Chapter IX: Meeting of the Minds

PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY

FIFTH DAY IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE HORDE'S OCCUPATION OF ETHERIA

Things are at their darkest, my leg is infected from not being treated properly and Angella is dying, her wounds are infected and the coldness of this cave has given her hypothermia, she probably won't last long and I will be surprised if she makes through the night.

As for myself I have a high fever and am hallucinating, the nightmares of the past haunt me; a few times they have been so vivid that I was beginning to feel as if nothing was real.

Glimmer has been trying to comfort me the best she could, she is as powerless as I am as the collar around her neck would electrocute her if she used her powers.

"She-Ra, what's going to happen to us," Glimmer asked me, she was like a child lost and afraid, just looking at her face made me want to kill Vader for doing this but something told me not to as I would be no better than him if I did.

"I don't know, Glimmer, I honestly don't know," I said as I comforted her and dried her tears, "why don't you go rest you're going to need your strength," I told her as I tried to make myself comfortable.

I am thinking of taking my own advice, I could feel my eyes close and was going to drift off, when I heard what sounded like a fight near the cell, I looked out through the bars and saw the troopers fighting another group of soldiers, these ones wore beige pants with blue shirts and black vests and white helmets.

From what I could see the battle was fierce, but I only saw its start as soon fell unconscious from my infected leg.

THE LOG OF DARTH VADER, DARK LORD OF SITH

22 YEARS AFTER THE END OF THE CLONE WARS

I am not sure how but the Rebels have arrived here as well and have driven back my forces, so far two kingdoms have fallen, and rumors are more are on the verge of being liberated.

I was overlooking a map of the kingdoms, trying to decide where to send my force when, a message came in from the cave prison outside the forest.

"My lord, the rebels have broken into the prison," the guard at the cave informed through the comlink.

"What is the status of prisoners?" I asked him, wanting to know if my key to ridding myself of Palpatine was intact.

"They are missing or killed my lord," the Stormtrooper informed me.

"Have your men search the area for them, I want them alive," I informed him as he acknowledged the order and went to fulfill it.

I must recapture them, especially this She-Ra, she must be turned to the Dark Side, with her at my side I will rule the Galaxy.

PRINCESS ADORA'S DIARY

FIFTH DAY IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF THE HORDE'S OCCUPATION OF ETHERIA

When I came to I found myself in what appeared into be a medical bay of some sort of ship, my leg was in a cast, I put my head on my forehead and noticed my fever was gone, wherever I am they took good care of their prisoners.

As I was looking around, the doors opened and in walked a young man with blue eyes and blonde hair, he looked a much older version of Adam, but his youth seemed tempered by wisdom.

"You seem better," he said as came in and checked the readout on a monitor, "you were near death when we found you, had we waited any longer you wouldn't be here," he said with a smile.

"thank you, um speaking of here, where is here anywhere and where are my friends," I asked him curious to find out what happened.

"Well here is the IInspiration/I, a medical frigate, and as for your friends they are healing in a bacta bath, they should be fully recovered in no time," he said.

"Thank you, sir," I told him kindly.

"I'm Luke Skywalker, and you are," he said extending his hand to mine.

"I'm She-Ra," I introduced myself.

"It's an honor to finally meet you She-Ra," Luke told me politely.

There was something about this Luke was familiar, then it hit me, it was the name, Skywalker, I had sensed that Vader was called Skywalker before he became evil, in fact this Luke has a lot of Vader in him, not the evil darkness that forced him into the armor he wears, but the potential he had long ago, could it be possible that he was related to Vader, a nephew perhaps.

After explaining to him what happened, I asked him how managed to get the message since it was intended for Bail Organa.

"Bail died, he and almost everyone on Alderaan were killed by the Death Star," he told me mournfully, "the only one we know of so far who survived the blast was Princess Leia was she was aboard the Death Star until we rescued her, the message was picked up by our scanners and we used to find out where you are," he explained to me as he helped me into a hoverchair and took me to see Angella and Glimmer in another room.

"Here are you friends, when you are feeling up to it, Princess Leia would like to see you three," he said as he left to let me talk to them.

The room was filled with all sorts of medical devices and robots of some sorts to operate them.

Angella was dressed in a medical gown and sitting in some sort of tub filled with a clear liquid but it wasn't water from what I could tell and Glimmer was resting on cot her face was covered by a mask of sorts.

"She-Ra, you don't know how good it is to see you alive, my friend," she said as she turned around to face me.

"The same here, your majesty, I feared the worse for you," I told her I sat beside the tub to talked to her.

"I see you had already met Luke as well, from what I was told you were near death and had they not come when they did you wouldn't be here," she said worriedly.

"That's what I heard as well," I told her, "I didn't know if you heard your majesty but Princess Leia wishes to see us," I informed her, not wanting to keep the princess waiting.

"I know, I should be done here soon," she said as she turned to face a robot with skull like face and silver body with a clear midsection tending to Glimmer, "2-1B, how long till I can get out of here," she asked the robot.

"You can get out now if you wish, there are fresh clothes in the changing room," 2-1B informed Angella as she got out of the tub and went into the change rooms.

I looked over to Glimmer, "what about her, will she be about all right," I asked the robot.

"Yes, ma'am she will be fine, she should come to soon," he said as he gently removed the mask from her face and cleaned off some of the loose pieces of plaster from it.

I noticed that her face was completed healed there was just a faint scar running down her face, but is nothing that some makeup could not hide.

"Amazing," I commented, "what is that stuff?" I asked 2-1B as I noticed the same liquid on the mask that Angella was in laying in.

"Bacta, it's a healing agent, I'm sure if your intentions are as benign as you claim that Alliance could supply your planet with it," 2-1B informed me as he watched Glimmer wake up.

Her eyes fluttered open and she sat up with a start, "Where am I?" she asked scared as she looked around the room.

"It's all right, Glimmer, we're safe here," I told her as I calmed her, "you are on medical ship called the Inspiration and this is 2-1B, a medical robot, he has been taking care of you and your mother," I said pointed to the robot standing beside me.

"how did we get here?" she asked me as she stood up and looked around the room, I could tell she was a confused as was when I first woke up.

"I'm not exactly sure myself, but we are safe here trust me," I said as I took her hand to assure her.

Glimmer looked at me, I could tell she was worried about me but before I say anything 2-1B came up to me and told me that the cast could be removed now that I should be able to walk again.

"Will it take long?" I asked the medical robot wandering if it best to wait after the meeting with Princess Leia.

"No, ma'am, it will take a few seconds," he said as he helped out onto a cot.

He then pressed a button and a tray of medical devices hovered near him, he picked up a small saw and gently began cutting the cast.

Once it was cut he gently pried the cast off and cleaned my leg.

"There you go, good as functional," he said as he helped me up and to my surprise found I could walk.

Just then, Queen Angella came out of the change room, she was in a white dress which made her seem even more angelic; her wounds were completely healed and her wings seemed even more elegant than ever.

"Come on, we shouldn't keep the princess waiting," she said as me and Glimmer followed her out the door.

"The conference hall is the third door on your right," 2-1B chimed in before we were completely out of hearing range.

Etheria would be freed once more and with hopefully we can convince the Alliance to help us in our fight against Vader and maybe rid ourselves of Hordak at the same time.

LORD HORDAK'S JOURNAL

FIFTH DAY IN THE FIFTH YEAR OF MY OCCUPATION OF ETHERIA

According to these reports, it seems that a fleet of ships of unknown origin have entered Etherian air space and have landed troops on the planet and are driving back Vader's forces as well as mine; they have liberated several kingdoms.

I needed to get all the information on this fleet I could so I could destroy them and rule Etheria.

"Weaver, get in here," I shouted as my High Priestess entered the room.

"You shouted my lord?" she asked as she floated into the room and bowed before me.

"Yes, I need to know about these troops who are they, and if they pose a threat to me?" I asked her.

"I am not sure, but they are a threat to us, they have destroyed our forces," she told me nervously as she conjured up an image of this army.

"Weaver, I want you to order more troops into the kingdoms, we must retake them," I yelled, I must retake those kingdoms.

"Well my lord, I would advise against it at this time my liege," she informed timidly, I could tell there was something, she wasn't telling me and that is was bad news.

"Why can't we order more troops into the area?" I asked as I turned to face her.

"If we send more troops into the area, Vader might take it as a sign of hostility and invade the Fright Zone. We would be powerless against his forces, right now we're lucky that he hasn't invaded us," she explained as she showed me a map of Etheria and the kingdoms that had been invaded.

"I don't care, send our forces out, at once Weaver," I shouted as went back to my throne.

Weaver floated up to me, her eyes glowed bright with anger, "Hordak, you're a fool, you would risk the only piece of land you actually have control on this miserable planet for what, the chance to invade the kingdoms, it's not worth it, this isn't the rebels we're dealing with here, it's an empire that has done in a day what you have failed to do, during your reign here, it's not worth it, in fact I am going to our order our forces to back down!" he yelled as she went to recall our troops.

"HOW DARE YOU USURP MY ORDERS?" I yelled as I blasted her with an energy back sending her flying,

The force of the blast caused her hood to come off, revealing her face, her skin was diseased and rotting, her hair, which once resembled ebony now was gray and stringy; her nose was crooked and gangrenous; her eye's resembled once a beautiful shade of green now were yellow and cat like.

"Now, Weaver are you going to rethink what you said," I asked her as she got up, but she did not answer instead she just pulled her hood back on again and floated out of the room.

I could have destroyed her, but at this point it would be a waste of energy, and I as much I am loathe to admit, she had a point, to send more troops would convince Vader that we are a threat and would order his men to attack the Fright Zone, but on the other hand, I have vowed to conquer Etheria at all costs and I would not let some invader take what is rightfully mine.

I must think this over, should I risk Etheria for the safety of the Fright Zone or should I take a gamble and send my troops to retake the kingdoms and deal with ire of Vader, I stand now on the threshold of a decision that could either lead the Horde to its ultimate victory or ultimate destruction, and I alone hold the keys to the door, Horde Prime help us in these dark times.