Summary/disclaimer: Time for another chapter of Shadows of the Force. Enjoy the 3700-word chapter. I do not own RWBY and Star Wars. Monty Oum, Lucas Films, and Rooster Teeth do.
(Coruscant 1:55 PM November 14th.)
If there was even a slight little measure of mercy? It was that traveling the surface of Coruscant distracted Lerek whom for the life of himself? Did not care, did not wish to care for this planet.
He sighed, pausing to let what little he had sink in, pausing to lean on the railing next to him, utterly tired.
"This planet is where I grew up, Blake. I just do not have ANY good memories since the war occurred." Lerek stated before he sighed.
"So, what, you never want to see it again?" Blake questioned before she paused and let it sink in for several moments.
"I don't know," Lerek responded, cupping his chin. "I used to like being here with Drifter. He and I used to walk up and down this planet during the early months. He and I did not want to go back and forth through the markets, neither of us had a lot of credits." Lerek stated before he hummed.
There was a moment of silence, one with captive interest and one with which he would need to do… And it meant something that would be utterly done with… An idea of what was to come.
Lerek sighed, wishing to be back on the Trailblazer. He was tired, thrown off, and worn down like a brittle bone.
"Where are we headed? There is still a mission to get to and I am afraid dealing with this mission might be something I am worried about." Lerek stated, rubbing at his temples before he paused, too interested in progress.
There was a VERY large amount of progress, one which he required to be done and dusted, this was not something to be done.
"You wanted to see some of the bookstores?" Blake stated to which Lerek nodded. "Then let us visit one. then we can get out of here" Blake stated before Lerek hummed.
He was utterly too interested in it for now and for good reason with this, all occurring in waves and droves for now.
(With Ironwood and Obi-Wan)
"Are you certain this strategy will work?" Ironwood asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Luring the droids out is better than attacking them head-on. We not only have better terrain but we have a well-fortified location if they attempt something." Ironwood heard.
Obi-Wan paused to keep looking around the room, too invested in his stratagems. He knew Ventress plotted in another region of the world but trying to fight them on land he did not know against enemies he did not know was stupid.
Obi-Wan also knew Ventress was plotting the destruction of Vale. The signs of an attack, coupled with him seeming to find more battle droid scouts in the parts of this world? Yes, he did not exactly see anything else coming.
"What is your strategy?" Obi-Wan heard as Ironwood looked at him.
"We do not confront the droids at Vale's wall. That will simply allow them to pour in more troops and flank us, the wall will not stop any flying transports or Grimm." Obi-Wan stated before he stroked his beard. "The droids will strike clearly at the school rather than us," Obi-Wan stated.
"Rules of engagement are not as easy as you might learn something from trying it," Ironwood stated to which Obi-Wan paused to relax, too tired and too easily disturbed.
He did not want to see and do something about it because he did not know what to see or do now… There was just too much to think, something about it all rubbed the Atlesian General the wrong way.
All it did was bring bad thoughts to his head and he could not damn well stomach it for now.
(On Coruscant)
Lerek paused to risk a glance up at the sky, there was something on the horizon for now, wanting only to see it all grow too much. It would properly deal with whatever vapid memories he had but not yet… It made the Arkanian General too interested in what he would be dealing with the droids.
"You know. The more I question the war? The more I relaxed that we are probably going to deal with for now." Lerek stated before he turned and walked away.
"Meaning?" Blake asked as they slowly descended toward the store.
"Means the war is going to get a lot nastier than it looks, we are going to be at war with an enemy that just wants to burn and pillage everything around us. Part of me wonders what is going to happen if we do not stop it," Lerek stated before he paused and then looked around.
"If you are a general? Why don't you plan something to stop it?" Blake stated to which Lerek sighed.
"Because I'm one of several generals and acting like the only one who can do anything is madness," Lerek stated while he rubbed at his temples, too chaotically done with it.
Lerek knew that part of him died with it and died well enough to phase it into the ground. He was too thrown off by it to do something about it for now and did not wish to act as if it would end.
The Arkanian knew that if he was going to not lie to deal with something like this, he wanted to scream and collapse into the ground and all it would do is continue to shatter her brain. It felt like it would do little to stop what was building in her head.
There was something else coming, something chaotic in the mist which he wanted to stop but couldn't because he knew if he did? It would be harder and harder to do so, too unsure, and too unlikely for it to be done with before it all went to hell in a handbasket.
That? And he knew that he could not fight all the battles alone, Jedi Knight, or not? He was just one guy at the end of the day.
"Let me ask you a question," Lerek stated before he turned to Blake. "You seem to dislike attention, yet you want to make a social change for your people, you want to set a golden standard for them," Lerek stated.
"I do not need to…" Blake started to say as Lerek raised his hand.
"Why do you want to be a Huntress SO much if you dislike everything you are doing? You are skilled at combat, sure… But from what I can guess? Being a Huntress is like being a Jedi, you do not ASK to be famous… But people will MAKE YOU famous purely because of your actions, what they see from you." Lerek stated.
"You don't want to be famous," Blake stated, pointing a clawed finger at Lerek.
"I'm a General fighting a war for the sake of the galaxy, coming from a race of master geneticists, and acting as a peacekeeper for an ancient order," Lerek stated.
"I WANT to be someone people look at and go, huh, that General Arkanian is pretty good at his job and he's someone fascinating," Lerek stated, crossing his arms. "But I'll still help the little guy because I know what I want, I know how I want it, and I know how I plan on getting it," Lerek stated.
"What are you asking me?" Blake questioned as Lerek sighed.
"I am asking you a simple question. if you wish to be a warrior who MUST be in the spotlight? Why are you so against people seeing you for who you are? You do not hide what you are well, your ears wiggle through that bow, and even without my eyes? I would still be able to see you like that." Lerek stated.
Blake stayed silent, unsure of what to say, what to do. She could tell what he was asking and she could tell there was no easy option. If she admitted she was a Faunus to the world? It meant letting others judge her.
But she had to be judged if Blake did not let people see her for whom she was and let THEM view her similarly. She would not be able to handle her goal. What good was showing the world that Faunus were not all criminals and terrorists if people just saw her as Blake Belladonna, the girl pretending to be a human?
The lift finally stopped and Lerek allowed himself to step forwards, slowly turning to Blake to relax and then humming as he felt tired.
The war was slowly chipping away at him, constantly making it too hard to see it the way it should have gone. Lerek hummed and then slowly stepped down from the lift before he seemed to keep growing.
(With Ironwood)
Ironwood rotated the hologram and dragged several units of AK-200s to the outer ring, pausing to let Obi-Wan glance at the hologram.
"You are a very interesting General for someone who doesn't seem keen on fighting their own battles." Obi-Wan heard as he paused to think for now, too relaxing for now. Not wanting it to go anywhere or do anything.
He had a LOT more to do, to see, something about it all seemed to tire him as he brought up his commlink.
"Anakin, have you started your assault on the area we talked about?" Obi-Wan asked to which Anakin hummed.
"Yep, we're busy starting our assault now… When Lerek gets back? Tell him there's another location we need to take out, I've seen a location where the droids are sending their ships… I'll handle Ventress for now." Anakin stated.
"We will handle it," Obi-Wan stated before he sighed. "I do not understand, the Separatists have never cared much about an entire planet, why would they devote so much to invading it?" Obi-Wan stated to which he paused.
Ironwood could only look at the map, too interested in it for now… He wanted to see what came down the line now… There were a LOT of things that he did not know but he would be in the business of finding it out now and for good reason.
(With Blake and Lerek)
Lerek hummed and crossed his arms, pausing to think for now, too interested in his next move. He wanted it all over, wanting to get to the next part of their plan, wanting nothing more than to relax… Then to end this and end it all. He did not want it to end… To see something that could not be allowed to go for now, wanting to pause to think of what was to happen next.
"You always this quiet?" Blake questioned to which Lerek hummed.
"I do not know what I want to think and I know that we will be unable to do more than relax… Plan our next move, go on… Then? Then we can handle it from there." Lerek stated, leaning on the wall next to him.
Then again? He felt off put by everything around him. He wanted nothing more than to be left behind by it all. He was a warrior, he had been thrown for a loop before, and focusing on the details was beyond him even on the best day.
He was too interested in the next move he made, in every small detail for now… He wished to rest, to reconcile what he had last wished to do… And now? Now he had more to see and do next, an idea of what was coming next.
He would hit harder, hit faster, cut through it all like a sword through steel. He had to be willing to do so, do it within a good measure of time… The second he did so? The better he could relax. He would not be willing to make choices like this with the sleep he had, not now when push came to shove when it came down to the moment.
There was more coming and a LOT more to deal with for now and for a good reason to let it all end now and for good reason, there was something to be had here, something he could not have had been done next.
There was a lot more to that. He was paused, exhausted for now… He had a lot more to try and deal with, something about it all seemed to be more than he could have been done with.
He did not even know what for now. He had a lot more to this, there was chaos within the Arkanian general, one he did not fill with such a thing he could not deal with. He had other ideas upon his mind… Ones which he had a lot more to see and do next.
"So, was there any real reason you had to deal with this sort of shop or is it just special at the end of the day?" Lerek asked, raising an eyebrow towards the Faunus Huntress.
"I know, there's a lot of things I know, this is one of them," Blake stated to which Lerek only raised an eyebrow. "If it was harder than that? I would be done with it already." Blake stated to which Lerek sighed.
Lerek only paused, thinking he could allow nothing sort of some amusement, he wanted to enjoy the logic… To enjoy something, he could be dealing with.
Yet? Here he was, too exhausted to deal with something else he could deal with.
Yet? For all, he had a lot more to try and deal with such a thing. The Arkanian in him was already trying to make another move. One he could not allow it to end.
(With Ironwood)
Ironwood paused, thinking of the fact he was about to order a military operation which he would cut through and through. All he could do was compose himself, thinking of what else was coming to an end. All he had left was chaos. The chaos he buried well and food, good.
Such a thing was chaotic enough. All he was able to do was yell, to bark orders was to call it chaos. He had been in the role of General several times and yet? He was a lot more interested, to say the least, and he knew it was going on when it came down to it.
He paused, exhausted, for now, he had been in any case? He had a lot more to try and deal with, something that he could not have allowed, he had a lot more on the moment, he had been too unable to deal with for now.
He had a lot more options, he had a lot more options to deal with… And so much more the better, he had a lot of ideas to deal with.
He had a lot more on his mind before he had a lot more chaos on his mind, something that came down to it. There was more to this, within it all at the end of the day… And he would not allow it to go so beyond the pale for now and for better or for worse.
There was something else to deal with, for now, paused to think of such an issue, an idea that he had been willing to relax. He had been too bemused for such a thing and he would not be able to relax.
He had a lot more on his mind as he seemed to try and think of what else was going to be dealt with for now, he had been too disturbed.
"I can recommend a few books if you want, won't be a lot, I've been away from this planet for a while and I'm too tired to do something about it," Lerek stated as he cracked his fingers.
The Jedi Knight was tired, too interested in the next move, in what he could do and what he was able to deal with for now. He had been eager to return to his flagship, to rest for now and allow his ideals to be returned by such a thing.
Blake slowly and yet surely helped him further. She knew him, she knew what the next mission would be, for now, been too interested in what was going on.
She had been too distracted, too thrown off by her desire to win, to be superior to what had been established. She wished only to relax for now. She had not been through, had not been able to relax.
(With Ironwood)
Ironwood paused and thought of the last maneuver as he knew that he had been relaxing and dealing with something beyond all such concerns.
Even if he had succeeded in removing their enemy from Mistral? He would have to deal with the fact that his contacts would demand why they were conducting a campaign in another kingdom.
"You should know even if we beat the enemy in Mistral? They will come back… The droids are not the only thing here to deal with. I am sure you have noticed the Grimm and know they are dangerous." Ironwood stated.
Obi-Wan who looked at Yoda nodded as both turned, both paused to think as they frowned. The Grimm? These beasts were not normal. They were monsters, soulless, natural… They had been here for quite a while; he had felt them through it.
"You know for a fact what is going on," Ironwood stated.
"You want something I cannot understand for the life of me understand, general," Obi-Wan stated.
"We have someone as dangerous as the enemy you have and I do not believe we can handle them," Ironwood stated before he sighed, too tired for now, and then hummed.
He had no idea what the next best maneuver was and he had no intention of losing, not now at least, and not before he could end it for now. There was something else now, something that she could not allow to end when all such maneuvers came to a head.
(With Lerek)
She wanted to keep relaxing for now and letting it all come down to the maneuver now as she seemed for the moment to grow tired for now when it was all over.
There was something else to be dealt with for now, it was too chaotic for now as he paused to look downwards to the ground, he had been too disturbed, too unwilling to deal with something for now.
He could perhaps think of it well enough; he had been willing to deal with it well enough, and he would act well enough by it to deal with it.
He was tired, he was too curious for the moment. Such a thing would mean little for now, a manner which he had been willing to deal with for now. Lerek could not condone what was happening… But he could condone it being beyond it all, beyond what had not yet been done.
Perhaps there was some sort of chaos to be done next, something he could not allow himself to have done for now.
He was not used to dealing with, an idea that he could manage for now. Perhaps something like this would open a route that he could allow to end for now.
"We're going to try and bring it all crashing down onto the ground," Lerek said. "My mind is going to break… It is only a manner of time." Lerek stated.
"This comes from the guy already talking to himself," Blake stated with a joke.
"Maybe, but it's too much to deal with, there's too much at stake," Lerek stated to which he paused.
Perhaps with time and effort? He could manage… But against something like this? He would not manage to curtail it… And he would not let it go anywhere.
"Are you ok?" Lerek asked.
(With Ironwood)
"Can I ask something? why did this war with the enemy start? What is the logical failure of it?" Ironwood questioned.
"I suppose you'd have to ask the senate." Obi-Wan started.
"All wars start somewhere, it always ends without problems, for now, you always end up causing problems you can't fix," Obi-Wan stated.
"And do yours have a start?" Ironwood asked.
"Yes. Always." Ironwood heard as she paused to look to the side. "There were a lot of problems with this plan, but I do not know what it means… I do know it will lead to more problems." Ironwood stated.
"I apologize, James is always eager to cause an end to things… Sometimes even if he cannot always put it into words." Ozpin stated.
"You see things from a different angle than I do. We are all too unwilling to try and deal with it… But there were always going to be angles you do not see coming… And I suppose if anything? It will not end well." Ozpin stated before he hummed.
He sighed to let it all fall to the ground in a giant ball. He had a lot more to try and deal with and none of this appeared to be helping at all when it came down to trying and figuring out something he could deal with for now.
The chaos for now seemed to be willing to collapse.
(With Lerek and Blake)
Both Blake and Lerek entered the shop which he had been to try and deal with something like for now. He pulled up his cloak.
Perhaps this place would let him relax, it would certainly let him unwind knowing what had been done to have done it all for now. He had been too interested in what was going on.
She would not be allowed to let it all go alone… For there was much left to have been dealt with for now.
Author Notes
Phew. Another chapter is done! I want to point out that the next chapter will be in 2-10 months and will be much longer. It will show the group returning to the Trailblazer and preparing for the trip to Remnant. Until the 900–6500-word chapter, Lighting Wolf out!