Thanks to those that reviewed. SW8 came out in the meantime, and.. yeah, SW canon is dead to me, long live the Legends, and as far as Disney is concerned #NotmyStarWars... Spoiler Alter, its a terrible movie, I like 7 more, and those of you that read my post a year ago know I HATED that one. total complete cluster of crap.
Chapter Fifty Three
Captives
Johell was not overwhelmingly pleased by the sudden attention that he had garnered from the Chancellor of the Republic, nor that the man who was elected to be their Supreme leader had ample time to request visiting one particular Jedi Knight far more often than Johell felt was appropriate, but somehow he found himself once again in the speeder that Chancellor Drakis had sent to pick him up and escort the Jedi Knight to some location where the man was currently.
To be honest, Johell was somewhat uncomfortable with the attention, which while not unpleasant, was something that he felt was highly unlike what he ought to be given as a Jedi, and something that he was not suppose dot truly receive or appreciate. Naturally the Chancellor had a vastly different opinion on the matter, and over the handful of times that they had met had expressed it time and again, almost to the point where Johell thought he might have insulted the man by trying to refuse one gift too many, but here he was, so clearly the polition hadn't given up yet.
True, they were experiences that Johell had never had the opportunity to witness before, such as attending the opera, or backdoor meetings of the Senators with the Chancellor that he was requested to sit in on as a Jedi mediator, even though it was clear that his presence wasn't needed in those relatively straightforward meetings where this or that Senator expressed their desire for a bill to do Force only knew what among the Senate, but they were still excellent learning experiences.
Johell had even broken a bit out of the shell that he had placed around himself, and ventured out into the wider parts of the Capital now and then, even taking up a few missions that sent him from the upper terraces to even the lower levels of Coruscant, where even for Jedi it was somewhat dangerous.
Sometimes the Chancellor would request an update on how things were at the Temple, which Johell felt was fine to inform him about, even though there was usually little to tell, and sometimes he would ask a question relative to the Sith Empire, and Johell's opinion on whether a tactic or advancement in military would be effective, which the Jedi Knight was less sure of most of the time.
Now however, as the speeder took Johell to yet another fine dining establishment, many of his meetings with the Chancellor involved rather exotic food that he had never had the experience before of tasting, there was a sense of urgency in the air as the Jedi Knight met his host in a typical back room, where the politicians privacy was assured.
"Johell my boy, how are you," the Chancellor said as the Jedi arrived, happily waving him inside and offering him the seat opposite him in their private booth. Johell could never get over the informality that the polititian requested in these meetings, and bowed rather stiffly, "Chancellor, it is my pleasure to meet with you."
Drakis waved him off, "none of that, we're here as friends, please have a seat, I was just getting ready to order."
Johell sat, picking up a menu and quickly selecting something that was partially familiar to him, and partially interesting to try, as the Chancellor had heavily encouraged trying new things. A beverage was recommended to go with his meal, and Johell accepted, taking the glass of water that was offered in the meantime from the table and drinking a portion. Drakis smiled from across the table at him as he did so, however Johell wasn't sure as to why.
Once the waiter left with their orders, the Chancellor let out a contented sigh, "My friend, I believe you are the closest I have ever grown to any Jedi, including those of the High Council that I have far more interaction with. I have to gage that it is the fact that I feel I can trust you, whereas the others I do not know half the time."
That puzzled Johell exceedingly, as how could anyone not trust the Master of the Council when they were so clear and vibrant in the Force. He must have made a face in the midst of his thoughts, as Drakis chuckled a bit, "Yes, surprising, isn't it. But you cannot deny that some of their actions seem rather hypocritical at times. At the end of the Ruusan Campaign they all but exile the Jedi Lords as heretics, but then only a century or so later they welcome them back with open arms in the midst of another strife with the forces of the Sith."
Johell was surprised that the Chancellor even knew that much about Jedi history, but the man continued, "and at the same time, they eager jump into the war, before not even a year later backing off to a lesser station, trying to preserve the image the Galaxy holds of them before they see the truth…"
"The truth?" Johell asked, narrowing in on the one statement.
"The truth…" Drakis affirmed, smiling, "the simple fact that both the Jedi and the Sith are nearly identical in every way, down to their ability to manipulate and control lesser individuals, or those they deem lesser, and their quick minded anger against those who disagree with their philosophical viewpoints of the Force."
The jarring effect of that statement made Johell pause in the progress of lifting his water glass once again, "That cannot be true, the Jedi are nothing like the Sith. The Sith use their power to increase themselves, promoting their strength as individuals, and crushing those in their way…"
"And the Jedi don't?" the Chancellor challenged, which made Johell sputter slightly.
"Of course not, the Jedi use the Force to assist others, and promote strength through unity and peace…" he defended, knowing the methods that the Masters taught and practiced.
"So they say…" Drakis said, tossing the argument aside as thought not believing a word of it," Although if that was the case, why don't they try to promote peace with the Empire, or the Sith for that matter…"
"That time had come and gone long ago," Johell stated, trying to remember the history of the Order as best he could, "The Sith seek specifically to destroy the Jedi Order, and the Republic by extension."
"So, to preserve their power over the Galaxy, they will destroy those with a difference of opinion…" the Chancellor said, playing the opposite side of the argument.
It was so unlike the Chancellor to be so political with him that Johell was finding it difficult to concentrate, "That not the way it is…" he feebly insisted, unable to find any more reasons to back up his claim.
"Where is Professor Trelawney in the Temple," the Chancellor asked, out of the blue, and Johell couldn't stop himself from blurting out the answer, "In a private room off the fifteenth floor of the main complex."
"Does she have any guards, and what are her usual routines or schedules like," the man continued, and even though his mind resisted, Johell felt his tongue act of its own accord, "she has none, although Professor Snape used to come by one a week and speak with her. She spends most of her time in her room, only really emerging for meals or the refresher."
Smiling to himself, Drakis said nothing as the waiters returned and brought their meals. As soon as the man departed, the Chancellor took a small sip of his beverage and smiled widely, "You're far too trusting my boy, it should have been apparent that a politician would want something of you when they go out of their way to meet a Jedi Knight, especially one that was in all intent and purpose a dirty secret of the Order. But no matter, I have part of what I want, and you will easily fulfill the rest, and soon I will have the one bothering me out of the way, and another chink in the armor of the Order…"
Johell leapt to his feet, saber in hand, but before he could so much as act, the Chancellor raised a hand, and the Jedi felt as though something powerful was crushing his windpipe. "None of that now…" Drakis said, even as Johell dropped his weapon and grasped at his throat.
Recognition dawned in the eyes of the Jedi Knight, and Drakis smiled, "Yes… I am a Force user as well," the man admitted, lazily drawing his wand, "not that you will recall this event, or anything else except what orders I give you for the time being… Imperio."
Johell tried to resist, but the effects of the Emperor's mental torture turned out to be his undoing, as the spell took quick effect, subverting parts of his mind that were still repairing themselves from the mental assaults, and soon he drifted away in a sea of clouds as the Chancellor's voice requested he sit down and eat his meal.
For what felt like an eternity he ate and listened as the man who commanded his body laid out his complex instructions, detailing where and when he was to strike, and what exactly he was supposed to do to start the destruction of the Jedi Order.
The only comfort was that if felt so much nicer and easier to just let things happen, and listen to the man who had been more of a confidant than anything to him. "And now, Tempus Oblivate…"
Johell blinked owlishly, wondering where his mind had gone, he had just finished ordering his food with the Chancellor and it was already there, and partially eaten… "Are you alright my boy? You seemed to zone out there for a time…" the man said kindly.
"No… I'm fine, just tired I suppose…" Johell replied, wondering what was going on with him. it felt like hours had passed in only a few seconds.
"I would recommend you go back to the Temple after this and have a nice rest. You look tired, I trust you're not pushing yourself too hard in your readjustment…" the man said.
"Of course not, but I agree, I ought to rest soon," Johell agreed, and finished the last of his meal quietly, as the Chancellor talked about the recent meetings he had had with politicians, and vented some of the struggles of the life of the Supreme Leader of the Republic.
As they departed, the Chancellor put an arm around his shoulders, "Talking with you has done wonders for me, my Jedi friend. I feel that we will have quite a productive future if we stick together like this…"
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Zhar looked out across the landscape from one of the high rises of Keldabe, waiting for the advancement of the clans of Mandalore once they realize that their capital settlement was in Imperial hands.
The city had fallen swiftly as soon as they entered, but unfortunately for them, the leader of the Mandalorian people had not been present, which served to give the rest of the planet a figure to rally behind. That in turn was going to prove to be a potential disaster waiting to happen as Zhar could already predict that war would wage across this world for time to come unless the Mand'alor himself fell into their hands and was promptly defeated.
Until that time or opportunity, they had to hold out and wait for the elusive leader to reveal himself… or herself for that matter. to that end, Zhar had ordered for more troops to be landed directly into the city, and reinforce their current foothold on the world.
Even more troops and some light vehicles were also stationed back in the forest where they had landed, to act as supplementary forces to cut off any potential attackers and create chaos on anyone that would try to dislodge their hold on the world.
"My Lord, long range sensors are showing increased activity all across the planet, I think a transmission has been sent for all clans to mobilize." The officer in charge of communicating back to the orbiting ships reported.
"I had thought as much… they are trying to give us a show of force, but it will be of little use to them. Let the fools come and die in their attempt to retake their world. We will hold this place until Mand'alor steps forward." Zhar commanded, knowing that it would be a costly battle ahead.
What the Mandalorians lacked in technological advantage, they more than made up for in unit strength and training. It was a system that many military minds wanted to try and implement in the Imperial academies, if such things existed, but there were few that completely realized the truth of how perfectly cloned their armies were, up until recently at least.
Dwelling in the present, Zhar ordered several artillery units stationed in the middle of the city, surrounded by anti-air defenses. Infantry and tanks would block the entrances that they had already used to take the city in the first place, and they would do what was needed before the end.
The nearest clans were only hours away from the city, and Zhar knew that they would act as forward scouts, to try and spy out what strength the Empire had placed within their walled capital, but that would only do so much for them, as Zhar had quite a few secrets to reveal before the battle's end. There would dark things that the Emperor had shared with him, and Zhar was disgusted by quite a few of them, but any advantage in war was a welcome addition, even if it border lined the unnatural.
Just as predicted, several jetpack wearing infantry started flying low over the city, trying to map out their weapon placement and fortifications. And just as he had prepared, a hailstorm of anti-air fire went up to meet them, knocking more than a few out of the air, but a trio escaped the storm, retreating where they had come from.
"Now that they think they know our plans, move to position," Zhar ordered, giving the signal for all forces to rearrange to their true defensive formations. Artillery fell to the rearmost lines, while anti-air took to the edges of the city. Tanks and infantry crowded the main gate and the road just outside it, while more infantry guarded the sewer entrances.
It took less than an hour for all to be in place, "they are ready, my master," Euka informed him, staying by Zhar's side, the prestigious place she had now earned as his trusted apprentice. Stretching out with the Dark Side, Zhar could sense their enemies approach. "not a moment too soon either," he commented, giving coordinates to an officer to relay to the artillery, along with an order to open fire.
The ground shook with each volley, and well beyond visual scopes, the landscape suddenly erupted with flames as the incendiary rounds found their marks, scorching the landscape and laying bare the forces arrayed against them.
It was a sizeable battle ground, even with their initial losses, covering a great deal of their long range sensors in tiny red dots, with more vehicles than Zhar had anticipated, but their stealth had been denied, so they launched into a mad charge for the city, even as the tanks and infantry on the front lines opened fire, and the artillery continued to pummel them as they approached the city.
It was almost amusing to see them running toward their deaths, grenades and rockets starting to chip away at their outlying forces, when the whine of starfighter engines blared overhead, and a trio of Imperial bombers cut a swath through the middle of their line, the payloads detonating with glorious effect, and shattering their formation.
Small pockets of Mandalorians were still fighting brutally with the Imperial forces however, tanks and other transports wheeling up as they could to open fire or unleash their cargo.
"Phase one, commence," Zhar commanded, and the message was transported to those units stationed on the high walls of the fortress city, who emerged from their cover, mounting full automatic chain cannons onto the parapets, and unleashing torrents of enchanted blaster fire down on their enemies forces, decimating the last pockets of workable fighting units, forcing the Mandalorians to fight to the last man without any cohesive battle strategy.
"My Lord, movement from the forests," crackled an officer over the long range communications, before the sound was drowned out by much blaster fire.
"There is the trick then," Zhar told his apprentice. The enemy had used the main attack as cover, much as they had in taking the city, to divert attention from another force coming from the forest, but the preparation of their defenses had set a full battle group right in their path in the trees, and now heavy fighting was taking place on two fronts.
"Send out the beast handlers to reinforce those within the forest," Zhar commanded, knowing that the savage creatures that the Emperor had had commissioned from the mad High Prophetess would make quick work of anything beneath the branches. Not that he himself feared those animals, but they were certainly not something he wished to face in large numbers.
The howls and roars of anger and pain from the monsters could be heard as the handlers riled up their charges, setting them loose through the tunnels of the sewers, which connected perfectly to the outskirts of the forest, and would work to defend that region more effectively than anything else.
There was also the rush of wings, as many more of the scaled and fire-breathing behemoths took to the air, circling out and around the city, charring anything that moved without authorization of the Emperor, their handlers astride their backs in customized harnesses.
Zhar stared at the mass of allied and enemy markers on the sensor map before him, "Come on, where are you… show yourself," he said to the as of yet unseen Mand'alor, wanting the infamous leader to make his appearance at last to fight for his people.
That seemed to not be the case as of yet however, as more star fighters appeared, this time of the Mandalorians, but the draconic beasts were more than prepared, their hides thickened and reinforced beyond even durasteel by Sith Alchemy and others of the darkest arts of the Force. They bellowed their challenges as they smashed full on into the offending fighters, claws and teeth tearing through the metal hulls and fire licking the more vital systems of the ships.
Two of the Mandalorian fighters went down almost instantly, the dragons kicking off to retake to the air before they hit the ground, while a third outright exploded, the dragon fire having hit the fuel systems.
"Is this all you can cobble together Mand'alor?" Zhar said aloud, challenging the mysterious leader of the powerful mercenaries and warrior clans, when at last, another army group appeared on scopes, with a massive detachment of tanks and vehicles. Turning to look out over the city and get a visual look, Zhar was pleased to see that they were flying the banners and emblems of the Mand'alor, and seemed to be the most elite of their warriors, from the trophies and tokens that were shaking in the wind from every troop and vehicle.
"And now out battle begins," Zhar concluded, even as the artillery were directed to bombard the newest force, their powerful explosive shells and plasma projectiles bouncing harmlessly off portable shields that were covering the front lines of the battle group.
"Phase two, initiate," Zhar commanded, even as the leader of the clans appeared at the head of one of the larger vehicles, his helmet clearly the very symbol that his system rallied around in times of war.
A fresh wave of tanks and elite commandos, along with every Dark Adepts that was under Zhar's command, led by Euka went out to challenge the new force. The High Prophet was more than aware of his apprentice's lust to prove herself in battle, and would not deny her the chance to fight against the strongest warrior race known in the Galaxy. It would prove just as much a test of her worthiness as anything else that he had compiled for her thus far.
The tanks fired, pummeling the shield heavily, even as the Dark Adepts activated their sabers, and the commandos charged in, opening fire on the elite warriors of the Mand'alor, as the two battle groups charged to meet in the middle of their battlefield.
One point of interest to Zhar was that Mand'alor himself led the attack, and pulled from his waist a lightsaber of his own, the blade jet black in color as he prepared to fight the quickest of their Dark Adepts, who were spearheading the Imperial forces.
Where that sort of a weapon had come from, Zhar couldn't fathom. It was most assuredly not of Mandalorian origin, as no non Force user could safely built a Lightsaber. It was a mystery that the Dark Adept and former Jedi Knight was only barely aware of, but history stated something along the lines of an ancient Mandalorian Jedi Master creating such a weapon, before it was stolen by the clans after the Jedi's death.
Such a prize was clearly worth a lot to the Clans of Mandalore, if only their leader was permitted to wield it, and Zhar knew exactly what orders he had for Euka. Signaling her personal comm, he spoke calmly, knowing that she had to focus on staying alive and wouldn't respond.
"Mand'alor's saber is your objective. Kill him and take it for me. That will be our key to subduing the planet. Do not fail me apprentice." He commanded, watching the tide of battle as it progressed once more when he had closed the channel.
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Leon watched impassively as the congregation of the great Hutt families assembled to welcome the Neo-Sith Emperor as Lord Veneficus' personal shuttle descended onto the surface of Nal Hutta.
The disgusting swampland reeked of a vile stench of bile and filth that only the massive slugs could find appealing, but for the Force users that made up the Emperor's entourage it was ignored in favor of the business that they had come to fully implement, that of the surrender of the Hutt Cartel to the Empire.
Leon was present, as a personal advisor of his majesty, as well as his role as a visionary, able to see and predict the future with impunity, having learned of his powerful abilities only after opening his eyes to the power of the Dark Side and embracing the teachings of the Emperor.
No being could say that they truly knew the powerful entity that was the Sith Master and ruler of the Empire more than Leon, and this gave him much power in the ranks of the Empire, even if many did not know of his rank or position. Disembarking from the shuttle after a full contingent of royal Arcanamach, Leon bowed as the Emperor made his appearance, the staff of Ragnos in his hand as symbol of his power and right to rule as the heir of the Emperors of old.
Reaching out with sight beyond that of mere mortals, Leon looked into the near future, straining to see the outcome of the events surrounding him, and how it would affect the Galaxy at large. Peering through the gloom of the future, Leon was suddenly aware of the imminent danger to his master and friend, even as the Hutts approached him.
Surging forward even as a hidden sniper took aim, the Hutts all gasped in horror as Leon threw himself in front of the Emperor, lightsaber snapping to life as the crimson blade intercepted the high powered bolt of plasma that would have struck his Imperial Highness. "Protect the Emperor!" he commanded, positioning himself in front of the man and blocking another trio of blasts from various angles as the other assassins tried to kill the leader of the Empire.
"Slay these traitors," Veneficus commanded, his own weapon blazing to life in his hand, and the Arcanamach leapt into action, lightpikes making quick work of the fools that thought that they could slay a man that had already transcended death, aging, and the rigors of time.
Withdrawing to the protective cover of the shuttle, and activating the powerful enchantments and shields, Leon turned to his majesty, who was subtly smiling at the events that had unfolded. "That was not the entirety of the Cartel families, your Majesty," he reported.
"Naturally," Veneficus replied, looking out as his royal guard continued their pursuit of the assassins, and slew a great deal of attackers that were even now trying to break onto the shuttle and complete their futile mission. "It is clear that a power grab has just been made at our expense, removing the majority of the families to make one particular Hutt ruler of all the Cartel."
"Nevertheless, we are now established on their capital world," Leon added, even as the signal went out for the garrison of Imperial soldiers to make their landing on the Cartel planet. "with that, the remaining family is a leader in exile, and holds little power to actually stop us from controlling the region."
"I do not like to leave enemies alive when they are blatantly against me," Veneficus admitted, "but it is far past the time we need to return to slaying the last of the Republic, and claiming the seat of the Galaxy for the Empire at last… Recall the guard; we depart for the Apex shortly." Leon could tell from the weight of the words that Veneficus was acting upon his own visions of the grand design to bring the Galaxy to its knees before him, even though it conflicted with his own personal wants and desires.
Throwing his own mind into the future as the commands went out to the Arcanamach; Leon could see all possible futures leading to a specific series of cascading events, that seemed to be a pulsating node in time and space; an unavoidable event. That could only mean one thing for him personally. The reuniting of Leon with his old Master…
The thought was both exhilarating and greatly disturbing. While he had had very little in the way of training from the now Master Luna Lovegood, there was a power in the connection that they had once shared, and now he felt nothing for the female Jedi, only knowledge that she was the greatest enemy of the Sith Emperor, and a vital link to the man's past that had to be removed forever to destroy the history that had been Harry Potter.
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Luna paused as she set foot on the world of Castell. For the briefest of moments, she had sensed Leon reaching out to her, before the connection was lost again. That gave her hope that the boy was still alive, somewhere out in the wide Galaxy, and she promised herself that she would seek out his location, even if she had to interrogate every captured Imperial soldier herself to do so.
Looking around the deserted and pockmarked landscape around the central city of the planet, where she herself had coordinated a defense of the world not a long time previously, Luna felt suddenly very out of place leading an attack on the very same city.
Certainly it was for better reasons, to drive the Empire from this place and return the planet to its people and the Republic, but it was still unusual for a Jedi-led force to be attacking anywhere.
"Everything is in position General," the commander droid of the Hope's Radiance ground divisions reported, stepping up to her in their mobile command center. She nodded, acknowledging the report as she continued to watch the near silent and still outskirts of the city.
The Imperial forces had clearly been expecting retaliation, as the defenses had been repaired in their absence, and now seemed to be even more heavily defended than when the Republic held those walls.
It would not be a quick or simply battle then, but a long and drawn-out campaign to retake this one city, and then the rest of the planet afterward. "Begin," she commanded, watching as the massive battle groups of droids were all given the green light to advance, looking for all appearances like a swell of protocol droids as they started toward the city.
The Imperial forces must have taken the bait, as they appeared out of the fortifications, preparing to mow down the Republic vanguard with automated turrets and cannons. But once the droids had visuals of the enemy, their transfiguration subroutines took control, and Luna bid that the Force take those who now faced their wrath mercifully, as the juggernauts of destruction started their advance, gun blazing outward to keep any enemy soldier pinned behind the walls that they had thought would protect them.
Tanks attempted to pour from the sides of the city to flank the advancing droids, but their powerful shields and automated repeating cannons made it so that the newest creations of Magi-tech industries were nigh unstoppable by the Imperial forces.
As much as Luna did not approve even the scant loss of life, she knew that this was a needful thing to protect the Republic. But it didn't change the pangs in her heart at seeing the almost one sided battle before her as the droids neared the walls, and those in the center of the formation produced rocket propelled explosives from their myriad of weapons housed within their enchanted frames, blasting the gates wide open and making a massive hole for their force to enter proudly into the city.
"Advance," she commanded, and their command center started forward, the vehicle it was attached to rolling onward in the wake of the destruction that the droids had left as they started to scour the entire city of every last Imperial force.
The troops, tanks and vehicles were easily countered in such a surprising counter offensive, no doubt due to the high secrecy that had gone in the making of these war droids, but there was still any remaining Dark Adepts that may have remaining on the planet, and Luna had her saber in hand just in case the command center was threatened.
Yoda and the other Jedi had remaining in orbit, as she had not wanted to force any of them to participate in the workings of war other than what the Council had requested, herself alone being the exception.
She was not taken by surprise then, when three of the dark robed force wielders leapt from the shadows of buildings at them, trying to kill the commanders of the droid army, and she quickly imposed herself in their way, azure blade colliding mightily with the crimson of the first opponent. A sharp kick knocked the first assailant from the mobile platform, allow her to swing at the second, who ducked, trying to rise up in a move that would have bisected Luna if she had been any less experienced that she was.
Quickly leaping back from the attack, she reached out with the Force and wrenched back the last attacker before he could reach the commanders, causing them all to be left behind as the command center rolled onward.
They quickly tried to circle her, but Luna centered herself into the Force, allowing it to flow through her like a powerful river. She was nothing more than a leaf amid the stream of life energy that guided and empowered the Galaxy, and these stones that sought to alter the river would do nothing to her.
They attacked, and she simply moved, evading swing after swing as the leaf moved within the currents of the Force, sucking a swing to the head, leaping over a low strike, twisting away from a stab. It was the purest expression of Soresu that she had ever felt. And only once she knew that they were fully invested in fighting her did she strike back, knocking a stab upward, before kicking one of the beings in the ribs, feeling at least two of the crack under the sharp strike.
One of the fellow Adepts attempted to batter away her saber and go for her chest, but Luna dodged backward, removing the target, before bouncing on the balls of her feet back in as the Darksider's blade moved past her position, mourning the sickening feeling of a life leaving with the smell of charred flesh as her blade found the man's chest.
The Force cried a warning just then, and she gathered it around her as lightning crackled from the third attacker. Her blade was still buried in the other adept, and could not be used to defend her, so she accepted the pain as the blue-white torrents flowed over her, bringing her to her knees as her nerve endings flares over and over in agony.
She took in the pain, which she felt was more than just her own, but the anguish and rage of the Darksider attacking her, and suddenly Luna understood just one more thing regarding the Dark Side. The dark energy fed not only upon the emotions of those who used it, but was amplified by their own suffering.
She felt this man's pain, and she refused to reject it, taking it in and wishing that the warmth of the Light would calm the storm of his anger. Suddenly the stinging pain of the lightning ended, and Luna turned to see the two remaining Dark Adepts stepping away from her with fear in their eyes.
Only then did she realize that her own body was glowing with a powerful Force-powered aura. The Light was part of her, and guided her, even as she defied time and moved forward with astonishing speed, deflecting the hastily raised blade of one foe and striking him hard across the face with her hand, knocking the Darksider to the ground. Ducking another quick blow to her head, her legs shot out and she tripped the other attacker, before calling upon the Force to bind them in place, calling their weapons to her for safekeeping.
Only once they were immobilized did she allow herself to float up and out of the sea of the Force that she had allowed herself to sink into, and then she realized how much pain she was truly in, and the exhaustion that overcame her made her fall to her knees. Pulling out her wand, she mutter incantations to bind her prisoners and levitate them, so that transporting them back to the command center would be relatively painless for her, as all her personal energy would be needed just to walk there herself.
But she was pleased. She had spared two of the three attackers, and had prisoner to question as to the location of her Padawan. It was more progress toward her goal, and that of the Jedi than had happened during the entirety of the war thus far. And that was at least something.
Unfortunately it wasn't for many hours that Luna had time to visit her prisoners, long after the battle had ended, much as she had supposed for first contact between the new war droids and the enemy. The Imperial forces had had no idea what to make of the new combatants, and were effectively driven out of the city with only a small number of soldiers still putting up resistance in some of the abandoned buildings, but there were no more foes that were worthy of Luna's direct attention, so she was free to return to their makeshift camp, now in the hangar area of the city once again, and enter the small building that served as their new prison.
The two Dark Adepts were still there, bound in manacles that inhibited the ability to connect to the Force, as well as several other items and charms that Luna had placed herself to ensure that they would be here once she was available to tend to them.
Pulling a small vial from her belt, and silently thanking Professor Snape for finding the ingredients for it, Luna carefully uncorked the little miracle truth serum and tilted the heads back of the two prisoners, dropping three carefully measured drops into each mouth.
Giving them a moment for the serum to take effect, Luna watched as they slowly returned to full consciousness, dissipating the charms that kept them unconscious and inattentive to their surroundings so that she could hold full conversations with them.
"What is your leadership's plan for this sector?" she demanded as soon as the time had elapsed for the Veritaserum to take full effect. Both started speaking at once, spilling details of how the Dauntless was waiting just one system away for reinforcements, and the rest of the undamaged fleet, while other commanders had fanned out to attack the nearby systems. It was all just as Luna had feared it to be, a trap to make them waste time, but it had backfired for the Sith in a small fashion. They had never suspected that Luna would take prisoners, or even if she did, have the means to actually question them without issue.
"Where is the Emperor?" she asked as her next question, keeping track of how long she had before the potion wore off. It had a rather long delay before it would be useable again on the same person without serious toxic repercussions, which was why three drops was clearly stated on every bottle of it, both now and back on old Terra from what Luna remembered.
One didn't know, and the other had a suspicion that the man might still be on Dromund Kaas, so Luna gave up that line of questioning for the time being. These two were lackeys, and had no viable information about the inner workings of the Empire, so there was no point in trying to find out something regarding the upper councils or others.
"What is the Empire's next move against the Republic?" she asked, wondering if they had an inkling of their master's next attack, and to her pleasant surprise they co-agreed in stating that the Armada was to wait for reinforcements, which were arriving in less than a week before lashing out again with their full power to destroy the Hope's Radiance and continue on their warpath toward the Core.
Meanwhile, other high ranking commanders, the two had no idea who, were to join up with the fleets in the northern and southern sectors of the front lines, and make pushes as well, trying to eliminate the resistance that existed there in the forms of Professors McGonagall and Flitwick, before joining with the main fleet over Coruscant.
Past that, the two she had captured knew nothing more of the Empire's plans, and Luna knew she only had moments left before the potion lost its potency, so she rendered the pain unconscious once more, and prepared them for transport back to the Jedi Temple. Maybe with the Force's aide they would be able to rehabilitate these two into proper Force users, or at least cure them of the lies that the Emperor had fed them for so long.
Once she was finished, Luna departed the small prison building, and made her way to the long range communicator that her forces had set up, contacting Yoda once she arrived. "It is as we feared," she reported, "The Empire is receiving reinforcements within the week and will return, but not only that, they are striking out at the systems all around us, trying to cause as much damage and hopefully split our forces in an attempt to halt their attacks."
Yoda looked thoughtful, but asked, "Any word, regarding the Emperor was there?"
"None," Luna reported sadly, knowing that Yoda cared as much as she did about locating Leon.
"Find him, we will," Yoda consoled her, "but focus on the here and now, we must. Secure this world first, we shall, then strike at the Empire's Armada directly, I feel."
It was a bold strategy, Luna realized. If they allowed the Empire's extra forces to remain where they were, instead of engaging them all separately, and instead went straight for what was left of the main fleet, they stood a better chance eliminating the head of the striking snake, possibly before they even received their reinforcement.
If the main body of the fleet fell, the rest would be easy prey for the Republic fleets, without their advantage of great numbers or superior firepower to back them up. There was also little other choice for them if they wished to succeed.
"I will make sure that our time planet-side here concludes with the greatest of haste, then," Luna said, cutting the call to her dear friend and turning to find the leading commander droid that was facilitating the efforts to fully claim the city.
They had little time now to purge the rest of the planet of what pockets of Imperial forces remained, before they needed to return to the ship with all haste and move on to engage the Armada once again. Mercifully the swiftness of their capture of the city had bought them time.