Last time: Cien altered the deal for Sasha and prepared to take her home. Ikari and Mendax discussed the sudden change of plans.

Now: Chaos breaks loose.

Chapter 10- The Coup

Cien picked at the salad that was served as their lunch in the palace gardens, a week after Sasha had been informed she was going home. This was the first time that Cien had ever eaten out here, usually preferring to eat in her office, if she took lunch. Sasha had suggested it, and it had seemed like a nice break from routine, as had so much of the time they had spent together of late. She has forgone her more formal robes and was wearing a more comfortable black tunic and skirting, and her hair was tied back in a simple braid.

"So why did you always work in the cantinas?" Cien asked with a furrowed brow. "Forgive me but you always seemed more… refined than that? I would have expected, perhaps, working in medical offices?" She asked, remembering impressions from Sasha's mind of her medical inclinations.

Sasha chuckled as she set the fork down from her salad. "So it's a funny story actually. We were on this one planet, I can't remember the name, and Oppie had been working undercover at the security building for a while. Viran and I were finally old enough to do something other than hide out at our temporary place. So Viran wanted to go build and fly and work on ships. And Oppie got him a job at the docks," she told. "As for me, well I was still learning first aid at the time and I tried to get a job at the medical center in town. After the interview, a scuffle started in the waiting room between two men who had been in a brawl at the bar. The bartender was there trying to separate them. I walked over to help and stop the brawl. I ended up flipping both men to the floor like I had been trained to do. The bartender was impressed and offered me a job. And I loved it. So there ya go." She laughed a little.

Cien actually smiled, a little. "How old were you?" She asked.

"About fourteen, fifteen," Sasha said.

Cien smiled more, thinking of a fourteen or fifteen year old Sasha breaking up a bar fight. "I admit, it seems like a circuitous path from the Jedi Academy to working at a bar."

"Yeah, you do what you can to survive while on the run," Sasha said with a shrug.

"Your master didn't have any qualms about that?" Cien asked, taking a sip of her water. "My impression of him that I picked up from you was that he was much more of a… traditionalist."

"At first, he was a little confused by that being my choice of profession, but when the crime rate lowered at the bar, he stopped worrying," Sasha said as she returned her attention to her salad.

Cien smiled faintly and also took a bite of her salad. "After you are home, may we stay in contact?" Cien asked, the smile falling from her face. "I can't imagine the others will be too happy to see me even after your return." She observed, trying to hide a grimace.

"Yeah, they probably won't be very thrilled at all, but," Sasha smiled. "I'll definitely stay in contact. We do have the mindspace after all." She chuckled before taking another bite of food.

"Thank you." Cien said with another faint smile. She looked away, thinking of a subject that had troubled her ever since Sasha had revealed it. "Do you think Kyr would ever forgive me enough to talk to me as well?" She asked quietly.

Sasha stopped mid bite and froze for a moment. She then recovered and finished the bite, swallowing it after. "Umm… I don't know. I think he might." She mused.

Cien gazed out across the various planters, over across to the crystal garden. "I can't imagine after what happened to his family he would want to speak to someone who kidnapped his sister." She mused, sadly.

Sasha frowned as she looked down at her food. "Yeah I don't know. He is a very hard man to read sometimes. Even with the Force. But when I return home, I know that I will make it very clear to all of them what you have done for me," she placed a hand on her belly that was becoming bigger by the week. "For us."

"Thank you." She said distractedly. "And thank you for forgiving me." She added.

Sasha looked at her and nodded. "Of course."

"It is hard to know when we might be able to leave. We have to avoid Republic patrols on the way back so that we are safe, and their organization is," she paused, looking for the right word, "chaotic. But it should only be another three or four days before we leave." She said, hoping that Sasha knew she was genuine, and not trying to draw out her stay any longer than necessary.

"I understand," Sasha said. "Thank you for doing what you could. I mean just this week has been proof enough of you keeping your word. So thank you."

Cien relaxed a little. "If there is time, I understand that there is a lake country to the north that is quite spectacular, I could make arrangements for you to visit it if you would enjoy the excursion."

"That sounds wonderful," Sasha said with a smile. "I'll keep that in mind."

Cien nodded with a faint smile. "I must return to my office. Thank you for suggesting this." She said as she rose.

"Of course," Sasha said. "This was fun. And it is nice to be outside. Fresh air and exercise is good for me and the little one. So thank you again."

Cien nodded, "Did you still want to teach me Sabacc this evening?" She asked.

A smirk came to her lips. "Definitely. Though I warn you, I may not be the best player."

Cien looked at her for a second and her smile grew a little bigger. "Good, then I may have a chance." And she blinked in surprise realizing that she had just made the joke. "Until this evening then." She turned and walked toward the entrance into the office section of the palace.

She walked through the corridors, making her way past various people running about their tasks. Her guard stayed vigilant but out of her way as she moved. She came to her office, past the briefing room that she was in so frequently, and sat in the chair behind her desk, looking over a report on the progress of the shipyards, and the design of the ships that were to be built there. It would be a great deal of time before she had the resources to build something as massive as the Star Destroyers, let alone something like the Bloodstorm, but it was a start. She was mostly staying out of it, the reports only keeping her up to date with the designs that her shipwrights proposed, and only making prudent comments here or there for any matter she cared about. Mostly trying to get the ship builders to realize they did not have the resources of the Galactic Empire to work with, yet.

After a few moments, the doors chimed as someone had arrived to her office. The door then opened and Ikari and Mendax strode in. They stopped before her desk, their expressions unreadable.

"Yes?" The Empress said, with a raised eyebrow. In the back of her mind she felt uneasy.

Neither of them said anything. Ikari activated one end of her lightsaber staff and slashed downward towards Cien and the desk.

Cien used the Force to throw her desk forward, and her backward. She immediately called her saber to her hand. Her face furious as she got up into a ready stance.

Ikari moved into her own ready stance, activating the other blade on her saber.

"Apologies, Empress, but it is time for this to end," Mendax said, unfazed by what just happened. "Surrender your power or we will be forced to execute you on sight." He pulled out his blaster and leveled it at her head.

"Oh, good. You are fools. I was worried." Cien snarled, then she reached out and used the Force to slam Mendax back as hard as she could hoping to pulverize him against the wall.

Mendax landed with a sickening thud and didn't move from the ground. Ikari screamed and charged forward. She swung at Cien.

Cien parried the blow and side stepped around the wreckage of the desk. Ikari swung around with a wild growl that Cien stepped aside for, and then came in for a Force push that Cien countered off to the side.

Ikari chuckled. "Once I am through with you, she is next." She then lunged forward for another strike.

Cien parried the strike with a growl of her own, and then unleashed a storm of lightning at the Acolyte. But it was weakened, her hold on the dark side having lessened these last few weeks. Ikari caught the brunt of it with her saber and parried it away, but tendrils of the lightning broke through her defense and stung her, Ikari stepped backward defensively. Cien had her back to the wide double door, and behind her it blew open, a fireteam of troopers were there, and Cien barely had time to turn and deflect their blaster shots. With her back to Ikari, her former acolyte yelled and struck forward, and Cien dodged low, using the Force to blow the troopers backward as she brought her saber up and around to try to block Ikari's attack.

Ikari used the two blades of her staff to unleash a vicious series of attacks that Cien barely parried and avoided. Cien slammed her with the Force, and Ikari was pushed back.

Cien glanced out the blown open door, and saw chaos outside, all of the troopers were rounding up the staff that normally kept the palace and her government running. All of the troopers, who must be loyal to Mendax. This was a coup. Her first thought was of Sasha, she had made the mistake of letting them know a weakness of hers, that she was friends with Sasha, and they would use that against her. She could fight off Ikari, but not with an army - her army, behind her Acolyte.

With a growl Cien turned back to Ikari, who looked like she was just about to rush forward. With her anger at the betrayal, at the coup, she let loose a more powerful burst of lightning that sent the younger Sith smashing backward against the wall, hopefully dead. She didn't bother rushing to her side to find out. She turned and left, wanting to make sure Sasha was safe. If Sasha was hurt, it would be her fault for bringing her here. She couldn't let that happen. She was scared. Not for herself, but for Sasha.

She swept out into the corridor and waiting troopers opened fire on her, and she swatted them out of her way like flies as she deflected their blaster bolts. She ran down the corridors, killing any troopers she saw regardless of if they fired at her or not, though most leveled their blasters at her, and the others were simply caught unawares. She could only assume Mendax had stationed troopers loyal to him at the palace, so the entire corps of troopers here was now her enemy. Around her she could look out the windows and see troopers rushing throughout the grounds, but there were no firefights, or only very minor ones. No one here was loyal to her. She was completely alone, except for Sasha.

She reached out to Sasha; Where are you? She asked, not sure if she would be in her room by now. But Sasha didn't answer her. That's when she remembered those Force suppressants were still wearing off. So she ran faster.

She came around the corner and saw six troopers in full gear outside Sasha's room. As a unit they lifted their blasters and took aim, and Cien rushed forward, bringing her saber up. The two in front fired at her, and she deflected their blasts, pulling one with the Force into her saber, and sending the other flying backwards. The remaining four took aim.

The two troopers in the back shot the remaining troopers in front of them.

"Traitors." One of them spit the words out.

That brought Cien up short, staring at the two remaining troopers. And then she saw the red lightning storm emblazoned on their pauldrons. These were two of the dozen surviving troopers that had stood with her against Dracul all those years ago.

"My Lady." They both said "We are at your disposal, the rest of the squad are securing a transport. The Palace is lost, we must get you to safety.

"Not without the Jedi." She growled.

"That is why we thought to meet you here." One of them said, turning to unlock the door, and the other opened it.

Cien looked between the two troopers and nodded. "Thank you." She said, stepping through the door.

She made it to the room to find Sasha there, alone, and thankfully unharmed.

"Cien?" Sasha asked as Cien entered the room. "What the hell is going on?"

"A coup." Cien spat the words out, relieved to see Sasha was safe. "Ikari and Mendax, one of my generals."

Outside blaster fire erupted. One of the troopers shouted through the doorway, "The eastern landing field, they have a cargo shuttle! We'll hold them off!" Then he slammed the door closed.

Cien looked around the room, and then at the windows. She used the Force to smash the frame out, and the ray shield died. She turned to Sasha. "Do you trust me?" She asked, standing in front of the seven story drop to the ground below.

Sasha looked confused, but slowly nodded. "Yeah, I do."

"Jump in ten seconds." She said, then she turned and lept out the window, slowing her fall with the Force and landing on the ground in a crouch, then turned back to look up, waiting to catch Sasha.

Sasha moved to the window and looked down below. A pit in her stomach as she really wished she had the Force. After a second, she leapt down towards Cien.

Cien caught her, cushioning her fall so she floated down rather than fell, and landed softly on her feet. "Come on, the landing field is this way." They were outside the palace grounds now, into the main city and the various common spaces that abutted the wall. Cien took one last look at the palace, realizing what she had lost. And finding herself not really caring. Around them there were no citizens about, everyone knew that something was going on. Overhead fighters were flying formation, and no one wanted to be out. Cien started moving, checking to make sure Sasha was behind her.

Sasha was following close behind her, looking a little winded, but not letting a little running slow her down. She met Cien's gaze and gave her a nod to tell her to keep going and that she was okay.

Ikari got up from the ground with an annoyed and pained grunt. She belted her saber and made her way over to Mendax, who was slowly coming to.

"Where did she go?" Mendax asked as he held his dislocated shoulder, anger in his voice. He pulled himself to his feet rather ungracefully.

"She got away," Ikari seethed. "Probably to go save the girl." She then looked at him. "You handle her loyal guards. I'm going after the former Empress. And her Jedi... friend."

Ikari then turned and ran out of the room. Her anger boiled off of her like steam.

They arrived at the perimeter wall of the landing field, having made their way from cover to cover in the quiet city as patrols of troopers had fanned out to look for them. They had been able to stay in the shadows, and not alert the soldiers to their presence. The wall was solid, Cien seemed to recall it was two meters or so thick made of solid stone blocks, and it was about five meters high. She looked over at Sasha. "Do you mind if I float you over the top?" She asked.

Sasha shook her head. "No, go ahead."

Cien nodded, and took a running leap up to the top of the parapet of the wall, balancing on the narrower course of stones running along the top as she landed. She looked down and stretched out her hand, floating Sasha up over the top, then down the other side, letting her down gently, then she lept down and landed beside her. She looked around, trying to figure out where her loyal troopers had a ship.

"Where to now?" Sasha asked.

"I'm not sure." Cien said. They moved to the side of a stacked set of cargo containers, and she spotted a small cargo shuttle, with troopers standing there alertly. There were other troopers around the landing field as well, this was not going to be easy. She would have to draw them out

"Stay here until it's safe." Cien said, looking at the Jedi.

Sasha made a face as she wished she had the Force or her lightsaber right now. But she nodded. "Alright. Just be careful," she said.

Cien turned and nodded. She extinguished her saber and stepped around the side of the containers, keeping the hilt in her hand. She strode towards the ship, and instantly all the troopers around the field froze. The two standing guard at the cargo shuttle didn't aim at her though, her hunch was correct. She ignited her saber and took off in a run, as the traitors took aim at her, firing. She easily deflected their bolts, some back toward where they had come, and the loyal troopers at the ship waited until her distraction was evident, and started firing at the disloyal soldiers.

With a sweep of her hand a squad that was to her left went flying backwards, flying across the field. She turned her attention to another squad that was firing at her, and trying to make for cover under the fire from the troopers at the transport. With another sweep of her hand, those troopers came flying towards her, and they landed in a heap at her feet. As they tried to get up, she let loose a storm of lightning, and they screamed as they were enveloped in the electricity, and then fell silent. She looked around, none of the traitors were left standing, and some of her loyal troopers were running towards her. She turned and gestured for Sasha, calling her forward.

Sasha came out from behind the crates and hustled over to Cien. She smirked at her. "Nicely done," she complimented.

"Thank you." Cien said, as they sprinted towards the shuttle. The two troopers met them halfway.

"My Lady, the-" He was interrupted as they were caught in a storm of blaster fire. Cien pushed Sasha behind her as the two troopers fell, and she deflected more blaster bolts. "Go!" She yelled over her shoulder to Sasha as she started backing up. Six more of her troopers came out of the cargo shuttle to try to lay down covering fire. Ikari was there, three troop transports were coming in for a landing to disgorge their contingent of troopers, who were taking expert aim out the side of the ships as the transports landed.

Sasha snatched a blaster off the ground from one of the dead troops, just in case, and ran for the shuttle.

The main cargo ramp was open and down, and Cien's loyal troopers were there kneeling, taking fire and firing off the wide ramp and trying to lay down cover for the Jedi and their Empress as they ran.

Sasha reached the ramp and started making her way up into the ship, breathing a little heavily. "Damn, running is not easy to do when pregnant," she mumbled under breath. She then looked over to Cien. "Are your troops coming?" She asked her.

Cien had just made it to the ramp with Sasha, behind her the troopers answered he question by backing up the ramp, two of them had already fallen to fire. One of them was shouting into his headset "we have them! Go! Go!" Before he was shot and fell as well. The cargo shuttle started taking off, quickly. The ramp was still open, and fire was still pouring into them from the soldiers on the ground.

Cien stood at the ramp, deflecting what she could. Sasha knelt down beside a couple troops and fired at the other troops, nailing a few squarely in the chest. Ikari was moving closer to the ship as it started to lift off. Ikari raised one hand up and with the flick of a wrist, she used the Force and started pulling at the ramp. Well not the ramp specifically, but the people on the ramp. Two troopers and Sasha were pulled downward. Screams of terror coming from the troopers and a yelp from Sasha. Cien had braced herself, unaffected by the pull, but stared in horror as Sasha fell away.

"Sasha!" She yelled, taking a step forward and raised her hand. Two troopers ran forward from the front of the cargo bay, having come in from the mid section crew quarters to try to help the survivors. "My lady, we need to go!"

"I can't leave her!" Cien screamed, as they wrapped their arms around her and hauled her back, the ramp closing as the shuttle shot away.

Sasha let out a yelp as she fell forward, out of the ship. She tried grabbing a hold of something on the edge of the shuttle, but she wasn't able to get a good grip on anything. So she was free falling now. At this moment, Sasha really wished she had the Force because she was sure that if she hit the ground with no cushion, she would break a few bones and most likely kill the baby inside of her. Closing her eyes, Sasha wrapped her arms around herself and prepared herself for impact.

However, the impact was softer than she expected. She did land on her side with an awkward thud that her right arm did not enjoy, but someone had caught her with the Force and had made the landing less painful. Opening her eyes, Sasha looked up to see Ikari looming over her. Quickly, Sasha scrambled away and to her feet from the Sith. But before she could do anything, a tight force gripped around her throat. She brought her hands up, gasping for air.

Ikari stalked over to her, lightsaber on and raised it slowly. She then held it in front of Sasha's face so that she could feel the heat of the blade coming off it.

"You thought you could get away?" Ikari said in a venomous tone. "Not a chance. Your child will still become one with the dark side."

She tightened the Force grip around her throat and Sasha could feel her vision spotting. Before Sasha could pass out completely, Ikari released her and she slumped to the ground. As her vision went dark, she could see two troopers grab her. And before she slipped unconscious, she prayed in the Force that Cien got away and could find the others.

Cien sat numbly in one of the jump seats in the back cargo bay. Only three of her troopers survived, and they had gone up front to pilot and man the meager weapon systems aboard. Their escape had gone smoothly, and they had jumped to hyperspace before they had been caught, their destination unknown to her, and she didn't care. She had lost her empire, and she didn't really care about that either. The image of Sasha falling out the back of the ramp replayed over and over again in her mind. Through their connection she knew Sasha had survived, so she must be Ikari's prisoner now. She took slight comfort in knowing that Ikari would not harm Sasha, much, at least, since she would want the child. After that Sasha's life was forfeit, and probably to be disposed of in the most imaginative and terrible way possible, since Ikari was such a ruthless person when Cien hadn't kept her on her leash. And there was nothing Cien could do to save her friend.

One of the troopers, the captain, walked back to see her. "My Lady-" he started.

"I'm no longer an Empress." She cut him off harshly. "Just speak."

"My lady, you are still our Empress." He said with mild and gentle annoyance. "Do you have a destination you wish to go to?"

She stared numbly ahead. She remembered back to a briefing she had had with Mendax, yesterday. It felt like a lifetime ago when he had calmly given her the update, and no hint of his upcoming betrayal was evident. A little bit of hope sparked in her, remembering that the two Jedi and… Kyr were here, so relatively close. She couldn't imagine the Jedi would welcome her at all, and would probably kill her as soon as they saw her. But Kyr would at least hear her out. She would be safe with him. And they would be able to save Sasha, and make sure she and her child were safe as well.

"Kadrian Prime." She said. She looked up at the trooper. "As quickly as possible."

End of Part 2.

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