Luna was in his quarters talking to Jek about the dioxis and what Blake had planned for the remnants and the civil war. However Jaina was on her way to Luna as she was curious about who Jek was and wanted answers.
"Yes, my lord. That is the plan she has told us. Personally, do you think it'll be better for us to be ruling the White Fang altogether?" He suggested to Jek.
"If this plan goes through and they all listen, she will attempt to convince them but use dixois as a failsafe?" He questioned.
"Yes, my lord. So I may need the diox-" He was cut off mid-sentence as he felt something tightly grip his throat but didn't see anything.
"You better have not thought about whatever you're planning in the presence of Jaina. She's Skywalker blood, she can hear your thoughts!" He Force-choked him from all the way from the bunker as he tried to breath for air.
"N-no anyone e-el-else would bel-believe her..." He said, losing his breath as Jek let go of him. He started coughing.
"If she discovers our connection, she'll alert Belladonna about our intentions. You will be killed." He gave his warning to the Faunus who was on his knees, catching his breath back.
"But she'll have no evidence, my lord. Even if we are discovered, you could disguise yourself if Belladonna demands proof that you are not who you are. Besides, Cole and Isa are the only two who aren't in my control, all of the Faunus here follow me, they'll defend me with their lives." He told him a potential way of avoiding exposure to Blake and remarked all of the Faunus in the building and outside.
"Disguise? That is not so bad. Very well, Luna. I'll arrange your dioxis but you will need to send your own people to pick it up in the ocean between Vale and Mistral. I don't want to risk any of my troops being spotted." Jek said, agreeing to what Luna was planning.
"Thank you, my lord." He said as the transmission had cut off.
Rubbing his neck, he was unaware of the Force powers he had held. He thought Jek wasn't able to wield such power but now his eyes were open. He later heard Jaina's voice outside of his door, and sounded like his guards weren't going to let her in. He opened the door and told his guards to stand down and allowed Jaina in.
"What brings you here, Jaina? What might I do to ease whatever you need?" He offered politely.
"I wanted to ask you about your contact, the one who'll provide us with the dioxis gas?" She wanted answers, and asking Luna was the most direct approach.
"Ah, well my contact has access to Old Empire equipment and weapons, including the dioxis we need. He's a smuggler of sorts. Does jobs for Lien here and there." He explained Jek as a smuggler rather than a Shadow Guard.
Luna did his very best to not think of Jek being a Shadow Guard, or Force-sensitive. And it worked, but Jaina felt that he was hiding something and she wanted to know what he was hiding.
"What's his name?" She asked.
"Jek 'Zosam. He is an Atlesian; born Atlas, raised in Vacuo and lives in Vale. Normally, I don't trust humans but 'Zosam, he's good people. Very trust worthy, Jaina." He answered with deception.
She could feel the resistance coming from him as well as the energy he was using to conceal something.
"And this.. Jek, he can arrive here with the dioxis, does he run a crew? Cause dioxis is very fragile for one person." She was attempting to persuade him without him knowing.
"No, he is a solo. Doesn't really rely on anyone else. He'll leave the dioxis some place safe to which he'll notify me and I can go and collect it." He answered, hinting that Jek wouldn't want his troopers near Menagerie to keep his secrecy.
"So he just leaves valuable cargo out in the open?" She questioned.
"I did say 'some place safe,' Jaina. He's trust-worthy. Don't worry, we'll have the dioxis should the situation with the remnants leaders don't go well." He reassured her.
She sighed. "Well I think that's about it for me then, Luna. If you say he is who you say he is then I guess I'll go with it." She said to him as she went to the door.
"Why? Were you expecting someone else?" He asked before she could walk out.
She didn't say anything back. She opened the door, closed it behind her and went back to Blake. She thought about it, she felt he was lying about Jek. Behind what he described Jek as, she felt that he would be angered with what he had thought. And that was a hint. She thought that if Jek is someone who wouldn't be happy with Luna lying about him then maybe he is more than just a smuggler friend. She was indeed curious.
The six AT-AT walkers had arrived at Mountain Glenn and deployed whatever stormtroopers they had garrisoned. The Third and Fourth Commanders had ordered each of the six walkers to a position that were considered to be strong choke points in the ruined city. With most of Jek's forces at Mountain Glenn, the bunker was left almost empty as there was only himself, the First, Second and Fifth Commanders and a small group of stormtroopers, minus the three killed by Chewie.
"Yes, my lord. The AT-ATs have just arrived and we've been notified of the Commander's approach to Atlas, however they scanned a potential danger." The Third Commander reported to Jek.
"A potential danger? What danger, commander?" He asked.
"The Commander scanned the areas surrounding Atlas and have found a single New Republic Nebulon-B frigate above the Senate building. Its been identified as the Weiss Schnee, named after a late Atlesian student." He filled him in on Atlas' defense.
"A single Nebulon-B frigate should not represent a danger, commander. Once they destroy that building, the New Republic armada at the Emerald Forest will move itself and their ground forces will be left alone to which you will distract them. The criminals just arrived and they are onboard with the plan but the children have gotten out of bed." He said to him, telling him the Weiss Schnee was nothing and that Team JPR escaped their cells.
"Very well, my lord. How should I alert their ground forces once the fleet moves?" He asked how he was going to distract the New Republic army.
"Shadow Two will fly over them and will lead them to you. Set ambushes if you must, but make sure that they all go to you. The Beacon will be left undefended, minus its starfighter complements." He replied.
"Yes, my lord. I will make final preparations for the battle." The commander said before ending the transmission.
Back at the bunker, the remaining troopers looked around the potential areas of where JPR and Chewie would go to, while stationing guards at important areas including the armoury, command center, barracks, motor pool, and the research wing. Jek's three commanders received a transmission from Renwil about Project Resurrection.
"Grand Admiral Renwil, what might we do for you? If you need to speak with Jek then we can get him for you." The First Commander said to him.
"No, I think its best that I just speak with you three only." Renwil said to the trio.
"You said something about a resurrection project, sir. Is that what you wanted to speak to us about?" He mentioned Lana's last resort plan.
"Project Resurrection was the last wish of Empress Beniko, Jek 'Nrahom wasn't notified about it. The Empress never mentioned anything about telling him, the captain of the Commander insisted that we allow the android Lana to tell him herself. Since she has been experiencing memories of Jek, he'll probably become Emperor at her side." Renwil replied to the three commanders, notifying them of the project.
"Android Lana?" The Second Commander asked.
"Yes. Before she was betrayed and killed by Ruby Rose, the Empress took some of her own DNA and memories, and wanted it to be transferred to an android as part of Project Resurrection. She also did the same with her apprentice. Now on the Commander, the two androids are awakened and android Lana is now our leader, and Jek is no longer in control." He explained.
"But he is still Supreme Commander, second-in-command." The Second Commander said to him.
"Indeed, he is. But this is not the New Empire. As much as I do respect 'Nrahom, we need to follow our resurrected Empress. She'll lead us to forming an empire that would replace and serve as the New Empire once again. Jek was only ever a guard given the duties and powers of a Supreme Commander. We're imperial remnants, shadows of the New Empire; I will lead my forces under the command of the Empress, not Jek 'Nrahom." Renwil renounced his allegiance to Jek.
"But you were appointed by Jek himself as Grand Admiral of Vale. You can't just betray him like that." The Second Commander reminded him of his duties, that his rank was junior to Jek's as Supreme Commander.
"And I thank him for that. Despite that, my loyalty and allegiance are with the Empress, and are should yours be as well, commander." He urged the commanders.
"He is right," The Fifth Commander said. "our loyalty is with the Empress. Besides Jek only ever gathered us to find Ruby Rose, and how has our search been, huh? Two and half months spent looking for a self-exiled little girl." He reminded the commanders and told Renwil about what Jek gathered them for.
"I must agree. Jek 'Nrahom has had us been doing nothing. Of course, I know that we should avenge the Empress by finding her apprentice who betrayed her but that's doing nothing to revive the New Empire. We must unite; our forces at Mountain Glenn will most likely not survive their battle but with whoever is remaining and your forces, sir, I think we'd be well enough to revive the New Empire, especially now that the Empress has been resurrected." The First Commander agreed with Renwil about what they should do.
The Second Commander was loyal to Jek despite the threats he gave them. He wasn't sure about android Lana, following android was basically following a Grimm but the android had Lana's personality and memories, he was conflicted. Under the android Lana, the New Empire could return and reclaim what it once held. But Remnant would become a battleground with them against the New Republic, Mandalorians, Beacon Academy, Jedi and the scattered splinter groups of the White Fang.
Location: the Commander, capital city of Atlas
As the Commander was approaching the New Republic Senate building in the city of Atlas, the Weiss Schnee spotted it on its scanners but before it could alert the New Republic armada in Vale, it was destroyed by the Star Destroyer's hail of lasers and crashed into the city below. The ship then fired all of its turbolaser batteries on the Senate building, killing all those within; Leia Organa, New Republic Senators, guardsmen and soldiers, and civilians.
The survivors gathered each other and tended to the wounded as the Commander began to fly off, hoping to disappear. With other New Republic Army and Atlas Police Department responding to the attack, those at the Emerald Forest were alerted. And to the New Republic and James Ironwood; they'd consider this the Second Imperial-Remnant Conflict.
Your thoughts on the chapter and story so far, as well as about android Lana?