Chapter 49
(Unknown)
Opening his eyes Viathan shook his head and found himself without any sense of pain, and upon further inspection, or rather looking down he saw no blood stains, no damage, and not a scratch across his body, indeed he looked and felt great. However as he twisted his head from side to side, looked over his shoulder, spun around he noted he was in a very odd room. Fine drapes hung across every doorway, and they were all crimson red as blood, and some were wrapped in magnificent and power projecting pillars and columns fit for a lord, or King, maybe even an Emperor. The floor was marble with detailed and 'artistic,' black cracks traveling across the surface, but they were not true cracks mere illusions and projected a sense of grandeur for the marble. He was standing next to an opening to a balcony adjoining the room with two finely made wood doors lined with glass opened and allowing a breeze in...or so he imagined as Viathan realized he couldn't feel any wind, yet saw the drapes flutter and flimsy paper blow with light gusts just tickling the room with soft flowing air of coolness...again, so he imagined. With a recoil of his body and shocked face he noted that a man was in the room and he was leaning over a large table. His face was darker in complexion, and his eyes were narrowed, near in pain it seemed. Across his body was a fine set of armor, all black, draped in a blackened cape that fell from his shoulders, and its inner lining was crimson red as well.
The man had a short head of hair, small and prickly strands that had a natural forward facing weave to them, and Viathan noted that it was like his own. Indeed he had the same skin tone, and the man had deeply dark brown eyes like himself, but even more dark than his. His armor lined his body and covering his arms besides simple underlining cloth was gauntlets lined with intricate swirls, and following up his arms he had shoulder pads that were simple but curved along his shoulder and underneath was where his cape was connected and held clipped and firmly so to his body, which was quite finely fit based purely on observation of his suit of armor. He had a tunic close to his or his master Kun's, but above that was a mighty breastplate that was not black but looked of some silver like metal and was still darker than most. Across his waist was a strapped battle clot tat fell down past the knees and were as dark as the rest of his clothing and looked to whip finely around the body giving him a majestic and lordly look.
Viathan rounded closer to him and noted his footsteps made not a hint of a sound. The man did not acknowledge him, and when he raised his head some in Viathan's direction he froze and stared back only for the man to dart his eyes around the room in thought and again Viathan knew he didn't or couldn't see him, and so chanced a closer inspection of the table he leaned over. It was old fashioned, but Viathan's eyes went a bit wide and he even felt a ghost of a smile cross his face.
"An old war table. I haven't seen one of these since Morlin tried to teach me battle tactics in the 'old manner.' You wouldn't find a respectable commander in these days using something so archaic and 'barbaric,' as I'm sure any general or admiral would label it." He intoned with his smile falling across his face and the men sighed deeply and moved an army, and what Viathan guessed to be an infantry marker across some border that was on the map, that was labeled, 'Tusia,' and Viathan swore he had heard something like that before from another person, but for the life of him he could not remember.
"After today not a one of them shall fall their putrid steps upon Karthasian soil. That I can swear." The man seethed with a sneer crossing his face with even more narrowed eyes as disgusted anger took him, and Viathan snapped his head to him.
'Karthasian?! The kriffing people Kalev and I am supposedly, descended from? Great...I'm dead then.' Viathan darkly chuckled and now understood why he felt nothing and was doing nothing in this 'state,' of being. "Well since I'm dead I suppose the Force in all its brilliance decided to punish me for all my ill deeds by forcing me to look at my people. Probably some message and wisdom in here. Doubt I'll be able to put it into practice!" He yelled into nothingness knowing that the Force likely could care less of his feelings on the matter, but hey, he was dead! At least he could now relax.
"Brother! What in the name of the great One are you doing?!" Came the sudden quiet breaking and slick voice of a man entering the room for the main entrance of two finely decorated wooden doors, and Viathan looked upon him. He was similarly dark toned, and dark haired, and across his body however was a similarly fine set of armor only it was all white and gold with metals adorning his body in all the right protective spots for a knight of ancient and elder times, with even a blade across his waist from a belt. He had a large smile across his younger features and twinkle of youth and mirth in his eyes. With the last thing Viathan noticed being a cape his own that was white and embroidered with gold and into patters of some sort of significance, Viathan was sure.
"Hello Malan, and to answer your question I am going over the plans one final time thank you for asking." The other man, in the room answered and didn't even turn to look upon the man who entered this 'Malan' man. He stopped behind the man he called brother and folded his sturdy and armored arms across his chest and frowned lopsidedly.
"Come now Zhange, you have gone over this battles enough time to make your eyes bleed, and more. You are too much like father at times. Always so focused on small details and being paranoid enough to think every plan and every operation will meet the worst possible ends and have the worst possible consequences." The one, who was called Zhange, the one who had always been in the room, and again Viathan knew he heard that name before too, probably from his father, turned and looked to his brother and for a moment had an ugly glare and seemed poised to smack him or something but the brother, Malan grinned widely in reply and Zhange laughed and planted his hand onto Malan's shoulder.
"Regard me as our father again Malan and I'm afraid you will be missing an arm."
"Oh come on Zhange always so serious! You know despite the fact our father is the worst in all history some of the things, you know features and ticks to him, aren't so bad to have, but seriously you over obsess!"
"Obsession, one could argue leads to careful planning of every single detail, and if I am going to go out and speak before that damn crowd you have like vipers waiting for me, then they deserve to have a battle plan that will assure, and inspire them." Viathan cocked a brow while he folded his arms across his chest as Zhange motioned for Malan to look the plans over.
"So we cut west after crossing the norther border, smash through Garduna, and hit Morfall. Trust me brother I have looked these plan over enough times too, and this will work. You know it, I know it, and everyone else knows it for 'Kuta's' sake!" Viathan again furrowed his brow at the term 'Kuta,' but obviously could not ask, but merely observe.
"We will need Morfall thrown out of the war within three months max is we are to strike through all of Tusia, and commit ourselves to both the general advance and the liquidation of all Tusians in general. Fourteen legions for the northern strike, and forty-five legions to the south, and token ten each to our east and west. That should keep any of our neighboring sub-lifeforms from attempting anything moronic." Zhange intoned darkly and seeming to have no sense of pride or joy in his military descriptions to Malan who nodded.
"I know Zhange, I know! Trust me the generals know, the commanders know, and soon your lovely crowd of the people will know! Thus far none of us have failed to think your plan fruitful and possible. We are totally, one-hundred percent behind you and your plan. So relax, take in a deep breath, and get out there and make the speech!"
"For all my paranoid and careful planning attitude to keeping details sorted brother, you are far too easy going and lax." Zhange shot back and smiled as did Malan.
"Well you remember what father said! 'You Malan are a boil on this family's good name, and I hope by the power of the Great One that you get skewered in the most painful way possible!' I will not shed a tear at his passing from this plain of existence." Zhange narrowed his eyes and sneered at the recollection of their father, and how he treated the younger of the two brothers.
"Zhortull Christarsus will know the folly of his actions to us this day Malan. As will all the other families of the 'Nobles.' They will all see the failure of their power, and of their state. Karthasian as a people, as a nation and state has been raped long enough by their greed. Regime change is now in full need, and order." He intoned darkly and ran his hand over the table map where Karthasia was labeled.
"Well you're a Zalliste now brother! Best not disappoint Zalliste the Great." Viathan snapped his head back and looked upon Zhange and his mouth hung open some as he looked upon...his ancestors. These were the first Zalliste's! His father told him how there was one who was called Zalliste upon their ancestral homeworld of Corat, which Viathan knew was this world. He also knew from Kalev that the people held the title of 'Zalliste,' above anything else, and that a Republic of noblemen and their families all descended from the first Zalliste ruled the nation of Karthasia, but that one family, apparently the Christarsus family, one day proved worthy of the title Zalliste which became their name! This man, Zhange, Zhange Zalliste was his ancestor to first take the title and name Zalliste from their common ancestor Zalliste the First, the Conqueror!
"So...this is the man Kalev wants me to emulate, and follow in his tracks? He certainly is a serious man. Then again I suppose I am not exactly the most playful or free spirited. Kriff he kinda...or rather I kinda look like him too!" Viathan noted as he missed a portion of the brothers speaking to one another.
"...and what of the Galactic community? Any word on how they would feel on the situation here on Corat?" Malan asked and Zhange huffed an indignant laugh at the mention of the wider galaxy. "The galaxy is too tied up in a war all their own at the moment. Those people, the ones with the weapons if beaming light...what are they called?"
"Jedi?" Malan offered and Zhange nodded.
"Yes them, they seem to have a loose end to try and patch up. They are at war, and one of their own, so my sources tell me, has turned on them and joined forces with another of their fallen knights in a war against the Republic and Jedi order. A one Exar Kun and Ulic Qel-Droma. These, 'Sith,' as they are called will keep the galaxy off our hides while we wage our just war brother. For only one supreme race can survive on this world, and if we are not proven to be the strongest then we shall fall into obliteration."
"That superiority dribble, you don't actually believe in it do you?" Malan asked with his eyes showing honest concern and directed to Zhange who shrugged nonchalantly.
"The people believe it and thus I shall humor them. The superiority or inferiority of our race as human beings is of little importance to me Malan, when the Republic came to Corat we learned that life is all over this galaxy, and that humans are also everywhere. However, the people will no longer tolerate living on a world where we are surrounded by 'sub-sentient' life as they would call it. Are the Tusians not human as well? Indeed I think they are but the people brother, our people desire blood, their blood, and for them to no longer exist, and in order to be the ruler they deserve, the one they desire, I must fulfill that which they crave. Whether we like it or not it is what must be done." Zhange intoned and numbly looked over the table again and at the many nations that were upon the board, Viathan couldn't imagine a one nation even one as admittedly large as Karthasia fighting them all. At least based on this map.
"If you say so brother. I'm going to go see how the crowd is. You get your hide out there soon otherwise they may mob up and demand their new overlord to come speak to them!" Malan laughed as he turned to leave and stopped. "You know any woman would kill to have you and any man would kill to be you."
"I expect nothing from our people other than the willingness to die for Karthasia, the nation, and her people. Me? I am irrelevant on the matter. For Corat will burn and the beauty of Karthasia will spread across the surface and even the Republic from the galaxy will be in awe of of our majesty."
"If you say so Zhange, but you are no fun at all! I wish I had every woman in the nation pinning for my approval and eye!" Malan grinned and chuckled deeply.
"That's because you lack discipline, and a distinct sense of priority Malan. You are what father called, and I must agree, a 'man-whore.'"
"Hey!" Zhange laughed and so did Malan as he left to meet the crowd and Viathan had to admit he found Zhange and his manner very appealing indeed. He liked his great ancestor more and more indeed.
Zhange was left alone to his map once more but he did not look hem over, rather he stretched hi back out and grumbled another sigh as he glanced around the room as if he was looking for something.
"Boys and their battle plans, no matter what I think this family is destined for nothing but bloodshed, war and death." Viathan and Zhange both snapped to the far left of the room at another door entrance and Viathan found a woman standing in the entrance with a faint smile across her admittedly elegant and beautiful features. She like Malan was clothed in all white. A long dress that hung to the floor, and had a deep dipping V-neck line and exposed more than Viathan would have liked to see. Her hair was long and silvery and not that of an old woman but it had a lovely long and liveliness to it, and it hung past her shoulders probably to the center of her back, and her eyes were golden, not like that of a Sith but more like a natural gold similar to Arden Lyn, that woman who hung around his master. Her skin was fair and she had a grace to her that found Viathan raising a brow as she neared to Zhange and he dipped his head low, but his face carried no sign of awe at her beauty, but shame, and disgust, but he hid it when he rose back u and took her right hand and placed it to his lips but did not kiss.
"Hello cousin. You look beautiful today, as ever," Zhange greeted and she allowed a larger more honest smile to cross her features, and she waved him off.
"You flatter me Zhange, but it is always appreciated." She giggled but it quickly faded and Viathan sensed history here, but it seemed sour now as they forced themselves into acting in proper decorum.
"Viluna, do tell me why you felt the need to come and speak to me. I can see it in your posture, you have something upon your mind, something needing lifting from your shoulders?" She sighed and both lost any form of enjoyment or happiness about them and again caused Viathan to cock a brow intrigued at the whole thing. Though he did roll his eyes at the whole drama of the situation.
"You're the big man, that you and your father always said you would be, and I am really a bit foolish for thinking you would defy him." She declared a bit of a shock to Zhange who recoiled his head in confusion.
"Viluna, I am that which my father wanted me to be, sure. However he wanted me to become leader of that inbred rabble called the council of Nobles. I am now a Zalliste, King in every sense but name. I have finally gotten the gall to defy my father your damnable uncle that I have always desired since I could walk and understand his foul words spewing forth. I will take Karthasia to heights unknown, liquidate all undesirables, and free the nation from the oppression of the Noble houses, my own included as well as yours and your father, my uncle, my father as well, they will all be put to the blade, and the people shall dance among their corpses!" She rolled her eyes and placed a calming hand along his exposed arm and he looked down to it, before back up to her eyes.
"You want nothing but bloodshed, and our people have always ever wanted death and bloodshed and now that you have power you seek to only double their desire for blood and the pace at which it is spilled. You honor your father and mine by doing that Zhange and you know it. They may hate how you did it but they will love and attain victory by carrying your line into greatness and attempting this mad dash for power."
"Oh please. When I order their deaths and the liquidation of everything they own then they will bawl before they are ended! I will gladly have their deaths on my mind among the millions I will soon carry further. War has been my life all my life, and it shall continue to be so! Karthasia is ready, Five billion men ready to fight a war, and another fifteen in reserve! Our people have given me a mighty and populated army and nation to rule, and I shall effectively utilize it Viluna." She sighed and dropped her arm.
"I see trying to get through to you is pointless Zhange. You are my cousin, and...I love you, but you are far too much like Zhortull then you think."
"This I am very much aware of cousin. I do not hide my faults. I will do as I will and I have no doubt that you will too, for soon I will give our people and you a world to play with and live upon. I will also...make sure our marriage is annulled by decree." Viathan went wide eyed at that, and shook his head.
'Please Force, please don't tell me my whole family line is a product of...incest! I am already karked up in the head enough as is!' Viluna bowed her head low but nodded as it hung there.
"I thank you for that Zhange, but I still want you to consider living life in some form of peace and love and only then will you fully spite our fathers and our ancestors."
"They, my father and yours forced us into this marriage Viluna. I never, ever, wanted to hurt you, but they made me, and ruined our relationship forever. They took from me my only friend beyond Malan. They took from you choice, and purity, as did I and now I rectify this, by taking everything from them and this whole world. Karthasia will rule this world, and one day it will be a powerhouse in this sea of worlds, in the whole galaxy and it will be the people who decide who rule them, I am but the herald of a new era."
She sighed deeply and patted his face with a small ounce of love that Viathan suspected they shared from before this apparent forced union.
"That you are Zhange. I do hope that the people chose the best path, and you chose happiness in time. Until then I would recommend you speak to your adoring fans. They need their Zalliste." Zhange bowed and watched er leave and when she did so fully Viathan could see utter hatred cross his face, as Zhange turned and stormed down the hall where Malan came from and returned to.
"Force. I come from quite the kriffed up family don't I? It stands to reason I carry the same kriffed genes in my blood as does Kalev. What a wonderful account of my family I have been blessed with." Viathan huffed and carried on after his ancestor down the hall and passed by a slew of guards, all of them wearing old industrial style clothing and looking very militant. They all had greatcoats on their persons, with masks covering their mouths and across the bridge of their noses only exposing their golden or brown eyes. They had large blaster looking weapons but Viathan assumed they were slugthrowers, or 'gun,' as they were once long ago called. They had their greatcoats buttoned down across their bodies, with the leftovers draping down across their legs passed their knees, and they were all wearing dark boots, with simple soldier helmets atop their heads.
"Industrial era getup and weapons indeed." Viathan commented, and followed after Zhange as he spoke to Malan as they both stood before a massive adjoining open balcony, and he could he the roar of a crowd, and sweeping murmurs of the rabble. He looked to his right and two soldiers in the same outfits had a man between them. He was hooded in a sack with his hands tied behind his back, and he was wearing a simple and dirty set of slacks. His body was far darker than his or any Karthasian he had seen thus far, and a very dreadful thought crossed him as he looked upon the darker man.
"If that is a Tusian, then I think I know what the marker for a sub-sentient to these people are." Viathan intoned aloud to himself and watched as Zhange patted Malan on the shoulder and bowed before making out onto the balcony. Viathan followed and as Zhange came onto the balcony exploded in a massive cry as the crowd filled the street that went out for miles and the adjoining circle of streets, and atop him was a massive monitor with speakers lining all the city it seemed, and there was a podium for him to walk up to and climb a small two steps to the podium. An odd chant arose from the people that Viathan could not understand, and he for a minute questioned the logic of language change in the afterlife, but then left his musings aside as Zhange raised his right arm up in a 'stop,' motion and the whole crowd save for a few stragglers quieted.
"People of Karthasia! I come before you know a humbled and singular man in this hour of revival and renewal! For too long the Nobles and their houses have reaped the rewards of our prosperous and wondrous nation!" The crowd cried angrily in agreement as Viathan looked over the railing of stone around the balcony and noted that hundreds of soldiers blocked the civilians from getting too close to this building which as he looked u looked more like a palace. The roads were lined with trees of magnificence and all of them were a bloom with pink petals that along with the blue skies and clean air gave this place at least if not all of this nation a tranquil and beautiful look, and feeling. Though Viathan wished he could use the Force to sense more, he felt bottled up and blind.
"I have graciously stepped before you Karthasians to accept the title you have consented to me taking. I am Zalliste!" The crowd erupted again as Zhange held both arms out and then again lowered one with the other calming them. It was in this lull, or rather mass crowd uproar that Viathan noted some men in different garb but carrying massive sniper looking weapons. Their eyes were all deeply dark brown, and they too had masks covering their mouths up to their noses, and they all had long cloths hanging down off their left shoulders that covered their whole arms if they were not holding their massive weapons instead. Their clothing was all an amalgamation of browns and tans, and they all looked absolutely transfixed by Zhange.
"In this new hour, this new day, and the rise of a renewed national spirit we will travel upwards from this steady slope of decline, the inclination of outsiders to see us as weakening barbarians is at an end for our place upon Corat is now to be assured. First! We eliminate the malignant tumors within our society, and second, we flush all undesirables back into their foul camps of ill-repute!" A blood thirsty cry and again Zhange awaited their calm with a passive face and calm demeanor as his eyes traveled the crowd. His voice was a booming one, filled with dictatorial power, but sweeping magnetism. He bore the look of a military commander, and the stance of the greatest of political speakers, and charisma of a self righteous revolutionary. Needless to say a man you wanted to listen to and did so without second thought.
"They, and by they we know what we speak, for it is all who is not Karthasian, they are jealous, and they are resentful, for they know that their nation shall never rise to our stature, never be what we are, and never have what we have! It was we Karthasians that took hold of this continent, and it is we Karthasians who destroyed the Ironats, and the Olmoro! We annihilated two nations, two peoples none said could be destroyed, and now we see those who once were friends turn on us because of their spite, and for this they shall know what spite is!" A roar unlike any before erupted and Viathan cringed even at the sound as he still somehow could register the loudness, even as the people again chanted and Viathan got the odd inclination that they were chanting Zhange's name.
"A cry for revival unlike any before, a demand cried into the heavens above that would make even Zalliste the Conqueror cringe in fear is rising! Both brothers from the north and from the south have finally unionized their armies, and all House armies once owned by the Nobles for their own disastrous desires have forsaken all grudges of blood feuds between the houses, and have come together under the banner once more not of my house, not of my fathers house, but of the greatest of houses, the Karthasian people, and the Karthasian nation! For only united will we conquer ourselves both within and out, and then beyond our borders, for our enemies, and our 'neighbors' should and shall know they will never be safe so long as the people of Karthasia steadily rise! The many nations upon Corat, some would claim like House Grizo, should and can coexist, but we know better, we know the truth as do all other peoples, and all other dirt bloods that thrive and live among us! We know the ultimate end to the story of Corat! The total ascension and domination of the Karthasian peoples! Not over Karthasia, though she is a beautiful nation coveted by all, not over just this continent! But beyond! Where the seas meet back around the world, and the tallest mountains touch the heavens! The lowest and deepest cavern, and the flattest of plains, the most pristine of waters, to the muggiest hottest sand and deserts! We the Karthasian people shall dominate, and shall rule for it is not our natural birthright, but our will, our fought for right, and our destiny! For we are not mere man, mere woman, mere child, and but mere slags, dirt bloods, Tusians, Morfallens, or even the alien scum that comes to us from the great beyond of our skies from the galaxy, we are beyond them, we are Karthasians!" The crowd went wild and Zhange lowered his head in thought and let out what Viathan could see to be a shaky and anxiety filled breath before his eyes hardened and he spun around and nodded to a nearby guard who slammed his left hand into his chest in a local salute and went back into the palace and when he returned he was with the two guards who had their arms under the arms of the darker man, and Viathan felt himself grow uneasy and didn't like but knew full well this was going.
The three similarly dressed soldiers came near to Zhange and the crowd became deathly silent at the sight and the two men carrying him threw the bagged man to the floor which he sprawled out onto the stone floor, and the third soldier picked him back up to his knees and removed the bag revealing the scared and jittery face of a darker man. His skin was darker than any other Karthasian Viathan had seen and knew he was not Karthasian as they would describe themselves. His eyes were oddly bright blue, and he was well built, with dark short hair, and he had tear marks running down his face as Zhange closed in on him and stared down to him with unseen mixed eyes of pity and disdain, as he looked to the third soldier who unclasped a pistol from his holster and handed it to Zhange by the barrel. Zhange took it and lowered himself into a squat before the man, and Viathan closed in to hear what was being said.
"I did not desire this for you sir, but it is the destiny of all things to die. The people want your people to die, and it is now clear to me coexistence with dirty blooded people, with Tusians as my people, as my family would say is a distinct impossibility. You will go to the afterlife if you believe in one, and be with your wife...and was it a daughter that was killed when you were taken?" The man began sobbing again and numbly nodded and Zhange nodded and averted his eyes, before sighing and motioning to his men to angle him up more. They did so and Viathan watched Zhange take the microphone from the podium in one hand, hold it up to his mouth and with the gun in the other hand he spoke to the still deathly quiet crowd, and Viathan watched the scene with morbid interest.
"I am anything if not a man of the peoples desires and demands! Unlike the Nobles before me I shall not be a leader that shuns the demands of the Karthasian people! I take this title as Zalliste with a heavy heart, as I feel I am no leader, I am no politician, I am a man of simplicity, and of battle hardened resolve, and as thus you will make your call to the Tusians know, you will tell me, not I to you, what your answer to the Tusian 'question,' is! So I ask of you, what is the destiny of all Tusians?!" The people began chanting wildly in a very roar and hate filled thunderous voice, and the chant soon fell into a one voice calling out for what Viathan could tell was death. Death for all these 'Tusians.'
"Because you were born to look not like me you must die it would seem. As is the reasoning behind all racism. So is the fate of those weak and unable to fight back. A shame, and not what I was expecting from my ancestors, but then again I shouldn't have held such high hopes. Zhange I suppose, you do what must be done, and there is honor in that, even if it is twisted." Viathan mused as he watched Zhange nod knowingly to the people and with a quick motion, raised his left hand holding the gun to the back of the Tusian man's head, and pulled the trigger where a thunderous clap rocked the whole palace and the limp body flew forward as blood pooled disgustingly across the stone floor, and the crowd was silent but for a moment before it erupted in a bloodthirsty cry like never before and claps rung through and soldiers salute Zhange with a left hand to their masked and helmeted faces with only two fingers, which Viathan figured was the common salute.
Zhange was breathing harder, but controlled himself and once more raised the microphone to his mouth.
"This is but the beginning my brothers, and my sisters! Go now, and without defiling yourselves and demeaning your families, enter into every migrant Tusian home, every unclean cavern which they hide here in Karthasia, and run them out, and wash clean this nation of these peoples! For all Tusians within Karthasia who did not vacate as I told you a fortnight ago; run, run now and never look back, for your time here in Karthasia is over! Karthasia is for Karthasians, it is not your home nor ever will be! Karthasia...RISE!" The people roared with ferocity once again and Zhange nodded to his brother who looked a bit green in the face, but Malan left and suddenly Viathan was flooded with different visions as they passed by him.
People running, cities burning bombs exploding, soldiers mowing down civilians, mothers holding children, and men taking the bullets for their wives. Tusians being beaten slaughtered and gunned down. Zhange Zalliste before massive armies of Karthasians and the banner of Karthasia raised high, and then nothing.
(Neona, Tapani Sector, Day six of Battle)
A sudden intake of breath that burned his lungs, and a coughing fit that made his throat burn and Viathan sat straight up in his...cot drawing in breath with great pain and coughed more, before he finally opened his eyes and found himself in a medical tent among dozens of sleeping and variously broken and bloodied clones and Stormtroopers.
"In the name of karking Sith hells was THAT all about?!" Viathan coughed and breathed deeply and hard, and recalled every horrific image and odd thing he just saw about his ancestor Zhange Zalliste, and the people his father wanted him to one day rule and be a part of. It was a lot to take in and...'KARKING HELLS!' Viathan realized he wasn't dead. The tent shook and he turned to his left where the entrance flap was and noted AA fire flying into the skies near and far all across the skies of what he guessed easily enough to be Neona. He moved off his cot and stood on wobbly weak legs and growled openly at his body's weakness. From the tent opening the flap fluttered some and in came none other than Zeetee and it beeped wildly and almost happily and Viathan cast a faint smile t the camera droid is it closed in and danced around his head.
"Hello Zeetee. Seems I live to fight another day hmm?" Zeetee beeped and seemed to even bob its body in a nodding happy manner. "You're a smart little droid, tell me, is commander Hoy, or even Randull somewhere around here?" The droid beeped out an affirmative and floated toward the ten entrance and Viathan followed passing by the cots of fallen and sleeping men, or passed out from sedatives and pains. It was also then that Viathan registered his left arm was in a more medically sound wrap and hooked in toward his chest, but it felt okay all things considered. Ike his father said, Karthasians do heal faster than most. So he had something to be thankful for he supposed.
Exiting the tent he saw it was fully night and took a moment to allow his eyes to adjust to the sudden brightness of a nearby loud and thunderous busting of an Imperial AA weapon, and he narrowed his eyes in realization, and annoyingly so that the space battle must still be under way if both sides were utilizing AA weapons. Zeetee moved through a small Imperial command post of tents and quickly built shacks and buildings used for command, even a portable command center was in the mess, and looked over a pile of wreckage. It was of walker bits, building scrap, and remains of other armor units, and Viathan made towards it with some out and about troopers stopping suddenly and saluting him which he in kind returned the gesture. H climbed the small hill of scrap and fallen debris and looked down to see commander Hoy with a group of other field commanders speaking in an open plot lit by large lights powered by portable generators, and Viathan turned to Zeetee next to him and smiled.
"Thanks Zeetee." He patted the small metal droid and it beeped happily and he made his way down to the gathering and Zeetee followed. The commanders were speaking in mildly hushed tones
"I do hope this conversation taking place in the middle of a cleared scrap pile among the dead and dying all across this wasteland of a world is not involving battle plans." Viathan called and all the officers turned with Hoy going a bit wide eyed in shock, but also relief. "No one can be sure as to who is and who is not listening in after all men." Viathan intoned and entered the circle of men. He knew he didn't look great. Tattered and ripped cloak, with all his clothing ripped and bloodstained in his own blood, plus he was probably more beat up then he was fully aware of.
"Commander Viathan, you should not be walking up and about! The medical droids pointed out that your previous wound fractured again. Your arm was more of a new problem but-"
"But I am coming back together in good time, and shall not be confined to a bed commander Hoy. I am in charge of all operations on Neona, and will not be made to think otherwise! Now how long have I been out?" Hoy and the other men all stiffened at once as Viathan took command, and while some would find listening to a teen boy in war doctrine odd, they had long since become used to it.
"Well you lost quite a bit of blood commander, it has been nearly five days since you first collapsed on the battlefield after we overran the frontal barricade on the eastern side of the city." Another officer spoke and he recognized the voice and turned to see none other than Veers standing there!
"Colonel Veers! I thought lord Kun took you with his unit."
"He did not commander, and it is now Major-General commander." Viathan smirked and bowed his head. "Moving up the ladders of the military hierarchy are we Veers?"
"Of course commander Viathan. It is a pleasure to once more be working with you to eliminate Moff treason in the galaxy." Veers declared with all natural propriety expected of him and Viathan was a bit honored when he sensed honesty from the man in the Force and bowed his head to the man again in kind.
"I feel I must ask for your forgiveness Major-General Veers, and that of all you others gathered, to have to listen to someone of my age with but the ranking of a Field Commander must be a hard pill to swallow, but I will not apologize for the necessity of such a choice made by the Emperor and lord Kun." The men all nodded, and Viathan looked them all over and was satisfied to at least feel them to be content with the fact.
"Alright then, now," Viathan coughed some more and covered his mouth as his chest heaved and as Hoy made to grab his shoulder he blocked him and waved him away and cleared his throat. "Never mind that...now what are we looking at, and what is our operational position? Besides shooting rounds blindly into the skies of Neona?" Hoy stepped forward and spoke first.
"After we overran the front barricade line along the eastern route into the city we have stalled. The western side being commanded by general Veers here has moved up and taken the front barricade early this morning, while the north has been pushed back by Moff forces to the city border, and the south has stalled out completely. However general Veers, northern commander Till and I believe the Moffs are overextending themselves along the northern push. If we commit a massive and overpowering pincer on both the east and west we can 'pop the bubble,' and puncture the Moff lines. Creating two blocks of Moff forces and encircle and cut them off from each other." Hoy offered and Veers nodded along and the other officers more or less looked agreeable to the idea.
"What losses have we taken and the approximation to their losses? Space too, what are those statistics like?"
"Over two-hundred and eighty thousand have died on our side with reinforcements able to refill a hundred thousand. The Moffs have sacrificed more, but have more troops, likely local conscripts wearing Trooper gear, and have lost three-hundred-twenty-thousand men in total. No word on the space situation but we see a mix of both our and Moff TIE's in the sky. We know this because we get bombed and they get bombed, and we see TIE fighters trying to blast each other away in overhead dog-fighting." Veers added.
"We did see one Victory class Stardestroyer enter orbit and crash beyond the city outskirts early yesterday. The explosion was quite massive, and rocked the whole city. Don't know whose it was though commander." Hoy brought up and all the men nodded.
"Then the battle must still be waging and bad at that. Alright I like the offensive idea. What of the Massassi?"
"Those warriors have been aiding as they can but have lost two hundred of their force. Mostly in that assault you took part in sir but they are ready and willing for battle."
"Good we'll need them." Viathan added after Hoy spoke. "Draw me up a battle plan on a holo-map, and lets get to planning. I want this operation ready by tomorrow afternoon, we commit the first attack at the first sign of dark. Take them as they think things are winding down."
"Of course commander." Veers spoke and motioned the officers to get to work drawing up and working on the plans and Veers bowed and followed with only Hoy and Zeetee left with Viathan as the little droid hovered around them.
"Are you sure you're up for the battle commander?"
"I am functional as a fighter. I am like a droid, I can be easily repaired. In fact killing is in my genes I think...so to answer your question Hoy I will do as I can and as I feel compelled to do." Viathan smirked sadly and chuckled. "I feel I am no leader, I am no politician, I am a man of simplicity, and of battle hardened resolve, like my ancestors before me." Viathan laughed as he recited Zhange's words and Hoy nodded though he was obviously confused.
"Very well commander, if there is no talking you out of it, then I would simply ask you take it easy upon your body." Viathan nodded and waved him off and Hoy made for a nearby quickly constructed command building and left Viathan alone in the open plot with blaster fire and booming explosions all around him. Zeetee came in and beeped worriedly for Viathan and the boy straightened himself fully and shoved his pain into the Force to feed his power once again. "I'm fine Zeetee. Just aches and pains...story of my life really. Let's see if this plan works, and get you some great shots eh?" Zeetee beeped happily and excitedly and zoomed around his head some causing Viathan to chuckle as he made for the building as well and joined in the planning. For the very beginning of tomorrow night will bring the bloodiest chapter of Neona.
(Imperial-II Class Stardestroyer, Magnificence, Current Time)
Exar read over his main datapad that carried the Intel Ysanne was kind enough to send to him on the project EMPOWER and Mara Jade's file and found the project most interesting if not a bit underwhelming in terms of results. A wisp of air flew past him as he paced back and forth in a very wide open training room aboard his Stardestroyer and upon the wisp of air was a lively bright head of red hair tied back with a single leather band, as a young and recently broken and turned Mara Jade ran along the sides of the room in endless circles. In the center of the room was her lightsaber and it was floating in the air, as Kun forced her to test her concentration by vigorous running while maintaining the sabers floatation, and she was panting. Her body was 'made,' for such arduous tasks, and while her breath was audible in the echoing room, her speed and form had not yet broken down though she sweat profusely. She was wearing a light tunic cut off at the shoulders in simple cloth slacks fit for sleeping and training as she sought to prove to Exar Kun she was more than fit for higher levels of training.
As she passed him again with her loud footfall, with nothing on her feet at that, with her breathy inhales and exhales and Kun walked back in a pace he smirked. "Keep your mind on the ball young Jade!"
"Kark...yourself...master!" She called back in broken pants and managed to keep the pace and saber floating. Kun chuckled and kept to his datapad, not minding that while the girl easily enough threw him into the master slot and title, she still felt comfortable and free enough to curse him and at him with little care on his part as the girl knew what obedience was. 'Oh how sweet it will be when you learn such a gem as this girl was taken by me your majesty! I shall be grinning and laughing hard and loud enough for all the galaxy to hear!' He thought with a wide beaming grin to himself and continued down the EMPOWER document.
He read down, and it was odd to him that subjects two through four were all open books, but subject one, merely labeled subject one, and referred to as female was classified to top levels, and only for the Emperor it would seem. It was ironic and odd to Exar as well that all three known subjects and among them all even with the first there was only one male, Viathan, and it was intriguing and unusual to him. Looking down over the description of Viathan he notes that the file shows no adverse affects hit Viathan, or Valek Zalliste rather. No age issues, or sudden advancement of puberty, however there were some 'oddities' reported by the project doctor and head scientist, whose name was erased and left blank and left Kun slightly frustrated, but he read on. The problems with Valek were as stated as Kun read them over, and Jade passed him by yet again.
"Subject number three, Valek Zalliste, shows no adverse aging effects and is not as volatile as subject two, and certainly not a mess such as subject one who as noted above, suffered from false memories, and extreme bouts of anger brought on by identity crisis. Young Zalliste shows signs of emotional issues however. His body is in fit physical form, and the specimen created by doctor Kalev Zalliste I must note is very well made, and as such I have concocted a special paste for him to consume and only consume to assure that he will never be out of top physical shape. As such the only malformation upon the boy is that if you asked of him to consume in solids, any foods beyond his regimented paste it will cause him great pain and may cause him to choke, and he will also gain fat at normal human rates and lead to more physical workouts that will stress the emotional issues I shall state in a moment." Exar paused and inclined his head to the side and turned where he stood and continued to pace.
"So that is why he eats that garbage. I suppose it does have a purpose then. No point in forcing him to change either." Kun shrugged and returned to reading as Jade huffed loudly and cursed under her breath, knowing it was enough for Kun to hear but he merely smirked and let her keep running.
"In regards to the emotional issues stated before but not elaborated on. Subject three is seen to be prone to be highly prone to sudden buts of rage, and violence. Paranoia is also something that can grapple the specimen, as well as fear. Subject lacks impulse control and will fly into rages that endanger his own person with little regard for himself or those around him, and has reported 'blacking,' out in these episodes. Furthermore there is an underlying depression aspect I must add on. Subject three will at times fly into body numbing and thought process killing bouts of depression that cause subject to break down, weep, and often times cause harm to himself. Subject will come out of this state with little memory why he was in this depression state, but violence usually forms out of these episodes. Trivial matters, small actions things that would cause no normal person to fly into rage and uncontrollable anger cause subject Zalliste to go unimaginably insane with anger if I may be so blunt with my statement. I will recommend a new set of activities and actions to his majesty to curb some of these issues with subject three, however, I will not these issues may always be underlining his thought process no matter the changes committed to the subject." Exar frowned, and began to think back to his previous times with Viathan.
"I do suppose he has flown into rages that would seem directed at unimportant matters and situations. Depression bouts, I can definitely see that. Paranoia...well some of that I have seen, though it is directed at others and not usually if at all at myself. Disregard for his own safety and that of those around him? Now that I have noted. It makes for a very good and powerful Sith that a boy his age act in these ways." Exar mused and stopped pacing and glanced to Mara who ran by him again, and growled openly at him. Again he grinned and got a glint in his gray eyes. Sending a dark side Force blast at her he watched with glee as she shrieked like a schoolgirl and dived away from the blast up, fell down onto her hands and flipped back into a run, and the saber kept floating.
"Damn you!" Exar laughed loudly and with the Force fully stopped her with the Force in paralysis as she neared him again and then let her go, as she panted, her hair matter some to her body, with her sweat covered clothing stuck closely to her form, and she glared her green emerald eyes back at him as her saber finally fell.
"Why did you do that?!"
"Because my young and edgy apprentice, your time is done. Did you think I lost track of your laps?" He laughed and she lopsidedly flared a sneer. "Two-hundred-fifty laps with the saber not falling once, even with the added bonus round of a Force blast! Wonderful job Jade. You will have full control and concentration command over the Force in no time." He complimented and as he became used to with her, she suddenly lost her sneer and beamed a smirk across her features and thoroughly enjoyed the compliment.
"Now go clean up, and meditate some more, and you will have any food you need sent to you. I have some matters needing attending to."
"War stuff?"
"Indeed, but it is not yet your realm." She frowned but nodded once and he patted her shoulder and she gathered her saber, and made for her room provided to her by Exar as he made for the bridge. He had matters very much needing attending to.
Arriving upon the ridge and nodding to his crew of officers who both feared and respected him already, Kun made to the front of the ship and his captain, named Lorne Quor, was waiting at the front for him as the world of Lynx was beneath them and bowed to him as the dark lord neared.
"Captain..how are things?" Exar asked cheerily, and because of his attitude Kun believed many officers liked that about his manner, and he even smiled and the captain relaxed as Kun could sense, and smiled.
"Very good my lord Kun. The ship is in full repair, and operation, and per your orders all ships save for three others have left for New Shella to aid in the conquest there."
"Very good." Kun gave a pleased nod and let the captain know he was pleased, and allowed Quor to smile pleased with himself. "Good, now have we received an update from Neona?" Lorne looked to an officer on the lower deck and asked the question of communications and messages, and Kun heard the negative but the captain still repeated.
"Negative my lord. Neona has been blacklisted by the Naval High Command by lord Vader himself. No communications have been sent out, but we have word from an agent that the Moffs are broken into two sections and are surrounded by our forces. The problem is, these two pockets were achieved three days ago, and no further breakthroughs have taken place."
"Vader?! Lord Vader has issued a blacklist command upon Neona?!" Captain Quor nodded and recoiled some with the rage of Kun being shown and he quickly controlled himself and sighed deeply.
"Does a blacklist command not mean that I am not allowed to send any further reinforcements to Neona?" Quor bowed his head in affirmative. Kun sucked in breath through his teeth and released a throaty growl as the dark side bristled around him.
"So my authority and my command in the Tapani sector has been undermined. Very well then captain, how is the battle in the Bogden system going?" Quor stiffened at the mentioning of the system lord Vader was fighting in.
"Um, from reports being stream lord Vader has taken all of the moons but Moff forces on Bogden are holding ground still despite over a week of attacks by the Imperial forces. However lord Vader has authorized the 501st to be utilized in the next ground assault by himself at the command."
"Ah excellent! Then he will be busy for the next few days or so. Contact Fondor, order another small patrol fleet to replace us here above Lynx and leave the appropriate garrison, and we will make for Neona and aid in breaking the Moff back there. I want NO arguments. I am in command here and my will, shall be done captain. This is not up for debate and this is no slight against you officers, but that world holds our allies, our soldiers, and my second, commander Viathan is likely in need and being denied his karking rights to reinforcements! I shall not stand idle as he is possibly bled out, or if the Moffs bleed out, but we left our allies to suffer and die with no aid at all, what message shall that send to troopers who may feel at odds with the Empire? The Moffs at least did not cease sending reinforcements! The Empire sat by and did nothing to aid their allies. Well I will not, and I expect nothing less from those below me, and those I have led into battle and fought alongside." All the officers were like children before Kun, silent and a bit scared too, but they also felt honor bound, and even invigorated by the dark lord's words. They all silently nodded their understanding and some even saluted Kun, while captain Quor chuckled some.
"You needn't convince us any my lord. We understand the meaning and we understand the cause, and we all feel that Neona needs our support, and we will follow you, lord Kun."
"Then we have something here I like to call loyalty and honor men! You shall have my undying respect from this day forth so long as you show me the appropriate respect in kind. Now, we make for Neona, make the call to Fondor and contact the other ships. I want us to jump into hyperspace in two hours tops, understood?"
"Completely my lord Kun."
"Excellent. Report to me when we make the jump, I must prepare for what is likely to be a bloody battle above and upon that world." Kun ordered and all the men saluted and went to work immediately with renewed energy. As Kun saluted his captain and made off the bridge to his own quarters as the ship wide comms made the appropriate calls and orders and technicians checks. Kun made heavy, but quick strides back to his room, but stopped before Jade's adjacent to his own and did a quick sense of the room and noted she was still getting cleaned...at least he thought so based on her relaxation, so he went to his quarters figuring he would let her in on their new mission later. Inside his room he fell to his knees and entered into the dark side of the Force. For his preparation for the coming battle had nothing to do with strategy, or field or orbital tactics. No, it had all to do with meditation and drawing upon the full power of the dark side.
'I will take your blacklisting of my apprentices world lord Vader, and raise you a 'I don't give a kark!' I am coming Viathan, needn't you worry, and we shall as master and apprentice humble the Moffs upon Neona and carry on in this war!' With that self assured declaration, Kun delved deep into darkness and drew upon every dark image, every thought and memory, and anything possible to feed his power, and that of the dark side of the Force.
(Bogden System, Bogden)
A series of transports and shuttles flew the air of Bogden beneath as forces could be seen blasting one another away, AT-AT's were firing on Moff defensive lines across a one section of the world but the Moffs held their lines. TIE fighters and Interceptors escorted every transport in and fired down onto the surface and hit several Moff targets and troops bu the lines were not blown, and not exposed. This was but a distraction to draw off AA fire from the Moffs to the fighters and allow the safe landing of troops onto the often times seismically shifting and ground shaking world, now doubly so by the endless streams of artillery and armor fire. There were over two hundred ships landing across the surface of the world with another hundred on the way and reserves ready as lord Vader spread out across Bogden's surface his feared Fist, the 501st legion to break the Moff defensive lines. Aboard a one of these ships was the dark lord himself, the supreme commander of the Galactic Empire, and secret co-instigator of this war that burned across every rim of the galaxy.
Vader was like a blackened monolith of doom standing tall and near unmoving aboard the shuttle that bared him. There were Stormtroopers of the elite 501st to either side of him standing to his back not muttering a one word but they all had their assortment of blasters and any other weapons needed with them and at the ready. All of them, and the legion itself being the last purely Fett line of clones left. Vader felt no sense of 'loyalty,' to the Fett clone line or Jango Fett himself. These clones however were admittedly better trained, and even better built than some. However, to Vader each of their lives was one of billions across the galaxy, they were and always would be regimented, loyal, fodder, fit fodder, and fodder necessary for the Empire's survival, but fodder nonetheless.
"All of you know your mission. Secure the frontal lines of our fellow regular forces. Once the line is secured you will push on the front Moff defenses and break them at all costs." They all stiffened and held their standard E-11 blaster rifles at the ready and the shuttle lurched some more as it descended, and blasts were both heard and felt from outside the shuttle and even when all the troopers were shaken around Vader did not move a muscle. It was like that even when the ship finally reached the planets surface and rocked as it landed with the ramp descending and the troopers filed out and down the ramp into a hail of fire and fired into far off enemy lines. Lord Vader strode down and off the shuttle with utter ease and coolness with his robes sweeping around him and he stepped onto a dirty plot beneath his black boots and found himself in a clearing with three stationary AT-ST's firing into Moff lines beyond them by some meters. Four heavy repeater emplacements were also lined on a mobile cover platform made into half a ring for his troopers to take positions behind. Vader watched his 501st forces jump from their shuttles and immediately fire on enemy forces, and take up positions next to their other brethren. Vader turned his helmeted head from left to right, all the while projecting his presence, and sensing any possible danger coming his way, but he sensed no bolts hitting or heading for him, and while odd it was actually not uncommon for the dark lord. He was also waiting for someo-
"Greetings my master." Speaking of that person, Vader turned around to see Starkiller, bloody, ragged looking, bruised, but looking oddly pleased, and ready to serve as he kneeled before his master.
"War has served you well my apprentice. You seem to have taken some hits." Vader noted and sensed a swell from the boy at the idea his master 'cared,' about his safety and Vader conceded he did to a degree. Nonetheless the boy bowed his head low.
"I led a forward assault on the Moff positions to out northeast. They had six AT-ST's and one AT-AT at their disposal. So I disposed of three AT-ST's and caused some damage to the AT-AT." The boy smiled as he bowed his head still in a kneel and Vader nodded, and motioned him to rise, and sent the motion through the Force as well in case the boy was bowing so low as not able to tell.
"Excellent. This battle has drained all patience I had before and now it must come to and end, and I shall see to it myself, with you by my side, apprentice. As I am sure you are more than willing to indulge." Starkiller smirked and bowed his head low.
"Of course my master! These Moff puppets wont know what hit them!" Activating his crimson saber in backwards Shien position he declared and Vader behind his mask rolled his eyes at the eagerness of his apprentice. He motioned him to follow as Vader turned back around to the battle waging and smirked under his helmet when he noted the fear suddenly spiking from the foolish Moff troops away from them, and still he got not a single bolt shot heading for him.
'Do they think not attacking me will save them? How unfortunate for them.' Vader thought and came just up to the platform his men were using as cover.
"All troopers, you will cease your attack at once!" Vader declared and every trooper looked to him and he sensed their shock but they did not dare question the dark lords order and did so even as red bolts of death rained toward them from the Moffs and the AT-ST's continued their fire, but were attacking further back enemies of no concern to Vader.
"Come apprentice, we will break through this line ourselves." Vader ordered and the younger boy smiled and nodded and jumped the platform and with his saber he blocked every bolt expertly and Vader merely walked around the cover and with the Force and his knowledge of tutaminis he raised his gloved hands whenever the Force told him a bolt was coming to him at last and absorbed every single shot. Finally lifting his saber with a wave of the Force the dark lord sent a massive Force wave into the forward Moff troopers who flew back and many died immediately feeling the full force of the Imperial Executor.
Starkiller jumped up and over their version of cover and dropped to a kneeling position and spun around cleaving through the legs of several troopers, swung up and cut one in half, and twisted his saber around and blocked an incoming bolt, and spun around fully sending a lightning strike at the trooper who fell over in convulsions and pain. Smiling at his dark and gruesome work Starkiller back flipped on instinct and over a bout of massive amounts of red bolts and behind two troopers carrying T-21 light repeating blasters and beheaded them both. Vader was walking with great long strides and almost lazily cutting down trooper upon trooper with one saber. A slash over his chest to his left cutting through a troopers helmet and head, an upwards slash right and through a trooper whole, a swing to his right beheading another, a blast of the Force to his left and a while squad flew high into the air and fully out of sight and likely dead.
Vader, not wanting anyone to report to his master that his body was more than healed and capable of producing the lightning he so desired to use, he decided instead to form a ball of lightning through the Force, his manner of getting around his cybernetic arms before, the Force power known as kinetite. The ball of lightning grew and crackled and singed in mid air above his left gloved hand and with an unseen smirk he used the Force to expand it massively and sent it flying forward and out and a whole platoon of troopers saw this turned and ran but were easily caught and began twitching and burning and screaming their pain. Vader flung around and slashed across a moronic trooper who though he was a good sneak, a hard slash back right and a trooper was cut down, tossing his saber out toward the left and forward and went through man after man, cutting them down, before he caught it back with his right hand, and with his breathing being the only menacing noise in all the field around him, he moved forward as a terrifying bastion, a herald of death itself.
Starkiller whipped through the air, placing his right boot onto the ground hard and jumping up and twirling into a sideways manner he cut through one trooper down the center of his helmet, then another, landing, he placed a kick into another, and landed on one outstretched leg, the other kneeling and one hand on the dirty soil beneath, and he threw one left out and kicked two more troopers out from underneath, and slammed saber down through one, bolt of lightning into the other, spun full around and tossed his saber cutting through a few sharpshooters on an elevated patch of dirt, and caught his saber all within moments and had a whole field of bodies around him. He turned left over his shoulder and noted that another full platoon of assorted troopers formed up behind him with blasters aimed down at him. He turned full with his Shien gripped saber before him in defensive position, arm held high in a 'stabbing' position with him able to block oncoming bolts as they readied to blast on him. A couple were EVO-troopers as well and had their T-21 blasters trained on him, and he began thinking how to take them all down, but went wide eyed as they all flew to his right and hard with them all screaming in pain and fright and from his left walked his master with red blood saber in hand and looking as terrifying as ever, with the dark side projecting his power and his grandeur to them all.
"It would appear that the trooper corps is in great need of refinement. Far too many troopers are incompetent, be them Moff or Imperial in allegiance." Vader commented and neared Starkiller who grinned boyishly and bowed in agreement, and Starkiller thoroughly enjoyed being more open, and free of his manner with his lord and master.
"I would've taken them all down master." He replied and Vader made what the boy almost thought was a huff from his mask, based on the weird hiccup noise that came forth anyways. "Perhaps so my apprentice, but there was once a man, a bit older than you I knew, who thought he could take anything, and was always made to believe he was invincible in anything he committed himself to. In the end, this arrogance took from him the ability to cope with situations he realized to be outside of his power, and beg those who claimed to have that power for their aid. This man fell into slavery to the other man with power, and instead of saving that which he feared to lose, he lost it and so much more. Not to mention was mutilated beyond anything imaginable in the process."
"Master?" Starkiller intoned as his master suddenly fell into this oddly timed instruction, and Vader looked down to him.
"It is time that you begin to learn...patience my apprentice. It is time that I begin to teach you more than how to kill. The Force, the dark side, is more than just a strong gripped saber, and raw projection of Force power. It is all binding and all powerful, anything, and everything is possible through the Force, but never think you are invincible. It will be your undoing, and your downfall." Vader instructed and beneath his mask took on a far away stare at nothingness as he spoke and numbly noted that Starkiller nodded once, not fully understanding his master, but attempting to grasp what he said.
Shaking himself from the momentary musing back to his past Vader looked around at the dozens of dead bodies and chuckled darkly through his dreadful mask. "Most impressive." He commented aloud and Starkiller lopsidedly smirked again. With Vader looking forward and noted the massive exchange of blaster fire along an opposite line ahead of them with a walker moving from his right field of vision to his left, and he knew the loyalist forces were not moving any walkers at that position yet.
"It would appear we have an excellent flanking position. Come!" Vader ordered and Starkiller, eagerly flipping his crimson saber in hand followed behind his master and his sweeping steps. They rounded to a set of fallen trees upon the surface and found themselves near a channel, that funneled both forces into the channel, with Moff forces sending a walker to attack Imperial forces who had a Century tank firing on the walkers feet but the AT-St was focusing on troops using the tank as cover rather than the tank which wasn't doing much to the walker itself.
"I'll take the walker mas-"
"No. I will handle this. Witness the power of a Sith lord my apprentice." Starkiller froze as he nearly took off for the walker and furrowed his brow as Vader lifted his left hand and like he was choking an insubordinate officer began gripping the air in his gloved hand and the walker froze and began flailing as it lifted fully into the air and then the Sith lord clamped his hand into a balled fist and the walker began cracking, bending, and breaking into a condensed ball of ripped and sheered metal. It stayed floating with the blaster fire calming at the sight and Vader suddenly with visual force threw the ball of metal into the Moff forward line and the ball flew and spun across the soil in ground pounding fury and hit several dozen Moffs and hit a back TIE mauler and blew the small light armored tank up with it.
"Follow me apprentice."
"What about the troops behind, where you landed master?"
"They will follow when they see that nothing is happening. If not, then their incompetence will be their downfall. Now come." Vader declared and Starkiller numbly nodded understandingly and followed.
"It's Vader! Take him dow-" Vader threw the trooper yards away with all troopers following his body before he could even finish his statement, and Starkiller chuckled darkly at the sight. Vader approached in his usual seemingly slow and calm demeanor as Starkiller jump all around him and bobbed and weaved from renewed bolts and send them back and move away while Vader numbly blocked every bolt, with his saber.
The Moffs had two mobile ray shield guards on either side of their section along this dirt channel and Vader paused, as Starkiller moved down the middle where the fire and five troopers fire from the gap made by the troopers. Again balling a massive and charged bout of kinetite lightning Vader ordered his apprentice to dodge over their growing as of late Force bond, and when the boy spun sideways away Vader threw the ball and all five men were his and screamed, once more flying through the air.
"All too easy." Vader declared and once more moved forward. Starkiller flung back over toward the gap and Force-dashed forward and flung right and cut one, two, three men into many dazzling bits. Swinging his saber left to right, spinning low in a three-hundred-sixty-degree turn, and taking some legs off, coming back up grappling a troopers shoulder and twirling over him and stabbing him in Shien grip form, and turning and throwing the corpse into another group of troopers he sent a massive bout of lightning into them and they died. Again all in a matter of seconds in total.
Vader entered the gap, numbly turning over his left shoulder to see the troopers down the channel coming forward, and troopers coming from where he and Starkiller were as he predicted, Vader turned to see four troopers training their simple blasters at him. With a flick of his left hand and a palm up, curled fingers in, position all the trooper dropped their blasters and choked through the helmets as he raised them all and with a full ball of his fists all of them in a sickeningly loud 'crunch,' fell down dead. With liquid fast motion he held his saber up in his right hand and blocked a bolt coming for him, and turned to face his new assailant. Tossing his saber it flew far right and missed the trooper who watched it and turned to Vader obviously confused as the dark lord stood doing nothing, and as the trooper raised to shoot him down, the saber came from behind impaled and went through the trooper entirely and with gasps of death the trooper fell limp and dead.
Vader lifted his comlink in his left hand and appearing before him was a small figure of captain Piett. All the while Starkiller was literally jumping onto and around to every enemy trooper and cutting them down in fast Juyo inspired saber spins, twirls and intricate weaves that had troopers falling left and right with his troops now filing in and firing on further off Moff enemy troops.
"Oh, lord Vader are you in need of orbital or fleet assistance?"
"Not at the moment captain. Order, however, the troopers at the landing positions to funnel all enemy Moff troops deeper behind their own lines, through ferocious and forward assaults. Land firstly the 2M-saber tanks and then push them back. Funneling them back toward my position will allow me to dispatch of them all personally if our troopers are incapable as it would appear many are. The breach I have formed will be relayed to all other positions, and used for flanking positions to use."
"Of course lord Vader, I will send all information and orders to all troops and units in action in your sector. I must report we are detecting vast clusters, even if disconnected, all across your immediate sector, and at various points all along the continent you are on. Concentration of enemy AT-AT's, counting four...no five at a point three kilometers to your northeast my lord Vader. I would advise...caution." Vader nodded and looked to see Starkiller still killing effectively and he smirked some, before addressing Piett again.
"Your advise is noted captain. However, is there any reports beyond Bogden I need informing of?"
"Well...I did not desire to bother you whilst in the midst of battle my lord Vader but reports from traffic observation in recaptured territories in the Tapani sector report lord Kun and a force of three Stardestroyers are moving rapidly toward Neona in direct defiance of your black-mark order. A new protection fleet has moved to Lynx in his place." Vader smirked behind his mask and nearly laughed.
'As I expected of you Kun. Go on and save your apprentice. Don't worry I was merely testing your resolve.' Vader laughed. Was it petty of him to black mark the world his apprentice was on? Perhaps, but Vader needed to test the resolve to defy others in his ally.
"Do not concern yourself with lord Kun. He will do as he pleases. Focus on the battles at hand captain."
"Of course lord Vader, as you will. Orders are now relaying. Allied forces are converging on flanking position in the punctured hole you've made in the Moff line." Vader nodded, and Piett knew he was done speaking, and indeed he was, as Vader ended the transmission and began walking up toward where his apprentice and his troopers were attacking further back Moff hold. He had not fought a ground battle in some time, and was itching for some. For Bogden would be fully secured once again, and Kun's campaign n Tapani secured.
Authors Note: Shorter than usual but still over ten thousand words. :) PLEASE be gentle with the Karthasian stuff guys it is very important and come on you all know me, I really do try to look up the canon worlds of Star Wars, and this one made up world is my baby please be nice to it! XD As usual please either point out or excuse any and all grammatical errors, and otherwise enjoy! Also big shout out to my friend and 'Idea helper/maker' TheGunmaster, for all his help. :)