[19 BBY]

[Private Deck of Captain-General Stormcrow, Executive Security Solutions City-ship/Capital-class Warship Stormcrow {II}, Task-force Outrider, In Orbit Terminus, Terminus System, Kallea Sector, Outer Rim Territories]

Bariss huffed at me, elbowing me gently in the side as the mag-lev began to move after the doors "I'm a distraction am I now?"

I grinned, elbowing her back, as gently, in response "Well you are aren't you? Send the pretty padawan to distract the big bad general while the Master and Knight interview, spar, and such with Celeste"

"Its Knight Offee now Daron!" she answered mocking shoving starting up like we younglings again, and I couldn't help but respond in kind "So, show some respect Padawan!"

"That's Captain-General Ex-Padawan to you my dear!" I mocked catching her wrist as she made to shove and we danced about standing in place "Bow down before my august presence!"

"Force, getting all big-headed are you!"

I grinned back at her teasing, dropping my voice "Big-head I have? Will of the Force it is, listening to my wisdom you must!"

Bariss laughed, elbowing my harder this time as I rested a hand on her shoulder "Oh, Force, don't start the Grandmaster talk please! We're not back in the Temple anymore!"

Well, that brought an end to the good atmosphere it seemed as Bariss let out a sigh, almost slumping against me at her own words "And we can never go back to those days..."

I sighed as well, bringing my hand to rest on her shoulder and giving a squeeze "No, we can't, but we're alive and we struggle on. Sorry for bringing it up"

Bariss gave an undignified snort at that "Oh, kriff it Daron, I'm the one who got all silly. There is no emotion, there is peace"

"Yes, I have heard that from time to time..." I answered as the mag-lev came to a stop and the doors opened, and the security door beyond that, and I guided Bariss throughout "...along with Emotion, yet Peace, from my new guest"

"That's for younglings Daron..." she replied, but not as confidently as I'd expected as walked along the sterile metal corridor till I opened the thick security doors ahead with a push on my Force Wards and the droids recognised "...buy...what's she like? Is it true? Thousands of years..."

"Oh, it's true, I was there when she woke up in that box. I was certainly expecting something else other than..."

Bariss gave a sniff of irritation "Yes, trust you to find an ancient treasure chest and open it up to find a, I assume naked, attractive female inside"

"Hey! She had clothes on, along with a Sith artefact that creates Rakghouls. Hence the whole locked in stasis pod for eons..." I replied as we emerged into the sun-lit, well, fake sun-lit, glades of my little meditation park/garden "...so that little horror got shot into the nearest star right away to destroy it as I told Master Luminara and Knight Secura, and I assume my guest is doing the same"

She gave me a look "What were you up to digging up such things?"

"Buying them actually and I should think the reason is obvious...trying to keep up my Force skills, and making sure dangerous things don't get loose, or worse, fall into the hands of all the Sith running about the galaxy right now. Honestly I'm surprised that wasn't the first thing your Master asked me, or that they didn't send Stass here to get it out of me"

Bariss winced "Master Allie had wished to attend, but well...the others felt...that..." her voice dropped "...they did not want me to attend either, but I...wanted to"

I gave her shoulder a squeeze "Something I'm glad of Bariss, this war...is hard, much as I'd like to pretend otherwise at times"

She smiled, though somewhat sadly as she stopped, poking me in the chest "Are you doing the right thing Daron? Are we? You've killed Jedi...but the Order, it got rotten, I see that now..." Bariss looked at my feet, shifting uncomfortably "...I've had a lot of time to think while minding the younglings. News of Anakin, and his..."

I gave a chuckle at that "Wife, the good Senator of Naboo, honestly I wasn't surprised at all about that particular bit of news. What shocked me was that he managed to keep it secret from everyone, Council included, and only the galaxy going completely to pieces managed to bring it to light"

Bariss nodded "Okay, yes, the secrets and subtly was a surprise. Even Ahsoka didn't know...and we've barely been able to reach anyone, codes are compromised and the holo-net's...down. I'm just afraid they'll do something stupid and she'll get hurt"

"Well, Master Kenobi is there, so I'm sure she's in good hands" I replied and Bariss nodded, letting out a sigh as she looked around the 'pond' distant.

"Can you swim in that mini-lake of yours?"

"Hmm?" I asked glancing the way she looked "Well, yeah, it's designed to be, haven't got a chance to test it out yet..."

Bariss punched me with her right hand, left grabbing at her hood as she started kicking off her shoes "Then let's test it out Captain-General Padawan Sir!"

--

[19 BBY]

[Imperial Sith Starship Silent Victory, In Orbit Dac, Calamari System, Calamari Sector, Outer Rim Territories]

Mon Cala, or Dac as it called by some, was a beautiful sight Shaak Ti found as she sat cross-legged in mediation stance on the observation deck. Strangely though she felt calm, despite her current circumstances, despite the horror that had consumed the galaxy...and despite the Sith Lord striding towards her as he whistled what he probably thought was a jaunty tune. Which was odd really, being a quasi-slave, quasi-apprentice, and yet somehow a member of the madman's 'Dark Council'...and actually being listened to as she gathered her robes around her and stood up, bowing ever so slightly.

"Master, greetings, you have need of me?" the word was shameful, but it came with a price, and every attempt at active resistance or defeating Darth Imperious had ended in even more humiliating failure. Sometimes she wondered if he'd forgotten she had a slave chip in her head and shock-collar around neck as he ran her through some of the most aggressive training regimes she'd ever face. All while claiming they were Jedi ones, and that she was now 'getting there, slowly!' as a Jedi Master

"Shaak! All refreshed from your meditation I hope!" Lord Kallig, Darth Imperious, replied clapping his hands together cheerfully, black robe swirling around him "Yes indeed we do, have to do a spot of diplomacy and negotiating to get done with the good people of the Sector. Organising defence of the new Empire and other such minor details"

Shaak Ti sighed, honesty was apparently a prized attitude with the Sith insanely enough, at least in private "I am recovered yes. Is our...colleague...to join us?"

"Oh, no, Artel is continuing his remedial training. Shocking, truly shocking!, what passes for a Sith Acolyte in this day and age!" the red skinned Sith responded waving his right hand in a 'irritated gesture' as Shaak Ti found herself standing beside him, looking out at the planet below "Ah, what a lovely view. I knew I was right to risk battle to save those beaches! Oh...we can go skinny dipping after all the boring, boring, diplomacy, and maybe a spar!"

She folded her arms across her chest "No, WE, shan't"

"Oh, you're no fun at all!" he chuckled "But we will definitely have a spar on the beach, need to show off skills for the natives after all! And I've news my fellow Member of the Council! I've found a Padawan, well, and some younglings too, but they're irrelevant!"

Shaak Ti hammered down on the fear, calming herself "You have...what?"

"Oh, yes, one of your lot turned up, all angry and grieving!" he hummed stoking his chin "Needs some anger management really, and lucky we got the younglings away before she went full on drunk on the Dark Side and just went rabid attack dog. Still, right little go-getter she is, so we've found our first recruit to rebuild the Order and the Empire"

She stared at him "I am NOT helping you restore the Sith Order! I a Jedi Master, a member of the Council! How do you not understand this?"

"Because understanding it would be inconvenient!" he replied ever so cheerfully "And if you don't help me, then it's just me and Artel doing the training...and Artel's a pretty a shit Sith let me tell you!...and you'll have no chance to redeem the angry little things from the big bad Dark Side! Help me and you have the chance to sabotage my work, keep me on my toes"

He gave a shrug "Anyway, how else are you going to restore the Jedi Order. I kind of want a few little Jedi running around to amuse me...and to deal with the odd idiot when they lose themselves and Fall. Oh, and serve as a backup supply of Darksiders when your Jedi, inevitably, turn into Dark Jedi!"

"That will not happen Master"

The cheerful look vanished, a serious one crossing his face as he stared out at the planet below "Yes it will, in numbers I suspect with the galaxy as it is and no Temple to ease the mental strain. Most of your kind aren't as mentally stabile or resilient as you have proven Master Ti. You have great potential, most don't. But you can try and prove me wrong while I have a chuckle when you efforts fail!"

Shaak Ti breathed in, then letting it out, hand ready to go for her lightsaber as Darth Imperious gave a glance and smirked at her "And the younglings? What of their fate?"

"Oh, them?" he hummed, one hand rubbing at his chin "Well, we'll set them up with some nice local families as caregivers, give a few pointers so they don't hurt themselves or their families with the Force, and let them decide a few years from now on their path in life. Actually its part of the whole boring negotiating thing...seems lots of folk aren't fond of Jedi right now. Something-something, about dooming the Republic apparently"

She did not rise to the verbal barb, instead narrowing her eyes and hiding her confusion as she glared at her 'Master'firmly till he looked at her and muttered a confused "What?"

"You'll do NOTHING to them?"

"Well of course not, what use would I have with a bunch of snotty little brats!" he huffed gesturing at himself in an exaggerated fashion "Do you expect me to abduct younglings, stick'em in a room and brainwash'em into an Evil Force Cult?"

He smirked at her "Do I look like a Jedi?"

'Must. Not. Get. ANGRY. CALM;- THERE IS NO EMOTION, THERE IS PEACE!' she forcefully reminded herself letting out a breathe "You will not harm them?"

Darth Imperious gave a snort, rolling his eyes "No, of course not. Younglings make terrible Sith when they grow up into adults we found back in the day, and as your Order, or what's left of it, is about to find out soon enough. It's the whole never growing up and experiencing life thing. Falling in Love, or Lust, things like that, all changes with puberty and growing into adulthood. So, don't try and sacrifice yourself on my lightsaber trying to save the little terrors, as I won't come for most of them for several years at least!"

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