SW Kestis.
Chapter Two: Inquisitors.
A few hours after arriving on Kaamino, all Younglings and Padawans were escorted to a large auditorium.
'Why are we all gathered here?' Cal wondered.
"There is no need to fear us young ones, we will not harm you. Despite what you have been taught, the Sith are not your enemy." A masked figure stated, his arms held behind his back.
"Master Skywalker?" Reva said, recognising the force signature and the way he held himself.
The masked figure stiffened before nodding. He knew this padawan, his men had rescued her and a group of young Jedi from the temple as it was being procured from their traitorous masters. He had been forced to...kill Reva's master.
"W-What happened to you?" Reva asked, eyes wide. She could almost feel his pain, the burning heat of lava.. and much more. Something deeper.
"Kenobi Betrayed me, he took...everything from me." Master Skywalker replied, hands curled into fists as his rage burned. Turning the room colder than it already was.
"How did we not see what our teachers had become?" A young Twilek girl asked, tears gathering in her eyes. If Master Kenobi could hurt Skywalker, then what would their masters have done to them?
An empathetic sigh filled the room as a robed Palpatine walked in. "You are young my dear." He said as he walked up to her before placing her gently into his arms. The girl began to cry and he rubbed her back, just holding her without complaint.
It was a very touching sight, the most powerful and important man in the galaxy, lowering himself to comfort a young girl who was scared and sad. "Do not blame yourselves, you could not see. You were blinded by them. They were older, more experienced and should have seen what they were becoming. The empire does not blame you, and I do not blame you." He told her softly.
'Master Skywalker' gave a short nod, agreeing with the man. These were children, impressionable and innocent. They did not deserve to pay for their teachers mistakes.
Cal stepped forwards. "But we do need to make it right. We need to fix the mistakes that have occurred, fixed the damage that has been done by our teachers. It's our responsibility."
Palpatine turned to him, his eyes lighting up as he recognised the young boy. "Young Kestis. What are you asking?" he asked.
"Teach us the ways of the force our masters were too afraid to delve into, show us the truth. Give us purpose again. We will do your bidding, for the will of the people. The will of the force. For the sake of the galaxy" Cal replied, determined. He spoke for them all, as they all felt the same.
"Hmm, you and I think a lot alike young one. I agree, you all will be trained. You all will be knights of the empire, you will be...guardians again." Palpatine smiled, still holding the young girl in his arms.
At once, many young Jedi took a knee, eyes on their new master.
"Rise my inquisitors. My children, there is much to be done. Much for you to learn..."
~ - ~
[Two years later...]
Cal deflected each blaster bolt back at their shooter, destroying over a dozen training droids with ease. He even knocked unconscious a few clones who were taking part in the exercise.
"He is strong in the force Master, the dark side sings through him. He is mature and modest, kind and yet bold." Vader pointed out.
"In these last few months only one other has progressed this far, this quickly, the Temple Guard who joined us." Palpatine hummed.
"The Grand Inquisitor." Vader stated.
"Yes, he is powerful and focused. But he does not seek the betterment of others, only himself. He seeks power and glory, he looks down on the next generation, sees them as tools." Palpatine scoffed.
"The desire to seek out power is not wrong, when it is for the benefit of many. He unfortunately only wishes to fulfil his own agendas." Vader admitted, finding the man despicable.
"Hmm, the ancient sith would see this as a promising quality. We of course, do not. We have had adapted, evolved. Keep an eye on him lord Vader, if he gets out of line you have permission to terminate him." Palpatine stated, still watching Young Kestis go through his drills.
Vader nodded. "Of course, my Master." He replied, bowing for a moment before leaving. He had many duties to attend to.
~ - ~
"Third Brother, fifth sister. You will head to Geonosis, Intelligence reports suggest a Jedi Master by the name of Cere has managed to hide a small group of students within an old Separatist factory. Bring her in for trail and secure the children." Vader ordered via a Holographic terminal.
"It shall be done, Lord Vader." Fifth sister, otherwise known as Reva, replied. Bowing before the projected image of their master.
Cal, aka third Brother, picked up her helmet from the table and passed it over to her. "Poor kids, they will be hard to break and undo. The Jedi obviously must have filled their minds with dribble and untruths. As they had us."
Reva nodded, placing the Triangular helmet over her head. Sealing her face away. "Indeed, don't worry though, we will show them the truth, now let's get to work."
With the swish of her Cape, she turned around and left the room, Cal following just a few steps behind, flanked by four Purge Troopers.
"Any hints on how to deal with Master Cere?" the lead trooper asked. He was skilful, but not stubborn. He knew when to ask for help.
"The Jedi will be incredibly overprotective and anxious, use that. Manipulate her feelings, she will grow angry and agitated. Look for an opening and take it, but make sure not to get cocky, she is strong with the force and quick with a blade." Reva informed him.
"She could be an excellent Inquisitor." Cal thought aloud, causing his fellow Inquisitor to hum in agreement.
"Perhaps, or perhaps the twisted dogma she was taught runs too deep. We shall see soon enough." Reva replied.
~ - ~
"We've been running for too long, we need to do something Master!" A black haired young Jedi exclaimed, holding a scared Youngling in a tight hug.
"No Trilla, we can't fight the empire one on one. We must be patience, first we find a safe place to lay low, then we gather allies and create a resistance. Then, we strike. You must trust your instincts young one." Cere told her Padawan as she checked their supplies.
"But master-"
"Trilla, I told you, No!" Cere glared.
The padawan shut her mouth and bowed her head. Her Master had become more and more paranoid and..violent over the last few years. She was less trusting and more fearful. She ignored the force more and more and instead insisted on them trusting their gut or instincts. Confusing Trilla and the Younglings.
"Master Cere, you need to see this." A young Jedi said, having run into the main cave from one of the many tunnels.
"What is it Jurulla?"
"A Star Destroyer and two cruisers have entered the system, they are heading our way. I think we've been discovered!" the young boy cried.
"When we stopped at Nar Shadarr... someone must have planted a tracking device on our ship." Cere realised.
"By The Force..." Trilla muttered, horror in her eyes.
The roaring sound of a sublight engine echoed around them, causing the group of Jedi to pale as they felt a dark presence.
A shuttle had just flew above their hiding place, they had been discovered...
"Cere, stay here and look after the others. I'll lead them off and give you some time."
"No Master, we need to stay together!" Trilla begged her teacher, only for cere to ignore her pleas and rush off anyway.
"MASTER!" Trilla called, frozen in shock. Cere had never ignored her before...what was happening?
"Trilla... I'm scared." The female Rodian from earlier whimpered. "It's okay, we'll be okay."
"Yes...yes you will be." A scrambled voice replied from the cave entrance, causing them to turn towards it.
Standing at the entrance was an Inquisitor, holding two ignited blades. Behind him stood a squadron of Stormtroopers and two electric staff Purge Troopers.
"Get behind me" Trilla ordered the younglings, taking off her own weapon before flicking the switch, casting her face in a green light as her lightsaber activated.
"Brave, but foolish." The Inquisitor stated, getting into a stance before rushing forwards clashing his two blades against her single. "This, this is going to be fun." He chuckled, sending a shiver down Trilla's spine.
The battle was quick and uneventful, with Trilla only using defensive moves, not offensive, much to the disappointment of Cal.
With a few more swipes, Cal disabled Trilla, cutting her weapon in half before force pushing her to the floor.
"You have promise, you could be so powerful and amazing...if only you delved into the darkness" He sighed, shaking as he kneeled near her.
"I don't want that kind of power!" Trilla growled, glaring up at the darksider.
"No, but you need it... with it you could have saved the younglings and carried on running. Perhaps becoming a great enemy of the empire, instead you fell and now lay before me, unarmed." Cal reasoned, gesturing for two Troopers to approach and arrest her.
~ - ~
Cere woke up to find herself strapped to an interrogation table, her clothes were cut and burnt, showing she had been electrocuted and tortured quite a few times.
It had been days, weeks, possibly even months seen she had been captured. She had told them...almost everything, only keeping her masters secrets quiet.
"T-Trilla?" Cere whispered, recognising the eyes of her padawan.
The padawan had changed. Grown taller, and she was wearing a modified black outfit, similar to that of an inq- No.
Please force no.
Horror and understanding appeared on Cere's face as a Purge Trooper commander handed Trilla the helmet of an Emperial Inquisitor, sending a rush of fear, sadness and overwhelming guilt into the Jedi Master. "No!" Cere yelled, her eyes ablaze with rage.
Reaching into the force, Cere sent out the most powerful wave of force energy she had ever felt, destroying the Interrogation table while knocking unconscious the Purge Troopers and Trilla.
Well, Cere assumed Trilla was unconscious. In reality she was stunned, unable to move, only watch as her former master looked down at her with disappointment and fear before running off.
[On the other side of Fortress Inquisitorius]
"Let her go." Lord Vader ordered.
"but my lord-" the Grand Inquisitor tried to argue.
"She did not reveal all we needed to know, Cordova's secret sanctuary, Jedi temples she had visited and even the coordinates to a world full of Khyber Crystal's. If she will not tell us where they are, we will merely follow her to them." Vader cut him off, turning his helmeted gaze.
"I see...I will personally oversee-"
"You will do nothing, I have other missions for you. Eight sister will assist you." Vader told the man.
"Then what of Cere?" The Grand Inquisitor queried, annoyed that he would not be involved with this important mission.
"I will personally Train third Brother, he will then be sent undercover into the underworld of Bracca. There he will create an identity, gain contacts and leads, and then after a few years he will make a few mistakes, getting the attention of Cere and other Jedi. He will gain their trust, gather the Intel we need and then hand them over to us. Or, if need be, destroy them by himself." Vader replied.
The Grand Inquisitor almost gaped. Third Brother would be trained by his rival!, the promising Inquisitor will get this privilege, not him?!
"Is something amiss, Grand Inquisitor?" Vader asked, sensing the annoyance and hidden rage.
"No...my lord." The man replied before leaving the room, silently seething.
(End of chapter two)