Chapter 23
(Geonosis)
Kellia had since secured the entirety of Geonosis with the reactivated droid armies of the good archduke Vikkal. It was a marvelous sight to behold has millions of B1 battle droids marched out of the underground facilities followed by many million of fellow B2 units and were quickly loaded up into their troop transports like the MTT carriers. The most generous fleet of Imperial warships had since arrived into Geonosis space a while ago headed by a Taris born admiral that Kellia sensed truly sided with Taris madam Lomell and their rebellion, and that immediately put her at ease.
The fleet of ninety warships headed by four Imperial-class Stardestroyers had jammed communications of the small Moff orbital space station and eradicated it as the station began to grow worried why the ground base had not communicated in some hours time all the while the Geonosians jammed any and all signals from the planets surface, and all radar capabilities by the Moff forces in space. The arrival of the Taris fleet may have seem like an answer to their prayers, until they were blown up of course.
The rebel allied admiral went by the name Clavin Noor, and was a younger admiral who had graduated from the Imperial Naval Academy of Coruscant less than a year ago, and was by his credentials an excellent tactician, but Kellia would see that for herself in no time. Right now she was standing on a ridge overlooking a massive plain of Geonosis as the droid armies were being loaded into MMT and MUT transports to be picked up by heavy cargo carriers from the Taris fleet to begin distribution and liberation of Dac, Sullust, Manaan, and another army numbering three million B1, one million B2, and twenty-thousand droideka units was being prepped for transport to Sluis Van after the liberations of the other three worlds is completed.
Kellia had since the initial liberation of Geonosis assumed her full role as High Commander of the URM Military, and because of this her orders, or 'suggestions,' were taken to heart by all the URM council members. Her first commands since the battle were to mobilize all droid army units, which numbered into the billions and prep them for immediate transport to any and all worlds that requested liberation and partnership with the URM in the coming weeks. Secondly, she authorized the reactivation of all Geonosian foundries across the world, and promised immediate resource transfer to Geonosis as soon as they were secured from Moff or Imperial control, and as soon as the trading routes and hyperspace lanes were secured.
Now, Kellia was preparing to join the liberation force headed for Manaan, and was sending Vorum to handle Dac's liberation while the Sullustans had reported that they were more than capable of handling their own command of the droid armies and their native rebel forces. Archduke Vikkal had also since the reactivation of the Geonosian droids authorized the creation of a new mass protocol that would cause all droid galaxy wide to shut down, but had overwritten the old one used to shut down the droids during the Clone Wars, so as to not have any unexpected Imperial or Moff ability to shut down the armies. During the battle of Dac, the plan was for Vorum and admiral Noor to dock several ships at the Calamarian orbital shipyards and request re-supply under the guise of being part of a re-appropriated Moff fleet as admiral Ackbar had reported that the Mon Calamarian spies in the shipyards had confidence that the staff were in the Moff camp of allegiance.
After docking they would begin jamming communications and unleash at least four droid divisions. Two B1's and two B2's with support from several droideka squads. As well as Tarisian Naval personnel under the guise as Moff Stormtroopers. Though it was agreed upon by the URM council that after the Stormtrooper disguises wore out the armor would be discarded for being too much a symbol of tyranny.
Manaan was going to be a tougher nut to crack. Their was a small orbital station but nothing worth getting flustered about, and it was decided a boarding party of URM marines, provided by the Tarisian loyalists would board and eradicate the station personnel or capture them if capable, though Kellia had been staunchly against taking prisoners, she was overruled by a council majority in the post Geonosis liberation, council meeting. Nonetheless, while the station was being subjugated by the marines Kellia would lead a full ten divisions of droid forces, several of which were armored divisions, down to Ahto city and would coordinate the liberation with the Selkath rebels under command of representative Gelshrik himself.
Their were several underwater Imperial facilities devoted to the harvesting of Kolto from the sea, and to that end the Selkath rebels opted to send their majority down into the depths to rid the sea of the Imperial units stationed down there. Thus the droid armies would deal with Ahto city mostly by themselves under Kellia's leadership.
"Madam general." A6 greeted walking over to where she stood, once more with her freshened dark blue cloak obscuring her features. Turning to the B1 battle droid commander she inclined her head in acknowledgment of the droids presence.
"A shuttle has landed, and is requesting you board at once, your army units are en-route to their designated ships."
"Thank you A6. I have specifically assigned you to my army detachment, and you're coming with me.
"Roger, roger." A6 responded nodding his cone like head.
Kellia had to admit she was growing attached to her droids, and while she didn't know what that said about her and her memories or the Clone wars and respect for her fellow Jedi who had long since fallen to these same droids, she did know that she needed them, and was all for getting past the history. So, in silence she made for her shuttle with A6 retreating to a droid transport to meet back up with her on Manaan.
The great first wave of attacks by the URM was about to begin.
(Imperial Palace)
After his confrontation with Leia, Vader had decided to calm himself by fully investing his attention on the war. Reports were flooding in across the galaxy as the Moffs continued the consolidation campaigns across their territories. Grand Admiral Zaarin had reported his arrival at the Roche asteroids, and had encountered a Moff fleet of up to date vessels numbering over a hundred and fifty ships. Zaarin, however, also reported that he was pushing the enemy fleet further and further back out of the asteroids system, with the native bug-like Verpine being most gracious, as the Moffs had begun a brutal, asteroid, to asteroid, subjugation and elimination campaign that had killed hundreds of their kind in no time. They were reporting that their full support was now thrown behind the Imperial loyalist side of the civil war. A byproduct of the war but one that Vader was just fine accepting as the Verpine would be critical to the reformation and rebuilding of the Imperial fleet after the war.
The Moff buildup along the border of the Chommell sector however…troubled Vader. That sector had remained out of Moff hands under his explicit order, and if Vellam was behind the attack he would need to be put back into place. However, if Vellam was being forced to commit to an invasion by the Moff council, then Vader already decided he would have to come to terms with the fact that he would need to appropriate the necessary forces to the sectors defense. He would die before allowing Naboo to fall into Moff hands, and have it brutally suppressed. For the Sith lord still held a measure of care for that world, and in memory of….her, he would defend it from a war he helped instigate.
The Sith lord stood in the military command center in the Imperial palace, and was making the staff obviously uncomfortable as he stood with his arms crossed and cloak menacingly falling by his shoulders in a commanding and intimidating manner. The reports were being flashed by on a central and slightly larger monitor that the lead staff, the High Generals, the Ground Marshals, and Grand Admirals could look at from a standing point of view. The room was full of monitors and war analysts running around keeping up to date on the growing conflicts around the galaxy. Receiving Intel from Imperial Intelligence agents abroad and I.I command here in the palace, as well as I.S.B, Naval High Command, and the Inquisitors office who had begun sending out their agents deep into enemy territory to secretly assess the situation with the aid of their Force capabilities.
It was truly a sight to behold, even for Vader.
"Lord Vader sir!" Came a males voice, and Vader turned his head slightly to the left to see a man from Intelligence approach briskly but not in a rush. He came to stand before Vader before bowing and of course, clasping his hands behind his back.
"I was ordered to report to you immediately from the Intelligence office on a growing concern that our channels in Moff controlled Outer-Rim sectors are reporting."
"What is the situation agent?"
The man straightened into a very tall and stiff figure before reporting in a very proper manner.
"There have been ramblings inside Moff space. Strange fleet movements originating from the Ojoster Sector. However things get confusing and seemingly unrelated after that."
Behind his mask Vader raised a brow.
"Confusing?"
"Yes my lord. From what we have been able to gather the Moffs have reported issues containing anti-Moff sentiment in Ojoster, and many worlds in the sector are proclaiming a strange neutral stance between us and the Moffs, while maintaining our fleets. Essentially they are using our protection without confirming their loyalty to us."
Vader rolled his eyes at that but stayed silent.
"So, the strange fleet maneuvering from that sector means the Moffs may not have ordered it, but the odd part starts here. there are similar reports of fleet movements then popping up in the Arkanis sector shortly after the reports from Ojoster. Reports get sketchy from that point on, but our analysts believe that something big is about to happen, and the part that is worrying higher up is that possibility that the Moffs are not behind the moves, and so I was ordered to speak to you on the matter and get your assessment and subsequent orders….sir." The agent said as he began to perspire. He had been fine at first, but the longer Vader just stood there staring at him with those blank eyes, the more the agent began to feel uneasy.
Vader had to admit, the news was slightly troubling. If their were systems and sectors even making opportunistic moves and third party actors were getting involved in the war it was something Vader and his ally needed to be concerned about. Especially since that meant this new addition to the war may not be at all controllable. Turning a controllable war into an uncontrollable war, and that was not acceptable.
"Continue to gather Intel from both Arkanis and Ojoster. I will speak with the Emperor and appropriate more resources to probing those areas of space." Vader ordered and the agent bowed his head lowly.
"Very good milord." The man responded before turning and making his way back to his station while Vader turned and decided it was better to get his meeting over with the Emperor over with now rather than later, and hopefully preoccupy his master with the war and nothing else. Especially considering the conflict in Vader and his emotions could be easily readable by stronger Force sensitive's.
Briskly making way for the throne with his long and murderously fast strides the dark lord quickly arrived at his destination and motioned the guards to let him through. The guards received the okay from the master through the Force and allowed the hulking Darth Vader through. It was only a few steps later that he reached the end of the hall and kneeled before the steps of the throne, and behind his mask Vader smiled as when he kneeled it didn't hurt anymore, and despite the fact he knew if his master felt he wasn't in pain he would be suspicious, Vader hoped he sensed his calmness anyways to spite him.
"Report lord Vader." Palpatine commanded and Vader stayed kneeling but craned his neck to look up to his master.
"I have reports of the war master. Several abnormalities reported by I.I, and a general overlook of the situation developing on Seswenna as well."
"Proceed."
"As you will master." Vader responded briskly.
"On the matter of Seswenna. Sector command of that sector is reporting the Moff Alliance is continuing to send reinforcements in intervals. They will order mildly damaged ships to retreat from battle after unloading their ground units and inflicting damage to our naval units. Then fresh naval units are sent in and the fresh Moff forces will continue the cycle. Our reinforcements to the battle are being hammered because of the admirals reluctance to pull out critically damaged forces. Thus we have superior numbers in the battle above the world, but they are amounting to nothing but a greater numerical difference as many of our ships are too damaged to even fight back. Our ground forces are subsequently being drowned in mass wave attacks by Moff forces who have large quantities of reinforcing armored units such as AT-AT's, AT-ST's, and even older armored units such as the Clone wars era AT-TE units, my master."
Sidious sneered angrily as the dark side bristled around him and he brooded in silence for several tense moments, a thing that Vader had grown used to in the years of service to him.
"What is your assessment of the situation, lord Vader?"
Vader knew this was his time to make his move, a move he had been planning ever since the Moffs shockingly well coordinated attack began on Seswenna.
"Master, I find the situation untenable. If whomever our incompetent commanding officer there is left to do as he wishes we will lose Seswenna with all assets destroyed in the process. I recommend that we pull out of the system, regroup at Eriadu, set up a defensive position there at the sector capital, and take advantage of their flood of units and naval assets."
"Explain." The Emperor demanded.
"Yes master. The Moffs have used this refreshment tactic and it has led to many crippled or at the very least mildly damaged ships numbering well into the dozens or even hundreds. They have more than likely drawn the ships from the adjoining sectors, and have thus taxed their defensive capabilities of these sectors-"
"Leaving their surrounding sectors weak and vulnerable to attack!" the Emperor finished Vader's thought path and Vader bowed his head.
"Yes master. If we send one of the new task forces under a Grand Admiral to head the attack on the neighboring Moff territories then in time that will also leave Seswenna vulnerable to recon quest on our part."
Sidious nodded to himself in though, before waving his hand in an agreeing manner.
"See to it that this is done lord Vader. Send word to the commander of our defensive units at Seswenna, and let that fool know it is a direct order from yourself lord Vader!"
"Yes Master, as you will." Vader replied once more inclining his head, and remaining kneeled.
"However, there is a further matter to discuss my master."
"Proceed lord Vader." he ordered.
"Yes master." Force, Vader hated having to say that word all the time.
"Imperial Intelligence has reported to me of a growing anomaly in the Outer-Rim possibly not related to the Moffs."
"Unrelated how?" The Vader asked, and Vader quickly recounted the report from the imperial agent from earlier, and when he was done the Emperor looked very displeased, with another sour look upon his features and his glowering yellow eyes narrowed in frustration that was clear through the Force.
"I want this matter looked into lord Vader! I will not allow any third parties to break away from the Empire or even the Moff Alliance! To do so will form a credible threat to the integrity of the galaxy and Empire! Use all available assets and resources to look into this matter, lord Vader!" The Emperor commanded and Vader bowed his helmeted head once more.
"As you will, my master."
Vader was about to make his leave when the Emperor threw his hand out in a stopping gesture that forced Vader to retake his kneeled position.
"Wait lord Vader. I want to discuss with you a disturbance in the Force I have felt."
"I have felt it as well my master. A Jedi perhaps?"
"Perhaps, but the veil of this disturbance could not be punctured by me lord Vader, so I highly doubt you could puncture it with you rather…limited abilities." The Emperor oily mocked Vader for the sheer sake of it, and Vader only smirked behind his mask.
'If only you knew, old man.' However, Vader didn't say that out loud. Instead he played the weak lapdog to the master once more.
"Yes master." He replied taking his usual humble tone and manner with him.
"Now," the Emperor went on, satisfied at his attempt to humiliate his apprentice.
"Whatever this disturbance was I have already ordered the Inquisitors to search it out, as it was most potent here on Imperial Center. It would be a disturbing occurrence to find a Jedi so powerful here under our very noses. What is worse is the distinct possibility that it could be a Sith seeking to oppose our order, lord Vader. I do not think it was Exar Kun, but I sense he had something to do with it, but I could not sense much when he stood before me this early morning. Nonetheless I still want him tracked Vader, and dealt with immediately if any move is made against us on his part!"
"Of course master." Vader responded in his usual baritone, yet monotone voice.
"I shall continue to pursue this disturbance until its sources reveals itself to us or is discovered. Beyond that I want you to personally pick out a competent a highly loyalist crew and assemble a massive fleet that I want at least several hundred ships strong!" To that order Vader scrunched his face in confusion and cocked his head to the right in visible confusion to the Emperor.
"My I ask why, my master?"
"This fleet will be sent to Despayre of course lord Vader. Surely you haven't forgotten what is out there?" Vader could have smacked himself for forgetting the Death Star was still out deep in Moff space, but he had assumed he was the one who was going to secure it.
"Forgive me master but, did you not order me to secure the project personally?"
"You are required elsewhere my apprentice. Your report of Seswenna has proven that. Your military oriented mind would be wasted on securing a defense of the battle station. I have already chosen and promoted an officer named Conan Antonio Motti to the rank of admiral, and he shall lead the defensive fleet there and join up with Governor Tarkin. The station is in no condition to move as the governor has reported as its engines and hyperdrive are still under production work. They have adequate supplied, and more will be sent along with the fleet. Allowing us to relax our worries on the Death Star and focus on brining the Moffs low, my apprentice."
"Yes master, of course. I shall see to it at once, and pick the most competent and loyal officers available to be part of this fleet."
"See to it Vader. You may go." The Emperor commanded and swiveled his chair around and seemingly ignored Vader. Much to the Sith lords anger at being dismissed in such a disrespectful manner, but Vader merely stood and left, and forced his anger away for the future. For that glorious day in which he kills that old fool, and takes the Empire for himself.
Looking down to his own personal comlink and noted that kun had sent him a brief text based message merely stating that he was continuing on with his duties. Code to indicate to Vader that he was not found out by the Emperor for their little healing job from the night before, and Vader quickly pocketed the device once more before making way to a nearby landing pad and to return to his palace and go through the tedious work of picking and choosing the best officers to take part in the fleet heading to defend his masters pet project, and Tarkin's toy. He also needed to relay the retreat order to the Seswenna battle, and get up to full speed on further developments in the war, as well as contact Vellam and receive a report. Vader sighed behind his mask, and already felt very irritable. It was going to be a long day.
Vader also had one more thing he had to do before the day was up and that was assign bodyguards for his daughter, and also act as personally trustable beings to Vader that would keep her from trying to run away. At least for now; until she came to embrace him and the Imperial life and as his daughter.
Then it hit him! The answer was quite obvious!
Who better to watch over Leia for him than, the Noghri?
(Imperial Palace, Science Lab, Upper Levels)
As Viathan followed Kalev into the next room he was opened up to a new world of scientific oddity. There was a massive room of cylinders similar to the Kaminoan and Spaarti cloning ones that he had seen before, but they were still different in their own way. There was an artificial and metallic looking small tube that seemed to act as an artificial and highly disturbing metallic umbilical cord. There was a bottom metallic slot that allowed liquid to be filled into the cylinder, and no doubt they had artificial amniotic fluid. There was a massive crane system, and robotic gears and all matter of things that were prepped and ready to begin readily moving cylinders around and catalog movements, development, and the growth of whatever Kalev intended to go into them, and the worst part was that there were maybe thousands, at least two-thousand, but the room was beyond a glass pane and he couldn't look further into it. Viathan only noted that the room did not have an end in sight that he could see, but surely it had an end that was near right? They were after all in a high more narrow section of the palace.
"You see my son, you were the beginning, and the end. The end of the first experimental batch of children and of my experiments and you are my perfect subject. The sum of my hard work and the accumulation of myself, and the future to my legacy!" The man declared in a matter-of-fact sense. As he continued to walk along a hall that rounded around the cylinder area, and he walked slightly ahead of Viathan. Though Viathan did not really wish to stand right next to him.
"The future of the Empire itself will be grown on your template for you see," Kalev paused and pointed to the cylinders.
"The Emperor is very proud of you and your achievements, your progress. As such, he has recalled me and many of my colleagues from across the galaxy to begin working on this lab, and it has come together very, very quickly so I can begin my work. The only piece missing is you son." He said with a smile upon his dark features.
"You see, I may not be as informed about the inner workings of the Jedi or Sith and their strange religious edicts, but I know enough. The Emperor has informed me that some rule dictating the existence of only two Sith lords ahs been cast aside by himself, and now he needs an army of Sith. An army of loyal, obedient followers who can touch and command the Force as you, lord Vader, the Emperor, and many others do." Viathan grew shocked at that and his eyes widened, and he knew in that moment that he needed to tell his master immediately about what his old master was planning, and he thanked the Force that he was still in the Emperors circle, because he had already found out something Sidious no doubt wished to keep from Kun and Vader.
"I find it rather sad really. After I had created you my wonderful, perfect son," Kalev said and Viathan found himself shuddering from the unwanted praise.
"I gave you to your master the Emperor and he ordered all my notes and all my data collected on my quest to create you destroyed for fear of others creating beings like you against him. Only now that he wishes more like you I find myself unable to do so right away unless I have a genetic sample from the original success. So, that is where you come in my son. My dear Valek I require but a simple blood sample from your person, and don't worry the Emperor has already signed off on the whole thing."
Viathan paled but nodded his acceptance as he grew very uneasy over this knowledge imparted on him.
'I'm nothing but a mere science project. The voice really is right. I don't belong here. I don't belong in this universe. I shouldn't have ever been born' The fifteen year old boy thought in gut wrenching horror and anger, self loathing, and envy. So much envy for those who weren't a part of this madness called the Empire. Envy for those who were oblivious to what went on, and envy for those who had loving parents. 'How I envy and hate you all.' He thought as a sneer formed and he clenched both his hands into fists and his jaw to stop himself from declaring his hate for Kalev here and now.
"So if you'll allow me. I will just take the sample now and get this whole mess out of the way and then we can talk about more…close to home issues." Kalev announced as he came forth with a hypodermic needle that Viathan didn't know where he got it from.
Only nodding, Viathan rolled up a sleeve and allowed Kalev to stick in the needle into his vein, and take his blood. Not like his blood mattered to him in this moment anyways.
"There we go! All the issues to my project are in this needle, and while I may have been truthful in saying your genes are needed to aid me along the process of sequencing new beings like you. I may have lied a little white lie to the Emperor." Viathan snapped his head up to his father who smirked and winked.
"You see I may have been fully capable of restarting the project without you son, but if I had said that then I wouldn't have been able to meet you, and to let you know that despite whatever you may feel, and whatever the Emperor has said I am incredibly proud that you have become what you are. I will now be able to aid you in any and all endeavors of yours, and make you and our family some of the most powerful in the galaxy!"
Kalev declared as he placed the needle in a nearby garbage bin, and took the capsule of his blood and placed it in a nearby cold-storage unit for later.
"You mentioned our ancestral homeworld…father." Viathan finally talked and struggled to call Kalev his title.
"Why is it so important to you, and what family? I thought we are the only Zallistes around?" Kalev laughed at that.
"Indeed, we are the only true Zallistes my son. Descendant of Zalliste the Conqueror, and his descendant Zhange Zalliste. These men are our blood ancestors, and believe me it is a long and complicated story, but one that would impart upon you the reason why we must soon return to beautiful Corat." Kalev said in a very assured voice, and Viathan nodded.
"Then tell me the short version father." A laugh escaped the man and he nodded.
"We are indeed baseline humans like most humans in the galaxy of course. We are not near-human like others, and for that we should be grateful." Viathan didn't know why he should be grateful to be human and not near-human but he didn't say that aloud.
"On the world the galaxy and we call Corat there is a nation, our beloved nation. Its name is Karthasia. In Karthasia is billions of our kin, the Karthasian race. That is who we are my son we are Karthasian humans. Now why is that important you may ask?" Viathan nodded, and Kalev smiled.
"It is important for several reasons. For one Karthasians do not get sick. Maybe you have noticed in your life, but you have never gotten sick by anything. Bacterial, viral or otherwise, Karthasians are immune to all yet known galactic ailments. Beyond just that, Karthasians have been engaged in a long and horrendous war for freedom. Long ago Zhange Zalliste led our people out of the dredges of the old ways under the oppression of the government we call the 'Noble republic.'" Kalev went on and motioned for Viathan to walk and talk with him, and Viathan followed.
"Zhange Zalliste launched a war on Corat to release the world from the oppression of not just the Nobles and their corruption, their insatiable greed for more riches and power while their people starved and died in the streets. No, Zhange launched a war against the others who live and evolved on Corat. You see Corat is a massive world. Thrice the size of Coruscant but not as populated of course. On the world many biological life forms came into being through natural selection and evolution. Along with Karthasians evolved ten other races. All of the odd and different than the other. All of them horrendous to the eyes of the Karthasian peoples, an affront to life itself really." Again Kalev said that in a matter-of-fact manner. Viathan seemed a little uncertain about where this conversation was going but continued, as ever, just listening.
"So it was that after the fall of the Nobles and the execution of those old fools, including the father of Zhange Zalliste himself. Zhange built our beloved Karthasian nation into a military powerhouse. A great nation ruled by a Zalliste himself. For you see my son Zalliste was not his original last name. His original last name was the one of his Noble father, it was Zhange Christarsuse, but the people honor those of great ability, of great leadership, and great worth the honorary title of Zalliste of the ancient being known as Zalliste the Conqueror who came to Corat long ago and subdued all under him, but I am getting off track here." Kalev said with a shake of his head an a laugh.
"Zhange built our nation into the single military power of Corat and thus began the, "Great Corati Wars," as Zhange declared war on all non-Karthasians, and we blitzed and we conquered one after the other. Soon our enemies formed into what is still called the "Federation of Ten," which like its namesake is a federation of the Ten none-Karthasian peoples of Corat." Kalev and Viathan rounded a corner as they continued their apparent Corat history lesson.
"Zhange brought our nation to the brink of total domination until the betrayal by the Galactic Republic. A war, I believe it was called the Great Sith War, had just ended and the Republic was high on its power. They signed over allegiance to the Federation and called Karthasians unworthy of their friendship that we were butchers and animals. That is why you see no Karthasians leave Corat. They hate the Republic, and now blame the whole galaxy for what happened to them."
"Which was what?" Viathan asked.
"Well after the Republic supplied men and firepower, and ships that we were unable of producing the Federation beat us back to our homeland in kart Asia proper, and the invaded Northern Karthasia where our ancient capital lies, the city of Zhallkhar. Zhange decided to do the honorable thing and evacuated the city of his beloved civilians, and ordered the men to stay and fight which they did eagerly. Then after the Federation and Republic forces entered deep into the city and met heavy resistance they flooded hundreds-of-thousands of troops into the city. Then Zhange detonated the great Kinetic bomb. A bomb made of pure power in relation to great force and motion. It obliterated the city and killed millions. It forced the Federation into peace talks and we had to unfortunately surrender North Karthasia over to the Federation, and South Karthasia has been dealing with overpopulation ever since." Kalev stopped and took in a breath and released a sigh.
"Ever since then the Karthasians have been launching an insurrection into North Karthasia hoping to force the federation and their horrid way out of Karthasia, and give our nation back to the Karthasians. Both Northern and Southern Karthasians have taken part, and both have suffered as the Modernists have joined the fight."
Viathan groaned as he Kalev would only ramble more but he had to ask.
"What's the difference between northern and southern Karthasians, and who are the Modernists?"
"Excellent questions. The difference in our race between north and south is simple. Northern Karthasians are lighter toned and used to more colder and calm climates. Southern Karthasians live in the more arid and desert like southern wastes. The northerners desperately want their home back and their southern brothers have been aiding them in that quest." He explained happily.
"The Modernists are Karthasians who have betrayed us. They embrace the debauchery, the ways of the Federation of Ten, the deviancy, and the moral decay of society and order. The anti-Modernist movement, aptly named Traditionalists have risen up in the north and have joined the insurrection, and the Federation wastes billions of their economy militarizing the zone for safety for those non-Karthasians who arrogantly call the north their home. For so long the Karthasian people have dreamt of a day when a strong and powerful Zalliste would return to Corat and fulfill Zhange Zalliste's dream of a unified and Karthasian Corat. That Zalliste is you son. With your power in the Force, a trait no other Karthasian has mind you, you can lead our people back to glory and return us to our proper place!"
"Father there is a far greater and more important war happening in the galaxy." Viathan retorted, and Kalev shrugged.
"You are young my son. Corat and our people can wait another few years or decades at most, but think of it son. Your people, my people being freed from Modernist and non-Karthasian oppression! A world teeming with billions of loyal followers and warriors yours for the taking! A true dream come true!"
"I shall take that to heart father, but I cannot promise any action in the near future. This Galactic Civil war must be dealt with. The wider galaxy needs order returned before the order of Corat can be restored father." Viathan explained in his own matter-of-fact tone.
"Of course son. I meant no rush. I only wanted you to know of your peoples suffering and their wait for you son. The Zalliste legacy need not be confined to Corat any longer. Our family and our people deserve a place in the galaxy, and you are the only one who can do that. I hope you understand that, and think hard on it. I will aid you in any and all ventures you enter into son. My loyalty is firstly to you."
"Ye…yes father." Viathan responded once more feeling uncomfortable under the deep gaze of his fathers green eyes.
"I feel that you wish to go now and fulfill any duties you may have?"
"Yes father I am sorry but I have things need doing for the Empire."
"Then pay me no more attention son. Go and do what you must."
"thank you father. I will see you….soon." Kalev bowed and watched hi son retreat. Knowing fully that he had planted himself into the boys mind, and into his life. Knowing that he had confused the boy and had him in his grasp.
Sighing in happiness Kalev watched the boy leave and stared at the spot where he was last before leaving and laughed.
"The boy just needs to be used the right way. He will make a great Zalliste, and a great Imperial. He will bring me and our family greatness."
Kalev intoned giddily and walked back to his lab to do as the Emperor commanded and create for him his little Force-infused army of future Sith apprentices.
He never would know that Viathan left him feeling utterly sick and confused, and oh so very filled with anger, hate, rage, and most importantly envy.
Authors Note: I hope you guys like this chapter despite the expository dump at the end. What do you think of Corat and Karthasia so far? What is your first impressions? They will be featured more trust me, but don't worry they will still be backseat to all the juicy Star Wars proper oriented stuff, but hey a lot of Fanfiction writers create their own weird worlds and this one is mine! :D Anyways I hope you guys also appreciated the Vader-Sidious meeting, and the Geonosis bit as the war begins to truly heat up. Also please tell me what you guys think of Kalev himself!
Also thank you guys who have already commented on my pairing question and trust me you have been heard, and I will take your opinions and requests into deep consideration. If however I chose to change things please just give the story time to go on and explain what is happening and what will happen, because you may be surprised by the turns I may bring to the story, okay? to you guys who haven't said anything about the pairing question yet please do anyways as I would like to hear EVERYONES opinions no matter what they are. Beyond that ramble, please point out or excuse all grammatical errors as usual and please enjoy! :D