[18 BBY]
[Jedi Loyalist Venator-class Star Destroyer Grey Paladin, Daalang System, Daalang Sector, Gamor Run, Mid Rim]
"So, thank you for your purchase….now get the kriff out of our space?" Laranth Tarak, sometime Jedi Knight, sometime Naval Commodore, and now not-a-smuggler muttered as her friend Jax Pavan finished his, very brief, report from planet-side "Am I getting the understanding with that Jax?"
"Basically" her friend replied with a snort "Not that it'd be in our best interest to linger here anyway, now would it?"
Laranth nodded sadly "True, but it's less pleasant to be told to leave than to simply leave in our own good time. Then again…they are selling on our presence this moment most likely"
"Most likely with the next courier boat; to the Hutts most probably, potentially to the Seppies, and even possibly to one, or all, of the factions calling themselves the Republic right now"
"Well, good that we've got the hyperdrive spooled up and ready to run then, isn't it?" she muttered back as they walked through the hanger bay of the ship, watching the beehive of activity as the two shuttles were unloaded, and work started on the three new starfighters they' acquired. Daalang was technically in the Galactic Republic, and also technically loyalty to said entity…just not being very clear on which side of the Republic they were technically loyal to. As best they could tell though the planet was really 'loyal', or as much as not being directly disloyal to, the Hutts – at least indirectly anyway. The world below was playing the 'Neutral' smugglers world right now, and Laranth couln't criticism them overmuch as they were one of the few options to trade with right now.
"So, did you learn anything new down there Jax?"
Her friend shrugged "There's plenty of rumours, not all of it confirmed, but not much of it good from our point of view, or your happiness possibly Lar"
"Spit it out then" she chuckled back, knowing there was rarely good news these days. They'd been running smuggling operations for a short while for Kashyyk to help Master Yoda and those there, but the Separatists had slowly, but surely, secured those systems in the nearby sectors and forced her ship to pull out after taking damage at Sneeve, and then evacuate Randon into Hutt space. Which wasn't safe either, not with the Hutts hunting down Jedi, especially female Jedi, so no way was a Twi'lek Female Jedi doing more than using the hyperlanes when they had to. Even if she didn't use a lightsaber, and dressed like a smuggler, that didn't mean they won't try at her for other reasons either.
"Word is that the Jedi Order has split, just like the Republic. One group under Masters Kenobi, Skywalker, and a number have declared for Corellia, Seppie vids of it, but also ones from Eriadu backing that up. Since they've come with their own new Grandmaster in someone named Rahm Kota"
Laranth winced at the hammer blows "I know him. That's….I don't know. Not good probably. I not sure it makes our current situation any better, but that's a blow to what's left of the Order if ever I heard it. Pick a side, or else!"
The dark truth that was rapidly becoming the situation for everyone in the Galaxy, in a way that hadn't been as clear during the Clone Wars. Or whatever they were calling that phase of the war now. Unity had crumbled, and now sides were both not so clear…and also terrifyingly clear at the same time. Many, far too many, sentients saw this as a chance to settle scores, or restart centuries suppressed feuds, with 'Oh, your on THAT side? Well we're on the OTHER Now!' often defining battles. Then the victor, or simply the survivor, turning around and bowing to whichever faction was situationally strongest when they did.
"True, or pick no side but your own…" Jax muttered as they walked, shaking his head "…the other news is that the Seppies are shipping material and small task-forces down this route"
Laranth frowned "That would explain the Munificent we encountered near Nixor?"
"Yeah, Onaka and the Bothans are letting them send through relief forces to Seppie pocket down at Druckenwell-Falleen"
'That's not good to hear' she thought with irritation as Honda Onaka was a pirate, turned mercenary, now one of those nasty little Republic backed Warlords that'd cropped up since the Coup on Coruscant. The Bothans were just as bad, or worse in some ways as they pretended to be a respectable politely unlike the various Coruscanti-Alsakan backed 'Defence Leagues' and 'Regional Military Admiralties' that existed. Not that she'd dare go anywhere close to either of those two groups;- but especially not the Bothans as they'd pledged their nominal loyalty to the Sith Lord on Kuat after all.
Turned out the Order had failed, spectacularly, in dealing with Sith apparently; with one, who'd gotten elected SUPREME CHANCELLOR OF THE REPUBLIC, another now taking over the Republic on Mon Cala, the somehow-not-dead ones on Mandalore, and the self-admitted Apprentice of Dooku fighting for Eriadu. Worse there were Jedi on the same side as those darksiders by all accounts on Eriadu and Mandalore, while Master Ti was either a slave to the one on Mon Cala, or had fallen to the Dark Side herself. Everywhere you looked the Dark Side seemed ascendant, and it was hard to know where the true evil lay…
'Worry on that later, as always' she reminded herself glancing at Jax as they walked back towards the lift so they could return to the bridge "Well just…great. That puts paid to our plans to lie low and make ready resupply operations in these weakened sectors, now doesn't it?"
"Most likely, we could try down by the Albrion Sector. Separatist space I know, but really its name only as best I can tell, and your Jedi have an Agri-Corps world there. We can trade for food, maybe pick up a few new crew?" Jax replied before looking weary "Before we head off and hide somewhere a few months in system in the back end of Wild Space or beyond. Then we can try for another run for Kashyyyk"
'If it's still fighting by then' he left unsaid but she could hear it in his tone, and she couldn't disagree with him either. Grandmaster Yoda, and those around him, seemed dead set on some glorious last stand or….something…as best Laranth could tell, and, that frankly wasn't her plan for the future. Yes the evil of Sith needed to be dealt with, but right now they had to survive, even if it was to rebuild in the shadows and simply wait and see what happened next. There were a few options, just beyond official Known Space that the Order had launched investigations of in the past few centuries that Master Yoda had supplied them with…so they might at least be able to get a few younglings or padawans out of harms way in that manner. So she nodded again, letting out a tired breath as they made ready to flee yet another star system…
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[18 BBY]
[Krimorut, Bastion of Clan Skirata, Northern Mandalore, Mandalore System, Mandalore Sector, Outer Rim Territories]
Etain Tar-Mukan found it good to flow through the familiar forms of ligtsaber combat, training blade flashing and dancing off that of Padawan Tallisibeth Enwandung-Esterhazy amidst the veshok forest that Clan Skirata called home. It was good to practice once again, with the stress of nightmare that had enveloped the galaxy mixed with her pregnancy leaving her exhausted till recently. Not that she'd give up her little Venku for anything in the universe….but she had still wanted to be a Jedi, and now that decision had been taken from her to some degree.
She couldn't complain though, as her Venku was strong and healthy, her husband Darman de-chipped along with the other clones in the compound and….things could be much worse. So much worse when the fate of so many of her fellow Knights and Masters was easily remembered and felt through the force. Or the fact a Sith Lord, along with his Apprentice and a Coven of Nightsisters, sat in power on this very planet. Sat in power, and there was nothing she or the others could do about that right now. Mandalore was at peace…because Mandalore was a war with its enemies, and the last Jedi who'd challenged Darth Maul had fallen to the Darksiders blade before Etain had known the man was on planet.
"Good bladework Scout…" she finished the spar with a smile, using Tallisibeth's nickname and ignoring the dozen or so watchers in the trees around them clapping or whistling out congratulations on her 'victory' in the bout. It was strange here at times; the clones were all like her husband, and Tallisbeth looked like the perfect clone of herself, save a decade younger, that gave the compound an odd look to outsiders "…you've really improved in recent months"
"Thanks" the girl mumbled back tiredly rising back up to stand, hands resting on her knees in exhaustion as Etain saw her nod her head "Kal incoming"
Etain Tar-Mukan had already felt the head of the clan, and former trainer of the clone army, incoming, but merely gave a smile and a nod, grabbing a water bottle and giving it the girl with the Force "I know, I'll see what the news is while you have a rest"
Deactivating her lightsaber she attached it to had it fly to the holder on the side of the belt she wore over the light armour she wore now she was on Mandalore. Adopting Mandalorian traditions, even water-downed ones of 'Outsiders' was necessary, as right now those Mandalorians, and the Force-damned Sith and other scum that had assembled beneath the Mandalorian League banner, was all that was keeping the Republic, or Separatists, from arresting them all. Everyone bound unhappily together, even amongst the Mandalorians themselves with their factions, because of the pressure of the war with the Seppies.
"Etain…" Kal Skirata greeted simply as he strode over to her, arms folding across his armoured chest as he gae her a nod "…good to see you fighting fit"
She nodded "It's good to be active again, and I sense that might be needed?"
The scarred man nodded curtly "It always is, there is little safety in this life. But to answer your question; yes, it could be needed soon, much like all our skills will be. Your husband I've already informed, and is gathering his squad to inform them later today"
Etain gave another short nod, running a hand through sweat damp hair "Some news has arrived I'm guessing?"
"News and trouble" the Mandalorian muttered "Firstly the Confederacy has thrown a large droid army at Garos, and there is a call going out to relief the system. We had best be involved"
"Okay, that unfortunately makes sense" she replied thinking on the matter a moment "But there's more I gather?"
Kal Skirata chuckled "Oh, indeed. That madman the Death Watch have allied with had something of a rage by all reports a certain Jedi Master has made himself Grandmaster of the Jedi Order"
Etain frowned "But Master Yoda is upon Kashyyyk…"
"Apparently others are feeling more ambitious. The news is somewhat out of date I believe, but there lies two new 'Grandmasters' of the Jedi Order. One Master Obi-wan Kenobi, who apparently caused Maul to destroy his rooms in Sundari, and someone named Knight Kota down on Eriadu. Now that causes problems with our….oh, lets call them allies…in the Republic on Alsakan and Coruscant, so this battle on Garos I suspect is to distract everyone from the chaos"
'That's the last thing I wanted to hear' Etain thought miserably, as now the remnants of the Order was breaking apart just like the Republic had. Now she'd have to try and link up with the other Jedi, mostly Padawans and a few Knights, that she knew had sheltered here, just as she had, as the pressure to stand together was going to get even worse now. Otherwise things might start to get to 'pick a side' levels…when they had to stick together, here especially, to deal with the differing groups of Darksiders that now sheltered in Mandalorian territory as well. And, just like the Mandalorians, they were fighting a war to stay united in their internal peace it looked like to her…
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