Chapter Eleven
Come now…we must speak reasonably. Am I afraid? Certainly not. Only if you look at this hastily can you possibly worry about their encroachment on our galaxy. There is no good reason to wage war, for war's sake. No good reason to kill for killing sake. Their barbarity is a ruse, a distraction to the truth. The orks have a goal, a reason we have yet to uncover. All biological things share this trait. I cannot yet say what that is…perhaps territory, greed, …but. Once the Grand Admiral discovers this truth, we shall make swift work of them. Even now, we drown the stars in droids, and if that falters, there are other tools that I suspect we can build to teach the beasts the true meaning of fear.
-Admiral Wilhuff Tarkin, Republic Navy
Grey on grey, durasteel built upon durasteel gave the endless walkways and halls of military command a coldness not like other government buildings. A towering spire even on Coruscant, the endless city masquerading as a planet covered the entire world. Miles deep, with twists and turns into long forgotten pockets of the lower levels, the military building held millions of personnel, perhaps more. No one counted at this point.
Through the monstrous hallway easily a hundred feet wide, Bishop noted thousands of officers chatting, debating, arguing, and discussing various items needed in any given area for the military effort. He nodded in passing, heading for Grand Admiral Thrawn's office upon the senior leader's request. Shiri was to join him, his first opportunity to see her in two years. But his concentration waned in the sea of moving bodies, as one face blurred into another. The voices mixed with that which he heard even in his dreams. The cry of the ork.
WAAAAGHH!
A psyche scar, the battle cry of the beasts taunting him to no end. And the one who spoke to me so long ago. Whatever happened to that one? Dead by now? Most likely dead. They don't last long. A race of cannon fodder…
…but still…something is not right with them. Two plus two seems to equal four…but if there are ten of them…it seems like fifteen. Fifty seems like a hundred.
Shiri had shared a similar view over the holonet two years ago, that their ferocity increased when there were sufficient numbers. Getting up from injuries that would fell a single ork, but seemed just to slow them down when in sufficient number.
…oh sweetie. What happened to you out there? A pit formed in Bishop's stomach the more he thought of it. She has not turned on her holonet video for a year, just written messages and Force connections… He knew why, brushing away the truth when it crept up to the surface. She said she got injured, and has refused to show herself ever since.
At first the Jedi were assigned several to a sector, deploying when orks managed to sneak through blockades and make landfall before their ships were blown out of the ether. But that changed, not in one day or a week, but slowly over the course of the campaign. Tens of thousands of planets surround the unknown regions… we don't have enough ships to lockdown that much space. It's impossible… it was always an impossible task
…fucking disaster…
Bishop noted the unassuming office of the Grand Admiral, a door like all other doors, and guards not unlike others, two stationed on either side, guns hung over their shoulders in a parade-type style.
They noted the Jedi, and nodded as they keyed the access code and the doors slid open with a hiss to reveal the office within. Bishop strode through confidently, the doors hissing shut behind him with a bang of finality. The room was large and completely dark but for the floating holograms above Thrawn's desk on the far wall. Several different holograms depicted parts of the front line against the orks, rotating and throbbing with markers and coordinates as the Grand Admiral studied them with unnatural intensity. He circled the area slowly, his head held high as he looked at the different vectors and maps, adjusting a few with his hand before redirecting his attention to his guest.
"Thank you for coming…" he gave a shallow bow before refocusing on the maps above. "I have been looking forward to this meeting for some time."
Bishop moved inward, looking up at the maps until finally stopping just outside their shining threshold along the ground.
"What is it you wanted Grand Admiral?" he noted the Chiss's new outfit, a bright white uniform with embroidered design along the shoulders and collar. "Are we making a dent?" Pointing to one of the holograms that seemed to show shoals of droid ships heading into the unknown regions.
Thrawn's red eyes dissected the Jedi, looking him up and down before finally switching off the holograms and moving behind his desk to take a seat. Lights snapped on to reveal pieces of ork battle plate attached to the walls, each covered in war paint and trinkets. Why would he have these…it's just ramshackle armor…scrapped together from droids.
"I see you have noticed my collection," indicated Thrawn, nodding towards the walls. "I know you must be thinking…why would he have this? It is just body armor, hastily welded or bolted together on the fly by the tinkering gretchin." Bishop's expression must have given away his surprise, as the Grand Admiral continued his verbal jesting. "Yes, I am well read. You might feel I am away from the action, here on Coruscant, but believe me, Jedi, I have studied well. From the biological makeup of the orks, to how their gretchin forage and collect items to add to their master's arsenals, all the way down to how the snotlings cultivate the fungus and squigs before the first ork comes out of the ground."
"I see… well I'm certainly happy you are so well read. It would be hard to run a war if you didn't know the enemy." …he's hiding something…I can sense it. It's right there, behind a veil of confidence.
Both men stared at one another until finally a small smile began to creep along the right side of Bishop's mouth, the Force guiding him deeper into the labyrinth.
Ah…yes…there it is.
I can sense your uncertainty,
I can sense your worry,
I can sense your fear.
"You aren't sure we can win…"
Thrawn's blue skin tightened, the secret said allowed not sitting well with the tactical master.
"I am doing everything possible. Jedi." Bishop said nothing as a response, only standing immobile, his gaze penetrating the truth of what the Grand Master knew and meant. Thrawn's nostrils flared, the nearly imperceptible dance of muscles along his cheek giving away the strain under the mental inspection. "Do- do not…try and read my mind, I am immune to your powers." With much effort, Thrawn carried on his explanation, fighting a probing 'something' that seemed to be burrowing deeper. "I have this armor…these weapons of the orks to try and understand them. Their motivations. What is it that they really want to achieve? No species since the dawn of time has ever not had a goal. It is in all biological beings, the very necessity of evolution. War, violence, bloodshed. All tools to achieve the goal. That is why I have asked you and your colleague to join me. To help me find the answers. Both of you have more time on the frontier than any other Jedi."
"War. Everywhere."
Thrawn rose from his seat and circled the desk, his cheeks pulsating with barely contained frustration,
"That is not possible. That isn't how the evolutionary processes work. No race can evolve purely to war. Your friend might share a different view, she should be here-"
"-ten seconds…" Just outside now…, butterflies danced in Bishop's stomach, he had not seen Shiri in so very long. But with excitement came worry, for the energy he felt from her had changed since Tridexian. She is sick, a poisoning of her soul from the struggle.
Thrawn's eyes narrowed on the Jedi, then shifted over to the door just as it hissed open. A pair of footsteps echoed along the walls before the door slammed shut. Immediately the Grand Admiral was hoisted into the air in the grip of the Force, screaming in pain as his muscles stretched along the bone. Bishop did not react, or turn to face his friend. He could hear her stomping forward with heavy boots and armor,
But her voice.
It has changed too.
Still feminine but undeniably mechanical, the muffled rage blasted out from under a helmet, the anger directed entirely at Thrawn.
"You have killed us! You have sent us out there, and for what?! For nothing!"
Tossed hard against the wall, he remained suspended as his ribcage fought desperately against the strain. Only now did Bishop turn to see Shiri, her strawberry red hair flowing out from under a new demonic mask loosely resembling an Ork skull, with two big tusks coming down on either side like that of a ram. Well that's new… The white metallic mask looked reconstructed, a patchwork of repairs to keep it together in combat. Oh Shiri…
…what has happened…
Still incessant with rage, she now ignited her saber, a new gold beam humming and buzzing as she cut into the armor along the wall. Screaming as each was sliced and cut to molten metal.
"What was it for?! For nothing!" she yelled, "for nothing!" each armor's destruction brought more fits of anger.
Sparks and power cables burst from the two-foot swaths being cut into the durasteel walls, alerting the guards outside to rush in. Bishop instantly unclipped his own saber and ignited it, his blue beam leveling straight at the guards with a cold stare.
"Exit… now."
Both men swallowed and glanced up at Thrawn, still stuck against the wall in agony, but through short stabbing breaths the Grand Admiral ordered them out,
"As you- as you heard. Exit."
Both guards exchanged knowing looks and retreated as fast as they had entered.
Once the doors hissed shut, Thrawn fell six feet to the ground, Shiri releasing him as she sliced the last remnant of ork armor into pieces.
Suddenly Bishop felt waves of panic coming into his mind, telepathic cries to find herself and to seek help.
"Baby baby, can you hear me? Baby! I can hear them, please just stay with me now ok?"
Yes, I'm here, just stay calm, stay calm,
Beneath the mask, Bishop could feel her terrified eyes looking at him, the insidious helmet now a projection of the chaos within.
"Glad you- glad you have joined us…" wheezed Thrawn as he pulled himself into his chair, spittles of blood on his otherwise impeccable uniform. Lowering himself with wincing pain, he loosened his collar before continuing. "May I remind you, that the Jedi have been brought into the military ranks ever since the peace treaty? Surely you remember? The Supreme Chancellor did everything possible to try and change Dooku's one condition, but ultimately relented to bring peace."
"He had no right to do that." counted Bishop,
"The Chancellor held a vote in the Senate, remember? Ninety-seven percent approved the plan. Are you to tell me a few thousand Jedi are to be above the will of a thousand-trillion citizens? No, the order has enjoyed complete autonomy for too long."
I want to kill him, I just want to kill him, and rip his heart out!
Relax, relax, let's just hear what he has to say, despite sending soothing notes and Force projection, Bishop still felt the inner turmoil inside Shiri, bubbling and frothing like a wild animal.
"Why…" whispered her mechanical voice, "why have you done this to us? We have been out there for years, and nothing is changing."
Wiping a wad of blood from his mouth, Thrawn stood and limped around the table, holding his side in clear agony.
"I could have you killed Shiri…do you know that? You have struck an officer, but I will not. I need you to help me win this war." activating the hologram, he described the globulous nature of the image. "You and your brethren have been working outside of the problem. Helping contain any spillage from inside the war zone."
"What? We are in the war zone." She barked,
Thrawn eyed her head to toe, scanning each facet of her armor and helmet,
"No. You are not, you are a thousand lightyears from it." Um…what?... The hologram adjusted to show a large greyish mass of space with endless lines of ship waypoints entering it. "This is the unknown region, where space itself seems to interfere with our sensors, and hyperspace travel is troublesome to say the least. On top of this, there are thousands of civilizations in there we have not contacted. Races our scientists are having trouble understanding. But, do you know who does not mind such things? Orks. They are thriving and killing anything remotely sentient. Despite the difficulty in charting such an area, our probes have discovered over five thousand planets teaming with the orkish ecosystem. I can assure you that the spillage you face is merciful compared to what is coming if we cannot solve this puzzle."
"Five thousand? And they are fighting everyone? Impossible." Protested Bishop, "...that just can't be."
Another sigh by the Grand Admiral, and perhaps out of pity, he placed the remote for the hologram on the table and took a seat on the corner of his desk to further explain the complex situation.
"Once the referendum took place and the Jedi Council was more or less brought into the fold of the Republic's military, you became shock troopers and regional commanders, not galactic overseers. A position, I might add, the Jedi enjoyed for generations without oversight. But, the truth is, the true war is far from the planets you have been pruning on the frontier, even less so within the banking clan or trade federation territories. Mind you, those worlds are of no importance at this stage, the local teams are doing an adequate job with almost no true outbreaks." Perceiving an interruption from the older Jedi, Thrawn raised his hand and allowed himself to continue, "...yes there are situations, especially the underground continent-sized caves, but I can assure you that is minor."
Sensing Shiri's anguish had diminished, Bishop chanced the fact she would not rise up in anger, and took a seat opposite Thrawn at the other end of the table.
"So… what you are saying," trying to measure the absurd lack of sight the Jedi seemed to have, "Is that the war is actually not going well, and the droids are not grinding them down like you hoped? On top of that, we…" pointing to himself and Shiri, "...are what? That the Jedi is what? Just fending off fragments of the whole? A whole that is actually growing?"
Shiri pointed an armored finger at the Grand Admiral, the spikes along the forearms seemingly lengthened over the years as she upgraded and adapted to her surroundings.
"You sent thousands of us to die" She hurried over to Bishop and gently grabbed his arm, the first time she had touched him in so very long. "Do you see what he's doing?!" Pointing at the Chiss with her free hand. "Almost everyone is dead!"
Thrawn's red eyes zeroed in before looking up at the holographic display.
"The Jedi Order has been amalgamated into my command, I know the precise number of losses, and I am truly sorry for that. I acknowledge you have been out there for a long time on the frontier, and unlike a droid or clone trooper you need companionship, and I know you have been apart-"
"-how many droids have been sent to face the orks?" asked Bishop, cutting off Thrawn before he could bring more attention to this awkward situation.
"-been apart for a long time." finished Thrawn. "As for your question. One hundred and fifty-seven million droids, with millions more being produced. Mind you, that cannot all be directed at the orks as the situation has deteriorated into multiple fronts from different races. Wars within wars. In any case…the Separatists could never have scaled their output to such a level on their own. Only with a united galaxy can we do this, and I assure you Jedi Knight, we have not stopped or slowed. I have done everything up to this point to keep your colleague's fatalities to a minimum. Clones patrol the outer planets with you, keeping as many Jedi alive as I can. Actually, you can thank the Supreme Chancellor for that. He has instructed me to ensure all Jedi are fully protected by at least three Clone platoons going forward in addition to your strike teams. You should be thankful to him."
"Why are you telling us all this? Why did you even ask us here." Shiri turned to face Thrawn after asking the question, stepping backward in the process as if ready to lean back into Bishops arms.
"As I explained before you entered, I need to know what drives them. What is their goal? Even now, within the chaotic nature of unknown space, they are seemingly waging a war against the entities and creatures that live there. And they are winning. Did they start these? What is the purpose? Soon I worry they will switch their focus to us, and despite all our efforts, we have only fueled their industry."
"Industry? What do you mean industry?" Bishop closed his eyes and searched for the truth once again, falling into the well of secrets that Thrawn guarded so close. "...no…we have not stopped them. We have fueled them… you tried to break them. You tried to drown them in droids, but it failed. And as the orks fight they are building remarkable machines…and you are scared." he opened his eyes in realization, "that is why you are worried. They are going to come out very soon once they run out of things to kill."
"We will succeed once we discover their true motives, every ra-"
"-war. That is all it is, Grand Admiral," Shiri stepped closer to emphasize the point, "endless war."
Thrawn eyed them both for a long time, his eyes searching for something, or perhaps looking internally for a truth he already suspected but could not truly believe.
"I think this concludes our meeting. Dismissed."
Both Jedi shifted their weight and began a slow walk towards the exit, almost reaching it without incident before Shiri turned and warned the Grand Admiral,
"If you betray us," she said without a hint of emotion, "I will kill you."
"I know, at least in that we can agree." With a small nod, he returned to his desk and the Jedi exited the room.
As the doors hissed shut, Shiri spun and fell into Bishop's chest, sobbing in complete despair.
"Baby, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry," she continued to repeat, completely uncaring who heard. "I've missed you so much, I can't do this anymore."
Holy shit, easy easy easy, cmon baby, relax, the thoughts both for himself and sent through the Force to calm her.
"Open your mask, let me see you Shiri, I haven't seen you in so long."
Immediately she pulled away, suddenly aware of the multitude of people looking from multiple directions.
"Come here," she grabbed his arm and pulled him along until they reached a small alcove where a computer terminal beeped and waited for instructions "I told you I was injured, please, baby, still love me, ok?"
Hesitantly, she reached up and unlatched the mask seal, pulling the helmet off, the remainder of her hair falling out and onto her shoulders. As she lowered the helmet away from her face, Bishop prepared himself. No matter what, I will still love you,
Then he saw her. A small smile forming on his quivering cheek as he realized the extent of the injuries. Shiri's eyes were scratched and discolored, resulting from exposure to a chemical fire from a bursting squig. Her nose appeared melted on each side, connecting with the cheeks in one gigantic burn. What used to be a beautiful smile now came across as a twisted grin, the lips and facial muscles damaged in the concussive blast. But that was not all. Her larynx, trachea, and esophagus were gone, replaced with an armored mechanical neck, the metal replacing the bottom part of her jaw and running down into her armor. Only the sides of her neck remained biological, the skin artificially connected to the metal to keep it together.
"Baby. Say something… please…" her eyes trembling, her mechanical voice more distinct but still feminine without the mask.
"I love you so much…and speaking of which," lowering himself a little so he was eye level, "we have a date at the opera, and I want you to wear that red dress I bought you."
Coruscant Opera House
Briskly moving past and through the crowded staircases, he glanced sideways and smiled. Shiri wore the red dress despite initial reservations and now hurried alongside him to their balcony seats with the Supreme Chancellor. Open back with a slit down the left thigh, he still found her body remarkably attractive. You are still the one for me,
"Ok, the intermission is almost over," remarked Bishop, straining his neck to check the digital board on the wall, "... we are actually on time despite the foot traffic in here."
Thinking back on how hard they tried to keep their relationship a secret, and how much effort it took during the trials and training, it all seemed to be coming apart now. Despite not outwardly admitting it, the dress she wore gave suspicion some credibility.
Fuck it, she needs this, she needs to know she isn't a monster.
He noted that she kept her chin tucked and hair lowered to hide her face. I'm so sorry sweetie, but you need to see that it will be ok, you can't hide in a mask. The open-back dress revealed more scars and wounds, a crisscross of discolored scar tissue and burns.
Perhaps picking up on his thoughts, she stopped and moved in to whisper something in his ear,
"Thank you…but babe." she adjusted her voice, for the remainder, the mechanical modulator lowering in tone to keep the volume to a minimum. "I want to kill these people. I can't help it. Everyone is like an ork now… I just want to start slashing them… I feel like they are digging into my head."
Shit shit shit…something isn't right. Something is wrong. She can hear the orks in her mind like I can, but worse. I thought they were waking dreams. But both of us? Are we going mad?
Out of nowhere, a woman's voice called through the crowd,
"Shiri!"
Bishop's head snapped sideways to see who it was, caught off guard by a face he knew but could not quite place the name.
"Padme!" Shouted Shiri, rushing over and wrapping her arms around the woman.
Padme…padme…p- oh, is that Senator Amidala? I think it is. Yes it is, I should know this; she's from Naboo. But wait. How do they even know each other?
He slipped his way forward, stopping beside Shiri, not too close to show affection, but close enough to signal he wasn't just loitering.
"Padme, you remember Bishop, right?"
The senator looked over with a warm smile, her radiant eyes so inviting and warm,
"Absolutely, we are both from Naboo. She offered her hand and Bishop accepted it with a small nod,"
"Senator Amidala,"
"What are you doing here?" Asked Shiri, more comfortable with the Senator than Bishop would have thought possible considering her injuries.
"Oh I'm-" she paused a moment, exchanging an almost imperceivable look with Shiri, "just here to meet Anakin…"
"Got it…" Shiri reassured her with a soft pat on the arm,
"He's actually watching the opera with the Supreme Chancellor right now," continued Amidala,
"He is? That is where we are heading; just come with us then."
The trio hurried through more crowds for another couple of minutes until finally the master suite loomed ahead with two stationed guards. Just as they were approaching Anakin stepped through the small mezzanine and exited the opera box, his augmentations uncovered for the world to see. More confused than surprised, he leveled his gaze at each of the Jedi walking with Padme, trying to determine precisely how to act.
"Hello…" he said, unsure what else to add.
"Hello Anakin," oh fuck me, please do not start anything,
"Hello Anakin," added Shiri, elbowing Padme to move her across the small divide between the trio and the chosen one. "Did you have fun with the Supreme Chancellor?"
Anakin blinked and then looked back through the archway leading into the opera box, "Yes, yes it was good…" he said with a hint of confusion. "What are you doing here?" looking at both the Jedi.
"We were invited to talk with the Chancellor, but we aren't sure what it's for."
Now it was Bishop's turn to feel the power of a Force probe. Around him, in him, it sought answers and truth. Piss off Anakin, stop digging, stop, stop. You already know we are together, what more do you want to find?
Padme noted the awkwardness and began to walk off,
"Ok, we need to go. Good to see you Bishop, Shiri I'll call you." Promptly the Force probe halted,
"Take care Bishop… Shiri." Nodded Anakin as he turned to follow his girlfriend. Waiting until they were out of sight, Bishop turned to Shiri amazed at the interactions
"What is that all about? How do you know her? And what is up with them? They are together, right?"
"I'll have to tell you after," grabbing his arm and tugging him through the mezzanine to enter the opera box. The second act was beginning to build, the massive illumination of sound throbbing in spectacular fashion before them. Seated with his back to the pair, Palpatine turned his neck and pulled himself up.
"Oh hello my friends, please, please, sit down." He shuffled a little to his left, taking a seat in the middle and waiving them forward. "Please sit down, the second act is about the start. Did you happen to run into your friend? He just left."
Bishop took the seat on the left, and Shiri to the Chancellor's right along the aisle.
"Thank you for having us Supreme Chancellor, and yes, we did run into him."
Palpatine turned his attention to Shiri,
"Oh it is my pleasure, and might I say, you look lovely my dear. I was just telling Anakin an old tale, and it ended up going a little longer than I thought."
"Must have been a good story," remarked Bishop, trying to maintain a sense of enthusiasm in the present company, despite his frustration with the political lies to the public regarding the war.
"Oh it was…it was…" lamented the Chancellor. "I won't bore you with it…just a story about a man who discovered the gift of immortality and how he could bring back those he loved after they passed away. But let us enjoy the opera."
What?...bring back someone after they died? No way, that can't be possible. Right? Once you are gone, you are gone…
…right?
As the second act built into its crescendo, he could see Palpatine turning towards him, the throbbing lights of the opera reflecting in his eyes,
"tell me…, have you heard the tragedy of Darth Plagueis the Wise?"