Well, every on here is chapter 43: Final Words, Enjoy. Also, We have broken 200K words!.
Chapter 43: Final Words
Two weeks after the departure of the Whispering Specter, Viridian was walking in the cleaned and tented and tarped over ruins of Waldstahl. This was an action he did often since the day of its destruction, he sighed as he walked into the lower layers of the remains of the fortress as the Republic destroyed a lot of the structure above the foundation that went into the ground. Malserik smiled as the competition to redesign Waldstahl was going quite well, Ruby submitted a design along with various other from around the empire, Already he knew Ruby's would be in the finals as her idea was unique as it was based off of a cathedral on Remnant, and the architecture of such a structure appealed to him, This was despite her design was lacking in many areas like systems and plumbing. Enough so that Malserik figured the person that would win would just be commissioned to do flush out that design.
With the recent events, this reconstruction effort was something the governor of Hiskal could afford as he had just gotten the massive payment for the information bounty from Imperial Intelligence. Next, to that, the finalized dust augmented equipment was starting its production and distribution to the Hiskal Guardsmen for their use. Along with that, the report from Imperial Intelligence stated that most of, if not all of the Republics spy network had been purged from the empire. This made the Baron of Waldstahl chuckle as the news of this was being broadcast to the republic that he was behind this. Which gave him one thought as he walked through the wreck hallways, Everything is going according to plan.
After a few more minutes of walking, Maslerik entered into his labs. After the attack, it was the first place he cleaned up, as he needed to make sure all of his projects secure and were ready to be submitted to the Imperial Ordinance Trials. this time he knew he had a leg up over any competing designs and thusly the first thing he submitted was an infantry blaster rifle simply know by the Hiskal Guard who got the first two thousand as the Malserik Rifle despite its name being the M-RPW Version four, each letter for the name of those that influenced the design. it was streamlined down, sleek though still long enough to be accurate at range. Ruby, Pyrrha, and Weiss all had a part in the design. Compared to the standard Imperial blaster rifle, the rifle sacrificed some raw power output for more accurate and controlled fire, the rifle had better heat management which allowed for more sustained fully automatic fire than the standard issue blaster along with having some very Remnant-like traits. Malserik was pleased with the testing his own troops gave it, he himself had tested it.
he smiled as she remembered the tests he performed for his officers to get them on board with the idea of these new blasters. He had the rifle on his back in its storage mode, which reduced the rifle down to a rectangular block in size, this idea belonged to Ruby as her scythe had a very similar mode. deploying the rifle it transformed from the block into its blaster form. At which point he had all of his officer's attention as the rifle clacked into form giving a confirmation chirp once it was deployed. After the rifle was deployed Malserik laid upon the ground deploying the bipod, to demonstrate accuracy and suppressing fire capabilities of the weapon on some droids at the back of the courtyard. After destroying a few droids he stood and demonstrated the concealed vibroblade bayonet as he charged and the sixteen-inch spike deployed out the front of the weapon as he slammed into the droid. Though the main concern for this blaster was durability, at which point Malserik handed the Rifle off to Nora, who tortured the rifle as Malserik explained, and some of her most brutal methods only dented the exterior. After Nora was satisfied, she handed it back to Malserik who then fired it from his shoulder, taking the risk that she could have actually damaged it. It was after this display that the officers of the guard quickly signed on with this rifle.
Though the rifle did have a nasty secret that had not been displayed in the demonstration, and that was it had four chambers on the underside of the forward grip for four Elemental Reaction Crystal cartridges, better known to Remnants as Dust cartridges. These cartridges could give the blaster bolts elemental properties. Dust was now starting to creep its way out of Hiskal as Malserik had a controlling monopoly on it, and it was being tested at large by the Sith scientific community, and it was taking it by storm.
Aside from the blaster and dust, before the attack, Malserik was working on new armor for the Empire at large. It kept the stylings of the Sith but did away with the clunky helmet for a more Mandalorian like helmet design. The armor was environmentally sealed and reinforced at key locations. The plating allowed for the soldiers to take more hits and survive, though the suit was heavier and bulkier in places. Despite this, it would give Imperial soldiers a much-needed advantage that they sorely lacked against the Republic in ground combat. Along with improving the equipment, a soldier had at their disposal, giving them storage for grenades and detonators, along with less than lethal options. Malserik was quite pleased with the designs he came up with
The final thing Malserik submitted a design for was not just for the military but for the general public as well. The design was for a reverse engineered scroll like the one he gave Imperious. It was a project he undertook to make something to improve the general quality of life for the public of the empire. This item was all thanks to the Knights gladly allowing Malserik to take a look at their scrolls to figure out the technology and apply it and reverse engineer it. During the reverse engineering process, he improved the communication range along with connecting them to the holonet, he even added a holographic projector for holocomm lines. The best case scenario was he could have them marketed to the people and sold as a product, just like the Remnant scrolls, if not they would at least become trinkets for Sith. Though whether or not they went into serial production, Malserik had already started limited distribution for those loyal to the Visorium order in secret.
He smiled as he looked at the prototypes on display and popped his own scroll out of its pouch on his belt, his scroll was the first to come off the first production run from the factories below in the city. He saw the time, closing the scroll he lamented as he awaited the reports from the trials, though he had to be ready to be in the city for his speech to the people of Hiskal, along with the public execution of his former allies now disgraced traitors.
While Malserik did his thing, Imperious had been working with her tailor in Kaas city as she wanted to give the Knights gifts when they were made Darths, Something Imperious thought would be occurring sooner than later. Though she would present them with the design of the outfit to make sure everything would be final and in case they didn't approve of a feature or aspect. Imperious was still slightly nervous and worried about Ruby ever since the sudden spike in her power, something she noted with Weiss as well. The thing that concerned her most with Ruby was how she was hiding her beautiful face beneath her hood, wanted to talk to her about that but she was giving her time to adjust as her fear of her former apprentice going rogue was put to rest after that one vision. As after that vision, Imperious had relaxed and rescinded any talk of 'Ruby and Weiss Countermeasures' as she was going to trust Ruby. She even painted an image of the future Hiskal, for Malserik, which was on display in his study. Needless to say the Idea Hiskal could become a massive city like the one she painted shocked him. Though if it came to fruition he would love to see it.
Though Malserik didn't have much time to slack around as he needed to be in Hiskal soon. He had the entire speech and ceremony ready to go to announce Roman and Neo's take over of Balikor and Dornettz's role, respectively then ending it with the announcement of Weiss as the Heiress hiskal. Relaxing in her quarters in Hiskal, Imperious smiled as she sent Malserik the final draft of his speech for him as Weiss had sent the parts she edited back just to be safe. She smiled as pressed the button on her scroll. Imperious wanted to see this speech herself and she was going with him as she loved hearing his speeches. He was good at giving them despite his reclusive nature, something the public didn't know much about. To many Imperial Citizens in Hiskal, Malserik had made his name as a kind and caring leader ever since he took the post in the region from the former tyrant. Though recently Imperious was informing Ruby about on a topic she didn't want Malserik to know about. She wanted to strike when he least expected it. She smiled as she held the metal box in her hand as she cracked it open, over the past year she knew how she felt, and knowing Malserik he would never ask her, so she had a plan to ask him, in an overly dramatic and flashy manner. With that thought concluded she popped the box open revealing a ring.
On Nar Shaddaa, Ozpin, Tai, and Raven had been trying for the past few weeks to get in contact with the Remnants that had been working with the Hutt crime lord known as 'Hinjac the Hutt' by the locals. This task was one that had all three wanting to slam their heads into the landing struts of the thunderclap. Despite the stress, Ozpin walked down the ramp onto the landing pad. He had come to dislike this planet despite its dark beauty, this planet made some slums in vale that were know for their crime seem like a warm friendly suburb where everyone was friends. Here in the shadows of alleys, a blaster waited for the unwary, and daggers waited to be jabbed into an unsuspecting person's back. The planet, despite its massive infrastructure, lacked a formal government, instead, it was being led by an oligarchy of crime lords mostly Hutt Cartels.
In this time, Hinjac had also taken note of Ozpin and his group, though not in a good way. He sent gangs and other undesirables to attack the ship though most were deterred when Raven ignited her saber and got to work in a flurry of white light colored by elemental dust emitters.
Despite the hostilities, Ozpin had managed to see these Remnants on occasions, and the Remnants that he saw images of what looked like two of the students from Mistral, steel-haired male and a Jade haired female, and one from Atlas a red head. Though Ozpin did check his scroll they did not appear as they had probably ditched their scrolls, one problem Ozpin had not accounted for with his scroll, which had an application that scanned for other Huntsmen and Huntress Scrolls and listed them. He had Taiyang and Raven's but that was it.
He had seen the Remnants, the one time they were allowed into the Hutt's Palace, but they could not link up with them as they were some of the crime lord's best bounty hunters. He figured they were doing what they had to, to survive on this disgusting world. As he finished that thought, he smelled the air, polluted and disgusting, as the smell of decay wafted on the winds.
Inside the Ship, Raven was meditating, trying to contact the Remnants in the Hutt's palace using the force. She had tried this every night with varying degrees of success, though the sheer amount of people, along with the amount of crime on the planet made this difficult. Though as Taiyang put it 'keep annoying them and they will come to us.' so if she could make contact with them, she used the force to make them see visions of Remnant, and other questionable visions. Despite these visions, they stayed adamantly away from Ozpin and his two allies.
Ozpin was starting to regret coming to this galaxy, as Remnant was still in peril, and he had only managed to get only two Remnants back. It was at this moment it dawned on the instructor, that they could be happy here. They could be safe and away from the fear of the Grimm, not bound to a single limited world like Remnant here they had the galaxy at their disposal. He paused cursing that this hadn't occurred to him till this point. Then another thing occurred to Ozpin, and that was all of his students by Remnant's laws were an adult, even the sweet Rose would be an adult, now and now that he had met Summer he wanted to find her as well, though he knew that was what Revan was planning.
Standing outside the ship with Ozpin, guarding the ship from attack, was Taiyang Throughout their time on this planet Taiyang had regretted not staying back on the station with Yang, though she had as assured him that everything was okay, she only wanted them to find Ruby, and as Ruby's 'father' Taiyang only wanted the same. He was extremely concerned for his daughter. He didn't care about what Summer did, he still loved Ruby as his own child, and she was still Yang's sister. The one thing that concerned him the most was the idea of what Ruby could become if she embraced the Dark side.
Inside the ship, Raven was feeling the force around her. As she felt around tonight, she felt the air, it was different, it felt cold she even felt chilled by this wave of cold, as the emotions of darkness fell upon her, she could feel two very powerful Sith were approaching, and a great speed, as she could feel they were in the atmosphere. She reached out using the force as they came closer. Raven's eyes darted open as she realized they were heading straight for them, and she didn't know why.
In the central plaza of Hiskal, the people had gathered in mass, for the day that came upon Hiskal today, Malserik was going to address the people of Hiskal over what had happened in the attack on Waldstahl weeks prior. As after what had happened that day the citizens of Hiskal had brought notes up to Waldstahl, leaving them outside the security perimeter.
Malserik had made his name being a kind governor of Hiskal and it was this that reinforced how much the people of Hiskal loved him, despite his semi-reclusive nature. He originally wasn't going to go out to the public to explain what had occurred, but the gifts at Hiskal's security perimeter made him decide it was necessary to go in front of the people once more. These gifts were flowers to notes, as the citizens wanted to know the status some addressed to him others addressed to the Knights. Needless to say, they were all shocked by the support. With each gift, Malserik decided to give the people a show, a public execution of the traitors by their successors.
Standing behind the podium on the balcony of the Hiskal Guard headquarters Malserik surveyed the crowd. Looking around, he saw the plaza in front of him was packed with people. He had the two remaining knights of Hiskal at his side with guards ready drag out Dornettz and Balikor on his cue with Roman and Neo itching to execute their traitorous masters, while Imperious sat in the shadows watching the show. He sighed as he grasped the podium as stood there, sighing as brought up the speech on his scroll. He looked out at the crowd, they had appeared in a mild snow with bitter mountain winds to see their leader, a sight that further had Malserik touched by their support.
"People of Hiskal, Loyal Imperial citizens!" Malserik opened with vigorously taking up the tone of a leader, his voice loud and reverberating, "Two weeks ago Waldstahl fell under siege by renegade Sith forces led by a fallen Jedi," Malserik said only partially telling the truth of the attack as telling the whole truth would lead to war. The plan called for war once the Empire could crush the Republic, "These renegade forces laid siege to Waldstahl though their attack was not possible without help by two men who we all know Captain Isakar Balikor and Walther Dornettz!" This line got people of Hiskal to gasp collectively. Like Malserik, the traitors were very well known figures in Hiskal, and well liked by the populace, and the shock could be seen as the guards dragged them out for display as Malserik let. "They betrayed me. They betrayed Hiskal! They led the aggressors into Waldstahl and they tore it to shreds, injuring and killing our guards, our friends, and family members, and ruining my home. These attackers were trying to operate to the benefit of the republic trying to steal plans to sell to the Republic. they are criminals! Traitors! And murderers! That need to be executed!" Viridian Declared as the gagged traitors eyes went wide fear as the two Knights ignited their sabers and put their blades up to the necks of the traitors. Though they were under orders not to kill them, that honor fell to two other people. "As per a Sith Tradition, the apprentice will surpass the master, So I see it only fitting that their Successors be the executioners."
It was at this cue, Roman, dressed in an officer like trench coat unbuttoned over his custom armor plate and his breech pants with jack boots. on his orange hair rested a cocked to the right. His face had a subtle smirk that showed his smug attitude. Neo walked out wearing the outfit of Imperial Agent, though in the style of the Hiskal guard more than the Empire. Drawing their blaster pistols and putting them to the backs of the heads of the traitors. Malserik looked at both and nodded confirming they were ready to continue.
"Though I would like to give them their final words, as we are not savages in Hiskal, So Ruby and Weiss, cut the gags," Malserik ordered as the two knights slashed the fabric there lightsabers, Ruby spitefully made sure the tip of the blade of her saber burned Balikor's cheek as she cut the gag off. It was at this point. During this, the crowd started shouting at the traitors with vigor and vulgarity. "So let us start with Balikor, My old friend what are your final words?" Malserik asked calmly as he looked over his shoulder, back at Balikor.
Balikor being the ever so bold person he was, said, "Oh yes I would like to say one thing to you people of Hiskal! Death to the Empire, the traitorous bastard of Hiskal!" Malserik looked away as he raised up his right hand giving Roman the signal to ready to fire, "you don't even have the balls to look me in the eyes, Malserik! No wonder that Sith cow likes you, along with these whores you call knights! Then you have the fools that think you're a hero, you failure of a Jedi!" As he said that Malserik lowered his hand as he turned back to face him with a smirk, though Ruby could feel he was deeply offended as he carried out these actions the entire crowd could feel that Balikor had struck a nerve. All of those on the platform with Malserik took a step back as Malserik's Smirk widened.
"Commander Torchwick, Lady Rose, please stand back, there has been a change of plan," he spoke, his voice carrying instabilities as he took off his gloves and Ruby and Roman stood well back with looks of fear. the roar of the crowd was deafening as the people saw their leader as they knew him, and that was a man who cared but if someone called him out, he was relentless. Though he was not the only one that was going to be relentless after those harsh offending words and that second person let her presence be known to all of those present.
"Now those kinds of words tend to get people hurt," Imperious hissed her voice loaded with venom as she walked out of the shadows of Guard Headquarters as her voice brought an eerie silence to the event. The crowd watched intently as she walked out, as many didn't recognize her Imperious wasn't very well know by the people of Hiskal, though many had seen her with Malserik and some even rumored she too was Sith. Though it became evident to the crowd that she was watching in the shadows and that she was just as offended as Malserik, as she said, "And I will not stand by while someone insults us, Malserik," Imperious exclaimed as Malserik looked at her furious face and replied with.
"While I appreciate the enthusiasm, Imperious," Balikor is right I should look him in the eye to kill him," Malserik said as he looked down at the piece of trash the traitor in front of him was. He was going to use his eye, but to Malserik, that was too good for him, besides he would rather not publicize his ability, yet.
Ruby could feel the negativity and anger focused on Balikor, from all those on the stage and the crowd. Balikor was still screaming out insults and verbal trash. It was at that moment Ruby could feel Weiss's feelings, as she had suddenly become apprehensive of the whole event. Ruby didn't like the idea of public executions and neither did Weiss, but they were Sith this should be par for the course for them. Though even Ruby wasn't comfortable with the way Malserik was going about this. The crowd was is in a state of suspense. Though that suspense was soon shattered as Malserik and Imperious started to lift Balikor towards the crowd. Balikor laughed though the grip on his neck as Imperious charged a bolt of force lightning up. The crowd cheered as Malserik and Imperious vented their pent up rage on the traitorous captain. As Imperious's force lightning struck the captain's body, he was vaporized in extreme agony as blue sparks writhed through his body, causing his muscles to spasm and tear from the stress. Then Malserik showered the traitor with sparks, and his screams echoed through the crowd.
Of all the things the Weiss and Ruby had done as Sith this one wasn't sitting well with the Dove of Hiskal as she watched the light show above. Weiss felt like painfully torturing them publicly was wrong. This was distressing enough to the point of where she had to leave the stage. Though before she did she told Neo to put Dornettz out of his misery when she was gone, to which Neo smiled as she acknowledged her orders. Weiss walked off the stage, with all of the focus on Balikor only a few people noticed her leave and those that did, did not say a word.
Before Neo could take the shot on Dornettz, he was ripped back unlike Balikor the man was begging, he didn't want to die like that. It was at this moment Ruby noted Weiss's absence and her feelings of distress and disagreement. Ruby herself felt thought this type of execution being held in public was going a bit too far. She didn't have any mercy in her heart for traitors like Dornettz but she did not feel completely comfortable with a public torture and execution shows, mainly due to what Weiss was feeling. She decided, if Malserik and Imperious will not be civil about execution, she would take up that mantle herself as she couldn't let Weiss be tormented like this. Ruby could feel a majority of elements of the crowd were starting to get very uncomfortable right now as well, the shouting and cheering replaced by horror and dread among them. Malserik had done public executions before, but none like this. This level of brutality was foreign to the people of Hiskal. To them, Malserik was a noble Sith that killed quickly and didn't torture yet here he was inflicting massive pain to a man that was respected throughout Hiskal, with a woman they barely knew. Despite this some of the people did not look away, no, they sympathized with Malserik, while most were fearful, others were shocked, all watching with a morbid curiosity. Though there were to figures watching from a skiff hovering above the crowd unnoticed who had taken note of all that was occurring below with great interest.
A/N: So here is this chapter done, I really couldn't think of much to add to what I had, minus filling in some details, my focus has been elsewhere since I got my new PC, Ghost Recon Wildlands and Mass Effect Andromeda are great fun and massive time sinks. I just refined this chapter to fit in the story. I just wanted to set the stage for what happens in the next chapter as their will be some major plot points to hit. After which we will get to see what is going on in the Jedi order, then we will fully enter what I am calling the Grimm Arc.
Guest: I am not going to worry about it but it was something I found out, and it bugged me a slight bit.
So with all of that out of the way, Thank you all for reading, if you have any comments, critique, suggestions or corrections, feel free to leave a review or PM me if you can, anything can help the Story, especially when I am on the verge of burning out. Now then, please everyone be safe, stay warm, and may the force be with you all! (I told you I would.)
Blitzing Raptor
