems, however, a student of Galactic history, Val’Sil Zian knows that it only takes a small minority to set into motion an irreversible chain of events that could change the galaxy forever.

As the day’s session comes to a close and Serra makes her way back to her office, she is approached by Val’Sil Zian, who she had been hoping to avoid. Zian looked utterly regal as she approaches, her purple gown a stark contrast to her green skin.

“Serra, are you prepared for your trip?” Zian asks casually.

“Not entirely Val’Sil.” Serra admits. “I was hoping to look into another matter before I left for Rodia.”

“I see.” Val’Sil Zian says. She is well aware of Serra’s refusal to accept her parents’ deaths as well as her numerous attempts to find them. “And what could be so important?” she says, knowingly.

“It’s a- personal matter madam.” Serra tells her.

“I understand Serra, I miss them too. However, it’s been 3 years. It’s time for you to move on.” Zian says as she puts a hand on Serra’s shoulder.

“I’m not so sure that they’re really gone. I’ve come into possession of some new information, and I think that they might really be alive.” Serra says as a glimmer of hope enters her voice.

“Oh?” Zian asks, surprised by what she hears.

“There were reports from Felucia, it’s not much but-” she trails off.

“Serra, if this is true, it’s wonderful news. However, the mission to Rodia is of the utmost importance, sadly, more important that a rescue mission for a pair of missing senators, even if they are your parents.” Zian said with regret. “However, as soon as you return from Rodia, you can go to Felucia. I’ll even send you with some of my personal security.”

“What? Tha-thank you.” Serra said, taken aback by the Vice Chair’s generous offer.

“You’re very welcome, they were very dear to me, as are you.” Zian told her. “No go get prepared, you’ll have to leave within the hour if you are to make it to Rodia in time for your meeting.”

[Kalistar]

As the winds begin to pick up and the skies darken as a massive sandstorm moves toward Mos Eisley, Kaylee rushes back to her ship. She had been on her way back to meet with Rush to discuss her findings when the storm began taking shape, and she was too far out of the space port to get back to shelter in time, so her only other option was to get to the ship, which is still a considerable distance from her current location. She hastens her speed as she races against the coming storm, knowing that there is a good chance that she wouldn’t survive being trapped in the sandstorm.

“Kaylee, you better hurry. The storm is getting closer, you don’t have much time.” Rush’s voice comes from the com link.

“I’m going as fast a I can, keep the ramp down. I’ll be there soon.” She tells him.

As she races against the storm, Kaylee can’t seem to shake the feeling that somebody is watching her. It is the same feeling she felt in Mos Eisley, that there was someone, or something following her. This sensation made her uneasy, and it is because of this that she begins to move even faster, using the Force to give her a slight boost of speed. With the added boost of speed, it isn’t long before she sees her ship in the distance. She gives a slight smile as she lowers her head and pushes harder.

Suddenly, something hits her with great force, sending her crashing down into the sand, then rolling down a dune head over heels as she tumbles toward her ship. Stunned by the sudden impact, she looks up at the culprit. He is a man with long black hair and is dressed like an aristocrat. Though he looks human, there is something slightly “off” about him, something unsettling even.

“I understand you’ve been looking for me, Jedi.” The man says.

Before Kaylee can reply, the man is upon her. He grabs her by the throat and lifts her high into the air before slamming her hard down into the sand, driving all of the air from her lungs.

“Don’t resist, child. It doesn’t have to be painful for you.” He says while holding her down, while pair of strange tentacles emerges from his cheeks. Kaylee struggles to get free of the man, but he is too strong.

“Child, I have waited a long, long time for a meal such as yourself to present itself to me. I have starved for generations, surviving on the vermin that thrive on this world. But now, you are here, and after I’ve devoured the soup from your body, I will take the others.” He taunts her as the tentacles make their way toward her nostrils.

Kaylee closes her eyes, concentrating on the Force, and then reaches down inside of her and unleashes a powerful Force push that knocks her attacker off of her. The man rebounds and gets back to his feet.

“You are skilled in your Jedi ways, that is good. I enjoy working up an appetite before I dine.” He says as he approaches her.
“You won’t be dining on me today.” Kaylee says as she activates her lightsaber with a [i]snap-hiss[i].

“We shall see.” He says as he charges toward her in a full sprint. He launches himself at her, however she buries her lightsaber into his chest, just inches from his heart. Kaylee brings her lightsaber up as if to end the confrontation with a single, fatal swing of her blade, however, he reaches down into the desert and launches a handful of sand into her eyes before making his escape.

Kaylee begins to take chase, however she is suddenly aware of her ship, which is no longer in the distance, but touching down just behind her even as the raging sandstorm threatens to engulf her.

“Get in!” Rush calls from the ramp. Kaylee does as he says, running toward the ship and getting to the ramp just as the ship is swallowed by the storm.

“What was that?” Rush asks, unsure of what he had just seen.

“I think it was an Anzat,” Kaylee says, “and I let him get away.”

“You injured him, he won’t get far. Once the storm settles, we’ll find him.” Rush assures her.

[mattmanganon]

Kalami had been stood at the top levels of the Senate Building. She looked down at the bureaucracy in action. A bunch of people trying to convince others that they needed more power than they already had, even though they didn't know what to do with it. "Makes you glad to be a member of the Senate Guard, doesn't it?" said a voice from over her shoulder. She turned around with her Pike at the ready. But there, she saw an old Togruta

"Shay." she smiled, she took her helmet off and held it under her arm. "It's always good to see you." she said. "If you can come back at the end of the session, i'll be glad to reminisce." she said, before turning back to the senate meeting.

"Trust me, Kalami, the others have every door and window covered. Your looking away is not going to change a thing." he said. She didn't look away, though. "Always by the book, aren't you?" he asked "Whatever happened to that young Swoop Ganger that I heard about, that used to raise hell in the underlevels."

"She grew up and realized that she had been a moron." she replied. He then walked over next to her. "Well, good news, somebody pulled in a favour from me and got me to pull some strings. You're going to be joining Senator Eclipse on her trip to Rodia. Your species homeworld." he said. "I thought you and Defenser Squadron could use some time away from Coruscant." She turned and scowled at him.

"I like being here. It reminds me that it's nice living in peace." she said. "And that eventually, my job will be no longer relevant. I dream that one day, these bureaucrats will be able to pull their collective thumb out and work out lasting peace."

"Well... We both know that that's not happening anytime soon. In the meantime, this senator is going to need you to makes sure she lives. Between you and me, I read her file, she is a bit of a loose cannon. Lost her parents a few years ago, they were also senators. If she gets so much as a sniff of them, she'll go looking. I need you to keep her in line." he said.

"Alright..." she replied. At that point, the session adjourned and the senators and diplomats began vacating the senate.

****

With the ships fueled and the men all ready, as the Senator walked out onto the landing pad, she would be met by the fully garbed Rodian. "Good day, Senator. We are Defenser Squadron and we will be joining you on your trip to Rodia. This is a quiet mission, so we will only have 5 fighter escorts, I will be with you in your shuttle. Do you have any questions before we leave?" she asked.

[nitemare shape]

Joren lay atop the makeshift bed on the floor of the main living quarters of Brya’s home, his arms wrapped tightly around Kelsa who for seemingly the first time in days was sound asleep. However, tonight it was Joren who was unable to sleep. The sounds of the wind and sand battering the dwelling that Brya shared with were younger sister wouldn’t allow it. As Joren lay there, he heard something else coming from outside. Aside from the sounds of the wind and sand blowing, he almost could almost swear that he could hear the faint sound of someone crying out for help.

Joren sprang from his makeshift bed and rushed over to the transparisteel windows and looks outside in an attempt to find out just where the sounds were coming from. His sudden movement roused both Nyna and Dono, who joined him at the window, as well as Kelsa who sat up on the pile of blankets that made up their bed.

“What’s going on?” Nyna asked.

“I’m not sure. I thought I heard someone outside.” Joren said without looking away from the window.

“That’s crazy. Nobody in their right mind would be out there in that.” Kelsa chimed in just as Brya made her way into the living room.

“Could be Sandpeople.” Brya offered.

“I don’t think so.” Joren said as he continued to look.

As Joren and the others looked out the window, Dono went over to his belongings and grabbed his helmet, putting it on as he returned to the window. He activated the HUD in the helmet, which had low light vision capabilities and began looking for himself.

“There’s definitely something out there.” Dono confirmed after a moment.

“What is it?” Joren asks.

“Hard to tell with all sand cloud, but I think it’s human.” Dono reported. “I’m not sure, but it looks like he might be hurt, but he’s headed our way.”

They watched out the window as just as Dono had said, they were able to see the shape of a man moving toward the house through the cloud of blowing sand, and as he approached, they could see that Dono’s assessment had been right, the man did appear to be injured. Joren knew that the man, whoever he was, would surely die out there if they didn’t do something.

“Open the door.” Joren told Brya.

“What? You can’t be serious. It’s too dangerous.” Kelsa said.

“She’s right Joren, between the sandstorm and the Sandpeople, we just can’t risk it.” Brya told him.

“He needs help. If we don’t do anything, he’ll die out there.” Joren pleaded.

“Better him than us.” Nyna said.

“No, he’s right.” Dono said as he moved toward the door with his blaster at the ready.

“Brya, open the door.” Joren said, his voice pleading.

“Joren, no...” Kelsa begged.

“Brya?” Joren asked.

Brya looked to Joren, and then over to Dono, who nodded in affirmative for her to open the door. Then she looked to Nyna and Kelsa who silently pleaded with her to keep the door closed. Then she shook her head and reluctantly went to the door controls and unsealed the door, allowing Dono and Joren outside into the storm before closing the door again.

“I’m sorry, they’re right. We can’t just let him die.” Brya said apologetically.

Joren and Dono rushed toward the man, who collapsed onto the ground just before they reached him. Joren reached down and grabbed the man, and with Dono’s help supported him on his shoulder as they turned around to return to the house. As Joren and Dono return with the man, the front door opens allowing them inside.

“Set him down over here, Vod’ika.” Dono says as he leads him toward the plush sofa that Dono had been using as a bed.

“Th…thank you.” The man said just before drifting off into unconsciousness.

[Kalistar]

“Are you ready for your trip, Senator?” Tosh Paloni asks as Serra Eclipse makes her way to the boarding ramp of the star cruiser that is to take her to Rodia.

“Yes Captain Paloni, the sooner we get this over with the sooner I can—see about so, personal business.” Serra replies.

She still had not completely recovered from the recent news that her parents might still be alive, and though every fiber of her being wants her to forgo the mission to Rodia, she knows that it is too important to the Republic, and if the roles had been reversed, her parents would see that there mission is complete before they went looking for her. Though it breaks her heart, she understands that this is the responsibility of a senator. So she would go to Rodia and have her meeting with Navik Roosh. She would convince Rodia to stay the course with the Republic, and then she would go to Falucia to find her parents.

As Serra steps into the cruiser, she is immediately greeted with an enthusiastic growl from Barthon, her Wookiee friend who has been a companion of hers since they were children. The large, dark furred wookiee had been at her side since she was a child of 12, and he had always been very protective of her, which was partially why her father had asked Barthon to watch over her if anything should ever happen to him, a task which Barthon had happily accepted.

“I know Barthon. The Vice Chair wishes to ensure that we stay on task for our mission. Otherwise he wouldn’t be so eager to provide us with babysitters.” Serra jokes as she embraces the Wookiee. “I’m glad that they allowed you to join me.”

Barthon growled, almost as if to say “Let’s see them try to stop me.” Serra chuckles as she is suddenly aware of someone else’s presence in the cruier’s cabin with them.

“Ah, Commander Manar. It is good to see you. Though, I do believe that sending someone with your resume for a simple meet and greet is a bit of overkill.”

[nitemare shape]

Joren and Brya sat keeping watch over the injured man that they had brought into their sanctuary. The man hadn’t said anything in the hours that had passed since Joren and Dono had ventured out into the storm to save him. However, there was something about this stranger that bothered Joren. Aside from managing to get to Brya’s home through the massive sandstorm that had swept over the area, there was just something different about this man, something unnerving.

Then there was his wound…

When Joren and Brya had begun dressing the wound he immediately recognized it as the type of injury inflicted when someone, or something for that matter, is stabbed with a lightsaber. Joren hadn’t sensed that this man was strong in the Force, however, there was something about him. To Joren, it was clear that this man was no Jedi, however, he had still managed to find himself on the wrong side of a lightsaber. And this did not sit well at all with Joren. The moment he saw this man’s wounds, he decided that this man would bear close watching, which is why he hadn’t left the man’s side.

“What made you change your mind?” Joren asked Brya, never taking his eyes off of the unconscious man.

“What do you mean?” Brya asked, not entirely sure what Joren had meant.

“You had no intentions of opening the door. You agreed with Nyna and Kelsa, you thought that it was too dangerous to go out there, but you opened the door anyhow.” Joren told her.

“I don’t know. I guess I realized that you were right. We couldn’t just leave him out there to die. The way that you were willing to go out there to help a complete stranger, I guess you reminded me a bit of my brother.”

“Your brother?” Joren asked, surprised by the mention of a brother. “I didn’t realize you had a brother, I thought it was just you and your sister.”

“He died a few years ago. A friend of his, one of the cantina girls in town was taken by the Tuskan Raiders, he led a small group out into the Dune Sea to get her back, but it didn’t go so well. None of them came back.” She said, her voice cracking slightly. It was clear that this was not something that she liked talking about, yet despite herself, she continued. “They sent out a second search party a few days later, and that’s when they found their bodies. Then entire rescue party had been killed, and there was no sign of the sand people or Sheesa. They died for nothing, and it’s just been Brixi and I ever since.”

“Brya, I’m so sorry.” Joren told her.

“Don’t be. He died trying to protect others, which is pretty much what he lived for. I miss him, but I’ve done my grieving.”

As Joren opened his mouth to say something, he was interrupted by the wounded stranger who stirred slightly, issuing several coughs before fading back into unconsciousness.

“Excuse me.” Joren said as he got up from his seat beside the stranger. He made his way across the room to where he and his friends had stowed their bags while they were staying with Brya. He went into his bag, digging through the contents until he came to another, hidden pouch in the bag. He felt the cold metal hilt of his lightsaber, and pulled it out of the bag, tucking it into the waistline of his pants, then pulling his shirt down over it. He then returned to his seat near Brya, knowing that if this stranger did try anything, he would be ready.

[Phoenix]

Ael's eldest son, Qok Ked, lead him to the castle of ice and snow. The white shone bright in the Season's Sun and the clear ice windows gleamed with colors. He could see it over the twenty-foot walls of packed snow and ice hand-made by the Kingdom's people. Torches were lit at all hours of the day and were kept burning throughout the night. Even this constant heat couldn't melt the snow surrounding the flames. This proved to the people that fire, even the fire their King could produce at will, was no match for the purity of the white which surrounded them.

The circular sectors of the Kingdom all stemmed from the center where the castle stood. Each sector was surrounded by its own barrier of walls throughout which in that watchtowers were built. It wasn't designed for easy access within and out of the Kingdom, though this was just another security and defensive measure. There were four large openings in the complex wall-system that allowed for mass movement, but only those with proper authority could pass through any of the watchtowers. King Ked cared not to pass through these direct routes and, instead, traveled the more scenic route through the large gates.

He and his son passed by the organized and aesthetically pleasing spread of igloos where the kingspeople would rest and expand their families. With almost 2,500 Epicanthix in his kingdom, some thought it impossible for him to know each of their names. Still, he greeted each passerby personally and formally and each of these subjects bowed low in great respect for the man.

As transparent as his population was, the King made sure to be as transparent and open with his own schedule. A few of his people would ask where he was going, knowing he should have been at the Raiders' Barracks in the Cad Sector.

<<"Why are you leaving?>> they would ask.

<<"It seems the Mil have created their own Kingdom and wish to speak with me,">> he admitted openly.

Of course, this gossip was quick to get around and he wasn't surprised to see a large group of OewCad people following him to the Wex Complex. The Head Chief, Qok, did not approve of being so open with the population, but couldn't disrespect his Father King by speaking out. Instead, the man nodded to sentries as they passed them, signalling he wanted to keep the Wex Sector clear of all unnecessary visitors in the case of an attack from inside the castle itself.

The current Queen Mother, Buj Zka, was an old seer. She was pushing the limits of the Epicant lifespan, but it was clear the ancestors still required of her tasks for the physical realm.

<<"Hail, Father King Ael Ked,">> she greeted him with his full name. Though her voice echoed throughout the icy room, she sounded small and weak.

She tried to bow as much as she could in her seat provided to her by his sons and daughters who were all present at this meeting as well as his two sisters and his wife. She couldn't move well due to her age, which the King took pity. He bowed low, himself, almost to his feet. Those standing around the room imitated this, though most were concerned and even upset by this show of such respect to a foreign woman claiming to have formed a Kingdom to rival their own.

<<"Hail, Queen Mother Buj Zka of the Mil,">> he stated back. His voice vibrated through the room. <<"What brings so far north to the realm of purity white?">>

<<"I wished to see the rumors for myself, my King. I had heard from the southern waters of your conquests and formation of such a gathering of tribes.">> She coughed, not quite used to the chill in the air. Vaab, Ael's youngest sister, rushed over with a cone of tea for the woman as well as another layer of fur to keep the frail woman warm.

Ael bowed slightly to her sister in thanks for her hospitality. <<"I see,">> he said with a pause. <<"I understand your southern clears have created their own Kingdom of the Mil. How did you manage such a task?">> he asked, trying to keep the conversation superficial.

<<"Through much discussion,">> she said and waved him off the question, clearly not wishing to speak of such trivialities with the King. <<"I have also come to propose a sort of alliance between the Southern Waters and the Northern Snow,">> she said. Her glassy eyes gazed through Ael, making the man shiver uncharacteristically.

He shook it off quickly, playing it off as an adjustment of his standing position and toward a place directly in front of the seated Mil woman so that she needn't twist her head to the side. He didn't respond, knowing the seer would have much more to say.

<<"I have dreams of our lakes turning to ice and snow falling on our lands. I have dreams of the north's snow forming clear and running to the earth. After I learned about the conquests of the Oew and the formation of this Kingdom, I understood what those dreams were. My oracles saw a cold white figure standing beside a warm blue figure. Their hands locked, creating steam and becoming each other. My Star Readers note the convergence of two stars never before having met. The star of the ice and rebirth and the star of emotion and vast waters will meet in the sky creating an interaction they know not how to interpret. Though I know how all these signs are to tell me a single item. My great great grandaughter, Bteo Zka, is to marry your great grandson, Jux Ked.">>

How she knew his name, he could only explain as her being a seer. He didn't look behind him to where his sisters, the Princesses, and the Queen, his wife, were standing. His eyes, however, went to that of Qok, Ael's son and Jux's grandfather. He didn't flinch at the idea, showing a great deal of stoicism and inner strength in which Ael always held pride.

<<"You have no boykin?">> he asked with a straight tone. Since the Epicanthix married their sons off to girls, the boy would be required to live in their kingdom.

<<"Alas, the ancestors have not allowed the physical strength and courage of men to introduce themselves into my bloodline.">>

<<"Have you no boy in direct relation to you for this convergence to be equal?">> he asked with his face remaining still.

<<"Dear boy,">> she started, dropping all formality. Vei's face turned red by this. <<"Men and Women are equal in this world. I understand your concern of never seeing your great grandson again. I believe they should travel back and forth between Kingdoms.">>

Ael was taken aback by this. Certainly she understood the inherent danger of traveling through the forests, mountains, deserts, and plains which connected their realms. If word spread this quickly of the formation of the Kingdoms, then it would soon spread of their joining. They would then be targets from other tribes and villages in an attempt to usurp power and authority or to merely bring down the two Kingdoms in order to restore what once was.

<<"I assure you, this world is to see a great change,">> she added, however cryptically. It held no assurance to him since he was never one to be very religious despite his time within the Jedi Order. But how could he deny the words of a powerful Seer of the Mil? It was known to never go against these women for they would foresee all fortune and misfortune and understand how to make it befall those to which it was fated.

<<"And where is this to take place?">> Ael asked.

<<"It will take place here, to show respect to the powerful and resourceful Oew.">>

<<"And when?">>

<<"When they are ready. The girl has just been born and is not ready for such travel.">>

<<"I understand,">> Ael said with a shallow bow.

<<"I'm glad we've come to an agreement,">> she said with an old smile, her cheeks falling upon the edges of her mouth.

<<"Would you like escort back to your home?>> Ael offered, understanding the fickle nature of his land's weather.

<<"Unnecessary,">> she waved with a cackle. <<"My Oracles and I made it here and we will be fine on our way back,">> she explained.

This proved the power women held over men in the world of Panatha. For him, it was unheard that women would travel by themselves through storm and the unknown. But these five women could travel across the world by themselves and with much success.

---

Most, if not all, were accepting of the King's decision. This on top of the fact of the King's decision to remain defensive in all measures of attack created greater unrest within the Kingdom. However, he was able to reassure his people of the benefits of such an arrangement.

<<"There will be no compromise to the lineage of the Ked and there will be no compromise to the security of your lands. All will remain as it is.">>

Of course, there were some who were discontent with the current norm.

<<"We have to rebuild our walls and recuperate losses each time a nearby village or tribe wants to test our strength.">>

He wasn't surprised that this came from his eldest sister, Vei. She was so much like their mother, very strong willed and offended by any attack on their well-being.

<<"But there will always be contests of strength,">> their youngest sister, Vaab, argued on Ked's behalf. <<"This world if full of pride and proving one's self and, by extension, one's family and clan. If we were to attack them, then the cycle of violence would continue, though on a different front.">>

<<"I'd rather the front not be our own,">> Vei whined with a hint of a pout.

<<"And you'd rather see the eradication of entire villages and tribes than to see an affront to our Kingdom?">> Ael added.

<<"It's the only way to cease this continual violence.">>

<<"And you know, as well as I, that that is not the only way,">> Vaab retorted, with some condescension.

<<"Don't speak as if you know what your brothers and fathers have done for you,">> Vei began to shout, pointing to the one man who's opinions truly ruled. Ironically, they conflicted with her own.

<<"I don't wish to see our people need to fight for the sake of 'peace.' The death that arises from this 'peace' is more than any mother or sister can bare,">> Vei continued. It was clear the memories of her father and mother affected her more than she would let on in the face of their people.

<<"They will tire,">> Ael started, trying to calm her down.

<<"And that's what you've been saying since the first attack!">> Her voice made the cold in the air shake. Vei's anger made any man quiver.

<<"And the new takes long to prove itself,">> Ael continued in a much calmer tone.

<<"Your inaction will cost you everyone's life!">>

<<"And what inaction is that?">> Ael argued rhetorically. <<"My action for sentries to oust any threat before they even reach our walls? My action to kill every invader before they reach any civilian? My actions which resulted in few fatalities over the course of this Kingdom's existance?">> His voice vibrated with authority but was equally calm.

<<"And if we were to attack them, we would lose any kind of advantage. If we were to attack all outside this Kingdom, we would kill the innocent and lose any kind of report as being a fair and just Kingdom that works with its people and for its people as any village or tribe would. If we attack them, we face greater casualties on our side for the sake of ridding our region of any kind of life. Instead, I keep open to more diplomatic relations between them and us in a hope to unite, if not the world, then this region. Change does not come quickly, and we speak of this every year.">>

<<"And every year it doesn't -">> Vei started again.

<<"And it's probably not going to be resolved in our lifetimes. It might not come in the lifetimes of our children or grandchildren,">> he admitted. <<"The long term will befit us more than a short term eradication of the masses.">>

His conclusion was met with silence. He was the only to cut the silence his own speech caused. <<"And I rely on your intellect and wisdom to be the voice of reason to the politicians within the Gnur. We need to be united in our goals, whether we live to see them or not. We fight on this every year, Vei. If you are unwilling to alter your perception, then your position in this Kingdom will have to be reconsidered.">>

His ultimatum widened the eyes of his sisters and children. It was clear his patience for any compromise to the security of his people was growing thin the point of exiling his own family. <<"I need you to work toward the greater end that your lack of sight does not allow.">>

Vei was almost brought to tears by the insults from her only living brother that knew better than her about his own sacrifices for his family and their safety and health. If he would not be moved to a more aggressive stance for the sake of protection and safety, and no other in this council could agree with her, then it was best for her to alter her outlook. She would need to reconsider what the attacks on her Kingdom meant to her. She knew there was validity in his opinions because his actions due to those opinions held validity. She took a deep breath in order to calm herself.

<<"So be it,">> she said before standing. She kept her fingers upon the ice table. <<"I cannot see any fault in your actions, as you have clarified. But should any unreasonable incident occur,">> she began.

<<"We will oust any opposition to our Kingdom,">> Ael finished and nodded his head a single time to indicate an agreement between them.

With the meeting concluded, Ael decided to ascend the castle to see if the Jedi Order had contacted him. He would do this daily, but the time of day he decided to enter his YZ-900 freighter he'd obtained after ousting a particularly troublesome drug cartel on Coruscant. It wasn't the most fond memory he had, thinking Coruscant was a blasphemous planet with its lack of nature. Regardless, this ship was the only contact with the universe he had.

He was more than surprised to see a ship descending just as he reached the roof of the castle. His hand hovered over his hip, feeling the Phond crystal within Blok radiating a heat quite foreign to this land. The personal vessel landed askew toward the front of his own ship. Despite the air rushing past him, the roof of packed snow didn't budge and no flecks of white were pushed from the structure.

It seemed like hours before a strange figure exited the vessel. He assumed it was female and her blue skin, or scales, reflected brightly against the ever-present Sun of the season. She looked small and feeble as she began to wrap herself in layers of odd fabrics and other materials in order to protect herself from the lack of heat.

She walked over, clearly encumbered by the amount of cloth with which she was covered. "Stand down, Master Ked," the female almost shouted through the blanket covering her head. It was in a tongue he hadn't spoken in quite some time.

"Who are - you?" he replied back with a slight pause before the last word, remembering how Basic was structured and the general use of pronouns.

"Javilla Mojach," she said. It was now Ael could see she was almost half his own height. "The Jedi Council sent me. Didn't you get the message?" she asked with a level of condescension.

"No," he said, his low voice filling the thin cold air around them.

He stormed into his own ship, wondering if her words held any truth. She was quick to follow, desperate to retreat from the cold.

"You know, they told me it was going to be cold, but this is a little ridiculous."

"Silence," Ael boomed. Her eyes widened and she slinked back. He didn't appreciate her speaking out of turn.

He switched a few switches and levered a few levers. Most of this technology was still over his head, but he knew well enough how to make it work the way in which he needed. It seemed she was telling the truth and this Padawan, Javilla Mojach, a female Falleen youth, would be placed under his tutelage to continue his own training as well as instill some level of discipline in the girl.

When he turned to face the girl, it took all of his self-control to not wince at her appearance. He was still not entirely used to aliens and still held a level of xenophobia. However, he was mostly concerned with his own people as they had never left the planet before.

"Dinner is soon," he said, his word disjointed and clearly a second language to his own. "No speak - without permission," he said, still trying to find the Basic words and forming them in an understandable manner.

"Good, I'm hungry," she exhaled. When she caught Ael's glare, she froze and widened her eyes once more. "I'm sorry, Master."

[NeutralNexus]

The darkened skies began to clear away as Malov’s space cruiser moved into deep space, away from the Umbaran homeworld and past its patrol fleet sitting in orbit around the planet. As he pulled his mask from his face, a cold sneer crossed his lips. After he had carried out the orders to kill the two jedi, Malov had been ordered by Darth Crudelis to return to exact his full plans, the unchallenged rule of Umbara.

However, that day was coming to an end, and Malov knew the cause. With the flicking of a few buttons, the conniving Darth Seducus brought a screen to his face, an open channel opening up at his command. It took a few minutes for him to bring up his master’s home channel, and he was aware that his master was not home, not yet.

But he will be, and this message would be the last thing he saw.

The Sith Lord took a few minutes, the Zeltron scratching his chin as he considered the words to be delivered to his master’s manse in the last few seconds of his life, but he well knew the message he wanted to send. With another push of a button on his cruiser, the man took a few steps into the recording droid’s camera, and from his lips were uttered this message.

“Hello, My Master.” Darth Secudus began, his hood and mask pulled back to reveal his face, a sneer engraved upon his features. “I want you to know that your final will is done. The Sylx family will be no more and those jedi will never deliver their message, you are no officially unopposed to rule on Umbara.”

A brief pause, but Seducus’ face only became more menacing and conniving as time went on.

“However, you’re probably wondering why I’m not back with you awaiting your next orders...I have good reason for such a move.” His words were followed with a scoff, now pacing back and forth in front of the recording droid. “While normally, rigging up the Sylx manse to have some electrical failures would be the end of it...I may have told my men to bury a few blaster bolts in them as well...and add a few clues at the scene…” He gestured with a free hand. “Not to mention that I was...sloppy in taking the security footage from the bar, implicating it was someone in your manse that stole the footage.” He pointed at the recording droid, his eyes bearing into its camera as if he was looking at Darth Crudelis himself with each word. “I’ve set you up, my master, and I know what you’re thinking. ‘But Seducus, you know I will just explain this all away, I’m the most powerful man on Umbara!’ This is true...if you have the time, you can cover all this up rather easily.”

Malov paused for only a moment, his smirk returning to his face as he continued.

“That is but only the reason I put this so late. By now, you’re probably already feeling the Dioxis gas I’ve had circulating your Manse since I left, and are far too weak to fight back. This will be followed by one of my men, a Clawdite I told to disguise himself as a vengeful Slyx loyal, to blow your room the termite charges I’ve been subtly placing within your Manse for weeks. You will die in your home, and the Umbarans will discover that you were a Sith Lord with two dead jedi under his belt in a dump outside of a bar. With the Sylx retaliation, they will think the threat of the Sith is finished.

Now, don’t get me wrong, I understand this is not the typical way Sith change hands. We usually duel on a mountain with lightsabers until one of us dies. A display of power and anger and emotions until one of us shows how powerful we are. However, you were the one who decided to make a career criminal into a Sith, and if this isn’t a display of how Powerful I truly am, then I’m not sure what is.”

With those words, Seducus placed his mask back on, pulling the hood back over his head.

“Besides, Umbara? One planet? Who wants to rule one lousy planet? With the plans I have, I’ve got a much better design for this galaxy.”

He turned from the recording droid, making his way to the window as he spoke.

“I’m going to take this galaxy back, My master. The reign of Darth Seducus will make these systems shake and quiver as I cut my legacy into each any every one of them…

We will rule the Galaxy once more.”

[nitemare shape]

Joren and Kelsa stood alone just outside of Brya’s home watching the twin suns set over the desert landscape in what had become a nightly ritual since the foursome arrived on Tatooine several days before. As the dusk sky became a cascading of colors, Joren reached around Kelsa’s waist and gave her a slight squeeze as she craned her neck and offered him a kiss.

“I can’t believe we’re leaving tomorrow.” Kelsa said.

“Yeah, Brya’s been a good friend.” Joren told her.

“I know, I wish we could have met her sister. Brixi seems like an interesting girl.” Kelsa said wistfully.

“I agree. Maybe next time.” Joren said half joking as he kissed her gently on the side of the neck. Suddenly, his attention was drawn elsewhere as he felt something. The dark presence of the stranger that they had rescued from the sandstorm was stronger than it had been, and it was close.

“What’s wrong?” Kelsa said as she felt Joren’s body tense and his attention drift elsewhere.

“I’m not su-” Joren began to say, but cut himself short when he saw the figure of the stranger making his way toward them from the front of Brya’s home. The stranger was tall and thin, and he walked with confidence. His long black hair was matted from having spent the past day in bed recovering from his injuries.

“I wanted to thank you for your assistance.” The stranger said as he approached them. “It was very brave of you to venture out into the sandstorm to help me. Many would not have done that.”

“It was nothing.” Joren said growing more and more uncomfortable as the stranger stepped closer to him. Again, Joren wasn’t sure what it was about this man that bothered him so much, but he knew that it was not just him imagination. There was something about this man that just was not right.
“To the contrary, it was very much something.” The stranger said with a pause. “My name is Drast’une, and you are?”

“I’m Joren, this is Kelsa.” Joren said.

“Joren.” Drast’une said airily. “You are indeed special. You have something…something deep inside of you that is something of a rarity these days. That is how I found you. How I brought you here from the depths of space.”

Joren suddenly felt a sharp sense of dread wash over him, similar to the feeling that he'd felt since almost from the moment that they had set foot on Tatooine. The entire time that they were there, he had felt as if someone was watching him, and now he knew that his instincts were correct, and it was this man.

“Kelsa, get inside.” Joren said as he prepared himself for a confrontation.

Kelsa did as she was told and immediately ran for the front entrance to Brya’s home. Joren attempted to follow her, however Drast’une gripped his arm, and much to Joren’s surprise, the stranger’s grip was like a vice, much stronger than he could have anticipated. Then, Drast’une effortlessly tossed Joren aside, sending him flying several yards through the air and landing in a heap on the ground. Before Joren could spring to his feet, the stranger was atop of him, surprising Joren with the impossible speed at which he moved.
forced to feed on the vermin of this world, which is why when I felt you in the stars, I knew I had to bring you here. I didn’t expect for others to follow. But fear not, once I have tasted your soup, I will do the same of your friends. And then, once I am strong enough, I will return for the others of your kind.” Drast’une taunted him as he hed Joren down.

As Joren struggled to get free from Drast’une, he saw something strange. It was as if something was moving under the strangers skin; as if something were crawling to escape from the stranger’s face. Then, a pair of strange tentacles emerged from his cheeks and began moving toward him.

“For too long, the Anzati have been forced to settle for scraps, but tonight, I will finally feast.” Drast’une said gleefully. “I will truly enjoy you.”

Joren could feel something pushing at his psyche, it was as if every doubt he had ever had was telling him to give in and accept the inevitable, that he should just accept his fate. However, Joren fought the urge to give up and to let the Anzat make a meal of him. Joren reached to his side and grabbed his blaster, leveling it at Drast'une's head, but before he could fire, his attacker knocked the blaster from his hand.

“Don’t fight me, young Joren, it is no use. But fear not, once I have tasted your soup, I will go inside and do the same to your friends.” Drast’une taunted. “I will save your female for last. I will savor her, my friend. Every last drop. However, I doubt that she will compare to you, as you truly are a delicacy.”

Joren struggled as the tentacles pressed against his nostrils. He reached to his belt again, this time clutching the hilt of his lightsaber and pressing it against Drast’une’s stomach.

“Why do you continue to struggle? It is an honor for you to--!”Drast’une was silenced as the muffled snap-hiss brings his lightsaber to life, piercing Drast’une through the stomach. Then arched upwards, cleaving its way up and out of the Anzat’s body near the neck. Joren shoved Drast’une off of him, and with a final swing of the lightsaber, severed his head from the rest of his body.

With a hiss-snap the glowing blue blade of his lightsaber retracted back into the hilt, just as Kelsa lead Dono and the others back out of the house to help. Though the battle with Drast’une had seemed as if it had taken an eternity, in reality it was only a few moments. Joren looked over to his friends who looked at Joren with wide eyed shock as he put his lightsaber back into his waistband.

"Vod'ika, you? You're a Jetii?" Dono said, his disbelief visible even from behind his mask.

"No Dono, I'm no Jedi."

"Then why use the weapon of the Jedi, Joren?"

Joren paused for a moment pondering his friend's question. Joren understood why Dono would have reservations about what he had just seen. Not only had Joren lied to him, to all of tem from the moment that they had met one another, his people had been involved with conflicts with the Jedi for millennia, and many Madalorians still held grudges...the Mandalorians as a people tend to have long memories.

“I’m not a Jedi, not anymore.”

[mattmanganon]

Kalami had boarded the ship with the senator. She had then addressed her about her presence "I did not request this, I am fulfilling a request." she replied. "In this time of great uncertainty, the Republic aren't willing to take any chances on the safety of their senators. With an increase of pirate attacks inner rim, we can never be too careful." she said. She then turned and stood with the Senator by her side, her pike in her hands. "I warn you about Rodia, there are a large number of mercenaries, pirates and bounty hunters. They haven't the strongest economy, lots of people out of work. I hope that this meeting will work out some financial relief for the Rodian government." she commented. She spent most of her time in the Senate and watched every session, she was completely aware of everything that was happening in the political universe.

[Kalistar]

"I did not request this, I am fulfilling a request." she replied. "In this time of great uncertainty, the Republic aren't willing to take any chances on the safety of their senators. With an increase of pirate attacks inner rim, we can never be too careful." Serra is well aware of Kalami Manar’s reputation, and though she was glad to have the Rodian’s expertise on this mission, she did question whether Kalami was there for her protection, or to keep her in line.

“I understand.” Serra says in response. “I know the dangers that are present on Rodia, and I am glad to have your assistance. And I too hope that this conference will bring much needed aid to the people of Rodia. I just hope that I am up to the task of convincing Navik Roosh that Rodia belongs with the Republic.”

Serra bows her head and then looks to Barthon. “It was good to see you Kalami, again, thank you for your assistance on this mission.” She says as she takes her leave of the Rodian.

“Barthon, let the pilot know that we are ready to depart, then come to my chambers, we have a lot of catching up to do.” Serra tells her longtime friend who growls in confirmation and makes his way to the cockpit. Serra watches her friend make his way to the pilot and she her stomach begins to get twisted with anticipation, as important as this mission is, she is anxious to get it over with so she can go to Felucia to try to find her parents.

[Phoenix]

The training regiment wore out the girl after a week. Ael was surprised she even lasted that long. Being the only female, it was clear she was trying to prove herself to the men of this kingdom, since their culture believed women to remain safe and practice the arts of healing and alchemy rather than martial skills. At first, they didn't pay her any mind, but as the days continued, the men grew impatient with the special attention this alien female commanded of their king.

Ael tried to explain to them the purpose for this focus on a being not from their kingdom. The foreign religion held little authority over their prejudices. Ael attempted to relate the Jedi to their own sense of spirituality, but they were as stubborn as any other Epicant from the northern regions.

There were few who took fascination with Javilla. Vaab, the Recorder and Historian of the Kingdom, held a level of spirituality more akin to the Mil people rather than their own kind. She wished to study and discuss philosophies with the girl, having gotten very little from her eldest living brother. Javilla was quite the talker, but Vaab was more than patient, if only because of her curiosity. Surprisingly, Vaab gave the girl tasks about the Kingdom and even sent her to console nearby tribes after having lost men in attacks upon their Kingdom.

It gave Ael some time to focus on his Kingdom rather than watching Javilla repeat every step he took. He was glad she picked up the language so quickly. She had a knack for Force Comprehension, but Ael believed the ancestors could speak to her and let her understand what was spoken to her.

The King always had a meeting to attend, it seemed. The Gnur and Cad sectors were most often graced by his presence, whereas the Abx and Efti were most often visited by Vei. All was going as smoothly as ever despite his rushing and tending most of his days. He exhaled deeply during a ceremony to begin the Season of the Moon. It would be a few days before more councils and meetings would be held and he could converse with Javilla on a more personal level.

<<"So, what has become your opinion on my being of the Jedi Order?">> Ael asked. The girl was appalled that someone so brutish and heartless could have been accepted in the Jedi Order. When she had learned of his murdering two members of the Order and a third, after she had turned to the dark side, she spent hours meditating on the matter.

<<"I understand that your culture emphisizes survival of what one believes is 'right' rather than clinging to every living organism possible.">> Javilla took a bite of the goathog and a sip of Oew Ale. <<"I remember being taught that there is importance in all life, but that some life must be sacrificed for the greater good.">>

She paused a moment, the banquet hall was silent as they listened in on the two. <<"But, Master, all that you have told me about your conquests to the south and east-">> she began.

<<"That is a mistake,">> he said coldly. But Javilla was used to his tone and wouldn't take it personally. <<"We went to route out a force that sought to end us. Instead of keeping to ourselves and behaving defensively, we struck. There was a cost to inaction as our numbers had dwindled to too few to hold back so many enemies.">>

<<"I'm sorry, Master,">> she bowed her head.

<<"No offense,">> he replied, and took a hunk of meat off a thigh with his teeth.

<<"But there is one thing about which I'm unsure, Master,">> she continued.

Ael did not glance at the girl, who's scaled glowed a dark red. This had occurred soon after she arrived in her training in enduring the cold of their region.

<<"How can you be sure that your Kingdom is the right kingdom? How can you be sure that others are immediately the enemy and must be cut down.">>

He took a large gulp of his ale before responding. <<"That is simply due to this culture, Javilla.">>

He rarely called her by her name. She took this as a sign of deep respect from her Master. Her scales blushed through purple and then back to red. <<"As you know, the Jedi are not above the law. In fact, they are expected to uphold the law. Each race, people, planet, and galaxy holds their own set of rules. The Jedi are not to interfere with these laws should they not cause widespread pain and suffering,">> he began to explain.

Javilla couldn't help but interject. "But you kill any enemy on your doorstep on sight," she raised her voice in Basic. This took Ael's attention, as well as those around the table. <<"I'm sorry, Master.">>

<<"You are right. But do you understand why this is?">> he asked rhetorically, already knowing she hadn't fully grasped their culture in the past two years she'd been there. <<"If we were to send defeated warriors back to their tribe or village, they would be tortured and killed, or even exiled. They bring shame to their family and tribe if they go into a battle and return defeated. This shows a lack of worthiness from the victorious. The victorious showed how worthless and a waste of time their enemy was that they would not kill them in battle or even enslave them to put them to work for the victorious' benefit.

<<"The Jedi do not shame, they honor all life. If honoring a life means to end it, then that is what the Jedi will do.">>

She sat there in silence, unable to continue eating.

<<"Emotion, yet peace,">> he began to recite the Old Jedi Code.

<<"We hold a great deal of emotions as sentient beings. I hold a deep emotion for my sisters and my kin. I have told you how most of my siblings have died. This did not spark rage or vengeance within me. Instead, I trained harder because I was weak and ignorant.

<<"Ignorance, yet knowledge.

<<"I knew there was more to learn, and that was a knowledge in itself. I knew what I needed to learn and develop, so I did. I proved my worth through physical gains and intellectual findings. I learned how to combat with my hands when my words weren't enough.

<<"Passion, yet serenity.

<<"I hold a great deal of passion for my Kingdom. I held a great deal of passion for my tribe. When the well-being of that institution is threatened, I will defend it with all I am. And this is what we are taught in regards to the Order.

<<"Chaos, yet harmony.

<<"There will always be chaos, but there is always harmony to be had. In the midst of battle, my mind and emotions are calm. When I take in my opponent's negativity, I throw it back tenfold. And now, as we eat here peacefully, there is chaos elsewhere, be that other tribes or villages, other planets, other galaxies, and other universes. We cannot be responsible for them all, and we must accept that as finite beings.

<<"Death, yet the Force.

<<"I believe my ancestors are the root of my abilities. You call this the Force. Regardless, the death of those close to us gives us further understanding of how sentience is not everlasting and that the Force, or the Aether, outlasts us all. I believe we become one with the Aether, with the Force, when we die. Our voices do not perish when we are killed, since I can still hear the voice of my father. Our touch does not go unnoticed, as I feel my mother heal my wounds when I stumble. We are all connected by those we know, that which we know, and that which we know not.">>

He wanted to make sure that it was explained well enough, not just for Javilla, but for his family as well. That the alien and they were not so different. That words do not change the intent behind them or the meaning they are given. Though she saw him as a brute, as did many others of the Order, he had meditated much and learned much to be able to join two worlds and ways of life that are so foreign to each other, yet so similar.

<<"Yes, Master,">> she said strongly. She had been trained to be strong, whether learning a lesson or sparring with one twice her size.

<<"But do not think you cannot argue my beliefs. I will learn much from you as you will learn much from us,">> he concluded, and gestured to all at the table.

---

Javilla was in the Efti sector, working with the herbalists and alchemists. She was wary of what they practiced, but also quite intrigued. It was just natural medicines from what she could understand. Javilla, herself, had a knack for Force Healing and didn't really understand much of the medical and herbal worlds. She was intrigued to sense the Force through the herbs and remembered replicating the same sensation while also experiencing some new sensations.

Ael was walking through the Abx sector, having not visited that area often. The large school was being turned into a sort of Academy, something he learned from Javilla. They were also creating larger training grounds and even a sizeable garden. It was to be the starting grounds for all aspects of the Oew Kingdom's development.

This was interrupted by horns sounding at the western gate and then throughout the entire Kingdom. It was he sound of an attack on their walls. He looked back to his son, Qok. <<"I have a bad feeling. make sure all sectors have ample defense and have messengers located at each tower.">>

Before Qok could respond, Ael's image faded into nothing. His Ancestors pushed him through the thin air so he could reach the southern wall with Javilla. <<"Numbers,">> he said, giving an air that he wanted her to speak in Basic so she didn't have to concentrate so much on communication.

"About 40," she said, readying he stance and hovering her hand over her lightsaber, which she had named "Yjaniphur."

<<"Hold,">> he said to Javilla's eagerness to kill. <<"Information first.">>

The large wooden door held up by ice and snow was opened from the inside.

<<"My King, where are the Warriors?">> a scout asked with panic. Javilla's face contorted into a judgmental confusion, knowing the Epicanthix didn't express emotions.

<<"Guarding the rest of the Kingdom. This isn't he only attack, today.">>

The scout's eyes widened. It was clear a force of forty was larger than usual, but the idea that this wouldn't have been the only one frightened him even further. <<"Do not worry, brother Hen,">> Ael began. <<"We will be victorious because our Ancestors instilled in us strength and perseverance. We will be victorious because we have honed this strength and perseverance all our lives. We cannot be cut down.">>

Ael and Javilla raced through the tower and onto the other side. The snow was soft and kicked up into small clouds of white powder at their feet. The wind howled unlike the interior of the Kingdom. It was the first time Javilla had been outside the Kingdom walls, and she felt so exposed, turning her scales to a greenish-blue color before going back to red.

<<"Keep calm, Mojach,">> Ael addressed her like one of his soldiers. <<"They are no match for the power of our Ancestors.">>

Ael's body flew forward, pushing up powder almost as high as himself. His fist crushed into the first assailant, breaking through the skin and ribs of his chest, crushing his lungs and heart, effectively killing the man instantly.

Javilla had to utilize her flexibility against Epicanthix. After fighting with hundreds of them, she realized their speed matched her own and their strength was wholly overpowering. So, instead, she used their own energy against them, and completely evaded their attacks and attempted to throw them off balance before striking a single, and usually fatal, blow.

It was a half hour before the forty invaders lay on the pink snow surrounding them. <<"What do you hear?">> Ael asked the girl. Her Force Sense was much stronger than her own. He was also beyond shame to openly admit and utilize it.

"There's some fighting, but it doesn't seem like it's made it inside," she said, breathing heavily.

<<"Come,">> he said, and raced off toward the southern wall and through the tower. <<"Report,">> he demanded of the scout.

<<"The Cad and Gnur Sectors are under attack. Civilians have returned to their homes and all active men are on guard throughout the Kingdom's walls.">>

Ael didn't acknowledge his helpful knowledge, understanding that there would be time of which to take care such formalities. He raced off, Javilla attempted to keep up, and cleared every point of attack as it came up. It seemed the Grii had formed a type of alliance and wished to see the Oew Kingdom demolished. Alas, their desires would not be granted. Every enemy was struck down. When the attacks were finished, the women buried their bodies. It was some sort of ritual to appease the earth itself and to their ancestors to prove their worth as a people.

Vei made some kind of speech that the King had to miss since Javilla had noticed her master had a message from the Council itself. She rushed him to his ship as they wished him to contact him as soon as possible.

With a press of a few buttons, he had direct contact with one of the Jedi Masters of the Council. "Greetings, Master At'chaa Cluyr," Ael opened.

"Hello, Knight Ked," the Red Nikto responded back.

Master Cluyr's appearance always struck Ael's nerves, but he wouldn't allow that to show on his face. Instead, Ael stood in a wide position with his hands behind his back, a show of great respect in his culture. Still, the horns on her head made Ael uncomfortable. He would never fully get over his zenophobia.

"I have contacted you on behalf of Master Taris Verr," she continued. Ael could have winced at that. Taris was a Zabrak with pale skin and black horns. She was a lovely enough female and he'd actually had a lesson from her on his time on Coruscant.

"She recounts your swift oust of a crime lord on Coruscant many years ago. We hope you are as proficient with a similar task on Nar Shaddaa."

She was cold with her words but never fully clear. This irritated Ael, but then most aliens' speech irritated him since many spoke round-a-bout.

"I head now," Ael responded quickly. "Information?"

His broken Basic was merely to counteract her illusive speech.

"Yes, it is being sent to you now. Make sure you keep your Padawan safe. This isn't entirely appropriate for one of her development," she continued.

Javilla couldn't help but pout with a huff. Master Cluyr wasn't one to shy away from insults, since it was her nature to be honest, despite her profuse verbage.

"Yes," Ael said. "I contact," he pointed to the hologram image of the Jedi Master, "when arrive." He was thinking of the mission on Coruscant rather than using pronouns when appropriate.

"Very good," she said. Her head turned as if someone or something caught her attention. "Master Verr would like to add something while she is here."

The image of the Nikto faded away and reformed into that of the Zabrak. "Hello Ael," she said with familiarity, something he didn't find appropriate considering their ranks. "It's nice to see you again."

Ael could appreciate Master Cluyr's cold pointedness. But Master Verr's warm casualness made Ael feel uncomfortable.

"I see you are doing well. And how is little Javilla?"

Javilla rolled her eyes and sighed. "Well," Ael said over Javilla's disrespectful response. He just hoped the Master hadn't noticed it.

"And you seem to be doing well, yourself," she said with a smile.

"Yes," he said, his patience clearly wearing thin.

"There are a few things not in the data file we've sent you," she continued to the point. "There is a mercenary that also has experience in assassinations that was hired by the Le'Cudosch. Please be wary of any suspicious activity wherever you travel throughout the planet. It should be expected they expect a Jedi to be investigating the matter."

"Thank you," Ael said with a bow, hoping the conversation was over.

"And may the Force be with you."

"Ancestors," he said, which would have seemed like a correction of some kind but was just his way of reciprocating the good will.

The hologram faded and Ael began to push levers and buttons which started up the engines. "Shouldn't I get in my own fighter?" Javilla asked.

"If you must," Ael said quickly and then sat down at the console.

She rushed out, thinking it best to take a separate vessel so they could have more than one escape route should the need arise. It could have also distracted this assassin-mercenary about which they were warned. She barely made it out of the hatch before it closed and lifted off.

[nitemare shape]

Grand Admiral Sayall stood on the bridge of the Firebrand looking out the transparisteel window at his fleet that had amassed over the snowy world of Toola. The meeting with the Imperial Admiralty had gone better than even he had expected, and the entire Admiralty was on board with his plan to retake the galaxy from the Empire’s sworn enemy, the treasonous Republic.

“Sir, we are ready to make the jump to hyperspace on your order.” Captain Darklighter said as she stepped beside him.

“For generations our people have been relegated to the wastelands of the unknown regions while our enemies, the very beings who sent us into exile took our worlds. They took our homes while we were left to rot.” Sayall said without looking away from the viewport.

“I’m well aware of what we’ve gone through at the hands of the Republic, Sir.” She said cautiously, not wanting to earn her superior’s scorn.

“Our history. Yes.” Sayall said with a chuckle. “It was a great injustice, what befell the Empire, forcing us from the core, from the civilized galaxy. We have suffered greatly at the hands of the Republic.” Sayall spat the name of his sworn enemy with disdain.

Sayall and Captain Darklighter stood quietly for several beats before Sayall finally turned to face the captain.

“But we have quite the opportunity before us. According to my source within the Republic, several systems are on the verge of breaking away from the control of the Republic, because they feel that it represents their interests any longer, nor can it offer them sufficient protection.” Sayall told her.

“I understand, Sir.” Darklighter said.

“In fact, according to my source, at this very moment the Republic is sending an envoy to the Rodians to dissuade them of this opinion. This is why we are going to go there ourselves to show these systems just how correct their assessments are. We will go to Rodia, eliminate the envoy and take the planet ourselves, and thus announce our return to the galaxy. Then system after system will return to the Empire, and the Republic will be no more. Very soon, my dear Captain, a great injustice will be undone, and the Empire will make those who wronged us pay for their transgressions.” Sayall said with certainty. “Captain, you may prepare for the jump.”

“Yes sir.” Captain Darklighter said. “For the Empire.” She finished as she turned to walk away.

“For the Empire.” Sayall said in agreement, watching as the stars began to stretch into lines as the Firebrand and the rest of the fleet made the jump into hyperspace.

[Phoenix]

The darkness surrounding the space around the moon of Nal Hutta made Ael uneasy. He'd lost contact with Javilla, but he hoped she was safe without his protection.

Though his perception of the future was limited, his Ancestors told him he'd be in danger very soon. It came to no surprise to him that his freighter was boarded by spice traders who assumed he'd have some valuable cargo, be that items or sentients, in order to trade for profit. They were surprised to see it was only a very large male humanoid flying the ship by himself. They figured the five of them could overwhelm the obviously unintimidated man and take his ship.

Without a word, Ael ignited Hak, its purple energy glowing in the darkened compartment of the ship. Though the blade was perfectly round, it's still energy gave off a cool intensity due to the Sigil crystal fitted in the hilt. Though the smugglers were initially frightened, the leader among them shot at Ael without hesitation. The bolt found itself in the head of that who took the shot, and the small human fell to he metal floor.

The others took a moment to see their leader fall before opening fire at their victim. Only a moment passed before each of them mimicked their fallen leader on the floor of his ship. Unexpectedly, the lifeless hand of one of the bodies managed to pull the trigger and shoot Ael's left ribs. His suit deflected most of the heat, but it still singed his skin and burned with a deep sting.

Without reacting to the injury, he sat and meditated for a minute before rising, his skin back to its normal tone and the injury almost entirely healed. But he couldn't tend to it 100% since he felt a familiar and bright presence approaching him.

Over the intercom system of the ship, the voice of the Falleen girl took Ael's attention. "Master, I'll meet you on the surface. I'll be landing at the coordinates I'm sending you now."

His large feet thudded toward the bodies he'd created in his ship and grabbed two arms in each hand. All four bodies dragged across the metal and rubber floor until Ael reached the empty cargo bay. On the other side of the door, he opened the hatch and watched the bodies be sucked away by the lack of gravity.

Wide strides allowed him to reach the cockpit in little time and the amount of automated computers raced his ship toward the coordinates sent to him by his Apprentice. Since there weren't any security protocols to enter the moon's orbit, he raced without much precaution to the landing bay where he would meet his Apprentice. Or, at least, where he thought he would meet her.

[NeutralNexus]

<“Master Seducus...I know I’m speaking out of turn, but what you are proposing sounds insane.”>

On the planet of Nar Shadda, far from the eyes of the Republic or Imperial forces, deep within the heart of Hutt territory resided a meeting. In the backdoors of a club known as “Krazy Krayt” far past the dance floor and the open bar, sitting within a private lounge behind a guarded patrol of Weequay guard, some of the most powerful players in the galaxy resided around a glowing table, a cloaked figure standing before them, pacing back and forth in front of a crowd of influential dynamos. The creature who had just spoke, a Chagrian Republican senator by the name of Vralek Mish’ta, as now bearing down the Sith Lord, his face hardened by the Sith Lord’s question.

“I assure you, it’s much less crazy than it sounds, Senator.” Darth Seducus replied, “As much stake as you have with the current ‘Republic’ regime, you and I both know it’s simply two halves of a dying whole.” The Sith Lord explained, gesturing to the senator. “These two governments that exist are stagnant wells of corruption and squalid repugnance, neither delivering a firm sense of governmental power over their people. Economic collapse is a legitimate concern on the Imperial side, they have never truly recovered from their loss of the two Death Stars that nearly drained them of their coffers. On the other side, the Republic has money and power, but has no interest in utilizing it effectively. You have seen it, Senator, the lack of progression, the disinterest in their eyes and hearts. The people in power prefer satiating their ravenous hunger and...foul interests instead of leading their people.”

“So to remedy this situation, you propose war.” Another man spoke up, an imperial Admiral serving under Grand Admiral Vonn by the name of Lutrec Zerat. “Pray tell, Master Sith...how do you propose such a thing to even work, let alone put anything in power?”

“Oh Admiral Zerat, straight to the point as always...it’s what I’ve always liked about you.” Seducus stated, his red visor locked onto the Admiral as he spoke. “You’ve always been direct.”

“Get to the point, Sith.” Another Imperial man, a Moff by the name of Rend Bolair spoke up.

“Oh, of course, I can see this conversation isn’t about pleasantries anymore.”

<”It was never about pleasantries, you called us all here to ‘make our move’.”> A hutt in the room, Drugga, spoke up with a bit of vitriol in his tongue. <”And it better be good seeing as how many Hutts you’ve been killing in the past year to gain power.”>

“Of course, Master Drugga, I assure you once our plan is in place, you will all be powerful members of the new regime.” Seducus responded. “All I need is your continued support, and to do exactly as I ask.”

<”Then get on with it, what is the plan?”> The blubbery mass responded, the scar over its left eye flexing as its eyes narrowed down.

“For starters, as I’ve explained, the Republic and the Empire need to go to war.” Darth Seducus replied. “We need them focused on each other while we do our work. This is not a difficult task, I assure you, but one misstep could dissolve the whole thing.”

<”And how do we do that?”> Senator Vralek spoke up. <”We can’t just announce the other to go to war.”>

“Simple, we just need a trigger.” Darth Seducus said. “Both sides are itching for conflict, they still bear those old wounds of the Rebellion. The Imperial side is itching for vengeance, while the Republic wants to put those Imperial dogs down for good.”

<“And...you think starting a war will fix this?”> Drugga asked.

“Starting? Oh, my dear Hutt, the war’s already started.” Seducus responded. “Thanks to a ‘Republic Tip’ I had sent to the Grand Admiral about a envoy to the Rodian people, the violent leader of the Imperial Fleet with begin a war all by themselves.” He walked towards the Hutt, who’s originally bitter and violent face began to quiver and shake as the Sith Lord got closer. “However, I do not know if the Emperor will follow suit...Which is what our Admiral and Moff are going to convince him is the right thing to do.”

“And? You just want us to continue this war while you do...what exactly?” Moff Bolair asked. “You have not told us your part, or the part of these grotesque gangsters you’ve brought into this. I want answers Sith, we can’t just keep blindly following your example, I need to kn--”

The Sith whirled on his heel, his gaze falling onto the Moff, who almost immedtialy trailed off on his threats as the Sith got closer. There was a long silence, a whisper of anger quickly squashed, whether it was by Seducus’ influence or his natural pheromones is unknown.

“Moff Bolair, I assure you.” the Sith spoke slow, his tone direct and firmly pointed at the Moff. “My part is simple, I have my own resources to amass while these opposing forces destroy each other. By the time this war ends, I will have the army necessary to overwhelm what is left of the Republic and the Empire in one fell swoop. Until then, I need you two to keep pushing the Emperor to accepting this war. I need Senator Mish'ta and his supporters to keep advocating for war on the other side, keep the Republic and Empire focused squarely on the other side.”

He turned to Drugga, placing a finger into the squishy chest of the hutt. “And I need you and all your affiliates to send out your best Clawdites to keep an eye on things, keep rallying the people of the galaxy to war for their government. You are also going to utilize all the gangs under your control, the Sunspots, Le'Cudosch, Sand-Dwellers, Hak’fel, every single gang you can gather to begin projects on the planets we’ve already discussed." The red visor of his mask glowing as it made contact with the hutts eyes. “We need to begin gathering now, if we have not already started. There will need to be a stockiple of armaments and equipment soon.”

<”You will have it, Sith.”> The Hutt responded, almost with a defeated sigh as the Sith moved away from him.

“Good, you should all get back to your respective homes before this begins.” Darth Seducus confirmed. “I will be keeping in contact with all of you.”

With a swift bow, the Sith turned heel, cape flowing behind him as he made his way out of the lounge. As soon as he left, an armored companion quickly moved to his side, garbed in light durasteel plating, she briskly strode at Darth Seducus' side.

"Your ship is prepared, My Lord." She said in a monotone voice behind a reverberating armored mask. "We should be able to move within the next few hours. Your conctacts on Kamino will be expecting you shortly after that."

"Excellent, I will be sure to--"

The Sith cut himself off, his stride coming to a complete halt as his companion nearly walked past him. Whirling about, she cocked her head in reaction to the Sith Lord's abrupt stop, while not able to see his face behind the mask, his temporarily frozen frame alerting her to an anomaly.

"Sir?" She asked. "What's wrong?"

"A potential fluctuation in our plans." Darth Seducus responded. "Jedi have just landed on the planet..."

[Phoenix]

The communicator buzzed. With the press of a button, a timed message appeared from a hologram of Councilor At'chaa Cluyr appeared and mentioned the possibility of the assassin being Force-sensitive and that great caution should be practiced while proceeding with the mission.

Ael took this as making sure to have all three of his lightsabers equipped, which he had. The professional red combat suit he'd changed into wasn't was turned the heads of the criminals and addicts he passed along the landing bay. Hak, Blok, and Oew were strapped onto him without much care for concealment. Because of the rarity of such weapons, those around him, even the most seasoned gang members would think twice before confronting such a possible threat.

Most couldn't tell whether he was light or dark due to the lack of Force-awareness among most sentients. His energy was warm and steady to the point of harsh. Since he had little control over concealing this presence, most could feel it, regardless.

But his attention was that of the small, airy light he was trying to reach. Javilla didn't wait for him, which he found concerning. Of course, she had raced off without him, so her sense of independence could have been the only reason for her eagerness to infiltrate Le'Cudosch. He still saw this rash and highly dangerous for one of her experience.

He then made the corrupt, void-like Force propel him forward at an amazing speed with the glimmer turned to flashes. He'd recognized this as her in the midst of a duel or in combat. Assuming she was in trouble, Ael didn't mind knocking over a few bystanders and leaping over their heads in an attempt to reach her before Javilla would be overwhelmed.

Her scales had turned a yellow-orange color and the green blade of her lightsaber was exposed. "Javilla!" he bellowed. On Nar Shaddaa, his voice didn't carry as it had back at his home. With the thick air and numerous bodies around, it filled out and trembled through the air rather than penetrating it smoothly.

Just as he made his presence known, his identity was determined, and a blaster bolt shot toward him. He raised his hand, following it's trajectory, and absorbed the intense bolt of energy. With this, he healed his previous wound completely and sped toward Javilla while igniting the orange blade of Blok from his left hip. The blade looked as if on fire and he glared at those surrounding them.

"Who?" he asked as if in Epicant.

"Le'Cudosch, I guess," she responded. He could only assume she probed too hard to passers-by and was to be punished for her insolence.

<"Girl will get what she wants,"> one alien said.

"And then you for interfering," another continued.

Ael didn't bother to attempt to understand what they said, understanding what their intentions were, perfectly well. Instead, he responded by almost disappearing and knocking three of them to the ground with broken bones in one maneuver. They fired back at Javilla, who just dodged the shots gracefully. She flipped into the air and performed a Sun Djem before tumbling away and tossing another off a ledge with a Force-enhanced grip.

Ael broke the right leg and left arm of another and tried to press her for answers.

"Where your leader?" he asked. His massive stature clearly intimidated the female.

<"Like you'll learn -"> she began before being knocked out by a blow to the head. Since she couldn't speak Basic, Ael didn't have the time for Javilla to interpret during such a confrontation.

Another bolt was shot toward him which was deflected back toward the male's leg, making him fall to his knee and comprehend the wound. Ael shot back with his foot to the male's face, lifting him in the air a bit and leaving him unconscious on the metal floor. Javilla knocked out two more thugs by utilizing pressure points she'd began to study in the Efti Sector in the Oew Kingdom.

Ael's head and body pivoted to the remaining two who stood here with their blasters raised and apparently ready to fire. Looking closely, their hands were trembling slightly. "Basic?" Ael asked, hoping there was at least one conscious person able to point them in the right direction.

And one of them did. It was toward what Javilla assumed was a cantina of some kind. The plasma sign read "Krazy Krayt" in another foreign language. Ael nodded his head to the side, signalling that they should get away before they sustain injuries as their comrades had.

"We go," Ael commanded of Javilla, grabbing her firmly by her arm and almost tugging her in the direction of the tavern. His warm energy seemed to almost burn her. She turned blue as if to counteract the heat. She could also feel a calm focus wash over her. Ael must have persuaded her in a subconscious manner.

The bouncers made plenty of room for them to enter the club. It wasn't that difficult since the crowd dispersed as the apparent aggressors approached the building. As Ael entered, the sense of real Darkness touched him. It was foreign to him but he knew this is how true evil would feel. It wasn't desperate survival or pride he experienced on Panatha. It was greedy hatred he'd felt only one other time in his life.

Ael looked down at Javilla, who's arm was beginning to shake in his hand. "Chaos, yet Peace," he recited and she looked up and straight into his eyes. They were filled with concerned fear which then turned to cautiousness when she looked back out into the club.

It was loud and bright lights flashed throughout the dark room. Still, her eyes caught something, and it wasn't pleasant.

[NeutralNexus]

“Boss...are you sure this is wise? Those are Jedi out there, and from your reaction, they can’t be mere novices.”

“It’s not like I have not faced Jedi before, dear Pyrra.” Darth Seducus said, his course changing drastically from the ship he was going to take off world. “But the fact remains, if the jedi come across any of our associates on either side in a planet like this, all our hard work up to this point will be for naught. I cannot allow that to happen, the best possible course of action is to have them trail my scent rather than conceal my way off planet. If they can sense me, all other problems become meaningless to them.”

“Fine, should we assist?”

“No...in fact, make sure nobody else interferes.” The Sith Lord ordered, moving down an alleyway with his saber in hand. “The more the Jedi are kept in the dark, the better. I fight these Jedi alone, that way when I drive them back, they will not have any idea who I’m working with and won’t call the Republic Army down upon Nar Shadda.”

“As you wish, Master Seducus.”

"Go to the others, hasten their departure from this planet and then keep business as usual on the planet's surface. Meet with the Hutts and oversee the deals made. I will return shortly."

With that notion, Darth Seducus turned on his heel, his cape flickering behind him as he hopped down a nearby alleyway and took off into the bustling city. Judging by what he could sense, this was no ordinary pair of jedi, nothing like the last grouping he took on. These weren’t diplomats, at least not by the way they felt in the Force. They felt legitimately powerful, enough to cause the crafty Sith Lord some concern.

At least, had he not felt the doubt and frustration coming from one of them.

Even with a tiny handhold, the Sith Lord could bring that kind of leverage to his advantage, but only time would tell if he even would engage them at all. As he moved, he tried to make himself more apprant, utilizing his connection in the force to channel his anger outward, trying to make himself into a beacon even a novice Jedi would sense. If they were the Jedi he believed them to be, this kind of impression would be impossible to ignore.

Navigating his way through the rusty metallic city-planet, he found himself lower and lower in the depths of depravity. The world around him transitioned from the scum-filled nightclubs of the surface, shifting to only the most depraved of species, and eventually leaving him as the only sentient organic in the area, surrounded only by maintenance droids and the bestial freaks in the depths of the sewers.

All things he could use to his advantage. He took notes of every passageway, every few thugs patrolling the streets, every homeless Twi'Lek scrounging around in the garbage and scrap metal for food. While not much of it had any value, he took note of the hidden passageways, he would need them to cover his escape later. Nar Shadda was a maze, a cruel metallic maze who could entrap and ensnare even the most stalwart of men, reducing them to shaky grease-covered pariahs within days if they did not know the way out.

As he moved, he was sure to leave a visual trail for the Jedi to follow as well. His control of the force maneuvering the world around him in a variety of ways. A crushed droid here, a moved pipe there, things that only the force could do without manual labor. The Sith Lord ducked into a large pipeline, remnants of water barely flowing through its plating and sifting into a nearby drainpipe. He was quick to follow its trail, leading him straight into a large control room for the colossal generators around him, ingrained into the world itself. The “Old Machines” as the crazies called them now surrounding him, a perfect place to meet Jedi.

And subsequently a perfect place to escape from if things became to hairy. All that remained was for the Sith Lord to sit and wait. The Jedi would catch his scent, and they would meet him down there. Another flicker of his cape signified his turning back to the control room's entrance, his lightsaber in hand as he stood, patiently waiting for his pursuers to meet him in this rotten cesspool of unwashed mechanics.

Hopefully it would test his limits this time.

[Phoenix]

Javilla's eyes met an alien participating in some kind of drug use. He shouted in a foreign tongue which caught the attention of the other aliens around him. Javilla looked down in a guilty shame for staring.

Ael placed his large hand on her shoulder, trying to calm her. But that would cut short when both of them were almost overwhelmed with a powerful darkness. Javilla mewed in submission to the pain it caused her through the Force. "Master, is that really Darkness?"

He didn't answer right away. The entire moon was covered in a darkness, but this was forced. Someone knew they were there and wanted to get their attention. He was too proud to back away from aggression, but this was far more sinister than anything he'd experienced before. They were both in danger. It was possibly deep enough that they couldn't escape easily.

Ael let out the power of his Ancestors, trying to calm the area around him. It was more focused and closer to them, but the Darkness still pushed its way through, however muted. "Focus," Ael told his Padawan.

His large stature kept potential predators away from them as he paced through the club. Javilla kept close behind him, as if to use him as a blanket to hide her presence. The aliens parted for him and he made his way out of a side door. He could immediately tell that the figure was fleeing them, or possibly drawing them away from the area. Since, why would someone make themselves known only to walk away from them?

Javilla noticed the droids and pipes as they walked through the twisting corridors and passageways of the undercity. "Those were destroyed on purpose," she noted out loud. "Is this a Sith, Master?"

"Yes," he said.

Though Sith were merely turned Jedi since the Galactic War, he could tell that this was someone trained in Darkness, in hatred and anger. He wondered if this would test his own emotions, but the trembling Javilla restored some resovle in him.

"They're trying to get us lost," she noted again when they followed the "scent" into a large pipe that would take them even further down into the moon.

"Do not fear..." his voice filled the metallic cylinders. He pushed out a calmness again, trying to counter the growing anger and fear that was trying to consume them. "Use your mind."

She tried to fall into a meditative calmness, but her brows still quivered in uncertainty.

Ael pushed her to the side of the pipe when they reached an opening that seemed to lead to a generator room. The loud whirring would have drowned out a voice unaided in the Force. "Who are you?" Ael bellowed, pushing his voice to fill the space. "Why have you brought us here? What do you want from us?" His speech was still broken and tried, but held a sort of calm authority unusual for the oppressive negativity.

Javilla was trembling all over, so Ael put his large hand upon her chest and forced into her a focus and a calmness that changed her scales to a light blue color from the black she was exuding before.

[nitemare shape]

Joren wasn’t able to sleep at all that night. When the others had learned his secret, he was expecting that they would want to spend hours discussing it. He assumed that there would be yelling and name calling, and that they would be angry at him for lying to them for so long.

However, there was none of that. In fact, Dono never brought it up, and instead, poured himself a glass of Corellian Ale and went to bed. Nyna also said nothing to him, instead she went out to the Dreams to sleep in her quarters on the ship. It wasn’t because she didn’t trust him, or Brya for that matter, it was just that she felt most comfortable in her own quarters. Brya had offered him an Ambrostine to take the edge off, but he had declined. Kelsa simply took his hand and urged him to join her in bed, which he eventually obliged. While they lay there in the dark, Kelsa pressed against him, nuzzling her head against his chest. However, he just lay there staring at the ceiling, sleep unable to claim him.

When the first light of dawn broke through the darkness, Joren quietly gut up out of bed and went into the kitchen, where he watched Tatooine’s twin suns rise over desert. He opened the door to Brya’s home and made his way toward the Dreams. When he boarded the ship he found Nyna already awake and working on replacing the damaged battery regulator. Joren walked over to her, and sat down beside her as she finished securing the new part.

“You’re up early.” Nyna said to him.

“Never went to sleep.” Joren said, before adding. “You’re one to talk.”

“Yeah, I figured I’d get up early and make sure the new battery regulator would work. What’s your excuse?” She said nonchalantly.

Silence filled the air between them as neither knew what they wanted to say next. Joren knew Nyna, they had been best friends from the moment they met one another. They were more than friends, they were more like family. Joren knew that Nyna hated being lied to, and was afraid that she would never forgive him for withholding the truth about his past.

“So, when were you going to tell us?” Nyna finally asked. It was a question that Joren didn’t want to answer, one that he hoped would never be asked, but now that the trth was out, he knew that there was no use running from the issue any longer.

“I wasn’t.” Joren told her honestly. The answer wasn’t what Nyna had expected, and she shot Joren a look that told him as much. Her expression flashed from surprise, to anger, and then confusion.

“Nyna, that’s not my life anymore. It hasn’t been for a long time.” He said.

“But why wouldn’t you tell us? Why would you want to hide that?” She asked.

“It’s complicated. I guess I was afraid that people wouldn’t accept me if they knew the truth. I mean, you saw Dono. He was…”

“He was shocked.” Nyna finished for him. “We all were. But we’re still here. And we’re not going anywhere.”

Relief washed over his entire being and as it did, a small smile formed to the edges of his mouth. He put his arm around her and gave her a slight squeeze. It was the kind of embrace that a brother might give his little sister.

“Thanks.” He said.

“So, can I touch it?” Nyna asked, suddenly invigorated with enthusiasm.

“What?” Joren asked, taken by surprise.

“You know, your lightsaber.” Nyna said.

“Oh no...you’ll probably cut off your arm.” Joren teased. Nyna playfully punched his arm, and the two began to laugh, and for just an instant, everything seemed right in the universe.

After several moments Joren felt something, or more accurately, someone. It was a familiar presence, though, it was one that he hadn’t felt in quite some time, not since he left the Jedi Academy on Yavin 4.

[mattmanganon]

Coruscant... A hive of scum and villainy of which the Galaxy had never been seen. The difference between Coruscant and any other world, though, is that every underhanded deed and dirty deal was completely legal. Orias hated being here, this was the Jedi's backyard. Chances are, they already sensed his strong Force presence, a rather grey one at that. But, there was a man claiming to be selling the authentic Lightsaber belonging to Darth Vader from before he fell to the Dark Side. It was common knowledge that he was a Jedi that fought in the Clone Wars, but that he was Anakin Skywalker was a secret known only to very few people. The worst part was that he sensed no deceit when watching the ad over the Link-Net. He wore A black outfit with a long cloak, underneath, he had his Durasteel upper body-armour. Ultimately, any Jedi that looked at him would know he was a Dark Jedi, as such, dressing inconspicuously was pointless. This wasn't the waning years of the Old Republic, when the Dark Side clouded their vision. There was no sith lord sitting under their nose.

Walking through the streets, nobody gave him a second glance, he was exhuding a shadow field around himself, he wasn't invisible, it's just that the weak minded couldn't notice him. He walked through to a canteena and stepped inside. He remembered the code to get the seller to notice. He walked over to the 3rd booth next to the window and sat down. A Waiter droid approached him. "Whadya want?" it snorted in a manner befitting the locals.

"I want the Dueback Steak in Gundark cheese sauce, but hold the meat." he said, offhand. The protocol droid leaned back up into a default position, it made a beeping noise, then it sat down.

"So you are the buyer? I promise you, any fan of Vader's work is gonna LOVE this." it said, The droids eyes started glowing and a projection of a Lightsaber came up on the table.

"I want to inspect the merchandise for myself." Orias said.

"Yeah, like i'm gonna leave it in the possession of some stupid droid. It's safe for now. You want it, you're gonna have to give me some collateral. Give the Droid... Lets say 10,000 credits and it will lead you to me. After that, you can inspect the merch and I can get paid." Orias closed his eyes and reached out with his invisible hands, he could almost follow the voice from the robot back to the source of where the man was broadcasting from. He could feel the mans thoughts... They were odd. He flinched a little as he tried to force himself further into the mans thoughts. Most of his thoughts were benign... How he was going to buy another freighter... His dinner plans for later... How this guy was such a chump for believing any old story. Orias immediately snapped back to reality.

"No thanks." he said, getting up. The droid reached out and grabbed his hand.

"This is once in a lifetime." it said. "I can see you're a trustworthy guy, tell you what, just for you, I'll knock the collateral down to just 3000 credits, you can't say fairer than that." Orias ripped his hand from the droids grasp, before staring daggers into its receptors.

"I said no..." he said, slowly. He then slowly walked away, out of the canteena. He leaned against the wall outside and wiped his brow. Now he was stuck on a planet filled with Jedi with nothing to show for this extreme risk and no clear method offworld at this very moment. He would need to find a ship and find it fast. He began to walk down the street towards the closest Space-port. He then stopped dead in his tracks and looked around. He could sense a Jedi's presence... Fight or Flight time... He looked around trying to find the Jedi to see if they had spotted him.