Ridire Corcairdhearg: The Shard of War and Blood Star Wars D&D SI Chapter 133: 4-32 Great Hatred, Little Room, a private fanfic

[19 BBY]

[Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, Republic Third Fleet {Army of Light}, In Orbit Gerrenthum, Gerrenthum System, Anoat Sector, Greater Javin Region, Outer Rim Territories]

"You are going to free me my Lord?"

I nodded in response to the shocked whisper that was barely audible over the background music and sound of this 'elegant soirée' I'd had to throw "Yes Miraj, though it is more ransoming you than simply freeing you to go on your merry way. After all your company will be missed, and apparently has a very high value in terms of credits. Enough to help equip a small fleet...the Queen whose beauty launched a thousand ships for me to terrorise my enemies with"

Her hand gripped into my arm as well walked along, her emotions surprised...an odd mix of shock, relief, and strangle fear as she stood in a very expensive, and somewhat revealing, dress of Zygerrian formal design. Asajj on the other arm was dressed attired, albeit in a Dathomir design and let out a snort of amusement at the comment. Not one from the local cultural heritage, but it was likely a story repeated a million times or more with variations in differing cultures; even with the Republic's long running need to enforce cultural conformity upon the galaxy at large.

"Thank my Lord, I shall give my all to impress this evening"

"I know you will Miraj, so enjoy the party" I replied with a nod to her as I moved easily into the room at the announcement of name and those of my escorts for the night. All the pomp and ceremony that came with success, and I'd have personally preferred to be in my armour than these fancy {albeit mildly armoured} formalwear. I was young after all, and the armour was intimidating; which was useful on the battlefield...and this was a battlefield, albeit of a different type. Eyes watched and judged as we entered at an easy pace, all seeking their own advantage in a swirl of emotions as I took my seat.

"Yes, he could have sold you to the Hutts for more after all" Asajj murmured to the Zygerrian as she took her seat, and I shook my head.

"Now, now, Asajj, we are respectable officers of the Galactic Republic, which has deemed slavery a crime, so clearly we would never sell such a fair maiden such a Miraj into slavery. Force forbid that we do so when our dear Miraj has learned valuable lessons from us" I replied with a smile and patting Miraj's knee in a comforting gesture, and also to test at her emotions in the Force. Surprisingly she was relaxed about situation, nodding and murmuring agreement with my words. Honestly I wouldn't have sold her to the Hutts regardless, but there were other motives to free her now.

The funds from the ransom were one reason now the Republic was crumbling and we could do with the extra war-chest was one reason of course. But another was that restoring some degree of organisation to Zygerria, now that the Republic forces around Bonadan were collapsing, would politically useful. Hopefully it would tip the balance in that Sector within the Confederacy after it had suffered a series of defeats; ideally it would cause political problems between the pro and anti slavery blocks. The hammering of Zygerria had weakened the anti-slavery bloc in the CIS as Zygerria tottered towards a political crisis, and Miraj's return would hopefully reverse that and cause the chaos to shift to the larger Confederacy.

Our hard fought victory, and the current 'celebration' of it, was also a good time to pull the announcement of her release; showing my 'generosity to defeated foes' while suppressing opposition to it. I was a Warlord now, if not yet in name, and memories of Karguk gave hints of the need for trust and respect in one's actions as much as fear. After all it was time to make subtle threats alongside not-begging for aid, from all the predators and vultures now circling in their own expensive formalwear. Logistics were the key to our war now, and that meant making deals I mused taking a sip of my expensive Chandrillan wine...

[19 BBY]

[Senatorial Review Room, Central Military Command, Raxus System, Tion Hegemony, Outer Rim Territories]

Senator Mina Bonteri stood watching the galaxy map, hands behind her back, sighing "What went so wrong?"

Returning from Corellia, their great success of peace turned to ashes in their mouths, she'd found herself having to face what the Parliament had assumed would be a series of swift victories turn to crushing defeats. Not only that but the Sith had returned, somehow having hid themselves, and conspired to drive back the Confederate Armies and Fleets. The devastating blows of Mon Cala and Boomis Koori crushingly outweighed the success at Cadomai, and driving Republic fleets away from Kashyyyk so they could besiege the Jedi and Wookie forces entrenched there.

"We underestimated the level of coordination, and cohesion frankly, that Count Dooku and General Grievous brought to our forces" the Neimoidian Commodore Dua Ningo, recently returned from a defeat to Admiral Zsinj, replied unhappily. Not a surprise at the unhappiness, the Trade Federation were loath to admit such a thing, but there public were horrified and enraged at the recent reversals and things needed to be reformed, and reformed immediately. Unfortunately everything Mina had seen indicated that would not be an easy process, nor one that a few weeks, or even months, would solve; Dua Ningo was simply stating what she, and the others, already knew.

'What is perhaps worse is that political side is even worse in terms of disorganisation' she thought listening as the other Senators of the Commission asked their questions. They had been unable to elect a new Head of State to replace Dooku for one, and the current situation wasn't going to help with that chaos. It had seemed inevitable till a few days ago that the Trade Federation and Banking Clan's preferred candidates would achieve success, but that was highly unlikely now. Mina shook her head, glancing again at the holographic map filled with numberless icons.

"Our successes...will they free up forces for use elsewhere?"

The Harch Admiral, Trench, clacked his mandibles looking unhappy "Victory over the Sernpidal and Bonadan pockets...hsssh...seems inevitable, but time...hsssh...time, it will take time and resources Senator Bonteri. What is needed if the...hssh...chain of command to be restablishhhheddd...we give orders, but are overridden, overruled. Fleets move and are defeat before we know they have even done so. Preventing Vandelhelm and Druckenwell falling...hssshh..."

The body language indicated the answer to that she found "Thank you Admiral"

"It is not all negative Senator, despite setbacks..." Dua Ningo replied "...we have made some in-roads into former Republic territory, and the Republic itself continues to crumble by all reports"

"Hsssh, not as swiftly as we would want Commodore, and some Republic squadrons have gone rogue, or turned pirate, such as that damned Ohnaka and his cutthroats. Which...hsssh...ironically means we must deploy more patrols to deal with these raiders. More resources will be needed"

One of her fellow Senators, By Bluss, shook his head "That will be difficult Admiral, production was already increased to allow the recent, failed, offensives and to deal with the Mandalorian threat. Currently there is nothing more give"

"Then...hssh...there will limited room for a general offensive to end the war as Parliament demand of us...hsshh...Senator"

"Then Mandalore remains priority, and continuing the reduction of the Bonadan and Sernpidal pockets, I imagine..." Mina replied to that shaking her head "...while our peace efforts have been stalled, we have de-facto independence outside of the Outermost Rim and Galactic South. I do believe the majority of the Parliament would be content with forcing the Republic, of whatever faction, into accepting that position might be the most acceptable for now"

[19 BBY]

"So have you decided upon what course of action you wish to pursue Celeste now you reviewed our records and looked up the Holo-Net...what's left of it anyway?" I asked having arising for another day's efforts. In this case sitting down with the Jedi from ancient times for breakfast, all while my bodyguard droids waited nearby; at least I didn't have a hangover I supposed. A long night's sleep had helped with that, as I had consumed a fairly hefty amount of alcohol last night at party. One had to have some fun as I'd told Asajj, to relax, as what was the point of living your life as an empty emotionless husk, or simply filled with misery and rage?

"Much has changed, and not for the better"

I sighed at that, cutting off a piece of cooked meat "Haah...that we can agree one unfortunately, the Galaxy has gone to hells as they say"

She shook her head, sighing and looking at her food "No, even before that. The Order...all we had feared came to pass..." the very young looking, yet ancient, Jedi shook her head, sighing even more deeply as she looked at me "...the Dathomiri, they are Darksiders. Your Colonel, she was a Sith's Apprentice"

"Yes, I know, she's somewhat foolish like that. Still trying to learn their ways, though I'm working on getting her down a better path...but violence against her will NOT be accepted I might add. I've made promises of protection in exchange for loyalty after all"

Controlled anger I could tell, but she had a handle on it compared to most modern Jedi as she frowned at me unhappily "The Sith must be purged!"

I gave a snort at that "Yes, but look where that's gotten us? Thousands of years of failure with periods of peace in between, and yet despite constant efforts they live on. Because the Force wants it, desires it! All it cares about is it precious Balance, and the Jedi and Sith dance like puppets in an eternal dance of madness and death!"

Then sighed, rubbing at my head "It frustrates me, I tried to warn them, have tried to oppose the coming Dark Side ascendant, but the Force itself desires it. Visions that lie...Jedi will Fall now, in numbers, and what's worse many of those that don't would kill me, and you, as a heretic to what the Order stands for! So, I'm sorry if the Purge, Purge, Purge, plan does not appeal to me when other paths are available and I bereft of allies as a Sith Lord claims the Republic with public acclaim"

Celeste studied me a moment, and she then nodded, letting out a frustrated sigh "You truly believe that don't you?"

"The Great Sith Purge was a mistake, one we're still paying for to this day..." I replied bluntly "...as the Jedi Order ALWAYS falls into the same trap when it grows ascendant. No, that is incorrect, it is when the Temple or similar factions within the Order rises to ascendancy the same mistakes are made again, and again, AND AGAIN. Never exactly the same, but the pattern is the same. The Council trusted in the Force, in their Visions, their Force-damned Prophesy, and here we are again. Because I know them, they aren't...weren't, fools, idiots, but the Force hide the danger from them even when it was blatantly obvious. Yet they failed so badly that the Sith are being seen as heroes, WHOLE WORLDS, are rising in rebellion in the name of the Sith Lord Chancellor they democratically elected. An election I very much suspect he'd win again right now"

She stared at me, then slumped back into the chair "How far we have fallen"

"Don't I know it, unfortunately enough"

"Yet you are sheltering Jedi, rebuilding the Order"

I frowned, shaking my head "Someone has to, the galaxy needs the Jedi and the Jedi Order, it just doesn't need the Jedi in charge of things, or dictating that they are the only path. When that happens the Force lashes out in response. In fairness the Jedi of your time would be considered Darksiders, or Falling to it, by today's standards after all. So, are we on the same side?"

Celeste nodded after a few moments silence "Yes, and your pet darksiders are safe, for now. But if you Fall, truly Fall, then I will kill you"

"That's reasonable enough, but doesn't answer the original question?"

She shrugged "I wish to meet with these Jedi you have sheltered, but I fear already that I shall serve in your armies loyally based on what I have seen..."