Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Shadows of the Force. Enjoy the 3000-word chapter. I don't own RWBY and Star Wars. Monty Oum, Lucas Films, and Rooster Teeth do.
(Venator Class Cruiser, Trailblazer, Remnant 7:40 PM November 12th.)
The cramped corridors of the cruiser's command bridge were active. It seemed more and more like Lerek's domain every day.
"And what exactly do we have from the droid yet?" Lerek asked as he set his hands on the table. "As much as I like scraping droids, Drift? It's not as much fun currently. We'd have more fun when we know what their plan is." Lerek said to which the Clone Captain chuckled.
"Yes, well there's plenty of work to do at the moment." Drifter said with amusement. "We did figure out their starting to mine Remnant. They've begun setting up bases across Vale." Drifter stated while he shook his head.
"You mean there are droids all over the planet?" Lerek questioned which gained a shrug from Drifter. "Damn, Dooku wants the planet. We need to make sure we deal with them." Lerek said, putting a hand to his temples.
He watched Drifter type in commands into the table. The holo table shifted, displaying Remnant and Republic forces. Several Separatist symbols flashed. He sighed as this reminded him there were thousands of battle droids still on Remnant.
"We've yet to see a single cruiser from the Seppies. I don't like how easy that was." Drifter put in to which Lerek nodded. "I've seen droid patrols at the edge of the continent. They're trying to push into Vale slowly but surely." Drifter added, gesturing to the map.
Lerek put a hand to his chin. There were plenty of options, but none of them helped yet. Lerek hummed, crossing his arms over his chest.
"We need to make sure everything is ready if they show up," Lerek said, drawing a circle around Vale as he did so. "Share it with Headmaster Ozpin and General Ironwood. They know the terrain better than us, make sure to keep everything secret, though. We still don't know if they wanted this to happen." Lerek ordered as Drifter nodded.
"I'll keep the boys ready below if we need to make a big move, general," Drifter added to which Lerek nodded. "I think we're done here at the moment, sir. I'll keep decrypting what I can… I think you should make sure Ms. Belladonna is ok, she talked to some of the boys down in the hanger 10 minutes ago." Drifter put in before grabbing his helmet, looking around the room as he did so.
Lerek hummed and turned to leave, pausing to look at the monitors around him. He was far more curious than he felt at the moment. Lerek slowly boarded the turbo-lift, mulling over the war efforts. The trip here was both interesting… And terrifying when he thought about it. Lerek didn't know if it was part of the will of the force or something similar… What he did know was that this was NOT something he understood if it was.
"One more thing, general?" Lerek heard from his comlink as the turbo lift returned towards the hanger. "I've heard Professor Ozpin has been trying to contact General Yoda. He plans on returning to Beacon. We might be having some more reinforcements come here… Republic is pretty terrified and interested in the planet. I'll keep you in the loop if something comes up at the moment." Drifter put in to which Lerek hummed, nodding as the signal fell silent for a bit.
"Things aren't that easy, Drift, you'd know that just as well as me," Lerek said while dusting off his robes. "The worse things get? The worse the result are going to be. There's going to be quite a lot of danger down there… This would be fun if I wasn't forced to be serious like usual." Lerek said before the elevators opened.
Lerek shook his head, marching past a group of clones and flight staff. He looked around dozens of fighters, dropships, soldiers, staff. The massive carnivorous hanger felt like a living creature in its own right. Lerek looked around the hanger, taking in the sights of his army and countless staff. He knew they kept the cruiser humming along. It made him hopeful that they'd end up winning this war, or at the very least? They were remembered.
He looked around for Blake. Lerek found nothing around this area. Lerek racked his brain and sighed to himself. Blake would have returned to her room.
"Dozens of droids and none of them are smart," Lerek said as he slowly strode forward. "Ventress is planning something, though. Why the flood of droids, though? Is she testing our defenses? Trying to draw attention away from another location? The thing I hate so much? Ventress can plan and we don't know it." Lerek added as he shook his head.
There was plenty of war to address. Lerek questioned how older generals kept up this type of work. He'd ask them when this was over, before then? He had a conflict to overcome.
"Time to go see Blake," Lerek said, turning on his heel. "I question how she stays up for a while… Then proceeds to get mad when I point out she needs sleep. She doesn't run on coffee like I seem to." Lerek put in before he boarded the elevator.
Lerek almost passed out from the exhaustion, but he was too amused to pass out now. He knew Blake would complain about how Lerek had made her pass out. That Faunus was as stubborn as he at certain things. It might have been why Drifter joked so much about them.
"General? I'd like to inform you." Drifter added as Lerek hit the button. "I believe General Ironwood might be arriving. We picked up transport on scanners." Drifter reported, earning a sigh from Lerek.
"Tell him to land in the main hanger," Lerek responded with annoyance. "I'm heading to Blake's room. Commander?" Lerek questioned to which Drifter hummed.
"Report to the hanger with our best," Lerek ordered, brushing off his coat. "This is a republic cruiser; we should look our best. I'll be down soon," Lerek added, crossing his arms.
"On it, sir," Drifter responded. "Will that be anything else? We seem to be pretty popular." Drifter put in with a chuckle.
"Only because the Trailblazer outguns them, Drift," Lerek said, his voice equal parts amused and tired. "We have a fleet, one who can orbitally attack. Do you know what the droids could do if their armada showed up? They'd burn the entire city to ash. We're the only thing standing between Vale and destruction." Lerek put in as he shook his head.
The lift finally reached the next floor. Lerek was left alone in the lit hallway. The Arkanian slowly walked down the pale grey corridor.
"You and Ms. Belladonna have a lot in common," Drifter added to which Lerek rolled his eyes. "You're both pretty stubborn, sir. Your both also willing to think outside the box to win." Drifter added to which Lerek hummed.
"Should I point out she spent an entire night awake?" Lerek questioned as he continued walking. "I might want the droids defeated? But I'm not stubborn enough to stay up a night. You'd be stupid to do that, all it does is exhaust you. I know the droids still need time to charge." Lerek put in as he arrived at the door.
Drifter was silent. Then again? He was aware they had a point; battle droids still required some sort of recuperation. Plus? If they managed to destroy a droid ship before those droids got off? Then they'd make the battle easier.
"Is General Ironwood there yet, or no?" Lerek questioned, running a hand through his hair. "If he is? Tell him to give me 10 minutes. I still have to talk to Blake, then return to the hanger." Lerek stated as he did so.
"Not yet we're still handling docking," Drifter responded as Lerek rapped his knuckles on the door. "I'm still curious how he plans to fight an army of droids with more droids. If these things are anything like battle droids? Then they're not very smart, plus? General Ironwood wouldn't be very smart to trust an army. I mean, an army of controlled droids." Drifter added to himself.
Lerek was silent after this. He was smart to think of a way around the droid's control signal. if it was something that could be exploited in the case of the separatist army? Then he'd do everything in his power to bring them down.
"I doubt they're as stupid as the battle droids we fight," Lerek responded before knocking on the door again. "Blake? It's me. I need to talk to you currently. Something important when it comes down to it." Lerek stated as he waited for something to happen.
He knew there were plenty of reasons for Blake to be on edge. She wasn't very happy about being woken up, nor was Lerek happy about it comes down to it.
"Come in." Lerek heard from Blake as he shook his head and then slowly walked in. "What is it? You said something important. What's up?" Blake questioned to which the Arkanian started to cross the room.
He hummed before clicking his teeth together. There was a LOT that crossed the Arkanian's mind, all of which cut it down to it. Blake rubbed her eyes, her amused smirk playful.
"You not tired like before?" Lerek questioned to which the woman nodded. "Ok. I know you're not exactly in the happiest to be woken up, but apparently, we know some more stuff… About the droids. I also know that you want to talk about the White Fang." Lerek said as he concentrated.
The light was turned onwards, coating the room in bright light which caused the duo to shield their eyes from the light. Lerek turned to his Faunus friend a moment later as he did so.
"I don't know if you heard me say this?" Lerek questioned as his eyes adjusted to the light. "But Arkanians can see in infrared light, it makes things weird," Lerek stated before rubbing his eyes.
"Lots of semblances are common in your universe, aren't they?" Blake questioned, pulling her legs up to her chest.
"Well, shapeshifting, lifting things with our minds, through," Lerek said as he shook his head, waving his head back and forth. "Nobody makes copies of themselves like you do, though…. Tell me something, did you think about the White Fang and all that when you slept? You gave yourself an out to avoid your friends or something?" Lerek questioned as Blake hummed and shrugged to herself.
"There's a dance coming up, my friends are expecting me to be there," Blake stated before she nodded to herself. "I just can't think, they want to party while the White Fang is still out there," Blake added as Lerek nodded.
"Is this about them, or the Fang?" Lerek questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Because you are sure to think the White Fang are bigger fish than anyone on the planet. You've never told me why they need to be overcome SO badly." Lerek said to which Blake was silent.
"The White Fang is more than a terrorist organization; they control empires all over Remnant," Blake stated to which Lerek raised an eyebrow. "How do you think about anything else with that many resources? They're smarter than the thousands of droids." Blake put in to which Lerek hummed.
"If they're so dangerous? Why not tell me about them?" Lerek questioned, crossing his arms over his chest. "Second? You should know there are PLENTY of bad people in charge of the battle droids. Some very dangerous people command them, you should be quite happy that you're just fighting plenty of droids." Lerek said as he rubbed at his temples.
"The White Fang have plenty of dangerous people who command them," Blake stated as Lerek nodded, leaning back as he did so. "I know 2 of them, both of whom are as dangerous as Jedi and Huntsmen," Blake said to which Lerek rubbed at his chin.
"Then it sounds like we should find one of their bosses before then," Lerek said before he turned to Blake with interest. "Coming back to the issue? I don't think you plan on going to that dance, even if they ask?" Lerek questioned, raising his eyebrow as he did so.
"Do you think I want to go pretend to walk around while they gush over boys?" Blake snarked as Lerek chuckled.
"Then I got an idea," Lerek said as he hummed to himself. "How about we head to the library? Read some books, relax without worrying about the planet falling apart. Unless you'd like to spend 3-4 hours doing nothing while they complain about how you're not having fun at blaster point or whatever." Lerek suggested, turning to look at his friend as he did so.
He clicked his fingers on his arm as the Faunus was curious, she knew there could be something gained from it… However? Blake also knew there were plenty of things she wanted to do… Plenty to push herself forward on this path given enough time.
"You're asking me to go to the library… Which would make them ask why I'm missing?" Blake questioned to which he was silent, unsure of what to tell her. "Sure, but if they ask?" Blake asked as Lerek hummed.
"Then claim it's a study date or something," Lerek said before he stood up and turned around to go and leave. "If you're going? Just send a message to the bridge, we're going from there. I'm going to finalize something, I'll come back in an hour, ok?" Lerek questioned to which Blake was silent.
There was plenty of work to be done before he left the ship. Lerek also knew General Ironwood and he was close to having another argument. He refused to back down on military tactics like this. It didn't benefit anyone to have people terrified of soldiers walking the streets.
"Lerek?" Blake questioned to which the Arkanian turned to her. "What is it like to be a Jedi? They aren't usually generals, are they?" Blake questioned as she crossed her feet under her, sitting up.
"No, we aren't usually." Lerek put in as he hummed to himself. "Jedi weren't people who valued much. We were taught the force from when we were children. Only the force and our duty mattered, just like Arkanians value intelligence and social standing. I've had plenty of questions, but all of them are under the code." Lerek stated, crossing his arms.
"And their soldiers?" Blake questioned to which Lerek turned to her.
"We can care, just not enough for it to cloud our minds," Lerek responded as he turned. "I care about every soldier under my command. These clones are more than soldiers to me, their family. I make sure to protect every clone as I can…. Yet that's too emotional when it comes down to it. I doubt it." Lerek said as Blake nodded.
"Something tells me this history lesson isn't motivated solely by curiosity," Lerek stated as he rubbed at his temples. "I want you to tell me something. The White Fang didn't start as some sort of revolution like they are now, are they?" Lerek questioned as he turned to look at the ceiling.
"No, they protested the discrimination, but they didn't riot, burn steal and kill," Blake stated as Lerek nodded. "They didn't do that until new leadership came in. They were convincing them we must take respect rather than let them give it." Blake stated as Lerek nodded.
"So, part of it is because of the prejudice they had been given from years ago," Lerek stated to which he sighed. "You do know we are at war with quite a lot of people. Dooku loves to promise people things and then take it away when it stops being self to him." Lerek added to which Blake was silent.
"You think he'd ally with the White Fang?" Blake questioned as Lerek sat up.
"They're a well-connected, well-supplied anti-human group with power across the globe?" Lerek asked which was given a nod. "Then yes. I do. Dooku adds anyone who wants to destroy the republic to his army. If he thinks the White Fang can help him? He'd gladly add them to his army, offering them a seat at the table, but he'd make sure to keep an eye on them. The second the White Fang stops being useful? He'd cut them loose, having them destroyed and their resources folded into the Separatist army." Lerek pointed out, raising an eyebrow.
Blake was silent. If the droid army teamed up with the White Fang? Then they'd gain an army to destroy the entire world with. She shuddered to think of what would happen if armies of droids were busy burning down anything and anyone who dared stand in their way.
"Your right to worry, but you shouldn't let it consume you." Lerek put in as he hummed. "If you spend days plotting against them? You will never have the energy to foil their plans when it comes down to it. Trust me, I know what it's like to be exhausted, I've not gotten a lot of sleep since I got here." Lerek added as he turned.
Lerek slowly stood up as he slowly started to move to the next door. He knew there was plenty of work to be done. However? These questions were done at the moment. If he had more? He'd come back.
"If something happens? Come get me, get some sleep for now." Lerek put in before he turned and started to think about the next move.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be in 2-10 months. It will show the beginning of Dance Dance Infiltration and set up Lerek and Blake's relationship. Until the 900–6500-word chapter. Lighting Wolf out!