The Force's Shepherds
Chapter 97
The Naboo Insurrection
The Dark Side of the Force swirled through the room. A miasma of latent power and energy. Bubbling like a toxic concoction. A seductive poison that, if treated incorrectly, would rip anything of value from the adept daring to discover its secrets.
But Sidious was no adept. He was the Dark Lord of the Sith. The Dark Side of the Force was his domain. He commanded it. He channeled it. He lived and breathed the very air it was made of. For so long, he had unquestioned mastery over this realm of the Force. No serious challengers. Maul, Tyrannus, even Vader, all children compared to him in the force. All infants crawling blind through the darkness while he saw clearly.
But now, the force was not so clear. He sat deep in his meditations. The shades to his office in his palace drawn closed. Not a shred of sunlight from the outside world filtered in. Not a soul dared to disturb him. Not while he delved so deep into the force. Attempting to drag the secrets of the force out from its hidden clutches.
Normally, such an exercise bore great fruit. He used these meditations to blind the Jedi Order to his true identity. He used these meditations to foresee the future. It was how he knew he would be victorious against the Sith's foe. It was how he knew he was the culmination of all Sith teachings. No one could best him. Because, as he looked into the future, as he wrestled the dark side into submission so that it lifted that veil away, he could see no one standing against him.
Until now. Until that veil suddenly returned.
There had to be an origin to this. A connection he was missing. A brief image flashed in his mind. Not an image of the future, like he wanted. An image of the past. A recent memory that set him on edge.
Morgan's trial on Moraband, the entire ordeal actually pleased him. She emerged from a Sith Tomb alive and uninjured with a rare relic in hand. He couldn't have asked for a better performance. However, it was what happened in the aftermath that disturbed him. The sight of a ghostly figure watching her leave lingered in his mind. It let her leave the tomb in peace. As if that ghost deemed her not a student or an intruder, but a successor.
The tomb of Marka Ragnos deemed Morgan worthy of both its knowledge and its respect. And that disturbed Sidious. Only one Sith Lord in galactic history garnered such an honor. That one Sith Lord went on to rule the Sith Order for over a thousand years. A Sith Emperor of unrivaled power. Something Sidious himself dreamed of achieving. Something he thought he had within reach.
And now, everything was murky once again. Morgan emerged from the tomb changed. The Dark Side of the Force was drawn to her like a magnet. Her entire demeanor seemed warped. Gone was the naive little girl that looked at the Force with wide eyes and awe. That girl was replaced by an apprentice with a voracious appetite for knowledge. A hunger for power that rivaled Sidious's own ambition.
Normally, he would be very pleased by this. So long as it did not contend with his own power. So long as it did not intrude on his domain.
But he was not pleased. In fact, he was furious. The Dark Side of the Force dared to mock him by showing him images of a little girl he had yet to knight a true Lord of the Sith. The fact that whatever spirit resided in that damnable tomb decided to anoint her in the first place grated on his nerves. It felt like the Dark Side itself decided to not only mock him, but deny his supremacy.
How dare it!
He snarled and ripped his mind free of his meditations. As the world came into focus around him, he got the distinct feeling that the Dark Side was laughing at him. Enjoying every moment of his frustration and confusion over its sudden change.
I am the Dark Lord of the Sith. Sidious let his hands rest on the sleek, black desk. I am the culmination of the rule of two. His hands balled into fists. The force grew in pressure around him. Then it exploded out. Shattering vases on pedestals all around him, I am the Dark Side!
He took a deep breath. His rage continued to simmer. But he reined his emotions back in. A Sith did not lose control of their rage. They did not let their fear and anger determine their choices. Those emotions were tools. Nothing more. Just as the Force was a tool for his will. And his will would not be denied. Not by some long dead spirit in a dusty old tomb. And certainly not by a naive little girl.
Still, he could not shake the feeling that there was more to this. That his sudden paranoia was not unfounded. He steepled his fingers, pondering what to do next.
Morgan was undoubtedly powerful. More powerful than any adept under his command currently. Did she possess the raw power of Lord Vader? No, Vader's raw power exceeded some of the greatest Sith to ever live. But what Morgan did possess that Vader no longer had was potential. What she possessed was a drive to learn more and apply everything she learned in order to grow even more powerful. That drive led her to grow exponentially. Grow at a rate that made Sidious both wary and proud.
This must be how Plagueis felt near the end.
That dark thought lingered in his mind. Was the Dark Side of the Force spelling out his doom to him? Did it give him a glimpse of the person destined to defeat him? Usurp him? Perhaps even destroy him?
He shook his head. No, the Force would not be so open like that. The Dark Side, by its very nature, was a deceptive mistress. Anything it revealed needed to be treated with both skepticism and caution. And only treated as a certainty when events lined up exactly as foreseen.
He needed to test these mocking visions. Needed to test his own grasp over the dark side. He needed to test Morgan's power. Force her true strength to reveal itself. But how to do that?
A light blinked on his desk. An urgent communique for him. One long, knobbly finger reached out and tapped the blinking light. A hologram of an Imperial officer appeared on his desk. A small, diminutive looking man who looked even smaller as he visibly cowered before the Emperor.
"Commander?" Sidious croaked, both glad for the sudden distraction and displeased that someone would bother to contact him now of all times.
The officer swallowed hard, "We have a situation."
The officer spoke. And Sidious's lips curled into a thin, sinister grin.
An alarm blared in her ear. An incessant cry. Beep, beep, beep! Her hand crashed down on the infernal clock. A long groan escaped Ragana's lips. She kept her eyes closed as she lay face down on her mattress. Sheets haphazardly tossed over her small form. Her lips sputtered as she exhaled.
Another beep sounded from the table beside her. A lone red light on the side of a small hologram disk blinked on and off. The bright light filtered through her closed eyelids. Ragana winced and cracked one green eye open. The green retreated away as yellow washed through her iris. A tired sigh left her lips.
She spent all day yesterday training. And no, not just in the Force. Her Master was adamant that powerful Sith maintained their physical strength as best as they could. Which was an odd thing for him to say considering his frail physical condition. Ragana felt relatively sure that she could knock the old man over with a nudge of her elbow.
Then again, he is old. He has an excuse. She pushed herself up onto her knees and stretched her arms over her head. Her elbows and shoulders popped as the sore muscles stretched then loosened up. A small grunt left her lips as a pop rang out from her back.
"That's the spot." She muttered.
She swung her legs out from her bed. Her eyes glanced at the holo disc, bleary vision noticing the blinking red light once again.
She grabbed the disc and held it out in front of her. Her thumb pressed a button on the side. A hologram of one of her Master's personal guards appeared in front of her. The masked, red robed guard stood rigid. Unreadable unless she decided to try and pry into his mind. Which she did attempt on several occasions. He did not appreciate those moments very much. But how else was she going to practice the new mind powers her Master and the Holocrons had been teaching her? It's not like she had any Jedi to toy with. And these guards had the strongest mental conditioning in the Imperial military. Or so the academy reported. Ragana had her doubts.
"The Emperor requests your presence immediately."
Ragana furrowed her brow. She glanced over at her clock. Still early in the morning. Her eyes darted over her shoulder. Even though the shades were drawn, she could tell the sun had yet to rise over Coruscant.
"Can I get dressed first?" She asked with a slight smirk.
The hologram winked off. Ragana's lips pouted.
I don't think he likes me.
Ragana hopped to her feet. Her toes sank into the rich, burgundy rug. She smiled a little bit then hopped up and down. Still thrilled by the somehow foreign sensation of a soft, bouncy carpet beneath her bare feet.
Her eyes gazed longingly at her shower. A small, disappointed sigh left her lips. Her master wanted to see her immediately. That meant no shower this morning. Not until she was done speaking with him at least.
But then we'll probably do more training. She winced a little bit, More insane exercises. Flips, running… force I hate running. More force meditation and holocron study. She blinked, Why am I complaining about that bit? I actually like those last two.
She glanced across her room over to the two pedestals that rested on top of a squat dresser. Resting on top of the pedestals were two Sith holocrons. One gifted to her by her Master when she first became his apprentice. A holocron meant for a novice, according to him. It contained easy to understand information regarding the nature of the dark side of the force and how to interact with it. Although, the old woman whose voice seeped out of the red and gold pyramid seemed quite cranky whenever she spoke. Ragana breezed through that holocron within a few weeks. Although she still went back to it every now and then. It never hurt to brush up on the basics. A solid foundation meant anything she built upon it could grow even stronger.
The second holocron, that is the one she tore into. The holocron of Marka Ragnos called out to her whenever she gazed upon its ancient edges. Most of the knowledge it contained puzzled her. But the more she studied its intricate mysteries, the more she understood. The more power she gathered. With every lesson, she craved even more. The ancient Sith Lord was a genius. A being far ahead of his time. It was no wonder none of his contemporaries could stand against him.
She found herself particularly fascinated by his knowledge of Sith Sorcery. An ancient school in the Dark Side of the Force that had become sort of a lost art by this time in the galaxy. Of course her Master had mastered such a thing. And he gladly instructed her in the lost magics. But for some reason, the lessons Lord Marka Ragnos gave to her seemed more potent. Much more sensible and powerful. It was as if her Master was simply a student teaching another student in the art of sorcery. But Marka Ragnos was a true master. And Ragana felt thrilled whenever his dark voice slipped into her mind and delivered forbidden knowledge to her.
She slipped into some simple clothes, dark pants and a brown shirt. Nothing extravagant. With a flick of her wrist, her beloved coat rushed to her fingertips. She pulled the soft fabric over her shoulders. Her heavy spell book bumped into her hip as she adjusted the oversized coat. She glanced down at the weathered tome.
In between her studies in the dark side, she read her tome. Or, what she thought was her tome. Although, the more she read, the more she became convinced that this book belonged to someone else at one point in time. Her handwriting was completely different than the handwriting in the spell book. The handwriting within the weathered, yellow pages had a slight loopiness to it. Rather pretty to look at. Meanwhile, she considered her own penmanship to be chicken scratch.
Then there was the topics and spells discussed within the spell book. Such a diverse range of spells, hexes, curses; it boggled her mind. The amount of knowledge contained in this one book would have taken a lifetime to gather. There was no name in the book to indicate who it once belonged to. But Ragana could say for certain that she did not own this tome for very long, despite its weather cover and fraying spine.
I need to get it repaired, now that I think about it. She thought as she buttoned up her coat, Would do no good to have pages fall out in the middle of training or in a fight.
Recently she had been attempting to incorporate the spells within her spell book with the force techniques her Master had been teaching her. Using them in succession. Quickly drawing her spellbook and launching a flurry of spells before falling back on her natural force abilities. Her Master did not scold her for such things. In fact, it almost looked like he approved. Although, his feelings towards her had been difficult to read since their trip to Moraband.
Maybe the darkness of that place rattled him as well. She thought to herself as she marched to her door, I know it rattled me… at first.
Her door slid open. She stepped out into the dimly lit hall. She took a deep breath of the morning air that slipped into the hall through the vast, open windows. Her burning eyes glanced to her right and left.
Her two Deathtroopers were slumped over in chairs. Both probably fell asleep while they were supposed to be guarding her door. Ragana frowned. She still did not know why her Master insisted on guards. Then again, he had guards when he didn't really need them either. Maybe it was a display of power?
She did not mind. In fact, she found their company rather nice. They gave her someone to talk to beyond the voices from the holocrons and her own mind. Granted, it took a good deal of time to weather them down from simple one word answers to her questions. One time, she attempted to get them both to join her for a drink in her room. They declined of course. She snorted to herself.
So disciplined. She chuckled.
She did not bother to wake them. They likely needed the rest. She tiptoed away from the door.
Once she was further down the hall, she picked up her pace. Orange sun rays peaked through the clouds. Bathing Coruscant in a sea of sunlight that exposed every cracked piece of concrete and exposed scrap of metal. Normally, a sunrise brought a smile to her fact. But on Coruscant, it only brought a sense of mild disappointment. This had to be the only place in the galaxy that looked more beautiful in the dark than in the light.
She quickly made her way to her Master's study. Two red robed royal guards stood at attention in front of his door. Pikes placed perfectly at their sides. Not a single article of clothing out of place. Discipline personified. A stark contrast to her own Deathtroopers snoozing away in front of her door.
They aren't afraid of me. She thought as she smiled a little bit again. Her thoughts lingered on her Deathtroopers, But I don't mind that too much. Why should they be?
She stopped in front of the doors.
"Good morning boys."
The guards glanced at her. Ragana pursed her lips. Now that she thought about it, could they be girls under those robes? They didn't exactly reveal anything. Maybe the boobs were hidden beneath those thick layers.
"Or should I say girls?"
Both drew back a little bit. Ragana let out a dry chuckle.
"Boys it is. Is my Master in?"
They stepped to the side
"I'll take that as a yes."
The door to her Master's study hissed open. Ragana stepped inside. The door quietly hissed shut behind her.
She walked into a solid wall of darkness. One that made her freeze for a split second. Her Master rarely exuded power like this. And when he did, it was usually due to one of two things. Someone reported something that displeased him and he needed to be intimidating. Or someone pissed him off and that person had to die. Her throat bobbed. Hopefully it was not the latter, because she was the only person he called for.
Or maybe it is the latter and he is sending me to take care of someone? Again she gulped a little bit, Not exactly clean work.
She stepped towards his desk. Two lamps shimmered dimly in the dark room. Some goosebumps formed on her arms beneath her coat as cold air wrapped around her like a frozen hand. She suppressed a shiver. Doing her best to avoid displaying overt weakness. Her master's chair was turned to the window. Wordlessly, she fell to one knee and bowed her head.
"You summoned me, Master?"
The chair rotated around.
"Ah, good. You did not delay this time." Sidious croaked.
Ragana did her best not to smirk. The last time he called her like this, she decided a shower was more important. He was not exactly happy with her that time. He threatened to electrocute her. Ragana argued back that she only wanted to appear her best when he summoned her. As a sign of respect. She knew he saw through such a farce. But that seemed to placate him a little bit. Maybe because her rambling on the matter amused him.
"Rise." Sidious commanded.
Ragana rose to her feet, a slight smile still on her lips.
"I hope you know, I stink right now."
Sidious's fingers tapped against his desk. An unamused look masked his face.
Ragana rocked back and forth on her feet, "Just thought you should know." She muttered.
"I have an assignment for you." Sidious quickly said.
Ragana perked up.
"A mission?" She beamed as he slightly nodded his head, "Oh goody! It has been so long!"
A slight smirk crossed her Master's face, "I am glad to see you are so eager, but this will not be a simple task like last time." Sidious pressed a button on his desk. A hologram of a planet appeared.
Ragana read the text next to the planet, "Naboo?" She glanced past the hologram at her master, "What's happening on your homeworld?"
"An insurrection." Sidious growled.
Ragana's smile dropped, "Of what kind?"
Sidious leaned forward in his seat, "What do you think?"
Ragana swallowed a little bit, "Jedi?"
The hologram winked off. Sidious steepled his fingers.
"My spies report that the queen is trying to build up a force to rebel against the Empire. A group of Jedi fugitives have been assisting her. Advising her. Poisoning her against me and the Empire that loves her planet so much. She needs to be removed before this escalates out of hand. As do the Jedi." Sidious's stared hard at her, "I will be sending you with three inquisitors and a battalion of stormtroopers to put down this petty rebellion."
Ragana waltzed over to a chair near his desk. She ran a hand along the rich leather. Eyes focused on the intricate grain in the dark seat.
"Lenient?" She asked.
"No." Sidious quickly snapped, "You are to crush them, Morgan."
Ragana suppressed a snarl as he used that name. The name she forsook back on Moraband. The name of a weakling afraid of her own shadow. He still did not deem her worthy of the title given to her by Marka Ragnos.
She blinked. Perhaps this was her chance to prove herself?
"I have assigned you the 212th." Sidious informed, "You are to depart immediately. The Grand Inquisitor, Seventh Sister, Fifth Brother, and your commander officer will be waiting for you in the Shipyard. Do not delay."
Ragana bowed at the waist, "Your will shall be done, Master."
She turned on her heel.
"Morgan." Sidious called to her.
Ragana paused, "Yes, Master?"
Sidious's lips curled into an evil grin, "Bring back one of their lightsabers for me. I have need of one."
Ragana furrowed her brow, perplexed by such a request. Nevertheless, she bowed her head and marched out. Once the door hissed shut behind her, Sidious tapped a button on his desk. The hologram of one of his Imperial guards appeared.
"Prepare my shuttle for immediate take off. We depart for Naboo once the 212th leave."
The guard bowed. His image shimmered out of existence.
Sidious stared at the door out of his study. Eyes gleaming with excitement and worry.
It was time to see how powerful his new apprentice really was. And if his spies were correct, these Jedi would be more than up for the task.
Brilliant. Absolutely, positively brilliant.
Commander Cody had received plenty of assignments during his day. He was an old man in the Imperial military now. His enhanced aging thanks to his damnable, manipulated genetics made him appear well into middle age. Flecks of gray peppered his short black hair. Some lines bordered the corners of his mouth. Deep trenches formed as he furrowed his brow. A large scowl broke out over his lips as he marched through the hectic Imperial navy shipyards.
He should have felt happy. For the first time in years, he was being placed on active duty. He had armor over his chest and shoulders again. A polished, shiny white helmet was wedged between his arm and hip. A blaster strapped to the other hip. Any clone worth his salt would be thrilled to be placed back in a combat role. It is what he was bred to do.
But when he received the mission report, all he could do was scowl. Sure, the mission seemed exciting enough. An insurrection on the Emperor's home planet of Naboo. He felt slightly honored to even be considered for command over such a delicate mission. Simple in premise. Engage the insurrectionist, eliminate the threat, apprehend or eliminate any rebel leadership. Just the way he liked it. No political bullshit in the way.
Then he found out who would be leading the operations. One of the Emperor's personal lackeys. Someone named Morgan, whoever the hell that was. Add on top of that, a trio of inquisitors would be joining the mission. Likely to mitigate any Jedi presence. Which Cody doubted would be there. The Jedi were extinct. Him and his brothers in the old Grand Army saw to that personally.
A small wave of melancholy hit him as he thought back to those dark days. But he quickly shook his head and sidestepped past a group of repair droids shuffling around a shuttle. It did no good to linger on the sins of the past. He had new sins to commit now.
He glanced down at the datapad he had in his left hand. At least the Empire had the damn courtesy to give him and his superior a state of the art ship. Brand new. Not even named yet.
Although knowing Palpatine's little ass kissers, they'll name it something stupid.
He drew closer to his destination. A large, new, Imperial Class Star Destroyer hovered in its docking bay in the shipyard. Various droids and grounds crew buzzed around it, putting the finishing touches on the ship before it could take off. Cody noticed a few uniformed officers mingling near one of the shuttles that would take all of them up to the Ship's hangar. When they noticed him, a few blinked in surprise. He could already hear the murmurs.
"A clone, with us?"
"Is the fighting going to be that heavy?"
"He's an old one. It probably won't be."
Cody rolled his eyes as he walked past them and stepped onto the shuttle. Stupid, youthful officers. He may be old, but he had experience. And experience outranks everything on the battlefield.
The droid piloting the shuttle beeped and whirred. The shuttle quickly hovered up to the star destroyer's hangar. Within a few seconds, Cody set foot onto his new home.
Tie fighters hung along the ceiling of the hangar. All shiny and new. All pieces of junk in his eyes. What was wrong with the old Arc Fighters? At least those had shields for the pilots. Hell, at least those old hunks of junk had a life support system for the pilots.
His boots clicked against the polished floors. Several stormtroopers noticed him. Some gave him brief salutes. Others ignored him outright. Probably because he refused to be like these other pissant officers and wear his rank in colorful ribbons on his chest. He did not want to look like a damn peacock.
He stepped onto the first turbolift he could find. He punched the button that read 'bridge'. That was where he would be. A small part of him hoped he was the first of the command crew to arrive. It would give him some time to acclimate to the new environment without anyone looking over his shoulder. And he certainly did not want to be around those inquisitors. That little group of the military gave him the shivers. Something about them just did not sit well with him.
Maybe because the Republic fought scum like them. Yet the Empire now embraces them. He snorted, Yeah, that's probably it.
The lift came to a smooth stop. The doors to the lift opened.
Someone else was already on the bridge. Someone important. He could tell by the two Deathtroopers standing guard in front of the bridge doors. Their black armor polished to a perfect shine. Posture rigid. Rifles locked and loaded. The only soldiers in the pathetic Imperial army that could possibly stand up to his brothers, in his opinion. What were they doing here? Cody arched an eyebrow as he stepped out of the lift.
He entered the bridge. The lone occupant inside was a little girl. No, not necessarily little. A teenager actually. Jet black hair crowned her head. A purple and gold coat sat over her small frame. It's oversized sleeves billowed over slim arms. Her gloved hands were folded behind her back as she stood facing away from the lift.
Outside of the bridge, the Imperial shipyards hummed with activity. A few droids finished wiping down the viewports on the bridge. Some shuttles took off from other docking bays. Cody wondered if the rest of the crew were beginning to board.
They better be. We cannot delay on this mission.
"Finally, someone shows up." The girl spoke, causing Cody to stop in his tracks.
Did she hear him arrive? He was not sure. The lift was rather quiet. Maybe she heard his boots tapping against the floor?
She glanced over her shoulder. Cody felt something crawl up his spine as bloodshot eyes stared back at him.
"I was told my command crew would be waiting for me. But I arrived, and no one was here. Imagine my disappointment."
Cody blinked. Her command crew? His jaw slowly fell open. A migraine started to form in his head.
So this was the lackey Emperor Palpatine wanted in command. Cody had a bad feeling about this.
The girl's eyes darted up and down. A slight amused smirk flashed on her lips. A pressure built up in Cody's mind. Not from the splitting headache, although that did not help matters. Something crawled through his mind. Invaded his thoughts. A subtle thing that he only detected thanks to the fogginess he now felt whenever he tried to think of something important regarding… regarding himself?
"Cody?" The girl smirked back at him. A surprised look flashed over the old Clone's face, "Hm, that name fits you. An old war hero back in command of his old unit. It's almost like the ending to a good storybook." She turned around to face him, "Tell me Commander, do you view this assignment as the beginning or end of your career?"
Cody furrowed his brow. The pressure in his mind receded. Something was off about this little girl. There was an unsettling gleam in those burning eyes of hers. An off putting aura whenever she smirked.
The girl snickered a little bit, "Oh, there is no need to be afraid of me, Commander. We are going to work together after all." She put a finger to her chin, "Although, the start to any good working relationship is proper introductions." She cleared her throat, "My name is Ragana. The Emperor placed me in charge of this mission. And you are?"
Cody arched an eyebrow, "Cody." He said, "But you already knew that." He narrowed his gaze at the girl, "And I thought my commanding officer was named Morgan."
A twinge of anger flashed in her eyes. Cody did not recoil away from it. Instead, he studied that brief flash in her eyes.
"It is." Ragana replied, "That is… a name I don't really like."
Oh you are one of those. Cody thought to himself, I've got a loon in command.
"But, if you want to refer to me as such for now, you may. Although, I do expect that to change at some point." Ragana replied, "I can't help what others have already told you of me." Her breath hitched, she furrowed her brow, "What have others told you?"
Cody frowned, "Your name. And that is it."
Part of the reason why I am not happy about this mission. I prefer to know who is in command of such an important mission.
"Oh?" Ragana blinked, "Hm… well, then we can get to know each other organically. Nothing wrong with that. All you need to know right now is that I am close to Palps." Did she just call the Emperor, Palps? "And that I expect you to lead the soldiers of this legion to the best of your abilities. Can you do that?"
As long as you don't get in my way.
"Yes ma'am." Cody replied.
Ragana chuckled lightly. She sauntered up to him. One small hand patted his armored shoulder,
"Don't worry, Commander. I won't get in your way." Cody's heart thumped in his chest. Did she just read his thoughts? "You are far more experienced than myself at this sort of thing. I would be an idiot to impede your skills in the ways of war." She walked past him, "Walk with me."
They moved towards the turbolift. The lift opened and the bridge's crew stepped aboard. All of them moved towards their stations. Ready to prep the Star Destroyer for takeoff. Stepping off the lift last were the three inquisitors. All three of them blinked in surprise when they saw Ragana.
"L-lady Morgan." The Grand Inquisitor stammered, "We were not informed-"
"That I already arrived. Well I have." Ragana quickly cut him off. The inquisitor standing behind the leader, a green Mirialan, sneered at Ragana. Ragana's yellow eyes flicked to her, "Watch your thoughts, Seventh Sister. They betray you."
The Seventh Sister gulped in shock.
"You have the bridge for now." Ragana informed the Grand Inquisitor, "I must speak to my commanding officer in private."
"We are a part of this mission too." A hulking, gray alien rumbled beside the Seventh Sister.
"Yes, you are. And I gave you your job. Watch the bridge. All three of you."
Cody felt a small smirk form on his lips. Alright, this girl had a sense of command about her. The inquisitors seemed to act with caution around her. He did not know whether that was a good or bad sign. But quite frankly, anything that put the fear of god into these creeps sat well with him in his book.
Ragana waved her hand. Cody stepped onto the lift with her. She punched a code into the lift. The code to her personal quarters.
"I prefer that those morons do not listen to our conversations." Ragana admitted as the bridge rushed down from the bridge, "The Grand Inquisitor is not stupid like the other two. But I don't like him."
"Why not?" Cody asked as he cast a sidelong glance at the shorter girl.
Ragana's gaze hardened a moment, "Because he is nothing more than a sophisticated animal."
The lift slid to a stop. The door opened. Both stepped out and into a small room.
Cody had been on enough command ships to know how most officers liked to decorate their rooms. Normally there would be memorabilia commemorating their successes all around the room. Trophies, awards, commendations would hang on the walls. A few art pieces maybe. Officers liked to exempt themselves from normal regulations regarding decorations.
But Ragana's room reminded him of a Jedi General's room. Sparsely furnished. A simple, twin bed off to the side. A small desk with, of all things, actual paper and ink. A datapad sat on top of those papers. No lush carpet on the floor. Her room did have a small window allowing her to view outside of the ship. But that was pretty much standard for a commanding officer's quarters.
The only thing that seemed out of the ordinary were the two red and gold pyramids sitting on small pedestals near her bed. Cody furrowed his brow as he glanced over at them. A red light pulsed inside of each.
"Holocrons, Commander." Ragana explained, noticing his confusion.
"Jedi holocrons?"
"Do those look like Jedi holocrons?" Ragana asked with some playfulness in her voice, "I thought you fought alongside those dastards for most of your career."
Cody frowned, "I did." He glanced at the holocrons again, "And I guess those don't look like Jedi holocrons."
"Good, they aren't." Ragana motioned for him to take a seat.
It was nothing more than a simple metal chair. Nothing comfortable or uncomfortable about it. It was as if this entire room was nothing more than a blank slate. The only hints of personality being the paper, ink, and holocrons.
He ran his gaze over Ragana again. This room was a stark contrast to her. She looked entirely unique compared to any other commanding officer he ever had. Not just due to her age, but her demeanor in general. She seemed… surprisingly friendly. There was clearly a sharp intellect to her as well, judging by how she spoke. And she had boundless amounts of energy. Ever since he arrived, she had not stopped moving. Even as she sat down, something moved.
Ragana drummed the fingers of her right hand on her leg. She stared at Cody silently for a moment. Cody matched her gaze. A smile broke out of her lips.
"I like you." She grinned, "You don't bow or kowtow to me at all."
Cody blinked in surprise.
"You have no idea how many of those types I've run into since meeting Palps." Ragana rolled her eyes, " 'Oh Lady Morgan, you are absolutely magnificent. Truly intelligent. Nothing can stand up to you. Please let me continue to stroke your ego.' " She shook her head, "Obviously, my Master knows better than to give me someone like that to work with. Still, I was worried." She folded her legs, "Tell me a little about yourself."
Cody shifted uncomfortably in his seat. A superior didn't often ask him to do that.
"Well um, I am designated as CC- 2224. I have served in-"
Ragana raised her hand, "I already know that about you. A cursory glimpse of your mind revealed those little details. I don't want to know about CC-2224. I want to know about Cody. The accomplished commander of the 212th Attack Battalion."
Cody gave her a perplexed look.
"I mean," Ragana leaned back in her seat, "Unless you are that boring." She chuckled a little bit, "That'll change around me."
Cody opened his mouth to speak. Then he paused. How was he supposed to address her? She held no rank as far as he was aware.
"Ragana." He said slowly.
"Yes?" The girl replied, a small smile on her lips as he used the name she preferred.
"Can I know a little about you?" He asked carefully, "There is not much to me. I am simply a soldier. But you are my commanding officer, and I-"
"Know nothing about me." Ragana finished for him.
Her burning eyes bored holes into him. Studying his face. Likely searching through his mind again. Although, Cody did not feel any pressure in his head.
Her lips parted into a smile. One that did not make Cody feel very comfortable.
"Well, I'd love to tell you about me. The only problem is," She tapped the side of her head, "The memory is not very good past about a year ago."
Cody furrowed his brow, "Amnesia?"
Ragana nodded, "Yup. My memory goes about as far back as when Palps found me in his palace, fighting off some strange ash monsters."
Cody raised an eyebrow. Ragana waved her hand dismissively.
"Not important." Ragana muttered.
"Can I ask you something else." Cody continued.
Ragana nodded.
"Why are asking me these questions? How do any of these questions pertain to our mission?"
Ragana's smile never wavered.
"I am asking you these questions because I want to know who the man leading my soldiers really is. I want to know if he is truly capable of leading this mission. There is only so much I can learn from dossiers and mind reading." Ragana folded her hands, "But since you insist on saying you're just a boring soldier, I'll ask a different line of questions. Who was your first commanding officer?"
Cody furrowed his brow. Why would she be asking him that?
"Jedi or non-Jedi?"
Ragana pursed her lips, "Jedi."
Cody frowned. Where was this line of questioning going?
"Obi Wan Kenobi." Cody answered.
A strange look crossed Ragana's face. Her smile wavered ever so slightly.
"That… actually sounds familiar." Ragana pressed her lips together, "Hm… Kenobi. Kenobi…" She shrugged, "Oh well, maybe it'll come to me, maybe it won't. What was he like?"
"Pardon?"
"What was he like?" Ragana asked again, "Kenobi, how was he as a commander?"
Cody shifted in his seat again, "He was… he was one of the few Jedi Generals that actually knew what they were doing on the battlefield."
"Oh? So he was good at his job then?"
Cody nodded, "He was. Did his best to minimize casualties on the battlefield. Actually listened to soldiers trained to conduct battles. Fought beside us on the front lines. Him, General Skywalker, and a few others were actually good generals to fight beside."
A faraway look drifted into the Commander's eyes as he thought back to those days. The days of the Clone War. All of the triumphs and tragedies, victories and defeats. All of it culminated in one single, horrible moment. A moment where he had to kill a man he considered a friend.
"You seem sad, Commander." Ragana said.
Cody jumped. He quickly adjusted himself. Returning to the same, blank stare he had before. An action that made Ragana uttered a small, sympathetic laugh.
"You have nothing to fear from me, Commander. You haven't done anything to upset me." Ragana leaned forward in her seat, "Go on, speak."
Cody hesitated, "Kenobi and I were good friends during the Clone Wars. I regret his death."
Ragana nodded, "You regret Order 66?"
Cody shook his head, "No. It needed to happen I-" He fumbled with his words for a moment, "I just wish Kenobi did not have to be a part of it."
Ragana closed her eyes, "I can't even imagine."
Cody drew back in surprise. Sympathy from one of the Emperor's lackeys? Hell must have frozen over. Ragana really was not like any of the other political idiots the Emperor thrust upon the military.
"I hope you and I can reach that level of loyalty one day." Ragana admitted, "And as my first step in that journey, I am going to inform you of something regarding our mission. Something the regular stormtrooper does not know."
Cody arched an eyebrow.
"There are Jedi on Naboo." His heart jumped to his throat, "We do not know how many, or who is leading them. But that is why myself and the inquisitors are a part of this mission."
Cody reeled. Jedi on Naboo? Impossible! The Jedi were extinct. Sure, there could have been some survivors of Order 66. But he liked to believe that those survivors were not stupid enough to reveal themselves to the Empire so brazenly. The Jedi had to be more intelligent than that, right?
Then again, they commanded their own killers.
Cody focused on Ragana again. And once again, all he could see was a little teenage girl sitting in front of him. Certainly not a battle tested warrior. At least Ahsoka Tano had seen warfare alongside Anakin Skywalker. This girl seemed greener than a patch of grass.
Ragana tilted her head a little bit.
"Yes, I don't have that much experience."
Kriff, she is in my head again!
"But," Ragana continued, "that is why I will be relying on you. The Inquisitors only care about the Jedi. They don't care about actually putting down this insurrection while dealing as little lasting damage to the Naboo as possible. I will not be relying on them. Because I hate them. And because I think very little of them. I want you to take charge of ground forces on this mission. I do not trust the Inquisitors to actually succeed in this endeavor. You have all of the experience. You are the ideal person to lead the charge."
Cody blinked in surprise. He never heard an Imperial say such a hostile thing about the Inquisitors before. Any who did never got away with it. They usually ended up dead. Who was this girl exactly?
"Aren't you an inquisitor?" Cody asked.
Ragana threw her head back and laughed, "No," She chuckled some more, "No. The inquisitors are… glorified bounty hunters that exclusively hunt Jedi down. Me, I don't hunt Jedi." Ragana's eyes flashed with excitement, "I execute them. I guess you could call me the Emperor's executioner, if we go off of that description." She rose from her seat, "Now then, I trust you Commander. I trust your record and your intelligence. I want a plan of attack in front of me as soon as we arrive in the Naboo system."
Cody breathed a sigh of relief as he rose from his chair as well. Grateful that Ragana transitioned from speaking on personal matters back towards the mission at hand. The mission was easier for him to think about. It gave him a purpose.
"Any intelligence we have on the insurrectionist will be available on your personal terminal. If you see any gaps, inform me." Ragana continued, "Understood?"
Cody nodded, "Yes ma'am."
"Good." Ragana grinned. She nodded for Cody to follow her back to her door, "You will find me in here once you have finished creating a plan of attack. I want you to explain it to me before we conduct our operation. The Jedi will likely be heavily involved in the fighting, I want to be able to fight within our plan of attack while also effectively combating any of them."
Cody nodded, "A wise course of action, ma'am."
"Thank you." Ragana smiled again. Her door hissed open, "Oh, and tell those inquisitors to take off immediately. We cannot delay this mission any longer."
"Yes, Lady Ragana." Cody nodded again.
He caught her unsettling smile one more time before the door hissed shut. As soon as the door closed, Cody exhaled. Waves of tension and anxiety left his body. For some reason, that little girl managed to set him on edge. But at the same time, she impressed him. Not many could claim to have done that recently. She appeared focused on the mission. Willing to listen to advice about how to best combat the enemy. Certainly not an arrogant know-it-all fresh out of the Imperial Academy. It rapidly became clear to Cody that he, in fact, would not be a babysitter on this mission. Rather, he would play an integral part in it.
A swell of pride filled him at that thought. Ragana did not see him as an old, washed up clone. She saw him as an experienced and accomplished battlefield commander. Someone who's wisdom should not be tossed away. His respect for her continued to grow as he marched back to the turbo lift.
"A plan of attack..." He muttered to himself, "A plan of attack…" The turbo lift opened, he stepped on. The door closed behind him, "It has been a while since I've done one of those."
Kjelle gripped the bar above her head. One of the few scraps of metal in this rust bucket that did not appear entirely essential to anything. Although, Han would likely protest her using the bar in the doorway as a pullup bar. She grunted as she slowly pulled her body up till her chin hovered over the bar. Then she exhaled as she slowly lowered her body.
"Working out again?
Kjelle flicked her eyes over to the small, green haired girl with pointy ears sitting on the bunk nearby.
Nah normally did not do much. Due to her Manakete heritage, she slept often. She would read on a datapad whenever she was actually awake, something she was doing now. Studying up on the galaxy and everything in it. Not that Kjelle actually cared about that nonsense. All that mattered was that she and Nah barely survived a violent situation on another planet. Barely making it was not good enough. Not for Kjelle.
Kjelle pulled herself up again. Nah flicked her eyes up from the datapad.
"You know pull ups won't help when a blaster is fired at you."
Kjelle lowered her body again. Sweat beaded on her brow.
"You don't even know what a blaster is." She grunted back. She yanked herself up again. This time her arms trembled a little bit as she held her chin above the bar.
Nah frowned, "Neither do you." Nah tapped her datapad, "Did you know that there are over-"
"Don't care Nah." Kjelled interrupted.
Nah blinked, "Well, I was just going to tell you how many types of blaster there are."
"Innumerable amounts." Hondo called as he rounded the bend in the ship and waltzed towards the little bunk room in the Millenium Falcon. He paused and whistled as Kjelle lowered her body from the bar over her head, "Looking good Kjelle. Truly, any human or alien sees you, they will fall head over heels."
Kjelle let go of the bar, "Because they will have just met my fist."
Hondo let out a small, nervous laugh, "Not what I meant, but maybe you do not have much romantic experience."
"No time for romance. Only training." Kjelle replied as she fell onto her back. She glanced at her reflection in her armor, which was lying beside her bunk. Then she sat up and breathed out, "One…"
"Sit ups won't help with blasters either." Nah muttered.
"Two… don't care, Nah."
Hondo nodded as he leaned against the doorway, "The little lizard girl is right you know. A blaster doesn't care how muscular you are. It will burn a hole through you regardless."
"I am not a lizard girl." Nah deadpanned.
"Five…" Kjelle breathed, "I don't care." She sat up again, "Six… the body must remain in tip top shape." Up. "Seven…" Down. "Mom taught me that. Never know when you'll get into a fistfight."
Hondo arched his brow, "Does everything revolve around fighting for you?"
Kjelle sat up again and paused at the top, "No. It revolves around being the best warrior."
Hondo frowned, "That's exactly the same thing."
"No, it isn't." Kjelle continued her exercise, "If I'm the best, no one is going to want to fight me."
"Except those who also want to be the best." Nah pointed out.
"Shut up, Nah." Kjelle grunted, "I'm starting to regret saving your life."
"I'm fully capable of saving my own life. You seem to forget I am capable of turning into a dragon."
"Well aware." Kjelle grunted.
"So that is what the big lizard is called." Hondo nodded, "Dragon. Any relation to the Krayt Dragon?"
Nah shook her head, "Krayt dragons are mindless animals. Manaketes are not."
"Hm… and how many Manaketes are there?" Hondo asked.
"Depends." Nah shrugged, "Kjelle, what time are we in?"
"Does it look like I know the answer to that, Nah?" Kjelle huffed, sweat dripped down her brow, "We are in space for crying out loud. Nowhere near Ylisse. Who knows if we even ended up in the right time period."
Hondo looked at them both with some confusion.
"Are you two saying you're time travelers?"
"How else do you explain the portal I came through?" Kjelled asked.
Hondo bobbed his head back and forth, "Fair point, my friend. Fair point." He sighed and stretched his arms over his head, "This has been a boring trip. No action, other than that little spat back on Ord Mantell. Then again, if you don't get into a spat on Ord Mantell, you did something wrong. And should probably look out for a sniper." He laughed wistfully, "I remember my first trip to that scum ridden, hell hole-"
The ship jostled. Hondo paused in his storytelling. He blinked and glanced back down the corridor towards the cockpit.
"Hm…. must've come out of hyperspace." He muttered, "As I was saying-"
The ship jostled again. Kjelle froze on the floor. Nah flicked her eyes around the room. Before anyone could say anything else, the ship shuddered. All three heard Chewie howl from the cockpit.
"I know, damn it! I know!" Han roared.
"The hell is going on?" Kjelle wondered out loud.
She jumped to her feet and marched past Hondo towards the cockpit. The ship shuddered as she neared the cockpit. Kjelle lost her footing and fell against the curved wall. Her feet slipped on the slick floor. Hondo caught her from behind.
"Careful or you'll hit your head on something."
Kjelle shook his hands from her arm and stormed into the cockpit. Han and Chewie were furiously working the controls to the Falcon. The Wookie uttered a loud howl before shaking a massive paw in the air.
"You tell me!" Han snapped at Chewie.
"What is happening?" Kjelle asked. A flash of red light passed over the cockpit. The ship shuddered again. Kjelle braced her body against the doorway.
Han wheeled around in his seat, "I told you to leave that damn girl alone!"
"Nah!?" Kjelle blinked, "What does she have to do with any of this?"
"Because I have a feeling those slavers are now trying to blow us up." Han growled, both of his hands gripped the controls to the Falcon, "Chewie how are those deflector shields looking?"
Chewie uttered a series of furious snorts and growls.
"That bad huh? Divert some power then." Han pulled on the yoke. The ship swerved. Kjelle gasped as she almost fell backwards in Hondo.
"Are you crazy!?" Kjelle cried.
"I don't need to hear it from you right now!" Han snapped at her, "Any idea who's after us, buddy?"
Chewie shrugged. More red lights flashed over the cockpit. A red light blinked on and off as an alarm whined in the cockpit.
"What's that flashing!" Kjelle asked as she pointed her finger at the light on the control panel.
Han swatted her hand away, "Deflector shields aren't holding up well. Damn it all! How the hell did they track us?" He glanced out the viewport, "We're so damn close to the drop."
Chewie bellowed at him.
"I know! I know!" Han shouted, both worried and exasperated, "If we arrive with heat on our asses we lose the buyers. Then Jabba will really be pissed." He yanked on the yoke again. The Falcon twirled. Kjelle yelped as she used all of her strength to keep herself from flying up into the roof. "We'll have to jump again." He glanced at a gauge, "Closest place with a fuel depot, Chewie!"
The Wookie's massive paws started fiddling with several knobs and switches. Han spun in his chair and tapped on a screen to his left. He uttered a loud snarl and smacked an open palm against the screen. The ship shuddered. This time, an explosion rang out in the rear of the ship. Nah came sprinting up the corridor.
"Something went boom!" Nah cried.
"I know!" Han roared, "Hondo, turret!"
"We're shooting back?" Hondo blinked in surprise.
"Until the nav computer finishes working yes!" Han shouted, "Get to the turrets." He nodded at Kjelle, "You too, Sweetheart!"
"How many times have I told you not to call me that?" Kjelle hissed.
Hondo grabbed her wrist, "Come on. No time to chit chat."
Kjelle tugged her arm from his grasp then raced after him down the corridor towards a shaft that ran up and down. Kjelle eyed the ladder. Hondo waggled his eyebrows.
"Top or bottom?"
She shoved him onto the ladder.
"Alright, I'll be the bottom, heh!" Hondo laughed.
Kjelle shook her head as she grabbed the ladder and scrambled up it. Once she reached the top, she found herself in a cramped chamber. A single, leather seat rested in the center of the small, round space. A console of some sorts was attached to the chair. In front of the bulky contraption was a large window staring out into the vast, empty expanse of space. Through that window, Kjelle could see the top of the Millenium Falcon.
Kjelle arched an eyebrow as she sat down in the chair and strapped herself in.
"What do I do now?" She muttered to herself.
She spotted a strange headband resting on a hook on the console. She reached for it and put the circular parts over her ears. A long antenna rested near her mouth.
"Can you hear me, sweetheart?" Han asked in her right ear.
Kjelle snapped her head around, "How are you talking to me!" She shouted.
"Not so loud." Hondo winced in her left ear, "These mics are shit and I can't adjust the volume."
"Don't badmouth my ship, you damn pirate." Han growled.
"What am I doing!?" Kjelle screamed, silencing both of them.
"Yeah…listen to the pirate and try not to scream." Han said, "You're operating one of the Falcon's turrets."
"What does that mean?" Kjelle asked.
"You know blaster pistols?" Hondo said in her ear, "Bigger version."
The ship shuddered. And as the ship shuddered, excitement built in Kjelle.
"Bigger version?" She asked. Giddiness laced her voice.
"Yes, bigger. You control it with that console in front of you. You fire with the two buttons on top of the handles." Han told her.
Kjelle grabbed the handles. The screen on the console winked to life. The chair she sat in swiveled. Kjelle gasped and pressed her back further into the seat.
It moves. She gulped.
"That screen in front of you, do you see it?"
Kjelle gulped again. She peered at the small screen on the console.
"Yeah." she replied.
"That is a targeting screen. Line up the enemy with the center, hit those buttons, and fire away." The ship shuddered, "Simple as that."
"Sure… simple." Kjelle muttered as the chair swiveled again.
She yanked on the console, trying her best to straighten herself. As she did that, she caught sight of another ship on their tail. Red light zipped from that ship. Two blaster bolts hammered the top of the Falcon. Kjelle squeezed her eyes shut as the flashes nearly blinded her.
"Fire back! I'm trying to get this old bucket of bolts to work." Han barked.
Kjelle acted on instinct. Her thumbs jammed down on the red buttons. The chair shuddered as the turret fired several red bolts through space towards the enemy ship. A thrill filled Kjelle as she watched the bolts shriek towards the enemy ship. The ship twirled out of the way and any thrill left Kjelle as it returned fire.
"You okay, Kjelle?" Hondo asked.
"Never better." Kjelle grinned as she jostled with the controls, trying her best to line her turret up with the elusive enemy ship, "I'm guessing this guy is good?"
"Oh hoh, he's excellent! We should try and get them on our side!" Hondo chuckled.
"How about no!" Han snapped back at Hondo, "I've got too many tagalongs already."
Kjelle squeezed the buttons again. Her turret followed the path of the enemy ship. A large smile crossed her lips as the thrill of a new form of combat hit her. This was proving to be very fun. In an extremely dangerous kind of way. Just how she liked it.
"He's going towards you, Hondo." Kjelle said.
"I see her."
"I don't care where, Chewie! Anywhere but here would be nice at the moment!" Han cried so loud that Kjelle heard his voice down the corridor. The Wookie roared in the background, "Sure, why not. Punch it you fuzzball!"
The ship shuddered again. Though not due to blasterfire. This time, the Falcon lurched as the hyperdrive whined to life. The stars turned to streak of pale light all around Kjelle. With a loud boom, the Falcon shot into hyperspace. Away from their pursuer.
A relieved sigh fell from Han's lips.
"Too close." He breathed, "Where are we going, Chewie?"
Kjelle exhaled and sank back into her seat. The adrenaline in her veins continued to pump. But the excitement in her started to die. A large smile crossed her face once again. One of her hands ran along the console in front of her.
I gotta get me one of these. She thought.
"Naboo huh."
"Oh, that planet is lovely this time of year!" Hondo cheered, "Then again, Naboo is lovely almost any time of year. There was this one time-"
Kjelle tuned out the pirate's story. It probably had something to do with some form of debauchery or piracy. Quite frankly, she was not that interested at the moment. As long as they were safe from harm, she did not care where they ended up.
Hopefully, the slavers were not chasing Nah to this Naboo place. And if they were, Kjelle would be ready to run her spear through their gut. She hummed to herself she stepped out of the chair.
Maybe I should ask Han for a blaster.
And chapter! This is part one of a little arc I have set up for Morgan, Kjelle, Nah, and our band of pirates. Morgan is given command of a mission by Sidious, and she has an old war hero to help her out with it. I'm excited to write their interactions. I think they will work well together. The bitter old war hero in Cody and the unsettlingly energetic Morgan/Ragana. Nothing could go wrong there! And Kjelle's little band is on a collision course with them now. It'll be interesting to see what happens there.
Anyways, let me know what you all think of this chapter! As always, I hope you all enjoyed! Have a nice day!