Author's Notes
Remember on this day, that we give thanks to our freedom. When our savior Abraham Lincoln strode into the night and slayed the evil Lord Gobbler. For centuries the Turkey Tyrant had been a scourge upon these lands, demanding blood and corn as tribute. But on this day, we feast on its descendants as it did our ancestors. So give thanks my fellow Americans, and remember the freedoms the gods have bestowed upon us.
"You are so not okay and it is freaking all of us out!" Vette shouted as we started the meeting. I don't understand what she is going on about. I'm fine. I'm perfectly fine. The fact I have spent the last two weeks killing every bandit in the Riverlands is perfectly reasonable. "Jaesa is out who knows where-"
"Braavos." I said and everyone just looked at me strangely. It was Vette, Pierce, Quinn, Rathari, Cipher Nine on Holo-com, and for some reason Fay. The Jedi had been slowly inducted into my inner circle for no other reason than a source of information on the wider galaxy. Plus… anything we say around her is safe because she has no friends here in Westeros, she has no means to leave the world and she is painfully aware that I can mop the floor with her at any point. So here we all were… in my study and all of them were saying I was not in my right mind.
"Why do you think she is going to Braavos?" Quinn asked and I would think this would be obvious to everyone. Fay and Cipher had the excuse for not knowing about the culture of this world but the rest of them… disappointment.
"She can't stay in Westeros, I have too many ways of finding her. So… Essos. She can't stay in Volantis as I have friends there. The inland Free Cities are also out because they don't have the climate that she would prefer, Jaesa being as vain as she is will choose something coastal. Lys would be her first choice however as it is an island, she would shun it as it would trap her in one place, same with Tyrosh and Lorath. Pentos and Myr are out given that she knows I have a developing deal with their leaders on the shipment of Force Sensitives and recognition of the Seekers… something I don't have with Braavos."
I explained all of this and Vette was giving me a I can't believe you did that look. Fay just looked impressed, likely I just proved that I was able to remain level-headed and figure out a complex problem like this even while under massive amounts of stress. Of which I am not. Quinn just listened and nodded along, I was right as usual so he just did as he always did. Cipher on the other hand looked like he was doing other work and only barely paid attention… efficient. Pierce… was weird. I hadn't been very present in the keep since returning but I need to talk to him, his emotional state is destressing.
"What are our orders, my lord? Should we track her down?" Rathari asked, ready to hunt down my wayward apprentice and apparent baby-momma. Everyone flinched as one of my glass goblets shattered into a million pieces. What?
"No… no. best leave her be for right now. If she doesn't come back within two months of her expected due date then I'll personally go off and find the little minx." Again… why are they so jumpy? It's perfectly normal for glassware to keep breaking apart despite no force being acted on it. "Now, onto more important things. We currently have about two more years before the next real major event I have foreseen in this world's history. That being a festival held by Tywin celebrating a new prince of the realm. A year after that there will be a minor rebellion that should everything play out as I have seen it will drive the King into total madness. What little control over his mind he has now will be replaced by utter paranoia and love of fire."
"And you are sure about these visions?" Fay asked not because she cared about this land or its people but because she wanted to get a better understanding of my powers. Rathari had concluded that she had a genuine interest in my role to play in the Force. She wasn't so much a Jedi but an agent of the Light. Which suited me fine, I had some of the Light here to counter the Dark Side. But as for her question I just turned to her and smiled before looking back to the group. She frowned, knowing I didn't need to prove a thing to her and everyone else would follow my orders regardless of anything.
"Our activities for right now are limited to increasing the ranks of the Sith and the further industrializing of Westeros. I want everything from concrete, kerosene, mass production, and steam engines to be widespread within the next decade. Everything… except black powder." I said and this actually got the attention of Cipher Nine as he looked up from his other work.
"-No firearms? Is that what you intend my lord? An interesting choice.-" He remarked as it looked like I piqued his interest. And it was an expected reaction from him. Why would I advance a feudal society without the most powerful weapon I could bring to bear? If I armed my three hundred Seekers with assault rifles and enough ammo then I could level the armies of Westeros. But I wasn't, it would be the most efficient manner to subjugate this world but also the most reckless in my opinion.
"Yes, what I want is to have the people of this land willing to give their loyalty to the Sith. Just like my former slaves and those I freed from Harrenhal's curse, I want them to give their souls to me freely and willingly." I could see Vette's eyes roll without turning to her. But she knew what I planned to do wasn't exactly as I described. She agreed with it because I was doing it with the least amount of bloodshed and friction. Plus my way ended with a happy populous that wanted to be ruled over by me and the Sith rather than a resentful one that see me as usurpers and thieves. "If I introduce gunpowder to the mix, this will create a realm capable of warfare that will no doubt cause it to destroy itself. Too many possibilities of either the noble houses or the commoners themselves misusing guns. The end I want to create needs the current system of warfare to stay as intact as possible. It limits what they can do." I explain and Cipher looks at me for a moment, thinking over what I had said and how vague I had been about it. He shrugged and went back to his work.
What I said was true but the real primary reason was because it would change things far too drastically. Gunpowder means both guns and cannons and many of the wars that will be fought can't have certain castles brought down so easily. While I wanted to accelerate this world's tech level, I wanted to do so in a way that I knew wouldn't affect the timeline to the points I needed it. My plan allowed for some drastic changes but for the most part I still needed war to operate on a large feudal style way.
The War of the Five Kings was critical as it would give me the opportunity to do many things. Declare my independence from all crowns, using Joffrey's status as a bastard to break from the Iron Throne. Cultivate a weakened Westeros that will suffer greatly in an Essos invasion that I will engineer. And boom, I will have the chance to ride in and save Westeros from the invading armies, the people will sing my and the Sith's name and I will either force or gain the allegiance of the Great Houses one way or another over the many years leading up to this. Westeros will be mine and I will then lead a counter invasion of Essos and using my little lovely Rings I will have already posed to cut off the heads of the Free Cities. That is my plan for this world, those were the basics and I could deal with anything so long as they fit within that chain of events. Including the White Walkers, Danny who I still don't know where I'm going to place her, and any other nonsense that this AU world and galaxy can throw at me.
"As for more domestic matters…" I began as I looked toward Quinn and Rathari who knew it was their turn to speak.
"My lord, the Acolytes have decided to have their first meeting of the Assembly in three nights time." Rathari started. Ahh… the Acolyte Assembly. What a wonderful idea for the little ones, one that I am sure will only evolve as they grow older. It certainly has its uses, as a means to help prepare them for the political life they will need to lead once they join the Sith. Either by learning quickly that they are a follower or that they are a leader and need to cut their teeth on something easy. The only danger I see is carrying over party loyalties once fully inducted into the true Sith Order. But, I can deal with that once there are Acolytes ready to take the Trials… I don't want to call it that. Eh… I still need a little help with them so their name can wait.
"And what about the kicker of all this, the girl Nira?" I asked and was a little surprised by Rathari, Fay, and Peirce all shifting uncomfortably at her name. As I recall Nira is a shy girl with a… oh god. "She's been set off hasn't she?" All three of them nodded their heads.
"I've had to pull her off Acolytes twice her size… she's become a little devil in sparring ring." Pierce chuckled nervously, I didn't blame him. Jaesa had described her inner soul as a very violent one that was only waiting to be unleashed. It was something like Jaesa, sometimes the Force bestows certain gifts to people from the moment they are born. My darling apprentice was given soul seeing eyes and Nira it seems has been given the blessing of the Blood God. Soon she will be stacking skulls in a throne-like fashion. "On the bright side of this, she isn't taking crap from anyone. Finally has some confidence."
"She's falling to the Dark Side and fast." Fay warned and I knew it as well. But, I knew how to fix that.
"I'll have a little talk with her." I said and Vette was biting her lip in an effort to not say anything here. Sad but true, I'm going to have to be a little rough with the girl in order to scare her into understanding the threat the Dark Side is. "Besides our budding berserker."
"The groups of Acolytes have slowly grouping themselves even more. Moving their rooms around so that they live in blocks with unaligned dorms acting as no man's land." Quinn reported and I had to push down my laughter. This was developing a bit faster than I had expected but hey… it was funny. They're balkanizing, which is a good thing in the long run. It will pool those most capable into groups I can look after while leaving those that will become nothing but chaff to basics. For right now I needed to find my first generation of Darths and Masters of the Sects. So if I lose what would have been rank and file Sith that's fine. "As for matters outside the Acolytes, they are progressing smoothly. A routine has been established and norms have settled."
"Good, means I can leave things here in your hands while I deal with the galaxy." The only thing I had left here on my plate that needed immediate attention was the Force Wound over in Valyria but now that I had Revan's Mask to use as an Anchor that matter could be dealt with.
"-That is where I come into the picture, correct my lord?-" Cipher Nine said as he finally put away his other work and put his full attention to the meeting. I had given him orders to establish an information network on Dromund Kaas. As a major port in the north eastern part of the galaxy it would be privy to all the passing information and given several key Holo-net servers due to the Officer's Academy located on it. It was a perfect place to gather any and all details on the galaxy. "-I have the list of worlds that you asked me to gather information on. Malachor…-"
"You're not serious are you?!" Fay shouted as she reacted as expected. "Malachor is cursed beyond belief. You wouldn't be the first to think of salvaging the ships there. Every. Single. Time… it ended in failure." Fay explained and again… this was expected. The Dark Side was very strong there, the Mass Shadow Generator's effects are still felt, and the gravity there is so bonkers that it makes navigating it nearly impossible. Or at least that's what I knew from the it's Wiki page.
"-She's correct my lord.-" Cipher began, however his voice lacked the disbelief Fay's had. "-But the wreckage of the battle that took place there is pristine. And I have calculated that even a low skilled salvage team, if given the chance could pull out enough Mandalorian Iron out of those ships to create a entire new fleet.-" He explained and that was good news… because I wasn't going to make a fleet out of Mandalorian Iron. Too risky, having so much valuable material in something like a ship. Better to spread it out… like in power armor for a legion of super soldiers. "-As for my information, the various elements that I have spoken to have said that while large fleets can't navigate the system… smaller vessels captained by skilled crews can manage it well enough. Smugglers use it often… the smart ones anyway.-"
"Good, its position is directly in our territory." I said as I pulled out a Holo-projector and focused on the Malachor system. It was a little north east to Dromund Kaas and thus perfectly situated to be picked apart once we had a proven method of tugging the right ships out of the planet's danger zone. It would be a lengthy process but worth it… which reminds me. "Fay, Mandalorian Iron… has the Republic been able to pry the method of forging it from the Mandalorians?"
"I don't believe so, Mandalore is still technically a free system. But that's just a front. However, back when the Republic was expanding into the systems nearby… those that knew how to create Beskar went into hiding. And while the government of the planet is edger to please the Republic the people there aren't." Fay explained and that was good to hear. Cipher went in further detail about the situation with Mandalore as the topic changed to that. There seemed to be three factions at play, the official government of Mandalore which boot licked the Republic but also totted its technical independence constantly, walking a fine line. Then there were the Mando people… not too happy at the moment. But the constant wars and expansion of the Republic seemed to scratch that bloodlust itch they all seem to have so no riots… yet. Then there were the wandering Bounty Hunters, those that kept to the Old Ways and weren't well liked back home. They were scattered and mostly operated out of Hutt Space. Gore… you wouldn't be happy here.
"Malastare then." I said as that depressing thought left me and the debriefing on the Mandalorians concluded. Everyone sorta looked at me funny for bringing the planet up. Sure it was valuable for its fuel reserves but it also had something even more special on it.
"-Currently just a mining and homeworld. It's held tightly by the Republic as a refueling depot but other than that… not much else to say.-" Cipher Nine said, his voice never betraying what I'm sure was confusion. None of them could possibly know about the treasure trove of genetic data that lay sleeping on that world. "-On, as for Kamino. It's a myth to most of the galaxy however… that seems to be a cover.-"
"Kamino… I've heard that name before." Fay muttered and I was genuinely surprised. Given her age she should have been around before the Sith shrouded Kamino's existence from the rest of the Republic. Although… given the changes to this timeline I guess there might be a whole other reason or chain of events.
"-While setting up our base of operations here, I infiltrated the Republic Officer College…-" Because of course he did. I believe I told him not to do that as it was too risky. "-…and was able to collect some files. One of them was for selected officers deemed loyal enough to be given a list of purges the Republic has made in the past and what to look for should the need arise again.-" No… no-no-no-no-no! I need those long-necked bastards! No one can do cloning like them.
"I remember them now. Cloners, but their methods were detestable." Fay said but then looked up to see me visibly angered by this, my teeth grinding as all my plans for my army were in flames. Maybe she wanted to voice some opinion or another… she didn't. Which was the smart choice. I trust no one but them to give me my army, droids are not an option as the territory I can take initially does not have the industrial capability to produce such an army. The territory is also too small to gather the troops from the population, at least when compared to the Republic and the eventually CIS. And I will never trust Merc companies based out of Hutt space which is the ONLY other option I have.
"What about the Lehon System and Trogan?" I asked, needing to confine that even if I have lost my army, my fleets were still intact. There were two, Star Forges in the Galaxy. One was the Original used by Darth Revan that should have reformed into a ring around Lehon and the other is the Infinite Engine which should by this point be large enough to be useful. Nox had been the one to do that mission, thankfully for me I guess in the long run. She chose the Dark Side option of course and stole the whole damn thing. That one was on an Imperial Black Site on Trogan… smart place to put it. No one will look for a massive military asset in a world that has nothing to offer but natural beauty.
"-I was unable to discover any system by that or any of the other names the Republic might call it. Our knowledge of its location allowed me to at least deduce from the Republic's attempt to colonize the Unknown Regions I believe that they have avoided much of the core systems of the Rakatan Empire.-" Good… at least I will have something to work with there. However, as it would have always been the fucking Star Forge there is halfway across the galaxy. But I had a fix for that. A costly, risky, and moronic fix… but a fix nonetheless. "-As for Trogan, it has been classified as a dead world with little worth other than for a Hyper-com beacon.-" Oh… even more easy!
"The Gree Enclave." I said as my mind wandered from asset to asset. Maybe I could ask the Gree pretty please if they might have cloning tech? Doubt they would listen… oh it's not going to be fun to see them again. I kinda of speak Gree though.
"-Closed borders with the Republic, both have a long standing no contact policy.-" I smirked, oh… there's bad blood there. Would be a shame if someone stirred the pot a bit.
"Vesla System?" There were a few looks from my crew and a small smirk from Cipher at that but Fay and Rathari were totally in the dark. What… I had a hand in the development of a certain piece of tech that will guarantee the early complete defense of the new Empire. Namely the Gauntlet Targeting System. Other creations of the Sun Razer were… interesting but likely haven't survived the test of time. The Gauntlet on the other hand… that was still intact. The prototype was busted beyond fuck thanks to Havoc Squad, but the designs and software? That was still in a secret base in the Vesla system as confirmed by Marr's visions.
"-The ruins of the Star Razer have been pieced apart many centuries ago. Some of it was used to recreate Dromund Kaas. But otherwise the system is empty.-" Again good, that would be a key asset to make sure the Republic didn't curb stomp us right out of the gate. Being able to shoot down starships while still in Hyperspace would be invaluable. No doubt they would find a way to counter the Gauntlet system, especially since I would only have the system and not the full cannons. Creating Star Razers that could enable the creation of the cannons would draw far too much attention. No, what I would have instead would be stations or planets built with anti-hyperlane artillery that wouldn't be capable of outright destroying fleets but instead soften them so much that they would be easy pickings for my fleets.
"Dathomir?" I said and that got Fay attention once more. She had been listening intently as I rattled off places of interest. But this was another one she couldn't hold her tongue on. Her worries had been building and raising as time went on, me asking about Lehon and the Gree spiked her but Trogan and Vesla had thrown her off a bit. There were other sites I needed to visit, old superweapon gravesites, places that might hold powerful artifacts, and many little things out there in the galaxy.
"-Under quarantine, there's a fleet of Republic starships and a contingent of Jedi stationed there at all times.-" Cipher said and I glanced over to Fay who looked very uneasy about what was clearly on my mind. Don't worry, I'm not interested in visiting the witches until they get their shit together. I have other things to worry about… LIKE MY CLONES!
"That will be it for now. Continue data collection, but now with a focus on the Imperial Worlds. The sooner we can take control of the ruling elite of the former Imperial worlds the sooner we can have a wider range of movement in the galaxy." Right now the Rule of Two should have total control of the Banking Clan, I would guess that they shifted away from direct political parties after they set the Republic on a path they wanted. Now they pulled strings through money. The Imperial sector was wealthy and vital buffer between the Core Worlds and the Outer Rim. While of course the Jedi will always be suspicious of the former Sith Empire the Republic on the other hand could be fooled. "I want a total collection of whose who by the next report."
"-It will be done my lord.-" Cipher Nine said before the image of him vanished.
"For the rest of you, continue on with your duties. Vette, I want you to my eyes and ears in the Acolyte Assembly. Don't interfere at any cost, even if you see them killing or fucking each other you are not to engage." I honestly didn't think it would come to either of those things but I still need to know what was going on. "Quinn, Rathari, Pierce, all of you keep doing your jobs but now watch for any changes among the younglings." They all nodded and stood up as I turned and looked at the Jedi in the room. She stood firm, having now finally got the audience that she had come for. In my… reaction to Jaesa's news I wasn't exactly chatty.
I turned away and walked over to one of my many tables filled with scrolls. In my spare time I have been jotting down various plans and plots for the world, Galaxy, and possibly beyond all in Russian and Japanese. No one but me, Xhola and Vaera spoke the language and only I understood how to read or write it. What better cipher than a language that had no possible basis in this reality. I guess if someone could translate them that would be bad… there was a lot of information there that would expose me and nearly everything I knew. The only reason I wrote it down was so that I wouldn't forget. Plus… there was also a great deal of stuff about Earth there. As much as I proclaim that my old self is gone, fused with Naraiz and that past doesn't matter to the point of burying my old name… some things simply can't be forgotten. Vader sure understood that in the end I guess.
"You're feeling… homesick." The sound of Fay saying this brought me out of my musings as I placed back a scroll that had a bunch of lyrics from Earth songs. Deciding to test her a bit I slowly began dropping my Mask and letting her see the real me. Her eyes widened and she took a step back, I harbor zero feelings of shame at what I really am other than as a mark of young arrogance.
"Surprised that I can feel something so human?" I asked, the question made even more meaningful by the small dark echo to my voice. She didn't have any of the normal fear or disgust Jedi tended to have when seeing me like this. Though… to be fair… all of those Jedi were just beaten by me and were about to die by my hand. But it mattered not. "How long has it been since the Jedi have seen someone like me, twisted by the powers of the Dark Side. There used to be so many more of us, so many in fact that the Jedi grew numb to it. Justified their actions by saying that they were killing monsters and our true selves were the only proof they needed."
"Those were-" She started but then her lips closed shut, not by her volition.
"They were right." I interrupted, surprising her further. "What you see is the result of young mistakes. Mistakes that should have gotten me killed or worse but instead my Master for whatever reason decided to put in more effort than most would see as worth it." I will never understand why Darth Baras spared me. Why he chose to beat a lesson about the Dark Side instead of writing me off as some failed apprentice that delved too deep into the Dark Side. Mutation from the Dark Side wasn't the problem as nearly all Darths had some, it was the fact it was so much at such a young age. But no, I was instead only nearly killed and given the power of the Mask. Also fuck you Nox. I rest all the blame to every single hedgehog joke on you. "The Sith of old were as a whole… monsters. I can say little about their virtue other than they embraced who they were. We were the bad guys. But that is the Sith, not the Dark Side."
"The Balance in the Force. That is your goal. You are claiming to be the Chosen One of legend?" I laughed at that. Me, the Chosen One? No. Well… I guess you could think of me as the Chosen One if you want. In all honesty the whole prophesy idea of the Chosen One is a bit silly. The future is always in motion, one's man's crackpot prediction is another's manifest destiny. I finished my laugh and gave her an eye roll.
"No, I will never claim to be some ordained star child of destiny. I am simply the rightful Emperor of the Galaxy." I slipped into a nice and imposing chair by the study's fireplace, my fingers interlacing as I finished. I could feel her emotions crack as I told her my plan, not too happy or excited. "You disagree, but unfortunately the galaxy we live in is not one that can be changed peacefully. War will be the anvil by which a new order will be forged. A new Empire. One that imposes the Balance because clearly Force users can not come to the conclusion on their own."
"You don't know for sure. There are many in the Jedi that will listen." Fay said and I knew she was grasping. She wasn't as sure as she was at the start of this. There was fear in her. I guess that it was the fear that the big bad Sith was trying to turn her to the Dark Side. Maybe not as childishly put but the fear was likely there somewhere in her mind.
"Yes but those are clearly not the ones that are in charge of the Republic's military campaigns." I shot back a glance and she shriveled under it. She was very unused to this situation, where so plainly she was out of her intellectual league. It was probably an odd and unfamiliar sensation for her to be the one seeking guidance. I could take advantage of this so hard, it would be so easy to plant so many ideas in her head right now. But I won't. Instead I will just enlighten her to the truth. "Plus… the Sith would listen to me even less."
"What are you talking about?" She asked and then for a brief moment her face slightly paled before she rapidly dismissed the threat I laid out before her. "You are the only Sith in the galaxy. You know what the Jedi and Republic are like now."
"They were made that way by the Sith." I said as I levitated a goblet of wine over to my hand. I just need a white cat now. "The Sith have survived into this new age of the Republic and plot to bring about the end of the Jedi and the Republic from within. The Rule of Two has been secretly manipulating events to bring about their own age. Honestly, you paint over the Republic colors and the starships in the sky would be indistinguishable from something very Imperial." That seemed to cut deep into her. The fact that the current Republic was as it was, it was a far cry from the ideal and the parallels between it and the Empire were close. It was an authoritarian oligarchy disguising itself as a democracy through and through. "Regardless if you agree with me or not, the pendulum effect the Jedi and Sith's wars have caused must come to an end. And as the only one in this fight seeking to create Balance… I alone see myself in the right."
She had never been at sea before. It was different than traveling by Hyperspace, something felt more real on the waves of water. But as she felt herself growing farther and farther from him, she couldn't feel any enjoyment of this new experience.
"You seem troubled, it's fine now. You are going to be very far from whatever it is that you run from." Jaesa heard the Braavosi captain that had agreed to take her to his homeport say as he came up to the bow with her. He was handsome, in that dashing swashbuckling way that seemed universal with his type. Tan skin and curly hair of his native Braavos, but also bright blue eyes that seemed out of place. "But I would say, you need only ask and I would run this man that has troubled you so if you just give me his name." He whispered to her in such a suave manner that would no doubt make any other woman weak in the knees.
"That's nice, but he would flatten you into paste and use you to grease your ship's floorboards." Jaesa gave a sweet and caring smile that was all kinds of fake. That didn't seem to phase the ship captain one bit as he just laughed.
"But I am Fiola Forel! Master of the Braavosi Water Dance, and savor of Westerosi princesses." He joked, he was a dirty ship captain that could barely handle butter knife let alone a real sword. Jaesa had listened to some of his crew, none of them respected their captain's fighting spirit but they did enjoy his silver tongue and the gold he was able to swindle with it. "And I shall lay low the foul beast that has sent such a beauty away from her home."
"Tywin Lannister, there you go… I gave you the name you wanted." Jaesa said to a dumbfounded Fiola who just gulped as she left him. She was disguised as a noble lady of Westeros, news had of course circulated around the world at the loss of the Lion's lady, the Sith didn't care what story would be told about her now… all that mattered was that they would be afraid to touch her. They weren't slavers or pirates, they wouldn't ransom her and would be scared shitless at possibly harming someone that seemed to hold a Warden of Westeros' affection if but for a time. Maybe they would get it in their head that they could return her to him for a reward… if they weren't also on an important delivery for the Sea King.
Jaesa walked down the length of the ship, enjoying the leering that the crew gave her. She always felt so empowered when men thought they had a chance of touching her. Their lustful looks made her so excited at the prospect of both some nice fucking or/and a fresh kill. But she couldn't do either. It wouldn't fit her story to suddenly sleep with some random crewmember nor could she kill any of them because then things would devolve and she'd ever get back onto land. She walked into the small cabin that she had paid for and immediately took out her dagger and tossed it to a wood pillar. The knife stuck in and out from it came the black smoke that eventually formed into Macha.
"Indulge." It said simply as its mask formed into one of inquisitive smiling. Jaesa just grunted as she started to take apart the noblewoman's dress she had on. Macha's many limps extended out of its heavy robes and began assisting her in this. It was a disturbing sight but she had long since come to terms with her disturbing Tsân. "Indulge."
"Fuck that. All those apes are covered in body oil so slick I'd probably slip off the ship trying to mount them." Jaesa shot back at the Tsân after throwing up an air pressure barrier, effectively sealing off the cabin's sound. She breathed a sigh of relief as the corset came off and her girls could finally feel free. The Sith then smiled as she took a few steps across her room naked. It wasn't a large cabin by any means but it was big enough for her and her Tsân to have some room to move.
"Protective, needless." The Tsân whispered out and Jaesa turned back to glare hard at the monstrous being.
"You better fucking not be planning to do some shit!" Jaesa roared as her Dark Side corruption broke through her mask. Her hand reached back to her dagger and her other hand was placed over her stomach.
"Worry, needless." Macha responded with a small tilt of the head, its smiling changing back to a normal theater comedy mask. Even to this day Jaesa still had a hard time figuring out the emotions that her Tsân felt at times.
"Pick a side will you…" Sighing, she walked back over to the bed and fell back in it. She could still feel the Tsân standing in the room despite her feeling unwilling to keep talking. She didn't want to talk about what she did. She didn't want to think about what she did. "Stop judging me!" Jaesa shouted as she sat back up and glared at Macha.
"Doubt, guilt."
"I'm not feeling guilty! I did what I did because… because…" Jaesa stumbled over her words before flipping over and screaming into the pillow on the bed. This was playing out exactly how she expected and she still did what she did. And it felt even more horrible than she thought it would. The plan wasn't to actually develop feelings for the new Naraiz. Just gain his trust for a bit so she could get what she wanted out of him. But that night… it felt so much more real than any of her times with her master. "When he said my name… fuck!" She cursed back into the pillow.
"Child." Jaesa slipped a hand under herself and back to where new life was growing. This had been the goal since she decided that she needed to get her real master back. That if she couldn't have him with her then she would at least have the next best thing. The new Naraiz had said that he was the mind, the old Naraiz was the body, and both of them were the soul or something to that effect. So… she decided to grab a piece of that body. But then in the process of getting it she bit off more than she could chew.
"It's my child, mine. I'll sort out all these other feelings later." Jaesa said as she looked up from her pillow with a fierce determination. One thing that was absolutely sure was that she wasn't going to let the new Naraiz find her until she had this baby. Maybe after she would let him find her… or at least she would stop trying to hide.
Vette watched from a secret alcove in the Assembly's meeting spot. It was disguised with both physical work she had done earlier in the day and with a few Holo-projectors. It simply looked like at some point some of the ceiling collapsed due to all the work being done on the keep. And she had years of experience in hiding from Force-Sensitives.
"I don't care what Naz says, I'm stopping them if they start killing each other." Vette grumbled to herself as she watched the various groups of Acolytes find their way into the old tomb turned meeting chamber. The kids had been doing good work lately, assembling some basic sections in the chamber for each of the groups out of spare materials they nicked from the construction projects around the keep. Vette then glanced down to a small pouch of junkfood that she had picked up at the Dromund Kaas spaceport when they dropped off Cipher. "Maybe just one… nope." Vette stopped herself… the crinkly packaging would make too much noise.
"Is everyone here?!" Vette took her eyes off her snacks as things seemed to start with one of the Acolytes calling things to order. She had studied all the important play's profiles as part of her prep work for this mission. From what she gathered, this whole Assembly would be handled by an elected Acolyte. They would act as the one who kept things in order and on track. The one talking was the noble born Jarman Buckwell. According to Pierce he was a little shit that didn't care what he said in the training yard as he wasn't a knight. But she had to assume there was a reason why he was voted to handle this thing. "We have called those here to discuss the formation of the Acolyte Assembly. Here, in this chamber we shall handle business in a civilized and honorable way. We shall debate and discuss all manners of challenges that face us as Acolytes without interference by the adults."
"Yeah right kid." Vette knew all of that was a bunch of bullshit. First off, things would always be handled outside of the official channels. That was going to happen but they were successful in corralling some feuds and problems that was great. Also on the whole no interference… her presence proved that dead wrong.
"I have been selected by those many have chosen to represent them. Like the honorable Night's Watch, elections shall provide fair and free leadership. Every Acolyte has the right to one vote to who leads each Assembly, but that vote can be given to another." Vette watched as several Acolytes began passing something out. They looked to be small wooden squares, one side painted red and the other painted blue. "These here are your votes, when we hold discussion and call for a vote, please hold up your vote, blue for yay and red for nay."
"Hey, you said that we can give our votes 'way. Do all of us gotta give Grayjoy our things… seems like a lot for him to lug around." One of the brutish boys in the big block of thugs chuckled and the rest of them did as well. Vette focused on the only one not, Victarion Grayjoy himself. He seemed not to pleased at the comments of his underling.
"No, we shall keep a charter of all the groups and their leaders. The number of members a group has shall be the leader's vote count. Should a smaller number than ten people give you their votes, only then will you need to physically keep them." Jarman explained and Vette had to give credit to these kids, this was an impressive system they were setting up. Given their ages she expected a lot less. "At the end of today's Assembly, we shall vote on the next speaker. The votes will be counted and the speaker will take all new business until two to the next meeting."
"This kid is giving some Republic politicians a run for their money." Vette muttered to herself and she made a mental note to tell Quinn about this kid. Maybe a little extra tutoring would go a long way. She knew that they would be needing more than just warriors in the new Sith Order but also people like this kid.
"We only have one piece of business today. That being the incident in the Godswood." Jarman said as they all looked to one person, that being Nira. Vette remembered a shy girl scared of her shadow, that was a far off memory now. Gone was the quiet peasant girl that nervously avoided any interaction, now there stood a smiling and confident girl that Vette swore had some blood stains on her sleeves. "Nira, Cliet says that you attacked him with some sort of sorcery. Do you have anything to say about this." There was something nervous in that kid's voice, a subtle change.
Vette watched as the Acolytes parted in the seat like steps that they were using as Nira started to walk down to the center of the tomb. The last few weeks after her apparent change had given them a new policy when dealing with her, namely stay the fuck out of her way. Vette had seen this before, in Sith that got a taste of the power of the Dark Side. Naraiz was that way too for a time, only made worse by that bitch Nox. But this was dangerous, Vette could tell that Nira wasn't like a power hungry Sith eager to exert power over the powerless… no… she was simply reveling in the freedom that the Dark Side gave. That rarely ended well. Vette eyed the girl as she came to the last step before the floor of the tomb, then jumped off and landed on the boarded up stone coffin where Jarman had been standing. All with that same uneasy smile that reminded the Twi'lek too much of Jaesa on her bad days.
"Sure I did it!" Nira proudly proclaimed. Vette watched all their reactions, most didn't seem too shocked by the admittance of guilt but more by the confidence she had in it. Then she looked at the leaders of the various factions at play. Jarman was clearly agitated by her being so close. Victarion was… just watching. But unlike many of his own boys he was perfectly clam. Mysa Sand was glaring hard at Miana. Puff was just shrinking behind several of his own bigger followers. Then the oddball leader Thoren Just looked irritated at all of this. "And why should all of you be so jumpy about it. He was annoying me, I finally found peace and he just wouldn't stop bugging me."
"That doesn't mean you can go and maim him." Jarman said as he tried to get back the stage from Nira.
"It was just a little blood." The way that Nira licked her lips at the word blood definitely sold it for Vette, this was a mini Jaesa in the making.
"It was the fact that there was any blood that's the problem. And you used some sort of evil sorcery to do it." Jarman fired back and Vette could see him lose a bit of his edge. That sorcery remark was a bad argument to make. And it looked like Nira saw that plain as day.
"Uh yeah… that's what we're here to learn." She shrugged like they weren't discussing means to kill a person. "Using the Force, remember?"
"That isn't-"
"She's right." Everyone looked to Victarion who stood up from his spot among his gang. "We are here to learn the Force. And Cliet was bugging her, lots of my guys say he liked to pick on her more than others. Don't know why don't care." Vette could guess it was some immature reason like he liked her but didn't know how to express it but that was beyond things now. "But he brought what he got down on himself. I say we let this go." Victarion finished off with a small but brutishly charming smile to Nira who seemed intrigued in the exact. same. way. Jaesa would get intrigued by Naraiz in the old days. Vette knew that she was going to need to speak with Naraiz right after about Nira.
"As much as I disagree with doing so on principle, but I agree with Grayjoy." Mysa said with an irritated grunt. Miana nodding along.
"She needs some sort of punishment… but something light. And only for the excessive force used." Puff called out from behind his wall of what little muscle his group had.
"Acted in self defense, and is strong enough to own her actions. I say pass." Thoren sighed like all of this was beneath him. Now that the leaders had said their piece, the rest started shouting their own opinions. Most fell in line with whoever they believed in with the exception of those that came with Thoren. Vette noted that most of them didn't even really fit in a singular group. Jarman then did his best at quieting them all down and taking their opinions block by block. It was safe to say that the skipping out of the tomb was well deserved on Nira's part.
Vette just tuned out the rest of the meeting as it was more small little rules, how they would keep this all a secret, and some more arguing. She was more focused on the mini-Jaesa now in their midst and knowing that they would need to keep tabs on the Acolyte Assembly more in the future. While this was certainly a good means to understand where the Acolytes were at it was also clearly only going to be a front for more backroom deals.
"Which I guess is exactly what he wants in the end."
Nira was skipping happily through the Godswood, she felt so free and at peace. And it wasn't just here in the Godswood, that was a different kind of peace. No, now she felt at peace everywhere she went. The voices were gone but because they were now her own voices. There wasn't a battle in her head every day because she just let it all happen. It was freeing and the greatest thing to ever happen to her. Now she was happy and had friends. After the meeting down in the tombs, Victarion came to her and asked if she wanted to train with him. It was so fun!
"Someone looks like a happy girl, who's the boy?" Nira stopped as she reached the Weirwood and out from behind it came Darth Nagash. He was in his more casual robes but there was a notable adding of bits of silver here and there in addition to the black and purple robes. Nira's smile dipped a bit as she wasn't sure how to handle this.
She had spoken to Darth Nagash as all Acolytes had in the first few months of being gathered at Harrenhal. The meeting wasn't what she would call productive, but it wasn't bad either. He just said that she had a lot of problems but this place would be where all of them would be fixed. He used a lot more words in saying that but that's what Nira got out of it. And he wasn't wrong, but she was scared that it was in ways he wouldn't be pleased by.
"Darth Nagash." She said as she bowed and he lightly laughed.
"It happened here didn't it? When you first used that power to cause pain and spill blood." He started as he crossed his arms in his sleeves. Nira gulped but his tone wasn't punishing… yet.
"Yes. Cliet… he was distracting me from our lesson. I got angry and it just happened." Nira explained trying to be as truthful as she could without sounding as happy about it all as she had been during the meeting. Her eyes looked away from the spot of soil they had been locked on up to Darth Nagash. He was smiling, a nice and caring smile that made Nira feel a bit safer. He then looked to the Weirwood.
"These trees, I've never seen anything like them in all of my travels. They radiate the Light Side, bathing their surroundings in peace and harmony. As someone who tends to lean toward the Dark Side it is a nice feeling." Nira was surprised by this. Instructor Rathari and Fay had explained the Light and Dark Sides many times now as well as the importance of Balance between them but everyone kinda agreed that the Light was the good side and the Dark Side was evil. Though that was the unspoken part as they were always punished by Instructor Rathari if they said this. So hearing that their leader leaned to the Dark was surprising to say the least. "I assume that you also find this place nice as well."
"Yes, I don't feel… I mean I didn't feel…" Nira began to stutter as she found it difficult to explain what she felt and what she had gone through with Darth Nagash. He was different from Miana, she didn't want to disappoint him.
"Nira. In history there are people blessed and some would say cursed by the Force. Some are granted special abilities that set them apart from the rest. My apprentice is one of these special few." He then looked up as if waiting for something but nothing happened. He looked pleased at this. "Anyway… you are one of these special people."
"I am?" Nira asked as she felt like everything she had gone through was now worth it.
"Yes, but remember when I said some consider these gifts both a blessing and a curse." He said as he continued to keep smiling as he had been. Then Nira felt something wrong, she tried to move her feet only to find them locked to the ground. Her hands, her entire body felt like it was beyond her control. "You have been given by the Force a gift of blood, you can sense the Midi-chlorians in people's blood but the Dark Side twists this as it does everything."
"M-m-y lord…" Nira struggled to breath out as the Force pressed against her entire body.
"My Master once taught me the most important lesson I ever learned. The Dark Side is not your friend, it is a power that you must subjugate and must Always keep in control of." Darth Nagash said as Nira blinked and saw his face change to one of disapproval and uncaring of her fate. Then her body began to move, but not of her own volition. Slowly she began walking as if a puppet on strings. She struggled to stop her body as she walked up to the Weirwood. Then she reached out but she could see what she was reaching out for. A snap echoed in the trees and she felt a piece of wood placed in her hand. The puppeteer that held her strings allowed her to look to her side to see she was holding a lit torch.
"No." Nira mumbled as she could easily see what was about to happen.
"Master Baras taught me after the fact. After I had done horrible things because the Dark Side told me it was okay. He beat me into an inch of my life once it had started to reach the point of no return. I don't want it to come to that with any of you so a more… subtle method must be used." He explained as Nira slowly started to move the torch closer and closer to the bark of the venerable tree. The very thing that brought such peace and harmony to her life. But try as she might she couldn't force her body to pull back. "This tree is a beacon of light, and right now you have no great analogy for your soul when you let the Darkness take control." He said and then Nira flung back as she regained control over her body.
She hard been trying so hard to pull back that when movement returned to her control she flung back onto the ground. The torch fell out of her hand but never touched the dirt and leaves. Instead it hung in the air right across from Nira's face.
"I-I-I-I-I-I…" Nira stuttered as she crawled away from the torch that now floated back into Darth Nagash's hand. The flame extinguished on its own and he tossed the charred piece of wood into the godswood. "Why… why would you do that!"
"To show you what it feels to be out of control, about to destroy something that you love. It is a situation that all Force-Users that fall to the Dark Side end up in." He said gravely as he looked down at her. Once again she felt all of her emotions still in her throat, unable to say anything to him. "You are not a tool of the Dark Side, the Dark Side is a tool for you. You control it, it doesn't control you. You can dive so deep into the Dark Side the Light is all but gone but I will still allow you to call yourself Sith so long as you never fall to it."
A girl with the power to directly connect to the Midi-chlorians in a person's blood… that's a power not seen in a great time. I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the visions of spilling blood came early on, the Dark Side twisted the power into something bloody instead of wonderful.
"In the end, it looks like she'll be a great warrior and not the biologist I need." I mumbled to myself as I finished my final thoughts on Nira. It had been several days since I spoke with her in the Godswood. I don't know what effect it might have had on her, I had left that day to Valyria to Anchor the Wound in the Force with Revan's Mask. That went surprisingly well, no battles or Force magic nonsense. Just a nice trip to the smoking ruins of the old capital and then a trip down to the caverns and pop! A quick Force Ritual done right and Revan's Mask has a new home acting as the protector of this world from an invasion of Starweirds.
I still have so many worries about the Starweirds. That they come from Wounds in the Force, a rift into some other space, it all gives me chills given I know that there are other Wounds in the Force out there. Maybe this one was special given that it involved Time and Space? Regardless, it's a factor that I will need to contend with. There are many threats to my future Empire that aren't the Republic.
"You have that look on your face again." I heard Vette say from behind as she came in close to me, her head resting on the back of my neck. She was currently in her Masked disguise as we weren't entirely alone. It was us, my two Dothraki Twins and some of the menials from Harrenhal all in a small boat. "Whatever it is it's stupid to think about now right?"
"A little bit." I chuckled and I could sense her smile and god did it help. My emotional state had once again been all over the place but this time it was for perfectly normal reasons. I think anyone would respond the same way as I did given my circumstances. Vette, Lyarra, and Joanna, all of them were a soothing relief on the whole Jaesa running off with our child thing. "But I have to think about things like this. If I don't then-" I was interrupted by the sound of Felli throwing up in the God's Eye… again.
"Those two really have it bad on water don't they." Vette remarked as we both turned around to see the two hung over the boat looking like the living dead. Yeah… there was a big reason why Dothraki didn't cross water. "Are you sure we need to bring them?"
"We need a bigger crew for the future trips. I'm going to be locking down my power even further to avoid getting spotted by the Jedi so we will actually need the back up." I said not liking the fact I would essentially be going from endgame Sith Warrior to basically an early game with all the suppressing I would need to put on my power. But I needed to appear as baseline as possible in order to avoid the Jedi picking up on my movements. "Better to have some members of that crew incapable of a munity."
"Mmm." Vette pouted a bit at that remark but the damage was done so she wasn't too mad. I had done a great job softening her up on my darker tendencies. The fact we were in a relationship likely was causing her to accept my flaws a bit better, but don't worry Vette I know you're mad and will endeavor to avoid doing such things in the future.
"Finally!" Both of the twins shouted as the boat hit the ground of the Isle of Faces. I sent the menials back and did so without question. I was already known in Harrenhal as a man that often spent days on this island and then randomly showed back up in the keep without anyone noticing. Once the boat was out of sight into the mist that hung in the air this day, I started my way deeper into the Weirwood forest. Vette followed knowing where we were going but the twins had no clue but followed us regardless. I had taken them from their duties at the keep, much to their joy, but didn't tell them why. Hell, I barely told Vette why we needed to leave so suddenly.
As I placed the Mask of Revan in its place at the Wound of the Force and finished the ritual to bind it to the Wound I was given a vision. Maybe the spirit of Revan was trying to tell me something, or maybe it was the Force itself, either way I needed to listen. But I then treated to a vision in which I saw a wounded bird… I believe it was a Bespin Heliost but I could be wrong. I watched as it flew through the skies, its feathers tattered and tears of blood flowing from its eyes. Off in the distance I could see hunters, and behind them a swarm of locusts. Then, it found safety in the burning wreck of a starship that was painfully obvious that it was a Corellian model. The hunters are circling the Heliost and the swarm is starting to infest the ship. A black vulture comes in and is just watching but is otherwise uninterested. The entire vision ended with the ship blowing up leaving behind everything but the swarm. I got the message, someone or something was on Corellia and I needed to go save them. Who it was I had no idea.
That's why I was heading out so quickly, Force Visions in my experience shouldn't be ignored. I have spent a good deal of time planning around the info that both Marr and Satele gave me. This was a chance at something… even if I didn't know what it was. But that was how it was with the Force, the future always in motion and clouded. Plus… I wasn't all that proficient at Force Visions.
"So… where exactly are we heading, boss?" Vette asked as we came closer to the clear we had been using as a landing pad. Both Emmi and Felli perked up at hearing this question, from their perspective I guess we were already here. This was an island, and one in the middle of a landlocked lake… where else could we go.
"Corellia." I answered and Vette stopped in her tracks for a moment and then ran up to my side.
"Can we say we did and not?" She gave a deadpan look to me but that faltered into an uneasy yet accepting smile of doom.
"Don't worry, I'm sure that all those gambling debts you racked up there are forgiven." I said with a pandering pat on the head and continued on my way to the edge of the clearing. Vette grumbled a bit but followed me past the trees however the twins just froze as they saw my ship. The Chilling Sound was an Imperial stealth ship that highly resembled the Star Courier class of ship from the Republic. Just replace the back dome with a forward lining command bridge and a smaller set of wings ahead of the back pair and you got a pretty good idea of what it looks like.
I stopped and turned back, the two Dothraki girls just were wide eyed at the starship. This was a typical reaction for a more primitive sentient when encountering something so clearly otherworldly.
"What…
"… is it?" The two started and finished for each other purely out of habit. They had been so used to operating as a pair they instinctually just did the gag on reflex. Also, those runes engraved on their bodies might have something to do with it.
"Think of it as a giant metal boat that can fly." I said as Vette continued on, dropping her Mask as she did so, her more alien features clearly visible for the twins as she opened the airlock door. "Ready to sail the stars?"
Author's Notes
Happy Thanksgiving everyone. For the next few chapters we are going be just in the Star Wars setting. Some new and old faces will be showing up, some are quite different than what you might know. Also I changed the timeline a bit, now Naraiz has started thirty years before the Battle of Naboo instead of sixty.
Reviews
Reads too much - Naraiz will be making contact with a criminal element in the next chapter, it won't be Hondo as he has another part to play in this story. Naraiz will eventually start screwing with the Holo-Net but first the total blanket serves him as a continued festering wound for the moral of the people.
DahakStarz - thanks for the ideas
Guest - Ah... I see you too are a man of culture
AO Black - It is always nice but whenever I see fics that do it they are either abandoned before the kids arrive or are very underdeveloped. As for the Lost Tribe of the Sith... no. I really don't like the messiness they bring to the AU I have made.
Monkeylikespie - he will get all kinds of troopers and Durge will be a thing.
alertpoet91 - yes
kingken - yes, but later. maybe.
SIr Nikolas Xi Imperia - yes, no, maybe, yes but not there, and yes.