Galen stared at the coin. There was no doubt about it: this was a Republic Credit.
It had taken a bit of bartering, but the Jedi was able to convince Stella to part with one of these coins. For a hefty finder's fee, of course.
The four now sat inside a well-kept tavern. Sure, it wouldn't win any prizes for "best cantina", but it certainly lived up to the name: Enchanted Fairy Inn. Maidens in revealing outfits flitted around the tables, flirting with some guests, offering drinks to others, and, judging from the hands-on behavior of some of them, provided other services.
At least the owner was a levelheaded man… Or, in his business face, woman. When Siesta explained the eccentric mannerisms of her uncle, Galen didn't believe at first. But, now, sitting inside the tavern, it all came together in a very odd way.
Siesta had retreated to the kitchen, to speak with her uncle. She was very guarded about the matter, which concerned the Jedi.
"So, you're telling me," Louise began, staring at the coin that her familiar just explained, "That even in a realm as advanced as your Empire, currency is still printed on gold, silver, and precious metals? Wouldn't they have developed a more efficient means? I've heard that, in Gallia, they use paper, like a check, that stands in for real money."
Kirche nodded. "It makes sense for a such a trade-focused country. Could you imagine trying to move around such heavy mounds of gold?"
Louise glared at the Germanian's chest.
"You certainly seem to have no problem," she grumbled.
"Credits are usually held on specialized cards, which can be read at terminals to determine their value," Galen explained, ignoring Louise's dig at Kirche.
"However, when the Republic began to suffer from political turmoil, many planets, especially Outer Rim worlds, lost faith in the credit. As the conflicts around the galaxy began to turn towards all-out war, many local governments began to manufacture their own currency, using precious metals such as this," he indicated the coin, "If I recall, a small number of these coins were produced to provide a better exchange between Republic currency and other forms of money. The metal had a stable face value, that could more readily be traded in for traditional credits or swapped to local cash."
"So, even larger, more advanced worlds still have troubles with faith in their money," Kirche concluded, as one of the waitresses brought a plate of food and three tankards of their house ale. Galen had been told this particular drink was their specialty; no other tavern served this beverage.
The blonde waitress winked at the Jedi, who shifted uncomfortably, as she skirted off to attend another table.
"You do know they're looking for a big tip," Louise explained, noting her familiar's discomfort, "Three nobles, playing around with a rare-looking gold coin in public. We probably look rich."
"Aren't we?" Galen asked, cocking an eyebrow at his apprentice.
Louise smirked.
"We don't want them to know that, now do we?"
The Jedi laughed in agreement, as a clatter erupted from one of the other tables.
"G-Get your hands off!"
"Aw, c'mon! Ain't you proud being handled by a noble…" a patron slurred.
"Don't worry, Angeline," a burly man with a disproportionately feminine voice cooed. It was Siesta's uncle. Scarron. "I've got this man," he generously wrapped his arms around the patron, winking seductively, "I'll give you my special treatment!"
Galen sighed as the two disappeared towards the back, the so-called noble writhing in vain to get away from his captor.
"Nobles…" he grumbled, taking a drink of ale. It had a light flavor to it. Not too bitter, but not overwhelmingly sweet. It's something Kota would have enjoyed. Not quite Corellian Ale, but a decent competitor.
"Yes," Louise agreed, taking a drink of her own. Her nose crinkled at the scent, but she handled the taste surprisingly well.
"That… was better than I was expecting," she commented, surprised. This was something the noble could get used to drinking. And the alcohol content was reasonably low. It paired perfectly with the roasted dish they had ordered at the waitress's suggestion.
While she had wanted to down the entire tankard right then and there, Louise restrained herself. She was a noble after all, and it wouldn't be ladylike to drink as heavily as a peasant.
Through the combination of good food, alcohol, and the warm ambience of the inn, Louise soon found herself stifling a small yawn. As the customers began to leave, Kirche pulled out a handful of Ecus, paying for two rooms for the night.
As the Germanian helped the nodding Valliere to their room, Galen froze.
"You go on ahead. I sense… something," he explained to her inquisitive look. Kirche shrugged and continued to help Louise.
Galen moved towards the walls, pressing himself up close. He definitely heard Siesta's voice. She was distraught.
"H-he put in a summons…" she said, her voice quivering like she was on the verge of tears. "You know what that means…"
"Oh my!" Scarron's voice cried out, "And with Count Mott's reputation…"
There was a pause. Galen felt that the maid was nodding.
"Yes!"
"Isn't there anyone at the academy willing to help you?" The barkeep asked.
"No… Even if they did, what could anyone do? The summons is an official one from the palace."
"Then you must go home. Go to Tarbes. Maybe Uncle Tau can help you! He has always watched over us."
"No, if I don't go, then Mott will hunt us down. You know his reputation,"
Galen sensed fear and dread. He didn't need to guess what this Mott would do.
"What about those nobles you arrived with? Surely they can help?"
"I couldn't possibly ask that of Miss Valliere or Miss Zerbst. They've already done so much. I couldn't possibly—"
"What are you doing?" a voice called out, causing Galen to whip around. It was one of the maidens, but in more modest garb. She worked in the kitchen, despite her good looks. Looking at her face and hair, Galen inferred that she was related to Siesta. Perhaps a cousin or sister."
"Couldn't sleep," Galen replied, trying to think of a quick explanation, "I thought a walk might help clear my mind."
The maiden looked at him skeptically.
"You've been leaning against the wall for five minutes. If you were going for a walk, you would have moved on already." She leaned in closer, a knowing smirk growing on her face.
"You were eavesdropping, weren't you? Father and I aren't the only ones worried about my cousin's predicament."
Galen's first instinct was to deny everything, but his intuition led him to believe that accepting the claim would lead to more information. Already, a plan was forming in his mind.
"You caught me. I noticed that Siesta had been withdrawn lately, so I was trying to find out why. Tell me everything," he replied, as the girl grabbed his hand.
"Not here; follow me," she whispered, leading the Jedi down the hall, into a storeroom.
"Now," the maid began, turning towards Galen, "What do you know about Count Mott?"
Galen stared blankly, before shrugging his shoulders.
"He's a noble?"
The maid frowned.
"O...k then…" she muttered, "Mott is a high-ranking noble that deals with royal affairs in the Muran province of Tristain. That includes the Tristain Academy of Magic."
"Then why would he request Siesta, specifically?" he asked, perplexed at the strange order.
The girl looked at him, surprised at the Jedi's ignorance.
"Why do you think? Mott's looking for a mistress! And he has his eyes on Siesta!" she stated, as though Galen had asked why fish swam.
The Jedi, however, understood now. High-ranking Imperial officials would often take people into close confidence. Many preferred Twi'leks, come to think of it, but each species had their own unique applications.
Knowing this, Galen's next question was expected.
"What skills does Siesta have?"
The maid turned bright red, a wry smile playing across her face.
"Right to business, huh? You're one of those types…" she began, grabbing the Jedi's hand, "Why don't I show you… personally."
She drew Galen's hand towards her chest. Curious about the movement, Galen did not resist. What kind of deadly technique did these girls know to make them in high demand?
"You idiot!" A voice cried out, startling the maid as she turned to the source of the intrusion.
"What he's asking about is if Siesta has any tactical advantage to keep nearby, as a bodyguard," Louise stared at the maid, before sighing in frustration. "He's not aware of the… other reason why someone would keep a mistress."
Galen stared in bewilderment. Last he saw, Louise was exhausted and headed towards their room.
"How long were you standing there?" he asked, as the noble crossed her arms.
"Long enough to know what's going on with Siesta," she replied, looking up at the storeroom shelves, lost in thought. Under other circumstances, Louise would have beaten Galen to a pulp for being such a dog. But after what nearly happened with Kirche, the noble didn't want to risk killing the poor maid. Instead, she calmed herself by focusing on the situation with Siesta.
A set of metal armor caught her eye. It was different than traditional knight armor, with a misshapen helm. The nicks and dents along the plates spoke of heavy wear, though the dust indicated it hadn't seen action in quite some time.
"Mott, huh?" she pondered, losing interest in the strange armor. "I don't like him, but there isn't much we can do against him."
"First things first," Galen began, "Let's make sure we're on the same page: why don't you tell me exactly what a mistress does?"
As Louise and the maid did their best to explain to the Jedi the intricacies and racy behavior of affairs and intimate encounters, Galen's face gradually twisted into an expression of abject horror.
"So that's what Imperial Officers were doing with Twi'leks! I had heard about these kinds of things before, but I didn't think anyone really did that."
Louise stared blankly at her familiar.
"How did you think people came around? What, they just shimmered into existence, like some magical spell?"
Galen reddened in embarrassment.
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm aware of procreation. I just thought that…" his voice trailed off as he collected his thoughts.
"Well, I thought it was something done out of necessity, like eating or breathing. I didn't realize people… did it… for fun."
Louise's jaw practically hit the floor.
"Founder, you're a force to be reckoned with in battle, but a complete idiot in everything else! Don't you even know when someone's hitting on you?"
Louise flopped on the bed in exhaustion. After working so hard to restrain herself, the noble was emotionally drained.
Galen leaned against the wall, deep in thought.
The maid, Jessica, had told them of other nobles in the area who used their position to oppress peasants and commoners. They, in turn, could do nothing. Lives were uprooted, dreams shattered, innocence destroyed, all in the pursuit of empty pleasure.
All because they could.
"As we are, we can't do anything against Mott, or his ilk," he said, breaking the silence.
Louise sighed.
"I really want to, but as the daughter of a duke, a lot of other responsibility sits on me. I can't get involved. Not without putting my family's reputation at risk."
The Jedi continued his contemplation.
"What if it wasn't you?"
Louise stared at her familiar. She knew exactly what he was thinking.
"No. I forbid you from fighting Mott on your own. Remember what I said? Your antics reflect on me, as well. If you attack Count Mott-"
"Then you will be responsible for my actions as if you did them yourself. That's why you didn't interfere when I fought that noble earlier today. I know," Galen replied, shaking his head in frustration.
"I mean, what if it was you… but not. Like Fouquet,"
The noble froze at the name. She now began to realize what her familiar was planning.
"Of course! False names! We could disguise ourselves, and, since our magic doesn't align with any element-."
"We would be hard to trace, especially since we can hide our powers so easily," Galen finished.
Louise stared at the mirror, then at the cloaks sitting on a chair in the corner. The idea of being a vigilante did appeal to her, and didn't her own mother once disguise herself as a man to fool her subordinates when she commanded the Manticore Knights? Perhaps this was how she would leave her own mark on the world: a shadowy knight that struck fear in the hearts of nobles; a master of the Force that could humble even the mightiest of mages. The counterweight to abusers of power.
"So, what do you think, Louise? Should we use our abilities to bring justice to these so-called untouchable nobles? We wouldn't be as restricted with our powers as we are now. Plus, it will give you valuable insight into fighting other Mages with the Force."
"I don't like the idea of skulking around like a thief," the noble grumbled, "but I cannot deny the fact that something needs to be done against these corrupt nobles."
She raised her hand, summoning her cloak from its resting place. It shot into her hand, and, with one quick motion, she wrapped herself in the garment. The rough canvas felt strange against her fine clothes, but it was bearable. She would get used to it.
"What should we call ourselves?" Louise asked, pulling the hood over her head. Immediately, her entire body took on a more sinister tone. It was as though her noble aura was also obscured by the cloak. Her hair fell in strawberry ringlets through the cowl, adding a splash of color to the otherwise dark form.
"I've already got a name I can use," Galen replied, sitting on the bed, watching his apprentice intently, "Why don't you try coming up with your own?"
Louise frowned. The least her familiar could do was give her a name. It was his idea, after all, to go around as vigilantes. She angled her face, distorting it in the candlelight. She lowered her voice, taking on a malicious tone.
"I am justice. I am one with the Force. I. Am…"
She took a deep breath.
"Lady Zero!"
Galen sighed.
"Subtle," he commented, as Louise childishly stuck her tongue at him, the cowl sliding off her head.
"I'd like to see you do better, Jedi," She mocked.
Accepting her challenge, Galen pulled his own cowl over his face. Drawing upon the Force, he darkened the room, filling everyone within it with a sense of fear and dread. The wood planks creaked under his sheer power.
"I am Lord Starkiller!" He growled, each syllable shaking the room. His voice alone seemed powerful enough to tear away the tiny inn if they weren't too careful. It didn't sound like a noise that human lungs could produce. It sounded… demonic.
Several objects in the room shifted, as a dark, maniacal laugh punctured through the room.
And as suddenly as it came, the darkness vanished. Louise released a breath she didn't even realize she held.
"What… the Hell was that!" she exclaimed, as Galen pulled off his hood.
"Oh, that?" he said as casually as one might about turning on a light.
"That was one of the tricks I learned from Vader. Force Intimidation. You radiate this aura of power so strong that people around you are disturbed by your mere presence. And his mastery is so powerful with it that he can do it as easily as you breathe."
Louise blinked in shock. The Force could be used to inspire fear. Not as a tool, like the fear of Elven magic, but as a raw emotion.
This… was unlike any other form of magic. Sure, water mages could make potions that altered a person's mind, but to do so just through sheer will…
"Let's… not do that again," she finally said, as Galen nodded.
"That's for the best. It's a difficult balance, inspiring fear to coerce others without giving into complete and absolute terror. I've watched Imperial officers die from heart attacks caused by this technique."
"And we don't want to leave a trail of bodies. I'm willing to do this so that I can learn more about the Force, but I draw the line at murder!" Louise exclaimed. The temptation to kill Kirche, and then Jessica still burned in her mind. It scared the noble how much she desired their deaths.
"As well you should," Galen replied, "Jedi only kill when necessary. But, there will be times where you have no choice. Don't enjoy it."
Louise nodded.
"I don't want to be just another assassin. I want to be justice for the peasants. I want to be their wrath! I want to be their…"
Her eyes suddenly lit up, as an idea came to her mind. Quickly wrapping the cloak around her, she turned to Galen.
Standing at her full height, Louise struck a pose, holding Galen's sword in her right hand, her left poised to lash out with the Force.
"I am Lady Voidicta!" she hissed, her voice taking on an insidious pitch.
Galen was surprised. He felt as though her name carried weight. She wasn't a noble, but a force of justice against evil corruption. She was a sword, a counter against oppression, a hope.
"Where did you get that name?" he asked, proud that she had come up with such a powerful-sounding name on her own. It gave off a sense of accomplishment, like the noble was beginning to forge her own destiny.
Louise pulled the cowl down, practically brimming with excitement at her latest triumph.
"It wasn't hard at all! I created a portmanteau of the Romalian word for 'vengeance': Vindicta, and the enigma of the Void. Voidicta, the mysterious, vengeful knight for peasants."
Galen laughed, then patted Louise gently on the head.
"Not bad. But I think that's enough for tonight. It's late and I'm sure you're looking forward to getting some sleep now. I'm surprised you're still standing. That ale wasn't exactly the strongest, but it still packed a punch."
Louise smiled cheekily.
"Oh, that was easy. Water mages have a spell that can rid the body of impurities by drawing it through their sweat. It's commonly used as a cure for hangovers. I simply used the Force instead to pull the alcohol from my body."
Galen stared at his apprentice, as she moved towards the door.
"Louise, your ingenuity frightens me."
The noble winked playfully, before closing the door, leaving Galen alone in his room. Louise had presumably gone to sleep in the same room as Kirche. Good idea. After learning the truth about 'mistresses', the Jedi did wonder what peasants would say about he and his apprentice sleeping in the same room together.
"Voidicta, huh? An interesting choice of words."
Galen smiled, as he began to doze off.
"Yeah. I have a feeling she'll live up to…"
The Jedi snapped wide awake.
"Who the Hell said that!" he shouted, summoning his sword to his outstretched palm, looking for any would-be assassins.
"I did!" the voice continued, as Galen turned around, seeing no one.
"Show yourself!" he ordered, his voice taking on the same dark intensity from earlier.
"For a user, you sure aren't very bright," the voice criticized. "Look in your hand!"
Galen's eyes shot down to his left hand, and, upon opening it, revealed nothing.
"Your other hand."
The Jedi stared, perplexed. The only item in his hand… was…
He dropped the blade on to the bed in astonishment.
"Ouch! Be a little gentle, ok? I'm over ten-thousand years old!" the sword admonished.
"Great…" Galen finally said. "A talking sword."
Truth be told, the Jedi wasn't as astonished as one would expect. Sith lords were known to have infused pieces of themselves into objects, such as talismans, scepters, and holocrons. Why couldn't one possess a sword?
"I was having a nice nap, when the room started vibrating like crazy. I haven't felt power like that in ages, much less from a user."
Galen studied the sword, probing it through the Force. It was powerful, that's for sure. Its consciousness was bound to the weapon itself, rather than a droid-like component such as a brain. It's an artifact that would have no doubt fascinated the Emperor.
Yet, the oddity about this sword was the fact that it didn't resonate with Dark Side energy. In fact, like Louise's creations, this sword felt more strongly connected to something else entirely. Not exactly light, but not exactly dark, either. Some forgotten aspect of the Force perhaps?
"And you're one of those users on top of that!" the sword exclaimed. "No wonder she's the apprentice! You both wield the same magic!"
Galen nodded.
"Yes, it may look like Elven magic, but-"
"What are you talking about?" the weapon shouted, "You're a Force-user! I haven't seen one of you in millennia!
"What?" the Jedi spluttered, amazed at the knowledge such a simple weapon had at its disposal.
"I'm curious how your power as Gandalfr will play with your abilities," the sword commented.
Galen shook his head.
"Wait, slow down! First, how do you know about the Force? Second, what is this Gandalfr, and third, what are you?"
The sword sighed.
"You really don't know anything, do you? No wonder I had to wake up! Well, to answer your questions, I'm a sword imbued with life from the Force itself. So, I'm Delflinger, and I was forged by Gandalfr from ancient times. That mark you bear is the Rune of Gandalfr, and it allows you to wield any weapon."
Galen removed the glove on his left hand and stared at the marks etched into the skin. He remembered the burning pain when he first arrived here. Was this one of the results?
"So… Gandalfr, as you're using it, is a title, like Emperor… or Darth,"
"Now you're getting it!" Delflinger replied.
He flexed his right hand, before returning it to his gauntlet.
"The power to wield any weapon, huh?" he replied, wondering at the restrictions of such an ability.
"It only works on things made to be weapons," the sword replied.
"Not much of a restriction," Galen noted, "anything can be made a weapon, if you're creative enough."
"I guess. I haven't really seen anyone wield a fork in battle, though," Delflinger said.
Galen snickered.
"A favored weapon of the Quarren and Mon Calamari is the trident. It's just an oversized fork."
Delflinger laughed.
"Yeah, I suppose you're right! We'll have to try that out some time, partner."
The Jedi smiled, but became more serious.
"Is there a size limitation? I mean, what if the planet you're standing on was one giant weapon?"
The sword fell silent. After a minute, it spoke.
"I don't think there's a limit like that. But where are you going to find something that big?"
A/N: Louise has a new name, a new reason to fight, and we're about to see some new powers she has gained training with Galen.
That's right, folks, we're going to see Louise wield some pretty mean Force abilities! Some of them will be taught to her by Galen, such as Force Grip, while others are adapted from her own knowledge of magic, such as Force Alchemy, or, what she has displayed here, what I'm going to call Force Purge.
A couple of details I'd like to point out in this chapter: it's not a coincidence that Louise's choice of the Romalian world "vindicta" is Latin. For those of you in the know, this is a big hint towards something that won't be revealed until much later.
Which brings me to something I would like to point out to my readers: in every chapter, I try to incorporate two types of information: pieces that are relevant now, and pieces that are clues to the future. For example, it's known now that Louise and Galen will become essentially masked superheroes, but if you looked back, it was inevitable this would happen: heresy for practicing the Force, Fouquet the thief, Galen searching for a code of morals, being unable to act without repercussions to your family's reputation.
This is what i'm weaving into my stories; little details that may not seem relevant, until they're tied into a major plot shift.
Some of my sharp-eyed readers even noted my reference to Alderaan's destruction, which I have intentionally done to give this story a frame of reference with the greater events of Star Wars.
In recognition of these fans, I have decided to start a contest: PM me Siesta's family secret. If you're on the right track, I'll let you know. If you manage to guess her complete secret, all three parts which have been revealed now, I'll add you in as a reference. The first person to get it will get to choose the name for an important character later in this story. Depending on how many enter, you may get a chance to name locations, ships, and other smaller details throughout this story. You aren't restricted to Halkeginia, either, so keep that in mind.
The deadline is December 12, when the secret will be revealed!
Once again, thank you to everyone for sticking with me for this long.