Disclaimer: I do not own either RWBY or Star Wars

'They are going to do what!? I should have seen that coming...' Shock and disgust, followed by the realisation that he should have expected it.

'You want me to go with them?' The displeasure and disgust he felt.

'There are many artefacts kept by the Jedi within the temple. I want you to... retrieve a few of them.' His Master's cold command.

'HOW COULD YOU DO-!?' The last words of a shocked Temple Guard.

'Wayle? I had heard rumours, but… I didn't think it was true…' His reunion with an old friend from his youngling days.

'I can't let you pass. Please… leave.' The pained request of his friend's master.

'How… how could one so kind… turn out so… terrible…' That man's dying words.

'NO!' His friend's enraged outcry.

"Master?" A fleeting voice reached his ears.

He was too absorbed in thought to note it.

'WHY!? Why did you kill him?!' The rage, and despair of his former friend.

'Wh…y…'

"Master!" The voice returned, stronger and closer this time.

He started slightly, startled by the sudden intrusion.

"What is it?" He asked, trying to keep his voice level.

As he recovered he registered who had come to talk to him.

It was Latune, and there was a hint of concern on her face.

"I came to check up on you and… you didn't respond when I called and… you… were crying…" She trailed off, clearly unsure how to handle the situation.

Wayle touched his cheeks, noting the wetness. Indeed, he had clearly shed tears…

"It was nothing. I was just… reminiscing." He deflected her concern. "What was it you wanted?"

"Oh! Right. Let's see…" She was caught off guard by the sudden question, and had to take a few moments to consider. "Aureus wanted to speak to you, about our next move and- "She glanced at the desk. "…your emblem. Is that…?" She indicated the sketch.

"A rough draft, indeed. I still have reservations about it, but barring any major complaints this seems to me a most… fitting symbol."

The petite apprentice studied his sketch for a short while, trying to decipher it.

"A bit on the elaborate side, but I suppose for one as exceptionally as Master it is only to be expected." She observed it a bit further. "What colour will it bear? I believe Master does not have a colour associated with him."

"Colour?" He was left confused for a few moments. "Ah, yes. I keep forgetting the odd fixation on colour this planet has." The young Sith pondered for a few moments. "I believe dark-red and light-blue for the outer circle, and then a dark-grey for the rest should suffice. I understand that all emblems on Remnant are mono-chrome, but… I am not from Remnant. I will take the liberty of… bending the rules a bit."

Latune looked a bit surprised for a short few moments, but then a small smile spread across her lips, and she performed a small bow.

"Truly, my Master stands out amongst all others."

"Why do you do that?" He asked, slightly perturbed by her words and actions.

His apprentice simply smiled.

-Break—

"While our men's equipment is quite fine, the Paladins…" Aureus said cautiously.

"Are technically still mere prototypes." Latune finished.

They were currently discussing the military strength of the Army of Union, and as such only Latune and Aureus were really participating. The rest were simply listening, with Roland or the Captain occasionally throwing a word in.

"I would prefer if our military capacity was an unneeded point." Wayle cut in. "But I still get the feeling things will not proceed that well. Do we have any viable solution when it comes to bringing our Paladins out of the prototype stage?"

"I have been assisting what engineers we have managed to draw to our cause in fixing the main issues, but I am ultimately not knowledgeable enough…" The purple haired girl said, fading off with a troubled look on her face.

"Preferably we would want to find someone with experience in the field, but unless we want to 'acquire' someone from the Atlesian military I doubt that is feasible." The administrator provided.

"I have been on the lookout, but Atlas jealously guards their researchers. Even if there were individuals sympathetic to our cause they would be hard-pressed to contact us, much less provide any assistance." Ouka added, the conversation veering towards her domain.

"I know where they keep the relevant people. Do you want me to-? "Felis began.

"No. Leave them alone. We will not antagonise any of the powers. Unless they start a conflict with us I want them left mostly alone." The Lord cut in. "Of course, you are free to continue intelligence gathering operations Felis, and if defectors appear, we will most certainly consider them." As he mentioned the latter subject he turned to his Faunus apprentice.

"Of course, my Master." She responded, bowing deeply.

He sighed resignedly at her display.

"As you wish." The assassin replied in turn.

"What about the White Fang? Any signs of resurgence?" He proceeded to ask the cat Faunus.

"We have steadily hunted down any remnants, there seems now little chance for them to return, especially if we can draw in those who may still follow them." She answered.

"Amongst the most troublesome only a few are suitable to join us." The Ouka said in response. "As long as we continue our current recruitment policy I doubt that would be possible."

"Continue keeping an eye out for White Fang remnants, I would prefer if they remained a thing of the past." Wayle stated imperiously.

"Of course." Felis replied.

"How does the political scene look, Aureus?" He moved on to another subject, and another subordinate.

"With the recent incidents Atlas and the Vale Council have started losing the faith of the populace in their ability to adequately protect them. I believe this has affected our ability to recruit, both positively and negatively. On one hand there are those that seek us out as an alternate source of protection, on the other there are those who shun us, seeing us as little more than upstarts, much like Atlas." The addressed responded.

"I see. And, have you managed to get in contact with Mistral or Vacuo?" The Sith continued.

"Not yet, I believe they are reluctant to even talk to us while our standing with Vale, within who's territory we reside, and Atlas, who endeavours to protect them, remains uncertain." Aureus provided.

"As expected then. We still have quite a way to go. Is our position secure?" Wayle asked, this time addressing all of his inner circle.

"The people of this town are positive towards us, and it seems many of them would support our legitimacy." The secretary-turned-mayor said confidently.

"We are quite secure. With our current position it would take an unprecedented amount of Grimm, or the full force of Atlas, to bring it down." Roland added.

"My spies have established themselves in all the Kingdoms and their major settlements. We even have informants within the Hunter Academies." Felis reported gleefully.

"Our only real problem would be resources. Materials are hard to come by as long as we are seen as an illegitimate organization." Aureus then informed, with a distinct lack of cheer. "I am making do as best possible, but it is truly difficult. Many of my connections are useless at the moment."

"That is all within my predictions. We should be able to continue in the same manner for at least a little longer. Continue as previously unless something major occurs." The Lord nodded sagely.

"Now then. With all that out of the way, let's discuss our Lord's emblem shall we?"

-Break—

After what felt like another eternity spent discussing a symbol, Wayle was finally freed from the madness of his subjects.

Well, he didn't think they were actually insane, just that their ideas were starting to seem insane to him.

He sighed. Perhaps an exercise in introspection would help.

He sat down cross-legged in an otherwise empty room. He had decided to claim it as a meditation chamber for now, as they still hadn't quite managed to decide how to use it.

He would have to make sure they prepared a proper chamber later. Maybe a room for Lightsaber training? He still needed to train Ouka, and Latune still had much room for improvement, fast learner or no.

He took a deep breath and focused inward, on himself, rather than on the Force.

It was a good exercise, helped him sort his thoughts and reveal the truth.

What?

What was this?

He suddenly seemed to have stumbled upon-

Oh.

Oh!

OH!

Aura.

The mystical power originating in the soul of a person.

This could potentially be the source of his recent troubles.

At least it was definitively something that had changed.

It couldn't have been that long since he last performed this exercise.

Well, okay. Last time was somewhere soon after he arrived at Beacon.

Even back then there had been something there, perhaps stirred by arriving on Remnant? He did not know.

But now it was far clearer, and far more present.

It was flowing, probably strengthening him without his knowledge. It wasn't impossible, the method was similar enough to what he usually did.

And it was definitively disrupting his connection to the Force slightly.

No wonder it wasn't working quite as he wanted it to.

The question was, how and when was it awakened. He knew for certain that he hadn't had it awakened for him, and he hadn't exactly trained towards that goal.

But… His inner being had come in contact with Aura before…

Was that then the answer?

It seemed he had a new venue to look into. He also needed to figure out how to compensate for, or bypass the interference he was suffering from.

Joy.

He would need to bring out the journal-

Suddenly, without warning, a dark presence registered in his mind.

It was far away, but it was moving.

It was a darkness he had grown to know.

Yet it was not.

It reminded him of the Grimm.

It reminded him of the Dark Side.

It was neither.

It was both.

It chilled him to the core.

Temporarily his senses brushed against it.

She noticed him.

'Who are you?' He asked himself.

'That's what I would like to know, outsider.'

-Break—

Her prison was dark, and drab, the restraints preventing her from using Aura, and by extension, her other power.

Even now the hunger gnawed at her. Even in her current state it compelled her to complete the theft.

A loud rumbling disturbed her. Something approached. Something she knew all too well.

Something she should have waited for, that might have been able to tip the scales in her favour against that person.

But he had played events well. She hadn't even realised he was manipulating her plan until much later.

She had been arrogant. Hadn't believed that her own plan would be used against her.

He had hastened it. Made it seem like her chance had come, when in reality he had tempted it.

Then she had underestimated him and his 'Army's' combat ability, and she had been captured, and her pawns, the White Fang, crushed.

The rumbling intensified.

A loud roar echoed throughout her prison.

The wall came crashing down as a massive black beast tore into it.

"You have disappointed me. I will give you one last chance to complete your task. Fail, and you know the consequences." A voice greeted her.

A voice she knew well. A voice that even she feared.

Her shackles fell apart.

"Of course. I will not fail you again." She responded hoarsely, her voice weakened by her incarceration.

"Make sure you do not. And this time, do not forget this one." Even if she could not see the source of the voice she knew that it referred to the massive draconic beast dripping dark essence that stood before her.

However, the last words she heard from the voice surprised her.

"Now go. I have an outsider to consider."

Author's notes: Well, that only took slightly longer than intended. *sarcasm mode activated* Well, I hope it's a good chapter worth the wait. I must say though, the guy who suggested a Galactic Empire emblem seems to have missed the point where Wayle despises the Sith, and their Empire's emblem is the closest to that one that he would have seen. I also find it somewhat amusing that no one reacted to the last part of last chapter. Well, the beginning of this chapter is a continuation of that.

I hope you enjoyed and that you have a nice day.