Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Shadows of the Force. Enjoy the 2000-word chapter. I don't own RWBY and Star Wars. Monty Oum, Lucas Films, and Rooster Teeth do.
(Beacon, Emerald Forest, Vale, Remnant 10:20 AM)
Lerek hummed before noticing that Ruby was gone. Lerek blinked and then shook his head.
"Uh… Where did your team leader go?" Lerek questioned as he slowly tossed his lightsaber up and down in his hand.
"Ruby wanted to get her sister," Blake said which got a nod from the Arkanian. "You said something about the force being part of nature before." Blake put in as Lerek crossed his arms.
"Well, to a Jedi like me? I'll use regular terms." Lerek said while scratching at his neck. "Jedi draw strength from things like hope, determination… Sith draws on all the bad things like hate, fear, anger. I'm starting to wonder if the Sith have any connection to the Grimm. They've made monsters like them before." Lerek added as Blake nodded.
"And the part of nature thing?" Blake questioned while Lerek nodded.
"Master Yoda, the leader of the Jedi? He used to teach us that both sides of the force were the same." Lerek stated, starting to draw in the dirt. "To us? The Sith are evil and the Jedi are good… But to nature? Neither seems to matter, one can't exist without the other. I can't say if one defines the other, you'd have to ask my partner." Lerek said, drawing a crude line with two spheres, one on each side.
"You're not a lot like how Jedi should be… Are you?" Blake questioned while Lerek chuckled.
"Peacekeeper? I'm 100% one." Lerek said, brushing off his armor. "The other parts? It varies, Arkanians are a very technology-loving race, and arrogant. I'm cocky, not arrogant… But I wouldn't say I adhere fully to the Jedi code as my friend might. Why? How do Huntresses usually live life?" Lerek questioned, a small smirk pulling at his lips.
"Their warriors who take jobs around the world, outside the rules people seem to set," Blake said, gaining a raised eyebrow from Lerek.
"Sounds like a bounty hunter crossed with a Jedi," Lerek said before realizing the question he had probably left. "People who hunt down others for money where I live… So, you guys fought a giant bird, Grimm?" Lerek asked before the sound of 2 voices cut them off.
"I expected you both to be at the ruins, now." They heard as they turned to see that Weiss and Yang had joined up.
"The ruins are a mile away," Lerek stated before his comlink lit up.
"Sir? The professor said that he's learned enough, currently." Drifter said which caused Lerek to hum. "He said he's sending a ship to pick up you all." Drifter stated as Lerek blinked.
"Already? We've barely been here for 20 minutes at a moment." Lerek questioned as he hummed.
"We're needed in the headmaster's office anyway, sir." Lerek heard from Drifter. "The city council wants to speak to you anyway… And Blake if I recall." Drifter added and signed off on the comm.
"Every second is an adventure," Lerek said which gained a raised eyebrow. "Old saying, I used to have as a kid. You can never tell what's going to happen next. I don't think I've been doing this much military work since the actual war started…" Lerek stated before the sounds of engines caused him to turn to see a LAAT approaching.
RWBY blinked before they noticed WHERE the craft had come from. They watched a ship that dwarfed the majority of all Remnant aircraft hang in low orbit. Blake was beginning to believe that Lerek WASN'T from Remnant.
But that just gave rise to a thousand new questions as she pondered just WHERE Lerek was from.
"Anyone needs a lift?" Lerek heard as the gunship landed in front of the duo.
"Tally, that you?" Lerek questioned as he looked at the clone pilot.
"Tally?" RWBY questioned at once which gained a nod from Lerek.
"Clone troopers all have nicknames," Lerek explained as they boarded the gunship. "And I know over a hundred of my men, it's nice to get to know who you're fighting with. It makes the war a lot easier to deal with knowing you got friends around you." Lerek said before turning to Tally.
"Why is the Trailblazer in the atmosphere?" Lerek questioned, hanging onto the roof as the craft accelerated. "I thought I said we stay above Remnant till we could introduce ourselves without fear," Lerek said as Tally shook his head.
"The council here wanted to see it and judge what they are dealing with, sir," Tally explained which made Lerek sigh despite himself. "Commander has a platoon coming with us to meet them… Said your friend might want to come with since you and she are close, and they want to trust." Tally said before the gunship flew through the foliage towards Beacon.
RWBY looked at the massive cruiser which looked as if it could lay waste to all of Vale. Blake didn't know what to say considering she now had some hard evidence that Lerek WASN'T from Remnant.
'Are these 'Separatists' so dangerous they need warships like that?' Blake questioned herself mentally.
"We want to go too!" Ruby said as Lerek turned to look at them. "Blake's our friend too," Ruby shouted as Blake turned to them.
"I wouldn't call Lerek my friend yet…" Blake said before gazing at the Arkanian. "But if they need me? I'll go, it isn't like you're familiar with Remnant, are you?" Blake questioned and watched Lerek nod as he hummed.
"Ask Professor Ozpin," Lerek said before the gunship swung around the school. "Blake? If they're going? Tell Drifter, the soldier you saw with Ozpin before… I'm going to speak to the council, I guess." Lerek stated before the team exited while he cracked a smile.
Lerek watched as the gunship started to fly into the sky. Lerek watched their dots vanish before it slowly started to accelerate towards the cruiser at the moment.
"Did the admiral want to come to this meeting then, Tally?" Lerek questioned the pilot who shrugged at the moment. "This is going to be ridiculous at the moment," Lerek stated while he sighed, rubbing his temples once more and shaking his head.
Lerek could only question how this would go. This was going to either break their relations to the planet or possibly start another war… Or it would allow the Republic to gain a foothold on Remnant and if the other Jedi and the military wanted to settle the planet?
Well, this would help pave the way to things like that. Lerek felt the gunship approach the massive cruiser, the doors began to slide open.
"The Admiral is setting up a diplomatic party, sir. He wants you to be part of it." Tally started to explain as the Arkanian Jedi general exited the gunship.
"This is going to be a long day…" Lerek stated while he crossed his arms.
Lerek watched hundreds of clones milling around the hanger. He watched them move fuel, weapons, spare parts, and other equipment around. He could only hope that this didn't fall off the wagon at the moment.
"Admiral, can I speak with you in the war room?" Lerek questioned over his commlink as he started to cross the hanger. "We need to explain something before this goes sideways," Lerek added, looking down at the ground once more.
He entered the turbo-lift and then turned the lift back on. He knew that this was NOT going to be easy, especially with all the doubts he had for when it comes down to it. Lerek leaned against the wall, closing his eyes.
"Great, the one Jedi who's NOT a good negotiator," Lerek said, rubbing at his temples once more before he let out a sigh of annoyance. "Ruzul's the better peacemaker, I'm just the good fighter and social expert," Lerek added before the Arkanian pondered what he knew.
The Grimm had to be studied for the republic to better understand them. He'd give the council some information in return for some info on the Grimm. Any foothold in Remnant would come with deeper and more complex negotiations at the moment to him.
The turbo-lift ended at the war room tucked behind the bridge. Lerek walked out and passed the two clones guarding it. He sighed before the admiral slowly emerged.
"Admiral, with all due respect…" Lerek said before looking at the republic officer. "Why did you agree to meet with the city council? We've barely been here a few days. There is no way they will not be scared by this and consider it a show of force." Lerek said, rubbing at his chin as he did so.
"They will never accept us unless we are willing to reach out our hand first, general." Lerek heard which gained him crossing his arms. "We've received a transmission from the other side of republic space, anyway… They've asked that we oversee a VIP who's making the trip with reinforcements. It's why I scheduled the negotiations. I've heard you're bringing a native along." Parmar stated which caused him to shake his head.
"What do you mean 'reinforcements?' this isn't a military deployment," Lerek responded and then sighed for a moment. "We're not making them our enemies, admiral. Their innocent people, not ruthless separatists eager to destroy us. I'll handle things on the ground from here on." Lerek said before his commlink buzzed.
"General? It's Drifter." Lerek heard as he turned away from the republic officer. "I just thought I'd let you know we're arriving. One of the professors wished to supervise anyway. I'll meet you in the hanger, sir?" Drifter heard which he answered a minute later.
"I'll be there, Drifter," Lerek said, turning away at the time to board the turbolaser. "We're going to have to discuss this sooner rather than later, admiral," Lerek stated before shaking his head.
Lerek couldn't say anything. The chips had fallen where they might, now the only thing he could do was hope they got better. Lerek only hoped this premature arrival wasn't taken as an enemy invasion from the republic. The last thing Lerek wanted was a massive military battle between this new planet and his forces. That wouldn't benefit anyone.
Still? If that was how the dice would be cast? Then Lerek planned to play it that way.
The doors slowly slid open as the LAAT landed inside the gunship. Dozens of clone troopers all stood around the craft as the doors slid open. RWBY and Ms. Goodwitch exited Drifter and the pair of clones from before aboard.
"WHOA, COOL SPACESHIP!" Yang stated as Lerek rolled his eyes.
"This ship is nothing similar to Atlesian tech… So there goes my idea." Weiss said before Lerek hummed a moment later.
"You could have simply asked to be fair," Lerek asked before looking at Blake. "I'd like to welcome you all to the Trailblazer. Commander Drifter? Please escort our guests to their quarters. I have to see about the details of this meeting… Which I wasn't informed about, to begin with." Lerek said, sighing as he shook his head.
Blake could only hum and blink at this. She didn't know what to think, but then again? She doubted Lerek had been ready for this, to begin with given the tone of his voice.
Meaning this had been done behind his back. Something that made her question what Lerek had been planning.
Still? She followed the clones and the Arkanian Jedi general anyway.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be delayed a bit. The next chapter is going to show Blake and Lerek talking and reveal a bit about his past while also setting up the republic meeting with Vale and more republic forces arriving at Remnant. Until then, Lighting Wolf out!
P.S: Next chapter is in 2-10 months and is 900-3500 or so words. Ruby 900-1200 Monday, Raven 900-1200 Thursday, Elm 1200 Sunday, Penny 900 Sunday. Yang 1200 Thursday, Winter 1500 Wednesday. Cinder 1200 Monday, Neo 1500 Wednesday, Pyrrha 900-1500 Friday, and Emerald 1500 Friday.