Chapter 6
Once more sorry for the wait everyone. I had thought I would have this done by Christmas but ya i keep going back and starting over again and again and again. It as pretty bad. Now there where not a lot of question about the last chapter. Mostly because at the time I was posting it Fanfiction was having problems and it kept posting the wrong chapter. But I will answer the few I got.
Necromancy94 I will definitely be adding tech from Mass Effect, as well as Gears of War, Helo and so on.
Harshgargckt definitely wrong story to be asking that question but I will do so anyways. Rimuru is no longer human anymore and is instead a genderless slime. Key word genderless. He or she could be anything its wants because it doesn't have either.
Kazuro10 thank you I try. As I am poor at action but somewhat good at world building.
Mr. Q Jeremiah is just a fun character to write. It is kind of hard not to use and at some point I will most likely bring him in. At which I am unsure. As for Xel I am working on a few ideas to bring on later that I think will work.
Now just a fyi I went and cleaned up chapters 1-3 a bit. Will most likely do the same to this chapter at some point as well. Now on with the story.
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-977 BBY Ondruth-
Standing at the side of a well built and equipped underground training room Darth Zannah watched on while her apprentice trained with the Mandalorian Xel Wyng. And watch with no small amount of annoyance directed both at her apprentice and the man standing right next to her. Over the last six months or so she had come to know Lelouch better and has come to appreciate the way he thought of and saw the Galaxy. She already knew he was powerful beforehand in his own way but was also coming to see he was very wise as well. At least when he wanted to be that is. So, when he suggested she should have not only apprentice, but herself train with the mandalrians he had under his employ she had agreed.
After all, mandalrians where not just famed Jedi killers but skilled at killing any force user. Be it Jedi or Sith, a well-trained mandalrian could be a match for even the most power of force users. To be given the chance to train with such mandalrians was in her mind a boon. Especially when Lelouch had informed her that Xel had a geass of her own. Giving her the chance to see how strong it really was in a combat setting and not just when she wasn't expecting it like with the twi'lek years ago. And it was a good experience or would have been if not for how humbling and embarrassing it was at the same time.
Now Zannah knew she was powerful. She had proven that when she cut down her former master in combat, but she was not so foolish as to believe she was the strongest being in the Galaxy. But to have that made so very clear during her own spar with Xel was grating. Now she had won her spar in the end but had little doubt that if they were truly fighting then she would have suffered either a near fatal or fatal wound due to Xel geass. Which was appropriately named Absolute Sniper. Such, a fitting name for what it did.
Normally blasters were little trouble for her to deal with. Deflecting or dodging them with ease but Xel geass allowed her to bend blaster bolts to her will, so that why they would always be on target. Needless to say, that was hard to deal with and by the end of that spar Zannah could admit that if it had been a real battle, she most likely would have died or been crippled for life. It wasn't a very satisfying fact she had to come to grips with.
That is why she couldn't be too angry at her apprentice for getting her ass handed to her so badly. Cognus before she had become her apprentice had been a highly skilled assassin. But like all assassins when it came to straight up fights was a poor match against those who lived on the front lines of combat. As was demonstrated by now poorly she was doing currently. Even with her Force abilities the gap in technology and skill was too much for her to overcome. But while she understood how poorly she was doing Zannah would still punish her apprentice for this embarrassment.
The last thing they could afford right now was to look weak or weaker in Lelouch's mind. The man already held little respect for them or their Jedi counterparts. Seeing them as a bad joke at best and complete idiots at worst. Their doctrine was height of stupidity to him. They were in his worlds like conjoined twins with the possibility of spitting apart and going their own separate ways and never having to see each other again. It would have been easy, but they fought over who was in more control of the same body like the fools they were. It was funny to him, and he got a good laugh at their expense.
Oh, how she wished she could burn him alive for that and technically she did in their own spar. But like with Xel had found her match or perhaps she should say better I him but only due to a technicality. After all, when you were an immortal being who could shrug off mortal wounds and fight with a complete disregard for your own safety. Well, you become pretty hard to beat. Lelouch's willingness to do whatever it took to win, and his high pain tolerance meant she lost more often than not against him. As he was able to either out right ignore most of her force powers or shake them off with little trouble. Her ability to show her enemies their greatest fear was useless to someone who had outlived everyone they cared about. Force choke, again useless as Lelouch didn't need to breathe to live or move around. Force drain, there was no life force to drain, cryokinesis, a little cold didn't bother him, and pretty much all mind arts did nothing. The only thing that really worked on him were the physical manifestations of the Force. Force lightning had been fun to use on him, even though in the end it did little to stop him.
With all that said, however, she was sure in a real fight she would be the victor more often than not. After all she didn't need to kill him to win. She just needed to incapacitate him long enough to retreat. Like force pushed him off a cliff or something. So long as she didn't go one on one with him, she needed worry about his immortality or his surprisingly masterful sword skills. That was another thing, just by looking at him one wouldn't be able to tell that Lelouch had any martial skills to speak of. His body size and over demeanor spoke of a man who preferred to avoid getting into physical conflicts if at all possible. Preferring to use his mind to outsmart his enemies'. It was only after they had crossed swords with her that she realized he was an expert with the sword.
With his Songsteel sword he had won in a card game years ago he was an absolute nightmare to compete with. She would have felt respect him for his skill with the blade if it wasn't for the fact that he admitted that his mastery came only because of time. His talent with the blade was near as bad as his talent with a blaster and only achieved mastery because he had nothing better to do to pass the time then practice sword fighting. There was an old saying from his home planet that he told her that actually fit well for him. I fear not the man who has practiced 10,000 kicks once, but I fear the man who has practiced one kick 10,000 times. Well, he has practiced many styles over his lifetime and practiced them well over 10,000 times each.
Still, she had learned a lot from their sword fights. Like she said he knew dozens, maybe even hundreds of sword styles and was easily able to adapt on the fly. And with Force Precognition all but useless against Lelouch she was forced to use pure skill to overcome him. Oh, sure she got some warning from the force when he attacked but it wasn't enough to give her a significant advantage over Lelouch. Which meant she lost more often than she would care to admit.
It was just another thing that annoyed her to no end about Lelouch. Yet the one that angered her over everything else was the one currently sitting down watching her apprentice while under heavy guard by Mandalorian warriors. It was clear from the start that Shanti was a technological genius. Hell, the girl had hacked into her starships CPU like it was nothing. But even so Zannah didn't realize how much till much later. And while she didn't regret trading the girl to Lelouch for Darth Malgus holocron, she would have thought harder on ways to betray Lelouch if she knew. Granted that wouldn't have been a wise thing to do but still she would have thought about it more or demanded more.
It was in large part to her that Lelouch's overall plans for this planet were coming together. Plans that she was told about because if everything worked out as planned, she and her apprentice would have a place to lay low for a long while. Now she didn't know everything, but she did know that all his plans lay in current unrest, which looked like may turn in to a full on full-scale civil war. Something that was all but guaranteed to happen at this point. What with both sides of the political divide unwilling to speak with each other and arming themselves with anything and everything they could get their hands on. Battlelines were quickly being drawn. All that was needed was one last push.
A push that Lelouch had asked her and her apprentice supply. After all, if they were going to make this place their home for even a short while they had to contribute to the overall outcome of what was to come next. So, it was when she saw her apprentice bested for the last time today that she stepped forward and told her it was time.
-Sometime later-
As she followed her master through a dark alley towards their target, Cognus felt nothing but cold fury. Towards her master, towards Lelouch and most of all towards that bitch who bested her once again Xel. She hated being bested the way she was and hated being what she thought was manipulated by Lelouch and her master's willingness to capitulate to him. Oh, don't get her wrong, she understood why her master did it and even understood the wisdom in it. But she was truly under the impression that they should just remove Lelouch in his entirety and take over his carefully laid plans for their own benefit. Despite knowing that would not end well for them if they tried.
She knew it was just her emotions getting the better of her but even, so she was having trouble accepting what was happening. They should in her mind be plotting to seize Lelouch's power for themselves but according to her master she knew of no way to do that. As Lelouch's power was not based on the Force. Till they figured out a way to steal this power they would have to play along. Or risk being exposed to the Jedi Order when they were at their strongest and themselves at their weakest.
With that said she had to admit that playing along with Lelouch was not such a bad idea. While she only knew the bare bones of what Lelouch had planned for this planet Cognus had to admit any plan that shitted on the Jedi was one she could get behind. That was why she was walking down this alley with her master. The civil war that was about to take place on this planet was not at all important enough to warrant the attention of the Jedi. Sure, they may show up eventually to broker a peace between the two sides that were going to take part in it but that would take a few years at least. After all this was a back water planet with no real presence in the Senate. However, the opportunity to drag them into this had presented itself.
Refrain the drug Lelouch had been making unknown to her and her master till just recently had been outlawed by the Senate for some time now. But it had only been recent that the Jedi had gotten involved in the hurting down and breaking up distribution centers. With great success on Lelouch's part. How some may ask was giving Lelouch credit for what the Jedi were doing make sense. Well, it was because it was Lelouch who was letting them do so. He wanted them to attack these distribution centers. Till eventually they found information on this planet not only being a major hub for this drug but its place of origin. By which time the planet would fully be into its civil war. Forcing the Jedi to intervene in it, but only to find they were not welcomed by the rebels even if they took their side. Something Lelouch guaranteed wouldn't happen.
How he could guarantee that she had no clue, but she knew why the Jedi wouldn't be welcomed by the rebels. And that was because she and her master were about to attack the main rebel base of operation. Their job to kill as many of the rebels as possible while letting most of those in command, especially Count Zemed Nouidi live. She of course made no promises that she would. Cognus thought as she activated a blue colored lightsaber she took from a fallen Jedi once they came to a well-guarded door. Then along with her master preceded to attack.
-Less than 20 minutes later-
With sweat pouring down his face and blood pouring down from his left shoulder Count Zemed Nouidi, Zed to his friends tried to warp his head around what was happening. How had things gone so badly so quickly? Was he truly so foolish as to believe a chance for a peaceful resolution to the coming conflict could be found. In hindsight the answer was clearly yes. It was always yes God damn it. The fucking gangsters where too well entrenched in the government and the moment his side started to arm themselves it became a forgone conclusion. Still, he didn't want this, he didn't want to go to war. His father and brother were on the other side for crying out loud. And no matter what their differences he didn't want to see them die.
That was all a moot point now however, as those fucking Jedi had guaranteed a war now. What the fuck where they even doing here anyways. The Jedi were supposed to be the good guys. Those who fought against the darkness and for the light. Or so the holonet led him to believe. It would seem he along with the rest of the galaxy were lied to. Just like everything else it was all a lie. They were just as corrupt as anyone else. And to think he was thinking of trying to go to the Senate for help now that Moorzaggom the Hutt was on their side. With his ships it was possible for him to make the trip somewhat safely.
At least he could save the trip now, he thought with a humorless smile. Then out the corner of his eye Zemed saw one of his men run up to him. Yelling at him, "Sir, sir we have to go. The fucking Jedi they are killing everyone. We must flee while the others hold them off."
Just hearing the man say this to him Zemed feels a near uncontrollable rage take hold of him. But instead of giving into the feeling he clamps down on it and bites his cheek. Letting the man help him stand on his feet and start to lead him out of the slaughter that was taking place behind him. He would have his revenge on the Jedi one day. They and the dogs that sent them.
-Coruscant-
Elsewhere in the Galaxy Jedi Grand Master Fae Coven was in deep meditation. Not long ago she had felt something, something in the Force. A slight disturbance in the Force, which was so small she almost missed it. But felt it she did and while it was too small for her to be able to tell where it had come from, she could tell it was not good. Something was at play that would see hard times fall upon the Republic and Jedi as a whole. And while not on the level of a reemergence of the Sith it was still going to be bad whatever it was. Now if only she could figure out how.
Anyway, you looked at it, the Republic was prospering with the end of the New Sith Wars. And while there was some trouble here and their things were running smoothly. If she were a non-force sensitive, she would believe everything was alright and would continue to be so. However, she wasn't and knew something was coming and had a feeling that a certain Twi'lek by the name of Uinawmegoh was at the center of it all. Or was the beginning of something new within the force?
A strange thing to believe seeing as Uinawmegoh was while a remarkable dancer and businesswomen was as far as the force was considered completely unremarkable. She had little Force presence from what reports had been brought to her yet had been accused of misusing the force to befit herself. A not so unusual thing to be reported but also generally a complete waste of time. After all, in an effort to stamp out whatever Sith may be left in the Galaxy the Senate had passed a number of laws to hopefully help track and eliminate any possible Sith. Once such law was actually a bounty on the successful tracking down and reporting of those using the Force for ill gain.
Which unsurprisingly turned out to be a horrible idea. Anyone with half a brain knew it was but the majority of the Senate believed it was a good idea. So, they saw a lot of holocalls and tips of would be Sith. There were so many in fact that they just couldn't keep up with them all. As the Jedi were busy building up its numbers and the Senate despite being the ones to pass the law were becoming less and less willing to fund the department that follow up on said tips. With that said Uinawmegoh name came up enough that the Jedi were finally forced to check her out.
And it was as they had thought the woman's force signature was no higher than your common everyday lifeform. Even so, however, some irregularities were quickly found after a deeper investigation was done. Too many things were just not adding up. Like what happened with her husband, and his family. After she had moved from the world of Ondruth to Muunilinst she had quickly divorced her husband. Taking his entire fortune with her and leaving him and his family destitute. Not an unusual thing of course as it happened quite often and was a favorite pilot line in HoloShows. No what was strange was that said husband had agreed to give her everything according to court records and then just disappeared. Most likely dead as none could find him.
But what really put her under a lot of suspicion was that during one of her shows a Jedi Knight and Padawan went to one of her shows. That was where it happened. A power was reported to her by said Jedi Knight that wasn't of the force or at least he didn't believe so. According to Jedi Knight Andromen during her show he had started to feel awkward. He called it an unusual attraction for the women. One that he could only call sexual attraction. Which shouldn't have been possible for Knight Andromen who came from a completely asexual species who reproduces without the need of a partner. It was the only reason he was able to tell something was wrong as the invasion into his mind was so subtle and gentle that if his species wasn't asexual, he wouldn't have been able to tell something was wrong.
After he had shaken off the feeling and broken its hold on his Padawan he waited until the show was over to get in contact with the council. As the feeling that came over him was non hostile, and he was unsure if she wasn't committing a crime seeing as it didn't feel of the force and if it wasn't she was breaking the Senate's law. What's more Uinawmegoh was a very popular figure not just on Muunilinst and its surrounding sectors but in the wider Galaxy as a whole. Along with having the support of several powerful Senators. To arrest her without any proof of wrongdoing would cause a lot of problems for the Jedi Order. Problems they didn't need right now as they were rebuilding.
Something that many Jedi seemed to forget was that after the New Sith Wars they didn't exactly come out of it unscathed. Not only did they lose the vast majority of their veteran members and powerful Masters, but politically they were hurt as well. As while no one said it out loud many Senators held the Jedi in strong contempt for wars, with others believing the Jedi now without an enemy to fight would turn on them and start to strip them of the power they held so dear. Which was ridiculous as most of the Jedi Lords who ruled planets during the 100 years before the Ruusan Reformations had renounced their positions as soon as the war was over. But it was the few who didn't that had so many Senators worried.
The arresting of a popular celebrity without just cause wouldn't go over well with the public. After thinking about it sometime Fae makes a decision and contacts Knight Andromen and tells him to ask her to come to Coruscant. So, she along with the rest of the Jedi Council could evaluate her powers. After all there was a chance, this could be some type of new Force power and asking her to come to Coruscant should cause no trouble.
Yet why was she still feeling like something wasn't right?
- Muunilinst-
As she looked in the mirror Uinawmegoh couldn't keep the smile that was currently on her face off of it. It was hard to believe that after so many years things were going exactly how the boss said they would. How long had it been sense she left that shithole Ondruth? Thirteen, fourteen years? It was hard to tell at this point as it seemed like a lifetime ago. Yet still she called Lelouch boss, despite being both independently wealthy and well connected. But she couldn't help it as all she had around her was because Lelouch had seen something in her that at the time she didn't. Back then she saw herself as just another dancer, and prostitute. Granted one more beautiful than the rest but that was all she was in her eyes, even after she got married to her now deceased husband.
That, however, was because her youth was blinding her to the truth. She was more than that and Lelouch had seen that. After all no common whore could have done what she had sense coming here. Even with a geass, which really should have told her how highly Lelouch valued her. After all only Xel Wyng, and she had one. Now Xel was understandable as the women was a warrior, but not her. Again, that was her youth and training as a slave that made her see her own value. Now older and in her opinion wiser she now understood her own strengths.
Her desire for more, need to take risks but temperament to move with caution had seen her move to the top of the social ladder of Muunilinst society. Before moving on to the winder Galaxy where again she found success. Even starting her own dance company that had quickly become one of the most famous in the Galaxy. All of which she did within the last ten years. And with minimum use of her Geass at that. After all she wasn't stupid. While according to Lelouch it seemed like Jedi and those of the same ink couldn't feel Geass like they did their own magic that didn't mean they wouldn't notice it. So, she was always very selective of when and where she used it.
That was till just recently when Lelouch had sent her a message telling her it was time to bait the fish. The fish being the Jedi. She was never privileged enough to know what Lelouch's plans where but he was up to something that was about to shake the Galaxy to its core, and she was going to be a part of that. Happily, part of that in fact. She knew the law regarding misuse of Force powers but because geass couldn't be felt like the Force she could play it off by not knowing she ever had them. Plus, despite the risk she stood to benefit a lot from playing her part and not just her.
Hearing a cry coming from her left Uinawmegoh smiles even wider at the site of her newly born daughter Nachehl. Born to a fellow dancer Uinawmegoh had taken a liking to, she was the jewel in her life. Her whole galaxy and so much more. So, some would ask why she was taking such a big risk in playing games with the Jedi as she was. Well, that was simple, it was because it was all for her daughter.
You don't rise to the position she was in without making enemies after all. Ture she wasn't in politics, which was the most dangerous game of all, but business could be just as dangerous. After her company had taken off, she immediately started to get offers from major companies to buy her out. Often being offered insulting amounts for her hard work. Telling her things like she wouldn't last long or giving her not-so-vailed threats. Followed by attempts at sabotaging her company and smearing her reputation. All of which failed of course as when it came to bodyguards none came better than a mandalrian and in her case several mandalrians. All of whom came from Clan Wyng, a clan that was clearly back on the rise in the Outer Rim and whose reputation was well earned.
Anyone looking to come after her life would find themselves paying a steep price in blood. But what really made her someone you didn't what to fuck with was something only a few people knew about.
"My lady, Jedi Knight Andromen and his Padawan Chulvi Jezed are here to see you." The voice of her AI Iewehhefo said to her.
Another gift from Lelouch and another reason why she owned him everything. As her popularity started to rise Lelouch felt she needed something more than just a physical bodyguard. A public smear campaign was a given, but she hadn't expected that someone would try to steal from her by slicing into her personal computer system. Luckly Lelouch had and had sent her a new computer system with its own AI that made what was available on the public markets look like a 3-year-olds toy. It was pretty much impossible now to hack her systems and best of all she could fight back hard. She never took her own hacking too far but more than a few of her enemies had learned not to try it. Unless they wished to end up in prison or at the end of her mandalrian bodyguard's blasters.
"Thank you Iewehhefo," Uinawmegoh says while thinking they were late. She had expected them to make a move within hours of her last show, not days.
"Iewehhefo has everything been prepared?" She asks her Iewehhefo.
"Yes mistress, as you have commanded all credits, stocks and bonds have been disquietly moved to physical assets." The Iewehhefo answers.
Nodding her head, Uinawmegoh says, "Wonderful, have Karrugg show our guests to the parlor and call Lelouch for me."
"Yes mistress," The AI says to her.
Then moments later Lelouch came on over the holoprojector and Uinawmegoh thanks, "By the Force he really doesn't age does he. He still looks just as handsome as the last time I saw him. And his eyes they are still as cold and commanding as ever."
"Hello, Uinawmegoh, it has been sometime, and may I say you look as lovely as ever." Lelouch says with a softer smile.
A smile that reminded Uinawmegoh that as cold as he was, he had his soft spots. Especially towards those loyal to him. Bowing her head out of habit, that even a decade apart couldn't rid her of Uinawmegoh says, "Lelouch, indeed it has been sometime. I believe at least 8 years since last we spoke. And thank you, you look just as handsome as I remember as well."
"Thank you Uinawmegoh you are too kind. So, what do I owe the pleasure of your call?" Lelouch asks straight to business.
"The Jedi are here, just like you predicted they would be Lelouch." Uinawmegoh says.
"I see, and I trust everything is prepared on your end." Lelouch says to her more than asks.
Smiling Uinawmegoh says, "Everything is ready boss and as you have recommended, I have moved all my assets into physical currency. Still, I have to ask why you wanted me to do so?"
"You will find out soon enough and if you play your cards right end up as one of the wealthiest women in your sector and perhaps beyond." Lelouch says to her and that is all she needed to hear.
"I see well I best not keep my guests waiting. I will talk with you later Lelouch. Goodbye." Uinawmegoh says before standing up and leaving the room.
Sometime later in a ship escorting Uinawmegoh to Coruscant and the Jedi Temper, Jedi Knight Andromen felt like something wasn't quite right. He didn't know what it was, but the Force had been whispering to him. Yes, whispering was the right word for what he was feeling from the Force. While he wasn't the most powerful of Jedi Knights, he was well attuned to sensing things in the Force and from the moment he took this mission something had felt off. What it was he was feeling he could not truly say as he didn't feel like he was in any real danger.
In fact, even now he felt no danger coming from either the Force or the women Uinawmegoh. The one he had originally thought this feeling of wrongness was coming from. But now wasn't so sure that she was what the Force was whispering to him about. Yes, she was a part of it, but she wasn't its main focus. No, the Force was whispering about something else. Something bigger was at play, something that was using Uinawmegoh for its own purposes. All be it most likely unknowingly, as he wasn't feeling any deceit coming from her. Just a cold indifference from someone who was unworried about what was currently happening and a sight attractiveness towards his young Padawan who was currently having trouble keeping his eyes above the neckline.
Shaking his head Andromen makes a note to have a little talk with his Padawan about the temptations of the flesh and how those feelings could lead to the Darkside. A talk he honestly didn't think was needed as his own species didn't feeling sexual attraction towards others. At least they didn't till he beheld Uinawmegoh as she danced. It was the first time he had ever truly understood what it was that other Jedi Knights and Masters meant when they talked about temptation of the flesh. He supposed he had to thank Uinawmegoh for this experience as it taught him a valuable lesson about not assuming such a lesson could or should be skipped just because he had never felt such feeling before.
Even if the lesson was unattended. That was something he was sure about. He truly believed that Uinawmegoh wasn't even aware of what she had done to him or the audience. After all she honestly didn't seem to understand what he was talking about when he asked her about her powers. Though she did admit that she had started to notice that things seemed off over the years. Like too many people started to enjoy her dancing, which while to her was a good thing, she didn't think she was on the same level as some of the other dancers who worked for her. But at the same time, she didn't question it too much. Simply taking advantage of a sudden good wind fall like anyone else would have.
It was for that reason that he couldn't understand why the Force was telling him something was wrong. He would have to meditate on it more later. For now, he had to focus on the here and now. His mission was complete and whatever the Force was warning him of wasn't dark per say. It just wasn't good either.
Meanwhile back on Muunilinst a black box was slowly turning on after thirteen years of lying dormant. Inside this black box was a signal that would be sent to the nearest Relay station. Inside this seemly harmless signal was virus the likes of which the Galaxy had never seen. Its purpose was to attack the very heart of any government. That being its currency. Not its politicians, not its infrastructure but the life blood of all civilization. That which was used to trade, for food and materials. And the signs of something being wrong would be when an innocent galactic citizen would go their local bank to withdraw some credits only to find their account suddenly empty. They would not be the last as slowly all over the Galaxy more and more citizens would look to withdraw from their banks only to find nothing in their accounts.
And slowly like an approaching storm the greatest single recession ever seen in known history would strike the Galaxy. All at the whim of one man who watched on with an amused smile on his lips. As none would ever know he was it cause.