Sword of the Old Republic
I
Awareness. She opened her eyes first and stared at a white ceiling, before leaning up and looking at her table side clock. 8:52. She put a hand over one of her eyes and looked out of the large window that made up her fourth wall. Rain droplets covered the window and Anahera Wren could hear the tapping and sliding of water as it plummets into the shadows below. Anahera stayed still as a statue until she took another look at her clock.
11:05.
Anahera got out of her bed, a small thing big enough to fit her and started to dress herself in her brown robes. She was halfway through dressing herself when she paused and looked towards the bed. At last she makes her decision, she reaching underneath the bed, she pulls out a large wooden box. She unclipped the box and opened it up. A mask stares at her placed above metal armor. She held the mask in her hand, feeling its angular form. A black visor adorned the front, wreathed by a radius of red paint that flowed down into an upside-down triangle with a flat point at the bottom which flowed into a stripe that reached the chin of the mask, it was all she had left of that time. Anahera closed her eyes, bringing the mask closer to her face before the forehead of the mask met her own and her nose touched the red paint, her eyes scrunched tighter before relaxing then. The mask gave her strength. She gave Anahera strength.
Not yet, she thought. There would be a time to wear it, but not now.
She sighed before she put the mask back into the box and locked it before sliding it underneath the bed.
Anahera looked around at her surroundings, waiting for the sign that would tell her she could cross. The planet of Coruscant was a chaotic mess, speeders moving in directed traffic hundreds of feet above her, with even more above even those ones, they were being stopped off, parked inside some of the tall towers, others worked as a taxi service and ferried people across to a platform on one of the buildings. There was a tense feeling of impatience in the air at the walk light, as though they would immediately begin breaking into a sprint the moment the red hand disappeared. She knew they wouldn't, for a number of reasons, one, nobody really ran on Coruscant, everything here was about moving and working as fast as possible, but there was a level of professionalism that was expected of the inhabitants. An unspoken cultural rule.
The other was through the force, she'd learned to control it over the years but that didn't stop vague images and phantoms of the future to appear before her eyes, seconds or even minutes ahead of their real-life counterpart, which mimicked the mirage's exact movements. She'd been living on Coruscant for only a year now, she'd started her training on Dantooine before being transferred over to Coruscant when she achieved knighthood.
Most of her life, Anahera had spent it absorbing knowledge, everything she possibly could, machinery, engineering, combat, and of course, she learned as much as she could about the force. When she came to Coruscant she discovered a new beast to tackle in her day to day life: politics. An outlying planet like Dantooine had little to no politics involved, except for occasional disputes between the colonist families that controlled territories on the wild planet. On these occasions, Jedi, such as Anahera would be called in as mediators to resolve these issues. However, everything in Coruscant was run by politics and she had to learn fast and adapt, as the Jedi in the Republic capital were expected to be advisors to senators and even chancellors.
She set her eyes on the building to her right, projecting the blue tinted form of a young twi'lek onto the sky adjacent to it.
"...Mandalorian aggression continues to rise and creep closer to the Mid Rim territories as Cathar now falls to the Mandalorian armies. It is unknown what's happening on the planet's surface as the Mandalorians are not allowing for any entry onto the planet at this time..."
Anahera continued watching with a trembling fist full of pressure. Crowds moved past her, some pushed or brushed up against her but she remained still in spite of this. She blinked and looked around herself, a completely different crowd than the one she'd started waiting with. She noticed some of them staring at her and followed their eyes down to the insignia on her gauntlet: A tusked animal skull from a front profile. Quickly she covered it up with the sleeve of her robe and pulled her hood further over her face before waiting for the cross sign again.
It was around an hour later when she arrived at her destination, a giant marble street leading to a massive circular building that segmented three times before being overlayed by a dome shaped top. The senate building, the seat of the political power in all of the republic space. She climbed the stairs and on the way there she sees another brown robed figure.
"Hey," he said. His head was shaven, with two blue stripes along his head. His voice was subdued today. Anahera frowned upon inspecting the bags under his eyes.
"Amos, how long have you been waiting here?" she asked cautiously. Amos shook his head, guessing Anahera's concern.
"Not long," he said, "an hour." He looked around before moving closer to her and speaking in a bit of a hushed tone. "I woke up around three, probably like everyone else that felt it. Stayed awake, I got maybe an hour of sleep, though, I don't suppose you could call it sleep."
"It's called being awake with your eyes closed," said Anahera, "I did the same." Anahera started to once more move towards the entrance of the building, Amos kept pace and inspected her.
"I can tell," said Amos, "I'm not the only one with circles around my eyes. Hopefully the senate won't notice, they prefer a pretty face and not such a rascally looking one."
"I don't care what the senate thinks about me," groaned Anahera.
"You should," said Amos, "they're the ones making the decision today." Anahera glanced over at Amos.
"You didn't need to come with me for this," she said.
"No," he said. "This is our hearing; we both know what's at stake here. You just happen to be the smooth talker here."
"Don't sell yourself short," she retorted, "you can be convincing, when you feel the need to be."
"Yes, but why go through all of the trouble when you can do all of the work for me," he said with a smirk. Anahera snorted with a grin before giving a love tap to Amos' shoulder, the two chuckled at each other. But when their amusement ended, their faces became like stone again.
"I'm serious, this could easily destroy us politically as well as our futures as Jedi knights if I ruin this." She looked at him in the eye, his gray eyes meet her blue ones. "Amos, I don't want you to fall with me for something I believe-"
"We believe. You aren't dragging me down, this is something I believe as strongly as you do," his voice was far less reserved and had a finality to it. "We both lost something out there." She didn't argue with him any further.
Anahera resisted the urge to shake her head, it was worse than she thought.
"Knight Anahera Wren, we understand your concerns about the Mandalorians invasion of the outer rim," began senator Ma'ku, the mon calamari senator representing planet mon cala, "however, we cannot simply declare war on them. We have already put an embargo on any goods and services they offer, there is not much else we can do."
"Senator, the neo crusaders," she began, "are doing far more than just invading, they are committing mass scale genocides on the planets they're occupying and they are aggressively coming closer and closer to the Mid-Rim."
"Ah yes, and if you don't mind me asking, what proof do you have that these genocides have taken place," asked Senator Nord, he was an aged Bothan senator that's hair had grown long and grey on his face. "No reports of this have come in yet from our sources there." His clawed fingers curled around his podium.
"How can you?" asked Anahera, "you're being stopped by a blockade, you can't even see the planet's surface. I felt it through the force last night, I felt the screams of billions before utter silence...and then the void itself."
"Imaginative dreaming?" suggested Senator Chaldis, the senator from Alderaan, he brushed his sleek blonde hair back. "relying on the force is a fickle thing. You must understand, Knight Wren, you want us to declare war on another galactic power based on a premonition you've had."
"I am not the only one who has sensed this disturbance in the force," said Anahera, "Knight Squinquargesimus has felt it and I'm certain other Jedi have as well."
"Again, the dreamings of a handful of jedi are not grounds for going to war," retorted Chaldis, as he looked down at Anahera.
"I'll be honest and forth coming with you, Knight Wren, this is quite suspect," began Senator Nord, "you yourself are mandalorian, why try to condemn your own people? I just find it odd that both knights that have lost their families to the mandalorians-"
"Neo crusaders," muttered Anahera. They were not the norm of mandalorians, and every time they were called such she felt her blood boil a little.
There is no emotion, only peace, she tried to tell herself, reciting in her head the opening line of the Jedi code to try and calm herself.
"-have come forth accusing them of such atrocities. Are you truly as objective as you say you're being?" Nord continued. "Or is this just a scheme to try and get revenge for something that happened over fifteen years ago."
Amos stiffened up and took a step forward but Anahera held up her hand, halting him.
"When I was seven years old, Mandalore the Ultimate came into power," she began. "He spoke of uniting our worlds and people, but in truth he thought only of conquest." Her hands gripped onto the podium. "There were many houses that refused to bow to him. Mine was one of them, when they came they brought not unity but massacre. He carved out Concord Dawn, killing all who dared oppose him with no regard to his honor. My Jedi brother, Amos, his family was also killed in the power struggle, we both drifted into the republic, everything we had known was gone." She sighed and shook her head, "so yes, on a very real level, I am not objective on this matter."
She looked up towards the senate, and met their judging glances. "However, the Republic was founded on the idea that we could save and protect those that needed to be protected. Revenge is not the Jedi way, nor will it ever be, however, we cannot stand by as these atrocities occur, if you do, senators, believe me, Mandalore the Ultimate will see it as a sign of weakness, and he will attack. He's already almost at our doorstep." She'd taken their glances, their accusations, and repelled that energy back onto them. "Don't any of you find it at all suspicious that Cathar was taken, a planet that borders our territories? They've created a blockade now, no one can come in, and no one can get out. That does not put any of you on edge?"
The senate was quiet for a moment, a few of them murmured to one another. Anahera knew that there was divide in the senate concerning this, however, the number of the senate that wanted to take action paled in comparison to the mass of apathy. She specifically glanced back at Nord who refused to meet her eyes. Her point had come across, to leave the Outer Rim territories on their own would be a betrayal of everything that made them the Republic.
Eventually a hand raised and the discussion died down. Anahera looked up at the center of the senate chamber at a floating platform. The supreme chancellor Valeem Ba had been quiet the entire time, though from the glances that Anahera had taken towards the togruta, she could see that the most powerful woman in the republic had been listening to a few of the whispers from her aide. Anahera considered using the force to enhance her hearing but she thought of it as rude and any Jedi that happened to be spectating might catch her intruding on the chancellor's privacy. At last Valeem spoke.
"Thank you very much, Knight Wren and Knight Squinquargesimus. You've made a valid point concerning the movements of the neo-crusaders. It's troubling and you've testified to the violence that they are capable of inflicting...however, if I'm not mistaken. Disturbances in the force can come and go, though it doesn't mean that what you and your compatriots felt had anything to do with the events occurring on Cathar."
Anahera narrowed her eyes, her knuckles turned bone white on the podium and was about to retort when Valeem spoke again. "I am not saying that what you have felt is a fantasy...but there are some hard truths to this situation." Valeem's hands were raised, she knew there was a line she'd just crossed. "We cannot just declare war on the crusaders, nor can we openly defy them without provocation. We would be risking the lives of the republic by riling them up. You are right; not reacting to the crusaders makes us look weak in the eyes of Mandalore the Ultimate, but challenging him might be far worse. Yet inaction might be our downfall, to act now might prevent a loss of lives when the crusaders become bold enough to attack our territories. This will go to a vote."
Anahera's heart sank, her blood turned hot and then was cooled by flash sweat. She knew what that meant. Valeem probably did too, but the Jedi knight realized that Valeem was a political figure in a democracy, and thus had to appeal to the masses. She couldn't hold it against her. In the end the side with the most numbers would win this debate and the summit meeting would be adjourned.
She knew that it meant inaction.
It was painful watching the votes come in and knowing what was to come. A small part of her was hoping somehow the votes would come in favor of her decision, however, she knew already that she'd lost.
"What do we do now?" asked Amos as they walked out of the senate building and down the steps.
"Has the council had a meeting yet?" asked Anahera, she was referring to their fellow Jedi. Amos shook his head. "Our next best bet is to work through a proxy, there are a number of senators that are close with the Jedi and listen to their wisdom. Winning over the council could mean that we could have a chance to appeal the vote and turn it back in our favor. That's a big if though..."
"Even with the senators the Jedi have influence with, we won't have nearly enough numbers to turn the vote." said Amos, he rubbed his scalp.
"That's why we need to convince Senator Chaldis, the Alderaanian senator, as well as the supreme chancellor, both of them listen to the Jedi council, and can sway a lot of the masses in the senate to their vote. A lot of people listen to her and would side with her just to gain political strides within the senate. Alderaan is still the soul of the republic; if the Alderaanian senator says something, they listen."
"If we can convince the council," said Amos, raising his index finger.
"The council won't just let something like this slide, Amos," said Anahera, "they are just as connected to the force as we are, they have to have felt it."
The Jedi Temple was set apart from the Senate District, it was in the lower wards of the Federal District, so Anahera rode in a speeder with Amos towards their destination.
The Jedi Temple was just as large as the senate building, a large hexagonal cube with a narrow overhang that juts out from the flat top on each side. On the top were five spires, four on each angle with one, taller than the others in the center of the top. The Jedi Temple on the planet Coruscant was one of the great marvels of the republic space.
They ushered themselves through the temple gates and went to speak with the Jedi Council.
The council had already been in a long discussion long before Amos and Anahera had arrived to the council chambers. Anahera blinked, Amos had said the council wasn't to convene just yet they'd been locked in conversation for hours it seemed now.
"Knight Wren, Knight Squinquargesimus, please do come in," began Grand Master Ghan. Anahera tilted her head a bit.
"We're not interrupting anything...are we?" Amos asked in a cautious tone.
"Not at all, I've been clearing up a few things with my fellow jedi before we talked with the two of you," said Ghan. She tilted her head a bit, as though trying not to understand. Inside her heart was beating quickly, using the force she suppressed her feelings and left nothing but a sheet of calm for the masters to read. Her head unconsciously turned to her one-time master, Arren Kae. The Jedi Master watched her tensely with her silver eyes. Kae had raised her when she was but seven years old, she could pierce through most veils Anahera made without the force.
"You went to speak with the senate today at their summit," it wasn't a question, it was a statement from the Grand Master. "Do you mind explaining to the council why you did this?"
Anahera remained calm, looking at one end of the room to the other before looking back at Ghan.
"Last night we felt a disturbance in the force, we felt the screams of billions before pure silence, as Jedi are we not supposed to prevent such slaughter?"
"We are also supposed to keep a clear head about it as well," spoke the gruff voice of Master Vrook Lamar, he was an aged man with a balding head of silver. "Could you imagine what the casualties would be if we openly challenged Mandalore the Ultimate right now?"
"Would it be anymore or any less than if we just laid on our backs and let him plunge the Darksaber in all of us?" asked Anahera.
"Cathar wasn't expecting war with the Neo-Crusaders," noted Amos, "Look what happened to them."
Vrook's eyes darkened as he looked at the two, it was only a slight head tilt that shadowed his eyes, his expression as calm as the rest of Jedi masters. Anahera could however note through a twitch in his left index finger and the tilt of his head to obscure his eyes slightly that there were signs of cracking in Vrook. She considered prodding Vrook until he made an outburst, a very unjedi like outburst. However, she wasn't here to discredit a Jedi master. If she could convince the council how dire the situation was, they would need Vrook.
Vrook began again, "it's clear to me, as well as the others that you are not thinking this through. Your minds are clouded with your past emotions, the fear, the suffering, anger, hate. All of that is seeping through you and taking hold. I would've thought that Master Kae's star pupil would be better trained than that." The aged Master looked at Arren Kae who didn't even twitch at the accusation but continued staring at her former padawan, her hands clasped together.
Anahera narrowed her eyes at Vrook.
"Master Vrook," it was Ghan who spoke, "this meeting is not about discussing master Kae's teaching methods. She has proven herself worthy of the title Jedi master through her trials and by decision of this very council that you here sit at. Knight Wren's proven herself as well, having passed all of her trials to become a Jedi knight." Anahera resisted the urge to give a smug smirk as Vrook's entire left hand visibly twitched and he spoke in a quieter tone.
"I am sorry, master Ghan," Vrook said. Amos spoke up again.
"Masters," Amos began, "the senate has chosen inaction, they do not or don't want to believe that the Neo-Crusaders will try and attack republic space, but the signs are all there."
"The blockade is right on the border, they have attacked Cathar and if they attack us soon, the republic might not be able to rally a defense fast enough before they take hold of the republic, killing potentially trillions. We tried to warn them of the disturbance in the force, but they seemed to feel that it could be unrelated, that only a few of us felt it, if you could just speak with them and advise them to be at least more cautious or to reset the vote on the issue..."
Ghan raised his hand and Anahera stopped.
"I will have to stop you there, Knight Wren. I am the one who told supreme chancellor Bas that the premonition might have been a separate event entirely." said Ghan, and with that Anahera's face fell. "I am also the one who advised her and a few members of the senate to not act so quickly."
"...Why?" asked Anahera in an almost whisper.
"Despite your best intentions, Master Vrook is right: you are drawing too much from your experiences during the Mandalorian power struggle fifteen years ago. That was entirely an isolated incident and since then the Mandalorians have remained until six months ago," began Ghan, "something has made Mandalore the Ultimate begin an assault on the Outer Rim and before we engage him we must learn the truth."
"Mandalore was gathering forces when I lived on Concord Dawn," began Anahera, "he just now has enough forces to dominate Republic Space."
"But what spurred him to do this, we wonder," began Ghan. "Though your...people have a violent history they have never tried anything on this scale before."
"Mandalore the Ultimate believes that the mandalorian culture was dying and was spurring his movement to revitalize it in his eyes," said Anahera, "that's your reason right there. There's no outside reason for this."
"But there might be," Ghan spoke, "we have come to believe that the Neo-Crusaders might be part of the machinations of the Hidden Sith." There was a long pause. Dead silence.
Amos at last spoke with the only coherent word he could think at the moment.
"What?"
"The visions we once had about the Sith's return we believe are almost at hand, only the Sith could spur the Mandalorians into creating such a disturbance in the force. If that is so the Neo-Crusaders are but a distraction," Ghan clasped his hands. "We have to wait for the true threat to reveal itself."
Over a hundred years ago, there had been a conflict with a Sith resurgent from a fallen Jedi, Coruscant had been invaded and many people had died, but in the end the Republic and the Jedi order had come out on top. After the smoke had settled on the Republic, a prophecy had been told about the return of the Sith in full force from the unknown regions just beyond the Outer Rim.. However, that had been well over a century ago, no Sith had revealed themselves, and the masters of today merely held the same fanaticism towards the prophecy as their teachers had. The war was still fresh in their minds.
"Do you realize how ridiculous that sounds," asked Anahera, she held her hands up at Ghan, shaking her head, "you scold me over reacting to a premonition and gut feelings yet here you are chasing some ghost while the Outer Rim is in peril!"
"It's not your place to judge the wisdom of the council," sneered another jedi master, unlike the others she was draped entirely in white and her silver hair tied into a bun. Atris, the jedi master in charge of the archives, she rarely left her sanctum on Telos for anything other than to occasionally but heads with Kae, "I'm starting to agree with Master' Vrook's wisdom, Master Kae's teachings have done her former padawan a disservice." Anahera rolled her eyes at the accusations, she'd heard them years ago, when she'd first became Arren Kae's apprentice.
"This isn't about me or my master," said Anahera as her eyes shot to Atris, "It's about the Outer Rim, about all of the planets you're letting die. How many of you actually know for sure if the Hidden Sith is real? The Neo-Crusaders are real, and it's our duty as Jedi to protect-"
"Our duty as Jedi is to protect the balance of the force," corrected Atris, "not the people." The other masters turned to Atris with disapproving glances, even Vrook narrowed his eyes at Atris. It was clear to Anahera that while the Jedi were not planning on acting, they did not want to alienate the two the same way that Atris did.
Too late for that, thought Anahera.
"Are you saying that what's happening on Cathar isn't creating an unbalance?" asked Anahera, she walked closer to the center of the room. "So what is your plan then, involving these Hidden Sith, if the Neo-Crusaders are just a proxy, then what are you going to do?"
"We've decided it would be best to wait for the true threat to reveal itself," said Ghan. Anahera stopped and reeled towards Ghan. That was their plan? To wait for Mandalore the Ultimate to come knocking on the door of the Jedi Temple, asking for their heads? Waiting for some ghost of Naga Sadow to just jump out of the shadow and wave around his crimson lightsaber, this was too much. They treated it like it was some joke.
"And you're willing to just sacrifice lives for this?" asked Anahera, she shook her head. Ghan let out a deep exhale of breath.
"In the end, the senate has made their decision," said Ghan, "they wanted inaction and caution just as much as I did. We can't go back on that decision now, we'd be abusing our power as Jedi to try and overturn a democratic decision." Anahera narrowed her eyes slightly, Ghan had already influenced the hearing on his own and she could've retorted with that, but it was clear the conversation was over. Ghan would hear no more of it, and to argue anymore would make her look like a stubborn child. As far as Ghan was concerned he'd won this debate, and it was best to roll over and feign submission and understanding before the two got into trouble. Anahera became acutely aware that if she decided to continue the debate until it just became an argument, it'd reflect just as poorly on Amos who was supporting her.
I'm not the only one at risk here, she thought.
"Forgive me, masters, I did not mean to become so heated," she said, bowing her head and leaving. The Jedi made no motion of acknowledgment as the jedi knight abruptly left. Amos glanced at the council before trailing behind Anahera.
"That didn't go well at all," said Amos in a low tone, turning towards Anahera, "the senate wants inaction, the council is convinced that the boogeyman is behind this and that we should wait for when they strike."
"They're making a mistake," said Anahera she continued going forward in a singular direction, her voice a similar tone to her partner's, "they're going to wait until it's too late, and when that happens it might be the end of the Republic."
"So what now?" asked Amos, Anahera didn't answer but after a few minutes Anahera stopped in front of a single door, before she could enter it Amos gave a lot exasperation which stopped her. "Are you sure this is wise?"
"Who else are we going to turn to?" asked Anahera as she crossed her arms, "she is the only chance we have, and probably the only one who will listen to us."
"I know that," said Amos, "it is just your former master is not very well liked...among the council, she might have gotten on by her own merit but her methods, her ideas, they're controversial. You heard what Vrook and Atris were saying about her."
"Are you implying that they are right?" asked Anahera, a scowl appeared on her face and her fist tightening, a slight tremble vibrating it.
"I'm just saying, we've just estranged ourselves in the council already, going to Master Arren Kae might be the last straw," said Amos. Anahera closed her eyes briefly and Amos glanced up.
"If you two are done talking about me, I would love to enter my meditation room," said a voice lined with age and wisdom. Anahera and Amos turned to see the Jedi Master standing there, she had her arms crossed and glanced at the two of them with steel gray eyes.
"We're sorry Master Kae," said Amos, "we were just waiting for you."
"Truly?" asked Kae, "I thought you had moved in on my front porch." Amos groaned and Anahera smirked.
"I see where you get it from now," said Amos glancing over at Anahera.
Anahera and Amos parted ways for Kae as she slowly entered her chamber, they followed behind her, Arren sat down at the center of the room and Anahera seemed to find a spot on the floor to sit as well. Amos looked around and seated himself on the far end, creating a triangle between the three of them.
There was a long silence. Amos looked from Anahera to Kae, both just watched each other wating for the other to say something.
"Have you been treating yourself well, Ana?" asked Kae, "it's been a while since we last spoke."
"I've been busy," said Anahera, "I have a padawan now, she's a bit of a hand full but from what Zhar has said, so was I when I was her age."
"I never considered you a hand full," said Kae, "you were young, curious, you wanted to intimately explore everything. Every nut and bolt, every little crevice of the force. It's why you left me."
Amos paled, he'd forgotten about that detail, in spite of how much Kae's teachings had influenced Anahera's outlook, she had still near the end of her apprenticeship with Arren left her to learn under multiple teachers.
"I wanted to know," said Anahera, "your teaching has done me nothing but good, master, but I needed an outside perspective, I wanted to know what I wasn't getting from you. You were under scrutiny, you still are, even as a master. I wanted to see why they treated you so, it made me wonder if I was missing out on something."
"And were you missing out on something? Did my teachings blind you?" asked Kae, tilting her head. Anahera made eye contact with Kae, the Mandalorian Jedi saw the creases and wrinkles were more prominent than they were when she'd last seen her.
"That is a hard question to answer," Anahera straightened herself, "you are a good teacher, but there are some things that other teachers would know that you don't. However, if you mean, if I have evaluated that your teaching was wrong. No. I've never considered you wrong." She glanced down. "I never meant to hurt you."
Kae stroked her chin before putting her hand on Anahera's scalp and scratching it a bit.
When Anahera looked up she saw her former master smiling.
"No, child, I know you meant no harm," said Kae. "It was for the best. The only reason you were given the trails might have been because of Zhar."
"I'm not a child anymore," said Anahera as she halfheartedly tried swatting away Kae's hand. Amos held in a snicker, and his shoulders relaxed. The tension in the room had entirely deflated.
"I know why you both are here," began Kae, she glanced over at Amos, "you're both right. It's only a matter of time before Mandalore the Ultimate makes his move against the Republic. The Jedi are blinded by their fear of the dark side. Quite ironic if I do say so myself."
"So, what should we do?" asked Amos.
"The Jedi will not move unless you bring compelling evidence," said Arren, "neither will the Senate. The best course of action would be to leave for Cathar." Amos raised his eyebrows.
"Leave for Cathar?" asked Amos.
"And soon," said Arren, "Mandalore will be making his move soon, his pieces are all in the right place."
"If we bring evidence to the Senate, indisputable proof, they will have to act. They will lose the favor of the people if they're seen as unresponsive," said Anahera as she rose to her feet, "the senate's elections are coming up soon, it's perfect."
"We'd need a good reason to go out into the Outer Rim in that territory," said Amos, "the Jedi won't just let us take a ship and leave without a good reason."
"Funny about that," said Anahera as she turned back to Kae.
Kae looked at the both of them before putting her finger on her chin. "Oh would you look at that, I think we're in need of some more explorers in the Outer Rim, there might be some evidence of the 'Hidden Sith' in the outer rim, this should be investigated in full. And who better to choose than our star knights..."
"Oh my, 'Hidden Sith?'" Anahera drew herself back, feigning a swoon. "Why we can't let them continue their evil ways! We'll turn over every rock, every crevice, and unveil their hidden plot...on Cathar."
Amos looked at both Kae and Anahera before rolling his eyes. "When do we go?"
"You are to leave in two hours, get the necessary equipment and make arrangements," said Kae, "this is our one shot at this, if you succeed, the Republic will intervene in the outer rim. We will stop the Neo-Crusaders in their tracks and save the Republic."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: It's been so long since I posted something on , hell, it's been a long time since I've written fanfiction period. This was made in part as something fun between friends and I. The removal of the Expanded Universe has created a number of possibilities, and aspects of old EU stories are coming back with brand new twists to them, some things that could be considered obscure to a casual star wars fan, like Thrawn are suddenly becoming far more accessible. This allowed us to be more imaginative with our story telling and gave us the inspiration we needed for this.
I consider this co written by my two friends, Mulder and Tales of Nine. Both of which were heavily involved in the world building, the story process, characterization, ideas on what characters should be, as well as editing. This story would never have gotten off the ground without their help.
Both of them co write a Drifter's Fanfic that I will link here: s/12229672/1/Drifters-Another-World-Another-War
Be sure to leave them feedback, they crave it as much as any person on this website does.