Chapter 16
A Jedi's Quest
"Across the reaches of the Galaxy, through seas of dark stars, rivers of whispering black shadow from the Republic's ancient past. Evil history we had thought forgotten."
Jedi Master Ooroo on the first Sith Empire.
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By the end of the day Inquisitor Vallace had the information that Gabriel wanted, she entered the briefing room where Gabriel, Alana and Halos were already seated and taking a seat she inserted a datachip into the holo-projector, the image of a planet covered with green jungles and blue seas appeared.
"This is a planet named Galenor" Robyn said as she relaxed into her chair "It is a fairly small out of the way world on the frontier, there is a small colony of three thousand civilians and over five hundred Imperial Guardsmen, not much in the way of space defences"
"Thank you Inquisitor" Sabbath thanked before turning to Alana "Are you sure this is the place"
She nodded "Yes master, I just know that this is it"
"Admiral, do you think you can spare a couple of X-wings?"
The Admiral scanned the planet for a few moments before turning to Robyn "How far away is this world?"
"Around a hundred light years away from Helios" Robyn replied.
"Ill do better than that Master Sabbath" Joseph said "I will place you and your apprentice under the protection of the Firestorm, just check this out and return before anything else decides to call us away, understood?"
"Understood Admiral" Gabriel replied.
It was several hours later before the Star Destroyer was ready to go, Mynn seemed relieved to do a simple job and so happily agreed to act as an escort, but they weren't going alone, Vallace had requisitioned a Mars-class Battlecruiser called the Crimson Blaze and two small Cobra escorts named the Sabre and Judge, all three Imperium ships had been refitted with hyperdrive engines to keep up with Mynn's cruiser.
As the ships soared through hyperspace Alana was in the training chamber trying to get used to her new lightsabre, she swung the energy weapon clumsily, trying to imitate Gabriel's moves and failing miserably.
"Why didn't you tell me you finished your lightsabre?" Gabriel called as he entered the chamber "Wow, wait, don't swing it like that, you'll cut your leg off!"
Alana winced before deactivating her lightsabre and bowing clumsily before her teacher "I'm sorry master"
"If you wanted to learn how to use it you should tell me" Gabriel said "Let me see her"
Alana gave the Jedi master her lightsabre and watched as Gabriel examined it, its hilt was a simple silver cylinder with the marking of an Imperial Eagle imprinted on the cubed bottom, he tossed it several times, testing its weight and catching it expertly before thumbing the activation switch, he spun the gold blade in his right hand a few times before deactivating it and handing it back to his apprentice.
"Very well constructed my young apprentice" Gabriel said with a kind smile "I'm impressed…now do you want to learn how to use it?"
With a glint of excitement in her grey eyes Alana nodded.
"Okay" Gabriel said as he took out his own lightsabre and activated the weapon "I am about to show you a style of lightsabre combat that's ancient name is Shii-Cho which is also known as Form I, its basic manoeuvres make it the ideal style for beginners who are getting used to their lightsabres"
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Meanwhile within the confines of the webway Archon Deathstrike watched as the four ships vanished into hyperspace before turning to his scanning officer "For your own sake you better be right about the Jedi and Warlock being on that ship!"
"I am positive my lord" his scanning officer replied, eyeing the Archons power sword.
Deathstrike swung back towards the view screen and growled, the Cobalt of the Black Heart's lead Archons had given him a small fleet to pursue these newcomers, but it was considerably smaller than his last fleet, three Darkness-class Battleships including his own Burning Agony and another five Torture-class Cruisers.
"Pursue those ships" he hissed "Keep us within the safety of the webway and activate the Shadow Fields once we return to normal space!"
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Admiral Halos stood on the command deck of the Vigilance with a cup of caf in his hand, he watched as the ships of the Imperium, warships and merchants alike flew across space, he enjoyed watching the display of firepower that was hovering just outside of his view screen because it reminded him of the great Superiority Fleets during the Empires days of glory.
"You allowed the Eldar to accompany the Jedi!" Vallace said heatedly as she stalked up the landing ramp towards the command deck.
"Yes, I was hoping that perhaps they would run into an Eldar vessel that could reunite her with her people" Joseph said uncaringly as he sipped his steaming hot Caf "Besides she isn't safe in Imperium territory"
"I didn't want that witch out of my sight" Robyn said "I don't trust her; she could easily manipulate the Jedi with her mind tricks" Halos laugh stopped the Inquisitor from talking any further as she starred at him, practically fuming "What!"
"You greatly underestimate the Jedi if you think they can be manipulated by simple mind tricks" Joseph said "The Jedi Order mastered that little manoeuvre thousands of years ago and have learned a few immunity techniques, unless you are a Sith Lord you can't manipulate a Jedi Master"
Robyn folded her arms and sighing turned to watch the small swarms of Imperium ships that danced across the massive command deck view ports "You respect the Jedi"
"Of course"
"But you are an Imperial" Vallace replied casually "I have read that your Galactic Empire hunted them to near extinction"
"We did that under Emperor Palpatine's orders" Joseph said remembering those days of glory and fear "There were many Imperial officers including my grandfather who thought that the Jedi would have been a useful force to the Empire, but the objections of the few were ignored and the purge continued" Halos paused for a few moments "My grandfather told me stories of the Jedi of the Old Order when I was young, he spoke of the bravery of his General, a Twi'lek Jedi named Aayla Secura and how she always put her life on the line to protect her troops, he told me of the tactical brilliance of Master Yoda and of the warriors spirit of Mace Windu"
"So it's fate" Robyn said with a wry smile "Your Grandfather fought alongside Jedi and so do you"
"My father was a captain in Darth Vader's Death Squadron" Gabriel said "So its three generations who have fought with force-sensitive beings" he then tore his gaze away from the view to look at the Inquisitor standing beside him "Inquisitor may I ask you a question?"
"Of course"
"What age are you?" he asked, his tone a mixture of curiosity and shyness.
She smiled wryly before shaking her head "A lady doesn't tell her age"
"By my guess I'd say you're twenty-five" Halos guessed.
"Not even close" Robyn replied with a wink "I'm a hundred and twenty"
"Really" Halos said before chuckling.
"I'm serious"
Halos stopped chuckling and looked into the Inquisitors hazel eyes, his own eyes widened in complete disbelief "By the force you aren't kidding"
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Within the darkness of Galenor's planetary shadow a warship waited, its hull painted black to camouflage it from any close by ships, it had wondered the space ways of this galaxy for thousands of years, visiting thousands of worlds and exploring as yet by the Imperium unexplored regions of this galaxy.
From the command deck of this ancient, heavily modified cruiser a figure stood, his features and form completely hidden by a black cloak, his face concealed by the shadows of his hood, for over four thousand years he had wondered this war strewn galaxy, using stealth to survive countless battles with enemies and patience to create alliances with friends.
There was a flash of light and four warships appeared just outside of the small colony worlds gravity well, the ancient warrior stretched out with the force, searching for anyone on those ships like him and his children, anyone who could harness the force, he found two signatures on the ship that's shape was similar to that of his own, both were strong in the force.
The doors opened and another figure dressed in the same black cloak appeared, but the hood was down revealing what looked like a young woman with shoulder length chocolate brown hair and deep hazel eyes but he knew better, she was one of the eldest of his children at two thousand years old.
"They have arrived father" she said "Just as you said they would"
He nodded before sensing a dark spike in the force, one he knew to well; with a wave of his black gloved hand he summoned the view port to zoom in on the source and snarled when he saw them, Dark Eldar raiders, at least eight ships, they shimmered and vanished before the newcomers could spot them.
His daughter sensed them too and spinning on her heel stalked through the door before issuing the order through the force, he considered that this order was so loud that half of his fellow hidden force-sensitive beings could hear it…he still had to teach her control.
The Eldar's Dark Kin are here…send them to the warp that they fear!!!
I know this chapter was fairly short but don't worry; this is a prelude to a bigger picture. The next chapter is coming…the emperor protects!