[19 BBY]
[House of Wisdom, Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, In Orbit Terminus, Terminus System, Kallea Sector, Outer Rim Territories]
"Seducing the Padawan, now that is a surprise?" Asajj murmured to me as we walked into the library and study area deep within the bowels of my flagships armoured hull "Should we be expecting her here as your...Apprentice...any time soon?"
I shook my head as we strolled past shelves full of reprinted books "Bariss is a Knight now, problems of that aside thanks to decisions, and No, she won't be an Apprentice of any sort. She may have access to here in time, but that's dependent on many things, but I'm taking her as a lover, not as a student and she has her own interests and goals. Being a healer for one, though she may return with the Jedi yet to help with the younglings, so, you can be assured this will not interfere with our own agreement. That also means that you don't start trouble with Bariss by the way"
She waved her hand in a contemptuous gesture "Yes, yes, as long as you keep your bed-warmer in line I'll be as behaved as I have been around the other Jedi you have taken as...guests"
I sighed "That'll be sufficient. I have had trouble with Master Unduli after all, and the usual kriffed up Jedi understanding of how emotions and relationships work, than having to deal with other issues as well"
"And yet you took a Jedi a lover?"
"Yes, and I'll work on dealing with emotions, and other confusing things that the Temple ran away from, with Bariss" I replied calmly to her mocking tone, feeling her shrug in amusement through the Force "And your just smug about Anakin?"
"Heh heh heh, it's hilarious. The Chosen One!" she smug'd back to me "Married, now you seduce away another one...yes the twisted plans of the Sith involve both the destruction of the Temple and the deep, dark, temptations of cuddling Though Amidala? Really?"
I just gave her a look "Oh, as if the vast majority Sith could manage healthy relationships throughout history either. Anyway, Miss Morne will be a useful tool in reminding the surviving Jedi, in our area at least, that the Order was once far more healthy and diverse in its understanding of the Force"
Asajj made a face "One is hardly sure she is truly a Jedi. She is too strong, too not..."
"What you'd expected?" I finished, then shrugged "As the texts here show, what fragments we have of them, the Sith and Jedi of times past were somewhat different than those of today. Even a few hundred years ago there were Green Jedi, the Matukai, and a host of others. Some of whom I imagine you would have found quite pleasant to deal with"
She nodded, looking speculative "Perhaps, several of the texts have been...interesting to say the least"
"Heretical too, according to certain others..." I chuckled as we came to a stop at the Yin-Yang style design, to my mind, meditation circle past the shelves and through a security door "...and now it is time for some practical study of those theoretical ideas from the Matukai sect. Now, their whole thing was balance and harmony between the spiritual side of the Force and using your body...body strengthening basically. So the objective is to get a handle on the basics here and now, and then moving into the combat meditation part of the equation in the training room ideally"
"Hmm, strengthen our combat abilities I assume?"
I nodded "Yes, to a degree, the Matukai were more physically focused Force users than the Temple, though it's the aspects of self-control I find useful as well. Especially for your benefit I expect, as the difference between using the Dark Side, and being used by the Dark Side is the width of a mental asylum wall"
She gave a snort "You are obsessed with self-control in the Force, not even the Jedi speak that way"
I shrugged "Eh, that's cause they; Trust in the Force you must, which is not great with the Light side in my opinion, but with the Dark Side is like handling the keys to your house to a kleptomaniac murderer and not expecting to be robbed and/or murdered by them afterwards"
--
[19 BBY]
[Office of the Acting Chancellor {Southern Regions}, formerly Governor's Palace, Eriadu, Eriadu System, Seswenna Sector, Outer Rim Territories]
"Taking and holding Indupar opens the door to Vondarc, and if we can liberate Malastare..."
Wilhuff Tarkin, Acting Chancellor of the Galactic Republic, waved off Admiral Zsinj's continued appears to renew the offensives "I agree Maarisa, and it will be launched, but now is not the time for a grand offensive to begin. Our rear areas need to be secured, and more forces are required to simply maintain and expand our control over seditious systems, and to ensure law and order are restored throughout the Outer Regions. That is to be our focus for the next few months. Limited offensives are acceptable, but only on a case-by-case basis, but solidifying our authority and expansion of our forces will be the priority"
The ORSF Senior Admiral nodded, remaining firmly at attention "Of course Grand Moff"
He maintained his calm, cold, demeanour, drumming his fingers off the wooden desk for a moment as his inner circle met "I understand your frustration Maarisa, we all are eager to press on against weakened foes, but it would do us little good should we fail to hold those territories we already hold. Compromises we are all less than happy with have been made, and likely more in the future, to secure our position. Time will allow greater action, as long as the work has been done"
His brother Gideon sitting to his right nodded "Indeed Chancellor, and in furtherance of that situation Admiral Zsinj we have started to streamline production from our own yards, and restarted production from captured Seppie ones. Unfortunately that leads into the secondary situation that recruits need to be found, then trained up to standard the same as our ground forces need to be...and many worlds have been less than helpful, aside from demanding more resources"
Wilhuff nodded "Yes, the recurring failing of the Republic historically and one requiring us to further centralise and expand military strength, and unifying the finances to secure it. We will require you to coordinate with the other senior sector commanders, soon to be Moffs, and loyal Senators for ensuring a steady supply of materials and haulage for those supplies. You can expect legal authority to given through legislation in the coming weeks, and from the systems our Sector Fleets establish in the meantime. We must ensure the piracy is curtailed so loyal worlds know the benefits of that loyalty; and that any who rebel against the New Order are seen as fearful examples to those who might also harbour such thoughts"
It was frustrating that it was taking so long, and that much negotiation was forced upon him;- but he had secured a strong core of loyal worlds, or systems such as Sullust that were Separatist at heart and had only escaped punishment as they switched to firm supporters of Eriadu's new authority. Self-interested support of course, but willing supply of warships and weaponry made them too valuable to cast aside. Thankfully, unlike the Senate on Coruscant, there was the opportunity now to centralise the reduced size Senate here alongside an efficient military based on the times before the Ruusan foolishness.
Of course that had meant reducing certain worlds representation, but that had been a useful means of 'calming' the non-humans in dealing with certainly...less useful...human worlds such as the Naboo. Their Senator, Amidala, had fled to Corellia, and the traitorous Supreme Chancellor was one of them;- stripping them of their representative, and passing it over to the non-human, but loyal and usefully martial Gungans had ensured he loyalty, not rebellion, from worlds he normally would not have dealt with. It had also allowed him to drum up charges and accusations against the Jedi-Sith-whatever hidden Force-User that had been his one time ally Sheev Palpatine.
'Hmm...and that issue of Force-users needs to be dealt with sooner rather than later' he reminded himself, fingers moving over keypad to add the note for later as his inner circle detailed out the current strategic situation. The reports of General Stormcrow, and to a lesser extent General Kota, had shown the uses, and dangers, of the Force as an energy source...shorn of the mystical clap-trap the Jedi Order had used as a front to gain power in the Republic. Avoiding a repeat of that foolishness, and the disaster that was the Jedi as Generals, meant establishing some sort of training course within military academies for Force Sensitives...once he ensured that the indoctrination into useless monks didn't begin as younglings. He needed soldiers loyal to their families, to their worlds, and the Republic after all...
--
[Priority Alert to All Home Fleet Forces Confederacy of Independent Systems]
[From: Home Fleet Sector Command Raxus, Parliamentary Security Forces]
Priority Alert*
Code Vermillion*
Message Begins*
ALL UNITS ARE TO RAISE ALERT STATUS TO COMBAT CONDITION OMEGA. ENEMY TERROR ATTACK IN PROGRESS ON RAXUS:- ESTIMATED THREE TO FIVE JEDI PLUS TWENTY TO THIRTY CLONE COMMANDOES. ALL AVAILABLE SECURITY FORCES ARE TO AID IN THE EVACUATION OF PARLIMENT AND MEDICAL DROIDS ARE TO RESPOND IMMEDIATELY. MARTIAL LAW IS NOW IN EFFECT.
Message Ends*
--
[FROM: KDY Starry Eyes - Kuati Defence Force Patrol Squadron Tango-Alpha-Niner-Alpha]
[TO: Grand Army of the Republic Headquarters Kuat/Kuat Central Defence Command]
Alert. Alert. Alert. Alert. Alert*
INVASION WARNING*
FLASH TRAFFIC PRIORITY GRANTED*
Eyes on Fleet Elements of CORSEC/ALDERANIAN SPACE NAVY/BELLESSA DEFENCE FORCES/NUMEROUS JEDI INTERCEPTORS/DURO DEFENCE FLEET/REPUBLIC 14th SECTOR FLEET on approach vector towards Kuat System*
Four Correllian Super-Capitals of COREC HOME FLEET estimated on approach*
INTERDICTION SCREENS ACTIVATING PER CONTINGENCY DRAWBRIDGE*
REPEAT: INVASION WARNING*
Alert. Alert. Alert. Alert. Alert*
--
[FROM: KDY Light of Salamada - Kuati Defence Force Patrol Squadron Tango-Beta-Alpha-Sapphire]
[TO: Grand Army of the Republic Headquarters Kuat/Kuat Central Defence Command]
Alert. Alert. Alert. Alert. Alert*
INVASION WARNING*
FLASH TRAFFIC PRIORITY GRANTED*
Eyes on Fleet Elements of BLACK SUN RAIDING FLEET/MANDALORIAN HOME FLEET/PYKE COLLECTIVE KNOWN VESSELS/UNKNOWN SEPARATIST MODEL WARSHIPS IN SQUADRON STRENGHT*
INTERDICTOR SCREENS ACTIVATING PER CONTINGENCY DRAWBRIDGE*
REPEAT: INVASION WARNING*
Alert. Alert. Alert. Alert. Alert*
--
[BROADCAST IN THE CLEAR, ALL KNOWN REPUBLIC CHANNELS]
[FROM: MANDATOR-II CLASS STAR DREADNOUGHT HEART OF THE CORE]
Message Begins:
This is Supreme Chancellor Palpatine to all loyal citizens and soldiers of the Galactic Republic within the Kuat Sector. Word has arrived that the Traitor Legions and Jedi serving the corrupt oligarchy of Correlia now come to overthrow our Great Republic in alliance with the Forces of the Mandalorians led by a Zabrak calling himself Darth Maul. To them I say this: YOU WILL FAIL IN THIS TASK!
To all Loyal Forces of the Republic, I am taking personal command of all Republic Forces within the Kuat Sector from the Heart of the Core as Republic One. So to the half-men and traitors who come against us we shall the true strength of our Great Democracy! Let all know the True Strength of this Grand Republic we have built and serve!
LONG LIVE THE REPUBLIC! DEATH TO THE TRAITORS AND MANDALORIANS!
Message Ends:
--
End of: Chapter 04: Great Hatred, Little Room, Maimed Us At The Start
Next: Chapter 05: The Dominion Of The Sword
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