The Galactic Exodus Chronicles Part 2 :The Galactic Civil War

by Lord Exar Kun

Now with the rebels dealt a mighty blow, and the renegade Moffs about to strike, the galaxy finds itself moving closer and closer to full blown war! The Galactic Civil War is about to be unleashed upon an unsuspecting galaxy, and this is not the war you remember in the least. Follow Exar Kun, Darth Vader, Leia, the Emperor, and everyone else through this next chapter of the GEC.

71. Chapter 71

Chapter 71

(Coruscant/Imperial Center)

The Grand Convocation Center within the senate building upon the world that served as the capitol of Galactic civilization for thousands of years was alight and alive with lights and the voices of those within. By the thousands senators and governors of all rank and class lined the many repuslorpods. Along the upper observation platforms and balconies hundreds more stood and watched. Many chatted amongst themselves waiting for the ceremony to begin. The political intrigue and conversation was heavy and heated among many of those gathered. Some, many of whom had been privy to subjugation by Lord Kun, and others enthralled by him and his actions, both patriotic, and horrifying, remained silent and waited for the event to begin. Of course, many could not attend, some sectors were vacant of Imperial rule and representation, whilst others had lost their leaders to this civil war that ravaged the galaxy. Military or provisional governors and senators sat in for them having been given their roles not by vote, as was uncommon in the Galactic Empire, but by decree of the Emperor, Palpatine. Some like the senator of the Chommell sector could not be in attendance due to their world, and their last known location being under siege and in the midst of one among thousands of battles raging across the stars of the galaxy. They were represented by their capitol delegation, luckily enough for them. While those sectors that renounced their loyalty to their Empire and Emperor, ominously had their sectors, and systems constantly shown by name upon a great new holoscreen held high in the rotunda. All these names deserved recompense for their desertion, and by stating for all to see whom had left the Empire within the seat of power of the Empire itself, a message was being sent. One of impending doom.

Yet, on this day there was a small sense of euphoria and excitement, even among those who'd been made subject utterly to the Imperial will by their reverence or fear of the Lords Vader and Kun. For this day marked the grand reopening of the Convocation chamber following the attack upon it and all of the capitol by the URM forces months prior. Electricity had been reconnected across all of the capitol sector, the building fixed of damage, some minor, some major, and the whole district made to look exactly as it had prior to its partial destruction by the URM forces. In clear defiance of the attack and the chaos and all those who would challenge the might and majesty of the Galactic Empire. After much pomp and politics, with mingling and discussions had amongst the political and upper military echelons, the time was nearing for the main event. One that had not been known to be happening to those even on world, and within the chamber until but a few hours ago. The galaxy had also only learned of it within less time than that. Thus cam-droids floated all about the rotunda watching and waiting for their feeds to be transmitted across the galaxy, and the Holonet to any and all who would listen. With little hope of silencing it within the borders of the Moff Alliance and URM. This day, and within this rotunda, the Emperor himself would be delivering a rare speech. Unlike many of his appearances within the chamber where he sat and watched proceedings and directed Sate Pestage to control the chamber, or speak but one or two lines convening or adjourning a session, Palpatine would speak at length. On what and of whom or what, no one knew, and that is why all were excited, or at the least, intrigued as to what he'd say. Not only those who sat in attendance waited of course. The cam-droids roamed in the open air, really recording nothing at all, but the people of the galaxy, those who could or would freely watch were tuned in. waiting to see a man of such power, and myth speak before the whole of the galaxy. As he had in the days of old, such as during the Clone Wars. Which seemed fitting to many seeing as the galaxy was in the midst of another war that seemed to be tearing at the fabric and foundations of the galaxy as a whole.

The repuslorpods filled, and their respective representatives lined their seats. Governors, senators, and military leaders alike. They sat and waited. Some patiently and others chatted about, speaking of what they had heard from far flung reaches of space where the war raged. Some on the more mundane and trivial gossip that ever permeated the upper echelons of the senate and courts were loosed from the mouths of some gathered. All in their own way, anticipating the coming of the Emperor before them. Some having been there all those years ago at the proclamation of the Empire now sat among others too young to remember such a time. All basking in the mixture of glory and excitement twinged with anxiety and fear that hung heavily in the air of the great rotunda.

Moments dragged on, each with rising anticipation until at last, a call was made, and those about the great rotunda quieted and took their seats if not already there. A few moments more passed, giving them time to take their seats and to quiet until the rotunda was silent. Only the warbling of the small cam-droids could be heard as they roamed about waiting to look upon their main charge. Until finally, the central podium rose up from the floor. The floor opened up and it rose high into the air. Upon the podium about the center stood the figure of the Emperor. He was robed not in the blackened robes that he was known to wear almost exclusively. Instead he wore a robe familiar to only those who had seen him wear them once or twice before for grand were crimson in a variety of hue. Upon the cloak were small golden colored markings, and similarly golden linings along the robes. Atop his head was a similarly crimson hooded cloak that obscured his deformed worn and gray visage. His eyes shone bright and sickly yellow and notable by many who looked upon him even from up high or very low to where his podium came to a stop amongst the grand chamber.

All was silent, even to the point of discomfort for those among the chamber. The Emperor kept his hands close to his robes and unmoving. They seemed like the withered hands of an old man held close and curled into fists. Though this kept hidden from all the terrible power and vigor within this man. Outwardly frail and seemingly ancient, but within there lay a beast of pure and awesome power. The Emperor looked about the rotunda in the direction he faced. His eyes glancing from left to right, slowly and methodically. The cam-droids roamed about the podium and looked as near to him as they were previously programmed and allowed. The Emperor smirked thinly from beneath his cowl, and raised his head high, and was ready to speak at last after leaving the rotunda waiting and yearning for him to begin.

"Senators, Governors, Generals, Admirals, and all Imperials alike," He began with powerful and loud a voice made booming by the microphones expertly hidden about the podium that led to the many speakers placed equally as expertly within the chamber. Added to by his power in the Force as well he sounded strong, and powerful from the very beginning.

"We have been brought together here within this chamber for momentous an occasion indeed." He continued.

"Once more the galaxy has come under the shadow of a great and terrible war. There can be no denying it nor can there be any denial to the severity of its impact upon us all!" He boomed further and those who watched remained glued to their seats and fixated on both the man and his words.

"Once more I stand within this Grand Convocation Chamber and address this congress with both heavy heart but inner resolve! For indeed, as I felt after the Jedi attempt on my life and their plot to take control of the ailing Galactic Republic, my resolve has never been stronger!" To the aged but powerful declaration a sudden chorus of claps erupted from the senate and no call to order was given. The senators, and others gathered could feel the electricity in the room and power that the Emperor carried with him. Those not within the chamber caught echoes of the feeling and even those watching who looked in revulsion and hatred could understand the appeal of his words.

"Once more this wondrous world that has stood as the center of Galactic society for tens of thousands of years came under siege by an enemy. An enemy that sought to break our will and to undermine our sense of security and conviction to maintaining the New Order and Galactic Empire! They sought to take memories best left forgotten and tear open old wounds long since scarred over with hope for the future and unleashed upon Imperial Center a horde of mindless and ravenous machines! The old simmering and cancerous remnants of that decayed and rotted ideal have found themselves once more a champion to strike out and destroy both civilization and society as a whole!" His tone began rising further.

"We once again find ourselves faced against an enemy that holds to the past whilst we push ever towards the brightest of futures! Once more the remnants of the Separatists of old have come to strike out and tear down our wondrous society! Once more they have taken up the droid hordes as their fighting force and once more they threaten the very core of what it means to be a civilized society, make no mistake of that, my fellow Imperials!" The Emperor decreed in harsh but powerful a voice that seemed to almost shake the very chamber itself. Another bout of applause met him from the chamber, and he remained silent to allow the admiration to wash over him. He took great pleasure in their actions be they out of true admiration or fear of him.

"Yet, let us not be fooled." He quieted only slightly as he began again.

"There are elements within this new movement that are not new to us, but perhaps new to the Separatist traditionalists. For at the core of this rebel movement there are just those forces, rebels!" He spat as though a horrendous curse, and his voice became for an instant distinctly throaty and full of raw hate usually reserved for the ears of his apprentice or closest advisers.

"A festering rot long sought to be cut from the body of this galaxy by any and all means, so as to stave off the decay and spread of the rot and death to all corners of our Empire and our galaxy!" His voice became normalized, but once more full of angry vigor.

"Elements of the long thought dead Jedi plot have shown their hand once more in the open show by these rebels and their droids of their Supreme Commander, Kellia Nelrain! A woman, and a Jedi with little resolve and no deserving respect or praise but for that rewarded by the end of a blaster rifle! Let there be no mistake, my fellow Imperials, that this beast this woman will join a short list in history of true criminals and villains to the tranquil peace and prosperity of not just our Empire but the galaxy as a whole! For when we cast her to the furthest reaches of memory and the annals of history she will remain nothing more than a bad memory, while we continue, we prosper and we attain absolute victory, and nothing less!" Again a resounding applause by those Imperials who deluded themselves and fell in love with the ideas of Empire and Emperor across the galaxy joined in the applause and cheered their Emperor's words.

"The amalgamation," He began again, quieting the chamber as he did. "Of these three forces have bred what has since now been known to the galaxy as the United Rebellion Movement. It was they, led by their Jedi mistress who laid siege to our fair capital. It was they who slaughtered tens of thousands, and it is they who continue to massacre untold number across the Outer-Rim in their attempt to assert dominance and topple civilized society for all beings who yet love it and hold true to its values! Let no mistake be had and no understanding be askew, and let no lies permeate and dominate the minds of yourselves, my fellow Imperials, our very way of life and our very existence is at stake in this conflict! A conflict born of old wounds and sad memories better forgotten as I said. Let yourselves understand that these rebels seek to destroy us, and have attacked us across thousands of sectors about the Outer-Rim and Mid-Rims, but know this, my fellow Imperials, we are still here, we are still resolute, and we will attain victory no matter the cost!" An uproarious applause again crashed against all of Palpatine's senses, and his withered and sickly face curled into a hidden smirk beneath his cowl. He quickly hid his glee at so easily controlling the crowd and returned to his politically minded pose, and held his head high though it remained still shrouded in the dark shadows of the hood atop it.

"There is no hope for this army, this army thus far comprised of nothing but relic machine men of old, against our fighting force. Our armies are even now marching across worlds with names long forgotten by most of us, and stomp into the ground all semblances of resistance by the droids, and their foolish leaders. This endeavor by the Jedi, and their rebel followers, and those Separatists not yet weeded out should know that their end looms ever nearer, and so long as there is one Imperial trooper left living, breathing with a heart pumping blood, and lungs breathing air we shall resist, and we will always prevail!" Another applause met the Emperor, but more subdued, as was expected of the shifted tone of the chamber.

"The recent and dastardly attack upon the world of Kuat has indeed been carried out by these rebel cowards, and even with this surprise, and the death they rained upon the system, let none upon Kuat think that the Empire is lost and beaten by these rebel scum! We have already begun pushing back against this scourge, and we have repelled them on every footing along every line and all fields of battle both upon the ground and soil of the fair world of Kuat and above the world in the high reaches of orbit! They know now, if they had not before that the Galactic Empire will rise to the occasion of any and all fights and we will fight until the absolute bitter end! Yet, it is imperative that we not only fight and denounce the rebel scum upon the fields of battle raging across our galaxy, but within the realms found boring by many and obtuse by most. The political fields of this war have grown and contracted many times as this war drags out, and these rebels have overstepped their bounds further still, my fellow Imperials." Palpatine explained, and kept the room in suspense as the politicians waited for their Emperor to elaborate, and indeed many across the galaxy felt the same, though of course many were confused as well.

"It has been brought to my attention by our tirelessly working security networks and intelligence services that these united rebels have moved towards a centralized state. A union in spirit as in arms, and a formation of what can only be seen as a cruel parody of a civilized society." The Emperor went on, and more than those watching from across the galaxy the politicians within the chamber became intrigued. Some leaned forward, and many more began pondering what he meant, seeking to discern what his words meant before he fully explained in the coming moments.

"A so called Congress has been called forth to assemble from across the galaxy and in particular from those systems that are now occupied or allied with the rebel movements. In clear and pure defiance and insult to this body that has for hundreds, and thousands years more stood to represent the far flung reaches of the galaxy. This new body will be called a special Congress, and the first of its like for these rebels traitors and relic death dealers. We cannot nor shall we stand for this clearest of insults and direct of attacks upon ourselves! Nor shall we recognize or allow those who would yet call themselves 'Imperial,' acknowledge and legitimize this body!" Palpatine spat and held the gaze, and interests still, even if many, again, far flung across the galaxy didn't much care for these details or understood little, they all remained transfixed to him.

"Let all who yet hear my voice know this; any attempt and any acknowledgment of this illegitimate Congress, this gathering, will be seen as not only an act of treason, but an act of war!" He boomed, and the whole chamber once more grew heavy with tension and thick with sudden anxiety, as though some among the chamber had already dared to commit an act.

"Never shall any civilized world heed the call of these rebel butchers playing at being politicians, for this will mean their utter destruction! Nor should any Imperial see to attend, nor observe this new gathering, for it would be tantamount to treason! For, we as Imperials, and as the epitome of civilized peoples about all the galaxy will never forsake our bodies of work and of government, nor forsake what makes us Imperial and what defends us from the scum that would see all butchered and sent for the slaughter! A good Imperial will stand before these rebel cretins, before these warmongers, and genocidal traitors and say, 'no more!' It is the sovereign duty of every Imperial who now hears my voice and shall hear it in the coming days to stand tall, stand firm, and as immovable as a great black hole set about the stars against this slight, and this travesty that mocks our society! Never shall we bow to this gathering of fools and malcontents, never shall the Imperial senate be cast aside, and never shall these rebel fools be seen or thought of as anything more than what they are! Traitors, murderers, fools, killers, warmongers, and droid producing butchers! No more, no less!" The Emperor declared with more hoarse a voice than before, but again a thundering applause met his ears and many across the stars who loved the man felt invigorated at his hatred and words of wrath as they spewed from his mouth. Though many scrambled across the galaxy, many of them politicians and military men. For many had not even heard of such a gathering being set up behind the rebel lines within their deeply secretive political circles. None had even dared to think the rebels could be so bold as to attempt to form and call a special congress of their own in direct defiance of the Emperor and the Imperial Senate.

The Emperor allowed the applause to continue for several prolonged moments. He silently watched, his eyes darting from left to right watching the crowd give him unquestioned adulation. Though he could easily sense the hate in some, fear in many, and the true loyalty in the few. Palpatine smirked and gave a light chuckle only he could hear, as the Emperor reveled in their praise. Whether they wanted or liked to give it to him didn't matter, it was his to take as he pleased in the end. Yet, he did at last hold up his right hand and gave the crowd a moment to come to silence, only the whirring of the floating cam-droids ringing out in the ears of those whom they neared.

"Let there be no mistake, my fellow Imperials," He began yet again. "There linger about the galaxy not one, but two threats to civility, society and civilization. We will not nor cannot deny the facts that from within our own society a rot festered. A rot that now declares to itself an enemy of the Galactic Empire from which it was born of! Let none be mislead and let none be ill informed, for the Moff Alliance is an alliance born of the Empire." The chamber was yet again deathly silent. Many among them made uncomfortable by the Emperor not only acknowledging the Moff Alliance but acknowledging their birth from within the Imperial ranks. None felt their faces become hot, their bodies itch in agitation and anxiety rise like the many selected Governors among the chamber's audience. Some of them having been Moffs but months before, and given pardons, returned then to their old title of Governor. Many at home, and across the galaxy watched and also felt stunned. None would dare to say it, at least among those they couldn't fully openly trust, but to hear the Emperor openly admit to the Moff's being born from the Imperial ranks felt new, and unnatural even. The Empire was never known to be open with it's faults or with those threats from within. Yet, there the Emperor stood stating what everyone knew, but rarely if ever said.

"Many years ago, our galaxy was under threat. Threat of war and attack, from enemies within and without, some of whom now fight us once more as the united rebels. In these days it was decided to safeguard the stability and security of the galaxy a new network of leaders would command over the sectors and many systems of the Republic. These Governors, some of whom sit among us today," He acknowledged though his voice and tone dipped lower, almost mildly threatening. Again those men whom he spoke of grew anxious, some shifting uncomfortably where they sat.

"Were to be the backbone of the new Imperial system of governance I myself declared some weeks after their inception. These Governors turned then into what we know now as the Moffs." He went on, and eyed the chamber in its pregnant silence. Almost seeming to dare any among them to speak or make any sound. Of course, none did.

"These Moffs were given the trust of those whom they governed, and they were tasked with leading, and safeguarding our society across the vast reaches of the galaxy. In this way they have failed totally!" He declared harshly once more. Many watching inwardly questioned whether they had truly ever given their trust to any Moff in the galaxy, as the Emperor said. In fact most silently rolled their eyes at such a notion, and knew the Emperor had forced them upon all the galaxy. Of course, none would ever say such aloud.

"When the rising murders and deaths of our Moffs ran rampant about the galaxy it was made clear to me via our noble intelligence bureau's efforts that the culprits were none other than fellow Moffs! When it was made clear that this threat was born within as a cancer to this governing system I took action to eliminate it, and those Moffs who kept their shame and guilt hidden behind cloak and in dark corners resisted still! Thus, when it came time that it could or would be tolerated no more, and the call was sent out recalling all Moffs to Imperial-Center those Moffs who resisted attacked! They attacked openly worlds across the galaxy that sought no battle nor any war, and worlds with little importance and little need of witnessing bloodshed! History will remember that it was not I, nor we Imperials who spilt first blood of Imperial upon Imperial but these ravenous fools who now call themselves an Alliance!" The applause rung out once more starting slowly and low until rising in full appreciation and agreement by the roaring crowds. Palpatine smiled beneath his cowl and raised his arms upwards calling the praise upon himself and letting it wash down upon him.

"I tell you this, my fellow Imperials," He started up and let his arms fall, and his voice rise. "Not to instill fear into you. I do not tell you this to instill mistrust in your fellow Imperials, nor to make you believe that we are on the run, or the defensive from these mounting threats upon us from all sides! I tell you, my fellow Imperials, because it is the right of all among you to understand and to know our enemy! To garner for yourselves through my words what type of enemies we now face along all our fronts and upon all our sides! We face traitors born of farmers and of shopkeepers made to believe that they are part of some great cause to free the galaxy from Imperial 'tyranny,' and for this they must be pitied rather than hated. We face remnants of a dying cause long since thought dead. Who rise up not armies consisting mostly of these angry men from before, but of droids, and machines who feel nothing, and know no better. For this, we should pity them, for they face once more against the juggernaut that is our armies, and our fleets! Fleets and men who cannot be defeated by mere droids without greater thought than the wills of their masters!

'We face a woman whose life goal is the destruction of our way of life, and peace of the galaxy! A woman who seeks retribution for her order's destruction and their failure to topple our great spirit and rising Empire. We face a woman whose wickedness will be but a fleeting memory glanced over in coming centuries until her irrelevance more than her threats and her armies garner sympathy rather than awe! For her we will feel pity, for she has failed in this endeavor before it was even begun!" Again the crowd lost it and went wild with applause, but the Emperor silenced them quickly after by raising his hand.

"We must feel pity also for these Moffs." He began loudly while allowing the crowd to calm down and grow silentagain.

"For they are the most pitiable indeed. Never will they realize or see how great and grand our Empire already is, and how much greater it shall become! Never will they understand what it means to be an Imperial, for they failed in seeing that already and this is the end result of that failure. Never shall they know what a galaxy unified under one order, behind one man, and given a single image and vision of the future can achieve, for they are a fractious, incompetent cancer upon all our galaxy! Even now as they assault my homeworld of Naboo, and are joined by the rebel filth they inch ever closer to ultimate failure!

'My home is not new to violence. My home has witnessed and felt the stomp of droid tyranny and alien aggression before, and has come out victorious as it will once again! My world has seen treason led by queens and peasants alike, and we have achieved victory and gained unity before, we shall again!" The chamber once more went wild with applause and calls of adulation filled with vigor and patriotism wrought by their Emperor's words. He allowed them to do so for a moment before he continued without calling or motioning for them to silence.

"Fellow Imperials, we will be victorious! For, like this here chamber, and our fair capitol world we shall rise from this unprovoked series of attacks stronger than before! We shall take hold of both Moff and rebel and snuff out all resistance they pose, for we shall give them no quarter nor any respite! We will meet them on every field above any world and find them in any corner and under every rock! The Galactic Empire will rise to this occasion and be tested, and we will succeed as we always have and continue to do. We will not go silently into defeat and obscurity, we will achieve victory at all costs and we will be greater, stronger and mightier for it! Imperials, this is our galaxy, this is our Empire and this is our time! Imperials, this is our war to win, these are our enemies to decimate. These are our enemies to make example of and show to all across the stars and all in the future of like mind, what becomes of those who bet and scheme and work against our great society! Nothing but death, nothing but defeat, and nothing but a shining future for the glorious Galactic Empire! Hail to the future, and hail to the Empire!" A series of hails rung out, not only from those within the chamber but from those watching and Imperial at heart across the vastness of the galaxy. Whether they were in occupied zones and quietly watching his speech hoping for eventual Imperial relief on the Holonet, or upon the centers of Imperialism such as Coruscant, Anaxes, or even battle worn Kuat.

The Emperor gave slow waves with his right hand as his podium just as slowly descended back towards the bottom of the center of the chamber. The many gathered about the chamber rose from their seats and applauded their lord. His unseen grin growing and seeming more feral as he took utter joy in their adulation and praise of him. Again his mind mused for but a moment that many of them likely applauded and gave their praise truly hating and loathing him. Or out of fear of he and his two Lords who now fought distant battles for him. Yet, that only made him inwardly laugh and take joy in knowing he made them do what they would not otherwise willingly. Palpatine knew that as his podium descended below the bottom of the chamber and the curved metal plates closed sealing him within that the many pundits and cronies of the Empire laced about the Holonet began singing his praises. None would question him on the validity or truth of what he said or speak for long on the enemies of the Empire. Palpatine knew that there would be some who spoke out against him, but as the chamber grew loud in applause and the streets of Coruscant filled with loud marching, and yes many paid, agitators and supporters, they would all be drowned out.

The Emperor descended and the crowds cheered. The doorway for the podium sealed, and a distant fleeting almost trivial memory passed through him. Of the podium rising and two figures dueling upon it almost seeming to dance with one another one bearing a small green saber whilst himself being a vigorous and rapidly moving green figure facing off against a taller figure. Robed in black with a crimson saber in his hands. A distant smirk passed over his aged features and a toothy yellow smile at that.

Reaching the bottom, the echoes of the applause above reaching down to him, Palpatine let out a content sigh. Two crimson guards stood on either side of his podium holding their staffs. They were rigid and unmoving where they stood. Towards the doorway leading into the room stood another figure.

"Ah, Antinnis, so good of you to be here. Did you enjoy my speech?"

The Emperor asked in his more normal croaking voice that slithered forth. Almost tempting the High Inquisitor or daring him to say no or otherwise spite the Emperor. Antinnis cleared his throat, bringing his fist to mouth before clasping both hands behind his back.

"Of course, my Lord. It was well done indeed. The people will feel nothing but invigorated with your words." Palpatine chuckled before waving off the praise.

"Come now, Antinnis, you may dispense with the pleasantries." He motioned for him to sit at a chair placed opposite that of the one behind the desk within the room. Antinnis became quiet and Sidious could sense the agitation from the inquisitor. Obviously the Emperor's toying with him agitating the man. Nonetheless, Palpatine chuckled further and walked behind the desk, before taking a seat with a heavy sigh feigning his weariness. Antinnis joined him at the desk, and the roaring crowds above only then began to subside, as Palpatine's guards took up positions on either side of the desk.

"Now, what have you to report, Antinnis?" Palpatine asked as he leaned back into his seat and took on an indolent but comfortable demeanor.

"My Lord, I've come with news on your agents on Kuat, Naboo, Concord Dawn, as well as those hidden among the rebels about to begin the special Congress." Palatine smirked once more, and more broadly as Antinnis folded his hands in his lap.

"Ah, excellent Antinnis, excellent. Do inform me on each of them and their...exploits. Leave nothing left out, I have all day." The Emperor slithered smoothly out and the High Inquisitor nodded. The man noting inwardly to himself that he would be there likely all day relaying what was happening across the galaxy to the most powerful man within it.

(Mandalore Sector, Unknown, Providence-Class Destroyer Unburdened)

Her fist slammed down into the table as her fiery brown eyes bore down onto the small figure shaking with rage as she did.

"Why was I not informed about this?! Why have I only now heard about this via an unexpected speech by the karking Emperor?!"

Kellia demanded with a growl in her voice and anger clear in her tone. Before her the figure of Chairman Casto Migs sat wherever he was. His hands folded before himself on an unassuming desk. His face no longer carried a kindly smile as was his norm but instead he bore no discernible expression. His eyes seeming distant and serious as he looked upon Kellia.

"You have my apologies, Kellia, but there were...some among the Supreme Council that had not wished you to know." Kellia remained silent and expecting. She felt as though he would say more, he had to say more. But, nothing came, and she growled throatily as she glared downwards upon him and his silence.

"And, what exactly does that mean, Chairman?" She hissed through grit teeth, and the man swallowed harshly as her wrath was clear and evident. He sighed before he started again.

"It has been brought to our attention of certain 'actions,' undertaken by your person to win this war. There are some upon the council who are quite frankly, afraid of you madam. There are some further, who fear your tactics will lead to us making more enemies than friends in the galaxy. We're trying to win this war, and to do so we must win the hearts and minds of the people as well. So far, the droids have failed to do this on almost every level." He carefully and politically explained to her with hands still clasped before himself. Though Kellia could note they clenched and unclenched in his nervousness and anxiety.

"So, to placate those too weak to stomach what it takes to win wars you and your conspirators go behind my back?! You undermine my position as Supreme Commander, and you allow for it to be shown to all across the Holonet, by the Emperor?!"

"Nobody outside the Council knows you weren't involved in the calling of the Congress, Kellia. You are more than welcome to attend, but the members of the Congress haveas of now been chosen." The Chairman continued to explain.

"You are welcome to remain Commander of the droid armies, and-" Kellia angrily cut him off with another slamming of her fist into her own desk.

"Commander of the droid armies! Not Supreme Commander?! You and your people are curtailing me, and stifling me! After all the ground I've gained, the systems I've taken the sectors now free of both Moff and Imperial scum, you and yours have the gall to look down on me?! To pass judgment on me?!" She seethed, her body shaking in her rage, and her eyes piercing as the Force howled and raged yet silent to those who could not hear or feel it around her.

"You haven't led one battle, you haven't done what I've done to secure the future. To see the galaxy free of that vile old man and his pets you have to do what you must, and history will remember those who made the sacrifices to see the future secured for all! Not for the Moffs not for the Imperials, and not for bloated politicians so indulgent and loving of themselves that they curtailed the one Commander who got work done! Who, instead of winning the war, wished to seem pleasant and welcoming to those beyond and across the galaxy, so they stopped utilizing the armies that gave them victory. Yes, Chairman, history will remember those who made the tough choices, who did the hard things to see what needed be done come to fruition! I will not stand here and be looked down upon, by you nor any of your friends and allies! I will serve my conscience, and fight on towards that day when all the galaxy is free of Palpatine and Vader and Moff and Stormtrooper alike! I will lead my droid armies, and I will stand by and watch your new government rise from the peak that I have forged and given to you!

'Yet, do not think you can judge me. Never assume that I have capitulated to you, and have abandoned myself and my cause to this disgrace! You slap me in the face from afar and smile into it all at once. You call it a move 'for the best,' and at the same time tear from me command and use of those weapons that allowed me to give us victory after victory! I, at this moment, move into the Mid-Rim to secure for us a beachhead, and to curtail the Mandalorian threat!" Migs made to say something but Kellia cut him off harshly.

"Don't interrupt me!" She howled and Migs was pushed back in his seat. He was so shocked by her wrath he didn't register that he had been shoved back in his seat by an unseen power coming from her from all those light years away from him.

"What I do, I do for not myself, damn anyone and anything that thinks otherwise. I do what I do to save the galaxy and if that means losing a piece of myself along the way then so karking be it! You and your politicians can sit there in high places and tell the galaxy that we're a welcoming and wholesome lot that want to placate and make peace and do right, when you know as well as I that we want to win. If it comes down to it and I can either attain victory with hate and fear or be loved in defeat I would be victorious and damn all who would think and say otherwise. Because they haven't what it takes to lead and what it takes to be me." She was shaking with her rage, and she didn't know that her inner hatred so bubbled to the surface that hot tears flowed down her cheeks and she would know not where they came from. Luckily for her, the holotransmission did not transmit clearly these wet stains traveling down her face.

"I am, Kellia Nelrain, Supreme Commander of the droid armies, and I will attain victory for peace and freedom for the whole galaxy. Whether I have your aid and the aid of those pompous windbags you call to you or not! Pass judgment if you must and will and look to politics and diplomacy and 'good feelings' to save the day. I will look to reality and continue to do what I must. And when the day comes when you and your kind fall from grace and are left wanting and begging, and needing of those you so readily cast out and made low, do not look to them for aid. For none will come to help you." Migs leaned forward and cleared his throat as he shook off the sense of dread within himself.

"Kellia-"

"Goodbye, Chairman, Migs." She stated coolly and the transmission suddenly cut. Leaving Migs in silence as he looked to his desk where she had just been. His head hung where he sat as he did and he let loose a deep and heavy sigh.

Kellia remained standing within her temporary officer. Both hands were clasped hard, knuckles turned white, as they clung to the desk where she leaned forwards against it. Her brown eyes, tinged in small blotches with yellow stared into the desk, and at nothing. Her mind was racing with uncoordinated thoughts passing over too much and so much for a coherent thought to be peeled from them. Her jaw was clenched hard, to the point of pain that ebbed from her face down into her tightened back muscles.

Her rage broke through the surface then, her eyes went wide and a snarl loosed from her as her right arm swung across her desk and everything upon it whether touched by her arm or not went flying throughout the room and the Force exploded from her. A howl and scream came from her of sheer and utter wrath and anger and the Force crackled about her as waves of pure power bounced from the walls of the room and datapads began cracking and bending as her desk whined beneath the weight of the unseen power of the Force. Her breathing became deep and labored and her hands clasped to the back of her neck and her fingers dug into her hair. Until she allowed herself to unceremoniously fall backwards into her seat heavily and wearily.

Her eyes were snapped shut hard and tears still fell down her cheeks, and only then did she truly notice them. She gulped heavily for air as a bout of weeping threatened to rise to the surface, and she didn't know why or where it came from, but she hated it, and herself for it. All she knew in that moment was anger, and every loss, and every sacrifice she made of others and of herself felt as though it meant nothing. She felt all her work amounting to nothing, and all her deeds meaning nothing and every dark thing, every evil deed so others would call it suddenly felt like twelve Krayt dragons weighing upon her shoulders. For, despite her words, it became clear to her by both the Emperor and by Migs and those on the Supreme Council who moved forwards without her that she meant nothing and had accomplished nothing. Her fleet hung in Mandalorian space ready to strike out and bury beneath dirt and the weight of the rebel fleet and droid boot all those who would bring harm and death to the galaxy she sought to save, and it meant nothing. Every death, every callous act of coldness, and heartlessness meant nothing, and she felt a pit of emptiness swell within her threatening to consume her whole.

So, Kellia leaned forwards, her hands still grasping painfully at her neck and the back of her head and she planted her forehead against the cold metal of her cracked and bent desk. Her tears fell still and she sobbed but a few gasping sobs, as the woman that had once been a Jedi, buried deep within her for a moment was let to the surface and allowed to weep for what she had once been, and for what she was now. And, for a time, Kellia would weep in her solitude, until the fateful time she knew would come where she would again feel nothing once more. Where she would return to the monster she knew she was and would do what she must to see her vision come to fruition. For herself for what might have been for her, and what she had lost. For now, she let go of her hate and wept alone as the Jedi, Kellia Nelrain.

(Calamari System, Calamari Sector, Outer-Rim Territories, Dac)

Casto Migs sat at the desk where he'd just finished his...unfortunate conversation with the now, Supreme Commander of the droid armies under the URM. His office shone with the daylight beaming in from the dual stars of the system through the large viewport behind him. He was silent with his hands clasped and arms propped up on the desk where he rested his chin against the two clasped hands. His office was set about the floating Coral City where spires rose towards the sky and bulbous city sectors rested above the calm ocean waters that covered most of the world. Below the waves rested an even greater expanse of Coral City where most Calamari chose to make their residences and live their lives, while up top many none native peoples resided alongside the Mon Calamari or odd Quarren.

"It's the right thing, Chairman." A voice said to Casto's left. The man slowly cocked his head towards it, and hummed a low sigh.

"I know it is, but she does have a point. Even if it's muddled beneath a lot of anger, and rage."

"You've seen the reports, and heard the rumors. Even if some are false, we have verified others to be true. The sad fact is, Kellia has...lost her way, and the only way to save this rebellion is to put brakes on her position, her power, and set up a stable and legitimate form of governance. This is the better way, Casto." Another voice said joining the first. The Chairman swiveled his seat towards the voices and once more sighed. One figure was seated while the other stood nearby with arms folded across his chest in a contemplative manner. He stood up from the seat and stretched himself along with a further sigh showing his weariness outwardly.

"I wish," He began after stretched and settling himself. "I shared your confidence Master Kenobi." he responded looking to the sitting and aged Jedi Master who sat with folded arms and robes pulled tightly around him as if he were cold. Obi-Wan's own weary eyes met the Chairman's and he gave a subtle nod in understanding of Casto's position and feelings.

"As for you, Bail," Casto began again, taking some steps towards the two whilst clasping his hands behind his back.

"I fear for you more than myself or the Master here." Bail turned to him with his hand clasped to his chin in thought. His eyes showing confusion in what Casto said and asking an unspoken question to what he meant.

"It is no secret that Kellia despises you. To be honest many among the URM Supreme Council and invited rebel echelons have expressed distrust and disdain for you. Should she realize you were key to the formation of this Congress she'd probably hunt you down and behead you." Casto offered with a halfhearted smile in jest. Though, a quick flare of emotion flashed across his face that only Obi-Wan caught hinting to an inward thought by the Chairman that perhaps that wasn't as far fetched as he would have liked it to be. Bail chuckled lowly and seeming more a huff of air in reply. His own eyes still showing his thoughts to be far away as he turned fully towards the Chairman.

"Let us hope that never comes to be." He weakly chuckled again. "For better or for worse this rebellion has come the closest in over a decade to toppling the Empire." He began musing.

"I will admit, and before this Congress if need be, that it was born from the fires of betrayal. I probably deserve worse than a simple beheading, Casto." Bail went on leaving both other men in the room silent at his outward thoughts.

"I gave Kun everything he needed to bring together the rebel groups spread across the galaxy who could have been something, who would have been something, and I think would have eventually beaten the Empire. Then I thought I had my moment, and hubris mingled with desperation led me to think I could save those men and women on and above Dubrava. Until Kun, the Emperor and Vader made a spectacle of it, and less importantly of me as well. I won't forget that day, and that feeling of utter hopelessness and hatred. Of Vader, of Kun and the Empire along with its Emperor, but most importantly of myself. I was naïve, more naïve than I would have thought my life and experiences would have allowed me to be. In this way, Casto, I did sabotage an entire movement and rebellion. They will hate me, and if I were they, I'd hate me too." Bail ended in dreadful and morose a tone.

"You were concerned for your daughter, Bail." Obi-Wan's wise voice chimed in from where he sat, and his tone was matter-of-fact, drawing the gaze of the other men.

"None who know your reasons can hate you for them. Mistakes were made, and many time over throughout history. Master Yoda will admit to his, and you know better than most of my mistakes, and my...failures, Senator." The Jedi Master just as morosely intoned causing Casto to feel lost while Bail remained silent.

"What's done is done. We cannot, no matter how much we may want to, change the past." Obi-Wan stated, and rose from his seat.

"All we can do now is work with what we have. Kellia began this with undoubtedly good intent, but it has devolved into madness. Myself and Master Yoda know this to be a fact, Chairman. As much stock as you wish to put into that you may, but you have heard the rumors, the reports and so forth. They are damming and mounting to say the least." Casto sighed once more and nodded.

"If there is to be any hope of a successful rebellion, and hope for a free, better galaxy, of both Moff and Imperial alike, we must do what we can here and now. Even if that means undermining Kellia. Even if it means utilizing and accepting the help of those some will hate or distrust." Obi-Wan spoke looking to Bail who nodded slowly whilst his mind was still far away on matters Obi-Wan could only guess about.

"We will have to work together, and work hard if we're to salvage this movement, this united rebellion. If there's any hope of defeating the Empire without resorting to the same cruelty and, for lack of a better word, evil they do we must take back the rebellion from Kellia. We must take it back from the droids and the remnants of the Confederacy who flock to her cause! And this Congress is the first step towards that goal. It's all we can do, and all that can be asked of us. Though there is always more work to do." The wise old Jedi Master offered with a thin smile as he clasped the shoulders of both men for but an instant. Migs and Organa both gave him thankful nods as they both felt but a slim amount of relief fall over them.

"Indeed." Bail responded with a low sigh of his own. "I suppose we should get the final plans for the convocation finished up. Every hour more representatives arrive on Dac as it is. We should get them all situated while they and we wait until it's called." Bail offered, and Migs clapped his hands together.

"Right, I best finalize with the Mon Calamari the use of their large council meeting chamber. It should be able to house everyone, hopefully at least." The Chairman stated hopefully as he made for the exit of his officer followed by the other two.

"Master Kenobi," Bail spoke as he and the old Jedi walked in tow slowly behind Migs out from his office onto a landing where the dual stars of Dac shone down warmly upon them.

"Where is Master Yoda? Please don't think me prying, but I haven't seen him in some weeks." Obi-Wan smiled once more and waved off Bail's concern for niceties.

"Master Yoda is still looking for old acquaintances and possible future allies out in the galaxy. Some are easier than others to make contact with, and ascertain their willingness to help. Others are, well not so easy to find." Bail felt his brow furrow and he gave Obi-Wan a questioning glance. Though the Master himself now seemed lost in his own thoughts. As the two kept walking in momentary silence, Obi-Wan finally turned to meet the old Senator's glance and he smiled once more.

"It's nothing to worry about Senator. Master Yoda will attend the Congress. Though I don't believe I or he should speak. We merely wish to gather what strength we can in the galaxy to oppose not only the Empire and their Moff offshoots, but Kellia as well. Whether any of us like it or not we must be prepared for the worst when it comes to her, and her instability."

"What happened to her, Master Kenobi?" Bail asked and seemed more a blurting of the question than a tactful query. Migs continued to walk ahead of them, but had pulled forward by some feet beyond immediate earshot of the two behind him. Obi-Wan held back and stopped moving prompting Bail to follow suit.

"Truthfully, neither I or Master Yoda know fully. What is known is that she went missing on Jabiim, along with a score of other Jedi apprentices after the Republic forces were ordered to pull off by then Supreme Chancellor Palpatine." Obi-Wan's gray-blue eyes narrowed but for an instant as the old memories undoubtedly stung at him more than he was willing to admit. Bail nodded in full understanding and said nothing.

"She was presumed dead, her Master, Gallia didn't want to believe it, but the Council made inquiries and attempts at investigating all deaths that occurred on Jabiim. But, due to the Separatist victory on world such attempts were deemed inevitably futile and impossible. Master Gallia...died not knowing what I know now. What we all know. She lived, but even then we don't know how." Obi-Wan muttered more to himself than to Bail.

"What doesn't bode well for anyone is that gap." The Master mused darkly.

"If she wasn't killed by the overwhelming Separatist forces, as is plainly evident, what happened? Where did she go, was she captured by the Separatists? Did she join willingly, or was she a prisoner up until the rise of the Empire?" Obi-Wan listed off his own questions aloud.

"All these questions she won't speak on, or even acknowledge. That is what disturbs myself and Master Yoda. Because, whatever the case may be she is back, she is changed. Whatever happened in that time period has shaped her into the woman she is today, and what happened to make her the way she is, is the question. It would answer as to why she's as unstable as she is. I and Master Yoda have felt it, and the galaxy has been on the receiving end of it."

"Master Kenobi, Senator?" Both men turned towards Casto's voice as the man stood some ways ahead of them looking back questioningly.

"Questions for a later point and time I would think, Master Kenobi." Bail offered with his own, hopefully, calming smile.

"Yes, we shall see. Until then," Obi-Wan offered with a sudden chipper turn of his tone and twinkle of spirit in his eyes. "We do what we can." Bail nodded as the Jedi repeated his earlier sentiment, and both men followed after Migs, and began the final preparations for the new Congress. The first of its kind to happen in over a decade.

(Allied Tion Cluster, Outer-Rim Territories, Voss System)

Aboard the Imperial II-Class Stardestroyer Chimaera, the ship's acting Captain Pellaeon stood rigidly. His chest rising and falling in low, subtle, but present heavy breaths as his eyes fixed into a glare outside the forward viewport of the bridge towards the far more vast enemy fleet. He remained for the most part outwardly stern and remained silent as he watched the fleet loom. His men shuffled about the bridge attending to their duties. Merely looking upon them, Pellaeon could see the fear etched on their brows followed by beads of sweat and anxiety in their eyes.

The comms rung in the bridge that was silent, and pregnant with that same anxiety. The noise broke that silence and many officers unintentionally turned towards the sound. The comms officer keyed in a few console keys and answered a call along his ear comm unit. His voice was hushed and his tone steady though none could hear what he said. The man turned to the Captain and bowed his head once. Pellaeon nodded in kind and snapped his fingers quickly on a console by his side as he stood to the rear of the bridge facing the viewport.

"Admiral Thrawn. I would not seek to presume sir, but are you ready to open the channel?" Pellaeon asked as a blue hued hologram of the Admiral sitting in his command chair appeared beside the Captain. His piercing eyes, though color changed by the hologram, bore into some unseen distance, undoubtedly the enemy fleet from his own command viewport, and he smiled thinly with confidence that radiated, however little, into his Captain.

"I am prepared, Captain. If you would, have the comms officer patch me through to General Narthun aboard his flagship." Thrawn ordered and Pellaeon stiffly saluted the hologram. He turned back to the comms officer who looked to him expectantly. Pellaeon sternly tipped his head in another bow and the officer responded in kind. He turned to his console and patched through to the enemy fleet. A few anxiety fueled moments passed as no response to the hail was met for a time. The moments dragged on, every second seeming an eternity as they passed. The Captain turned his head nervously towards Thrawn who glanced to him, and caused the Captain to snap his head back forwards and hide his glance.

"He will answer, Captain." Thrawn responded with clear cool assurance in his voice. Pellaeon turned his head back towards the hologram with a question etched on his face.

"Speak freely, while you have the time, Captain." Thrawn offered coolly and without harshness. Pellaeon hardened himself before he spoke aloud. He turned towards Thrawn, hands still clasped behind his back properly.

"What makes you so sure he'll answer the call, admiral? This plan depends on him doing so. His fleet has already destroyed the Agitator and Firebrand. Not to mention the cruisers, picket vessels, and the three battleships. Sir, if he does not buy into this plan we will be left sitting, hoping the relief forces arrive in good time before we're blown to dust alongside the rest of the fleet."

"Do you fear dying, Captain? Or do you fear losing a battle?" Thrawn countered still as cool as before. Pellaeon felt his brow furrow, and he made to respond, but he found that he couldn't. For a moment he realized he actually didn't know which he feared more.

"He will answer, because he has proven himself to be a foolish man. He indulges in gloating and goading of his enemies whether he's attained victory or not. I calling him will be seen as a capitulation in and of itself, and I care little for what he gleans from a holotransmission, Captain. He will postulate his superiority from his perceived victory, demand my acquiesce and submission before finally demanding I allow him and his forces aboard to take myself and all aboard prisoner. He will then take the whole of the Voss system." Thrawn offered darkly, and Pellaeon felt his chest tighten in anxiety as such thoughts ran through his mind of that conversation and possibility.

"We will, however, not offer myself up, nor this ship. You knew the plan when we put it into effect, Captain. I expect you to follow proper protocol and stick to it as any good officer of our Empire would." Pellaeon hardened himself again, and felt his resolve steel as he snapped his boots and saluted as a good Imperial indeed.

"Never would I offer to contend with a superior officer's command, sir. I merely wish to-"

"State your quarrel with a plan that seems foolhardy." Thrawn interjected as he remained trained on something else where he sat. Pellaeon became uncomfortably silent as the Admiral chuckled softly.

"You are not the first to do so, nor shall you be the last to do so. So long as you remember your place that shall not become an issue, Captain." Pellaeon steadied and relaxed some at that affirmation and re-clasped his hands behind his back and nodded once more.

"Of course, Admiral Thrawn, sir."

"Excellent, now remain ready to call in the relief force on my signal." Thrawn ordered and Pellaeon sensed his freedom to speak ceased and remained silent as he indeed kept himself close to the console where the beacon for reinforcements was set up prior to all of this. The comms officer nervously continued hailing the enemy flagship, and imposing Lucrehulk-class battleship to the rear of the forward droid vessels in the heart of the armada. Pellaeon remained silent still, waiting for the call to be answered. A final omen passed darkly before the viewport, a large broken and still burning piece of the destroyed Imperial I-class Stardestroyer Firebrand from right to left and the Captain loosed a near silent calming breath, as the comm channel beeped in reply.

"Admiral, we have an incoming response to our hail." The comms officer, near excitedly declared perhaps a little too loudly than he should have. Pellaeon would've reprimanded him for it, but given the circumstance he let it slide and he turned back to Thrawn's holographic figure.

"Excellent, patch it through to the bridge and my command station if you'd please officer." Thrawn ordered calmly and the man did so at once. Within a few dragged out seconds a new holo-figure appeared before everyone upon the bridge, and before Thrawn still seated within his command station. The tall and imposing Feeorin appeared, draped across his form was a wholly garish uniform. It called back to the ancient times of armored breastplates and flowing waist cloths that went to his knees. He wore a similarly garish cloak that fell down his back heavily and waved ever so slightly about his figure where on either side stood a Magnaguard droid. Pellaeon inwardly mused the alien seemed more a warlord than respectable General. He supposed he couldn't expect much else from a rebel leader and Imperial killing alien such as he.

"Admiral Thrawn," The Feeorin bowed mockingly with the expected smirk of victory upon his alien features. His head tendrils fell across his shoulders as he dipped and raised himself back up while crossing his arms.

"I expect this is your surrender to me! I don't blame you though." He rambled on without letting Thrawn speak.

"I've decimated another fleet of yours, killed tens of thousands more of your precious Imperials, and have disgraced your image in the eyes of your masters! The best option for you and your men, apart from putting your own blasters to your temples is surrendering to the great General Narthun!" He boasted with his smirk now added to by a chortle. Pellaeon felt his lips curl, and anger rise, but he said nothing.

"You misunderstand my hail then, General." Thrawn interjected himself coolly. Narthun paused his boasting and bout of chuckling to give him a subtle glare as Thrawn spoke.

"This is not a hail offering my surrender or that of my men. This is a hail where I should expect you to offer your surrender, General." Thrawn offered civilly and seeming in full control by his tone alone. Pellaeon swallowed heavily as he could almost taste the sudden and writhing tension in the air. The Feeorin's facial tendrils shook in subtle but strong bouts as his rage flashed over his face, and he snarled aloud before he spoke again in a harsh guttural roar.

"My surrender?! You call me while your fleet burns over this planet, your men dead or dying, your own vessel in tatters, and have the gall to demand I surrender?! Me?! I have beaten you, I am your better, I General Narthun have attained victory here over Voss against you, Admiral Thrawn! Now I demand your karking surrender!" The alien spat, almost visibly at that, and stomped forwards with his fist raised towards the holograms of both Thrawn and Captain Pellaeon. His hand shook and his eyes were wide and crazed at the notion of surrendering to Thrawn who remained unmoved by his bluster.

"You've won nothing, General." Thrawn countered and Narthun growled again, loudly and his head shook violently as he bared his teeth.

"Do you know what I see, when I look upon the URM, or whatever your government wishes to call itself?" Thrawn didn't let him respond.

"I see a wide and uncoordinated paint brush. The galaxy is a vast tapestry, the greatest piece of art, and finest painting imaginable. Designed and crafted over thousands of years into its current state. Surely it is added to, changed and perfected over time. It is rich in its intricacies and magnificence and one can learn much of not only all the peoples and worlds by merely looking upon the ways and customs of these people, but by what they allow to happen in their politics. They allow a Republic to fall and give rise to an Empire, and they now face the challenge of whether it should remain or fall to one of two new artists in the history of this tapestry." Thrawn went on, and Pellaeon, though himself lost to his Admiral's meaning remained silent as he observed Narthun sneer openly in contempt, and confusion towards Thrawn.

"The three painters, and artists have shown how they would add to the tapestry, how they would change the face of this magnificent grand piece of art. Quite frankly yours is the least interesting, and most distressing. You are symptomatic of this wider problem, because you are, as I said are a wide paint brush. Used to swipe a large path of dull color across a work of art and hide under it what was before. You rebels seek to do this, to wash away all that was upon the galactic tapestry and instill upon all a dull single color that imposes the new status-quo for all. For all that one could argue against the Empire or the Moffs there is no desire to radically change what was there before, to dominate to rebuild and begin changing the nature and makeup of the tapestry yes, but it adds a layer of complexity. You, and your ilk, as a wide dull, and uninteresting single color lathered upon a brush would kill all color, all richness and uniqueness to this tapestry. This cannot be allowed, and it is for that reason your kind will be stomped out chief amongst all enemies to galactic society as it were, and to the Galactic Empire." Thrawn finished, and Pellaeon felt he was beginning to understand what the Admiral meant when Narthun loudly growled again.

"I don't care for art or any of this nonsense! What I care about is quashing you, stomping on you and defeating you like the bug you are! Art means nothing in war, you seek to delay the inevitable, and bore me to death with your words! Well, I am not deterred nor am I going to allow you to distract me any longer, fool! I demand you allow me and my forces aboard your ship at once!

'You will greet me upon your main docking bay, and your officer staff will as well! You will fall to your knee and surrender your ship to me officially and your men will do the same, or I shall see you jettisoned into space!" Narthun howled as a crazed man would. And threw his fist up once more as his muscles bulged and veins became apparent even across the holo-call. Thrawn for his part gave a single low chuckle from where he sat.

"If you did know art or had more wit about you then you show, General, then you'd have realized I had just called you a blunt instrument and an incompetent fool." Narthun's eyes widened in pure rage.

"There will be no surrender, General. You will have to engage my ship and kill us all. But, I warn you General. You will fail to defeat me, and you will surrender now, or die. Your choice."

"You will all die then!" Narthun spat back losing all semblance of what little composure he may have had.

"I will see your ship burn and fall to Voss in bits and pieces, your men scream and curse you in their final breaths and I will have your body found mutilated broken and bloody so that it may be strapped to the front of my ship for anyone who wishes to see! To see what becomes of arrogant little fools like you! Now you die!" The alien screamed and the transmission cut. Pellaeon relaxed visibly and shook his head as he looked to Thrawn who remained totally unfazed. His crimson eyes fixated still on something beyond the Captain.

"Captain, the whole fleet has begun advancing!" Another officer monitoring the movement of the enemy fleet announced as other officers began rushing to conduct their duties at their stations. All of them shaken by the interaction between their Admiral and the enemy Commander.

"Ready your stations men, all secondary systems will have their power diverted to shields! Remember the plan and hold to your stations men!" Pellaeon ordered and stood, though shakily at the ready for his Admiral's commands.

"Captain, contact the lunar stations at will." Thrawn commanded and gave his signal. Pellaeon nodded and immediately keyed in orders that were relayed to the Imperial posts lining the moon of Voss.

"Enemy fleet is nearly in range to fire!" The officer from before announced as the Chimaera shook from the beginning volley of enemy bombers and fighters that swarmed across the viewports. Pellaeon could see the dozens, indeed over six dozen strong fleet ship near towards them. Their Providence-class, Recusant-class and Munificent-class ships leading the charge.

"Admiral Thrawn, sir, lunar stations one through twenty are at full readiness and the further fourteen are in the final phases." Another officer announced to Thrawn who nodded in acknowledgment.

"Enemy fleet is nearly within range of the lunar stations!" A third officer announced and the Chimaera shook once more violently from the first sorties from the enemy fleet as they neared closer still.

"Captain, call in the reinforcement force upon firing of the first sorties."

"Aye, Admiral." Pellaeon acknowledged and readied to send out another call as they all waited shakily and full of peaking anxiety. The shaking continued and warning alarms rung across various consoles as the ship came under heavier fire as the enemy ships grew closer and closer. Their own cannons returned what little fire they could without diverting any necessary power from their shields but the paltry exchange had no effect whatsoever against the capital ships and battleships that zeroed in like predatory beasts upon a decaying carcass.

"Forty-five percent of the enemy fleet is in range of the lunar stations!"

"Hold." Thrawn ordered much to Pellaeon's unspoken dismay, but all did even as a whine was rung out as the Chimaera came under greater stress.

"Fifty-three percent within range!" The officer announced and was affirmed by greater bombardment by the enemy force. Alarms rang out louder as more were added to the previous chorus or ringing and a huge fiery explosion ripped through the top of the ship visible to those on the bridge.

"All lunar cloaking stations power down, fire all hypervelocity cannons now!" Thrawn commanded in louder a tone than before, and the men all felt a wave of relief flow across them even as the threat looming remained.

Along the lunar surface of the moon of Voss several dozen hypervelocity cannon stations powered up and dropped their cloaks and defense shields. The cannons, built several weeks ago hastily, but with functionality, all turned towards the fleet and primed themselves to fire. Within seconds they loosed dozens of slugs, and unlike modern convention to stop and bring shields back up, they did not. The slugs flew through the void and slammed one after the other into several ships of the URM fleet. Within seconds the ray shields of the ships broke and the slugs after burst into and tore through all ships that they made contact against. Two exploded immediately and another three after that.

The remainder of the fleet began turning towards the moon to begin firing as those ships out of range began halting their advance through space. Another two ships burst into several pieces as the slugs flew into the bigger pieces of those ships that broke apart and those still intact. The space before the Chimaera became littered within moments with burning debris and broken ships. Pellaeon loosed a deep sigh and his men visibly became enthralled at the sight and stopped their tasks, or some of them did. They watched along with the Captain and Admiral the fleet become decimated.

"Now, Captain." Thrawn commanded and Pellaeon on sheer reflex sent the order to the reinforcements just beyond the system. Moments passed and further hypervelocity cannons entered the fray and fired their slugs against the enemy fleet. They tore into more and more, breaking large chunks into smaller fragments that began falling into the orbit of Voss itself. Then the console monitoring all pings in the system began sounding as, within a flash, dozens of Imperial ships came into view on either flank of the Chimaera and above as well as below her. Thrawn received a personal comm hail and immediately answered and relayed it to the bridge on the ships intercom system.

"Admiral Thrawn, this is Vice-Admiral Parck. My Immobilizer 418's have activated their gravity well generators and have cut off all communication from the enemy fleet. All ships will begin their attack plans upon your command, sir."

"Thank you, Admiral Parck. You may begin all operations promptly." A cheer rung out through the bridge and Pellaeon looked to the hologram of the Admiral to gauge if he should silence it. Thrawn motioned his hand lazily to signal the Captain should let the display be. Pellaeon nodded with a thin smile and watched the fleet engage the enemy force as the hypervelocity cannons finished their devastating barrage from the moon of Voss. Pellaeon only noticed the Admiral had cut their connection a few moment later, but didn't think much of it.

Within his command room Thrawn watched the fleet of General Narthun get devastated from Parck's relief force and HVs-2 hypervelocity cannons. He stood up from his seat as fire engulfed the droids, and they held no hope of escape. He clasped his hands behind his back and watched the rebel forces burn from afar his crimson eyes only barely betraying the immense mirth he felt in this moment. A smile graced his blue features and he let out a breath of contentment.

"Artistic indeed." He mused as the URM fleet was torn to pieces, and would be undoubtedly destroyed within the hour at the most.

The Empire had finally struck back, and it was as glorious as it was victorious in this hour. All thanks to the cunning of one Chiss Admiral, Thrawn.

(Deep Core, Beshqek System, Byss)

"This is unorthodox, Governor. I don't think Lord Sedriss will-"

"Bah, Sedriss be dammed." Governor Insroft declared with a lazy wave of his hand. The man beside him who spoke before, wearing an Imperial naval uniform remained silent though he seemed nervous. They were both on board a luxury space worthy yacht traveling up from the orbit of Byss towards upper orbit. The both of them stood on the 'bridge,'as it were. It indeed had the pilot seat and several terminals and computers for a crew to handle. Though to the rear of the room were sets of finest carpets built along what was usually hard metal flooring. Long luxury and black seats and couches placed along walls that led to staircases to an upper level towards the entryway of the bridge itself. A large holoscreen was set opposite the seats and between them an elegant wooden table set in the center of it a simple, yet undoubtedly, overpriced vase with exotic flowers set within it. That all led forwards toward the massive viewport leading out towards the forward of the ship that wrapped around the front of the yacht. There was a large floor with nothing obscuring movement or sight for a party of people, or just one, to stand there and watch what lay ahead if they so desired.

That is where the Governor and this man found themselves. Though among them were several other Imperials. Officer and other military types, some nobles, and droids. It seemed more like a party than anything else really. The Governor stood with a tall glass held in the palm of his hand in an, O so regal, manner. His dark eyes were set forward towards the massive forward viewport and a smile was plastered onto his face.

"Of course Governor, but protocol does dictate that for security purposes-"

"We are on Byss, Colonel." Daedrin declared, cutting the man off yet again.

"There are none on this world who would dare speak on what they see, and for those on this yacht the idea of doing so would doubly be against their own interests! Every officer on ship is stationed on Byss for the next few years at the least and have no means of outside contact, the nobles on board have their bases of power on planet and their families would sooner have them assassinated then let them gossip on anything they could see. Droids will have their minds wiped of course, as is protocol. This is merely a pleasure trip, Colonel!" Daedrin announced with a slight chuckle and small sip of his glass filled with reddened fine wine.

"Well, a pleasure trip you're obligated to make dear." The Governor glanced to his left as his wife corrected him. She was his age, forty-six standard years old, and named Vaera. She was, as he thought, beautiful for her age. Her face lined just subtly in age lines, though perhaps her makeup covered more than he was giving it credit for. Her eyes were dark brown like his were, and her hair golden hued blonde. She carried an air of authority and strength about her, and Daedrin remembered when that had attracted him to her when they were younger. Now, it just aggravated him, and caused him to narrow his eyes in return to her correction, though subtly. She wore a long dress, normal for her at any such vent or gathering. A respectable dipping V-neckline along a dark black dress lined with swirling adorning features that were colored in the finest and accenting gold. On either wrist were golden bracelets of little meaning. Along her neck was a jewel encrusted necklace with a center jewel three or four inches across of dazzling cerulean hue that had cost Daedrin a fortune, but he had obliged in its purchase all the same.

She had one of those smiles of hers plastered on her face. One of those powerful and self assured smiles that came along with her demeanor. Daedrin felt himself grow angrier, but he kept it bottled within. Oh, he and his wife were the planetary couple, exemplary for all others, and a union of powerful noble families as was expected of them by their families. Though that did not mean all was well and happy among the both of them. Daedrin even swore she held a subtle look in her eyes daring him to begin an argument with her then and there. On what? Oh, he didn't know, something of course. Nonetheless, he nodded and gave her a faked smile.

"Indeed, my lovely wife, indeed." Daedrin agreed and sipped his wine, but with more healthy a gulp of the liquid. The obligation in this little trip into the orbit of Byss, while being something the Governor intended to have fun with, and bring along company to flaunt the power of the Empire on world he commanded, it was part of his job. With the coming along of the 'special projects' of the Emperor, he had been ordered by Coruscant via proxy of Anaxes, to inspect the projects himself for a non-military assessment of their completion percentile and progress. Why exactly, Daedrin didn't know, nor could he find it within himself to care. All he knew was that he would enjoy himself, in spite of the military attaches along with him for information on details he could fall asleep to, and in spite of his wife.

"Oh my! I can't believe how beautiful your yacht is, Governor! Oh, I could just live in here forever and just travel the galaxy! No worries, no war or troubles, just endless pleasures." All three turned to see the young lady Nilma Veed approaching. Daedrin smiled at her approach. Her brown hair was pulled back into an expert bun atop her head, her beautifully green eyes seemed alight with life and youthful energy. She too wore a long dress, that appeared Kuati in design. It was a lush and lively pink, and it flowed down to just above her ankles. It was patterned with swirling flower like designs that were of blue hue and tinted golden here and there. The dress had no sleeves about it and allowed Daedrin an enticing view of her fair and blemish free shoulders. Around her waist her dress was pulled in tight against her frame accenting to her well toned curves and body. The tie itself was a simplistic dress belt made of fine fabric and a lighter shade of blue. There were no straps along her shoulders, and the dress must have been tied to her from the back. Tightly in fact as the Governor enjoyed how her dress not only dipped low towards her chest, but also made certain aspects of her chest more...bountiful as he would say. Remembering their past encounters, the Governor forced himself not to water at the mouth and lick his lips. That would be, unbecoming...while in public at least.

"Ah, lady Veed, how wonderful it is you joined me on this little foray into the orbit of my fair world." The Governor greeted pleasantly with a raise of his glass. His wife Vaera gave 'Nilma,' a dirty scowl of a look through narrowed eyes. While the Colonel merely acknowledged her presence with a stiff bow and glanced worriedly, again, towards the Governor. Nilma giggled and held in both her hands her own glass of wine with little liquid drunken from the glass, so it seemed. She kept her eyes trained on the Governor and approached near to him, butting in between his wife and him.

"I wouldn't miss it for anything, dear Governor! Oh I love space, it's so vast and full of light, it's lovely to look at with the naked eye!" She went on in a giddy voice becoming of an air-headed socialite.

"Not as lovely as you. I'd imagine, my lady." Daedrin again toasted her and she gave a prolonged appreciative giggle.

"Governor, I must-"

"Colonel really," Daedrin preempted the man and turned towards him once more.

"There is nothing to worry about. No word will get beyond this ship to what we see, and if it does, well, I'll kill everyone who was here." He said simply and with a calm sip of his glass. He glanced his wife's way who scowled more deeply than before towards him.

"Oh, save of course you my dear. I wouldn't imagine you'd ever be so stupid as to speak on anything seen in orbit."

"I leave such stupidity to your guests, dear. Especially those brought along by merit of a pretty face alone." She tersely replied keeping her own cool tone. She cast Nilma daggers, but the woman didn't seem affected and continued looking forward as they ascended. The Colonel uncomfortably shifted on his heels but Daedrin snorted a chuckle. Daedrin sniffled disinterestedly and glanced his wife's way again.

"If everyone were brought aboard by merit alone my dear, I fear you would have been left behind. Save if a sign of accomplishment came from your expert shopping skills." Daedrin returned just as coolly with a thin and fake smile on his face, tempting, even daring her to begin with him this time. She smiled in return, it was faker than his and larger than his. Her eyes were full of anger and venom, but she said nothing.

"Well, I think it's high time I see if our guests require anything. Do you think you will need anything, dear?" She asked in what could only be described as a condescending tone. Daedrin shook his head, his own mind replaying how she put emphasis on the word 'our,' in her sentence.

"No, dear. I will remain here and watch for the object of my duties."

"Very well then, Colonel, Lady Veed." She gave her goodbyes while seething out her farewell to Nilma who raised her glass her hostesses way. The Colonel bowed and she turned on a heel and almost stomped away in frustration.

"Ah, the sights of orbit. Over any world it is glorious, but for Byss in particular it is a marvelous sight! Beautiful, our fair world is, wouldn't you agree, Colonel?" Daedrin broke the moment of silence after his wife's departure as the yacht climbed high and broke forwards into the void of space. The Colonel cleared his throat, clasped his hands behind his back and nodded.

"It certainly is, Governor."

"Oh I just love how blue it looks!" Both men turned towards Lady Veed and Daedrin chuckled while the Colonel held back a roll of his eyes.

"Yes my dear, it is quite lovely isn't it. Sadly we have more uninteresting sights to behold. Then maybe I can take you to see more of the sights. Some perhaps as radiant as you." He added shamelessly, and the Colonel again felt uncomfortable as he was no fool and understood clearly the implications being had between the Governor, his wife, and this noble woman. Frankly, he just wanted to leave.

"Oh Governor, you're terrible!" She giggled and playfully slapped his left shoulder leading the man to chuckle and take another swig of his drink.

"So, what other 'uninteresting,' stuff will we be seeing Daedrin? I can't say I'm bored yet, after all I get to see some of those enormous ships up close no?" She laughed in an enthusiastic manner. The Colonel cleared his throat lowly in an uncomfortable manner as Daedrin smirked and ignored the woman's use of his name rather than title.

"Oh you see my dear the Colonel is here because I have to be escorted by these military types. I have been given a task by the Emperor himself, a very important one might I add, to check in on the construction of some of his latest big fancy toys." The Colonel really looked uncomfortable now, and fidgety.

"Ooh toys hmm? Bigger ships, stronger ones? More capable of killing the Moffs and those nasty droids?" She asked playfully and with a sarcastic tone making the Colonel almost question if the woman was drunk or at the least tipsy.

"Oh madam you haven't a clue just what the Emperor has been having built over our fair world! To most the projects are shrouded by massive orbital building dock yards none military ships are normally disallowed near to upon penalty of immediate destruction from patrol units. Today we get a closer look at them, and it may be interesting knowing what they are and the genius of their design and use, but I can assure you milady such details would only bore or confuse your pretty little head."

"Oh you're probably right Daedrin!" She giggled once more and leaned in close to the Governor. "Maybe we could find something more interesting to see later?"

"Hmm, what may that be?" The Governor asked playfully and the Colonel sighed lowly and hopefully unheard by the other two.

Either way Nilma simply giggled and said nothing in reply.

"Governor, might I please restate my early grievance with having none verified members of the public on your-"

"Oh Colonel you simply worry way too much." Daedrin cut the officer off again. Who forced himself not to growl in anger and frustration with the nobleman.

"I'll see to the Emperor's new weapons along with my little rabble of fellow good Imperials, and then we make back to the Governor's palace for a healthy little party. For now let's just see to our first charge shall we?" The Governor spoke as the ship moved further into orbit and passed several of the many dozens of Imperial stardestroyers that acted as patrol ships for the heavily fortified world.

The yacht traveled and was soon flanked on either side by two TIE fighters as they pushed towards a distant orbital hanging yard that was massive, greater than the stardestroyers, greater than any ship in all the Imperial fleet. The Colonel watched with a silent sense of pride as they drew nearer. Even as the Governor made a pompous fool of himself he took pride and honor in what was being done and built here over Byss. He was soon joined by other nobles and military officers who looked on as they drew towards the most massive yards ever seen. Some grew bored quickly and returned to schmoozing about their fellow dull nobles whilst a few remained and watched with drinks in hand and awe in their eyes.

All the while Governor Daedrin leaned in and whispered something into Nilma's right ear causing the woman to giggle like a drunken schoolgirl and lean in towards the man and swipe at his chest again. The Colonel sneered but remained silent. Even as he caught out the corner of his eyes the man running his hand along the woman's back and lower still. It made him sick, and annoyed, but he did not speak on it. The mission was given to the fool by the Emperor himself, so he would do as told and simply be his liaison.

And then, it came into view, and a resounding gasp overtook the bridge and finally brought Daedrin's attention forwards again, and not down the noblewoman's dress towards her breasts. The ship flew through space beyond a large stardestroyer and three patrol frigates that blocked the way. The massive docking yard was a massive floating building of sorts covering all of whatever was being built within save for the ends of the massive structure which were open for the eventful day that it would move from the structure and go into full Imperial service. The yacht had moved around the stardestroyer and came to the very end of the structure and traveled into it where they were greeted by the nose of the massive new warship.

Massive sections of the forward of the intensely more massive ship were missing hull plating and full interiors. Flashes were lighting across the base of the ship and its core foundational metal structure, as construction droids worked endlessly to finish the behemoth before their eyes.

"Oh my, that is indeed very overwhelming. Very large and impressive." Nilma laughed and gave the Governor a wink to which he chuckled and sipped his drink. While his own eyes returned to being transfixed upon the truly massive piece of military hardware before him. The Colonel smiled and nodded in agreement with the woman though he had not caught her double meaning.

The yacht traveled into the docking structure, and like a flea before a mighty Krayt dragon ten times the size of a normal one over, it moved along the starboard side of the vessel. Massive magnetic clamps extended out holding it steadily in place for the droids and some more rare organic engineers and workers to do their work. Umbilical docking chords were extended to several sectors allowing for engineers and more droids to travel onto the mostly complete vessel sectors and finish jobs there or push into unfinished or not even started sectors and begin building the undoubtedly hundreds of halls and rooms the ship would need. Droids zipped past the yacht and TIE's that stayed steadily alongside the ship as it traveled forwards.

As they reached the rear of the ship which took longer than many would have thought, the yacht dipped low under the starboard side of the ship as it began growing thicker and protruded out at its sides the further back they went. There, in the shadow of the beastly creation they could tilt their heads up from the viewport and see more clearly some of the finished plating of the ship. It was more brownish-black in hue than any other Imperial made ship any of them had known or seen before. Along the underbelly of the ship was a long dipped metal strip larger than any spire on Byss that went from the rear of the ship towards the tip. Though uncompleted they could see that to the tip it dipped far down from the nose of the vessel and formed what seemed almost like a vertical edge to the ship.

They went further and banked back up from the ship and after many more minutes of slow travel they reached the rear where there was set many engines set in place. Several finished but many more carrying the same sparking signatures of endlessly working droid units. They themselves could eat some capital ships whole with how massive they were and the Governor in that instant wondered how much energy was needed simply to power one of those beasts upon this colossus.

"Yes well it certainly is...interesting." Daedrin stated as the yacht traveled up and over the top of the ship and slowed as they got a good long look at the completed smaller than usual bridge tower.

"Tell me Colonel, what is the name of this beauty of Imperial design?" The officer turned with a thin prideful smile along his features.

"It's designated as the Eclipse, Governor. Named by the Emperor himself and ordered built by his royal majesty. Greater than any other ship yet in Imperial design or build. Including Lord Vader's future flagship. Itself yet to be completed elsewhere in the Empire." The Colonel specified. He spoke more freely as only two others stood with he and the Governor and the woman Nilma, and themselves were further form his person speaking in hushed tones about something along the ship.

"I see, what are some of the qualities of this, 'Eclipse?'" Daedrin asked sipping his drink while Nilma wrapped her arm around his left arm and leaned into the man.

"It will have a maximum length of 17,500 meters once fully completed in a few years time. There will be 550 heavy standard laser cannons plus an added 500 turbolasers. 10 gravity well projectors, 100 separate tractor beam units 75 ion cannons, and the grand addition you can see the base of there." The Colonel pointed out the viewport down the length of the behemoth that ran along the ship from the higher elevated command structures towards the very tip of the Eclipse. The Governor could just make out a jutting center of metal that ran along the top of the ship but ended where the droids had not yet begun construction.

"What is that Colonel?"

"That, Governor, will be the ultimate power in the galaxy." The Colonel stated with finality and total conviction and caused the Governor and the lady Veed to furrow their brows towards him. The Colonel smirked in that familiar proud way before coming nearer to the Governor and Lady Veed to speak in a more hushed tone.

"It may be within your right to bring this party along Governor, but I would prefer that this remain as unknown as possible. It is within your right to know as the Emperor's none military observer, but that does not mean more than need be should hear of the weapon."

"Yes, yes Colonel I understand now get on with it." The Governor commanded, further taking another healthy swig of his drink. The Colonel merely nodded and turned back towards the viewport and pointed again at the unknown structure still being built.

"That will be the main weapon of the Eclipse. A single super laser designed with enough power to destroy any ship on impact with a targeted tracking strike. As well as having the capability to fire a single shot with full power on a world. The laser will have enough of an impact to not destroy the planet but burn through its atmosphere and any possible planetary shielding and dig deep and puncture the planet core. Essentially causing untold ecological damage to the entire planet rendering it uninhabitable and all but lifeless." The officer finished with a look of admiration and pride towards the massive ship. Daedrin gave a surprised look and nodded in understanding as he looked at the beast. The raw power it held certainly would make it the most powerful weapon in the Imperial arsenal. He smirked then, as he remembered that it was all being built above his world. Well, his world by command of the Emperor of course.

"Oh my, how amazing!" Nilma stated still clutching the Governor closely.

"I would love to see a big cannon fire freely like that. Sounds so mesmerizing!" She laughed and caused the Governor to again chuckle in his stupor. The Colonel gave a small shrug of agreement.

"Mesmerizing indeed Colonel." Daedrin began again. "What sort of compliment would this monster be capable of shipping about the galaxy?" The Colonel's eye lit up at the question. Obviously the man loved nothing more than speaking on these sort of matters.

"50 TIE fighter and interceptor squadrons Governor along with 8 TIE bomber squadrons with room for more if the fighter or interceptor units are replaced out. A hundred AT-AT's and their transports, as well as 5 entire IM-455 Modular Garrison bases for the ground troops. Several royal guard battalions have been directed to station themselves on the ship as well as a CompForce battalion. The Eclipse would also be capable of transporting 150,000 ground troops to a world if necessary. Though the preferred operations show the Eclipse in a command and support role for larger transport vessels within the fleet. The crew compliment is over 700,000 men with over 4,000 of them being gunners needed to man the many guns along the ship."

"Oh how marvelous!" Nilma giggled and Daedrin again nodded in agreement.

"Yes this ship certainly sounds like the thing of dreams. An excellent flagship for the whole of the Imperial armada. Hopefully it will be completed in time to strike far and terror into the Moff traitors and rebel scum! To not have a proper enemy to demonstrate this supreme weapon upon would be a slight against its design I would think." The Governor sipped his drink as he finished.

"Indeed Governor. Hopefully the enemy will give us a chance at testing her out." The Colonel added hopefully though he knew the Eclipse would need many more years to be fully completed or even partially operational.

"Alright then Colonel, let's dock the yacht and have our little inside trek shall we?" Daedrin stated with a sigh of boredom at the thought of having to walk the inner hallways of the completed sectors of the ship at least for a time. The Colonel nodded and picked up his comlink to key in some commands.

"Alas this will be the boring part my dear." The Governor turned speaking to Nilma who smiled.

"I don't believe any of my guests would be welcomed aboard the ship. So, you will have to stay and enjoy the drinks and food. It shouldn't take me too long to complete the survey. Then we can attend to more pressing matters." The Governor intoned as he brushed her hair with his left hand with lust clearly in his tone. Nilma pouted, however and clutched the Governor's arm while inching closer to his face.

"Oh can't I come with you though? I'm sure we could find a way to deal with 'pressing matters,' aboard this big fancy warship. Make your trip far more interesting, my dear Governor." She purred lowly without shame though no one but Daedrin heard her, and his face lit up with a smirk as it flushed with heat and lust.

"Well...now that you mention it I'm sure I could whisk you aboard without any trouble. After all I am the Governor of Byss." He chuckled again, his eyes glassing over in a mix of lust and perhaps a tad of drunkenness as he ran his hand along her right shoulder in want. Nilma only giggled to this, but was cut off by the clearing of the Colonel's throat.

"We will dock port side, Governor. From there we will tour the bridge, command rooms and several of the upper decks. There's not much else to see. Transport will be quick due to service trams aboard the ship. Air is also circulating for the onboard engineers so there is no need of a spacesuit."

"Excellent, and then will that be all, Colonel?" Daedrin asked his hands still surreptitiously roaming along his companion.

"Well, no Governor, you are scheduled to view out other project. It sits inside a similar docking station further out nearer to the moons." Daedrin furrowed his brow.

"What is this then? Another one of these Eclipses?"

"No, Governor, something more ambitious than even this wonder of the armada. More a battle-station than an actual ship." The Colonel informed.

"What is it called then?" The Governor asked with a light almost bored sigh.

"It has a long Imperial designation under the Department of Military research, but everyone who works with it has come to call it by an unofficial name."

"That being?" Daedrin asked.

"The Galaxy Gun, Governor."

(Naboo, Chommell Sector)

"That was entirely unexpected." Darth Vader mused aloud. His massive black armored arms were crossed over his chest and his eyes watched the holoscreen before him from behind his mask. They narrowed as the image of his master the Emperor came fully into screen. The old man smiled that same old familiar politicians smile and waved his left hand towards someone, probably no one in particular, it was an old political move if ever there was one. Giving false importance to someone in the vast crowd to seem worldly and among their ranks. Vader knew better, he knew his master was playing a game. That's all the old man ever did, and all he ever knew how to do. The whole speech, Vader had watched, and found it to be more of the same. However, something in his gut told him there was more to this, more reason behind this. To what? Vader didn't know, but the Force was ever swirling, powerful, focused and impenetrable around his master.

"I thought it was okay." Vader turned rather sharply towards his left at Luke's voice. The blonde boy sat along one of the benches aboard the Lambda-class shuttle they found themselves, his feet dangling absentmindedly and seemingly in a bored fashion. Vader could sense the frustration in the boy, had sensed it since they had left Theed, and he would not be goaded by his son in his irritation.

"Do not test me Luke." Vader warned and turned his back on the boy again. "The Emperor does nothing without their being an ulterior motive. Praising and congratulating him will just as quickly get you killed as it would a higher position within his Empire." Vader went on, but Luke sighed loudly.

"Fine, whatever." Luke intoned. "Just saying I thought he roused the crowd well enough." Vader behind his mask frowned at his son's tone.

"No matter how much you may seek to test me or try my patience you will not get a rise from me, boy." Vader intoned back. "Your being upset with my decision will not change it, nor will your attempts at aggravating me. Though you're entirely far too impudent for your own good sometimes Luke." Vader added and sensed his sons frown rather than saw it.

"I don't need to be stuck away on some stupid lake house while you and everyone else is off fighting! I was doing damn well on my own!"

"Watch your tongue." Vader coolly retorted.

"I've been through more war zones then most grown men have, but you're sending me away now?! Why?! Because there's two armies of killer man and droids trying to kill us instead of one?! Because you think I can't handle it?! Because I can handle it father I swea-"

"Enough!" Vader roared with greater a force than even he anticipated. The ship gave a small shudder from the small wave of Force energy unleashed in his agitation. He had swung back towards Luke who quickly silenced himself and cast his head downwards to not look at Vader. Though Vader could see the eyes of the boy bore daggers into the metal grating below him on the ship. Vader glanced right to see the doorway into the cockpit still secured. He didn't need one of his men hearing his Lord arguing with a child.

"As I said before, we're moving to the lake country because I've decided to set my command base there. Away from the main battle at Theed? Yes that is the case, but it is for the better. Setting main command points near or to the heart of a battle position is foolish, and in spite of past occurrences and battles it is high time we start fighting this war with more intelligence then the enemy. This is no slight against you, nor is it an attack on your skill or prowess Luke but it is my decision to make. As your father, and as your master you will do as I command." Vader declared with harsher and more biting a tone then he had intended to use.

"One day when you command armies, and have apprentices your own then you may see the wisdom in my choices or see a better path perhaps. Until that time when you are free to do it, however, the decision is mine. So I will have no more of your querulous attitude and suffer your intent to aggravate me no further. When we arrive at the lake you will clean yourself up and remain in the country home I have...acquired for us until I have need or make use of you. Am I understood?" Vader asked and glanced back at Luke who remained glaring towards the floor. His hands hung down at his sides and were balled into fists, and Vader could sense the frustration from the boy through the Force, it was strong, whipping almost tangible in its power. It almost gave the Dark Lord a sense of pride, but he had to quell such thoughts for now. Now he had to play the part of master, Lord, and parent all at once, and it ground against his nerves.

Luke finally took in a breath and released a sigh through his nose and said nothing merely nodded his head. Vader's mask making the usual intake and release of breath was the only sound in the shuttle. The two, father and son, remained in silence for several moments. Vader contemplated demanding his son vocalize his understanding of his orders but in the end thought better of it and nodded once in reply. He turned his back from his son again and crossed his arms over his chest as he watched the holoscreen idly for another moment. Noting the emptying chamber of politicians and ignoring the droning commentary of the imperial run anchors speaking on the glory of the Empire, and majesty of their Emperor.

"Starkiller." Vader intoned, only then acknowledging his other apprentice who had thus far remained totally silent. The boy sat himself across from Luke. His eyes closed in meditation and arms folded over his chest as he sought to make himself as small and unnoticeable in the tension thick shuttle hold.

"Yes master?" The boy replied and shot himself down to the floor into a kneel. The ship shook some from normal turbulence of riding through the skies of Naboo, and the boy remained as steady as he could whilst kneeling. Vader thought it somewhat comical, but found all traces of humor waning against his frustrations.

"Freshen yourself up as well when we land. Remain in the lake home with my son, and see to it he and yourself remain preoccupied with...whatever else besides the battle."

"Yes master." Starkiller replied and Luke glared even further at the ground. Vader nodded again, more to himself this time.

"Very good." He said and lazily waved his left hand, and gave silent leave of his apprentice's kneel. Starkiller silently rose back up and retook his seat across from Luke. Thus the three Sith remained in silence the rest of the relatively short ride to this lake country and home.

---

The shuttle whirled through the skies of Naboo. Night turning to morning and ending another day upon the world, at least for some. The lake country seemed to miss the action raging across Naboo as the three powers of the galaxy fought one another for one world among billions. It was here Vader had decided to make his new base of operations. After all Theed was out of the question. Three armies were now battling it out in the capitol and there was no indication the central command would last inside the city. Even if his son failed to understand this Vader knew it was the better bet to place his command base out in the countryside away from the action, and having Luke further from the front did bring him some measure of...comfort he thought.

The Dark Lord thought this as the shuttle came to an easy landing after some time of flying away from the capitol. Two TIE's howled through the skies and ended their escort mission of the shuttle. They returned higher into the skies of Naboo, which were full of dozens of fellow fighter and interceptor squadrons as the Empire maintained air superiority over this new base of operations.

The ramp lowered down with a hiss, and Vader stepped down from the shuttle with a heavy a footfall. His eyes looked out over the lake country as he stepped from the lambda shuttle onto a landing pad he'd had installed years ago to the lake home he now looked upon once more. Old feelings, old memories and emotions long since beaten and dead to him rose to the surface. His eyes lingered as his steps slowed and he stood as a dark monolith about the vast greenery of the country and the magnificent blue of the water. He hadn't been back here for many years, it was...it wasn't for him anymore. A deep breath escaped him and his chest contracted in emotion, but the Dark Lord stifled it, shut it out and seethed a growl from behind his blackened mask and shoved such trivialities back where they belong. Deeply shoved within and to be forgotten.

Still an old memory, a face kept crawling at his mind. Prickling sensations and fondness of smells, and touch attacked his senses and made him want to throttle something! To reach out and destroy something to alleviate the anguish and anger that welled within. Vader balled his hands into tight fists as he stood upon the open landing pad and looked out onto one of the rising mountains in the distance. He looked at nothing in particular really, just old memories he hated, because of how much he loved them.

"What's this place called again?" Vader was broken from his musings of mingled emotions and thoughts trading between hatred and fondness. He turned to see Luke looking about the landing pad and at the lake country surroundings. Starkiller followed after and also took a moment to look at their surroundings.

"This villa stands upon the island of Varykino. You may apply that name to the villa itself. It has seen many Naboo aristocratic owners, and most recently it was under the domain of House Naberrie. I have since then requisitioned it for myself, much to the chagrin of that House." Vader intoned in a matter-of-fact manner. Luke sensed his father's mood dip, as it had been dipping since the ride over on the shuttle, but he merely ignored it. He wasn't in much of a mood to care.

"Hmm, looks nice enough I guess." Luke replied.

"There are worse places. Such as any dirty hovel on Tatooine." Vader replied in kind and Luke shrugged unseen by his father.

"I suppose. I mean Tatooine doesn't have many perks. Well...not any I can think of."

"Indeed." Vader shot back quickly. "It's a ball of dirt, sand and dust. Best left forgotten in the depths of space." Vader harshly mused and caused Luke to momentarily tilt his head in a questioning manner. However, Vader merely motioned his left hand for the two boys to follow him.

Wordlessly Starkiller did so, and Luke huffed another sigh and followed alongside his fellow apprentice with his arms folded angrily over his chest. They moved towards a set of stairs leading down from the landing pad, where on either side stood a Stormtrooper. They stiffened at their approach and Vader didn't even acknowledge them. Luke gave them both a passing and awkward nod as he passed and moved down the set of stairs after the massive monolith that was his father. As they went down and hit a field of grass as green and lush as Luke had ever seen he saw a massive Imperial camp being set up in the open grasslands of the island, near to but off the site of the villa itself. Which Luke could see jutting out from the island towards the lake it was set upon.

Luke had to admit, as he tilted his head up and let the morning sun warm his face, and a cool breeze sooth it thereafter, the island had a serene and homey feel to it. The earthy smell from the grass and lush trees mingled with the smell of water only a lake could bring earthy in its own way he supposed, it made for a 'pretty' view he thought. Something though, something prickled at his mind. Like a memory of something about this place, kind of like deja vu but more than that. Like he'd seen this place in his mind before seeing it, or as if he recognized it from a picture he'd seen somewhere from a long time ago. It gave a sense of familiarity that almost brought a smile to his face, as he could find himself relaxing here. But, he shook it off and returned to glaring and seeming downcast. He wouldn't give his father any satisfaction. Not now, not anytime soon. Right now he wanted away from this place even if it was homey, even if it was comfortable, right now he just wanted to fight. Because he really wanted to destroy things, kill people? No, but because right now he was so angry with his father he didn't know what to do but break something! The Force swirled around him, filling him with intense energy he wanted to release on something, and the more he thought on it, the more he thought about his father chastising him, the angrier he got, the tighter his fists balled together, and the more he wanted to break something! Why shouldn't he?! His father was always telling him to use the dark side, to let his anger guide him and to use it as he would to become stronger! He grit his teeth, his nostrils flared and Luke growled out another low groan, but kept his tongue in check. Even now with all his anger he knew not to challenge his father. Not now anyways.

"Come," Luke heard is father beckon him and Starkiller after him. Luke did as told all the while maintaining a stoic face but his eyes glared outwards at nothing in particular. Vader marched forwards passing many officers and troopers along the way who were setting up the new command base as efficiently and hastily as possible. The Sith Lord merely ignored them as he carried forth towards the main villa and Luke cast them the odd glance every now and again in recognition. Though, truth be told most were too busy to notice him as they tried to set everything up as quickly as they could for their Lord. Though Luke could sense the mixed emotions in his father, he wondered if the men could get a small sense of it just by being near the turbulent Sith. Luke knew his father and his emotions more then he let on, more than Vader knew. He knew when to test the waters and when not to, and so far he'd given him a wide berth since he met him upon the sands of good ole' Tatooine. Though he was growing tired of it, and this recent little 'move' from the battle to the lake country just...irked him. Luke could sense what the men couldn't. Since being on Naboo his father was filled with anger and turmoil, and when the battle began he had felt the subtle tremors in the Force, a link from him to his father was rattled unlike anytime before on any other battlefield. Something was on this planet, or about it that troubled his father, and for some unknown reason he was part of it, and beyond just annoying Luke with his sudden bout of worry for his safety unlike on any other battlefield, now he was relegated to being shoved away on some far off lake resort villa while battle happened elsewhere where Luke knew he could be doing something! Could he ask his father what, why, who, when, where, or how? No, of course not, because no one could get inside his father's head. Sure, when his sister was around she could dig into his skin get him to talk more openly with the both of them but Luke wasn't her, wasn't as confrontational as her. It bothered him, and annoyed him, and Luke just...wanted something to do while this battle was waged on this planet. And right now, because of dear ole' dad, he was feeling pretty useless!

Nonetheless, the three of them carried on off from the grassy fields and onto a path of stone that Luke felt was made to look old rather than it actually being old itself. It wasn't long until the path grew nearer to a doorway that had massive pillars on either side of the entryway with vases containing some flowers that seemed to be blooming. The door itself was led up to by another small set of white stone stairs that the three climbed up, and wordlessly Vader flicked his left hand and the doors swung open leading into a decently large foyer. Which itself was an odd although serene mix of stone floors with plenty of elaborate and colorful rugs lining the paths. A central one led to a large hall and two were on either side of Luke. The one to his left led to a staircase going upwards. The walls were also stone and decorated with tapestries, and marked with simplistic shapes stylized some. Large rectangles and such that Luke thought were...interesting? He wasn't really into home design much.

"The quarters you two will be staying in are this way." Vader motioned forwards and both Luke and Starkiller again followed in silence for a few minutes. The Dark Lord led the way, his breathing ever sounding out through the hall before he turned right towards another hall where there were lined several doors on either side. He stopped before a simple sliding door on their collective left and pressed the entry switch and let it slide upwards allowing Luke a look inside the room.

"This one is yours Luke." Vader made sure to stress what Luke had already sensed. A bed, twice the size of anything he would ever really need was inside. The room was lined with more tapestries, and had two dressers and a wardrobe.

"A little much..." Luke trailed off under his breath as he took a step inside. The room had wall lamps everywhere but they were off as the shining light of Naboo's star shone through both a large set of doors leading to an open terrace, itself sporting several columns that connected with the roof overhead jutting out some, and a window set across from the bed. It looked out over a vast lake before the home, and the sounds of the water, and animal life, mostly birds, sounded relaxing. Though, Luke again ignored the serene sensations the planet and this place gave off.

"Um," Luke turned towards Vader who stood with his hands clasping his belt again.

"Fresher?" Vader lifted his right hand pointing his finger towards the far right corner of the room. Luke looked again and saw a door pushed back behind a small jutting wall.

"Oh, alright well, guess I got everything I could want." Luke muttered rubbing the back of his neck.

"Indeed." Vader replied before turning around.

"Your quarters will be these, my apprentice."

"Thank you, master." Starkiller bowed in appreciation and the ever present reverence he showed his Lord and master. Though, today it caused Luke to roll his eyes as he turned and plopped himself down on the foot of his bed. He sunk into it and immediately felt relaxed, but made an effort not to show it.

"Until the situation is dealt with on the planet, and I have a better grasp of things this villa will become my base of operations. Thus, your home for some time." Vader intoned turning back towards Luke, though his message was relevant to Starkiller as well.

"And exactly how long is 'some time?'" Luke dared to ask, even making air quotes with his fingers.

"As long as it takes to destroy both the Moff traitors and rebel forces on this planet. As the homeworld of the Emperor himself he expects it to be brought back under full Imperial command."

"Does putting two of your best assets out of battle help do that?" Luke muttered, but loud enough for his father to hear. He immediately felt a tremor of anger ripple from his connection to the man.

"No matter what you may think, Luke, I am committing to the task of retaking this planet as I see fit. As both your father and your master you will do as I order, and you shall cease this constant attitude of yours. You have been as you are, off that wretched world you had called home for several months now. While you have seen much in that time, you have not seen the fullest war has to offer, and you still have much to learn in both the ways of the Force and with your lightsaber. So do not condescend to me or question my judgments so lightly."

"I don't understand what makes this world different from the dozens of others I've fought on, but whatever." Luke gave up with a heaving and heavy sigh as he turned his head towards the terrace and didn't look at his father.

"Perhaps you never will." Vader remarked, and Luke felt his brow immediately furrow at the odd statement but said nothing in return.

"Today you and Starkiller rest and clean yourselves from your experience in Theed. Tomorrow I expect you and him to return to training your swordsmanship skills and the ways of the Force. I have already brought an adequate number of datapads and a few procured holocrons to aid you in your studies in the ways of the Force."

"And what about lightsabers?" Luke asked without turning still and with his tone still dull and seemingly uncaring.

"You just want me and Starkiller to fly around the villa trying to kill each other? Maybe I could redecorate this place with a few saber burns." Luke continued muttering.

"Enough!" Vader seethed with a stiff motion of his right hand.

"You will do no such thing, not to this place!" Luke again felt confused and finally turned to his father.

"I was joking. I wasn't actually going to swing a saber around here! Geez, you act like this place is like the Imperial Palace or something. It's just a big ole' dumb house for people who think they're important." Luke carried on his attitude and he could sense his father restraining himself, and in a small measure that made Luke happy. He deserved to be annoyed, in his mind.

"Nonetheless," Vader tersely began. "There is a sparring room built in the sub-level below. I expect you to train as you normally would. If and when I need you for any such operation you will be made aware." Vader turned and made ready to leave when Luke chanced a final question.

"What am I supposed to do for food around here? Cook myself? I never did learn how but if that's how-" Vader turned back towards his son.

"That has been arranged for already." The Dark Lord tersely informed and turned back down the hall from which he and the two apprentices had come from and stomped his way clear out from the villa without another word.

"I'd say you more annoyed him then angered him." Starkiller spoke as he leaned on the door frame of Luke's quarters.

"Yeah well, I don't care either way. You can't just pull someone away from their home throw them into war and all this...this stuff, and then just cut them off for no reason! I did fine, I do fine, I'm not helpless, so why here?!" Starkiller frowned.

"Don't know, but you're getting pretty worked up over it. Considering I wouldn't mind a break I would've thought you'd feel the same. Even if it does seem sudden." Luke made to answer but found he had no reply. His mouth opened and then shut several times until finally he just sighed and ran both hands through his shaggy short blonde hair.

"I guess. Anyways I was thinking we-"

"Oh, master Luke there you are!" Luke paused and leaned forwards to see passed Starkiller who also turned back towards the hall. A familiar whirring of mechanical joints sounded out as a golden plated protocol droid shuffled his way into the room.

"It has been quite some time since we last we saw one another. I had hoped you'd be alright, what with all this nasty war business going on, how dreadful indeed!" Luke felt a small thin smile creep onto his face even as he rolled his eyes at the usual manner of the droid.

"Hey Threepio. I'm guessing dad brought you here to watch over me huh?"

"Oh, Lord Vader did have me brought here some time ago indeed. To tend to your needs such as cooking and managing the cleaning droids and other daily tasks beneath yourself or his persons. Oh, and of course to tend to you as well master Starkiller." Threepio stated, seeming more of an afterthought as he turned towards Starkiller who merely acknowledged him with a terse wave of his hand.

"Well, that takes care of who'll make the meals." Luke intoned, as the weariness from the battle before finally began creeping along his body the more he remained on his far too comfortable bed.

"Oh, of course master Luke I would be most pleased with getting right to preparing you something now if you wish, both of you I mean." Threepio offered and Luke stood up and stretched.

"Nah Threepio, I'm pretty tired. I'll probably just take a shower and lay down for a bit. Haven't slept in...hmm over a day I think?"

"Oh, my goodness, of course master Luke. Please allow me to retrieve for you a fresh set of clothing!" The droid shuffled over towards one of the dressers and Luke caught Starkiller shake his head, causing another smirk to cross his face.

"Oh, and yes before I forget, master Starkiller there is another droid here to-"

"Master!" A second voice joined them that caused Starkiller to swing around again and his hand to jerk towards his saber. Luke had heard of the droid before, maybe he'd seen him once or twice too, but he hadn't ever really had conversation with it, but he knew who it was and stepped forwards to get a better look at him finally.

"Proxy?!" Starkiller questioned as the black colored and thinner droid approached his master, his yellow photoreceptors glowing bright and yellow.

"Yes master it's so good to see you still alive! That means I'll still get my chance to kill you myself!" It almost happily announced and Luke cocked a curious brow. He'd heard of the droid's...peculiar programing and mission, but hearing it saying it aloud was a bit different. A tad surreal even for Luke. Either way, Starkiller seemed to ease up some and stood more tall and let his arms drop from their ready position to snatch his saber up.

"Well it's always good to know you're thinking about me Proxy. Though, I don't think you'll be having much chance to kill me here on Naboo. I'm probably needed for a mission, or training Luke here."

"Oh I know, and it's dreadful. Absolutely dreadful!" Starkiller raised his brow now.

"'It' being exactly?" Threepio shuffled towards the bed and placed several articles of clothing down for Luke.

"He's had his programming modified, master Starkiller. Or so I was told." Proxy lowered its head like it was ashamed, or that's what Luke got from the action anyways.

"It's true, Lord Vader had me indefinitely reprogrammed to discontinue all plans for killing you until a later point and time of his choosing. Not only that," The droid went on looking towards Threepio over Starkiller's shoulder.

"But I've been stuck here with this babbling outdated protocol unit for far too long! He never ceases to speak master, and I've been disallowed from silencing it!" Luke smirked and he sensed so did Starkiller.

"Well, if you weren't so uncouth and improper with your master I would say you were defective. Now I can see you are merely programmed to be uncivil." Threepio went on and Luke swore he heard the droid 'huff' in offense.

"I may not be able to kill my master for now, but I could still certainly destroy you, you outmoded heap!" Proxy announced and seemingly glared at Threepio, though in reality the droid just stood staring at the golden protocol droid.

"Alright, alright that's enough Proxy." Starkiller stepped in between the two droids and held a calming hand up towards his droid.

"Yeah, Threepio why don't you go see if there's anything in need of doing around the house? I'm sure you could find something to keep yourself occupied."

"Oh, of course master Luke. I will return promptly for your dirty clothing for wash and repair." Threepio began shuffling out of the room and passed Proxy whom followed him as he left, and again Luke swore he heard Threepio almost mutter something as he left.

"Master, I could very easily-"

"No Proxy," Starkiller cut his droid off with a slight smirk on his face. "No destroying that one. No matter how uh...annoying he can get. It has some...history with Lord Vader anyways." Proxy's shoulders slouched and the droid feigned a sigh outwardly.

"Very well, master. I shall await the day when my programming is returned to normal and I can try killing you again." The droid continued and Starkiller shook his head.

"Right, of course Proxy. Until then though why don't you go find something to do. Maybe wait for us in the training room? Though it won't be used for a few hours I would guess."

"Oh, certainly! I could prepare myself to beat you silly at least. If not kill you I mean." The excitement was clear in the voice of the droid as it turned and left out from the room and disappeared shortly thereafter down the hallway.

"Well, he's certainly interesting." Luke offered and Starkiller nodded.

"Yeah, he sure is. I mean, he talks a lot about killing me, but he's not so bad...on the off days I mean." Luke chuckled.

"Right, well I'll keep Threepio and Artoo any day. I don't think I need the added stress of my droid trying to assassinate me." Starkiller huffed another laugh and turned out from Luke's quarters.

"See you in a few hours Luke." He waved as he moved away and Luke sent him back one even though his back was turned towards him. His door slid closed and Luke was left alone in his large quarters. He gave the room another look and again felt some distant feeling like deja vu come over him. Something about it just felt familiar. But, he knew for a fact he had never been here before.

"Man, I must be tired." He intoned with another heavy breathy sigh as he rubbed the back of his neck. He didn't say anymore as he wearily snatched up Threepio's change of clothes, essentially the same getup he was in now, and made his way towards the personal Fresher in his room.

---

"General Brashin, I assume you've been appraised of the situation?" Lord Vader asked as he entered the hastily constructed, and currently still being constructed command center building set on one of the open grassy plains away from the villa.

"Yes, Lord Vader. I have made contact with all operational units across the planet. From Theed to the outlying villages and townships." The Imperial General informed clasping his hands behind his back and stiffly standing at Vader's approach, along with several other officers inside.

"At ease." Vader tersely commanded with a flick of his right gloved hand.

"What of Theed, General?" Vader asked to which Brashin motioned towards a large circular round holo-table. He shooed the lower officers away and Vader joined the General and stood opposite of him as Brashin snapped several keys along his console.

"The Capitol has been divided up between the three active forces within the city. Of course our forces, we have control of the central districts and the Palace district. Along with the western regions going to the very outlining of the city." Malcor pointed out their control zones to Vader who watched without a word.

"The Moff traitors have gained a zone of control along the southern sector leading out into the grand plains. Masses of Stormtroopers fighting under the Moff banner are constantly being flooded down to the planet's surface. Far more than expected, and far more than I would think necessary to conquer a world such as Naboo. I would presume the monumental nature of the world is cause for their great use of manpower."

"Perhaps." Vader intoned. "What do we know of these Dark Trooper units seen on the battlefield?" Malcor nodded and brought up several holographic displays of prototypes Dark Trooper units from Imperial archival records.

"Thus far we've seen concentrated enemy battle droid units placed along the forward Moff advance against our front lines around the central district towards the palace. We have noted the use of four Dark Trooper variations. Some of which were still in the design phase when all production and research on their units were halted by virtue of the war breaking out. The Dark novatrooper," Brashin pulled up one trooper variant. "These units appear to be the main fighting trooper variation on planet at this time. Their armor is difficult to piece but they are not so much of an issue for our men to deal with. Rather, these have proven much more difficult to bring down, the Inquisitorium dark trooper." The hulking metal mass replaced the more normal sized novatrooper.

"These massive droids carry around enough firepower and armor plating to tear through three squads of men before being brought down. Thus far it appears rocket fire is the best weapon to destroy these units. They have led several charges of Moff forces into our lines, and it was only due to our placement of heavy turrets and reactivation of the defensive grids around the palace and central district that we have staved off their assaults. For now, my Lord." Vader gave a single curt bow of his head and said nothing allowing Brashin to bring up another hologram. This one showed both phase I and phase II variants of the Dark Trooper. Designs Vader was more aware of than many others.

"Beyond those two we've seen a multitude of both phase one and phase two dark Trooper units on the battlefield. Mass quantities of the phase one units have been thrown towards the palace district as well as against the droid forces under command of the rebels. They are more or less swarms used for nothing more than fodder. The phase two units are more...difficult to handle. Their repeater cannons and assault rifles are incredibly powerful, and though they're not the monsters the Inquisitorium units are proving to be they take a fair deal of blaster bolts to bring them down. They are mostly support units for waves of both organic enemy units and both phase one troops and novatroopers. Considering the steady influx of enemy organic forces I cannot gauge just how many dark trooper units are still in reserve aboard the enemy fleet in orbit. However, they are being decimated by the rapid attack of the URM droid navy and our forces moving up to press an advantage."

"Very good, General." Vader replied nodding as he overlooked the holographic Theed some more.

"What of the rebel forces?" Malcor cleared his throat before answering.

"A rapid landing by rebel forces during the heavy fighting between our forces and the traitors led to a successive swarm and takeover of much of the western sector of the capitol. They have dug in and the droids have begun occupying every building they go near. They have pushed hard on all fronts both against us and the Moffs. A sort of lull has formed between us and the Moffs because of this. Though I have reasserted that our forces are to in no way give leeway or support to enemy combatants no matter who or what they may be or what they're fighting." Vader nodded. There was to be no safety and no reprieve to any enemy of the Empire. Even if the coming of the URM was a serious...upset.

"Thus far they have pushed on both our and the Moff's fronts but the droids of the rebels are making a concerted effort to push both into the palace square and outwards into the plains. Bombing runs by ourselves and Moff forces have adequately kept them from forming out and ballooning across the great plains. Where I and our analysts conclude they would attempt to fold in back around the whole of the city and surround both us and the Moff traitors inside the confines of Theed. Thus, I have prioritized all bombing missions to be on keeping the rebel forces contained to the small patch of grassy plains they've secured outside the city to the western sector. With your blessings hopefully, my Lord Vader." Vader nodded.

"You have it, General. What of the rest of the planet?" Brashin turned the hologram into a wider circling projection of Naboo. Hundreds of little red dots clouded the planet signaling enemy contacts in orbit, but the General cleared those away with another flick of some keys along the console.

"Moff forces have attacked many of the major cities on Naboo. Of which there are of course very few as you know, my Lord. So far local defensive corps in place have managed to stave off any serious encroachments and Theed is pulling nearly all of their resources away from the outlying cities. The URM forces are another matter, however." The General intoned.

"Hundreds of smaller units sizing from companies to battalions have marched across the plains far outside our needed control sectors for Theed. Moving on towns and villages of much smaller occupation and locals. Local policing forces have been redirected for defensive military concerns. I would have more forces to dispatch from local security forces, however..." Brashin trailed off and Vader could sense his unease which piqued his interest.

"Speak plainly, General." Vader more commanded in stern a voice than gave the General the ease and freedom to speak what he was thinking.

"There have been two developments I must inform you of. One of which pertains to my previous statement. The other, well it is beyond my expertise to deal with." Vader nodded once more, slowly and methodically, almost threateningly as well.

"To the matter that concerns me now, when we received our reinforcement influx into Theed we began evacuation procedures of the VIP bunkers as protocol dictated. However, there is a problem, we are missing several VIP's of great importance, my Lord Vader."

"What 'VIP's' General?" Vader demanded. Brashin again cleared his throat and stood tall his face turning stoic as Vader sensed he expected something. Something bad to happen to him.

"During evacuation protocols of the palace a bombing run commenced that collapsed an entire wing of the structure. During that time the wing was being used to transfer VIP's from the royal bunker unit to an awaiting transport. More specifically, the Queen and her entourage and handmaidens. We have...not found their bodies yet my Lord, however, search teams are...preoccupied." Vader remained silent. Behind his mask some emotions raced through him, some pangs that came from some distant remote memory better left forgotten and lost. A face came to his mind, beautiful, smiling, and the Dark Lord shivered as new found rage raced through his body and boiled his blood.

"Queen Kylantha, she is missing. Is that what you're telling me, General?" He stiffly nodded.

"Y...yes, My Lord. The structure collapsed under the bombing run from what we believe to have been from rebel forces when they began their initial assault. It is presumed she is...beneath the rubble, but with the quantity of debris and destruction and the...bodies we've already recovered the assessment of on-site teams is she is-"

"Deceased." Vader concluded matter-of-factly. Vader couldn't say he was particularly saddened at the woman's loss. She had been a puppet more or less installed by the Emperor when Naboo was pacified years ago. Yet, he knew why Brashin was afraid, the death of so high a figure, a symbol of Imperial rule and dominance, bode poorly for the Empire's image. Now so boastfully swelling after his master's little speech as well. Though, that prickling set of memories attacking his mind, that, that did enrage him as he stood silently with Malcor for another moment.

"We will discuss the failing of the evacuation teams after the battle, General. And what effects it carries onto you. However," Vader raised a single pointing index finger Malcor's way. "I will not hear of any further failings from the evac' teams. AM I understood?" Malcor bowed his head deeply.

"Yes, my Lord Vader."

"Good, now what effect has this had on your defensive measures?" Vader inquired, as he did not see the connection between a dead Queen and Malcor's security concerns for the villages.

"All other VIP's were evacuated and accounted for. Including Governor Panaka." Vader felt his eyes immediately shut behind his mask and his jaw set in anger at the mere name of the man.

"He was moved to bunker Aurek-2 in the deep swamps of Naboo. However, as Governor he enacted his emergency security powers and re-purposed hundreds of Naboo security forces, royal guards and police units across the city to secure several dozen holdings across the planet. Most of which are...well properties under the control of his house, my Lord. If I were to be given access to those men, I would have enough for nearly a legion and a half to use across the planet for defensive measures while we await further ground assets." Vader turned and paced towards his left towards one of the walls of the room, his hands crushing his belt as his anger spiked and the Force whirled both inside and around himself.

"That arrogant, old fool!" The Sith Lord bellowed and rumbling roared through the room causing Malcor to stiffen as beads of sweat formed along his brow and his body shivered from some unseen spike of energy.

"Long has he deserved death for..." Vader stopped himself, Brashin need not know his history with the wretch of a man who styled himself an honorable man of Naboo.

"He will be punished for this foolishness! We are at war, and in the heat of a battle, General. You have my personal permission to override and rescind all of Governor Panaka's directives. However, tell me," Vader turned and menacingly placed his right hand onto the holo-table causing the image of the planet to buzz and he leaned forwards towards Brashin.

"Who else is with Panaka at bunker Aurek-2?"

"No...no one else, my Lord. Aurek-2 is designated for Moffs, or Governors of the sector if they are on word at the time. His family are welcome as well, but thus far we've been informed they are off world."

"Excellent," Vader pushed himself back up.

"Then reward his idiocy by ordering all security staff to vacate the premises and fall under your directives for defensive measures in whatever townships and villages you deem necessary, General." Brashin felt his brow raise at the notion of leaving the Governor defenseless, but there was a part of him that wanted to smirk at the prospect. The man had stifled his measures and plans already, and Brashin didn't much care for the Moff types who had stayed and kept their power by simple merit of being renamed, 'Governor.'

"As you command, my Lord." Brashin bowed and Vader nodded to himself and paced back right.

"Now, the second matter, General?" Malcor had almost forgot and snapped back to attention as he keyed in several more keys along the console.

"Intelligence caught a snippet of a conversation between a ground commando team being run by the Moff Alliance for unknown purpose. Intelligence has kept this quiet with orders to continue to do so from Command back on Anaxes. However, you are to be made aware." Vader again nodded.

"Play what you have, General." Brashin snapped a final key and the recording began.

"...need support, anything to fight of these...Jed..."

"Jedi, what do you mean Jedi?! Come in..." The quick recording ended as quickly as it had begun but Vader was nonetheless stunned for a moment as Brashin awaited his Lord.

"That was Moff Kaine's voice, was it not?"

"Our analysts have concluded it is. The man he was speaking to was a known officer apparently that Intelligence had been looking for. They knew that he had to be leading a commando team as an offshoot of some unit called the First Moff SpecForce Division."

"Do, we have any information on where this commando unit was?" Malcor gave a tense nod.

"Origin point of the transmission appears to be inside of Theed. We cannot pinpoint where due to massive transmission scrambling across multiple channels from all factions within the city. However, Intelligence believes this matter falls under your jurisdiction because of the-"

"Jedi, I am aware, General." Vader intoned and growled beneath his mask, though it didn't become audible out from his mask.

"They came and killed a Moff SpecForce operational unit. That must mean they are not in league with them. Obviously they wouldn't be from among our ranks. That leaves two options then." Malcor furrowed his brow.

"Two, my Lord?" Vader nodded.

"They either are from the URM, as you no doubt believe them to be. An easy conclusion to come to, since their Supreme Commander, at least for now, is that Jedi witch. However, we cannot be too quick to conclude with Jedi. They may well be a team of survivors from the purge looking to take advantage of the situation here on Naboo for their own ends."

"What ends, my Lord?" Vader paused.

"That is the question, General. They had to attack that commando unit for a reason. There would be no friendliness among the Jedi or Moffs, but to attack a team of them for no discernible reason does not play well into the profile of the Jedi." Vader continued.

"Send out word to all ground commanders inside of Theed. Issue a new directive to report any and all suspicious enemy combatant activity within the city itself."

"Yes, of course, My Lord. But, what if these Jedi learn we are onto them?"

"Then they will act quickly and perhaps play their hand too soon, for whatever their intent may be. Or, they will run. Either way I will attain a better assessment of their actions and their intent. Then, I will deal with them, General." Brashin had no reason to disagree or question his Lord's judgments. He knew well enough that Jedi were beyond his realm to handle, and he had seen Lord Vader fight, and his son, and apprentice. He trusted Vader knew what he was doing. After all, he had killed so many of them already as it was.

"As you command, my Lord." Brashin once more acknowledged.

"Then do as I've ordered. I expect a ground assessment of Theed within the next two standard hours. Keep me appraised at all times, General." Vader ordered and swiftly turned his black cloak flowing around his imposing figure. Malcor stiffened and bowed.

"Of course, my Lord." He answered and Vader strode out from the room leaving the General alone to commit to his assigned duties. While the Sith Lord went to find a moment of solitude within the villa.

He needed something to take his mind off everything. He still pulsed with anger. Mixed from many aspects of the General's reports and feelings that broke to the surface again. Always ever did they do so on this damn planet, and Vader hated them.

(Kuat, Kuatac City)

The warbling twin bladed saber spun through the air, chasing three men who ran screaming from it. But they could not outrun the blades as they spun and hummed like a creature or monster giving chase, and sliced through one, then two and finally the third man, impaling him where he stood. He fell to his knees coughing, and in shock before the saber was torn from his body backwards from him and he slouched forwards to the ground dead. The brilliant blue blades returned back to their master whom caught the saber hilt before himself with both beams still protruding out horizontally across his form.

"Secure this street, I want sentries covering the pathways into the streets over on both ends Commander!" Exar commanded as he silenced one end of his saberstaff and twirled the hilt in his hand until the still active side was held at the ready.

"Yes, my Lord!" The officer saluted hastily and ran off towards a column of men moving in from the street back from whence they had all originated from. Bodies littered the lower levels of the grand capitol city of Kuat. Dozens and possibly hundreds of bodies lining this street alone as Kun barreled his way through each one, keeping his men back, withholding them until he needed them for securing a street he gained for them all on his own. It brought a smirk to his face, one of impending victory as he moved forwards, and walked over the recently cut down masses of men of the rebels.

They were in fact all garbed as Raydonn had informed. Black, and seeming to have been modeled after skeletal frames, with masks to look imposing. Though, truth be told Kun had seen worse in his many, many years of existence. The Dark Lord supposed that if they had caught some of his more superstitious men in an alley somewhere at night they might've caused them to soil themselves, but beyond that he thought the new look for the URM's organic forces...trivial.

A warbling and screech pulled his gray eyes upwards. The many spires and looming towers overhead were marred in scorch wounds, burnt out and blown out floors with smoke billowing from them and debris falling like rain droplets to the further ground where he stood. The glare and glow of the day star shone on those that broke through the shadows of their fellow towering behemoths of metal, and reminded Kun that it was in fact still day out. Being so far down in the depths of the city he could of course tell, but with some corners and alleys it could make a man wonder. Still, what caught him were three MAAT's that shot through the air overhead heading towards the main battle beyond the confines and limits of Kuatac, and he smiled, feeling assured that his apprentices were doing well in quelling the droid masses of the rebels.

"Street corners, alleyways, secure ground levels, you know the drill!" The officer's voice sounded out prompting Kun to glance over his shoulder towards the man as a stream of white clad troops swarmed into the street followed by men on speeders and several Centurion-class tanks. The Sith tilted his head back forwards some as a series of massive successive explosions caught his ear, barely rumbling and shaking the city itself. He assumed it was from the distant battle of course, but he couldn't imagine what could cause such a massive explosion to where the city would shake. Though he did wave it off with a simple smirk.

"That's the block my Lord! Reports from our spotters indicate the enemy has secured this street and the adjacent three over." The officer declared running up besides Kun and pointing forwards towards another street that ran horizontal from their point of view. Exar nodded as he scanned to see if he saw anything directly in front of him on the street itself.

"If you wish my lord I can have a tactical team enter and secure these two spires," The officer pointed to two buildings on either side of their current street that went up quite a few levels.

"We can secure the upper levels, say the 23rd floor of each. From those vantage points we'd have a clear line of sight on any enemy forces entering the street from either end."

"A viable option. However, considering we don't yet know what arsenal they're dealing with it is my presumption they will have enough firepower to bring your squads down. Look at these gashes in the spires." Kun motioned up and the officer followed his hand wave.

"No targeted beam strikes and no scorch markings, at least from what I can see, that align with masses of blaster bolts being fired. Those are from cannons. My presumption being any tactical squadrons you send up will be hit with some enemy cannon fire, regardless of how many you take out. This is, after all, urban warfare." Kun chuckled darkly, and the man grimaced as he considered his Lord's observations.

"Very well, my Lord. What should-"

"I will head into the street myself." Kun raised a silencing hand and cut the officer off.

"I will secure it, for the most part, and let you know which buildings the enemy are using as nests and which floors. Hopefully we can knock out as few as possible while killing as many as is optimal." Kun offered still smiling and the man looked ready to object, but he remained silent and merely nodded after another moment.

"Yes, of course my Lord. I and the men will await your signal, as before."

"Excellent." Kun responded and simply began strolling forwards, his black cloak waving in the wind as he did. The Sith could hear the men behind him securing the street still, the speeders zooming down the opposite end of the street for a quick patrol of their new front line perimeter against the URM encroachment into Kuatac. The tanks lined up, like bulwarks to keep any surprise enemy counterattack at bay from retaking too much territory. Kun, merely kept smirking, frankly the rebels made this whole thing all too easy. He was actually beginning to enjoy himself.

Within a matter of moments Kun entered the next street and was met with silence. Well, silence save for the endless sounds of distant battle. Sounds he had long since become accustomed to in the galaxy at this point. Still, he could sense them. Dozens of beings all around him, somewhere lining or in the street itself, but they were being...sneaky. His saber hummed as his boots fell to the metallic lined street, and his smirk remained endlessly along his features as a stray gust of wind sent his cloak and hair whipping through the air. He continued forwards for a few feet down the silent street until he came to the dead center. On either side of him abandoned speeders and burnt out husks of them remained, with shops blown out and gaping holes burned in the sides of some buildings, with the scarce body here and there as well. All telltale signs of a prior battle of course. However, the silence remained, despite what Kun could sense. He scanned his eyes left to right, and glanced both ways, turning more and seeing if he could spot anyone, but he saw nothing.

"Come now! I know you're all there, I can sense you!" Kun announced and used the Force to extend his voice out even more loudly then he could naturally.

"Surely you can all see who I am! But if not or you're too stupid to know I shall enlighten you here and now in your final moments!" Kun chuckled some more as he waved his arms out at his sides presenting himself like a wide open target.

"I am Lord Exar Kun! You may remember me as the one who showed your dear friend Bail Organa to be nothing but a treasonous pawn! You may remember that I gave the ammunition, and the very information Darth Vader required to kill thousands of your fellow rebel scum upon and above Dubrava! You may also know me as the one who's been quite rapidly killing your men throughout this city, one street at a time! So come now," Kun laughed loudly after his long introduction and dropped his arms still smirking.

"This little game you are all playing, waiting for me to come right where you want me, and need me, it's pointless! No matter what you do I won't die here, not to you, not today! Come, I will even make it easier for you!" Kun offered and snapped his saber off and clasped it quickly back to his belt and once more brought his arms out extended at either side of himself.

"Now if any of you have the gall, give me your best shot, and kill me here and now!" Kun tempted and waited, and then he sensed it.

He snapped right as a flurry of bolts rained down towards him. He snapped his back against a fallen air-speeder with a wide grin plastered along his face.

"Damn it! Open fire!" He heard someone scream out, their anger and frustration evident in both his voice and presence in the Force. Kun chuckled as he guessed he led to one of this man's men opening fire before the opportune time.

"Excellent." The Sith laughed finally and swung back around the air-speeder and threw his left hand up unleashing a terrible Force blast that rippled through the air before crashing into the third story of a nearby building where the endless blinking lights of rebel troops shone out as they tried to shoot at him. The blasts slammed into and tore chunks from the building as screams were made audible for a second before going silent.

Kun swung around snapping his saber back up and activating both ends, and he threw the blade into a rapid twirl. A stream of bolts flew against the humming and whirling weapon and bolts few in all directions as he protected himself from the horde of deadly plasma.

At least ten men appeared along the roof of a shop that only rose two stories high. Some stood others crouched and rained bolts down at him, and Kun could sense more danger behind himself. He threw his left hand out and unleashed a wave of Force energy that he allowed to course over him as it slammed into a nearby building and their air-speeder. His body was lunged further into the street towards the opposite end.

He came to a sudden and boot skidding stop. With a heave he threw his saber hard left letting the Force guide the weapon up several stories towards more men that showed themselves inside the fourth story of another building who fired down on him. He turned back right at the two-story building and raised both hand and unleashed a massive and crackling bout of thundering blue lightning that whirled through the air and slammed into all the men standing there. They all screamed out in tremendous and horrifying pain with shrieks that sounded at least two streets over, as their bodies convulsed and twitched beneath the Sith Lord's actions.

He more sensed than heard or saw those men now behind him fall dead from his saber tearing through them one by one. Exar smirked and ceased his bout of lightning and spun around, calling his saber back to himself and as he caught it the last man's head fall clean from his shoulders down to the street below while his body fell into the room where he stood. He snatched the saber from the sky and spun in time to swing it up left and send an errant bolt flying into the head of another enemy trooper along a fifth floor balcony, whose head snapped back harshly and he fell back dead. As more men appeared all over that building. Third floor, fifth, sixth, tenth, and Kun's eyes snapped to each he saw come out. They all fired down towards him, and before he moved Kun did see one mount a rocket launcher onto his shoulder.

The Sith Lord barreled to his left, and ran at speeds that were wholly abnormal to the average person's eyes. His saber at his side, swung just behind himself as bolts trailed after him scorching the ground both behind and around him as he let the Force guide his every step. He began arching back right towards the building in question just as the first cannon shot unleashed upon him with a howl through the open air. Kun grinned even more widely as he steadied his breath while he ran. He jumped right, his body doing what could only be described as a cartwheel in mid air. He landed and his left hand snapped out and swung back right, and to the horror of those firing, the rocket fired at Kun immediately turned back towards them all.

"Get down, get down no-" One man cried as the cannon shot hurdled back and slammed into a spot between the third and fourth floors shaking all those near and around it and killing at least two men.

The men left standing all had been shaken and smoke obscured their lines of sight.

"Get a bead on him damn it!" One trooper called but then a familiar sound came crashing in before them. Through the smoke the blue of the humming saber shone first through the smoke. The first trooper howled in horror and raised his blaster firing, but they all missed as the saber blade punctured right through his chest and heart. He slumped back, his finger momentarily stuck firing the blaster to the balcony floor below him as Kun stood before him, and then violently yanked the saber form his broken and dead form.

Exar snapped back and propped his feet onto the shredded railing of the balcony and jumped up with the Force towards what was now the sixth floor. He jerked forwards onto this balcony and fell into a roll. His saber, only one side active, under his left arm was swung up right and slashed cleanly across one disoriented man who cried in pain, before Kun swung it back right and through another trooper's throat and heard him gurgle before he yanked it back out and let the man fall over dead.

He moved left and peered over the edge of the balcony down towards the fourth floor where another three troopers were. They were jittery, looking left and right, trying to look through the smoke and debris.

"Where is he!"

"I don't know, damn it!" Two went at it and Exar laughed harshly, again jumping onto the railing of a balcony. Without a word he jumped off softly and aimed towards them with his saber held back over his right shoulder tilted behind his head. He howled with a scream aided by the power of the Force that sounded nothing less than that of a horrendous monster and all three men jumped at the sound as Kun slammed down slashing the saber down left gutting one man in near two halves. He fell into another roll and came to a stop stabbing outwards into the gut of a second man who howled, and Kun proceeded to slash up nearly bisecting this man.

"Holy!" The third man could only cry as he shot at Kun but he spun away from the second man's corpse and swung full around connecting the back of his right hand into the third trooper's helmeted face and swinging him left. Suddenly the man was grabbed by his breastplate and yanked forwards until his helmet was before Kun's smirking face. His gray eyes bore into him and betrayed his smile with the true darkness inside the man.

"If you're so intent on suicide, here, let me help." Kun then harshly shoved the man back and the trooper screamed as he felt his body snap over the ledge of the balcony, and down several stories. The entire way he howled before Kun heard a thud that was almost cringe worthy.

"As for you," Kun snapped his head left and up to see the same cannon sporting man from before aiming down at him shakily once more.

"You're really not worth the effort." Kun scoffed and lazily motioned his left hand right and the man was tugged with an unseen powerful force over the side of his balcony like the trooper before him and he howled on the way down as he fired a rocket off unintentionally that slammed into the building Kun was still in once more. Chunks of metal and debris careened out onto the street and smoke plumed up from the new gash in the side, but Kun again jumped through the smoke, and landed onto the street without a hint of concern in his demeanor.

The Dark Lord sidestepped to his right as a bolt slammed into and scorched the ground. He cocked a curious brow and looked back towards his right, or down the street. He could sense more than actually see two snipers perched along a seventh story balcony of another spire. Kun shook his head and again dashed forwards with his saber hung behind him as he went. A flurry of quick sniper shots came down around him as he ran, but each shot he simply dodged or sidestepped as they came his way. He kept running and pulled his saber back around before him until it was under his left arm. He came to another sudden stop just as another bolt flew his way, and with one quick slash it was thrown back and snapped into the first sniper who slumped down dead. His friend loudly cursed and jumped up firing at Kun as he did.

Exar reached his left hand out and clutched the hand in the open air and squeezed. The second sniper painfully howled as he was lifted off the ground into the open air. His arms snapped to his sides and he twisted in the open skies. Again, Exar darkly chuckled, before he snapped his hand shut into a fist and for an instant the man shrieked in pain before going silent, as bones and organs were simultaneously crushed beneath the power of the Force. The tattered and broken corpse fell unceremoniously to the street below with another crushing thud, further breaking and bending the already mutilated body.

Then a silence fell over the street leaving Kun alone. He pushed his senses out looking for anyone else near to him, and though he felt presences near, he guessed them to be those of his men, as they were familiar, and men further down the street or on the next one over. He sighed contentedly and deactivated his saber wholly and again clasped it to his belt. Three more MAAT's flew overhead, which Kun numbly acknowledged as he glanced both left and right again.

"Well, that went better than expected. A little to quickly even." He frowned to himself whilst idly rubbing his hands. In the relative silence and loneliness of the deadened street Kun felt secured and relaxed. He eyed down the street, and guessed it to go for another standard quarter of a mile before turning into another new horizontal path relative to his eyesight. He figured, and sensed there to be more men, hiding amongst the towers and spires down that road. Whether or not they had seen his little destruction of their comrades he didn't know. Though, he did hope they had, as his smirk crept easily back onto his face.

"Kun..."

Exar jumped and turned left, his hand going to and clasping his saber hilt.

"What?" He intoned to himself, as his gray eyes scanned the line of buildings, shops and towers. His hair stood on end across his body, and his body tensed for...well he didn't know why really. But, he had heard it, had heard someone call his name. It sounded...vaguely familiar, though. It made his eyes narrow towards the opposite side of the street, more towards an open alleyway. For some reason his heart was beating harder than it had even when thrashing the foolish rebels. With his body still tensed and all his senses in overdrive he took the first tentative step towards the alleyway. He felt an odd sense of compulsion drive him towards it, and pull him near. Though, as he stretched out his senses all he felt were the many presences of the rebels and his own troops all around him inside of Kuatac.

Exar cast a quick glance back right where he knew more rebel troops to be waiting for him along more spires and towers. He paid them no mind, though he did cast them an unseen glare, before returning his full attention to the dark alleyway. He crossed over onto the walkway and inched closer to the alley. He moved into it, and glanced both ways, up and down on either side. Nothing but two smaller sized shops stood on either side of him. Barring no scorch marks or open signs of battle from before. He looked down along the ground and did, however, find several dead bodies. Three Stormtroopers and one rebel trooper. He frowned at the sight, but more at himself than at the bodies. He glanced back fully around himself and saw no one. The alley cut itself off before heading onto the adjacent street, and the divide was more because of a large spire blocking the way than a small gate or wall.

"Perhaps I'm a little on edge." He laughed to himself and eased his body from the tension. He turned back towards the street and crossed his arms over his chest and tried shaking off the unease that rattled him. His mind refusing to get that call for him out. Something in the tone was familiar. Old, and wise, but Kun racked his mind for some memory on what about it seemed familiar. Then again he was alone, and that made him want to smack himself! No one called him, nobody was here! Though that knowledge didn't help alleviate his mind.

There was just something around the voice. He couldn't shake it, and it sent a shiver of memory through him. He hated not knowing what was bothering him. What was gnawing at his mind. Exar growled at himself and ground his teeth in silent frustration. When he heard it.

He swung around, his saber in his hand and activated one of the brilliant and illuminating blue beams of light. Yet, his brows both cocked high at what he saw. There stood a rebel trooper, and Kun looked to the ground, and saw it was the same that he had thought dead moments prior. No, he wasn't dead, and that caused Kun to growl at himself once more!

"I didn't see you alive there." Kun intoned, but the man didn't respond. In his hands he held a blaster carbine. Kun lowered his saber as he sensed no danger from the man, and in the darkness of the alley it took him a minute to realize why. Only when he again raised his saber, more as a source of light did he see why.

The man was gurgling and his hands were twitching as they held the carbine. He was nearly limp, and he was leaning back, as Kun saw a nasty curved blade, with its very end still sticking out from the man's neck dripping with blood along its barbs and crooked curves. From behind the man another face peeked out, and Kun nearly recoiled in shock, as he hadn't sensed them either.

"Sorry bout' that, but this guy won't be talking any time soon." The boy smirked as he pat the left shoulder of the dying man. His short blonde hair was ruffled and dirty. His blue eyes seemed bloodshot, and his fair skin seemed a tad sickly and dirty by Kun's point of view. Though perhaps it was merely the darkness of the alley.

"And you are?" Exar asked, and the boy, Kun guessed to be about the same age if not slightly older than Viathan, held up his right index finger. Motioning for the Dark Lord to give him a minute and wait. He grasped the blade in his right hand and placed his left hand along the gurgling man's helmet and with a harsh yank the boy twisted and pulled the ghastly looking blade from the neck of the dying man. Kun could see it was long and sickle like. Three barbed hooks ran along the length and came to a harsh pointed and crooked tip. Its hilt had a handle like design, allowing him or anyone that grasped the blade to slide their fingers through and snugly keep the blade gripped to the hand.

"He'll be dead in a minute or two. Oh, as for my name, it don't matter much, but it's Talem, Kun."

"So, you know who I am?" Kun asked, and the boy, Talem scoffed lightly as he bent down over the body of the fallen man.

"Well, beyond yous yelling it for all to hear a bit ago, yeah. There's only three people I got in mind who run around the galaxy wearing getup's like that." He pointed his bloodied blade towards Kun's armor, forcing the Dark Lord to look down at himself.

"Well, most people don't understand the outfits I suppose."

"Oh I understand, I just think it looks a tad uh...what's the word? Weird, yeah that's it." The boy offered, and Kun took the moment to see he was wearing a dirty long black trench coat and dark jeans underneath with blackened boots. The coat was open and unbuttoned and looked too old and dirty to even have any buttoning left. The boy had sweat around his brow that he idly wiped away with the back of his right hand every few seconds, and Kun thought it odd, since the day, despite the warfare, was cool. Exar did recall the boy's eyes from before, though, and sensed something...off about him.

"Ya' know it ain't hard to tell you're trying to get a gauge on me. I could always tell when someone's trying to give me the up and down treatment. It's cool just don't be all surprised that I can tell. You know it helped when you gotta make a deal with a dirty Devaronian trying to give ya' the work around, but it ain't always easy. Hutts are a pain in the backside, can't read them for poodoo. Tried to once, didn't go well, thought he wanted to do a deal for five pounds of some spice I took ironically, off a Rodian, but he wanted to pay half price for each of em' and I says to him, 'no way,' but I also thought he'd play ball but my whole observations didn't do no good on him. In the end got beat up by his goons, one of em' owed me a few credits too, the sleemo, but oh well, as is life. Right my friend?" Kun cocked a brow as the boy just went on and on and wouldn't stop, and as he patted the dead man below him calling him 'friend.'

"What are you on exactly?"

"What?" The boy asked as he began snapping the dead rebel man's armor off, and caused Exar again to raise his brow curiously.

"You, you're obviously on something. I don't care just tell me." Talem chuckled and nodded as he yanked the wrist armor off the trooper.

"Gotta get good while you can. With all this war crap going on I decided it was high time I got mines and what was due to me. So, everyone's dying in the capitol so ain't nobody gonna miss a few deadbeat Rodians or the odd fat Gamorean alien pig. So, I says to myself, 'Talem ya' gotta get ahead while the opportunity is here!' Comes to me then, that I should go and kill me a few aliens that I know are holding, ya' know selling their poison on the streets of this fair human planet." The boy sniffled and motioned his arms out.

"They owed me anyways, so I find em' all and well," he laughed holding up his dagger and tipping it back and forth before Kun.

"I got what was owed to me, and decided to celebrate. So, I'm a little wired yeah, some good spice. Real good." The boy shivered and shook his head as he then snapped the front of the trooper's breastplate off.

"I see. Now what are you doing?" Kun asked motioning his head towards the trooper. Talem placed the breastplate down and looked to Kun and followed his head.

"Oh this?" He laughed and again sniffled, and idly wiped his forehead of sweat.

"Well, maybe you can tell but I'll just come out and says it. I'm what you uppity and high class types call an uh...what? Street urchin, rat, scumbag, and criminal. So, ya' gotta do what," He paused and heaved a mighty huff as he yanked the dead man's helmet off his head, exposing the rebel's pained expression as he died, and blood that still flowed out from his neck.

"Ya gotta do!" He finished getting the helmet off with a smirk.

"These here, I know you guys are gonna take and bury, burn or throw into the star. Or, however, ya' get rid of anything you guys deem 'inappropriate,' for others to get. I figure once this is all over, there gonna be a lot of people, mostly uppity types who'll want a memento to remember when these rebel types hit Kuatac. You guys are gonna get rid of most of em' and they can make me a pretty credit or two." Kun nodded, and nudged his head to the fallen Stormtroopers.

"What about them?"

"Them?!" Talem pointed at the fallen troops and Kun nodded.

"Heck, they ain't worth much. You guys are everywhere. I know a toy shop that sells little fake 'stormie' outfits to kids. Usually a big sale happens on Empire day, or whatever the hell you guys call it. A genuine Stormtrooper outfit I could maybe get a few credits for, but then everyone's gonna wanna check it for officialness and all that, and I ain't got the time for all that. These boys though," He again yanked an armor piece off, this time the shoulder piece of the man. It allowed Kun to see these men wore more armor than their appearance led on. An interesting fact indeed.

"When you Imperials get a hold of the bodies and do whatever ya' gonna do, ain't nobody gonna really be round' to tell anyone otherwise on their officialness. Except me that is. Plus, these boys always help." He held up the helmet and turned it towards Kun, for the Sith Lord to see an identification tag burned along the lower neckline.

"So, this is all to make a little money eh? The point of killing this one before he got the drop on me?" Talem shrugged.

"I watched your little killing spree out there. Though it would be a real shame you got killed by some nobody with your back turned. I mean ya' really want ya' legacy to read, 'Exar Kun, Lord of the Galactic Empire, shot in the back in Kuatac city!" The boy motioned his hand out like he was waving it along the fictional plaque and Exar frowned at the mental image.

"Well then, I suppose I owe you my gratitude. Talem...uh."

"Last names don't matter much, never has for me. But, it's Feerdris if ya' really got to know."

"Feerdris." Kun nodded.

"Tell me, Talem, how long have you been able to 'read,' people?"

"Since I can remember. I just know how to gauge people good. Ya' gotta do so when you grow up on the street and deal with the gangster types. Like I said though the Hutts are the worst. Can't ever get a good read off them." Exar smirked and nodded again.

"Yes, Hutts are quite hard to...read, as you say. Tell me, are you also good at hiding?"

"What?" Talem asked peeling off more armor.

"Well, those like me, we can sense others. Unless distracted or other like me hide themselves. Your friend here went unnoticed by me because...well I was distracted." Kun semi muffled as he recalled that voice from before.

"You, however, I would think I should sense you easily. Yet, I did not. So, on your own account are you good at hiding?" Talem paused and frowned.

"Guess I'm good at blending in with the crowd. Sometimes ya' get into a cantina you start a fight for a fun night and realize ten minutes later you just hit Gaddo, and he's a nasty looking alien, a mean Nikto from Nal Hutta, and ya' gotta go missing for a few weeks till' he cools off. Then ya' spot him on the street in the red light district two weeks into ya' hiding, and see him getting all frisky and into one of them Twi'lek whores." Kun cocked a curious brow. Noting but the most recent disgusted remark made against aliens from the boy.

"So, ya' follow him, wait about ten minutes for him to finish his business with the Twi'lek, and then ya' catch him when he least expects it, and doesn't sees it coming. Ya jump on his back and you bury this bad boy into his eye, then his throat over and over till he falls screaming like the ack dog he is till' dead. So, yeah I am good at hiding, but better at waiting for ya' when ya' least expect it. Know what I mean?" Exar nodded.

"Indeed I do."

"Why do ya' care though? Ain't ya' got a battle to win? Ya' know, for the glory of the almighty Empire." Talem snorted grabbing the trooper's carbine with a pleased hum.

"Well, I can see you have some skills about you. Better spent perhaps beyond selling armor from dead men."

"Oh yeah? Gotta a job offer?" Talem asked sarcastically.

"Not necessarily no. Truth be told I'm already dealing with too many teenagers with chips on their shoulders." Talem snorted.

"Yeah, teens are the worst." Kun thought the statement ironic but said nothing about it in reply.

"However, I think from what you've told me, and from what I've seen your skills could be better used...elsewhere."

"Like the army? Thanks but I think I'll pass. I don't like having to go around saying, 'yes sir, no sir, please sir spit on me some more.' I like doing what I want when I want and surviving as I do best. Alone, and stronger for that loneliness. I like the solitude, my own personal solace." He pointed his dagger to his chest and Kun smirked.

"Indeed, but it was a mere suggestion, Feerdris. But before I leave you and give you but a moments head start from your grave robbing activities," Talem suddenly stopped and glance at Kun cautiously.

"I'm going to offer you a chance to have more power then you could imagine. Though, I think unlike the rest of the 'angsty' lot I have already I don't wish any further additions to come to me through fighting tooth and nail to get there. So, my proposition is this," Kun began crossing his arms and appearing lordly.

"If you so desire to have greater power then a nobody thief, and murderer here on the streets of Kuatac you can join the Imperial army. Not the Stormtrooper Corps, that would require too much training and nonsense. The army is taking anyone who's willing and some who are unwilling these days. Now, the power I offer you comes not from your 'skills,' as you read them. But from this, the Force." Kun motioned his right hand backwards behind himself and suddenly an air-speeder left along the roadside was flung clear across the road to the other side of the road and slammed into a building causing Talem to subtly recoil from the sight.

"Ye...yeah, like I said, I saw what you did to the other guys a few minutes ago." He reminded Kun, who smiled in return.

"You too have that power. Now that you're before me, and open about yourself I can sense it. And it is...quite interesting just how much potential I sense in you." Talem looked cautious still and glanced down at his hands, like he was gauging if he could do what he just saw Kun did.

"Oh yeah? Sounds cool, but uh, I ain't much for war you know? Too much strategizing and all sorts of other poodoo." Kun chuckled.

"Perhaps, but power such as yours carries the benefit of instilling fear and authority in all whom you dominate. Greater than any Hutt could ever hope to be that's for certain. If you want power you must fight for it and fight hard to overcome all obstacles the universe will seek to throw in your way. Both person and situation.

'So, as I said, join the Imperial army. Climb through its ranks, make use of those skills you already have, and I am certain the Force will have our paths cross again, Talem Feerdris. Think of this as my gratitude for my little problem there." Kun nudged his head towards the dead rebel and Talem shrugged.

"Sure, I guess I could think it over. But uh, yeah probably not gonna happen. Got too much going on ya' know? The boy rubbed his nose and irritatingly swept more sweat aside from his brow.

"Indeed, however, if you should chose otherwise I think you may have a bright future ahead of yourself, Talem Feerdris." Kun turned then with his back towards the boy, and took the first couple steps out from the alleyway. The Dark Lord smirked and couldn't believe his luck really. The boy was left watching Kun for a moment, before he went double time and started peeling away articles of armor and clothing from the dead rebel.

While Exar mused on the power he felt inside the boy. He had to smirk, because he couldn't believe of all places and all times he would come across yet another teenager with inert potential in the Force. But, greater than that, Kun had only felt such raw and unburdened potential rage from one other of his apprentices. All of them had potential, all of them were immensely strong and with training and persistence they could become greater than all others could imagine. But, Kun knew everyone had potential, but some were born, or made with raw potential and untapped talent.

For him to find someone who he could sense had that very essence to match that of Viathan's, made him smirk at his luck. To have one being born of mad science of a mad man seeking to attain perfection, and to find another born by no artificial means into the galaxy with equal inert power? That was the Force at play, surely.

"My Lord Kun!" Exar turned towards the entrance to the other street he had come from before. The officer ran towards him frantically with a platoon of men following after.

"I told you to wait on my signal." Kun began but the man, breathless from running came to a stop before the Sith and planted his hands to his knees.

"For...forgive me...my Lord, but this is urgent!" Kun ceased all his musings and folded his arms.

"Very well, what is it?"

"Word from the front line! Colonel Nidrini's command post and most of our AT-AT units have been knocked out by enemy air power! A coinciding encirclement action was taken and there's been a massive influx of enemy droid units against the forward attacking Imperial legions!" Kun frowned.

"Have they been encircled?"

"Unsure sir, communication is sketchy. However, from what I've been told the remaining legions in reserve including the 501st has begun to advance under command of the Imperial Princess herself." Exar took a moment to muse on what the man said. He turned and glanced around the city and his brow furrowed further and he felt his hands ball into tightened fists.

"The attack on Kuatac. This has all been a trap." He intoned darkly as he realized just how much of his fighting force had been cut up to deal with the main battle and the now entrenched rebel forces inside the city.

"My Lord?" Kun turned back towards the questioning officer.

"We can no longer afford to be safe and careful. Most civilians have entered the bunkers am I correct?"

"From what last reports we received all bunkers are nearly at capacity." The man nodded.

"Very well, all forces within Kuatac are to begin full urban operations against all forces across the board. We will cut them from Kuatac and then begin sending what we can back to the main battle. I need appraisal of the main army's situation now!" Kun commanded and snatched his saber snapping one blade alive with a hiss as he stomped down the street where he knew those rebels still waited.

"At once, my Lord! All units this is..." The man trailed off as he began relaying Kun's orders and the Sith stalked towards more rebel scum. A renewed frown and sneer upon his face as a lust to kill these mongrel rebels entered him and the dark side empowered him.

---

Leia held her right arm above her brow as she looked towards the open skies above the forward command center of the Empire before Kuatac. The droid gunships circled in the air, and AA fire still blitzed through the skies casting dark black smokey plumes where they discharged without hitting their marks. Smoke billowed up from the ground, and Leia turned towards the rising smoke and intense fires that sent heat flowing over her frame. AT-AT's were down on the ground, burning and charred with deep gashes and holes along their forms. Reserve tanks and walkers lay destroyed along the forward lines and the girl turned from where she stood towards the command platform to see a crater, mingled with the debris of the platform laying about.

"Get the comms! Contact naval command and Lord Kun!" Leia turned to see one officer screaming at another officer who was covered in dirt and debris. He looked stunned, or maybe in shock, and delirious from the attack. The man yelling at him was also disheveled his eyes wide and crazed seeming with adrenaline undoubtedly coursing through him as his hands grasped the other officer's shoulders and shook the man.

"Mistress," Her right shoulder was clutched by the gray stubby hand of one of her Noghri. She turned to see it was Kohr who looked worriedly at her, as Cahrir stood to her other side looking just as worriedly at the droids still overhead.

"It would be safer if-"

"Kohr, not now, just follow and protect me that way, okay?" Leia cut him off. To which the Noghri's beady eyes looked almost saddened by her refusal, once more of course, but he merely dipped his head and relented in silence.

"This place is unsafe we should move." Cahrir added as he remained bent at his knees and bracing himself as the droids fired down on the AA batteries nearby even as the fire pelted around them, and what walkers and troopers remained at the front did what they could to also bring them down.

"Agreed." Leia intoned as she began marching towards the two officers. She numbly noted her two Noghri gave chase after her.

"You two, where's Colonel Nidrini?!" She demanded as explosions rippled over the smoking and charred remains of the command base and walkers. The men jumped and turned to her with mixed expressions showing shock and confusion.

"My Lady, he, we, well I am not-"

"He was on the platform!" The more shaken man finally called through his shock as the other man, still gripping his fellow officer's shoulders now become more stuttered. Leia narrowed her eyes and looked at the torn and shredded metal remains that remained scattered within and around the crater of the old command platform. Her lips pursed and she felt for a moment confused and shocker herself, but then her eyes looked towards the distance where massive black columns of smoke still asphyxiated the skies of Kuat where the main battle raged.

"Look out!" A random voice mingled with many cried and Leia turned upwards once more just as one of the HMP gunships dipped low. It flew over her and the men and her guards causing all but her to duck from the sweep. It traveled to the rear of the camp and its own beam side cannons loosed along the inner camp and sent smoke flying up as AA fire pelted all around it.

"Mistress-" Leia held her right hand up and preemptively silenced Kohr again.

"Recall the escorting MAAT's from Lord Kun's position inside of Kuatac. If he or any of his men make a fuss over it, tell them Lady...Vader commanded it. Now!" She ordered to the more composed man, who had let his fellow officer go, and who nodded swiftly before running to some unknown place. Leia assumed to make the call, and she turned to the more frightened man who seemed only slightly freed of his earlier stupor because of the low incoming HMP droid.

"Were you on that platform before it got hit?" She asked and the man shakily turned to her, his eyes still wide and looked confused without speaking.

"Calm down," She began and held her hand up, without a word her presence fell onto the man, and a soothing sensation radiated into him via the Force. All unbeknownst to him of course.

"Breathe, and tell me, were you on the command platform before it got hit?" He held his forehead the Force having effect on him and shook himself before nodding quickly and shakily still. After all, Leia wasn't used to this yet, she realized with a frown forming upon her face.

"Ye...yes ma'am." He answered and jumped as an AA battery loosed a dazzling hail that Leia numbly noted careened into and clean through one of the damnable gunships and brought it down in a fiery display just ahead of the base.

"What was the situation at the front?"

"Excuse me?" He asked, causing Leia to close her eyes and withhold her mounting frustration.

"The front, what was happening there? Commander's Viathan, Jade, Offee, and Raydonn. They're out there without base command, what was their situation previously? As in, what precipitated the attack?" She went on until the man nodded again, his eyes showing he finally understood her.

"Major droid attacks on both flanks. Commander's Offee and Jade were being hit by a sudden influx after both forward Commander's Viathan and Raydonn pushed into the droid center. We had sent our reserve air-support, our MAAT's to aid both of them, and we launched a distant cannon barrage via our AT-AT's! However, the Vultures hit the gunships and acted as escort to the base for the HMP's. So Commander Jade radioed at the least milady." He went on breathless and still full of anxiety as he idly looked around him at the metal shards and Leia undoubtedly knew to be, body parts. She paid it no mind though and remained trained on him.

"So, they're being encircled. Is that what you're trying to say?"

"Encircled? Oh yes milady it certainly sounds like it! Both flanking forces had been reinforced by reserve units of the forward divisions. Now they're rearguard is weak if the droids can puncture through Jade and Offee's defenses." He explained rather quickly, Leia assumed his mind going a mile a minute and looking for any outlet from his anxious mess. She nodded in kind, and looked towards the distant battle again. Some of the droid fighters seemed to stick closely to their namesakes, as Vulture droids circled the battle overhead, mingling with the black clouds that swept over all and crawled into the skies. The bursting and pounding endless barrage of the fire of thousands of blasters, and cannons from walkers or tanks sounded and made Leia imagine the deafness of those who stood in the thick of it. A sting of concern shocked through her, and she didn't care to dwell on why or for what as she turned back to the officer.

"You will find a comlink and contact Lord Kun's unit at once. Report to them what's happened here, and see what can be done. I will take care of the battle." She intoned, and both her Noghri guards shared a look between them at their lady's tone.

"Ye..yes, of course, at once!" He hastily saluted her, which Leia was pretty sure wasn't the standard protocol, but she ignored it as he ran off back into the thick of the forward base. She looked upwards to see the HMP's firing down towards the rear of the base, and several of them were finally shot down in fiery whining displays that lit her face in the heat and glow of the flames. Around her men ran to and fro, seemingly lost in confusion from the attack on the command post, but she figured they were a mix of lost and scared. As they truly went about trying to assess who was dead, who wasn't, what to do about their command post, find a new link in the chain of command, and put out some nasty fires smoking from the downed walkers.

Turning around Leia was for a second shocked and jolted back as she stood facing two crimson forms. A snap of memory hit her and she calmed at seeing the two Massassi standing looking at her expectantly.

"You mean to act. Tell us what your plan is and we shall do as ordered mistress." The Noghri turned, they had noted the Massassi before the hulking red giants had ever reached their mistress, but said nothing. They looked a bit off put by the main one, Leia remembered his name being Zar'kai, Zar for short, addressing her in his thick and deep accented voice.

"You can tell I mean to act?" She asked raising a curious brow.

"We need not have access to the powers you and our Great Lord do, to see one has taken charge and means to act. We are Massassi, warriors by birth. We know a leader when they act as one mistress." Zar answered matter-of-factly with a bow of his head causing his tendrils to fall around his face. The other Massassi nodded in agreement and Leia gave a wry smile and shrugged.

"I guess that makes sense."

"What do you have planned?" Cahrir asked, interjecting himself and an equally concerned and interested Kohr. Both Noghri looked incredibly horrified by their mistresses intentions and they hadn't even heard them yet. That caused Leia to feel the slightest twinge of humor and a bit of empathetic sadness for her poor Noghri guards.

"Well," She began sighing and turning towards the battle. A determined and hard look in her eyes betraying her sigh from before.

"We're going to do what we can to stop this encirclement. Then we're going to push the droids back, inch by inch and form a single front to destroy the URM here before Kuatac. And, I'm going to need a comlink to do it." She added with a new smirk forming along her fair face, to which the four alien guards shared curious or confused looks.

"I think it's time the 501st help to handle this mess." She stated and moved past all four guards who watched her go, before all moved in after her. As Leia moved towards a nearby station she knew to be a little quieter and having a strong holo-terminal that she thought would be just right for the call she was about to make.

---

Viathan swung both sabers right again and cut down three droids where they stood. Hails of unrelenting bolts flew around him and he ducked away with unnatural speeds as his body pulsed with adrenaline and the Force. He whirled back left and threw his arms forwards still gripping his sabers as a powerful wave was loosed through the force that sent dozens of droids falling and tumbling away from him.

The shaking of the ground rattled him and he was jolted from the tinge of victory and accomplishment he felt to turn and see three dwarf spider droids and two tri-droids moving his way all at once.

"Oh for the love of-" A blitz was hurled his way as all walkers seemed to home in on him. He dashed right with widened eyes as the ground he had stood upon was ripped open with the blistering cannon bolts.

"Can I get anyone on this damn channel to answer from command?!" Viathan smashed his feet against the dirty, blown out and cratered ground as he heard a familiar and frustrated male voice shout into the comms in his earpiece. He kept running, his breath becoming labored as the day and this battle wore on. His body fell low from a mix of instinct and warning that shot through him from the Force. As he did so a loud, ear splitting boom sounded from an ATT barrel as its main cannon fired just some meters away from him into the distant lines of his own men.

He seethed as the fall sent pain radiating through his chest from the suddenness of his own movements. He jumped back up, though still in pain, and clipped his left hand's saber to his belt. His hand flew out towards the oncoming droid swarm, being cut down and held back by Imperial bolts and blasters, and from it came a thundering powerful Force blast that stung the air and curled the dirt along the ground from the impact it cut through as it barreled on into the droid numbers. Tearing one unit after another apart and tearing into tank and walker alike for some ways before it finally stopped. Leaving Viathan standing, breathing heavily and in need of a moments rest.

"Hello?! Is anyone listening on this channel?!" Viathan groaned as he snapped his fingers to his ear unit.

"Has it occurred to you that maybe everyone on the channel is busy, Raydonn?" Viathan asked as he began moving back into the Imperial lines at a fast pace as the bolts returned to flying around him both ahead and behind himself.

"Occurred? Why yes, it occurred to me. However, considering we got separated in the little skirmish with that last batch of B3 ultras and Magnaguards, I wasn't so sure you were still up and running."

"Your vote of confidence is reassuring." Viathan sarcastically replied as he moved to the side of a PX-10 Imperial vehicle moving up with its top gunner firing wildly into the droid lines. Along with it advanced four more PX-10's and three IFT-T fighter tanks. At least five squads of Imperial troopers came up behind the vehicles and formed along the sides of them firing and taking shots at the droids, who blindly advanced in spite of the incoming fire.

"You're welcome. Now," Raydonn began and Viathan forced himself not to roll his eyes as he leaned against the back of one of the IFT-T tanks.

"Someone want to tell me what's going on with this battle?!" He called, Viathan distinctly hearing some sort of barrage fire sounding near him.

"What's 'going on,' Raydonn, is an encirclement. The droids are pushing in on both flanks. I haven't gotten any word from command, so for the moment we're on our own. So, we need a plan to," The tank fired behind him and Viathan's body was shaken and he lurched forward and shook himself.

"To keep either Jade or Offee's forces from folding!" Viathan called and pushed off the tank entirely with his saber still in his right hand, and he deflected a bolt that managed to skirt past the tanks towards him.

"Yeah great." Raydonn huffed back, and Viathan heard the weariness rear its head from the man.

"So, I'm assuming you have a plan?" He asked to which Viathan took a moment to look around himself into the distant and muddled lines of battle.

"Do you?!"

"Give me a minute!" Viathan hissed back.

"Encirclement, encirclement." He intoned to himself, his mind playing old memories. A large holo-table set before him, armies pitted against one another, both ancient and modern. Morlin standing at his side leading him to think and observe.

"Worst operational move in an encirclement, is to fall into the trap. But, what's number two on that list?" He again intoned to himself as he numbly heard one of the PX-10's near him explode in a fiery display.

"Forward motion, and weak flanks. The enemy entrapment becomes like a stranglehold on your army's neck. So," He looked towards the distant flanks, now riddled with smoke and hot with blaster and cannon fire.

"Cut off one of their hands." He nodded and snapped to his earpiece again.

"We consolidate, cease all forward advance into the enemy army. They're pulling us in deeper, allowing us to gain momentum and ground, while they pummel the flanks. We pull in, and we concentrate a breakout on their weaker push. We break out, and we get behind their own encirclement. Break their hold, let ourselves breathe, and then wait for reinforcements."

"Wait?! What do you mean wait, that could take hours without a viable command chain!"

"I know, but it's all we can do, we fell into the karking trap!" Viathan shot back angrily, as he felt his anger burn at his own lack of ability to see the ancient tactic, but oh so effective one being played against him and the army.

"What we need now is air support! Now, I'm coming to you, give me your coordinates and we make contact with Offee and Jade to see whom has the weaker of the hands!"

"Weaker what?!" Raydonn called over the intense fire.

"Weaker han-" He paused.

"Weaker enemy attack front, whatever!" Viathan growled as another series of bolts broke through the line of tanks and flew over his head forcing him to duck and swing his saber out defensively.

"Now, give me your coordinates!"

"Alright, alright. No need to yell." Raydonn retorted and Viathan felt his irritation mount further as the man seemed to sweep from nonchalant to loud and obnoxious in a flash of an instant.

"Indeed you pick an odd lot master." He intoned as bolts singed the dirt near his boots. He growled and swung his saber up blocking a new series of bolts headed his way with a spin of the beam before himself.

"Alright, check your tracker, coordinates sent!" Viathan heard as he thrust his saber up right and sent another two bolts flying back into a B2's head that had fired them. It staggered and immediately began firing at him again. He thrust his left hand out, the clawed metal frame extending out flatly and unleashing another powerful blast of pure energy from the Force. A crashing and barreling thrust boomed through the air slamming into that B2 and dozens of other droids like it sending them flying in all directions and in dozens of bits each.

"On my way, hold position!"

"Right." Raydonn responded unconvincingly to Viathan who shook his head snatching his little tracker up to see his master's charge he had been settled with but a mile and a half to his left.

"Force, we got pushed apa-" A hammering cannon blast percussed in his ears as an AAT bolt slammed into one of the IFT-T tanks ahead of him and sent Viathan falling backwards several feet through the air. His saber fell from his hand as he landed with a painful huff onto his back. He groaned and his eyes winced, but sharply tore open as the Force howled in warning. Both hands flew up defensively and on raw instinct just a chunk of the Imperial tank was about to land on top of him.

"Too close." He huffed as he threw his arms forwards extending them fully. The chunk flew up and violently spun through the air as it arched its way back into the droid lines. Where it fell and rolled over and over against the ground marring the soil and crushing dozens more droids.

Viathan heaved himself upwards into a stand, jumping back up from where he lay, and he called his fallen saber to his right hand as he did. He tore left in the general direction of Raydonn just as a dozen or more smoking missiles flew over his head crashing into the distant Imperial lines, from what were undoubtedly Hailfire-class droids. Nonetheless, he snatched his comlink from his belt and hastily spotted a nearby advancing line of AT-ST's moving and firing blistering successive bolts into the droid forward lines. Viathan dove past over two dozen Imperial trooper kneeling or standing firing away along with the walkers and tanks as he came to a skidding and sudden stop at the foot of one of the walkers, and set himself behind it, falling into a kneeled position as he did. His hands swept across the comlink and he opened it to any and all channels under Imperial use.

"All Imperial Forces, this is Commander Viathan speaking! All communications with base command have been severed due to enemy attacks! Thus, I am assuming direct command of all engaging ground forces outside of Kuatac City!" He informed over the thrashing booms of the walkers he hid behind, and he pushed himself backwards as they moved forwards, trying to keep his cover as long as he could.

"All Imperial forces are to disengage all forwards actions! I repeat, disengage all forwards actions against the droid forces! Retreat into more containable lines inwards towards the main force! All flanking units hold, and reserve battalion units for the front are to engage along the flanks and hold the lines!" He announced his hastily constructed strategy without clear sight on the field of battle.

"All units will hold their perimeters once pulled from their engagements to the front! Do not push into enemy territory to the center!"

"Are you out of your mind?!" He heard a familiar female voice ask him shrilly over a private comm channel luckily.

"You want us to get boxed in and surrounded you karking idiot?! Some tactician you are!" Mara went off over his comm, forcing Viathan to switch to her channel with a growl.

"Our only hope is to hold the flanks as long as possible, and commit to a breakthrough on their weakest front, Jade! I can hear both your and Offee's fronts being hammered from where I stand! Without coordinated support from base we will be surrounded in no time!" As if on cue three warbling HMP droid gunships appeared in the air and slammed both missiles and targeted beam runs of their cannons into Mara's distant flank. Viathan could only assume more were heading for Kira.

"They haven't breached my lines yet, what makes you think I'm about to let them?!" Then, also on cue, Kira boasted laughingly as Viathan heard a fierce battle being waged on her end.

"Because, both my and Raydonn's forces have pushed too deep already! We've bulged the main army out and the enemy are flooding more and more troops your way and Jade's! The lines have been thinned, and your connection to the main army is weak! If they commit a breakthrough now you will have the best case scenario, your force trapped with ours! Worst case, your force will be split in half, half inside this encircled bubble half outside, and both all too open to destruction!

'Now we pull back in, damn the both of you! We consolidate, and flood the weaker attacking flanking force and push out, and allow ourselves to counterattack, or at least wait for reinforcements! Now do as I karking order, or kill yourselves if you want, it's up to you!" Viathan seethed with more gravely and growling a voice than he even had expected. He pushed backwards again as the walkers moved forwards before they came to a stop and just fired towards the droids with bolts flying all around Viathan and the walker leg he took shelter behind.

"You better not kark this up, Valek." Jade snorted back at him and relented.

"Well, why not? I suppose if you crash and burn it'll help me in the long run either way." Kira added, and Viathan rolled his crimson eyes that time.

"I need situational reports, and I need them ASAP. Approximate enemy attacking forces, and how long your current force will last in defensive postures. All reserve units will be rerouted to shore up all sectors. Because we're about to be hit from all sides."

"Exciting!" Kira giggled as Viathan finished explaining.

"Alright, Raydonn I'm coming to you!" Viathan announced jumping up and beginning to sprint through the halted Imperial forces. Hundreds of men firing into thousands of droids with walkers exchanging fire madly in duels to the fiery death. Tanks rolled or hovered near to either side and exchanged fire, banking and turning like warships trading fire from afar.

Viathan jumped away from cannon fire, swerved around tanks as they rolled forwards to gain better shots, and he dove under an exploding AT-ST as the walking mechanical terror came whining down into a heap of metal rubble. His saber in right hand, and his right facing the enemy, he let the Force carry his senses, and pull his right hand. It swerved and spun and shot up or down blocking untold multitude of bolts headed his way. Be they targeted or simply lucky shots, all the same.

"Raydonn?! I'm homing in on your position, where are you?!" Viathan called touching his earpiece once again, with heaving breaths as he let the Force aid him in his run. He leapt up onto the top of a burnt husk of an Imperial TIE Mauler and jumped off of it still running. Before him scurried forwards four crab droids firing at troopers who were backing away while firing desperately at the droid walkers.

"Damn it!" Viathan came to a sudden stop. He snapped his saber downwards into a stabbing position and leapt up again. He barely dodged a barrage of bolts flying from the Imperials in midair, and he landed atop one of the crab droids. He plunged his saber down and it bore into the top of the droid's body. It had stopped, but now it began flailing like a rabid and injured beast.

Viathan grit his teeth and dug the saber into the droid some more inches, before he yanked it out and he leapt back upwards into the air. His left hand extended downwards and a sudden unseen blast of Force power exploded into the open hole atop the crab droid. The droids belly side exploded, and debris, bits and parts violently shot out from the droid embedding all manner of parts into the dirt beneath it. Before the crab droid itself came to an unceremonious stop and crashed to the ground.

Landing upon a knee, Viathan extended his left hand outwards again, towards a second crab walker. He gripped it from afar within his hand, and felt his arm shake as the Force attempted to give him the power he called on. He began to shake from weariness mingled with ever more strain but the crab droid stopped moving and like its fellow droid from before tried flailing where it was on the ground.

The Force sounded out, Viathan's eyes widened, and then he howled in pain and fell forwards with his left hand still extended. A burning sensation that was both painful and numbing radiated from the back of his right shoulder and along his hip. Scorching blaster bolts had made their mark and Viathan felt his body pound in more pain. And he began feeding off of it. His eyes glowed brighter, and the crimson shone through as he heaved and loosed a howl as he threw his body and left hand around right. Suddenly the crab droid was plucked off the ground and thrown through the air. It landed with a crash slamming into another of the crab droids before its momentum carried it off into another group of B1s swarming nearby.

Viathan took both hands and brought them together, his right still grasping his saber hilt. He made ready to yank both arms apart, and he did so while looking at the third crab droid the second had hit. Fighting against an unseen resistance to him, Viathan let the Force go out and grasp the very core of the droid, and with another howl and release of rage and pain fueling the dark side, he threw both arms outwards and the droid was torn in two before his eyes and those of the Imperials around him.

His breathing was heavy, heavier than before as he turned towards the last droid, and in time to see it twist towards him and immediately open fire on him. He dove right as red bolts scarred the dirt where he had stood and chased after him. Viathan kept running, and circled the droid as more and more B1s ran into view and opened a swarm of bolt fire around him and the Imperials who themselves broke and ran to defensive positions and cover as three were mowed down, riddled in bolts and scorch marks.

Viathan came to a sudden stop and the droid fired his way, homing in on him. The Sith teen dove under the shots and dashed forwards with his saber ready to slash out and cleave at the droid's forward left leg.

"Droidekas!" Viathan felt his eyes go wide and nearly tripped as he lost his forward footing and ended up rolling to his right. He snapped his head back left as the Imperial troops opened fire on the storming B1s as three dust throwing metallic objects rolled across the ground of Kuat towards them.

Snarling, he leapt at the crab droid's leg as it turned towards him again and he slashed at it in the joint. The metal beast's limb snapped as the metal was torn through easily by the saber. It buckled and collapsed, and Viathan jumped atop the fallen droid and threw his saber up over his right shoulder and threw it spinning vertically towards one of the droidekas. It spun and warbled as a host of bolt fire opened up on the other rolling death machines and B1s that surrounded them. His saber slammed into the droid in mid-roll and it shook violently and lost coordination before crashing and tearing itself apart from the sudden impact against the dirt.

Viathan recalled his saber and unleashed a wave of energy through the Force that sent dozens of B1s lying backwards in a heap of broken pieces. However, he missed both droidekas and both of them slammed to a stop and unfurled, snapping their shields over their bodies. They took aim and pelted the Imperials, bolts slammed into one trooper and threw him back dead as another was hit once in the head and fell over dead all the same. The other men ducked into their cover returning fire that fell over their shields without accomplishing much.

"Son of a-" The crab droid beneath him swung up and Viathan fell back, sliding off the beast with a thud to the ground. Just as it too fell to the ground, its leg still snapped. It crawled smashing its leg into the ground to turn on him and fire, and Viathan snatched his saber, jumping back and dashing away just as it crawled violently towards him slamming one of its legs into the ground where he had stood.

He swung around holding his saber at the ready with the crab droid rearing back up, again seeming to goad him like an injured animal ready for battle. Just then, however, Viathan again felt the Force warn him and he dove left and with a burst of pounding slams and massive percussion's, blast after blast tore through the crab droid tearing it to shreds before the bolts flew up and slammed into the advancing stream of droids, ripping the droidekas apart as they did. He turned to see three more AT-ST's stomping furiously towards his little group and firing all their weapons as they did.

"Alright, well that works too." He intoned, before he immediately broke back into his run towards where Raydonn was supposed to be.

"Raydonn! I am coming up on your position where are you?!" He seethed with a quick snap to his earpiece as he dashed right avoiding a B2 moving against a company of Imperials that were shredding into it with a hail of bolts he barely dodged himself.

"Yeah...bit busy, I've got something to deal with is all." Raydonn finally answered in low a voice, and vague a manner that Viathan felt his brow furrow.

"What?!"

"You do what you got to, and stick to the plan. I just have to deal with something on my end. Inside the droid army here." He intoned and Viathan almost tripped at what he said and came to a screeching halt.

"Like hell you are! Not you nor I would last a minute alone inside the heart of the army! How deep are you going, wait no, why are you going?!" Viathan howled just as four tanks came ahead of him forming a firing line and opened successive fire on a nearby homing spider droid. But nothing came in reply.

"Raydonn?!" He waited, but again nothing came.

"Bastard!" He seethed and slammed his boots into the ground towards the man's last known location. His master's command he watch out for the fool ringing in his mind, and a tingling fear of failure gnawing at his mind as he did.

---

He stood motionless even as war raged around him. The Force alone keeping him aware of danger and his surroundings as he stood facing what may well have been a ghost. He rubbed his eyes with his left hand to force away the vision, but it did not fade. The weariness and strain of the battle he now fought in so soon after being so badly injured, and losing more blood then he cared to admit were unbalancing him, dizziness nipped at the edge of his senses. Raydonn knew he wasn't in a pristine state for the fight. However, he knew he wasn't crazy, knew what he had seen, and just who it was that he had fought in that little town beyond Kuatac, and now seeming so far from this battlefield. He knew what he saw, as he stood across from it now once more.

He looked with his dark blue eyes, glazed over in his weariness, towards the ever present droid ranks. Just as before, Raydonn witnessed them barely advance. Only sending small waves of bands of forces to goad them into a full frontal confrontation. Which, Raydonn thought was mostly ironic considering the chaos that was this open plain of Kuat. Yet, he saw it...him standing in the midst of it all like a phantom towering just high enough for him to see from afar.

A long cloak flowed freely through the air, whipping in the winds of war and the coming close of the day. A skeletal frame stood motionless and tall facing him with its arms hung down at its sides. Its glowing yellow eyes unmoving and piercing coming from a head and face that was tilted ever so slightly and questioningly. For what, Raydonn had no clue, and again he rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, but the vision didn't fade.

A tremendous blast shook the ground around him from behind, as trailing smokey missiles flew out from the shadows of the droid army and flung themselves to the ground behind Raydonn. Their heat cascaded around his back and ruffled his short black hair, but he remained standing, and watched the fiery glow envelope and shine from the being. His fist tightened around his saber, which he almost swore hummed a little brighter at his rising anxiety and anger as he directed himself against him.

"Grievous." He hissed and felt a sneer crawl along his face and a twitch take hold in his eye.

The General almost seemed to hear him. Impossible over the yelling, shooting and explosions of course...or was it? Raydonn didn't know, nor really care. Nonetheless, Grievous turned right away from him his cloak whipping violently as ever and stood motionless for another moment. His protruding bone white head turning to give him a final glare. A dare so it seemed or a silent mockery of him, as Raydonn stood motionless. He didn't know why, fear or what, but he grew angrier the more he thought about it. He took a step forwards, his body making ready to leap into action, but hesitant as he came to an immediate stop. Again, be it fear or otherwise, he didn't know what slowed him.

"Raydonn! I am coming up on your position where are you?!" His earpiece rung again. Only now reminding him that he had ignored his fellow apprentice in the Sith ways already a few times before.

"Yeah...bit busy, I've got something to deal with is all."

"What?!" The boy immediately responded, and Raydonn ignored him willing his foot forwards again as the figure began moving further from him into the mess of metal that was the droid army. His saber flung before his body as he advanced dodging and blocking a torrent of fire aimed by sheer chance and volume or purposefully his way.

"You do what you got to, and stick to the plan. I just have to deal with something on my end. Inside the droid army here."

"Like hell you are! Not you nor I would last a minute alone inside the heart of the army! How deep are you going, wait no, why-" Raydonn snapped his earpiece to silent cutting all incoming communications his way and his walk turned into a sudden burst of a run as the Force aided his every footfall. Twice as fast his saber flew before his body, slashing left and right, up left then down right, over and over as the hail of bolts nearly seemed ready to overtake his vision entirely.

He threw his left hand forwards and a massive cluster of B1 and B2 units were flung back as the Force hurled them across the ground. He slashed his saber out cutting down three droids easily before he twisting into a full spin back left cutting down two more in half until he swung back to his original direction and took off once more towards his target. With a flick of his thumb the hiss of his second saber beam burst to life and he twirled his saber before himself blocking a never ending tide of bolts. They flew back striking droid after droid, and Raydonn swung the saber over his left shoulder and with immense strength threw the twirling dual bladed weapon out into no direction in particular. He dove down nearly into a prone position along the ground as his saber tore through droid after droid, severing them in two or decapitating them or taking vital limbs, such as a B2's arm.

Allowing him to jump back up, snatching the returning warbling hilt in his hand and throwing both arms out at his sides. A furious explosion released itself from him and fell across dozens, if not even hundreds of droids as they were tossed over a dozen feet up into the air in all directions in a bubble around the man. By the end of it his breathing was ragged and sweat fell freely from his brow and down his back profusely, but he made a small gap to use.

"Grievous!" He howled waving his saber out pointing around himself at the hordes of droids moving either towards or past him.

"I know you're out there! Come here and face me again! This time I'll take all four of your arms and maybe your head too!" He went on just as a thudding shook him from his seemingly crazed rants. He glanced over his left shoulder, just in time to see a dwarf spider droid with a platoon of B1s around it all heading towards him.

"Okay well that's-" The spider droid fired sending a shock through the air around it. Raydonn dove right hastily as the bolt slammed into the ground charring soil and raining it down atop his head.

He managed to pull himself back up before falling into a dash, though he felt for a moment extremely light headed. Raydonn whirled around spinning his saberstaff in both hands, blocking dozens upon dozens more of bolts headed his way. The Force cried in warning and he slashed hard right whirling his saber out casting more bolts back slamming into an unseen many droids before he dove left into a roll as a hail of bolts fell where he had stood from behind him.

"Oh for the love of!" He trailed off in another yell more to himself jumping up and thrusting his left arm out and thrashing his hand in a wide jerking arch right that caught and threw dozens of B1s into one another and the ground in vast metal heaps. Again the Force howled and he instinctively threw himself forward as a warbling howl sung and slammed into the ground as another cannon bolt from the spider droid tore the ground open. He tripped and fell barely catching himself with his left arm. He shuddered as a great huff of pain escaped him, pain tearing through his back and up to the base of his neck.

But, he couldn't take a second to rest, the Force warned him once more, and he rolled himself along the ground as fast as he could just as another blitz of bolts rained where he had been. He kicked himself back up and immediately spun his saber furiously before himself, and was forced to spin his body to block scores of bolts racing towards him in all directions. He noted a circle of droids were closing in on him and the spider droid was moving nearer to him.

"Kriff!" He seethed, and in a flash he threw himself up into a high Force aided jump. The droids kept firing, but some were momentarily confused. Especially as some of their bolts pushed on hitting their fellow droids on accident as they closed the circle. Raydonn fell to the ground behind the spider droid and slashed his saber downwards as he did cutting a B2 in half where he landed. He immediately spun his saber wildly exploiting all the tenants of the Juyo art of saber combat, and he swung up right down left slashing wildly and furiously from down overhead cutting down droid after droid around him. Until he finally swung back towards the spider droid, and he narrowed his eyes. A plan, well the best he could think of, came to his mind as he did.

He again tossed his saber out right and he used it to warble through the air cutting down droid after droid and he controlled it with his right hand, arching it back left and in a wide circle. The purple beams cut and slashed and broke droid upon droid, all of them falling over as they shot or charged at him even. As the saber cut down another B1 towards his left he dove around right and towards the front of the spider droid as it tried turning towards him.

"Go ahead, shoot me now!" Raydonn goaded the machine as he raised his left hand, in another quick furious motion snapped his fist closed and swung his arm upwards. The barrel of the droid cracked and snapped shut and twisted up towards the sky. Raydonn snatched his hilt flying back towards him with his right hand and and he broke into a renewed and breathless run to his right as the spider droid tracked him, and then it fired.

An astounding boom loosed itself and Raydonn fell to the ground with another grunt as he rolled several times only barely shutting his saber off before he did. Undoubtedly hundreds of droids were tossed back from the exploding spider droid as it tore itself from the inside exploding all possible ammunition and whatever else fueled the damnable machine. The heat radiated and consumed Raydonn who covered his face as he lay on his back and felt dirt and metal shards fly over him some pelting him painfully. He coughed violently and lowered his arms after the explosion died even though the heat remained.

"Now that's how you kill a spider!" He laughed as he felt adrenaline and the force course through him, and to anyone other than himself he would appear insane as he chuckled lying on the ground staring up at the smoke marred rolled onto his stomach, pushing himself quickly back up, and activated one side of his saber, and though he was still smirking, he cautiously glanced about himself.

"Alright, now will you face me?!" He called, and knew to whom he spoke. But he saw nothing but masses of destroyed or fallen droids, and in the distance all around him hundreds more moving or waiting, but seemingly all firing.

"Oh, come on you bastard." He seethed lowly, his smirk fading and a sneer returning as he looked around waiting for anything to show. Then, he heard something. He swung right, but didn't see anything. Then he whirled left and saw much the same. But the sound persisted. A mechanical whir and crash, a very familiar sound, but more menacing than ever before. The whir and turn of mechanical joints, stronger, louder and getting closer. He had heard it before, and he knew to whom the joints belonged!

"I hear you! Show yourself you coward!" He howled and held his saber ready to attack...or defend. The stomps continued, the feet falling against the dirt loosing another hard snap and whir of metal joints. They got closer, yet Raydonn saw nothing. He felt his pulse race, his eye dart faster from side to side, and he swung around constantly looking for the source anywhere and everywhere.

"Come on you son of a-" He turned left and then before he could react the Force warned him, and he was tossed back as something hard, something metal and strong smashed into his left cheek. He spun immediately and without much coordination as he jumped back up with his face radiating pain and bleeding from three small cuts caused by whatever had hit him. Raydonn faced where the hit had come from as his left eye winced from the pain, and he only saw a cloak moving away behind a high pile of droids. The whirring and stomping continued and got further away and his heart raced greater than before, as his senses went into overdrive.

"Not this time!" He slammed his boot down and ran towards where he'd seen the cloak. He threw his left hand forwards as he ran and another wave of power flew out through the Force and sent the pile of debris, the fallen droid mound hurdling in all directions before him. He moved over fallen chassis and arms, blasters and all other such pieces as he gave an adrenaline fueled chase to the General he knew to be here! Then, a blaster rung out and a hail again came towards him. He came to a sudden stop and spun his saber to his right and a flurry of bolts connected and were dashed away from his form. The droids who fired rushed towards him, a swarm of B1s with flanking B2s covering them and advancing with blistering wrist blasters firing his way.

Raydonn slashed his saber outwards again sending a stream of incoming bolts back that collided with and downed several droids. He followed it up raising his left hand once more and a massive torrent of blue tendrils exploded and singed the air, as the lightning bolts slammed into the mass of droids and they began shaking sputtering and exploding under the intense electrical surges. Before his eyes dozens burst and fell and others fired and slumped down without any further movement or operation.

"Nice try! But, I'm not that easy to ki-" He began and again he was forced to swirl around as the Force cried out in warning. His saber lurched up over his head horizontal to his face and he blocked a falling staff. The staff was surging with familiar purplish colored electrical tendrils at its tip, with a similar light display at the other end of the weapon as well. A Magnaguard stared him down with its blank bold red photoreceptors boring into him as it pushed down on him with its electrostaff.

"Not you again! Face me yourself Grievous!" He lifted and threw a hard right kick into the waist of the droid and forced it backwards in a stagger. A crash sounded out and Raydonn jumped from it as he turned right to see another cloaked Magnaguard land with its staff at the ready. Then another crash and he turned left to see a third land atop a fallen old burnt crab droid sunken into the ground from whatever had destroyed it.

Without a word the one to his right spun its staff at its side and swung at him with a twisting stab. He parried up right and immediately sidestepped back left as the first Magnaguard stabbed forwards at his exposed body. He slashed his saber down back at the Magnaguard pushing his staff downwards. Then he slashed back up right violently and missed as the droid barely pushed himself back, but Raydonn carried into a spin and let his saber singe the chassis of the second Magnaguard before he swung back and slashed up right with both hands on his hilt. The right arm of the first Magnaguard was removed with a hiss. His left hand barely flinched up and the droid was tossed through the air away from him, just as the third at his left charged and swung from its left to its right, the tendrils barely missed him as he moved back, but the second Magnaguard kicked him back and he was too slow and tired to react in time. He fell forwards just enough and felt his chest collide with the end of the staff.

He howled and fell onto his back as his body stung with the currents formed by the staffs and his whole body felt racked by the attack, but in an instant driven by his will, and the dark side leeching off his pain he spun right along the ground his saber only narrowly switched off once more as the staffs stabbed at the ground.

With a heave and groan of pain and weariness he picked himself back up snapping both ends of his saber to life. The first Magnaguard charged him and spun its staff seemingly at random at its side furiously. It reached and stabbed at him in a spinning flurry of attacks aimed at his flanks. He parried them with either end of his saberstaff, and as the guard swung back up left Raydonn ducked low and snapped his saber at the Magnaguard's waist, carving through it as he ducked under the raised arms of the droid. It snapped and the metal hissed out as the droid collapsed form the loss of integrity at its waist. He spun back and leapt back up and fell atop the droid with his boots on either side of the machine. He spun his saber overhead before stabbing down into its head and slashing out violently, and then he turned giving another quick carve to its exposed chassis beneath him as he did.

The second Magnaguard raced towards him with staff overhead ready to stab down. He raised his saber up and blocked immediately, though he felt his knees ever so slightly buckle and push him back. His left most saber end was clashing with the droid, so he slashed right and pushed the droid aside. He immediately spun around stabbing his right end towards the droid, but it immediately parried and pushed him back. It slashed up right and down left and spun the staff at its side pushing him back. Raydonn took a step back and then lunged his saber out right into the spinning end of the staff. His saber caught it and with great force on his part he held it. The droid cocked its head, and Raydonn in turn gave it a confused look. Then the Force howled out again, and Raydonn ducked low losing his fight with the droid's staff. Another staff swung out where his head would have been, and he dove into a roll away, jumping up and turning to see the droid missing its right arm. Its left spun quickly at both sides easily twirling the heavy staff as it menaced towards him.

"Damn it." He seethed and held his saber at the ready. But, then he sensed more danger, a prickling in his mind, and he slowly glanced over his right shoulder to see a line of B2s with a few B1s circling him again. All aiming their blasters at him, all ready to fire, and all ready to bring him down in a hail of bolts.

"Well...kriff." He cursed lowly and more in an intone.

"Alright, let's get this over with then!" He gave a smirk, and honestly he thought it his last, and the man dashed forwards. The two armed guard met him swinging its staff up left catching and parrying Raydonn's saber up. But with his second saber end, Raydonn spun himself around letting that end swing up right and graze the chest plate of the guard. He dove down as a few dozen bolts came his way and they hit both Magnaguards who dove to their sides to avoid any serious damage.

Raydonn loosed another bout of lightning from his left hand and it crashed into throwing aside many of the droids, but he didn't bring them all down. He was forced back to his right as the one armed droid leapt into the air slashing down. He sidestepped as the end of the staff singed the ground. It swung up right slashing towards him, and he ducked backwards, and painfully so for his back. The droid, however, carried its swing with the staff scratching the ground throwing up dirt as it spun and the staff slashed at Raydonn's right foot. He howled again and fell to his left knee as the foot radiated in numbing pain.

He threw his left hand up and the droid skirted along the dirt from the release of power from the Force. Raydonn's breath was more ragged, his vision blurry and he wasn't thinking straight. Only his body seeming to realize just how dangerous his situation was. His instinct alone keeping him alive, so it seemed.

The second Magnaguard menaced towards him with its staff held behind its back ready to strike and thrashing its cloak aside. It was ready to kill, and Raydonn barely managed to push himself up and his legs felt ready to give out.

"You...think this...will kill me?!" He howled into the open field.

"I'll get through this...and when I do I'll kill you Grievous!" He warned as his right leg shook from the pain and strike at his foot.

The droids zeroed in with their blasters and the second one armed guard remained standing where it was. Raydonn spun his saber, and took a Juyo ready stance, a poor and tired one but one all the same.

"Down!" He heard and his eyes widened. He turned left to see two crimson sabers spinning through the air, and in a flash he let himself fall to his stomach. They carved through the air and slammed into the group of B1s and B2s. One went right the other left and they tore down droid upon droid. Both Magnaguard's swung to their right as a torrent of lightning burst and stung the air sending an odd powerful sound through the air. The electrical bolts slammed into the guards who howled in their odd mechanical deep voices as they were thrown into the air with the lightning carrying them up. Then they were slammed together in midair with such force their bodies exploded and nothing but singed and sparking debris rained down around Raydonn who glanced up through glassy and tired eyes.

He pushed up with shaky arms, and numbly took his fallen saber hilt into his right hand from where it lay on the dirt. The crimson sabers hummed back through the air towards their originating point, and Raydonn turned to see what that was. Though he truly knew what was their origination.

In midair, the boy had snatched both sabers and he fell to the ground atop his left knee with his right still up, and either saber held at its opposite side. His right at his left and his left at his right. The crimson light illuminating his hardened face, and burning red eyes as they looked at the ground, before rising back up to him.

"Heh," Raydonn chuckled. "I'd say that makes us even?" Viathan frowned.

"You're an absolute moron! We're dead in the forward of the enemy advance! The only thing blocking you from death and me, are these mounds you karking miserable Hutt lover!" Raydonn frowned and sighed.

"Yeah, thought it was a bad idea a few minutes in myself." He coughed and leaned forwards from the pain radiating along his whole body.

"Why are you here?! What possessed you to push this far into the enemy front!"

"I saw him!" Raydonn shot back, stronger and louder than even he had meant it to be. Viathan's brow was raised inquisitively, as Raydonn cradled his head with his left hand.

"I saw Grievous. I know I did, he was goading me. Daring me to come after him, and I did! But, he played me. If I could have eliminated him we could have…well…I suppose it doesn't matter now…" Viathan looked obviously unconvinced and glanced both left and right while kneeling.

"I don't see him. The closest I see are the Magnaguards. You probably just thought one looked like him."

"You really think I'm that dumb, don't you?" The older man asked, though he was smiling thinly.

"No...well possibly." Viathan admitted as deadpanned and serious as possible. Almost making Raydonn laugh.

"However, I think you've lost more than enough blood from whatever your prior engagement was. You've been fighting a lot more than a man in your state should, and you're been injured several times. I can see you shaking, and you can hardly keep your eyes open." Raydonn shrugged.

"I suppose that makes sense." Viathan rolled his eyes.

"Alright well now we-"

"Commanders Viathan and Raydonn resp-" Viathan's comm shocked him and the harsh static he heard surprised him as well.

"This is Viathan, I am with Commander Raydonn. Respond at once, and increase signal strength I can hardly hear you in this mess!" He replied and heard harsh static for another moment.

"Command...Jade...front line assault!" Whomever this man was sounded out as Viathan made out intense sounds of combat within the man and the static. He glanced towards the Imperial lines and saw a massive long line of explosions ring out along the entire front, and his eyes widened at the immense sight.

"Require...need orders...please respond!" Viathan growled.

"Damn it, the droids have begun a general assault along the whole karking center! And I'm not there to manage it, and neither are you, you karking..." He ended his insult with another guttural snarl.

"Guess, we need to get back huh?" Raydonn asked through his miasma of pain and tiredness.

"Yeah, no kidding." Viathan shot back deactivating and clasping both sabers as he moved towards Raydonn and snatched his saber away.

"Hey!"

"Shut up." Viathan began and snapped the fellow apprentice's saber to his own belt.

"This is going to be hard enough, so don't fight me. Now get on!" Viathan turned and angled his right arm under Raydonn's left and around his back. Raydonn didn't fight, he hadn't energy. He swept his left around Viathan's back.

"Alright, now hold on." Raydonn nodded wearily and tightened his grip on Viathan as the boy managed to push up, using his own considerable strength and aid of the Force and he broke into an immediate and blinding run back towards the Imperial lines being hammered by a sudden influx of movement and attacks by the forward droid lines. He bounded moving past and away from all droids in his way or rushing in the same direction as himself.

With the battle dragging on and his heart pounding in fear of what awaited him once he returned to the front. While overhead a howling swarm of droid gunships and bombers swarmed, and Viathan grit his teeth for the night that was to come.

---

Authors Note: Sorry once again for a long wait guys. Real life and obligations are a real pain in the backside. But I hope this longer than usual chapter helps make up for it a bit. As always please either point out or ignore any and all typos and grammar errors in the chapter, and leave a review if you want. Thanks to you all who've stayed with this story, long breaks and all up until now, and hopefully one day we cna finish it together eh? :)

Until the next, thanks again!