ISD Chimaera; Imperial fleet - Lothal Sector
Thrawn POV...
The more I study about the history, accomplishments, and information known about Jarik Shan, the more intrigued I am.
It is quite curious how many things he has accomplished, and I admit myself impressed at how he is willing to challenge the Empire. As a warrior he carries himself with honor, fighting for what he believes, and reaffirming his position. Considering his upbringing as a Jedi of the old order it is quite fascinating to see how different he is. Certainly he does not believe in the Jedi's view of no attachment, and does not fight his battles with the same code he followed in the Clone War. It simply shouldn't make any sense how different he is to the typical Jedi.
Yet at the same time it does make sense. The ancient Force user known as Revan was much of an enigma to the Jedi as well, fighting differently than they did, and following a different moral code. Clearly Jarik takes after his ancestor, although not completely.
I can fully understand why Emperor Palpatine fears him, and rightly so. The Jedi limited themselves to strict guidelines and principles of self-righteousness. Jarik Shan does not.
"Agent Kallus, may I have a moment?" I ask politely, noticing him pass by me.
Kallus turns to face me, his brows furrowed and mouth turned downwards to indicate his confusion.
"Yes, Grand Admiral?" he questions.
"What is your take on Jarik Shan?" I ask him.
His frown deepens a little more, and his eyes narrow before responding.
"He is a dangerous criminal, sir. Capable of many different things as recently shown," he replies.
"True, in the view of the Empire. But what is your view of him?" I say, repeating my question.
Kallus raises his eyebrow lightly, seeming slightly wary, but answers more loosely this time.
"He is... a gifted warrior. He has a moral code he follows, as I understand it," he says slowly. "He also carries a deep relationship with Mara Jade, his apprentice, and adopted daughter."
"Quite so, Agent Kallus," I nod in agreement. "He is certainly not the typical Jedi in this regard, operating differently than in the Clone War. Do you have any idea of why?"
Kallus furrows his brow, his mouth turning downwards again, although this time in an expression that conveys thoughtfulness.
"I'm not sure, Grand Admiral," he finally admits.
"Very well then, Agent Kallus. You may continue your duties," I say calmly.
With a more noticeable sense of confusion, Kallus departs and continues on his way. It's not something I'm unused to, as many within the Empire often find themselves not understanding my methods. Not that it is much of a concern for me, as long as I come to a reasonable solution for an issue. In this case it merely helps to have the perspective of someone within the Empire who is not as knowledgeable on Shan.
Observing the holotable once more, I take note of the mapped out areas of the Unknown Regions and then depart the bridge myself, making my way towards my office. Once there I shut the door and approach my desk, pressing a button on the holoprojector. Holographic images are displayed from it around the room, and I bring a hand to my chin in thought, observing them all.
A general layout of what I know of Jarik Shan and his connections.
The Jedi Order and his friends from that time of course, such as Ahsoka Tano, his wife who may be deceased according to Lord Vader; Obi-Wan Kenobi, his master in the Clone War, who disappeared after Order 66... and Anakin Skywalker. It is unfortunate about the fate of Skywalker, although I have my own speculations about that. Then there is also Jarik Shan's relationship to other Jedi, namely his former clan mates as a Jedi youngling. The Seventh Sister was one of them, formerly under the name of Vifi Hethna, who perished on Malachor. The other two boys were killed during Order 66, so they have not carried much relevance to Shan in a long time. And then there is Rylla Tann who, by all accounts, is now a bounty hunter that's partnered with a smuggler named Hayden Belhol.
Quite interesting indeed, how it seems Rylla Tann has ended up. She may prove to hold more clues in regards to Shan's whereabouts, as it's evident they've maintained their friendship over the years. However that will have to wait, as a much greater mystery has my attention.
Turning away from the holograms for a moment, I focus on a mural set up against one of the walls lining my office. A mural depicting the Yuuzhan Vong.
Perhaps one of the greatest mysteries about Jarik Shan that I would like to know more about, is his knowledge of the Yuuzhan Vong. He resides in the Unknown Regions, but that would not account for how he knows of beings from beyond the galaxy, that even the Chiss Ascendancy does not know of. Oryx, the Taken King, who Jarik Shan informed me about. A god among the Yuuzhan Vong who apparently had knowledge of Revan based on his statements, even able to recognize Jarik without effort. He says that he and Ahsoka came by this knowledge through the Force... but how? And how much more does he know?
The Transformers are also from beyond our galaxy, that is quite clear, and are also in some sort of conflict or war with each other. The Chiss Ascendancy however does not have any knowledge of them, which brings more questions to mind. Are they an isolationist species? Do they hold any other relationships with other factions or governments throughout the universe? If Jarik Shan knows about them, then who else could he know about? How many other threats from beyond could he have knowledge of?
The potential knowledge of life beyond our galaxy that Jarik Shan may know about is too great to waste by ending his life, even if he will never agree with the idea of the Empire. He could be a valuable ally in facing these intergalactic forces, something the Chiss Ascendancy desperately requires. It's a part of why I am with the Empire after all: to strengthen the defense of the galaxy.
For there are indeed a great many dangers lurking beyond our galaxy: the Yuuzhan Vong, the Grysks, the Kree Empire, and a shadowy figure that resides in a location our sources have only been able to identify as 'Sanctuary.'
The Grysks have been probing the outer regions of the galaxy for some time, the Yuuzhan Vong patrol the Galaxy's borders now, and the Kree have always wished to conquer more planets for their Empire; the main reason they haven't tried battling the Chiss Ascendancy is because they're wary and cautious about traveling through the difficult-to-navigate regions of space. There are just too many hostile forces that the Ascendancy cannot hope to face alone; perhaps even the Galactic Empire couldn't, not without the proper knowledge and understanding.
Knowledge which Jarik Shan may possess.
Finding him is indeed an important task that I have to fulfill. Not just for the Emperor; as much as I support his ideas for a strong, orderly Empire, I do not fully agree with how he wishes to accomplish it. While there are cases in which fear can yield success, it is only a short term solution, and therefore cannot hope to maintain a strong, unified Empire.
Project Stardust has the potential to be an effective tool, but the Emperor only wishes to use it to establish his dominance, to leave his enemies cowering in fear; not to mention it can only be used sparingly, and pouring all of the Empire's resources into it is a foolhardy move. The TIE Defender program I propose instead would be a much better candidate for military combat and defense.
So as much as I will obey the Emperor's wishes, I would prefer to keep Jarik Shan alive if I am able to. Forging an agreement between him would certainly be beneficial, as we both agree that the threat posed by the Yuuzhan Vong is of greater importance than the conflict between the Empire and the Rebellion.
I don't believe that Shan would easily agree to such a truce however, so insurance would be needed to convince him. And considering what great lengths he has gone through to keep his planet hidden, and that allies of his reside there permanently, that will surely be the proper bargaining chip. The threat of me revealing his planet to Emperor Palpatine would convince him to agree to my terms. And I believe Admiral Ar'alani would like to participate in the discussion as well; I've informed the Ascendancy of my observations of Shan, and they have shown an interest in him.
I look away from the mural and some of the other holograms for a moment, mulling over my thoughts.
If Emperor Palpatine were to ever gain knowledge of my true purpose to locating Jarik Shan, I would certainly face dire consequences. I am committed to ending this Rebellion as quickly and efficiently as possible, because a galaxy cannot hope to be united while conflict ensues amongst its own people. However Jarik Shan is a different matter due to his value in facing threats from beyond the galaxy. It's why I don't wish for his death as a primary objective; only if it becomes absolutely necessary.
I am certain it won't come to that, and that he will be willing to cooperate with me in regards to the Yuuzhan Vong, but if I must then I will allow Lord Vader and the Emperor to do with him whatever they wish.
Temple Island - Ahch-To
Jarik POV...
"So, Dad... what did Fenn Rau of all people want to talk to you about?"
I blink in surprise, glancing over at Mara curiously. I was leaning comfortable against a rock on the ground, staring out at the horizon with pleasant thoughts while Mara was entertaining herself with Zenna.
"What made you bring that up?" I ask her curiously.
"Well, never really had a chance to do so before when the Decepticons attacked... then I sort of forgot about it," she shrugs. "Seriously though, I want to know!"
I frown thoughtfully before shrugging myself, finding it reasonable.
"Alright. Well you're going to love this; it's actually kind of hard to believe still," I admit with a small frown, still cautious about the idea.
"What is?" she asks.
"Apparently, my father was a Mandalorian," I state bluntly.
Mara starts to crack up at my response, laughing in amusement while I just sit there, staring with a neutral expression.
"Oh that's funny... good one," she giggles, looking up with a smile on her face.
She loses the smile when she realizes I'm not laughing with her, narrows her eyes for a moment, and then widens them incredulously.
"Wait, you're being serious?" she asks in disbelief.
"Hmm hmm. My father was Mandalorian, and Fenn Rau knew of him," I tell her.
"...WHAT?!" she shrieks incredulously.
I flinch at her high-pitched squeal, and across the grassy field Zenna perks up, observing Mara for a moment before returning her attention to the Porgs she was terrifying.
"Your Dad was Mandalorian?! My grandfather WAS MANDALORIAN?!" she shouts loudly. "I mean, technically not my grandfather, but- b- that's insane!"
"Yup," I agree.
"How did that even happen? I thought Mandalorians hated your guts!" she exclaims. "Was your Dad just a weirdo or something?"
I give Mara a look of exasperation, and she smiles at me sheepishly.
"In answer to your question on whether or not my father was a weirdo... no I don't think so. I barely knew a thing about him until Rau told me this," I reply in explanation. "But he still fell in love with my mother, so clearly something happened."
"Clearly," she scoffs, before quieting down for a few seconds. "Do you know what happened to him? Aside from... well..."
I knew she was referring to Maul, and let it pass by. Sighing, I look out at the ocean horizon, pondering for a moment.
"No, not really. Rau was too young back then to know my father personally, so he wasn't able to answer that," I admit, glancing back at her. "I do know that he was exiled from his clan once the truth came out."
"Go figure. Mandalorians suck," she scoffs, rolling her eyes.
"Yeah, well, he also had a brother," I add, giving her a look.
"You have an uncle?" she exclaims, realizing my meaning.
"I do, and he's still around. Probably with his own family now as well," I confirm thoughtfully, looking out at the ocean once more. "I'm... I'm actually thinking of going to my father's former clan, Clan Ordo... Maybe I could even resolve past differences."
"No offense Dad but... that sounds like a terrible idea," Mara deadpans.
"Course it is," I scoff in agreement. "But, I feel like I should still try a some point. Whether they hate me or not, I still have family in that clan."
"I guess..." she trails off uncertainly. "Could I come with you then?"
I'm prepared to say no but she interrupts me before I could.
"I know you're gonna say no, but... this isn't fighting the Empire. It's not the Sith, it's not Thrawn. Just Mandalorians," she says, arguing her point. "They wouldn't hate me enough to the point where they'd want to kill me, right?"
"I suppose not..." I say slowly. "Still, I'm not comfortable with that idea."
"Meh, fine. How about we talk about that later then?" she suggests.
"If you really want to," I reply, shrugging.
The Executor; Imperial fleet - Lothal Sector
3rd person POV...
The Second Sister cried out in pain, backing up several steps and holding her arm. A long, burning scratch sizzled on her left arm as a result of Darth Vader's lightsaber. She hisses between clenched teeth, glaring up at him angrily while he stands still, uncaring.
"You still have much to learn, Second Sister," Vader states.
He takes a few steps forwards with his lightsaber held at his side, looking down at her.
"You cannot hope to best the Jedi while you are distracted," he continues.
"I'm not distracted!" she snaps.
Getting to her feet, Second Sister lunges towards Vader with a shrieking cry, slashing her lightsaber down. Vader easily deflects her strikes and shoves her to the side, throwing her back with a casual backhand. She hits the floor again, and Vader levels his lightsaber with her neck.
"You are blinded by your hatred of Mara Jade," Vader says coldly. "You are weak, uncontrolled, and idiotic."
Second Sister screams with fury and charges at Vader again, quickly unleashing a fast flurry of lightsaber strikes. However Vader deflects every one of them as he slowly backs up, and then finally retaliates with his own quick move. He blocks her horizontal swing and then pushes back in her direction, forcing the blades closer to her neck. He then thrusts the saber's into the air and raises his free hand, blowing her away with the Force. She goes flying into the wall and is held there by Vader, who stands calmly with his arm held out.
"You will never succeed if you blindly lash out like a beast," he growls irritably. "You must focus on your anger so that it clears your vision, not cover it! Unless you do that, you are nothing."
Vader releases his grip on Second Sister, and she falls to the floor with a pained grunt, glaring at him through her helmet.
"You will never be capable of matching Jarik Shan. You could at least attempt defeating his wretched daughter, along with those pitiful Jedi," he says coldly.
With those words, Vader deactivates his lightsaber and turns around with a flourish of his cape, exiting the training room. Second Sister glares at his retreating form, a snarl spilling forth from her lips as she gets back to her feet. She retrieves her lightsaber with the Force and clips it back to her belt, bringing a hand to her wound once more.
The scratch is no longer burning with heat, having cooled down to a black mark. However it still stung horribly, her nerves flaring from the pain.
Scowling in anger, Second Sister makes her way out of the training room as well, mulling over her thoughts. Oh how she despised Lord Vader, wishing nothing more than being able to wipe off the smug expression that he no doubt has under his mask. Why should she bow down to someone who is only where he is because of the Emperor? She's the Grand Inquisitor, the head of an order of Jedi hunters!
All of whom are now dead except her.
Second Sister scoffs in disgust once more, making her way to one of the medical stations on the Star Destroyer. Of course the blame would all be placed on her for past failures. As soon as she rises to the position of Grand Inquisitor like she always deserved, the whole Inquisitorius falls apart. The other weaklings got themselves killed foolishly, and one of them even turned out to be a traitor! She's not responsible for their failure!
As a medical droid efficiently works on healing the cut on Second Sister's arm, she spends her time sitting there silently, brooding. The stinging sensation resulting from the droid's needle-like appendages as it works on her injury are ignored, an insignificant feeling. Pain is an ally of the dark side, she should relish in it.
Second Sister slowly lifts her arms up to her head and grasps the edges of her helmet. When she pulls, the latches that seal it there unlock, along with the front portion of it; the red glowing light along the front of her helmet goes dark as it separates, and she lifts the helmet off her head to reveal the human face underneath it.
Shoulder length black hair tumbles down the sides of her scarred face, the scars a reminder of the punishment she endured from Darth Sidious's Force lightning after she failed to retrieve an infant Mara Jade. Her darkened skin complexion and well-shaped head would've been a beautiful face for her, if it weren't for the ugly scars covering it. She opens her eyes, revealing them to be colored an evil Sith yellow, full of pain and hatred, and a cold personality. Second Sister stares at her helmet as she holds it in her hands, glaring at the reflection she could see within the shiny surface.
Once she had a name, when she was just a lowly, filthy Jedi. Now she had no need of that identity anymore, shoving it so deep that even she couldn't remember it.
Darth Vader was a cruel instructor, as is the way of the Sith. He personally assessed the skills of every Inquisitor at the birth of the Empire, cutting off a single limb of body for every one he trained. Second Sister lost her right foot when training with him. The thought of that brings her focus down to her foot, and she glares at it with another flow of anger and disgust. She feels that Darth Vader cut off pieces of them all merely so that he could selfishly spread his own pain and misery amongst them. She has no idea what Vader looks like under that mask, and she feels only the Emperor truly knows, but it's not that difficult to realize that Vader's limbs are mechanical; not with all of the loud stomping he makes when he walks, or how his hands and arms move around and grip things.
In the eyes of Second Sister, Vader is no more than a sorrowed man attempting to be a Sith Lord, giving out injuries similar to his just so he can make himself feel better. It's pathetic.
"Enough," she hisses to the droid.
The medical droid instantly backs off, and she gets to her feet. Glancing at the scratch, now mostly patched up to a thin red scar, she pulls the sleeve of her outfit back down and slips her armored gauntlet and glove back on once more. She then places her helmet back on her head to cover her scarred face, a hiss sounding as it reconnects along with the single red line lighting up brightly once more. She makes her way out of the medical room and to the rest of the Star Destroyer, continuing on her way.
ISD Chimaera; Imperial fleet - Lothal Sector
Thrawn POV...
When a hunter searches for his prey, he must be smart, calculating, and refined. A hunter cannot hope to catch their prey by being boisterous and destructive. They must observe the environment around them, map out their prey's movement, and wait in the shadows to strike.
Such is the requirement when it comes to dealing with Jarik Shan. As a warrior, he understands the delicate offset that can result from his actions, and will seek to control them. To conceal them. He knows his strength, dealing swift and deadly blows to his adversaries, yet always remaining in retreat. Shan understands that he is the prey in comparison to the vast resources of the Empire. And like any predator, can sometimes be outmaneuvered if not focused on their task, something to which Jarik Shan makes sure to exploit. And when hiding from the predator, he covers his tracks well.
As a Force sensitive, Jarik Shan holds the advantage in traversing the dangers of the Unknown Regions. He can remain ahead of his opponents using precognition, and keep himself clear of the risk that comes with traveling through uncharted space. Without such abilities myself, attempting to overcome him is not the solution; rather, predicting and learning his patterns, mapping what is known and consistent, and determining what is open to us.
"We've completed mapping a layout of the borders between the Unknown Regions and Wildspace, sir," Commodore Faro reports.
"Very good Commodore," I reply with a nod. "In regards to this search, I feel that we should perhaps focus more of our attention on the Lwhekk System."
"Lwhekk? That's not really a system that puts him in good contact with the Rebellion," she remarks with some confusion.
"Perhaps. However if Jarik and Ahsoka discovered their place of hiding through an accident, they would have found it near impossible to safely travel back to the galaxy. Lwhekk's position far in the border between Wild Space and the Unknown Regions provides an excellent vantage point in regaining an understanding of their location at the time," I explain.
Commodore Faro nods in understanding, agreeing with my assessment.
"Then I'll get a team to look into the areas surrounding Lwhekk," she informs me, inputing a few things into her datapad. "Do you think any rebel leaders may know of where his hidden planet is?"
"None of the rebels would know that secret," a deep, booming voice states.
Commodore Faro stiffens in complete surprise and whips around to face the figure, quickly forcing herself to relax. I turn around calmly in comparison, having noticed that Lord Vader was approaching moments earlier.
"If Jarik Shan informed others of his secret, it would be more apparent. He is hiding something on his hidden world; something he does not wish for the Emperor to gain knowledge of," Vader continues to say.
"A reasonable assumption my lord," I reply with a nod of acknowledgement. "If I may ask, what do you believe he would be so anxious to keep hidden?"
"Something related to the Force," he replies, after a moment of silence. "Something that would carry great power, whatever that power may be."
His voice seemed slightly more tense at the mention of something holding power, although it is a fleeting observation, barely noticeable.
"He certainly does carry the advantage in traversing through the Unknown Regions," I add in response. "Locating him is proving a more difficult challenge than the rebel base."
"Are you not up to the task, Grand Admiral?" Vader demands.
I notice Commodore Faro tense up, knowing that she feels slightly appalled and is anxious to respond in my defense, but also worried of the consequences that would follow in challenging Lord Vader in such a manner.
"Of course not my lord. I am merely stating what is apparent," I respond calmly. "If I may ask however, would it not be more prudent to seek out the rebels first? I fully understand the great danger represented by Shan, and the vast influence his actions have carried throughout the galaxy. But the rebellion currently poses a more direct threat to the Empire; locate them, and we can eliminate a dangerous adversary, and very likely draw Shan out of hiding in his attempts to protect them."
Vader stares at me silently for a moment while I calmly await his answer. Faro is a bit tense, nearly disbelieving of the risk I took in asking that question.
"Jarik Shan, remains the Emperor's greatest threat," he finally says in a cold tone. "An army can be remade after defeat when they hold their common cause. But the defeat of such a figure would scatter them, leaving the rebels lost and in fear. That, is how we will destroy the rebellion. By destroying Jarik Shan."
I nod my head in understanding of his reasoning, accepting it. He is indeed correct, in that a fighting force toppled by its enemies can rise again. But when a major source of their inspiration is rendered invalid, many would lose their morale. I do still would prefer to use Shan's knowledge to better protect the galaxy against external threats. Then without warning Vader lifts a hand and points a warning finger at me, though I do not react.
"I know you do not fully support the outright death of Jarik Shan, despite your firm loyalty to the Empire," he states, stopping for a moment. "But know that when you do locate his hideout, you report it to me and the Emperor so that we may personally deal with him, and ensure he has no where left to run."
"I understand Lord Vader," I concede, nodding once more.
Satisfied, Vader lowers his hand and turns away from us, exiting the bridge of the Chimaera. I watch him go in silent thought, easily interpreting his warning to me. I am treading in dangerous territory for sure when it comes to my wishes for Jarik Shan's value, but it is a necessary risk for the continued safety of the galaxy. When he is found, and a truce bargained, I will most certainly have to receive Admiral Ar'alani's assistance, and cannot use any resources from the Empire, lest we be discovered.
But if Jarik Shan does end up proving to hold no great value in the defense of our galaxy, then I will obey the Emperor without question and turn him in.
Hmm... Thrawn is certainly treading in risky territory here. But if it's for the greater good of the galaxy's survival against such dangerous foes from beyond, then he is all for it. Then we got a little bit more insight into the Second Sister! And of course some more Jarik and Mara interaction.
After the next chapter, things will definitely begin to pick up again as we get closer to the Mandalorian Arc, so stay tuned!