"Again," practice blade clashed against practice blade, as an experienced soldier trained her far less experienced novice. A twitch of her sword resulted in her partner's blade being freed from its wielder's hand, spiraling upward. Her guard had not been lowered in the slightest, but it was still hardily enough to send the practice dagger thrown her way spiraling off to the side.
"That will be enough for today," she nodded, offering a hand to her apprentice. If the young man made any sound of relief from her proclamation, she didn't hear it. Further proof that her decision to take on the young man before her as her Inquisitorial Apprentice was the correct one. She wasn't getting any younger, and unlike an Astarte, still aged, even if she took to the treatments better than most.
Joycolene rubbed her forehead, feeling a headache coming on. She was unsure why. She hadn't used her psychic powers since her arrival on Corrisant. Headaches were a sign of overuse, and even then they were manageable.
Then images began to flash in her mind. A child. A strange device. A world of fire. And all the while, a dark laugh echoed in the background. She shook away the images flashing through her brain, driving them back, but remembering them all the same. A scowl grew on her face.
"Lady Inquisitor, are you alright?" her apprentice asked, already appearing to recognize the signs. Somedays, her hatred for her incredibly limited precog abilities knew no bounds. They came and went at random, with little reason, and sometimes, little importance attached to them. Yet, she had never been able to ignore them.
"I am fine, Nicholas. However, something is about to happen, and soon."
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"I understand Master Yoda," Obi-wan nodded, facing the hologram of the Jedi Grand Master on the bridge of the Negotiator. While he was uncertain of taking another jaunt into Imperial space, the Imperium's request was heartfelt and honest. If they did have a world that had suffered an event similar, if not worse than what happened on Ryloth, then they couldn't ignore it.
"More information on this Chaos, we require," the old master nodded, looking quite grim. None of the Council had taken what he had to say quite well, Yoda least of all. Part of them didn't want to admit they missed anything, let alone something so critical.
"Then there's the matter of these chips," Anakin frowned, scratching his chin. The fact every single checked trooper had them was concerning, in his eyes. The Imperium could not hazard a guess at what they could accomplish.
"I agree with Skywalker on this," Windu spoke up. "I understand the Imperium will likely try to launch their investigation into the matter, but we should begin our own as well."
"Already been informed, Master Shaak Ti has," Yoda nodded, agreeing with the two Jedi's joint assessment of the situation. There were several questions about the clone army they simply didn't know, even now. How had Sifo-Dyas procured the funds for the army being one of the largest that remained.
Still, this proved troubling, gravely so. How did such go unnoticed? He hoped this would prove to be nothing, but there was no such thing as coincidences.
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Preparations were made for the dive into the Warp. Only the Battle Barge would be returning to Gaian space for this task, as well as Anakin and Obi-wan's command vessel's. The rest of the fleet was moving back towards Corrausunt for the time being. Most of the crew had mundane tasks, refueling, rearming, and preparing to return to the Chapter Monastery. Dracoloch, built within the mountain peaks of the Natalarr range, on the planet classified as Nerolith-5.
The feral death world of the Gaia's Dragons. A formal penal world were those whose crimes were not great enough to warrant the transformation into a servitor. A world where monstrous reptile-like beasts stalked the many jungles in search of prey. Massive stone temples could be found across the planet, the only remains of a Xeno species long since past.
However, for the Librarians of the Chapter had other matters to attend too. Numa, the young psyker child that was found upon the world, had elected to go with them. The small blue-skinned abhuman stood out amongst normal humans and stood out even more amongst Astartes. Her powers were a danger to herself and others, and even with the Geller field up, it was best to take extra precautions.
As such, she had been led to a room. The smell of incense, a pleasant smell filled her nose. Even when she was playing with the other children, desperately trying to forget what had transpired, something was tickling the back of her mind. The armored giants that kept watch over her didn't help her nerves, even if they were only trying to help.
Here, for the first time in such a long time, she felt peace. Tranquil, if nothing could go wrong. The room itself was mostly blank, devoid of decoration save for a statue, or more accurately shrine. It was of a man. At least, he looked like a human, covered in armor that was designed with great skill and talent. He held a sword in one hand, and something told her, if it was the real thing, it would be wreathed in flame.
She was unsure who this individual was, or why he was placed here. It puzzled her. She had heard some of the soldiers and giants speak about a God-Emperor of Mankind. Was this him? A representation of him?
She looked up at the five giants who had guided her into the room. Each wore a helmet, making it impossible to see any notable expressions on their face. Something she found extremely comforting. They were like her, she could sense that much, on an almost completely instinctive level.
They were here to protect her. From herself? From her powers? The latter seemed the most likely.
"Don't worry, child," one spoke, removing his helmet, revealing a face that one might call handsome, despite the scars. "We will make sure nothing happens during our journey."
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"If you encounter Cyron in any capacity, and if you have the opportunity, kill him," Joycelne spoke, looking at the numerous Jedi Master's surrounding her. The Ruinous Powers weren't her domain, but she knew enough to serve this purpose. After Obi-wan's report, alongside the Xeno Jedi Master Dia, the Council had contacted her, asking to meet with her.
"There seems to be emotional attachment there," one spoke, an abhuman, one of the Twi'lek, if she remembered correctly. "Are you sure it's not clouding your judgment?" Joycelene's frown would have been a scowl if she didn't have as fine control of her facial muscles.
"Cyron, Nathaniel and I were childhood friends back in the day. I can assure you, my judgment is very much clear on the matter. Cyron is a threat to be taken with the utmost seriousness," she barely prevented herself from grinding out the words.
"And out of the four, which does he serve, exactly?" another spoke, this one a hologram, of the Jedi named Mace Windu.
"Cyron has sworn himself to the entity that calls itself Tzeech, who represents change, lies, paranoia, mutation, and sorcery. This, combined with his tactical prowess, is why Cyron is has proven himself a serious threat in both Giaian and greater Imperial space," she answered. Windu was taking the matter with a degree of seriousness. The Grand Master of the order, Yodu, while he remained silent thus far, also appeared too. The same couldn't be said for the others, but Chaos was oftentimes something one needed to witness for themselves.
"And the daemons that were present on Ryloth belonged to which?" Another hologram asked. Of his race, she was uncertain whether or not he was abhuman or not. That was likely the case, but she would need to find another of his species or acquire a genetic sample.
"Slaanesh, the beast of pleasure, pain, debauchery, excess, and emotional extremes. Between the four, it's not entirely unheard of for Slaanesh and Tzeech to work together," several Jedi looked between each other.
"The last two of the Ruinous pantheon are Nurgle, who holds sway over death, rot, disease, and decay, and Khorne, the embodiment of war, slaughter, and bloodshed," she certainly noticed the Jedi's reaction to the last one. It was one several Inquisitor always had trouble with as well. Khorne fed off bloodshed and violence, but violence was needed to beat back his mortal followers and daemons alike.
"Knowledge of these, we have not," the Jedi Master Yoda spoke at last, the syntax of his speech throwing her off guard for a few moments. "Curious as to why I am."
"The forces of Ruin have always been weaker here. It is a phenomenon that many Inquisitors have tried to find the answer too, with no success. I believe it's due to them being starved in some way," she frowned. She'd read several reports that attempted to explain why. However, it ended up as little more than conjecture and hypothesis, with little that could be quantifiably studied or even proven.
Until recently. There was some type of interaction going on between the Force and the Warp, though exactly what remained an uncertainty. That would require further testing and further examples.
"Due to the events on Ryloth, I have little doubt that the Force that Jedi use plays a role in all this, though I have no idea to what extent," she ended. Many of the Order's High Council seemed puzzled.
"I assume this is why Gaia's High Council requested Jedi for a mission to," another holographic Jedi asked, pausing as the abhuman flipped through what Joycelene could only assume as notes. "Nerious-3?"
"Correct. Nerious-3 is a proto hive world, known for its large deposits of ore. This world had rebelled against the Imperium a few decades before the founding of the Gaia's Fists Chapter. It is also the place where Cyron forsook his oaths to Humanity," she paused, waiting a moment for interruptions. With none of the Jedi present speaking up, she continued.
"After reconstructing events leading up to it, Cyron had been the mastermind behind the whole rebellion. Given he was Nathenail's second in command since the beginning, he was able to wait until most of the Chapter was distracted with other duties. When he gave the signal, Nerious rebelled in mass. The situation spiraled out of control quite rapidly, soon reaching the point where Astarte intervention was required. Nathanial ordered Cyron to take 200 Astartes of his choice, and to pacify the rebellion, as the Gaia's Dragons were held up fighting back a swarm of Killik on Alcadia," she continued.
"Cyron was able to convince both the 200 Astartes and the rebels themselves that this Rebellion was to return Gaia to a state of independence, where it could be as free as it was before the Imperium found us. This was little more than a shroud for his dark ambitions. He began constructing defenses in the former capital, now little more than a tomb, for the retribution he knew would come."
"Once Nathienal found out about this betrayal, he was furious beyond compare. He gathered the full force of the Chapter against them, fighting alongside Imperial guard regiments and what loyalists remained on the planet. It was after they had taken the first few hive cities where Cyron's true nature. With the death of his mortal allies, he called forth daemons of Tzeentch, spending rebel souls as fuel."
"For those Astartes that now served him, he had a different fate in mind. Through knowledge even I'm not privy to how he acquired, he managed to bound each Astartes soul to their armor, creating mindless automatons eerily similar to a Rubric Marine of the Thousand Sons," she noticed a few looks of confusion spread throughout the Jedi ranks. Right, she hadn't explained the true events of the Horus Heresy. That was going to have to wait.
"This combination of dealings, use of heretical sorcery, betrayal, and tactical prowess, led to him being whisked away into the Warp, by either Tzeech itself or one of its greater daemons, the only act of that caliber we have seen from one of the Ruinous Powers before or since in Gaia space. From there, he went on to prove himself a problem to the Ordos Hereticus."
"However, when Cyron showed his true face and goals, much of the rebel's surrendered on mass, realizing they had been deceived. The ringleaders were later punished for their crimes, as did those who, while they didn't side with Cyron, continued their rebellion. Even if the planet was saved, the capital was utterly tainted. The veil between the Material and Immaterial is thinned, and while nothing appears to be able to make it through, there are still risks in leaving in unattended. Especially if we have a solution to the problem at hand."
Her final statement led to several Jedi nodding at her explanation.
"Punished how exactly?" one of the Jedi asked. Yes, this. When it came to telling the full truth about what Cyron did, this was the one question she knew was coming. And the one that she dreaded answering the most.
"Those who we managed to capture and sided with Cyron throughout the whole Rebellion were executed for both their crimes of treason and heresy, but also their deep-rooted corruption. Those that still fought against us, without siding with Cyron, were mostly converted into servitors as punishment," she paused, noticing the puzzled looks on their faces. She didn't like servitors, even with them being a necessity in the Imperium at large. At least those who were converted as a criminal punishment doubled as a warning.
"Those who surrendered once Cyron revealed his true intentions faced a range of punishments. Military regiments that stood with Cyron were completely disbanded, who faced punishments ranging from being forced to work to pay off their crimes, to being executed or turned into servitors," Joycelene paused, before continuing. "Those who fought against the Rebel's naturally received no punishment and were given many honors for their bravery and valor against a superior force. The descendants of those who stood against the Rebel's have a great deal of sway over the planet to this day."
She noticed the few uneasy glances between the Jedi. While she didn't expect the order that held the tenet of one shouldn't strike at an unarmed individual to like the concept of executing traitors, what did they expect? Did the Jedi think the Republic would let the CIS leadership walk away, or simply just imprison them? Though, given the Republic, they might intend to do so.
"And one person was able to mastermind all that?" the expression of Windu betrayed his interest in the matter. "Do you have any idea what Cyron was trying to accomplish?" A few Jedi in the room sent him an odd glance but kept silent.
"I may have found a potential plot of his, one I have sent to both Gaia's High Council and the Dragons, but it could be potentially one of many. Cyron is smart enough to make sure if one scheme fails, he has another lying in reserve. However, if I am correct, and I pray I'm not, but it is distinctly possible that Cyron wishes to corrupt as many Abominable Intelligences as possible," the Jedi present all shared looks.
"If true, that would mean he would be capable of ushering the entire CIS military, alongside a large number of other droids. We've already been fighting the former, but adding in the latter?" the abhuman with the head crest frowned. "It could open up dozen's, if not hundreds of fronts for our already beleaguered troops."
So they were beginning to figure out why the Imperium had illegalized the construction of AI. They simply couldn't be trusted. Though, that hadn't stopped one member of the Machinicous from trying. That particular incident only served to reinforce the Emperor's wisdom.
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Nicholas looked down through the massive library complex. He had seen quite a few troves of knowledge during his time as an apprentice to the Inquisitor, but this was staggering. It even outpaced the physical and date banks that could be found inside the Chapter Monastery of the Gaia's Dragons. The wealth of knowledge held here was worthy of a treasure trove, if not several.
While he was technically to remain here until the Lady Inquisitor finished informing the Jedi High Council of Chaos and Cyron himself. However, telling the full story could take hours, if not longer, without allowing for questions. As such, he had been allowed to wander the grounds, but he had to stay within the main temple complex. That didn't mean he had free reign of the place. Quite far from it.
He may have only been learning from the Lady Inquisitor for a few years now, but his senses were now much more tuned. Eyes watched his every move, and there were at least two separate Jedi following him around at all times. They were not subtle by any means, with their robes barely touching the floor. Of course, they could simply be letting him learn of their presence.
After all, this was their home turf. None had attacked them here in centuries, so confidence would be completely understandable. Confidence was the only reason he had been allowed to keep his laspistol. The Senate, on the other hand, was nowhere near as lax, though he could understand that.
He had chosen the library to hunker down for a few reasons. Firstly, in case things turned into an emergency, there was plenty of cover to shake off pursuit, or to simply fire upon attackers. Secondly was due to interest. The Jedi Order was ancient, with much in the way of history. How much knowledge they held now was simply vast. And for it to remain here was a waste.
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"What exactly are the odds of her telling the truth?" Plo Kloon asked the one question that was on almost everyone's mind. If any of what the Inquisitor that served as an ambassador of sorts was true, then surely it was something they would have been aware of. Monster's that feed off emotions? Sentient blights on the reality that wished nothing more than to consume?
"No deception I sense from her, I do. Keep us and the Republic in the dark, she would rather," Yoda frowned, an all too common expression he wore these days. "Concerning, this new information is."
Concerning was an understatement. If what the Inquisitor said was correct, something he had little reason to doubt, then it meant dark forces were at work in the Galaxy. One that may even surpass the Sith in threat, a thought that weighed heavily on him. It should be impossible. Yet, hadn't they also believed the Sith had been destroyed, never to return? Why would this be any different? The Jedi themselves weren't all-knowing, nor all-powerful. This very war proved that much.
"I wouldn't believe any of it if it weren't for Master Kenobi and Master Dia. Despite their superstitious nature, I doubt they would be able to trick two Jedi Master's and a detachment of clones into believing such delusions," Windu spoke, hands crossed over his mouth. "However, they were both able to use the Force to stabilize and repair whatever damage was done. Something of which I have no doubts have been reported to their highest points of command."
"What are you suggesting, Windu?" Mundi frowned, sending him a look.
"I suggest that the Imperium will likely try to find Force-sensitives of their own. After All, by their admission, it works quite well against their greatest enemy. And I doubt they would want to continue to rely on the Jedi Order forever," Yoda's frown grew at Windu's statement. He wasn't wrong in his assessment of the situation. Allowing on an outside group to fight your battles for you, while potentially smart, wasn't always going to work. And the Imperium knew this. Wanting their group of Force-sensitives made sense. But without proper training, one could easily fall to the dark side.
"Discuss this with the Imperium Government we must," Yoda nodded before things could get too out of hand. Hopefully, they would see reason and comply with the Jedi on this. However, it would take years for any such Imperial effort to get off the ground, let alone produce results. It could wait for the time being.
Then, he felt something in the Force. Something was slithering its way through the temple. Hidden, just barely masked from sight. But it's presence was there. He could feel it. As did several of the others.
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Joycelene had not expected several Jedi to practically fly out of the meeting room, each heading off in their respective directions. She looked down at the small green humanoid, last to exit the chamber, her normal expression blatantly compromised by one of bewilderment.
"An infiltrator, we have," Yoda spoke a few simple words, and she was off as well.
"Nicholas!" she shouted into her vox, one that directly connected her to her apprentice.
"Lady Inquisitor?" his voice betrayed his surprise, clearly not expecting such aggressive contact.
"The Jedi have sensed an infiltrator within the Temple," she paused, rounding a corner. "I doubt they are working alone, either. I need you to keep an eye open for any suspicious activity. Do not engage unless you're forced to, and I want to hear from you if you find anything."
"I understand, Lady Inquisitor."
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The Apprentice Inquisitor sighed, placing the data slate-like device back on its shelf. Well, he did want something interesting to happen on this trip. Well, he got what he wished for. If an infiltrator needed some form of help, where would it be from? It would have to be from an isolated location, that much was obvious and clear. Yet, at the same time, wouldn't the individual, or individuals, need some form of a device plugged into the system?
The Archives had been pretty much emptied by this point, all except for him and one other. She was an older Jedi, the one he recognized as the head librarian. She seemed kind to many of the younger Jedi, but he hadn't spoken with her. He couldn't make it from here, but her lips appeared to be moving as if she was talking to someone. But, as far as he knew, they were the only two present.
He slipped back into the stack, hoping he went unnoticed. He had to get closer At least, close enough so he could start reading her lips, if not outright hear her words. He was right to be suspicious, but right now, he needed more information. Sure this might be something, the Jedi having a traitor in their midst, but it also could be nothing.
So, he crept closer and closer, weaving his way through the towering shelves, avoiding direct exposure to the Jedi's line of sight. It appeared he wasn't noticed, a fact made even better as he began to pick up words.
"I'm in," the old woman said, waiting before responding to unheard words. "I think they might be onto you already. I'm preparing to jam their communications. It'll slow them down, at least by a little."
Well, that confirmed it. Nicholas slinked backward, hoping to contact the Lady Inquisitor before whatever jamming equipment the lady spoke of before it began its work, but cursed, as it was already proving effective against the Vox he had.
He could sneak out, hoping to find either another Jedi or his instructor to deal with the problem, the safest of his options, but by that point, the thief could have already escaped. And it was unlikely the traitor would remain in place if they suspected they had been compromised. Engaging had its risks. While he was confident in his skills, pitching them against a Jedi? He wasn't that confident. Besides he had been ordered to only engage in a matter of last resort. Which this most certainly wasn't. Staying put just increased the risks of getting caught.
Well, he wasn't entirely out of options. Nicholas straightened himself out, made sure his coat didn't look as if it belonged to a person that had been sneaking around and exited his hiding place. This time, he was most certainly noticed, as he pretending to look around, puzzled, before making his way towards the front desk.
"Ma'am," he cleared his voice, fully catching the woman's attention now. "I'm currently looking for records on the Jedi-Sith war, but I can't seem to find any. Do you think you can point me in the right direction?"
He didn't miss the look of puzzlement on her face as she looked them over. Something wasn't quite right with this. Even if they hadn't spoken, this isn't the first time she had seen him. His appearance shouldn't be completely unfamiliar. Unless she was suffering from extreme memory loss, but if that was the case, why was she still here?
"Sorry. But I'm currently busy, and I can't help you at this time," she finally spoke, annoyed with his presence. He began to walk around the desk, slowly, arms behind his back. "What exactly are you doing?"
"Investigating. You seem, there's an infiltrator currently within this temple. I shouldn't need to explain why that is an issue," he continued his approach, slowly working his way around the table, hoping to gleam some sliver of information from the screen.
"And you think I'm helping him?" he felt the weight of the accusation. So, the other infiltrator was a man. A useful nugget of information. It wasn't the strings of date running across the computer that surprised him the most. Rather, it was the body that laid on the floor, face up and faintly breathing. One that was identical to the person in front of him.
"No. I know so," he stepped backward, as a lightsaber cleaved through space he once stood, his hand quickly drawing his laspistol. The blade had been drawn at an impressive speed, but not speed he had heard Jedi were capable of.
Everything began to click into place. This wasn't the actual Liberian here. It was a shapeshifter! That made perfect sense, a perfect means of infiltration and sabotage. Was it a Lacrymole, or something new? He rolled backward, dodging another swing that would have likely connected if he was dealing with the real thing.
Keeping a steady grip on his pistol, he pulled the trigger, aiming toward his attacker's shoulder. Taking her alive, if only for questioning, would be prudent. The imitation attempted to deflect the shot, but at its present range, a Jedi would have found it difficult to avoid if it were a blaster.
The laser managed to punch through its right shoulder, sending it stumbling back, clutching the wound on its shoulder as it's disguise fell apart. He would not lie, it was disgusting to watch. Skin that was once smooth became scaley, coloration became a dark gray. It's the eye's nearly doubled in size, as the rest of it's face contoured, check's becoming thin. The blade held within its hand clattered to the ground. No, it certainly wasn't a Lacrymole.
He grinned though, as it realized it's a mistake all too late, as the lightsaber it once held clattered to the floor. It leaped forward, attempting to reach for it's stolen weapon. He managed to knock it away from her, sending it spinning across the stone floor. He heard a commotion up above, likely Jedi that had been drawn to the sound of his weapon's discharge.
It leaped forward with another animalistic growl, face caught between changes. He stumbled back, being taken by surprise by another sudden burst of aggression. It just didn't know when to quit, did it? It managed to grab hold of his hand, keeping his laspistol away from its face. However, it did little to guard its misshapen head, as his fist connected into what should be the temple, leading to it staggering back.
"Halt!" a voice shouted, holding a blue lightsaber, as the Xeno looked panicked. "You are under arrest!"
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Blaster bolts scorched the wall where her head used to be, as Joycelene ducked behind cover. She retaliated with her bolt pistol, discharging a few rounds toward her assailant, forcing him back behind the cover of his own. She wouldn't lie, her opponent was skilled and experienced. Not quite so as herself, as she'd managed to see through his ruse. Still, he had one of the Holocrons that the Jedi were so intent on keeping locked away.
She wouldn't let her curiosity about such records interfere with her job, however. The falls of foot against metal signaled another withdrawal of his, with Joycelene quickly breaking cover in pursuit. Quickly, she fired two more shots at his retreating figure, receiving two blaster rounds in return.
"Surrender! Time isn't on your side!" She shouted, keeping her back against the wall. More footfall sounded another retreat, though this time he appeared to be saying something. To who or what she was uncertain. However, Joycelene pressed forward, keeping her ready for an ambush.
Unlike before, the man hadn't stopped running. While she didn't need to pause her pursuit, she frowned. Was he making a final break for it? Or was he simply getting desperate? She knew something wasn't quite right, in this maze that the Temple called its ventilation system.
She noticed the chirping first, quickly pinpointing the noise, as a small droid was thrown back into ventilation. She also didn't need it screaming about the bomb on it's back to realize what was about to happen. She had no shame turning completely around, managing to get herself behind another wall as the bomb went off, shaking the temple to the foundations.
Coughing and waving off the smoke, she scowled. Well, she wasn't going to be able to continue her pursuit anymore, with all the rubble in the way. Things could have gone much better.
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The heist could have gone far better. Sure, it wasn't a complete disaster. Bane had the Holocron, the very object he had been hired to steal from the Jedi. However, doing so had cost him a droid, and his additional hired aid. He supposed he wouldn't have to pay her, but she knew where he lived, and who hired him.
Abandoning his apartment was fine, especially if he received the starship he was promised. But he would have to remove the Jedi's body. No need to leave any further incriminating evidence behind. Still, the presence of one of the Imperium's 'Inquisitors' was concerning. He'd already had the displeasure of running into a few.
If he managed to kill the one that was pursuing him, that might send a message, but he doubted it. Still, it was only going to be a matter of time before Cato Parasitti talked, and it would be best to be long gone when she did.
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Yeah, the first part was a bit more info-dumpy than I'd care for, but it shows despite working together, elements within the Republic and the Imperium don't entirely trust each other. Still, with Bane making off with a Holocron, and with the Dragon's and two Jedi off to fix Cheron's damage, there might be some hope on the front of cooperation. G