Disclaimer
George Lucas- owner of Star Wars
Me- Bored teenager with way too much time on my hands.
See the different? 'Nuff said.
-----
In a dazed, almost dreamy voice, the guard said, "Your Majesties, someone to see you."
Del-Mon briefly looked around him, and saw that the room was very large and very tall. At the far end were two golden thrones. Along one wall there were several large windows. The room itself had very light pink tiling on the floor. The walls were a light, creamy orange, and every three or four meters there was a large pink pillar against the wall. Where the pillars met the floor and ceiling, they were circled with gold.
The woman Del-Mon assumed was the queen was sitting on one of the broad windowsills, gazing out the window. The king was seated in the golden throne, and the moment the door opened he faced it.
"Who are they?" asked the king.
Del-Mon respectfully bowed. "Your Majesty, my name is Del-Mon Wesia. I am one of the Jedis that was supposed to meet with you three days ago, but an… Unexpected chain of events cancelled our meeting," he said.
The queen instantly rose and looked at him, her face showing pure joy.
"You are the Jedi Knight?" she asked.
"Yes, Your Highness, I am," replied Del-Mon.
"And what of your companion? Who is he?" asked King Anjos.
"My name is Elias, You Majesty. I am the leader of the Atheists, and currently find myself at the top of Prime Minister Darmick's hit list," Elias said, bowing briefly.
"Darmick's hit list?" Leckura curiously asked.
"Oh yeah, Darmick hates me. The whole Atheist thing just doesn't click with him," Elias said.
"Del-Mon, would you mind telling us why you have arrived three days late and without your apprentice?" asked King Anjos.
Del-Mon instantly began to explain their inhospitable arrival at the gate to Crixx and how Aro-Ken had been forced to fight the Gripfang. He freely announced how the guards were going to shoot him, how he'd escaped and nearly gotten killed getting out, and how he'd met Elias. When he reached the part about the attack on the sewers, the queen's eyes went wide and her hand flew to her mouth.
"You mean… The Atheists were attacked?" she asked in shock.
"You were not aware of this raid?" asked Del-Mon.
"No, not at all!" cried Leckura.
"Nor I. But… That treaty we signed must have allowed him to do it. I didn't read if fully, but I'll bet anything that it stated something that made that raid legal!" cried King Anjos.
"What treaty might this be?" asked Del-Mon.
"Prime Minister Darmick blackmailed me in order to get me to sign a treaty that allowed him to kill all the Atheists," Anjos muttered, sheepishly.
"Blackmailed? Why that dirty, low-down, good for nothing, piece of-"
"There is no need for language, Elias," Del-Mon chided him just in time.
"Well it's true," Elias muttered.
"I was also blackmailed by Darmick, though I have no doubt that Talno was not," said Leckura.
"So you were both blackmailed?" asked Del-Mon.
King Anjos uncomfortably shifted in his chair. "Er, yes."
A nervous look came to Leckura's face as she nodded.
Del-Mon put his hands up. "I won't ask any further."
Leckura looked at him for a moment. "Del-Mon, where is your apprentice? I was informed that he would be accompanying you on this mission," she said.
"I honestly do not know where he is, or if he is even alive. When I escaped from the guards in the barracks, they said his body was on a transport for Jadda," said Del-Mon.
"Ah, Jadda is the moon of Crixxin," Anjos said.
"So I've heard. But I still do not know if he's dead. My feelings tell me that Aro-Ken is alive," Del-Mon confidently said.
"I am sure you're right. But in the meantime, we must figure out a way to settle this conflict once and for all," said Leckura.
"I agree," said King Anjos.
"Yeah, same here," Elias put in.
"Good. Now that we're all on the same page, I'd like to hear both sides of the story. Elias, just tell me where you stand in this conflict," said Del-Mon.
"Well, to begin with I think Darmick is an-"
"Elias, please, just where you stand on the battles," Del-Mon said.
Elias sighed. "Fine. I happen to think that the fights are horrible and ought to stop. I'm all for a compromise to stop it all. You know, just a contract or something that says we can all do what we want with our religion. And that son of a-"
"Please, Elias, there is a lady present. Hold your tongue," Del-Mon interrupted.
"Fine, that rat Darmick should be thrown in prison for the rest of his life," said Elias.
"Thank you. And you, Your Majesties?" Del-Mon turned to Anjos and Leckura.
"I have the same opinions Elias does. We should peacefully end the conflict," said Leckura.
"Exactly. This war shouldn't be any bloodier than it is all ready. It has to stop," said Anjos.
"Well, since you all agree, I see no reason why I was called here. I suggest you come up with a way to convince the soldiers and Antigod that there is a way to compromise," said Del-Mon.
"Quite right. Who had a datapad?" asked Elias.
"I do," King Anjos said, pulling out a data pad from within the sleeves of his robes. "What first?"
"Darmick is a-" Elias began, but froze at a menacing look from Del-Mon. "A… Scoundrel, and should go to prison for life."
"Let's make that sound a little better. Those who attempt to do serious harm to a race or belief shall be put in jail for life. Those who violate the rights of free Crixxians shall be put in jail…" the list went on.
All Del-Mon had to do was watch, and butt in when Elias was about to say something inappropriate.
Finally, they decided they had enough. Anjos, Leckura, and Elias all signed it, and then looked at each other.
"This has been too easy," Elias said.
"How could I forget? We'll need Darmick's signature to make this treaty legal," Anjos said.
"All right, let's go find him," Elias said, finally not making an attempt to curse.
As they left the throne room, Del-Mon spoke up. "You're going to need to convince Talno and the army that this treaty is a good idea. And have you given any thought as to what Darmick will do when you show him this treaty? He'll probably blackmail you both again."
"I have decided not to care about it anymore. The planet is more important than me," Anjos said.
"What about your son?" asked Del-Mon.
"Little brat," Elias muttered.
"Please, Elias. Not now," Del-Mon said.
Elias fell silent.
"I honestly don't know if I can convince Talno to sign it, or to agree with it for that matter. He's not going to listen if I order him to," Anjos said.
"There will still be people who won't agree with the treaty and want all those against them to die," said Del-Mon.
"Yes, I'm sure there are. But we will resolve them eventually, as peacefully as possible," said Leckura.
Del-Mon nodded. "I have no doubts that you will succeed."
"Thank you," Leckura said, smiling at him.
They arrived at Darmick's private quarters shortly, and Anjos jammed his thumb on the intercom button. "Darmick! Darmick, open this door right now!" he shouted.
He paused, and received no reply. Quickly, he took a passcard from his belt and swiped it in a slot above the door controls. Instantly the door slid open.
"Darmick?" called Anjos, stepping inside.
There was no answer.
Anjos disappeared as he walked into another room, and came out again. "He's not in here," Anjos said.
"Damn," Elias muttered.
Del-Mon gave Elias a warning look, and then said, "Well, where else would he be?"
"The barracks probably," Anjos said.
"Well, that's where we're headed," Del-Mon said.
Anjos and Leckura immediately took the lead, walking down the twisting, elaborate corridors.
All of a sudden, there was an explosion from outside. Del-Mon instantly activated his lightsaber, spinning around to be sure there was no one coming down the corridors.
"Quick, to the balcony! We can see outside!" cried Anjos.
They instantly took off, following Anjos.
He threw open the door to the large balcony that overlooked the palace grounds, and they ran outside.
Del-Mon looked down, and saw that a section of the energy shield around the palace had been deactivated. Standing in the city streets was a huge crowd of people, dressed in old clothing and armed with blasters, vibroblades, and several other weapons. Some of them hovered slightly above the heads of the others on old, battered swoops and speeder bikes.
Del-Mon recognized them as the Atheists. Except their numbers had more than doubled, almost tripled, since he'd first seen them. They looked ready to kill.
In front of them was a large crater, where Del-Mon assumed they had blown something up to alert the Crixxian troops.
Directly below the balcony, on the palace grounds, was a huge group of royal soldiers, wearing blast armor bearing the Crixxian symbol. They all had blaster rifles and several reloading cartridges strapped to their sides.
"This does not look good," said Elias.
In the crowd of Atheists, someone began to rise out of it. Del-Mon saw that whoever it was, they were on an old speeder bike. A voice rang out, magnified several times.
"Atheists, the time has come for us to regain our freedom!"
"Elias, it appears you are not the leader of the Atheists anymore," Anjos said.
Elias did not reply.
"Come! With these numbers, we are sure to win! Atheists from all over the planet have united here for one cause: To destroy the Crixxian religion once and for all!" shouted the person on the speeder bike.
Elias's eyes grew wide. He jumped onto the large railing on the balcony. "DANYA! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" he roared.
Del-Mon reached out with the Force, and discovered that the person on the speeder bike was indeed Danya.
Instantly, the speeder bike flew over and stopped a few feet from the balcony.
"Ah, brother, meeting with the king and queen, are we?" asked Danya in a mocking voice.
"Danya, what is the meaning of this?" Elias demanded.
"Your people seem to have sided with me. After that attack, they have all agreed that Crixxians must die. As soon as you left this morning, I sent out a call for all Atheists to get her as fast as possible, and they seem to have listened to me. And there are more coming. The Crixxian religion went too far when they attacked us! Now it will go off the planet permanently," Danya said.
"No! Danya, we can compromise, dammit! We have a treaty that I have signed to grant religious freedom!" cried Elias.
"It's too late for that, Elias. Crixxian will be gone before the day is out!" Danya turned, and saw Del-Mon. "Ah, so you're here too. Meeting with the king and queen, who, as I recall, are Crixxians," she said.
"Danya, we can settle this if you would only listen!" Del-Mon cried.
Danya shook her head. "No. It's too late."
Before anyone could say anything more, Danya turned her speeder bike to face her followers. "If the Crixxians have no last words, we are ready!" she yelled.
"Wait! We do!" a voice from the army below called.
"Then hurry!" yelled Danya.
Del-Mon and the others looked down at the Crixxian army.
"As Prime Minister of the Crixxian religion, I would like to simply say that today, all Atheists shall die, the king and queen included!" roared a voice from below.
King Anjos shouted, "Darmick! What is the meaning of this?!"
"Darmick! That piece of-" Elias tried to sneak in another curse, but Del-Mon glared at him. "Filth," he said, frowning.
"Ah, hello, Your Majesty! I'm simply doing what's best for the planet. Our beautiful Crixxin will be much better without Atheists! So now I say it! DEATH TO THE ATHEISTS!" Prime Minister Darmick roared from below. There was a great cheer from the Crixxians.
"Mother, Father, I'm sorry, but I agree with Darmick! All Atheists must die!" shouted another voice.
"Talno! Stop this foolishness at once!" yelled King Anjos.
"Darmick is right, Father! The Atheists have to die!" yelled Talno.
"No! Talno-" began Anjos.
"Kill the Atheists now! CHARGE!" roared Talno's voice.
Instantly, with a roar, the guards that weren't armed with blasters charged forward, the ones with blasters staying behind.
"Go, Atheists! It is our hour!" shouted Danya.
"NOOO!" roared Elias. He instantly dove off the balcony and onto his sister's speeder bike.
"Elias!" cried Del-Mon.
Below them, the two armies clashed. Blaster fire rang out, drowning out all sounds except for screams that lingered in the air.
Suddenly, a laser blast hit balcony right at Anjos's feet. Anjos jumped back.
Del-Mon looked up, and saw metal gleaming. It was the barrel of a blaster rifle.
"There are snipers on the roof! Get inside!" yelled Del-Mon, charging back through the doors as more shots were fired at the balcony.
As soon as the door closed behind them, Del-Mon suddenly saw a group of soldiers heading down the hallway towards them, all of them armed.
"Run!" shouted Del-Mon.
Instantly Anjos took off, Leckura and Del-Mon following him.
Del-Mon knew that the situation was pretty much hopeless.
-----