HELLO EVERYONE! SORRY ABOUT TAKING SO LONG TO GET OUT THIS CHAPTER. HOPEFULLY, IT DOESN'T DISAPPOINT

CHEERS!

For the next several hours following the meeting, Christen searched the wreckage again and found traces of an explosive compound that only Chiss operatives on his planet had used for this kind of job... thermite. After HK had located the location of the trail that he had when going through the databanks, and it led him to the level of 3147

He went under the guise of a buyer, but it hadn't worked out too well for them. He got everything he needed for the Null squad to take action against a few senators and people around the planet. Hopefully, the Jedi won't suspect him from the mess he left.

TWO HOURS EARLIER

He received a bit of information from the Empire and HK where the thermite was said to have been sold on the black market, which made Christen, albeit a bit annoyed to go down that far down to Coruscant's lower levels which many considered the worst place possible. Christen walked down the quieter streets as he kept his hood up but, his mind and eyes open to anything. Christen walked to a bar that he was told the explosives would have been sold.

Christen knew he was being watched by the local populace. It wasn't every day you see a seven-foot-tall humanoid clad in Mandalorian-styled armor, so he walked to the bar and ordered himself something to drink, and a shady dealer walked up next to him.

He held out the drug known as death sticks. "Hey, Fella. wanna buy some death sticks?"

Christen slowly lifted his hand and waved the Force. " you don't want to sell death sticks."

The dealer would put them away. "I don't want to sell death sticks."

Christen waved his hand again. "You want to go home and kill yourself."

The dealer left his drink. "I want to go home and kill myself." Just like that, he was gone.

Christen received his drink and waited a few minutes before being interrupted by another cloaked man. "Hey... Mandalorian, you here for the dancers or The stuff."

Christen didn't look at the man in disdain. "Yeah. I am. I want info on your last client." he spoke emotionlessly, as a droid would.

The man laughed. "I don't just give that out for free."

Christen swished his hand once more. "You're going to tell me what you know of the man who sold you the thermite who almost killed my wife."

The man froze up. "I will tell you who I sold the thermite to. I sold them to someone going by the name of Jafan." the man then was released from the Force, and his eyes began to look at him in fear.

Christen waved his hand once more. "You will tell me if you're meeting him."

"I will tell you where I am meeting him. I am meeting him at the old astromech factory a few blocks from this current bar in fifteen minutes for the next strike against the Senator, after seeing the King of hapes all but Jafan is going after the Queen Mother."

Christen had all he needed and was smiling in eagerness as he spoke to the man once more, not even bothering to lift his hand.

"You are going to strangle yourself."

"I am going to strangle myself." The man then took both hands and squeezed so hard his face instantly changed colors as he fell to the ground a few more seconds and a loud snap was heard as the man snapped his own neck, only a few people looked in the now dead man's direction, not even attempting to get in the way on a large armored humanoid.

Christen had his information and left after finishing and paying for his drink, heading for the old droid factory.

Christen entered the factory and saw it was somehow still active, only a few conveyor belts out of the dozens, but it still made him uneasy, and rightfully so. Christen continued to walk through the factory until he felt a faint presence, quickly activating one of his lightsabers.

The orange blade illuminated him slightly as a crimson lightsaber came smashing down onto Christen's blade. The assailant was thrown backward by his own Force as Christen stood unmoved by the sneak attack through the opponent swiftly recovered and dashed towards him.

Christen lazily defended against the rapid slashes and strikes. The man was not worth showing a fraction of his power as he was clearly a dark force user. Clearly a showing of the seventh form, but the man's skill was laughable, his form so incomplete it's like he was teaching a toddler. Christen lightly used the Force to knock back his attacker.

The cloaked man was shoved back a dozen feet as he looked at Christen through a helmet concealing his face, as both stared each other down metal staring at metal. "So. I finally meet the King of the consortium."

Christen couldn't recognize the man's voice. He was clearly disguising it. "Why did you attack MY Queen, My wife? What was your part in all of this!?"

The man remained calm. "we have been exiled from the ascendency for our role in the tetan's attack, because of the YOUR MASTER'S failure to give us the full picture, y-you were not supposed to SURVIVE, the Nabooian senator wasn't supposed to gain so much support, but it seems your master wasn't the only sith HAHA, we will have our revenge SLAVE!" The man lept into the air, driving his lightsaber downward, but Christen refused to move. Grabbed the man's arm, and threw him over his head onto a couple of wooden crates a zone feet away, christen momentarily forgetting his natural strength but currently couldn't care.

Surprisingly the man pushed back to him with his own strength managing to get back on his feet, but along the way, the bottom of the man's mask was torn away, leaving his entire jaw exposed. Christen could make out the blue skin of the Chiss race.

Christen kicked him in the gut knocking him back. Within seconds he would start flipping around with elaborate blade work in the form of Makashi and Ataru as the man was barely matching Christen's blade work.

Christen then swing for the man's back, but the man moved a little too fast.

Once he blocked his next attack, Christen quickly smashes him in the jaw with his lightsaber hilt, the sharp interlocking end stabbing the man's cheek and tearing out a chunk of flesh. The man would throw out a powerful force push that would have sent a Jedi back a few dozen meters, but for Christen, he slid back a few inches.

But Christen could see the despair from the man's face as he used the Force to lift dozens of metal and boarded crates, swirling them around him. He launched all of them towards what he assumed was a chiss acolyte of his now-dead master. The man jumped into the air and even jumped off them until he landed on the ground just a few feet from him.

Christen would start slashing at the man's side. The Chiss barely blocked them each time.

The man entered a blade lock with him in which he would easily break off the connection. On the man's second time attempting the lock, he punched the man in the jaw and kicking him over into a half-finished astromech R2 series a couple of yards away. The man slammed into it as he dodged an overhead cleave from Christen as the blade cut right through the droid.

Christen started throwing pieces of atromech droids towards his opponent, who cut through them with ease as Christen jumped, upbringing his lightsaber down in his own overhead blow. The man blocked it, pushing Christen up as he landed behind him, ducking one side slash then another before using the Force to throw the man against an assembly belt. The man jumped onto the belt as Christen followed while their actions caused the controls to malfunction, and the belt began to move.

Christen held his lightsaber in his Juyo stance. The two clashed blades again as Christen kept going with side slashes that were barely blocked each time. The man soon kicked Christen in the stomach as he went with heavy sideways cleaves that crashed into Christen's lightsaber each time. The man uses all his strength to continue blocking the heavy cleaves thrown at him, each throwing pain throughout his body.

Christen switched forms and was now holding his lightsaber in the reverse grip of Shien.

Christen ducked another slash aimed for his neck as he flipped over the man as he attempted to stab Christen. Christen twirled his lightsaber in his hand.

"So your name is Jafan. Your seller isn't very loyal, is he?" Christen was ready to keep fighting, it had been easy digging out information from the man's head during the fight, and now he saw the chiss become keenly aware of the presence he had within his mind.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Jafan charged Christen and slammed his lightsaber into Christen's again, which caused Jafan to bounce off him. "What do you hope to achieve by challenging me?" Christen asked as the man tried to get past his lazily put defense.

"What ar- are yo-you" Jafan stuttered in fear.

Christen broke off the man's tenth attack. "You're not very smart. All this training, this skill put into a disabled man's body" Christen was now the one to slam his blade into Jafans.

"I HATE YOU!" his terror turned into hatred for a split second before Christen put him back into place.

Christen blocked a few side slashes, and when Jafan tried to stab him, Christen blocked it and backed kicked him in the stomach.

Jafan backed, upholding his gut with a horror-stricken face. "You WILL die if not by me."

Christen smiled evilly under his mask. "Thanks for the warning."

Jafan charged as he started throwing outside slashes and stabs, which Christen blocked each of them with ease and threw his saber, which Jafan tried to dodge, but it clipped his upper shoulder. Once Christen called his blade back and used the Force to sprint forward, he charged into Jafan's injured shoulder and tackled him off the belt as they crashed onto another assembly belt before falling off that.

Jafan crashed into a shelf full of parts as they came crashing down around him. Jafan felt like a starfighter ran over him when he got up. Once he did, Christen was right there again, and Jafan blocked another overhead cleave as he tried to stand his ground.

Jafan pushed back as the two still locked their blades against each other as he kicked Christen in the armor above his gut. Jafan jumped back as Christen started throwing the parts that fell on the floor towards Jafan as he tried cutting through them or dodging them.

Christen then grabbed Jafan with the Force as he had grown annoyed with the duel. As he saw the man wouldn't give him the information, and he had already taken what he needed, he decided the man was of no use to him, he turned his outstretched hand into a fist. Christen smiled under his mask at the sounds of breaking bones and loud blood-curdling screams, and he sent him flying as Jafans broken bloody crashed through a weak section of steel more than twenty meters away, crashing down into more speeder parts.

PRESENT

Christen landed his speeder outside his new apartment. He looked out at sunset during the walk inside and was greeted by HK, the data mind that for now was keeping his personal fleet in check, running them through formations and battle scenarios in the spinward sector. He nodded at the droid and waked past, not caring to hear the droid's greeting.

"greetings: master ..."

He walked into the ling room and saw that Abigail was awkwardly standing as she talked to someone on the holonet transmission. He couldn't see who it was. While trying to walk in quietly, Christen accidentally banged his armor on a tiny pot sitting on the table, which fell, causing a loud bang. He saw her turn off the transmission very quickly, giving him a weird feeling.

He didn't care now; he just wanted to be with his wife after only getting a few bits of information. Crossing the room, he passed the window to keep an eye on Padme, the apartment. It was only a 30-second speeder ride, well, at least for him. Christen's mind was fuzzy, trying to think of all the information, and he was struggling to remove his mask.

Abigail asked, "Do you need help, Nexu?"

"A little," he replied sheepishly.

"This old thing needs to be replaced anyway, new color and everything; I think I'm just going to give this to Damien when he grows up." he slurred out, still confused as to what his wife was hiding but thought better than to ask her about such things.

He gained a warm smile from his wife, as they both knew their son was in love with the armor from the day he saw it, which was on the day he came home from Korriban.

Christen smiled too as she walked over, helping him get the armor off. "Have you told Padme about me or that I am the punisher? "He asked. He did want to catch up with his old friend, whom he found out was surprisingly married to his brother. "I told everyone, and she even told me that you are a little intimidating," she commented, laughing softly.

Christen chuckled softly as he undid the airtight armor on his wrists and arms, pulling it off and placing it in the storage case. Once he had removed the torso armor, Abigail stood behind him, wrapping her arms around his waist. She could feel the warmth of his glowing scars.

Turning around, letting out a deep breath, and finally letting go of all the built-up emotions he had felt when he imagined that it could've been here on the ship.

He lifted her in his arms, hugging her close. "Calm down! I'm alright, love. It's Padme's life that could've been lost if it weren't for you," she murmured into his neck, noticing the only scar that went above his chest because her cheek felt like it was next to a fire.

She didn't care. All she wanted was to hold him forever but still saddened, knowing deep down that he would never be the man she married.

"It doesn't matter. That could've been you," he answered, hugging her tight.

She squeezed him back, letting out a sigh as she relaxed against him.

They looked up when there was a knock on their bedroom door. "STATMENT: Master, the meat bag, Senator Amidala is here," The strongly humanoid-looking HK informed, "And along with her are a Knight Skywalker and padawan Tano, the torguta meat bag was extremely irritating, can I kill her?."

"Thank you, HK, that will be all," Abigail answered in exasperation, hearing the fading steps of the droid behind the door.

"Why are their Jedi here, love?"Christen asked lightly, but there was still an edge to it.

"I don't know Nexu, but it definitely wouldn't have to do with your little conversation with the Jedi" he kissed her briefly on the lips before pulling away. "I'll be right out. Just let me get some new armor on," he informed. She nodded before leaving the room.

Christen let out a deep breath as he changed his underclothing, opened the closet door to put out his armor rack, quickly picked an outfit, and then pulled on his rancor leather vest above a black cortosis fiber long sleeve. He then put on his utility belt with all four lightsabers dangling and clanking against each other.

Walking out, he smiled slightly upon seeing Padme, his brother, and a young teenage Torguta on the living room couch.

"It is a great pleasure to see you again, Queen Mother," Anakin told Abigail. His brother was completely ignoring him for the moment, but at least the senators and torguta sent him blushed smiles. He was confused as to why until he remembered he hadn't shown his face to them.

"It's been a pleasure to meet you, Knight...?" Abigail half answered. "Skywalker, Anakin Skywalker, and this here is my padawan, Ahsoka Tano," Anakin commented.

He was so happy his wife was so good at hiding emotions and reactions. Since Christen was the only one able to tell, she was shocked to hear her own husband's last name, and she now knew this man in front of her was the brother her husband left behind.

Before Abigail could answer, the padawan suddenly spoke up as she was on her tiptoes next to Anakin so she could question Christen, who everyone finally noticed from the girls' outburst. "What species are you!" the young Torguta blurted out quickly, covering her mouth as Padme and his wife tried to stifle a laugh but ultimately failing.

He grinned. She must have just thought of it and not noticed that she even spoke.

Doing this gained a sour look from his brother, who looked like he would reprimand her, but Christen spoke too quickly.

"Ah well, as you can guess, I'm not completely human but a hybrid, so let us keep it at that. It seems...Skywalker that your apprentice has quite the uplifting temper for a JEDI," Christen chillingly replied, Anakin nodding his head slowly. At the same time, the torguta looked at every single surface that wasn't in their direction. Suddenly from outside, Christen could hear a ship landing along with a single force presence. Then emerging from the door as Ventrova opened it up to show.

(surprise mother fucker) another fucking Jedi, Christen growled through his teeth, annoyingly muttering under his breath a whole line of hutanese curse which his brother looked at him in surprise. The only good thing was that the Jedi had to awkwardly speak to HK to let him in, it only took a few moments, but it seemed the older Jedi already looked at the droid with a withering glare.

Anakin smiled as he saw Obi-Wan. "Master, good to see you could join us," he greeted.

"Good to see you again as well, my young padawan. I had to find my way here as I thought we were meeting at the Senator's apartment. It also seems that Master Windu has informed me that your mission finding your droid friend was a success," Obi-Wan answered, glancing around the room only momentarily landing on Christen.

"Well, we did, but not the way the council wanted it done you, you know me, master," he said lightly. They all laughed lightly except for Christen, who was busy trying to take information from the old Jedi's mind. Being a living force nexus had its perks.

They all moved on to the living room of his new residence. Walking behind everyone, Padmé squeezed her secret husband's hand without having the other Jedi masters notice.

"I believe introductions of your...friends are in order, Senator, as we are in their home, I'd like to know How the King of the Consortium made such an impression on master Windu," Obi-Wan commented, gesturing to Christen and Abigail.

Christen could see all the Jedi were notably bothered by the sight of his lightsabers and his eyes. "Oh… yes," Padmé answered, smiling awkwardly, looking towards them.

Christen just decided to use his wife's maiden name "Well I am Christen ... Revanchist, I was born on Tattoine, this is my wife Queen Mother Abigail, Queen of Hapes. I am the King of the Hapen consortium...we currently have seven kids at the moment." Christen coldly replied though he kept his gaze soft.

Looking at their expressions, they had thought he was a lot younger than he actually was. Well, he couldn't really blame them. stupid force ritual

Christen knows he doesn't age anymore; instead, he will look in his Mid-twenties for as long as he lives. He had slightly turned his eyes to his wife, who reached and held his hand warmly with support. She was the only other person to notice his sudden Change in body language.

"Do you have any parents or siblings or any parents, perhaps Your Majesty?" the older Jedi asked. Christen was annoyed by the question because it wasn't too big a deal but cut just enough that it was an interrogation question than anything, but he had to remain calm, so he answered with a sly smile.

"I used to master Jedi... but my mother was killed a few months ago by some... smugglers. Early on in my life, I did have a younger brother. but...I left them both on Tatooine after...killing a few men bu; I became a monster to their eyes, and through certain obstacles, I was pushed enough that I thought ripping my slave chip out of my neck was a good idea, though I don't remember anything of my father, I know enough to know he is dead," he said coolly.

"so you JUST left your family as ...slaves, never giving them another thought, I'd expect nothing less from a sith," his brother hissed. The air became cold as christen had to hold in his actions of atomizing his brother for his comment, he couldn't blame him, but it hurt never the less. His wife squeezed his hand and wrapped it around his arm in support.

"You have no place to assume Jedi, I reget every action I made that day, I thought I made the right choice to leave a good family, to not expose them to a monster such as myself, I was proven wrong, and now I must live with that, to know that my whole life has brought my entire family nothing but death and disappointment" he answered his eyes never leaving his brothers.

Christen could see Anakin was hit hard by these words, the airdropped into a quick awkwardness as the answer and tone did anything to lighten the mood, but the older Jedi asked another.

Christen really didn't need to kill a Jedi this soon. He already killed a dark acolyte, though the thought of it was pleasing at the moment. But as he looked at his brother, he could see the confusion on his face, as if asking himself a million questions. The padawan was simply looking back and forth between his brother and himself.

"So um, how old are you, Christen?" Obi-wan asked incredulously, the question hanging in silence as his wife looked at him as she squeezed his hand. Giving him a stern look before lowering her eyes.

Christen paused before he answered the Jedi. It would be pretty hard to explain because he was over two hundred years old due to the scepter on Korriban.

But then again, his species, the yashans, did not fully mature until 30 and lived for as long as five hundred years old, looking only above the age of a forty-year-old human until they die. he decided to embrace his yashan side for just this once, he would probably get the couch tonight because of it, but he couldn't seem to care.

"I am two hundred and eighty years old or somewhere around there. The years all seem to mix together when you live for hundreds of years, master Jedi" The three Jedi were shocked. The young torguta brought her hands to the sides of her head in shock as her eyes went so wide christen thought they might pop out. Obi-wan started to speak, "U-Um wow, b-but you just look so..."

Christen interrupted and finished the sentence with distaste and fire in his eyes, " young, yes, I know that fact far too well, Jedi. My species is a subspecies of humans that were feared for their evolution but were wiped out a few decades ago during the True Mandalorian purge by the republic and your order, but again never mind that. Since the owner of the suite has told you about himself, how about you three tell me about yourselves? It's not every day I meet a Jedi. Let's start with the young Knight here."

He looked towards his brother. "Well, as you know, I am a Jedi Knight. I became a Jedi at nine years old. I am now 19 years old, and this is my padawan Ahsoka Tano" he finished with pride. Christen could see as his brother's eyes never really left Padme, making Christen want to push his brother harder.

"I already know that the Jedi don't believe in family, but do you have any, Knight Skywalker perhaps a mother even though you Jedi hate the whole having family and emotions, it must have been hard for you to submit yourself to the Jedis...? I can already tell your master and padawan were raised as Jedi from birth, but you seem... different. Where were you born, Knight?" his wife slapped his hand. Oh, he was definitely gonna get the couch.

Christen could see his brother's eyes turned angry, but Padme's hand slowly went over Anakin's. Doing this caused his eyes to be calmed, but only slightly. The older Jedi was shocked by the question.

It was silent for a few seconds before his brother spoke, "It seems we both originate from the same planet...I used to have My mother, but she was killed before I could reach her, I'd rather not go any further than that your Highness" he smirked when his brother growled out the last part.

"Any other family, Siblings perhaps?" he quipped. He truly wanted to know what his brother would say about him.

Christen was both warmed and a little uneasy when he saw a Flicker of hatred, hurt, and pain in his brother's eyes. It had a slight shadow in the Force before receding. The older Jedi glared at him, while the padawan seemed to be on edge while wanting the conversation to continue.

"... I used to have a brother, but I 'd refuse to call him that if I ever met him, I will ask that that be your last question...your highness" Christen, the Jedi, and Padme were the only ones to notice a much darker tone underneath his cool response, his brother's statement seemed to hit him harder then he thought, for the first time outside the Empire that he put up his persona of a Cold-Blooded force user that he was during his slavery, though it was slowly becoming less a persona and more of just who he was. If he hadn't, the room would have seen him hiccup to keep back the gasp he wanted to voice out, but instead, he simply smiled at his fuming brother.

Abigail moved her hand on Christen's knee with a small smile and dug her nails into them. He ignored the stares and turned to Padme to explain what he was going to do.

"Well, now that I've had my fun, My dear Padme, currently I'm working on trying to find who's doing this. I'll be needing the Jedi to watch over you while I'm investigating," Christen stated. The Senator was quiet as the older Jedi let out a sigh. "So you're the punisher or rather The King of the Consortium, the creator the Guard as they call themselves that is now the military might within your sector. I had a feeling you were from what master Windu and Master Yoda were telling me of your size, the lightsabers you have, and we..," Obi-Wan started to commented before getting cut off by Christen.

"Of course, they were talking about me. I'm honestly surprised they didn't send a strike team to arrest or kill me yet. I don't need to hear your 'official reason for being here because we all know this is simply to keep an eye on your little make-believe Sith!" Christen started with venom in his voice, surprising even his wife at his sudden outburst of anger.

"Well, as you say, your highness, it's not surprising, especially when you walked in dressed in armor that looks to be Force augmented, a custom only the sith have ever used, a seemingly formed to be somewhat resembling the typical Mandalorian style. You would also be correct that some Jedi on the Council wanted to send a strike team to capture or dispose of you. The Council is very confused about not knowing whether your Force-sensitive or not as they said they could feel you were probing their minds, but they could not feel you within the Force as if you were a void," Obi-Wan replied with a little more annoyance seeping in as he talked.

"Obi-wa" padme tried to interact, but Christen spoke first.

"Well, isn't that great? All I need to make my trip here fun is a couple hypocritical JEDI to snoop their noses in my life. I wouldn't be surprised if you have another pair of Jedi behind the scenes trying to scour the galaxy for any information on me!" christen sneered, his eyes lighting up brightly, the torguta jumped backward as his brother and the older Jedi put their hands on their lightsabers. In a natural reaction, his wife put her hand on his shoulder, trying to calm him down, but his brother's following retort threw any attempt she had out the window.

"if you didn't say you were nonhuman id say you were sith or at least a dark Je..." Anakin spat out before being pushed back with the Force.

"I'll let the insult of calling me a sith slide, young one, but I will get all three of you here and now if you even think of calling me a Jedi!" Christen shouted as he also held down the Jedi Master with the Force, not letting him ignite his lightsaber. The padawan was stuck in her chair with fear at the overwhelming presence of the friction of his force presence that he let slip through his defenses.

"Guard, please let them go," Padme's voice spoke out in the silence. "they promise no further fighting will happen... won't you, master Jedi" she looked sternly at the Jedi and his brother. They all nodded in agreement, but he didn't et them up until he felt the soft skin of his wife's hand caress his face as she whispered to him.

"If you let them up now and promise to be nice, ill let the couch be alone tonight" she tried to be as supportive as possible, if there was one thing her husband hated, even before he left them, and that was that he hated being called a sith or a Jedi.

Christen sighed, lowering his head a little. "Well, master Jedi, you will have to thank The Queen Mother, I should have you know that when you meet with your council once again, you just let them know that what I am or who I do not concern them, as my Queen and I are not part of the republic and are only here for our old friend," he stated as he looked towards Padme.

Deciding he had enough of the Jedi for today and the smell of their hypocrisy dripping off them, he stood up, making everyone lean back in panic. The Jedi all had their lightsabers in hand. Abigail was the only one used to his size and demeanor. Anakin pulled Padmé's hand closer under the table.

"Perhaps with your presence Christen, the mystery surrounding this attack will be revealed," she informed with a gentle smile, almost completely disarming the atmosphere.

Christen slowly sighed before he spoke. "Yes, that would be great. Now, if you'll excuse me, I will retire for the night. I hope you, Jedi...are comfortable with your stay," he informed.

The group watched him disappear into his room. Abigail let out a sigh knowing everyone, including Padme, was noticeably bothered and confused by him. It was an emotion she felt a lot with her husband now. "HK, would you like to show them all the security here that is to be set up for the senator?" Christen yelled from his room. HK's black and orange glowing body came rolling out of the corner and stopped in front of the Jedi trio. "I guess you're head of the security. How about you show us all the security and placements for the night?" Obi-wan answered, looking at the droid who came in rolling.

"statement; Don't Boss me around Meat bag, test me again, and my rifle will find your skin to be the perfect target," the droid quipped as he then showed them to the security rooms.

Nighttime five hours later

Ahsoka came back to relieve Anakin from guarding Padme's apartment. "Any activity up here, sky guy?" she asked. Anakin shook his head slowly with an exhalation.

" Nope, just extremely calm, silent, and boring," he replied. Ahsoka went to check the security cameras the Strange droid named HK set up for them.

"Master, the King... there's something off about him. He is so powerful, it's not hard to see, but I can't sense him through the Force. He threw you like a rag doll and kept master Obi-Wan and me trapped to the floor and chair like we were nothing, and yet I feel he was holding back." She said, raising her eyebrow as her master slumped his shoulders in defeat.

"I feel the same way snips, I've never felt that much power, and yet it felt so familiar... as if I've met him before, but fear the council will be looking at him closely, hopefully, they don't piss him off, because truthfully I don't think we could defeat him if he were truly holding back in there" he replied.

"Skyguy, do you truly think he could defeat the entire council if they attacked him!?" he was silent for a minute before walking away, leaving Ashoka without an answer.

Hours later...

Across Padme's suite

Christen stood staring at the figure of his brother's padawan. It had been a rough night for him; he barely slept, and when he did, the memories of Korriban seemed to want to invade his peace. The flashes of surgical droids and acolytes laughing while his flesh and mind were torn apart. He had hundreds of experiments to choose from when he dreamed, none of them were ever good, and he could hardly even bring himself to look at his wife when the memories of them surfaced.

So here he was up at night stalking Padmes house and watching the three Jedi take turns watching over the Senator. A glint near the bedroom window caught his eye. That was all he needed to start dashing as fast as he could to the Senator's suite.

Anakin kept waking up every couple of minutes in the bedroom with the window facing his wife's Guard and the Queen of Hapes apartment, and he was anxious, thinking he would hear something outside the window.

He glanced at Padme to see that she was still fast asleep. He had his arm over her waist while she slept. He kissed the back of her shoulder before lying back down. Closing his eyes, he tried to fall asleep again. He smiled a little when she felt her hand tighten unconsciously around his, quickly falling asleep only to awake minutes later.

Anakin suddenly felt through the Force that something dark had just entered the room. Sitting up, he scanned around the room with his eyes, momentarily coming up empty. Getting up from bed, he started searching the room, accidentally waking Padmé as he did so.

"Ani?" she asked sleepily.

Before she could react, Anakin was suddenly back on the bed with his ignited lightsaber in hand, into two quick slashes killing up joining two metal rat droids, though they seemed to squirm like it was alive, they were crawling up on the side bed. Just then, Christen and Ahsoka ran into the room.

"Are you alright?" Anakin asked. A confused and shaken Padme could only nod as she saw the mountain of a man covered in armor sprint across her room.

"Oh hell no, destroying you will be delicious !" Christen Yelled as he jumped through the window, grabbing the droid that had delivered the creatures that looked to be affected by force augmentation, made of cybernetic parts.

"Crazy Bantha, that man is," Anakin exclaimed, jumping up.

He looked at Padmé. "Stay here," he told her as he and Ahsoka ran out the door while Abigail, Obi-wan, Dormé, and Typho ran into the room.

Anakin and Ahsoka ran to the nearest garage, where they took a yellow speeder, speeding off into the city traffic. Ahsoka spoke to her master while speeding through the traffic. "Master isn't this exactly the way that the other bounty hunter tried to..." before getting cut off because they almost crashed into another speeder. Anakin sped downward, narrowly missing the other speeder. "Yes, it is, and it's infuriating. Now is not the time to talk, Snips. We have to hurry," he said softly.

When they finally caught up to Christen, they saw that the droid he had been clinging to had self-destructed, and he was now free-falling. Anakin glanced up before he quickly caught Christen on the back of the speeder.

"Well, look who it is, fancy meeting a Jedi around these parts?" he asked, smiling as he climbed on. " he's right below us, Jedi," pointing to the speeder car swerving wildly below them.

"Snips, switch sides with me," he insisted.

"What do you plan on doing, Skyguy?" Ahsoka asked as they started switching places."Will you just trust me?" Anakin asked as he sat on the passenger's side. Christen just stared between the two of them for a second before Anakin got up from his seat.

"Alright, if you'll excuse me, I have another attempted assassin to catch," he commented before jumping on the front of the speeder then jumping off completely.

"Has he lost his mind?" Ahsoka demanded as she looked towards the so-called sith next to her.

"Well, he is certainly more down to earth than most Jedi" Christan quipped as he pushed her aside, taking control of the speeder. He was surprised that she didn't try to get him when she let out a yelp a surprise by him taking her seat, after evening the speeder out he chased the assassin and his brother both down, when he finally caught up to them he could see that Anakin was clearly struggling with the driver in the speeder in question.

"There are sure to be methods to his madness," he added with a half-grin.

Anakin grabbed hold of the woman's wrist as she tried to fire her blaster at him. After missing several blasts, the assassin turned her speeder, making Anakin fall and hit the ground.

Reaching with the Force, he was able to get the speeder to crash. The woman jumped out of the speeder and began running with Anakin right on her heels. She kept glancing over her shoulder at who she believes is only a usual Jedi chasing her down, for she was simply happy it wasn't the King Of the consortium.

She had no idea the young Jedi chasing her was the "Hero with no fear" she had heard rumors about, for her life was mainly in the unknown regions and the ascendancy. She ran into smugglers drinking club. Just as Anakin went in after her, Christan and Ahsoka caught up with him. "She's in the club," he informed us. He tried taking his lightsaber out.

Christen nodded his head slowly and used the Force lightly so that the saber didn't ignite. "Remember to keep yourself hidden, Anakin. You've worked... too hard to get yourself caught now," he ordered him softly. Anakin looked confused because he was not used to being ordered around by a non-Jedi. "Understood," he slowly answered. Growing more annoyed that Christen was giving him orders. Christen gently gripped his shoulder but firmly with a smile before Ahsoka, Anakin, and he entered the club. Anakin and Ahsoka slowly walked in behind him, searching around for the woman using the Force.

Christen nodded gently to him. Having him blend in with the crowd was the perfect way to go in with this.

"so, Knight Skywalker, how long have you had your padawan?" he questioned him, thankfully he didn't take it too bad, just a side glare.

"she was brought to me when on the world of Christophsis. I didn't want a padawan, but after the first couple of missions, I think I can handle her. She's not that much younger than me. She's only fourteen after all" the pride on his face as his brother talked about his padawan warmed his heart.

"She is only 14, and her first mission was on a world where over a hundred billion died?" Christan asked as they sat down at the bar. "WE tried our best. What would you have us do, sith! Just glass the world, and she's a good apprentice. A slow learner, but she does learn, " he answered as they ordered drinks at the bar.

"You should be lucky this bar is packed...otherwise id beat you to death for calling me a sith, and I wasn't reprimanding you, to have someone so young see the horrors of war but still act like she does, shoes she has the strength and fortitude to become great."

Anakin looked taken aback before nodding his head slowly. They then headed over to the bar. While his brother gave the padawan an order to survey the outskirts of the bar, christen then felt a hand gripping his rancor leather jacket.

"Wanna buy some death sticks?" a man beside him asked. "You don't want to sell me death sticks," Christen answered.

"I don't wanna sell you death sticks," the man parroted. "You want to go home and end your life," Christen told him. Every single bar, he had to tell someone to kill themselves for wanting to sell him spice.

"I want to go home and end my life," the man again parroted before leaving. He knew this had been done to this man no earlier than a couple of weeks. It was his time to die.

"you realize you just killed that man. I could bring you in should I inform the Council about this?" his brother challenged him, christen who was in full armor, simply smiled underneath.

"If you would like to defend a man that is poisoning hundreds if not thousands of people with spiked spice, then go run after him" he even waved his hand towards the now retreating man who would soon kill himself.

Anakin laughed nervously a little, shaking his head slowly. "Christen... I mean, Your Highness, do you think it is a wise idea to form an attachment?" he asked, he truly didn't understand why he was even speaking to this SITH, but he felt as though he could trust this man to now betray his curiosity.

Gaining a confused look from him.

"I don't envy that older Jedi for training you skywalker. Your mood is that of someone like my wife."

Christen answered honestly before continuing. He could see that his brother's face lit up like a light in embarrassment and agitation." love doesn't lead to the dark side. If that's what you're asking. Passion can lead to rage and fear, which can be controlled, but passion is not the same as love. Controlling your desires, your passion while being in love, that's what they should teach you to beware of. Still, love itself will save, not condemn you, knight skywalker, I have seven children, a loving wife, an entire sector at my disposal, by all accounts of what you Jedi think losing yourself to the dark side means, then I should be as you said earlier, glassing planets and enslaving the others who remained...but at last I'm not" he answered, the last part was half honest. However, he was still working out the kinks in the Empire his master created.

Anakin was suddenly silent. Before Christen could comment, he felt a blaster being slowly pointed at his back; he knew even if the Chiss had shot his leather, it would have easily blocked the blast and even a couple more before it could even hit his skin. Christen suddenly stood up, igniting one of his lightsabers.

Christen quickly severed both of the would-be assassin's arms. Anakin turned at the sound of the igniting lightsaber, and he quickly looked down at the killer before looking up over at Ahsoka, who was standing in front of the crowd. She nodded slowly, as she was slightly terrified of the man before her, but soon found herself next to him as they led the Chiss out of the nightclub.

Christen noticed the looks on the Jedi's faces when his lava lightsaber had been ignited, stupid Jedi dogma. Setting her down on the ground, Anakin stood above her.

"Who are you?" Ahsoka demanded that as they were finally outside, Christen could tell what she was going for, and though he smiled at her antics, he knew it would never work.

"Doesn't matter who she is, little Jedi. She is only a hand of the perpetrator behind this, someone who is easily discarded and replaced. The real question is, who hired you... was it that bastard Dag?" Christen asked, crossing his arms over his chest, the Jedi looked at him oddly, but the armless woman now had a look of shock adorn her face before she brought back her confident facade.

"It was just a warning. Dag was simply our tank. after the failure of the Hapen takeover. My orders were to make sure the senate went through with giving powers to the chancellor and keep an eye on Dag if he couldn't get the job done since he was obsessed with your master... with your failure. I won't tell you anything else, your HIGHNESS," the woman insisted and then spat at his helmet, the green spit falling down the beskar.

"You will tell us now!" Anakin demanded. He stepped into the woman's face aggressively.

Christen looked oddly at his brother, but suddenly he saw the same glint in his brother's eyes he saw in his vision with his mother.

"Who are you to make demands, JEDI?" the woman answered.

Christen shook his head slowly as he used the Force to get Anakin off the Chiss. Kneeling face to face with the ugly tinted blue skin face of the assassin.

"I don't think you understand the predicament you're in. They might be Jedi, but I'm certainly not, but you know that, don't you. I don't care if I have to skin your ugly blue body alive if I Have to get the answers I want. Hell, I'd even tear your brain apart into goo while sifting through your memories, thoughts, and emotions so I could get what I want. I'd start talking about them before I decide to hang your organs from different directions while keeping you alive, Now we can do it that way...which for me is going pretty easy, or we could go with the more long-lasting torture sessions I've come to know in my long drawn out life" his voice came out like a calm yet rigid growl, In contrast, the air around him started to manifest dark-colored energy. The woman and both Jedi stared in horror for a minute, he didn't know, but his brother had even ignited his lightsaber and put himself in front of his padawan.

"I-I-I don't know-Know them. I just get told my-my target's name from the Tetan operative in the senate district, the client's o-o-only names was Darth Bane and Darth Sid..." she replied, but before she could finish, a small metal dart with a green liquid inside was suddenly injected into her neck.

The three of them looked up as someone flew away. Looking back down, they saw her turn back to her as she began speaking in a language they didn't know, and she collapsed to the ground.

Christen reached over, pulling out a dart. " speaking the chiss language of old and a good ol Poison dart," he murmured. Ahsoka checked for a pulse, shaking her head slowly.

Anakin cursed under his breath. "Anakin, how about you put that lightsaber away before I force you to use it and take your padawan and go back to Padmé. I'm sure she's worried about you," Christen insisted. Without having the Torguta hear him. Anakin stared at him for a few moments before nodding. He took Ahsoka, who whined about leaving the action so soon, and started heading back to the apartment.

Upon arriving back, Anakin found Padmé in the living room, sitting with Abigail. She hurried over, embracing him. Hugging her tight, he buried his face into her hair with a heavy sigh.

"Did you get him?" Typho asked with a worried but firm tone.

"He was she, and we did, but someone killed her before she could tell us who hired her. This is too similar to the attempts before the war," he replied.

They were all silent.

"What's the next plan of action?" Typho asked.

"This war spells out the future of the galaxy. I refuse to leave and let democracy be killed," she answered very emotionally. Anakin looked at Typho and the two girls in the room. "Mind if we talk alone?" he asked.

They nodded as the three of them left the room. He looked back at his fiancé, holding her hands in his. "Padmé, please, I can't stand the idea of you getting killed over this. It'll kill me," he told her. Christen walked in at that moment, "I'm not going to di-" she answered but soon wandered off at the sight of the Guard of the Queen mother now caught them.

"She is in no more danger than if she was on Naboo. These hunters won't stop, as it seems there is another bounty on your head worth one point seven million credits, I've already killed the two on the planet, but I doubt that's the last," he told them both.

Padmé was silent. "I am going to find the one who's trying to kill you, and your little Jedi affair is safe with me...senator," Christen insisted with a hearty laugh at the end. The two in question letting out a sigh as he lowered her head a little. "I guess your not so bad, Lord Punisher," Anakin sighed. Padme let out a sigh of relief, resting his forehead against hers.

"your welcome Ani" Christen whispered to himself as he set course for his suite.

The next day

501 republic Apartments

Padme had been informed by Anakin this morning, telling her that he and Ashoka would be going back in the war. To say Christen was a little saddened at how cold his first meeting with his brother was.

After sending his brother's padawan away, Christen had spent the night secretly placing his personal data droid probes across the buildings surrounding the senate building republic apartment buildings and the Jedi temple., he cheated by using a have dozen probe droids from the Phantom II to help him.

Christen had decided that night he would need to speak with the Jedi as soon as possible, as he had felt through the Force two signatures following him. From what he could tell, one was a couple centuries old and a human hybrid, the other was much younger, but obviously, no child, and he couldn't know if they were Togruta to a Twi'lek. Both had to be females.

If the Jedi were going to spy on his King of Hapes persona, they should know he and the consortium won't take too kindly to it.

Waiting for Padme to return from saying her goodbyes to his brother and his padawan, his wife had left hours ago to have a couple meetings with the Council of neutral systems.

Christen quietly stood in her apartment in his new black and white painted armor. It was a bit thinner than his usual armor. It only was another fifteen minutes before the door opened up to reveal two figures. He was silent while staring across the room at Padmé's new Jedi bodyguard, Kit Fisto. "Lord punisher, new armor, I presume?" Kit greeted with a question and a forced smile. Christen could see the man's humongous eyes darting around his body like it was a specimen.

"just a paint job and a few fewer plates to make life on this miserable planet bearable...Master Jedi," Christen answered, bowing slightly after an awkward silence. Padmé let out a frustrated sigh. "Guard...please be pleasant with the Jedi. I already don't like being surrounded and watched like this," she muttered as she continued gathering her things for the senate.

"Don't worry, milady. I'll find out what's going on," Christen answered.

"I believe Master Kenobi can handle it," Fisto informed. "yes, perhaps he will but knowing you Jedi, it would take ten times the required time. My droid HK will be going with you, Padme," Christen answered, looking towards Padme. He turned to leave to find some information about the Rakatan empire. Among other things, he planned to go down to this diner of sorts so he could interrogate and possibly kill all who lived there. His master stripped the knowledge of the planet when he had returned from the mission, so now he needed to find it again, and last night he got a short communication from HK, who told him he could find it on the planet.

She nodded as Christen went to send a transmission to Tython and then connecting to his own fleet to catch up on his military fleet movements to see if all the fleets concerned with Phase I were in the position to attack and conquer a few reckless sectors of space on the outskirts of wild space. He usually followed any advice his old friend Doth gave him, and since Christen knew Doth leading this Phase, he appreciated the Empire was in such great hands.

A little while later

Abigail walked into the makeshift security room slash bedroom, looking around. "Christen?" she called to him quietly. Christen walked out of his bathroom in full armor and came over, embracing his Wife tightly. Abigail hugged him back, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck.

"Why do you always wear that armor? No, don't answer. I already know. Please just be careful," she whispered into his neck plate.

"I will, and this armor is my life, just as much as you, the kids, and my lightsabers," he answered, rubbing her shoulder. Christen pulled back from their embrace to capture her lips with his.

"Time to go," he said softly—but the slight glare in his eyes that gave his plans away.

"I'll have you know Nexu that I know this isn't the only mission you're going on while you're gone," she answered with a low growl. Christen mumbled a few curses and because he knew to tell her the truth or at least his truth.

"Okay, since nothing gets past my beautiful, loving Wife, first I'll be getting some info from some guy named Dex. I overheard he had a connection with that man Obi-wan. The Jedi oddly goes there once a month, so ill just grab the Jedi under the false pretense of wanting some information on the fluid the assassin was killed with. I simply have a few questions I need from the man, then I'll be going to Dxun, where the fluid originated. For some reason, the sith still had access to that base. Then I was going to spy on Nute Gunrey...with the children." he was very confident while initially talking but when it came to the last part, christen just tried to speak fast enough that she would have just not heard... but the Force was not on his side now.

"WHAT! You will NOT be bringing MY children into a war!" his wife's cold facade fell as her face now was the color of blood. He knew she would have this reaction. Before he was made a sith slave, he would have bent to her will and not allow the kids to join until they were sixteen. But now? he needed to have his kids learn and know their way around his Empire, and he could care less if his Wife disagreed.

"Abigail... the War is starting. I simply want OUR children to know the in's and out's of my Empire so that when they are of age, they will already know what to do, whether you like it or not, they WILL be a part of my empire" he looked her dead in the eyes as he spoke, he saw that his wife's eyes were tearing up and so he closed the distance between them and wiped them away before they could streak across her makeup.

"Nexa, I will always put out families safety ahead of everything but the empire, and even then, I will fight tooth and nail against my own men should you for some reason betray the empire and run away with the children," Abagail cupped her husbands face and smashed her lips onto his for a few seconds before parting.

"I-I-I just don't want to lose them," she stuttered out, both of them looking into each other's eyes.

"We won't," he expressed

Grabbing his mask, Christen slipped it over his head before they left the apartment.

When they got to Padme's apartment, they found her and a male Nautolan Jedi sitting in the living area nonchalantly. Both looked in their direction when they entered the room. The Jedi looked all over Christen and even grimaced, and christen could say the same.

"Are you ready, Senator, your highness?" Fisto asked. "I am," she replied. Christen watched as she left the apartment first.

"Master Fisto," he called. The Jedi Master stopped and looked over at him. "I'm trusting you with Senator Amidala's and my Wife's life. If anything were to happen to them, I would hold you responsible for it and the entire Jedi order. As such, I will perform any punishment I deem necessary upon you if she comes back... unharmed," he informed the metal mask and helmet, not giving the Jedi any indication of what he was thinking. The Jedi Master seemed to be taken aback by his comment before clearing his throat. "I assure you that Senator Amidala and the queen will be protected," he answered honestly.

Christen nodded before watching him leave. He waited until they were well away to leave the apartment, walking over to his speeder that sat on the platform. Climbing on, he went to speak with Obi-wan about the dart that had killed the changeling. His masters had him learn about certain toxic darts that wouldn't show up on the analysis archives. From the way that dart looked, it had no symbols for any droid to recognize, but he did recognize the alloys his Empire used...it seemed the chiss. The remaining sith most likely took all they could upon hearing that Bane was vanquished, and now they work for the sith who masqueraded as a chancellor. Christen decided it was from the planet Dxun or a planet in the system. It was the only base he was not even remotely knowledgeable about.

Arriving at the bottom steps of the Jedi Temple, Christian parked the speeder off to the side and held his comlink up. He had found the codes to each of the Jedi's comlink while they met the first time, or rather the security in the suite did. "Master Kenobi, this is Lord Punisher, come in," he called.

"... what would you like, My lord," Obi-Wan answered. after a few seconds of silence.

"I'm outside your precious temple, at the bottom steps of the main staircase. Would you please meet me out here? I might have some information on our culprit. The tentacle Jedi said you would be in charge of finding out such evidence. I deemed it necessary for us to...combine our evidence. will you come out and meet with me?" Christen asked as he got out of his speeder.

"Alright, that does sound like a good plan... ill be on my way," Obi-Wan answered. Standing outside the temple for what seemed like ten minutes, Christen let out a relieved groan when he felt three force signatures leave the temple, two of them split off from the remaining one. The signatures felt reminiscent of the ones he had felt following him. christen was not surprised the Jedi would send out spies and would-be assassins,

he straightened up when he looked up to see the lone signature, which he now knew belonged to Obi-Wan Kenobi.

"Senator Amidala and the Queen are on their way to the senate building as we speak," he informed the Jedi as the ice breaker.

"...that's Good, the Council wasn't really…thrilled with the fact the only reason the Senator agreed to go was that you asked her to," Obi-Wan commented.

"Well, the Jedi Council will have to understand that Padmé will listen to the Queen's and my opinions over anyone in the council," Christian replied.

Obi-Wan chuckled lightly. "What do you need here?" he asked curiously.

"I'd like to look at that fluid that killed the would-be assassin," Christen replied. Reaching into his robes, the Jedi removed the vile, placing it into Christen's hand. Looking at it, he furrowed his brow. "Hmm, as I suspected, I would gamble that your analysis droid probably didn't find this in any of its archives?" he asked.

"No," Obi-Wan replied bitterly. Christen studied the liquid for a few more minutes. "I have a theory, but do you know anyone you can take this to find out who would know where this came from? I know someone but thought it would be better to see how you work. Padme has talked about you and skywalker like friends. If I am to keep her happy, I would at least want to understand how her 'friends' work, care to give me a hand?" he asked.

"Hmm, I know someone named Dex at a diner, a few levels down," Obi-Wan replied. Christen nodded his head slowly.

"Then let's go see this friend of yours," he commented as they got on his speeder. "I have a feeling I might regret flying with you," Obi-Wan muttered before the young man sped off.

When they arrived at the diner, Christen parked and started chuckling as the Jedi Master practically ran from the speeder. "Obi-Wan, you worry too much. I know exactly what I'm doing in any ship or speeder. I've been flying for centuries," he commented as he climbed off.

"You have completely lost your mind, and we could have died at least twelve times," Obi-Wan told him.

"You worry too much, but I'm honestly not surprised you are a Jedi after all," Christen repeated.

"This is a speeder, not a pod racer, god. You are just like Anakin, and what's THAT supposed to mean!" the Jedi Master told him.

"...nothing Jedi, and I am very aware of that, but I can still have some fun," Christen insisted, liking the fact he learned he was not so different from his little brother.

"You truly are crazy," Obi-Wan answered. Christen rolled his eyes as they went into the diner. He noticed that everyone was staring at him, not surprised at their reactions, but it still was unnerving and annoying, so he squared his shoulders, straightened his back, and put his hands on his two front sabers just if someone tried anything funny.

"Someone to see you, honey! A Jedi by the looks of it, ooh and a Mandalorian too!" the droid called out.

"Obi-Wan!" the diner owner exclaimed happily. "Hello, Dex," Obi-Wan answered. Dex glanced at Christen, kind of surprised to see the Senator's armored bodyguard standing there. "Take a seat, and I'll be right with the two of you," he informed. Christen stood beside the table as Obi-Wan greeted his friend. They sat down, and Dex just looked at Christen curiously. "Dex, this is Lord punisher and the King of the Hapen Consortium, He is on the same mission as I am or at least looking into the same mission, and we would like some information," Obi-Wan informed. "Heavy work for a bodyguard, isn't it?" Dex asked. "I was assigned to Senator Amidala to find the ones who are threatening her life, she is an old friend, and I am bored with how restrictive the republic is, might as well become a guard for the senator who seems to have trouble following her like a rat on shit" Christian answered nonchalantly.

Dex nodded slowly before looking back at Obi-Wan, who raised his eyebrows in how the man before him spoke like what he said was like talking about the morning weather.

"So my friend, what can I do for ya, last time you came for that Kaminoian dart from the senator's last assassin's attempt?" he asked. "Yes, I know Dex could tell us what this is," Obi-Wan answered, placing the dart in front of him. Christen watched as Dex examined the object. "Well, what you've got there is a Dxun death Dart," Dex commented. "I figured it was Dxun," Christen answered as he stared at the dart on the table. "How would you know of Dxun?" Dex asked suspiciously. Obi-Wan had the same expression of suspicion adorning his face.

"I've learned a lot about hidden planets and the people who wished to keep them hidden, and it is just a little hobby of mine with being an old man," Christen replied as he examined the dart in his hand.

"Are the people there friendly?" Obi-Wan asked. "Well, that all depends," Dex replied. "Depends on what, Dex?" Obi-Wan asked. Christen smirked a little. "On how good your survival skills are, I've come across a few underworlders who went there for a few cybernetics," Dex replied, chuckling. "punisher, do you know where Dxun is?" Obi-Wan asked,

"I should. I mean, I trained there for a few years," Christen replied as they got up from the table.

"Thank you, Dex, you have been a great help. Before we leave lord punisher, I think a quick visit to the refresher is for me," Obi-Wan told him.

"By all means, you know the two Jedi outside will keep me on my best behavior. I won't go anywhere" Christen nodded to the now-shocked Jedi, who shook his head at the answer before he was turning to Dex. "It's clean this time, right?"

"I don't let in slobs like that anymore, bad for business. A few tried to start fights with me, so I had to give them the hands. You didn't come here to talk about my previous refresher room problems or my brawls that get the Jedi's attention...lord Punisher, now what is a guard and the husband to the Queen of hapes wants with me, and speak quickly before I have you thrown out I already answered your other questions."

"I knew there was a reason the Jedi liked you, but I would warn you not to mistake me for one. I am NOTHING like them, and the first thing I need to know and would like you to look into a couple of things for me. The first is the Kwa, and the second is the Gree species and the third..."

Christen leaned in his voice only a whisper. "The third thing is the Rakata, specifically any technology of theirs."

He sat there silently, observing Dex. He noted how the stout being set his cup back down, slow.

The man's eyes widened and narrowed at the armored figure in front of him as he ran the names and distant conversations hidden within his memories.

"The Rakata...Now that is something I haven't heard about since I was beyond the Outer Rim in the Unknown Regions and Wild Space. Right around Codia going all the way to Kal Sheebol." Dex said quickly as if he would never be able to take another breath.

He set two of his hands on the table. The table's top was just large enough to accommodate his massive hands.

"I heard Rakata spoken in a whisper near Sernpidal into the Helska system, going all the way towards Zygerria."

"And what about Cordia?"

"Nobody really said anything about them...It was just weird being in those areas, the people.

They keep to themselves secretive, reclusive, and believe in myths and legends instead of logic, like most of the galaxy does now. You know, gods and goddesses, beings of darkness and light with unfathomable power."

"Was there anything specific said about their technology?"

Dex looked at the table.

"A lot of tall tales and bad talk. Mostly from drunk space pirates, smugglers, bounty hunters, relatively normal scum among the normal standards for scum in the galaxy..."

Christen smiled a humorless smile.

"So, only rumors?"

Dex looked out the window.

"Can't say for sure. The way people spoke about them, the fear in their eyes and their voices, I think it has to be more than just some drunk pirate's tall tale. Supposedly the Rakata enslaved the entire galaxy more than twenty thousand years ago. They say the Empire is why we have the advanced technology that we do in the first place...Hyperspace and hyperdrive, repulsors, the hyperplanes, and the routes...Everything that makes life easy they are the reason for it...They even say that they are the reason why there are so many species..."

Christen didn't turn away from Dex's stern gaze.

"they're not wrong," Christen murmured.

Dex continued speaking his piece. His voice was frightened.

"They were vicious and cruel Bloodthirsty beasts. However, they were too damn intelligent for their own damn good, and I mean that, Your Highness. Somehow, they could tinker with genetics, the building blocks of DNA, and could...Create new life, new species, and I guess you could say. That is how we got the Twi'leks, the Wookiees, the Hutts, the Zabraks, Trandoshans, Mirialans, and all of the other species. Slave races, all of them created to do the Rakata's bidding, whipped while building their temples and megaliths of technology, just like the humans..."

With a long sigh, Dex turned away from Christen. "But, these are just high tales and bad talk, remember." but christen knew better. He knew that they were not high tales. The man was dead on. Hmm, he must have overheard someone from the Empire before he took over.

"And, the Kwa?"

Dex came back to reality quickly, going through his memory.

"Kwa...The Kwa...I heard people talking about them from the Red Nebula to Askaj, all the way to the Greater Javin, but it's the same as the Rakata. Legends and myths, high tales, and bad stories of the long past. Could give brats and even adults like us nightmares now that I think about it."

Christen took a drink of his juice, moving aside so the waitress droid could relieve him of his empty dishes.

He focused on his sandwich and soup, listening keenly to each word.

"According to some people who were drunk in the Greater Javin in a seedy tavern about five years ago...The Rakata attacked the Kwa and led them to extinction. The Rakata were vicious, cruel, and plain mean. They were mean, Christen, and I can't say it enough. These monsters didn't keep to themselves. They were conquerors. Damn ruthless ones, too. Wiped out entire worlds and populations while enslaving even more, and they'd even suck the life from stars, suns, moons, and entire worlds to power their technology."

Christen gripped his mug tightly.

"Would you be able to gather the information I want about these species and their technology? Can you dig up the history that was torched to protect the galactic populace from losing their minds?"

"Of course I can. I hear a lot of crazy things in here...But, that information, being so specific, will take a while to gather, but it can be done. However...It depends."

"On what?"

Christen smiled humorlessly as a grin stretched across Dexter's face.

"Risk vs. reward. This sort of information is dangerous, and even asking these questions is dangerous...If I sent an associate or stuck my own neck out, well...It goes without saying I would get my neck cut, and my associate wouldn't be heard from again. This information is more valuable than a Dreadnaught filled with gold, and we both know it."

Christen chuckled, noting Obiwan's force presence was leaving the refresher.

He had to finish things up.

"Okay, Dex. I'm going to be very, very specific now. I want to know anything you have on the mother machine, the Tho Yor, the Infinity Gates, and the Star Temples. I want information about the Gree species. Any information about the Rakatan space stations and Kwa will be an...Additional bonus..."

Dex nodded strongly. "You have yourself a deal, but we have to talk about price..."

"I'll transfer fifty thousand credits to you now and transfer the other fifty thousand in a week. I'll be sending a Team of clones to give you the payment. Just treat them as if they are regular republic troops and make sure you have the information I've requested. If you have more information regarding the Rakata, Kwa, Gree, and maybe something more...Interesting...I will transfer an additional twenty-five thousand credits if it is fascinating, seventy-five thousand credits, plus the twenty-five thousand additional bonus. perhaps you can use some of that money to open up a bigger place to accommodate for your busy hours."

Dex gripped Christen's armored hand hard, and he gave it a firm shake. "You have yourself a deal, your Majesty. How can I refuse?"

"You would be a kriffing fool to refuse."

Christen moved his hand away from Dex's.

"A kriffing big one at that. Refusing three hundred thousand credits damn near," Dex told himself out loud.

"You're the only person I can trust with this task. My...Consortium says you keep a low profile, and you are not a loudmouth who exposes himself in the limelight."

"Why do you want this information? It's not any of my business, but these...Monoliths and megaliths of technology, from what I heard about them...Either the Ancient ones the order the Jedaii, Rakata, Kwa, Gree, or all four had a hand in their construction or utilization at some point in the past."

Christen didn't meet his gaze, but he didn't avoid it.

"Because I know you'll keep your word, ill have you know that there is an empire on the outskirts of wild space waiting for my call to start MY Empire's invasion of the known galaxy, for I fear there is a crisis coming, I sense a darkness deep within unknown space, festering and growing, I fear this war will pale in comparison, Perhaps by looking into the ancient past and understanding that ancient past, I can perhaps find this darkness and purge it from the galaxy. I fear that history will repeat itself, just a different time, different faces, and different names...But, the stage is still the same, and the same Force of evil seems to revel in the idea of enslaving and destroying this galaxy." under christen's mask, his eyes were burning bright.

The information he told this man was just a simple feeling. Hell, he only brought up such a thing a week ago when on a call with all his Admirals and Grand Moff's. To say that call laster the entire night was an understatement. Even since then, the Empire had decided to start construction on a secondary star forge. It would be half the size of the one they have now.

Dex laughed nervously, carefully removing himself from the booth, using the full strength of his four burly arms to move his massive body.

"Most Jedi these days don't know the difference between knowledge and wisdom. I am glad that you do. Jedi have become so clueless. Amazingly, they speak so badly about droids."

Christen chuckled, careful not to be chewing as he did.

"And maybe I can take over kitchen duty for one day, so you can set yourself up real pretty with that sauce people drink here."

Dex laughed.

"And, I will be a Jedi Knight."

"This era is ending, and a new era is being born... and My Empire will lead it," christen exclaimed jokingly.

"Right, and I'm a painter and the personal chef of Dutchess Satine Kryze of Mandalore."

"Well, why not Dex? I am sure she would enjoy your sliders. I could always put in a good word. I do know her after all."

Dex bellowed laughter. "Good seeing you, lord punisher. Better keep that Wife of yours safe she's a real keeper. Come around again sometime. It was a nice talk." he simply nodded in agreement, his calculating eyes picking up the Jedi nearing them.

They ended the conversation just as Obi-Wan nears the table.

"Yes, well, thank you for this information, Dex," Christen reiterated

"Anytime, boys, anytime. Obi-Wan, don't be a stranger around these parts now," Dex told him, standing up.

Obi-Wan nodded before they left the diner. "So you have you encountered these natives before on Dxun ?" Obi-Wan asked. "My masters introduced them to me once, they didn't really trust me, to be honest, they tried their best to stay away from me, Said they wanted me to learn where some temples were hidden, It would be the perfect place for the enemy to hide, but I know that wherever we're heading on the planet, we won't be dealing with the natives" Christen explained as he got into the speeder.

He noticed that Obi-Wan didn't get in and let out a sigh. "Obi-Wan, you have fought a Sith Lord, and yet you're terrified about getting onto a speeder with me," he commented.

"How would you know about that? I'm only scared of the ones you and Anakin drive," Obi-Wan replied with a sigh as he got in. " Your whole Jedi order is straightforward to read and has fragile mental force barriers, for Kriff sake, Obi-Wan, sit your Jedi robed ass down before I kick you out, and the two Jedi following us will have to take you home," Christian commented as he sped off, twisting to fit between the two busy incoming transport lanes. "Language, my lord, your driving is a suicide," the Jedi Master answered as they went into Coruscant traffic.

Christen ignored him and purposefully tried to do his most reckless driving. Obi-Wan shook his head as he gripped for his life on whatever he could. Within a few minutes, the Jedi was letting out a sigh as they reached the Jedi temple. When the two of them went their separate ways, Christen looked back to see a Togrutan female and a tall slender female human, or rather a hybrid come out to talk to the older Jedi while he sped back to the apartment to find his fighter was already ready with HK in the droids holding space on the left-wing.

"Alright, Dxun, here we come," he commented as he climbed up the side of his fighter ship. Opening the cockpit airlock hatch, he jumped inside and got it ready to go. within a half-hour, he met Obi-Wan right outside of Coruscant's atmosphere. "Just follow me, Obi-Wan, and we'll find Dxun," he informed. "Alright, Your Majesty, here goes nothing," Obi-Wan answered as they jumped into hyperspace.

OKAY, AND THAT WRAPS UP CHAPTER THIRTEEN. HOPEFULLY, IT WAS DONE WELL, IF YOU SEE ANY ERRORS OR MISSPELLINGS, PLEASE TELL ME, LEAVE A REVIEW IF YOU ENJOYED IT, AND HOPEFULLY, I CAN GET THIS NEXT CHAPTER DONE A LOT FASTER THAN THIS ONE

CHEERS!