Well, to say I'm surprised with how popular The Stormreaver has been would be an understatement, albeit its still rather refreshing to come back to RoDV and continue the adventure in a Galaxy far, far away... Enjoy ~F
Chapter Fourteen
Cascade
Lord Fury smiled with building rage as his shuttle touched down outside the ruins of the Jedi great library of the world of Ossus. The Jedi had long held this world from the origin of their order, but the Sith of an ancient era had caused a great planetary upheaval to destroy the repository of knowledge, which the Jedi had been trying to recover for centuries since.
After thoroughly bombarding the current Jedi archeology camp from orbit, Fury had ordered a full ground assault. The Jedi wouldn't be easily slain from such a range, and he preferred to make sure that anything they had discovered was taken and prevented from falling into the Jedi's hands.
Knowing that the Jedi probably were already notified of the several massive attacks on their holdings throughout the Galaxy, Fury expected some Master to be leading a small retaliatory fleet to fight them, and he wanted to clear as much of the camp as possible, taking what relics they had uncovered before the Jedi strike team arrived.
Sprinting down the boarding ramp with a trio of armored troopers giving suppressing fire, Fury activated his twin sabers, launching into combat with the Jedi that were overseeing the archeology. A Human with a green lightsaber and a Sullustan with a yellow blade confronted him, both attacking from different directions.
Raising one blade, he intercepted the human's strike, dodging the alien's blade and viciously kicking the Sullustan's leg, knocking him back so that Fury was free to bring both of his weapons to bear against the human, who was quickly forced into a Soresu defense against his vicious onslaught.
Bringing one blade down in a raining blow, he followed up with a powerful cut across the human's midsection, which the man had to give up ground to dodge, opening him up for a powerful telekinetic shove from Fury, which sent him stumbling head over heels as the Jedi slammed through a small covered area with tools and other equipment.
The Sullustan had recovered, and Fury twisted out of the way and the alien tried to cleave him in two, the gold colored blade cutting a small piece of his cape, and giving the Marauder more reason to want to exact vengeance on the pair of Jedi.
Slamming both blades down with all his might, he easily ripped the saber from the Sullustan's grip, but the agile alien retreated with aid of the Force, lifting severl rocks and other large objects with the Force to throw at Fury while he reclaimed his weapon.
Roaring in anger and feeling the Dark Side pounding in his ears, Fury hurled both of his weapons at the Sullustan, who had just managed to summon back his own saber when the spinning crimson blades cut him in pieces.
The human cried out, finally extracting himself from the mess of the covering that he had collapsed into, cuts and bruising all over his face and exposed flesh, and leapt at Fury, who brought both his weapons up in an 'X' block to intercept the powerful downward blow. Throwing his weight to the left, Fury overbalanced the human, freeing his mechanical arm to slam the Jedi in the chest, breaking a rib or two and knocking the wind from the vaunted defender of the Light.
Leaving nothing to chance, he viciously stomped on the man, before ending the Jedi's life with both sabers stabbing downward. Turning back, Fury saw that his troopers had secured the immediate area, and there were little in the means of guards outside of the Jedi he had just slain.
"Fan out, and be cautious, these Jedi might have had apprentices with them, who may be hiding with the remaining archeologists. I will deal with the Jedi personally, kill any others you find." Fury ordered, to which the troopers replied in the affirmative before spreading out to search the camp and the surrounding areas.
It was possible that the archeologists went to hiding in the caves and tombs of the old library, but from what he remembered that would have been nearly as dangerous as taking their chances with the Neo-Sith assault fleet. The great library was constantly on the verge of total collapse, and Fury doubted that any sort of supports, outside of an entire group of Jedi Masters, could repair or undo the damage that the Sith had caused on the structure's foundation.
His comlink buzzed at that moment, and Fury punched the key to put Admiral Ojeck through to him. "Speak quickly Admiral, we're almost done here," Fury said, guessing what his second in command had to say.
"We're detecting Jedi cruisers coming out of Hyperspace soon, shall we engage them as they arrive?" the admiral requested.
"Permission granted, but do not be surprised when they send ships down to the surface. I will see what sort of aid they want to bring and whether it is worth my effort. Annihilate what ships you can, but I doubt the Jedi will want to risk more of their order for the dust ball of a forgotten world. The Emperor didn't even want us to leave an outpost here, just make a statement and move on, so we will not waste more time than we must here. When they move to retreat, let them."
"As you command, my Lord." The Admiral replied, cutting the communication. Fury watched the sky and the orbiting fleet for a moment or two, before bringing his attention back to the area around him.
Beckoning a few troopers, Fury started to quickly search through the Archeologist's findings, trying to uncover what they had been so desperate to protect, outside of their own lives, as worthless as they were.
Overall, it was a meager assortment of artifacts. Nothing that would be of great consequence to either Orders, talismans and old sigils that had no importance aside from their age and connection to the Jedi of old, which wouldn't help them in the end, they would all die under the sabers of the Neo-Sith.
If anything of real value had been uncovered, it was likely that one of the Archeologists had it on their person, which made finding where they were hiding and slaughtering them the main priority. With orders to contact him immediately when they were found, Fury dismissed the soldiers, before setting himself down on the ground and expanding his focus through the Force, seeking to locate where the Jedi's Padawans might be located, if they were even on this world.
Sadly, Fury had been expecting a greater challenge than these few jedi and old men that were noncombatants. The Padawans were hiding in the unstable ruins with the last of the archeologists, and he was about to just call an air strike and slay them all when he felt the Jedi ship enter the system, exploding in the Force with a burst of hated light.
The capital ship moved to intercept, and even from where he way on the planet, Fury could see the Manticore pounding the Jedi cruiser's shields with all batteries as the smaller ship tried to storm the blockade that the Sith fleet was making.
Shuttles and other ships were launched from the Jedi ship, and Fury felt a rush of pride when he felt several pings in the Force as some of the transports were destroyed, taking Jedi with them in fiery ruin. The fighters strafed the Sith ships, opening fire to scatter the troopers, but Fury just held his ground, throwing rubble unto the path of the fighter and making them veer off their course. but by them the lead shuttles touched down, ramps and bay doors opening to release dozens of republic soldiers, and a handful of Jedi as well, who rushed the lines of Sith troopers, while the lead shuttle opened to reveal a member of the Jedi Council, Rodian Jedi Master Dolik, his emerald saberstaff already ignited and spinning as he charged down the ramp, a female human Jedi Knight at his side.
Fury smiled as his crimson sabers ignited in salute to the soon to be fallen. This battle would eclipse all his others combined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~line break~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Luna saw the Dark Side adept the moment they touched down and the ramp descended. Master Dolik had wasted no time when they entered the system to describe the tremor in the Force that surrounded this one, another fallen Jedi that they had thought lost for so long. Septin Aranis, who had been last known to be following the trail of Zhar with his master, who was presumed to be dead, now they knew that the boy had fallen to the Dark Side.
The man that they saw now looked nothing like the holorecords of the boy that was lost, far more toned and bitter, with a large mechanical arm. Twin flashes of crimson ignited in Septin's hands, and he spun them once in mock salute, before charging at Master Dolik, who kept his saberstaff spinning as he met the charge head on.
Septin crash down on Master Dolik's defenses, raining a massive overhead blow with each saber, which the Rodian Jedi Master had to shift to catch on alternating blades from his staff. Raising a leg, the Jedi Master kicked out strongly in Septin's chest, knocking the Dark Side adept back, allowing the Master of the Ataru form room to maneuver, spinning to the left and building momentum for his staff to come in a wide arc.
Flipping a saber in his hands, Septin blocked the incoming attack bringing the other up and across his body in an attempt to decapitate Master Dolik, who withdrew with a back flip to dodge. Luna's violet blade entered the fray at this point, as she went for the Darksider's legs, making him jump over her weapon, pushing off her shoulder to launch himself at his perceived greatest threat. Hounding the Jedi Master, he brought both sabers into a whirling attack meant to confuse and distract an opponent before delivering a fatal stab to the chest.
Dolik was not to be fooled however, and parried deftly, pulling his staff back and stabbing right back, making Septin spin out of the way, only to be thrown onto the defensive at Dolik unleashed the might of his twin weapon, attacking in alternate areas of the body with such fluidity and speed that the Jedi Master started to blur before even Luna's Force enhanced vision.
Losing ground, Septin started to rely on his ability in the Force over his sabers, unleashing a magnified sonic attack as he roared his challenge at Dolik, causing the ground around them to fracture and collapse slightly, Force energy seemed to leap off the human's body as he threw himself into a Force induced rage and charged at Dolik, shrugging off several light hits of the Jedi Master's weapon as he entered a unrelenting offensive.
Meanwhile, the Republic soldiers and other Jedi Knights had broken their way to the ruins, where the distress beacon had been signaled from, and a pair of Padawans ran from the nearest entrance, leading a half dozen Archeologists, all that were left after the Sith's initial attack.
The Padawans stopped in awe as they witnessed the battle between Septin and Master Dolik, but Luna rushed to them to snap them out of their dazed expressions at the power of the Force that was manifesting itself between this battle between light and darkness, and ushered them on to get back to the transports.
Up in orbit, their ship was being pounded by the Sith fleet, and Luna had no idea how long it might last before help arrived, and they needed to extract as quickly as possible.
Master Dolik dodged to the side as Septin rushed right into him, sending the Jedi Master spinning and his weapon flying through the air. Septin laughed as he started swinging in a wild frenzy, trying to cut down the defenseless Jedi Master, and Dolik was forced into a routine of acrobatics to keep out of the way of the crimson blades.
"Master!" Luna cried, throwing her own blade at the Darksider's unprotected back. Septin ducked, but Dolik saw the blade coming and reached out to grasp the hilt as it passed, snapping the single blade down to block a heavy blow that would have carved him in two.
Luna ran with aid of the force to retrieve Master Dolik's weapon, while the rest of the soldiers started withdrawing to their transports, the others lifting off to get back to the relative safety of the cruiser. Dolik saw this as well, and dodged around the Dark Adept, kicking Septin hard in the back of the knee to handicap him while he escaped. In a rage, Septin threw both sabers after Dolik, but the emerald staff in Luna's hands proved quite adequate as she leapt in behind the Jedi Master, blocking both incoming blades and sending the hilts skittering into the grass as the blades shut off.
They made it to the shuttle just as the pair of saber hilts returned to their master, who watched with unbridled fury as their ship took off back into the fight high above them. "We must report to the council that we have rescued those that we could, but that the planet and site are lost." Master Dolik said, gratefully exchanging Luna's saber for his own. "I must thank you, Luna, for saving me back there. I had sorely underestimated out opponents. Not a mistake that I will allow a second time."
Luna was about to reply when shrieks of pain emanated through the Force, causing her to stagger in shock and horror. It felt as though her very heart was being wrenched from her chest. "Luna! Knight Luna, are you alright?" Master Dolik said, grasping her hand and helping her find a seat before she fell.
"The Sith Emperor is on my home world," Luna said darkly, "he's killing them all. It wasn't enough that he bombarded the world from orbit, but he's making sure that every last member of my people are dead."
"Carry them in the Force with you, always, now rise up and keep the good fight, Knight of the Republic," Dolik said, helping her back to her feet, and placing am arm on her shoulder comraderly. "Remember Young Luna, there is no Death, there is only the Force."
Luna nodded, having a greater understanding for that line of the Jedi Code more than ever now. Despair was an emotion that she could not afford right now, but for the pursuit of justice against this Dark Lord, she would vow to protect other worlds from falling in like manner, even if that pledge cost her life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~line break~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Emperor Veneficus waited in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, smirking as he sat in old Headmaster Dumbledore's throne-like chair, waiting as troopers brought in wizard after wizard for him to interrogate and offer their lives in exchange for loyalty to the Empire.
He was somewhat pleased that more than a few accepted his terms, particularly after the first dozen or so refused and were executed on the spot, their lifeless corpses handing in the darkened sky of the enchanted ceiling for all to witness.
The Arcanamach waited at the sides of the Hall, where the great house tables had been thrown and smashed asunder by the Emperor himself. Gone were these old days where houses would divide children into petty differences, this school would become a font of the Dark Side, and all would fall under the same banner of the Sith Empire.
The doors opened, revealing the next group, three males somewhat older than Veneficus himself, with obnoxious red hair. "So, I see the family of Ronald Weasley still manages to survive in the face of all odds…" Veneficus sneered from his seat, watching the defiance rise in the three young men. If he were to guess from his memories of the family, they would be Percy, Fred and George, Ronald's immediate older brothers and those who had attended the school while Veneficus himself was here, not that they'd have a chance to recognize him.
The three hesitated when he called them out by family name, probably wondering how or why this strange man knew who they were. "I will ask only once," Veneficus said, "bow to me and live, or die. There are no other choices."
Diábolis, who stood at his master's side with hood back and his red, horned face sneering, grinned as the three quailed under the duress of the Dark Lord of the Sith. "I know that voice…" Percy said, remembering. "You're… it can't be, Harry Potter?"
Rage brimming in his heart, Veneficus threw the twins to either side of the room, where Arcanamach seized them and activated their weapons threateningly. Rising from the chair, Veneficus himself stepped down to be level with Percy, casually flicking his wrist and having one of his blades slap into his hands. "I am no more that child than my apprentice is human." Veneficus seethed, "You are already walking to your own death; will you condemn your brothers as well? Where's the family loyalty that I heard so much of from dear Ronald…"
Turning his back and waiting for an answer, Veneficus smiled, "Tell me also… did you even think to go looking for you little brother when he went missing? Did you even care?"
Percy stood defiantly against the taunts. "I don't care what you do to me," he said, back upright and noble, like the sickening Gryffindor he was. "Just let my brothers go free. Have mercy… my Lord…"
Lips pulling back in a sneering smile, Veneficus turned slowly to face the foolish boy. "I am Sith… there is no mercy…" the crimson blade leapt to life as he rammed the saber through Percy Weasley's chest. The young man only had moments to look at the Sith Emperor in shock as the warm plasma blade pierced his heart, killing him quickly and letting his body collapsed to its knees.
"No!" one of the twins cried, and they both began to struggle against the Arcanamach holding them. But at once Veneficus grabbed both through the Force by the throat, pulling each boy into the air and back to him to hover, choking and clawing at their necks over their dead brother. "And now you see the folly of your precious goodness…" Veneficus said darkly. "Mercy is for the weak, the only true peace is in death, and even then, it is still a lie…"
Spinning the small ring on his other hand, Veneficus watched the horrified expressions of the twin boys as their brother's spirit was wrenched back to the world of the living, a grey shadow that had the same face and voice as he had once in life.
"So, for you vaunted mercy then…" Veneficus said to the shade, "I shall kill them quickly, with no pain…" two identical cracks, and the twins fell to the ground, their necks broken. Percy, already beyond pain and grief, merely looked on forlornly as his and his brother's bodies floated up to join the dozens already being shown off as the price of rejecting the Sith Emperor. Three wands were summoned, and added to a sizeable pile next to the Headmaster's chair. Dismissing the ghost of the dead young man, Veneficus returned to his seat to await the next prisoner to be sent to him.
The doors creaked open again, and the trooper escorted inside a witch wearing a sickeningly pink cardigan, her features haughty and squat, like a toad. Veneficus smirked as the woman first noticed the horde of floating corpses, turning slightly green to complete the amphibious effect. A lightning quick bout of Legilimency told him everything he wanted to know.
"Dolores Umbridge…" he said darkly, drawing her attention to him, "As you see, there have been many unwilling to acknowledge my supreme power over this world, and its assets, but I sense that you will be of a more favorable mind toward our Empire."
The woman was torn between her greed for power and her hatred of Veneficus and what he stood for. This was good; it would make her breaking all the more effective. Rising from the chair once again, Veneficus walked toward her, "Think about it," his said coolly, "Not just this one world, but a multitude of worlds throughout the cosmos all under our rule, where those with the mystical powers we wield reign supreme, not some limited scope of those who were born to wizards, but all those who have powers over the Force and magic dictating the terms of life to those who lack it."
The woman smirked, and finally found her voice, "It is indeed a most tempting offer… uh, my Lord, however…" she glanced over at Diábolis, and Veneficus could see the prejudice in her mind.
"Perhaps you would be more contented with worlds that only human's could reside upon?" he supplied, "While I can do little about the myriad of races that rally to my Empire, and where they are sent for military and training purposes, I could pull some strings as to what worlds are governed solely by humans… this world perhaps," he added with mock realization.
The greed was disgustingly thick in her pudgy eyes, and Veneficus knew that she wanted nothing to do with anything beyond the skylines of this planet, "I think with some further arrangements that this world could be well brought under compliance with your new order, Emperor." Umbridge simpered, smirking nastily.
"Then we are in agreement," Veneficus said, gesturing for her to join him on the dais, on the opposite side of Diábolis, "you shall be the voice of my rule here, for the entire planet once we've established ourselves and the new wave of technology that will revolutionize life here."
The woman didn't comment, and Veneficus knew that she was of an old fashioned mind, but he was in command here now, she would do as she was told, or die, and she knew it. Gesturing to the Arcanamach, the doors opened again, ushering in the next prisoner for interrogation. Once again the Sith Emperor was disappointed to not find any of his hated school peers, which ought to have been wallowing in the dungeons of the castle. As he invaded the mind of these fools, wizarding police that had surrendered when they realized that they were outmatched and outgunned, he pondered how they had escaped. It had to have been Lovegood. There was no other possibility. The blasted girl knew where their mutual home world was located, and could return again in the future. After securing the loyalty of these two wizards, and sending them off to a side chamber he casually pressed a button on bracer comlink, the face of Colin Creevey appeared, "Assassin," Veneficus said quickly, knowing that wherever the younger bounty hunter was most likely not a place for them to speak openly, "in your travels try and locate certain information of a Jedi Knight for me. You know of our mutual acquaintance…"
"Understood, my Lord. It will be done." Colin said shortly before the communication was cut.
"What an interesting devise," Umbridge commented, her attitude changing almost as quickly as her demeanor.
"It is only a sample of what wonders my Empire will bring to this world." Veneficus replied casually, calling for the Arcanamach to bring in the next captives. The woman merely giggled, waiting for the next group to enter and be dealt with by her new master.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~line break~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The Assassin knew that using the same entrance into the Jedi Temple that he did previously would be most unwise, as it would tip off the Jedi to their weakness. So, instead he had devised a new method of entry, one that they would never expect and would be something that they could never defend against.
As added precaution, Lord Anguis had prepared a special amulet for Colin, one that would shroud him within the Force, making it far more difficult for Force sensitives to sense him, along with running the distraction of the majority of the council as he hosted them in the chancellor's office for their chat before a major vote.
All part of a greater plan, naturally, but Colin was more than aware of his small part to play with the destruction of these meddling fools. The Emperor trusted him about any of his other servants, otherwise why would he contact Colin himself to tell him to gather information on Luna Lovegood while he was inside the Temple.
Oh yes, he remembered the Gryffindor girl from their time at Hogwarts, so many years ago, and the fact that she was still alive, and a Jedi no less, irked him greatly. He would take great pleasure in fulfilling this command from his Emperor.
Speeding over the Temple's airspace in an automated speeder, Colin visualized one of the empty storerooms that he had passed on his first entry into the sacred edifice, and with a sharp twist of his body, apparated directly into the structure. Wand out, he immediately cast anti-detention charms and spells around his body, layering them thickly so that there would be few that could even see him. This mission was to be easily thrice as dangerous as the last, because he needed to venture into the most secure part of the Temple possible, the Holocron Vault.
He had memorized the layout as part of his orders, and was even now stealthily moving through the sunlit corridors, staying out of site and keeping his mind thoroughly fixed behind a wall of Occlumency. Detection this early would spell total failure for his mission, and that was not to be allowed.
Even still, security had definitely increased since his previous venture into the Jedi Temple. He passed at least half a dozen Temple guards before he arrived at the main level near where the great library of the Jedi was located.
Unfortunately, something that would prove to be a complication finally appeared as he entered the Archives. Pausing as he entered, Colin did have to give the Jedi credit for their impressive collection of history and knowledge. He had seen no greater collection in all his travels. The long halls were lined with row after row of Holobooks, with many off shooting rooms filled with terminals for searching and categorizing of the massive collection of information.
But there was little time for him to care about architecture or the literary value of all these records, he had a job to do and his master was not one for patience. Hurrying across the lower level, which was made of four hallways that met in a central rotunda, Colin spotted the highly secure door to the Holocron Chamber, sealed with a lock that only a Force user could open… or one with the Imperius Curse and a powerful will to obey.
Colin hid near to the door, hoping that someone of moderate importance would show up to distract the guard, and it took far longer than he would like before it happened. Another helmeted and heavily robed Temple guard came to relieve the one stationed, immediately taking the other brings place. Under the noise of the heavily armored feet on the floor, Colin muttered softly, "Imperio," straining to keep the spell in effect while the Jedi guard fought him powerfully.
There was no doubt that these warriors would not be easily manipulated from their duty, but Colin hefted his own iron will on the spell, commanding mentally for the guard to open the vault, just to prove he could… it was difficult, but in the end the Jedi did wave his hand over the lock, disengaging it with his telekinetic abilities. As it hissed open, there was a loud pinging sound overhead, and Colin dashed silently inside as the Chief Librarian hurried over to see what the disturbance was.
"You there, guard, what are you doing? Close that door immediately," the Jedi said, removing her weapon and looking at the shrouded Jedi in confused shock.
"I… I don't understand what came over me…" the guard said, holding his head with a gloved hand, "I just suddenly had an overwhelming desire to open the door, but…"
Colin cursed silently as the chief library immediately hit a button on her comlink, sending out a distress beacon to the rest of the Temple. He had not gotten the Holocron yet, and his interference was already discovered. Hurrying down the corridor, Colin could see bulkhead doors automatically closing, and wrapped his determination, spinning to apparate beyond them. A soft crack let him knew he had succeeded.
Their vaunted security was no match for his magic. Several series of laser wires covered the last corridor before the heavily sealed door to the vault itself, and Colin cast a complicated variant of the levitation charm, allowing himself to fly over the crisscrossing beams of light, landing softly before the massive door. Putting his wand to the lock, Colin concentrated, creating a miniature version of the incendiary charm, burning a hole through the control box to get access to the mechanism inside. But it was no use; it was designed to only be manipulated through the Force, wherein he was not connected to. Jumping back, Colin screwed up his focus once more. "Bombarda Maxima!" he shouted, allowing the concussive blast to rocket into the solid door, causing a more than sizeable bulge to appear in the metal.
Three more times he cast the powerful spell, before finally the door blew inward, creating a gap for him to enter without resistance. Within, tiny sparkling lights littered the walls, slowing off the many thousands of little cube shaped objects. "Surely they won't miss just one of them?" Colin said sarcastically to himself, pressing buttons on the main console to eject one of the little cubes, which immediately was stored away on his person. All that was left for him to do was get back to Lord Anguis and receive his next part of the assignment, locating Jedi Master Vubud Egi and getting some sort of crystal from him.
Although it was looking that getting out was about to become very difficult, as behind him the doors back to the main part of the Archive opened, ushering in several Jedi and their Temple Guards. "Someone has broken into the Holocron Vault," he heard from the Librarian, and he wondered whether he'd have to fight his way out or not.
But the choice was made for him when the next person entered the corridor. He recognized the tall, imposing form of the Hogwarts Transfiguration Mistress, Professor McGonagall? Staring numbly at his old teacher, Colin didn't process that this was about to get very bad for him.
"Now really, this is highly irregular," the Chief Librarian was complaining, but someone overruled her.
"You've said you had an incursion like this once before, by some figure that couldn't be seen properly," McGonagall said, already pulling out her wand, "Well, let us see if I can make anything can turn up. Finite Incantatum!"
Colin cursed as his charms and spells were immediately stripped from him, leaving him exposed to their view.
"Look there! Stop him, we have an intruder!" the Jedi guards called, already running at him. Bringing his wand around to the front, Colin unleashed a barrage of high powered spells meant to cause chaos and damage to the corridor, slowing down the Jedi as he thought of a way out. His extraction point was well above them, so he couldn't apparate straight out, but there may be just enough distance to get him out of here at the least.
Dashing forward, ignoring the flashing blades of the Jedi as they started to deflect his spells, Colin reached the door of the vault that he destroyed, and twisted sharply with a grin, apparating several floors up to an open hallway.
While it got him out of the vault and library, it did not get him away from the Jedi. "Hey you! Stop!" yelled someone, and several snap-hisses of their strange energy swords gave Colin all the necessary persuasion to start running for his life.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~line break~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Drakis Malfay sat across the massive desk of his new office from a majority of the Jedi Council. He had learned that three of the members were currently handling threats on Jedi locations around the inner rim, while another had fallen in battle on Umbara. With the minimum of two still at the Temple, that left six to meet with him, half of the governing body, just enough for them to make decisions regarding the Order's dealing with the new Chancellorship.
"I am most pleased that you could meet with me," Anguis opened as the six beings took their respected seats that had been provided, "especially in these troubled times."
Jedi Master Cedmel Antross, the elected speaker of the Council, nodded as he replied, "As you say, in these troubled times it is of greatest importance for the Jedi to make their stance known to the Republic."
"Quite right," Drakis agreed, gesturing for several servant droids to bring drinks around for each member. Taking the moment, he studied each council member that had arrived. Master Antross was a very outspoken human, and clearly had his own opinions regarding matters, but through his Jedi conditioning had clearly learned to adhere to the will of his peers…
To his left sat Master Aaro Cater, a Bith Jedi that looked more aloof than the others, as well as Fallen Jedi Master Ir Tangrin, who was carefully controlling the pheromones that her race were known for using to manipulate and deceive others, not that it would have a great effect on Drakis if she was inclined to use them. On the speakers other side was Master Isshaartu, a massively built Wookiee Jedi, and one whom Lord Anguis would be hesitant to cross sabers with, if he could avoid it. The being looked to be built like a juggernaut if roused to battle, and also possessing the temperament of his race, there would be swift and decisive retribution for offenses.
On the Wookiee's right was Master Lanen Quelross, a human female that seemed to have some Alderaanian heritage, but with human Jedi it was difficult to place planets of origin. And finally, sitting on the far right and looking serenely through Drakis was Grand Master Fae Coven, a tiny Jenet with startlingly clear eyes for her race. She was of the lot the one that Drakis was wary of the most, as she literally shone through the Force with an aura of sickening Light.
But he refused to let himself react as he continued exchanging pleasantries as the meeting began. "I suppose we must get straight to business, and that would bring us to the unfortunate affair of this brimming war with an enemies we do not where is, nor their numbers…" Drakis said, frowning as he set down his drink: a Kuati cognac.
"Yes," Master Antross replied, "that was one of the things we needed to discuss, in addition to the upcoming vote to make New Terra the chief designer for the manufacturing planets supplying the war effort. We are not certain if it would be wise to make such an outlying planet so important, perhaps if the staff of Magi-Tech were to move more toward the core, we could simplify matters by placing them on a factory world that is already working to produce ships and weapons for the future military."
"I understand your concern Master Jedi," Drakis replied, smiling softly, "and I had mentioned something very similar to the Executive officer of Magi-Tech, but they assumed me that their chief research and development agent absolutely refused to leave her current workplace, and that she is indeed the backbone of their entire industry. They also were very secure with their own security regarding the planet, but would accept anything the Republic could spare to add."
"Perhaps the Jedi Order could send someone to visit and inspect their defenses," Grand Master Coven replied, "A team of Jedi Knights would probably be the best security we could add."
"Of course, an excellent suggestion..." Drakis replied, inwardly cringing at the thought. He had a sinking suspicion as to which particular Jedi they had in mind, and that could be disastrous.
"Speaking of the lead artificer of New Terra," Coven continued, "We have knowledge that both you and she worked quite closely prior to your election as Senator, there are a few special guests of the Jedi who would be more than desirous to meet with you both, to become reacquainted."
"Oh," Drakis said, feigning ignorance, "and who might that be?"
"It would be a Professor McGonagall, Professor Flitwick, and Professor Trelawney, along with several others who you may have known from your old home world." The rodent said, her eyes seeking.
Drakis was regardless genuinely surprised. He did not expect that Lord Veneficus would allow any others to escape old Earth alive. It had to have been Lovegood's doing. "I am most surprised to hear that they are still alive, after the tragedies on the old planet we had all thought that they had been wiped out…"
"Quite the contrary," Master Coven replied, "when shall we arrange for you to meet with…" she started, but was interrupted when Master Antross' comlink started to beep.
"There's been a disturbance in the Temple," he said after quickly checking it, "I'm sorry Chancellor, but we have to leave now, "It seems someone or something has attempted to infiltrate out sanctuary."
"I understand perfectly, Master Jedi, please. Make haste." He said, gesturing for the Senate guards to open the door for the Jedi Council.
When they had gone he released a held breath. That had grown far too close for comfort. Grand Master Coven was playing with powerful cards in her deck, and holding them close to her chest, like any good Slytherin. Lord Veneficus had to be warned of several wizards and witches that had joined with the Jedi.
This was going to make matters far more complicated for the war from the side of the Neo-Sith Empire. But he had little time to consider that, as he had a vote to secure for the industry of the Republic war machine. Colin had performed his part perfectly. Now that they Jedi were preoccupied, they could not attend the vote and try to sway it away from what Anguis had designed.
Rising and checking that his robes were still in their prim and proper position for the Chancellor of the Republic, Drakis quickly made his way down to the sub office of the Chancellor, beneath the Rotunda, where the platform for his office and officers was located, waiting for him to rise into the center of the great convocation building.
With a nod to his Vice-chancellor and Galactic secretary, Drakis took his place at the very top of the platform, and with the press of a few buttons, the ceiling of the office parted away, allowing the platform to rise into the midst of the Senate.
"All will come to order now for this session of the Galactic Senate of the Republic," Drakis called as the platform settled into its maximum ascendance. "Before we vote on the bills and measures set for to this body, the floor is now opened to any who wish to oppose or support the various propositions?"
None spoke out against any of the proposed bills, they positions already know and the lines of voting already made, although a fair few spoke in favor of various minor things, propositions to increase production on several planets that made the conventional weapons and ships needed for war, but Drakis cared for only the one bill, which was the first he declared to be put to a vote.
"Senators and Representatives of the Galactic Senate, place your votes for the use of New Terra's Magi-Technology systems to upgrade and redefine our methods of war, the creation of a massive shipyard over the planet, and creative license for the New Terran's over the creations of our new fleets."
The pregnant silence was only punctuated by the murmurs of those within their own pods as many debated at the last moment what their system's vote ought to have been. Naturally New Terra led the charge of positive votes, while peaceful systems like Alderaan were quick to vote down the bill.
But without the Jedi here to weigh in on their negative opinion, many of the more neutral systems were left to their own decisions, and with only the briefest touches of the Dark Side, Anguis injected a near untraceable amount of fear throughout the Senate, making many afraid for the safety of their systems if the Republic did not have these new fleets.
The voting was completed in due course, and the results shown on projection by the many floating droids that worked within the Rotunda: seventy two percent yes, twenty seven no, and one percent neutral.
"The Ayes have it," Drakis said, pressing a signet of the Chancellor to the flimsi that the bill was copied onto, making it an official Republic document and therefore to be enacted.