Star Wars Star Wars: Episode IV: Twilight of the Force: A Father’s Legacy - Game is now OVER!

IC: Pascale Rouser
Location: Ultimate Weapon, Kashyyyk system

With a cough and a gasp Pascale came to, thankful at least that he hadn't died.

Again.

Thankfully he had missed also the Dark Man having a monologue worthy of a villain speech in a holomovie.

Pascale found himself sitting in a chair next to the Dark Man, thankfully not shackled so the Dark Man was at least thinking that Rouser was not a threat. For now anyways. He could also feel his blaster still snugly in it’s holster in his jacket and his vibroknives still in their sheaths on his trouser belt. That was a bonus but he showed no emotion, to show anything would give the game away.

The Echo was also conspicuously silent as well. Perhaps it was recovering as much as he was, perhaps it was binding its time with a plan of its own. Who knew what it was thinking unless it decided to speak to him.

He focused his blue eyes on the Dark Man blinking them back to life and watching as a grotesque version of the beast decided to pop slightly out of his cloak. Rouser pulled a disgusted face, but then again he had seen worse in the last few hours or so.

At a gesture of the Dark Man’s hand and Pascale turned his attention to the display in front. Which showed a Separatist fleet bearing down on a small Rebel fleet which no doubt also included the hard Mandalorians ready to fight and die for their planet. And Pascale felt his stomach sink. Ka’tra and Linnett were there as no doubt was the royal looking woman he had seen and Solo. And they were all about to possibly be smashed. Unless Han had a plan, they would all be crushed and he imagined the Dark Man would love that.

“The trap for us - and not a very good trap, at that - little Solo lied to you, but did not account for the fact that the Crystal was connected to your Beast friend as his home for the last hundred millennia.”

He hadn't told the others because of the fear of being found out. He had also been anointed the Shadow (which probably wasn't relevant now) so he had his own plans along with the beast. Thanks to him and the Echo the beast was now out, but not free by the looks of it. Now Pascale had to find a way to get off this thing and either hide or join the others in fighting and redeem himself. Either option didn't look too good at the moment and legging it right now didn't seem an option.

He would have to work on the spur of the moment. To think of anything now would give something away to the Dark Man. With the beast now out he had the advantage but he still could not take the risk.

It seemed as though Solo had played them all, perhaps he knew where the crystal was going, perhaps not. Now they were all stuck there and they faced two options: fight or surrender even possibly retreat. Pascale was no expert on war, but things did not look good. It seems the Dark Man held all the cards but perhaps fate would throw something that could be useful.

Pascale stayed silent not wanting to goad him any further. He had already tried his tricks but they had failed. To antagonize him further would mean that he could end up a broken mess on the floor. The beast had stayed silent as to where the crystal was, perhaps it was for Rouser's safety or perhaps that if Pascale did go there the Dark Man could detect it and pursue. Mandalore was the key. However it seemed it would now be a bloodbath.

And then the beast appeared as if by magic, summoned by the Dark Man, appearing out of his cloak as if a second head had sprouted from him.

Yes, totally disgusting….

“And now that He and I have an understanding, I can feel where he has created anchors and avatars. So, essentially, I can now always feel where you and the Crystal are.” A grin resonating in the Force, yet again.

“So now, we have the Crystal. The trap has been avoided - but I will still kill all of your friends, those who you collaborated with on Takodona.”

“Isn’t it marvellous?” The Dark Man reached up to stroke Typhojem’s head, who bristled, but did not speak, his eyes unerringly focusing on Rouser.

The Dark Man could be bluffing, after all the beast was now out and they were no longer having internal conversations since he had been removed. Unless the beast left a mark on him, Rouser was free. But again he couldn't let on that he knew. The beast however was staring at Rouser, Pascale raised an eyebrow as if to say to him “what else could I have done?”

He had done what the beast had asked but the Dark Man hadn't fallen for it. Pascale thought that unless the beast had any other gems hidden up his sleeve Pascale was alone. He could not rely on anybody now, only himself.

He shrugged at the Dark Man “Friends?” he snorted “They left me on Takodana to die, all of them. To be nearly killed by Qi’ra and nearly blown to bits by an X wing crashing near me and my yacht. Han Solo would rather see me buried in a ditch somewhere. So go ahead and kill them all. I don’t care. Perhaps they will surprise you.”

He smirked “Maybe they will one day find you, perhaps you will never find the crystal. But you hold all the cards, guess you’ve won” he faced front again “You get to destroy the galaxy, well done.”

Meanwhile the sensors were going nuts. It seemed a yacht had arrived, a familiar looking yacht in Pascale’s opinion. Last seen above Mimban before this whole shindig went to hell and back.

“I have won - Ananke, Maul. I am the True Dark Lord and successor to the late Lord Sidious. I am his secret, his back-up. I have continued his Grand Design but bequeath it upon which ever wants it. You may have the Known Galaxy, as my Dark Lord of the Sith... or you can have nothing.”

Another monologue speech thought Rouser does this man or creature ever stop?

So Qi’ra had arrived and so had this Maul. Two darksiders given a choice. Would they take it or leave it? Perhaps they could fight the Dark Man and defeat him although it wasn't likely given that the beast was now inside him. Rouser could do nothing but wait and watch.

Bide his time.

For now.

TAG: @Sinrebirth , @QueenSabe7 , @SirakRomar

 

Darth Maul
Coruscant, Kashyyyk

Darth Maul kept his focus on the planet, until he found what he was looking for. The old transport was at the heart of the anomaly. He recognized it. Not only from the reports of Pestage, but also from older reports. The Millennium Falcon. A ship owned by a rather skilled worm called Solo. He had his hand in the murder of Drayden Vos. A lover of Kira. Had she set him up? Had she created a trap with the help of an old lover? He somehow found that hard to believe. Too great was the power at work here.

If so the trap had turned against Q'ira as the Ultimate Weapon showed up. The man commanding it declared himself the back-up plan of Darth Sidious in what appeared as a rather desperate speech to clearify he was relevant. The true Lord of the Sith. A title all of them had claimed over the years he assumed. Maul knew there would be only one true Dark Lord. But the fact Sidious had a secret apprentice catched his interest. He wondered if it had truly weakened his old Master. Had it distracted him? Only a little maybe? A little less urgency? A little less self-doubt when he had made decisions that made him overlook things? Was that why Skywalker had won the battle of wills? Because Darth Sidious had stretched himself a little thinner than he should have? Was that why the Vision of a Dark Empire had not become a reality?

This Dark Man was not really a Sith, of course. Truth was, Darth Sidious needed no back-up plan. He had trained and molded a perfect apprentice and had been finally killed by him. The apprentice was the most powerful force user the galaxy had ever known. The apprentice had just refused to become a Sith. Anakin Skywalker. The greatest triumph and greatest failure of the Sith.

The Chosen One.

Maul grinned. Anakin Skywalker, the man whose destiny would be fulfilled by his son, whose connection to Maul grew weaker with every second. It did not matter. Darth Maul had embraced the way of the Sith again and he knew his fate was sealed.

Yet, he wondered if this Dark Man had avoided Mandalore because he secretly knew Anakin Skywalker was there. Facing him had cost every Sith his life. If that was the case the man was wise and cautious and that made him indeed dangerous. More dangerous than a giant space-station.

Yet, Darth Maul still had the slight advantage of arriving early. The Shrine had given him this headstart. If he acted swiftly he could still escape with whatever price the planet held. He needed to be smart and effective.

"Stay cloaked and ready, once I leave return to Korriban." He ordered the pilot droid and quickly made his way back to his room. A minute was what he had at best. He ripped his black cloak off and quickly put a grey cloak over his shoulders that he kept in his wardrobe. He pulled his own lightsaber under it and then took the other lightsaber he had on board. The blue blade of Obi-Wan Kenobi. Deception would be his weapon today. Trust ... trust in the purity of the forsaken Jedi would be his sharpest sword.

"Bring me right over the Falcon and open the rear hatch!" He ordered the droid and ignited the blue blade. It felt strange and unfamiliar, but it served him well today.

Without hesitating he leaped into the center of the violence he felt below. He leaped into the center of the conflict. Whatever he was looking for, it seemed to be in the ship. He would not take it, he would make the pilot give it to him ...

Tag: @Sinrebirth, @QueenSabe7, @Jerjerrod-Lennox

 

Obi-Wan Kenobi
The Force

Obi-Wan Kenobi felt the pull, the reassembling of what made him ... Obi-Wan Kenobi ... what made him who he was ... and he felt, much like Quo-Gon Jinn had promised ... how he returned. From an absolute awareness of the force he returned to the crude and and unrefined form known as Obi-Wan Kenobi. His body was dead, slain by the fallen Luke Skywalker. His essence was free of this shell now. He still had connections to the world. He felt it move and change, but yet it was easy for him to enter it. Anakin. Ashoka. Mace. Even Luke. He felt bound to their destinies even in his current state.

It would not stay that way forever.

The First Temple. Ancient resting place of the first Jedi's ancient teachings. The tree, the darkness, the keepers. He felt it was all so Familie also he had never set foot on this island in his living days.

"Ashoka, I see you have found what you have been seeking out so desperately. Among the many hidden places it was this one that you have chosen? Why is that, my old friend?"

Tag: @Sinrebirth, @BobaMatt

 

Han Solo
Mandalore

Han closed his eyes and silently cursed. The plan had failed. Everything his friends had died for had failed. He was stuck in a warzone that was irrelevant and about to fight a bunch of droids that were meaningless.

Skywalker had suggested a retreat. The only thing that made sense. The Rebels would be loosing their fleet in this battle. They would loose their men. Many civilians would die. Fighting now ... for nothing ... was like executing your own men.

Han began firing up his X-Wing and began calculating a route out of the mess with a minimum exposure to fighting.

Tag: @Sinrebirth, @JediMasterAnne, @DarkLordoftheFins, @galactic-vagabond422, @TheSilentInfluence

 

IC: Princess Feyna Organa
Mandalore

Anakin’s voice came over the comms; the Ultimate Weapon wasn’t coming. The Separatists hadn’t fallen for their trap.

It hadn’t been a great plan from the start; perhaps the trap had been too obvious. But even so, the Separatists needed the crystal to complete the weapon. The attacking fleet could still attempt to take the box for their…master, whoever the strangely familiar-sounding man was. Winter hadn’t identified him yet.

Anakin was suggesting that they retreat, but before Feyna had a chance to respond, she was—rather violently—interrupted by Ka’rta. Though she was startled and caught off-guard by the vicious outburst, she managed to remain mostly calm. She’d let her emotions run away with her with Anakin and Han, she wasn’t going to make that mistake again. Be careful, and keep a clear head.

She wriggled out of Ka’rta’s grasp, her voice even but firm. “I was just telling the Mandalore that we shouldn’t trust what that dark man is saying, but considering that he did just accuse you of being hired to retrieve the crystal for the Separatists, assaulting me like that isn’t exactly helping your case.” She kept her tone neutral, almost matter-of-fact, not accusatory. But she didn’t reach to show her the box.

“And I didn’t come here to try to be a hero; I came here to fight that thing because it’s the right thing to do. One destroyed planet is one too many, and I have no desire to see it happen again.”

That said, there was still a decision to make. Feyna didn’t exactly like the idea of leaving the Mandalorians to deal with the Separatists alone, but Anakin seemed to think that the Separatists wouldn’t try to take the planet if the Rebels left. She raised Anakin and Dodonna on the comm. “General Dodonna, I’m inclined to concur with General Skywalker.” She glanced toward Madelyn, feeling a little guilty. They had lured the Separatists here, now for nothing, and it didn’t feel right to just leave. She hoped Anakin was right, that the Separatists wouldn’t keep up the assault, but the Rebels were massively outnumbered either way. “We need to conserve as much of the fleet as possible for when the real fight comes.”

TAG: @Sinrebirth @DarkLordoftheFins @galactic-vagabond422 @TheSilentInfluence

 

IC: Ka'rta
In Orbit

"Don't look away from me girl." Ka'rta roared grabbing her by the collar forcing her to look the merc in the visor. "I asked you to show me the crystal. If I was planning on taking it I would have left the her to die," She pointed to the current Manda'lor, "in that miserable temple. I would have killed Rouser where he stood, I had plenty of chances to take it. I don't want it any more you idiot. My loyalty is to The Manda'lor, and her alone understand?" The anger was growing now the Republic was abandoning them, so much for coming together. Once again the Mandalorians were left to die. Yeah that looks really good for any alliance. After this was all over and Ka'rta was still alive she would never let the Republic have any presence on Mandalore. She would kill every last soldier that dared step foot on her soil. If they won't fight for it then they don't deserve to even touch it. They'd shown their true colors. "There are only a few reasons you avoid a trap, one, you don't think you can overcome it, or two the bait is bad. They still launched their attack so they do think they can win, they just don't think we have what they want. Now show me the shabala crystal, you coward." The flame of anger and rage had returned full force. She'd found her anger again. Though it wasn't in the place anyone wanted it to be.

TAG: @JediMasterAnne @TheSilentInfluence @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Madelyn Linnett
Mandalore

"What if we make them think they've won." Madelyn eyed Ka'rta and Freya with a mix of anger and hurt. "If we can do that successfully...." Madelyn looked around and stood up on a nearby crate, switching on her comm to a secure channel to reach their friends and not their enemies. "This is Mand'alor the Reclaimer speaking. I know you heard the worst of it; that we cannot win. We are outnumbered. But so we have been for thousands of generations. Mand'alor and its systems is our home. The Republic is part of our galaxy. If we abandon it; it just shows the Separatists and that Sith that we are weak. I'm tired of running away. I'm tired of people thinking that we are weak and incapable of winning a war. The threat of the Ultimate Weapon is real; but if we work together we can defeat it. If you don't want to fight with me, I won't force you. If you think I should retreat, tell me now and I will." Madelyn swallowed hard, voice wavering. "I'll protect you, whatever the choice."

Tag: @Sinrebirth @JediMasterAnne @galactic-vagabond422 @RachelTyrell @DarkLordoftheFins

 

Anakin Skywalker
Mandalore

Anakin felt the turmoil in the force. Yet his own mind kept on racing. The Ultimate Weapon might become operational. So Mandalore would be a potential target. The droids probably did nothing but keep them here until the fully operational space station showed up to end this.

"If we want to make a stand this is as good a place as any. But we do this for honor, ego, pride ... truth is you will loose most of your army in a battle that gives you no significant advantage Mandalore. This army could win the war, but not if it keeps on fighting battles for pride and honor." Anakin sighed. "You seem to be young and new to this, but you are Mandalore, the leader of your people. But you know what? In my days as a Jedi I studied extensively your history. You know how the Mandalorians of old became the most feared fighting force in the galaxy? They were frightening effective. Organized, superior in their discipline and ... yes also cruel and uncompromising in their approach. They fought the battles the enemy did not expect, they fought the way they were not expected. But one day a Jedi called Revan provoked them into a battle at Malachor, a system now lost. Revan had beaten the Mandalorians severely and they felt they had to face him, to accept and overcome this challenge. Your people have never recovered from the defeat you suffered that day. Not until today, four thousand years later your people have regained the strength their pride and arrogance cost them that day." Anakin looked over at Solo. "Wars are won by fighting the smart battles and winning the ones that matter. We need to destroy the Ultimate Weapon. Not a bunch of droids. So do you want to send hundreds of thousands of Mandalorians to their death for honor? Or do you want to lead them to war and win?"

That was the question. Would they defend Mandalore today? It might mean they would not be able to defend the galaxy tomorrow. But probably that wasn't anybodies plan anymore.

Anakin was ready to see any decision to an end. It was no longer his call to make, he had handed over the command over the Rebellion. He was not willing to play along with their new ideas. But he would not run away today. Whatever they decided, he would be with them to the end.

Tag: @Sinrebirth, @RachelTyrell, @JediMasterAnne, @TheSilentInfluence, @galactic-vagabond422

 

IC: Madelyn Linnett
Mandalore

Madelyn took in Anakin's words. Swallowed, looked around. "...you make a fair point. Revan was the only one who ever beat us." She took a deep breath. "Then let's take the fight to the Ultimate Weapon. I'll need a small force; lead the fighters away. The rest of us, the ones who want to come and follow me to an even greater victory and protect our home but taking out the Ultimate Weapon may follow. The rest should stay until we return; watch the Sepratists and don't trust any Sith." Madelyn thought carefully. " I am not abandoning my people. But I want to take a chance to help make us what we were before Revan. We need a good plan."

@Sinrebirth @JediMasterAnne @RachelTyrell @galactic-vagabond422 @DarkLordoftheFins

 

IC: Qi’ra Ananke
The Aurora, near Kashyyyk


“Master?”

Ananke turned, her body soaked in darkness as Kast took her very last, strangled gasp for air. She shuddered with pleasure as the Mandalorian’s life extinguished in the Force, but the enjoyment was not solely because this death. It was also because of Arek.

She stared up at him from her kneeling position, still bent in over her victim and clutching her cheeks tightly – her nails had broken through skin in several places, streams of crimson steadily trailing down the corpse’s face and smearing onto Ananke’s palm. Master. So, he had said it, a word she herself had never been referred to as by another being. She considered herself a master of her own path, but this…. that word used as he had said it gave her a rush of satisfaction that was something new, and incredibly powerful.

Pulling her fingers out of Kast’s face and climbing to her feet, she took the helmet Arek was offering though did not take her eyes off of him. She still had to look up at him considering his height, but she knew her stature meant nothing compared to her prowess in the Force he had felt before and would surely be feeling now.

“Good,” she stated simply. “Now, let’s see if you survive.”

That was all that needed to be said, but in the minimal words she found an idea. A first test.

She had known Arb had attempted to contact her recently, as did members of Death Watch, reaffirming her command and their loyalty. She would waste no time seeking payment for their betrayal, deciding to throw them all back to work as if nothing was amiss. She knew they would still be holding post on Coruscant with Arek’s daddy, until she told them otherwise. So, continuing to watch the boy, she sent a voice message across several Crimson Dawn channels that would reach the appropriate soldiers – those with high rank that would report directly to her. The rest would trickle down from there.

“Coruscant – burn it down.” Ananke paused, smirking darkly. “Destroy what you can, show no mercy. The Emperor and his dear wife… kill them.” She let the words hang, baiting Arek for any reaction she’d deem unworthy, forced to end him here and now. “Confirm once it is done.” And she cut the recording.

There was a tug at her awareness then, a tide change in the Force that sunk deep into her stomach and churned it over uncomfortably. It was strange but not entirely foreign, an older sensation… and it smacked her across the face with abrupt truth. Maul. Losing focus on Arek and turning inward on her dismay, it wasn’t that she was reminded he still lived, it was that he was closer to her than he had been since Malachor. And it made her skin crawl… it made her livid.

But where Maul’s signature was agitating, what hit her next was something far beyond a simple one-word emotion. It was the complexity of what she had felt before, leaving Mimban, a black presence that she had attributed to the Dark Man then. Now it seemed to be following her, returning in force. Foremost it carried a foreboding, like an ending was near. An ominously climactic moment, which she’d bear witness to only seconds later.

Ananke growled low, honing in on Kast’s helmet that now had a bloody hand print across its t-visor. She could feel a light vibration beneath her fingers as information relayed into the comm device stored within the piece of armor. She held it up and peered inside, several light arrays displaying text but simultaneously read out through the earpiece. It was loud enough for her to hear without having to put it on. Arek, maybe.

It was a voice, going on about people and names she did not know, partially. Rouser, yes. General Skywalker she was aware of, but the others… and their secondary names along with them. It was a lot of information that she did not have all the pieces to, but what she was most entranced by was the speaker. It was him. It was this… Dark Man and his Ultimate Weapon, threatening Mandalore with extinction.

Who was he?

“Come,” she suddenly barked, turning on her heels and swiftly making her way to her penthouse office, expecting Arek to follow. She arrived a short time later, checking several holo displays and encrypted data, details about their location and whatever else she could gather on the conflict over Mandalore. That never-fading ill feeling only grew as she moved, so much so that she felt hysteria rising with it.

Like flicking on a light, she froze, the Dark Man’s presence suddenly so intense that she nearly wretched. The wavelength belonging to Maul had fizzled out quickly and she lost touch with her old Master, this one washing over everything else. As if drawn there, her eyes lifted towards the viewport that ran the entire way around the circular space, and what she saw made her audibly gasp.

The battle station, was here.

No sooner had she laid eyes on the giant orb than his voice came in over the Aurora’s ship-wide comms.

“I have won - Ananke, Maul. I am the True Dark Lord and successor to the late Lord Sidious. I am his secret, his back-up. I have continued his Grand Design but bequeath it upon which ever wants it. You may have the Known Galaxy, as my Dark Lord of the Sith... or you can have nothing.”

She cast a glance at Arek and then did the only thing on her mind to do, bringing her holocron back out into view and hovering in place with a thought. It turned lazily in the space between herself and the boy. Time is an immutable concept, when you master the dark. This is just a taste of what I offer, the Braata-figure had told her once.

“What else,” Ananke asked the small device through clenched teeth. “What else do you offer?”

Foolish idea that she be speaking to an inanimate object at a crisis point such as this. The Dark Man knew of her, and knew she was here. Maul too, curiously. She could try and flee, but her rational side knew that was even more ridiculous than what she was doing now – this was not something you tried to outrun. An event, one that would change everything was imminent, and her instincts had her talking to a holocron.

If the situation wasn't as dire as it was, she might've laughed at herself. But this was all she could think to do. For now.

TAGS: @Sinrebirth ( @SirakRomar @Jerjerrod-Lennox )

 

OoC: A combo brought to you by myself and @Sinrebirth

IC: Pascale Rouser, The Dark Man
Location: Ultimate Weapon, Kashyyyk system

It seemed that Maul was not playing ball, so it was up to him to see what Qi'ra did. But again he could not rely on her to do anything.

"Well it seems Lord Maul has chosen the nothing route. Ananke will resist you. She is one tough woman, and as well as archeology I do know a lot about women" he smiled slightly still facing forwards.

"So what are you going to do now?"

"You know a lot about women..."

A snort.

"Most of this grand theatre is to discover the surviving Sith, my friend. They are not part of the Grand Design. There can only be two Sith, after all." He mused. "And I am bereft of an apprentice at the moment." A shuttle decanted from hyperspace, and the Dark Man nodded to it. "Ah, yes."

The Dark Man placed the sceptre on the table, for they were in the same room with the four Sage statues as ever - their own private viewing port for his victory. For the galaxies victory, of course, he rued, realising something about himself here and now.

His red hands raised for his cloak hood, and he placed them on the edges. Blackness peered back at Rouser.

"Aren't you going to guess, my friend." A quirk of a smile rippled across the room. "One last bit of theatre, before its all over, and the last revelation is made?"

So this was probably the big reveal. Well if the Dark Man decided to of course.

And who was that coming out of hyperspace? His new apprentice? Or perhaps someone who was also part of this master plan. Only the Dark Man knew it all.

The four statues were back again. Pascale knew this creature was obsessed with them because of his former Master. And thanks to thier little chat earlier he knew why. But perhaps….

"Perhaps you are linked to these four statues" he said looking into the dark hood "Perhaps one of them you know or knew. Perhaps one of these is an ancestor of yours. Or perhaps even a former Master of your ancestors" he frowned " I think these statues are a link to your past".

“Perhaps.”

“Or perhaps I am merely the one to connect the dots and end the tyranny of the Light once and for all.”

He pulled back the helm. As he did, he lifted it, a shroud revealing his horns, which otherwise would have protruded through the hood. He threw aside the cloak, Typhojem going with it to pool on the floor, struggling to animate fabric rather than live off flesh.

The Dark Man’s eyes shone golden yellow, and his skin exposed the red-and-black tattoos that adorned Darth Maul - Sith tattoos, adopted by the Nightbrothers when the Brotherhood of Darkness maintained Temples upon Iridonia and Dathomir, a millennium ago, transplanting Zabrak to the latter world and creating a subspecies among the abandoned humans of the long gone Paecian Empire.

But beneath it all was the unmistakable face of Mas Amedda.


Pascale's blue eyes widened in shock as he saw the visage. His mouth nearly opened as well but he managed to stop it.

Who WAS this creature?. Was it actually him?. A clone?. Again more questions.

Pascale's eyes narrowed "Now correct me if I am wrong but I beleive you are dead. Or presumed dead I think I can say now"

He gestured to the viewscreen "And whoever is coming is part of your plan also?" He crossed one leg over the other "And so you are here to stop the Light from winning, to tip the balance by the sounds of it"

He shook his head and smiled slightly "It seems you have planned for all this"

Now

Mas Amedda drummed his fingers on the table.

The plan had unwound, slightly, but surely - as he explained to Rouser. The initial step to erase all resistance in the galaxy was proving troublesome. His List was more complete than not, but a merry band of smugglers and ‘heroes’ had delayed everything, risking decades of planning. His various ploys had exposed Maul and his rogue apprentice Ananke, who had actually overthrown and abandoned Maul on Malachor so many years ago. Therefore, Maul’s claim to be the Dark Lord was based upon his apprenticeship to Sidious, but that had been severed.

That did not make them pretenders; they therefore remained Sith.

Nor did it not make them overwhelmingly dangerous, in a galaxy with Anakin Skywalker on the loose.

It just didn’t make them legitimate successors to the True Dark Lord, Darth Sidious. There was only one of them, and that was Mas Amedda, as Darth Wyyrlok, the thrice-Secret Apprentice. Darth’s Tenebrous, Plagueis and Sidious had each discovered his secret Force heritage and sought to train him in opposition to their present apprentices, or candidates. The eternal back-up.

No longer, therefore.

A simple clone had taken his place and allowed the innumerable enemies of Emperor Amedda to unmask themselves, expose their disloyalty and immolate themselves while trying to take control of his galaxy. Pestage Had done his part, and even the Graul’s, unwittingly. But of course the Ultimate Weapon, the one devoid of loyalties, of sabotage, of vagaries, was strictly speaking still incomplete, and without the Crystal he had been swiftly running out of options.

But at least the Jedi Order was done; the Senate had been arrested but released by Aryan... Tarkin had erased the Separatist Council earlier than ideal, but plans evolve...

He eyed his list.

Ten names at most.

Anakin Skywalker, Qi’ra Ananke, Maul, Madelyn Linnett, Ka’rta, Han Solo, Feyna Organa, Luke Skywalker, Aryan Graul, perhaps even Mace Windu.

“Therefore, once I am done with them, I’ll be finished and peace will reign.” A cracked smirk. “Maybe some of them will do me the pleasure of killing each other first - and the rest can die on Mandalore.”

“Or perhaps it was time that Darth Wyyrlok stepped in and ran his blades through flesh.”

“Thus I stand before you unmasked.”

Pascale listened as the now unmasked Dark Lord laid it all out for him. The whole grand scheme to control the galaxy and then destroy it. It also seemed that Amedda had an appetite for destruction. Well he did announce himself as a Destructor…

Pascale also hoped the Echo was listening in as well as this is what they both would be up against. And where did these Sith keep popping up from?

"Well I suppose I must have been on that list too at some point. Yet now I have been removed. Curious, no?" Pascale tried to remain relaxed about this whole situation he didn't know whether to be pleased about not being on the list or not.

"A brilliant plan milord, but you may hit a snag. I doubt those at Mandalore will kill each other, the only ones that might are Maul and Qi'ra. Although Qi'ra is coming here so you could tempt her as your new apprentice. The Empire and the Rebels may forge an alliance maybe even peace"

"You could of course take matters into your own hands, but therein lies danger" he shrugged "My part in this tale?. Well I suppose you need Black Sun's support and money. You could have killed me when you had the chance but you didn't. You also unmasked yourself in front of me, that was a risk. I cannot guess what you have in mind for me"

“You were removed when I saw that you could be reasoned with, my friend.” Darth Wyyrlok - damn, it was good to think of himself as that - stepped around the table, leaving the sceptre on the table, and Rouser could see the twin lightsabers hanging from his belt now. “Therefore there was no need to kill you, or alter the way you thought.”

A smile; all teeth.

“You may remain as Underlord... I appreciate the desire to remain in the shadows. I shall select an Emperor or Chancellor or whatever the ordinary people want it to be called. I’ll even pick a Grandmaster and Dark Lord, if they’re sufficiently respectful.” He eyed the writhing cloak, which was growing smaller and weaker; Typhojem was dying without a host.

Wyyrlok eyed the slither of an Old One. “Did you want your Beast-friend back, or perhaps the Echo of what you may have been is sufficient?”

He lifted his hand, the ichor-creature floating off the floor. Wyyrlok turned his face as the door opened, revealing the shuttle guest. “Ah, Grand Vizier Pestage. It is a pleasure to see you. Do you bring good tidings for me?”

Another grin; all teeth.

“Is it time for me to open a channel to the Chosen One?”

Well it was good in a sense that he had been removed from the list, even though technically he was dead already. But he was now alive again and he had to make it count.

And the only way to do that was to forget what this new Dark Lord was spouting about and listen to the Echo. Listen to the Force.

So he would remain as Underlord for this Dark Lord, big deal. He would stay Underlord no matter who was in charge of the galaxy, he would make sure of it. And whomever ruled the remaining public would be a puppet dancing to the strings of it's master. No thanks.

More Dark Lords and Lady's?. It was bad enough having the ones about now. The galaxy deserved light not darkness. Hell there coild still be good profits in peacetime. And this galaxy did not deserve to be destroyed.

He didn't answer the question regarding the beast. He knew the answer. The Echo was sufficient. It reminded him of what he could have been, perhaps what he should have been. He did feel a little sorry for the beast as it was dying on the floor as he had helped Pascale out.

Perhaps after he made his move the beast could have a feast.

He got up from his chair and turned to meet the newcomer. And it was Sate Pestage, that slimy little Grand Vizier. Well perhaps former Grand Vizier….

Pascale did not have to think about his next move.

He immediately pulled his blaster out with his right hand, quickly switched to his left and began firing as he moved. With is now free right hand he dropped to his belt, grabbed one of is vibroblades and threw it like a throwing knife at Pestage, all the while moving toward the door.

He concentrated a little as he threw that and he felt time slowing down in slow motion. After the knife was thrown and still shooting he used the Force with his right hand to try and grab one of the Dark Lord's lightsbaers.

It may have been a wrong move to go, but Pascale had had enough.

Wyyrlok’s eyes blazed with anger and surprise and he dropped the clock, which landed on the floor by Pestage.Wyyrlok gestured to block the thrown knife, but also to snag his lightsaber, surprised that Rouser was going both.

His Force grip ignited the blade as it yanked from his belt, but Wyyrlok managed to deflect its path so instead of spinning into Rouser’s hand it stabbed into the wall - into the door controls. It dropped down between the ready room and Rouser, leaving him outside, and Wyyrlok went to rip the door of its hinges when Pestage cried out.

The Beast was affixing to Pestage,and Wyyrlok had a fight on his hands because the Vizier was Force sensitive. Not strongly, but sufficiently and more traditionally than say Rouser. Gritting his teeth, Wyyrlok went to work separating the two.

The Dark Man wrestled with a Sith God.

But Rouser, for all his luck, was free,and the first B1 Droid that saw him simply saluted and said. “Your new yacht has been delivered, Underlord. Hangar 1138.” It pointed. “That way.”

It handed him the keycard.

The Force truly was with Rouser.

Made it!

Well so he had not gotten the lightsaber which was a shame but at least he was now out of the ready room. And now the beast had a fight on its hands. Pascale knew the beast would not give up until it had consumed one of them or attached to one of them as a host. Rouser hoped it was Pestage at least because he may not be able to resist as much.

Good luck my friend he thought at the beast perhaps you will find what you are looking for. The crystal is on Kashyyyk, perhaps if you get off too you might be able to grab it. Before this Dark Lord does anyway.

Meanwhile Rouser had to get off this thing. Either he would have to find an escape pod, steal a ship or hope that his yacht had been delivered. If his yacht had been delivered he hoped there were no tracking devices on board. Otherwise he would be chased around the galaxy for who knows how long if the Dark Lord won the fight.

Thankfully a battle droid had delivered the good news. The yacht had indeed arrived and was ready in a hangar waiting for him plus a keycard. Pascale thanked the droid by tipping his hat to him. He probably looked a state in his rumpled suit and bloodstained shirt. He still had his blaster in his hand just in case anybody tried to stop him escaping.

Without waiting for a response from the droid he quickly walked off before breaking into a jog. He arrived eventually at the hangar where the yacht was ready and waiting for him, ramp invitingly open. And it was another Baudo to boot. Pascale grinned, it wasn't Fortuna but it would do nicely. And he would try not have it wrecked this time.

Rouser smiled, he didn't know if the Force or the Echo had something to do with his luck but he poured his tanks to both. Hopefully it could last, he did have to still escape the Weapon and even the system. He wasn't going to hang around to get blown up. Perhaps he could even think of a fitting name for his ship if he got time.

First thing’s first though, time to get off this thing and then see if he got stopped trying to escape into hyperspace.

As he got into the cockpit it all came rushing back to him, the familiarity and the easiness of starting her up. He also set some hyperspace coordinates, to be honest he would head to Mandalore to help the others but it was best to get a jump out of the way to make sure that she didn't blow up or collapse on the first jump.

He retracted the ramp before easing the yacht up and faced the exit of the hangar. He announced his intention to depart….

And then floored it.

As he shot out and away he reached for the hyperspace lever. Well here goes…

And pushed it.

The stars stretched into lines and the familiar blue of hyperspace enveloped the yacht. Pascale let out a breath, it seemed the Dark Lord had been to busy to stop him and of course as he was an ally of the Separatists the droids had no cause to halt his journey.

He couldn't rely on that anymore. And how long he stayed as Underlord of Black Sun depended on who won that little duel. And with Qi'ra and Mail nearby the Dark Lord now had a full plate on his hands.

Pascale too his hat off and ran a hand through his black hair before popping it back on. He couldn't relax yet, the Dark Man could have still left a nasty surprise on board. Just this jump and then it was off to Mandalore.

Also he would have to check what was on board, whether it was basic enough or whether the Dark Lord had been kind enough to restock his ship with his wardrobe, tools and weapons. His blaster would probably need a new pack soon and he was now down one vibroblade.

One thing at a time though.

Perhaps he could convince the others about what was coming. Perhaps not. Perhaps he should just go back home to Commenor.

Just get through this war and we'll see how it goes.

He also had a new name for his yacht as he relaxed back in his chair. He couldn't rename it Fortuna as he could not beat the original but he did have a name in mind. Ships were always known in the female tense so he knew what he would call her…

Firenze.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Ka'rta
In Orbit, and rapidly falling out of it

Ka'rta heard the manda'lor's words, but she kept her grip on the young Chancellor. She would have her answer. As the droid fighters swept across the battleship the merc held her ground. The ship couldn't run, couldn't jump, they were staying here, they were going to die here. No matter what Madelyn said they were trapped here, there was no escape, not now. She was content to stand there on the deck with a death grip on the Princess, both of them going down in flames.

Fate had other plans. The ship rocked with another hard hit and Ka'rta felt arms wrap around her waist. They were familiar arms that swept her off her feet and tried to throw her onto the Oisk. In all her armor and equipment it wasn't easy, but anything was possible when one was motivated. She tumbled rolling up the ramp and coming to something of a stop before the world around her began to spin. Struggling to her feet she was thrown against the wall, then against something else that slammed into her thigh. A pained growl left her chest as she became reacquainted with her old friend, agnish. Finding her feet she tried to make her way to the controls, more to throw the white haired woman off them. However her feet were taken out from under her again as the ship lurched and attempted to course correct.

She was thrown back into the wall again and everything else became a blur of pain and shouts, until everything stopped. The ship rumbled in that familiar way it did when it came in for a landing. It was calm at least for a moment. A heavy weight pressed down on her nearly smothering her. Looking up it was that fool, her 'Escort' was he trying to shield her or was he just trying to be close to her one last time. A groan from him told her he was alive, which was good. She shoved him off her and rolled onto her stomach trying to find her feet one more time.

There it was right in front of her, an ostentatious box, shaped like an obelisk with face like decorations, just the thing a princess would carry a very important item. Pulling herself towards it she reached out with her other hand to open in.It open easily revealing nothing, the box was empty no crystal, no credits no jewels or whatever one found in treasure chests. It was just air.

A roar left her chest as she got to her knees wrapping her hands around the cursed box, leaving marks. With another shout she threw it against the nearest wall. It had all been for nothing, all this fighting and death and sacrifice. It was all for nothing. Fate had twisted the knife in Ka'rta's back, had offered her an end to all this and then took it away from her. She was sick of this of being pulled this way and that by forces beyond her control, answering to little girls playing at being leaders. With another growl she got to her feet, her thigh was bruised deeply hurting her every time she walked.

"See," She shouted pointing at the empty box, "nothing, you had this big plan and you had nothing. Did you even check the box before you came here?" She turned away throwing up her hands. "Idiot." Limping her way down the ship she came to a stop at a large cabinet bolted into the floor and wall, nothing was moving this thing. Imputing a code only she, Owen and Jerrod knew the front opened with a hiss. Inside was everything, well, everything being enough arms and ordnance to outfit a small merc company. First she attached as many high explosive rocket warheads as she could to her belt. Next she pulled out a concussion missile slipping it into the empty slot in the center of her jetpack. Afterwardshe pulled a long bandolier filled with power packs and gas canisters for her blasters. Throwing it across her chest she grabbed a few grenades passing them out to whoever wanted them, attaching a thermal detonator to her belt alongside a few warheads. Finally she pulled the mandalorian blaster rifle off the inside of the door and checked it's charge, full. Turning around she looked to the others with a glare.

"Grab a weapon, grab some ammo, and get out there." She growled to the others limping her way to the ramp stopping to look at Freya, "you can stay on the ship for all I care. Don't need a pacifist running around a warzone."

"How much ordinance do you have in here?" her Escort asked.

"Enough," she hissed still making her way down the ramp. Without fear she opened fire on the nearest droids, sending off one of her high explosive rockets towards a spider droid. This would be the final battle and she intended to go down swinging.

TAG: @TheSilentInfluence @JediMasterAnne @Sinrebirth

 

Han Solo and Anakin Skywalker
Mandalore Surface

"Good, I cover your escape. Solo, are you with me on this?" Anakin awaited his wingman's response, but he already knew what it would be. If you asked a man to fight you had one of two questions to answer. For who? Or against who? Solo had no friends here and little sympathy for Mandalorians probably. Who did? He also had suffered under the Empire, but their enemy were droids who were strictly speaking enemies of his enemies.

Anakin Skywalker realized that Han Solo would have to be a fool to fight here today. And the man was anything but a fool probably.

Han got the confirmation that his engines had fired up and he was ready to depart. He sighed and looked over to Anakin Skywalker, who looked right back at him from his cockpit.

"Let me guess, you are trying to read my mind?" Han Solo sighed and Anakin Skywalker just smiled.

"I can feel your conflict, but we both know this is not your war." Anakin sighed. They both knew this was goodbye. "It was a good plan. It just did not work."

Han nodded. "I would have been with you to the very end." He sighed. "You know that do you?"

Anakin nodded. "I know." Anakin knew it was true. This man was probably the only person he could rely on down here and they had barely met. "Take the route through the canyon, there won't be any targets, so I assume there will be no droids either."

"Thanks." Han brought his ship into hovering mode and turned one last time to Anakin Skywalker. "They don't trust you, but ... she regretted speaking to you like this. Didn't need to be a Jedi to know that."

Anakin smiled. "I know. May the force be with you Han Solo."

"With you, too." Han accelerated the starfighter and dived into the canyons below. Quickly he brought distance between himself and the potential battlefield.

Anakin followed him for a moment with his eyes and wondered what kind of Rebellion this was, if they lost men like Solo?



A few minutes later on the opposite side of the planet and far away from the two fleets Han Solo pulled his X-Wing into space and pulled the hyperdrive lever back. The stars became white lines. He smiled, sad but relieved to leave this whole mess behind him.

Tag: @DarkLordoftheFins (combined with)




ooc: My final post as I have left the game. A combined with the always fabulous @DarkLordoftheFins

 

IC: Pascale Rouser
Location: Firenze, heading into the Unknown

The Force had been with him.

And now it had deserted him.

The Dark Lord it seemed had a back up plan. And he had won. Well if this was him anyway. Perhaps the Force had decided it had had enough of him and decided to chuck him straight into the Unknown Regions thanks to a glancing hit from a turbolaser from the Ultimate Weapon.

He had tried desperately to decant by pulling the hyperdrive lever but nothing happened. Then the navicomputer had given him the bad news. He no longer had control of his newly christened Firenze and was now trapped in hyperspace.

He could shoot the hyperdrive or tamper with it, it could risk blowing him up or worse if he did decant he would have to travel on sublight drives everywhere. And if he was in the middle of nowhere he could be stuck.

The problem was now that he was trapped in hyperspace he may end up crashing into either another ship or a planet or moon. And that would be another messy end. It looked like he was about to lose his new yacht too and he finally might be about to die. Or spend the rest of his life in hyperspace.

Well until the fuel ran out, and then he would drift alone until someone found his dead yacht and body drifting through the unknown.

Perhaps this was his fate after all. Perhaps he deserved this after everything that had happened. He wasn't going to Mandalore to try and help the others. He would be missing presumed dead, and Black Sun would descend into chaos and infighting as they fought themselves to become the next Underlord.
And the galaxy would burn under the Dark Lord.

If somehow he did get out of this which unfortunately the odds were slim, then his wealth and title of Underlord and Dark Prince of Black Sun would mean nothing here. Nobody went into the Unknown Regions unless you were totally bonkers or wanted to hide somewhere. The good thing was that this place would be the last to go when the Dark Man began his conquest.

Pascale thought to the Echo well I don’t know if this was in the plan, but if it was this was not the way I wanted to go.

He sighed and then began to laugh. It wasn't his usual laugh which sometimes sounded like he was a holomovie villain. It was a resigned laugh. The Dark Lord had played his cards right and had probably beaten them all. He then got up and decided to see what he did have on board. It didn't look too good.

There was a bit of food and drink on board which Rouser would wisely have to ration. If he was going to be stuck here forever he might as well make sure he conserved the food and drink as much as he could. Although there was some interesting exotic alcoholic beverages on board. Perhaps if he was about to crash into an unsuspecting ship or planet he might as well drink himself silly and not feel the heat as he burnt up. No new wardrobe or weapons or tools so it looked like this had been stocked for a long trip but not for him.

And curiously also on board, some Sith artifacts. What the hell were these doing on here? Did Amedda leave these on board purposely? Or was his all a sick joke. Hey Rouser, i’m going to send you to die in the Unknown Regions, how about some light reading?

Well he might as well chronicle what he had found. If he didn't turn into a fireball perhaps if someone found his datapad he could share what he had found. Perhaps he could even write a short autobiography of his adventures. He decided to take a quick look at the Sith artifacts.

The first was the Epistle of Marka Ragnos. A Sith document chronicling his life and what he had achieved during the First Sith Empire.

The second was the Epitaph of Revan. This one was the man who was the Jedi turned Sith turned Jedi again who fought in the Jedi Civil War, the Mandalorian Wars and the Great Galactic War. This would probably hopefully include all his information regarding both Jedi and Sith teachings although Pascale was not going anywhere near the dark side stuff.

The third was the Chronicle of the Dark Wars. This was chronicling the conflicts that stemmed from the defeat of the Sith Empire during the Jedi Civil War. Also during this period occurred the First Jedi Purge and the Sith Civil War.

The final piece was written by Heskal, a so called prophet of Zakuul. It was said that this man was part of the Scions of Zakuul an offshoot of the Knights of Zakuul a group that were obsessed by the idea of fate and specialized in Force visions.

Pascale snorted, the fate bit was exactly what he was feeling now. That fate had decided to dump him here.

Heskal had written about Arcann, another native from Zakuul. He was the son of Valkorian the Immortal Emperor of the Eternal Empire of Zakuul. But he usurped his father and took the Eternal Throne after trying to attack Korriban. After killing his father and assuming the throne he led the Eternal Empire on an invasion battling both the Sith Empire and the Galactic Republic. But after ruling for five years he was usurped thanks to a revolt and defeated.

Well this was a veritable treasure trove of history and since Pascale had nothing better to do he might as well read it all. He was probably never going to use it unless it was useful but he was more Light now than dark. Besides the Echo probably wouldn't like it if he went back that way again.

The other option was to do what the Jedi used to do and try to meditate. Well perhaps once he was done he could try that, it might make him feel more at peace in a galaxy of turmoil.

He popped the artifacts onto the table in the main cabin and then poured himself one of the rather expensive alcoholic drinks. He might as well enjoy himself while it lasted.

He sat down on one of the chairs and pulled his datapad out. He may not be able to send all the data to his archive but at least he could make some notes for someone else.

He took a sip of his drink.

And began.

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Anakin Skywalker and Darth Wyyrlock
Mandalore

“Anakin Skywalker. The Chosen One. I would speak to you about what you have done and what we must do together to fix it.” The message came through his comm and Anakin was still in thoughts at Han Solo. He took five seconds before picking up the comm. He really had to configure the comm not to put through random calls.

"Well, if you don't withdraw your droids I am a bit busy right now." Anakin said calmly and leaned back.

"You jest, Chosen One. A few thousand droids is nothing to you," Wyyrlok said, amused. "We all know that if you put your mind to something, you can do anything whatsoever."

He leered. "Don't we?"

"Certainly, but I would have to put my mind to it as you called it. Which would make a conversation between the two of us rather difficult." Anakin sighed and fired up his X-Wing. "Also we both know with the weapon you have acquired no single planet means anything to you. Especially not Mandalore. Which makes this battle an unnecessary distraction. So why would you have me fight your droids now, if you can instead have the conversation with me you seem to desire." Truth was Anakin would now fight or talk. The man who had just called couldn't have both. "Your choice. But choose quickly."

Anakin was summoning the force and prepared for any decision the man would make. The battleplan was already formed in his head. Actually the battle gave this Sith a chance to have a conversation with him. If he withdrew the droids now Anakin would have to listen, at least until the Rebellion had their chance to escape. Once the battle was over the only discussion Anakin would have with him was one with an ignited lightsaber.

"Let us return to that discussion, being as you have so artfully brought the weapon into our chat," Wyyrlok said, snidely. "You will want to hear this, so I shall humour you slightly." He did give an order, and the capital ships ceased firing on the Profundity, with the droid fighters holding between the Rebel ships and Separtaist warships, but the and army continued on. Anakin couldn't have it all his way.

"I do have the weapon." Wyyrlok sniffed. "But, you already were a superweapon, so it is purely a matter of balance. I offer you a deal, Skywalker. I will not use my superweapon if you promise to leave - exile yourself. The moment it is used, then I fully expect, nay, encourage you to hunt me down and put that little blue lightsaber through my chest." Wyyrlok smiled.

"Those responsible for the Death Star - which was Palpatine's folly, they are almost all gone... Tarkin, Krennic, Daala... even Cronal, Jerec and the other Dark Jedi. I could not stop it. Not as long as the Republic and Separatists existed could Palpatine's little cult be undone. Therefore, it had to be managed. Much like you have to be managed." It was easy for Anakin to suggest Mandalore was unnecessary. He was too busy being the Hero. The tragic one, at that.

"If your friends cannot win at Mandalore without your help, then they shouldn't. I will not be wading into battle on the Separatists behalf. Their ideologies deserve the right to stand unopposed, without the tyranny of the Jedi or the Sith." He snorted.

"I mean... you nearly destroyed the Senate... you definitely killed Daala. Was your plan to retire once you had saved the galaxy again? Who is going to save it from you? Your son is collecting Jedi children for whatever silly Sith scheme he has. What are you doing about that?" Darth Wyyrlok glared at Anakin, not caring if the man was busy preparing for war or not.

Anakin smiled as he heard the offer. The man feared him. He understood why, immediately. The droids fighters had withdrawn at least. His hand began typing blindly into the computer as he spoke. Issuing one simple order to the Rebel fighter squadrons.

"Oh I think we both know there is nobody to save the galaxy from me ... but that wasn't the plan." Anakin replied enigmatically without revealing too much of his thinking.

"Does it make you nervous? Me on Coruscant? Me killing that Imperial officer? Me tempted by the Dark Side? I mean between you and me ... you said it. You are the heir of Darth Sidious. Problem is ..." Anakin gave a dark smile to the reflection in the window. "... that is nonsense and we two know it. We both know Sith have no heirs." Anakin laughed a bitter laughter. "Sith are Chosen. And you were not chosen. You were actually explicitly not chosen, right? But that is not the problem, you are a skilled liar, you would find a way around that. Don't worry, I won't tell anybody. The true problem is, the guy chosen is still around, is he? That is me. I did not take up the name, but damned I think I showed I was one hell of a worthy apprentice. Don't you think?" Anakin sighed and closed his eyes. Remembering the night at the penthouse of Palpatine. "Actually I killed him. Remind me, what does that make me?" Probably this dark man would be angry, afraid or ashamed about his words. Anakin just felt an endless sadness. "And now I will tell you a secret nobody in the galaxy knows, except you and me." Luke? Had Luke known? "It wasn't the Dark Side that wanted me to fall. It isn't the Dark Side that wants me to become a Dark Lord of the Sith. It is the Force, the Force itself. It still does." Anakin sighed. "Funny is it? How everybody thought they would win by me bringing balance to the force, when this 'balance' truly means everybody looses." He reached out with the force and felt the calming effect even amidst battle. He also felt the cold indifference. How it had chosen him for his dark destiny and longed for it to be fulfilled ever since he had denied to embrace it. "I think you know that, do you?"

Luke, Amedda did not know about Luke. He belittled him, when his son was really what brought the simple equation out of balance. Anakin knew his son had inherited his power. Maybe a little less, maybe a little more ... but he was every bit as dangerous as Anakin was. Yet, of course Amedda did not feel it. Darth Maul had somehow hidden Luke. He had brought Luke near a nexus probably so none of them could sense him. Obi-Wan Kenobi had looked for Korriban. Moraband as it was called nowadays by the Jedi. The ancient home of the Sith. Had Maul brought him there? Hidden under the powerful shroud of the Dark Side? The first apprentice of Sidious had become more impressive in his late years. For what he had done to his son, Anakin felt the urge to hunt him down. Yet Anakin knew enough about the traditions of the Sith and the power of his son to know that Maul had made himself a temporary problem. Luke. Korriban. Was Luke there? Had he brought the children there?

Anakin did not forget his vision. No, he knew what his boy was becoming. He also knew he had not the strength to stop him. Maybe the Man was worrying about the wrong Skywalker. Maybe Anakin had indeed been replaced.

"So, I accept." Anakin nodded. "Also we both would be fools to think the force will leave it at that, I am willing to stay out of galactic affairs for now if you do not use your weapon."

Anakin knew for everything he was saying was true ... he was not ready to fall. He had consciously denied the will of the force. Therefore he could not bring balance to the force. He should have died. The force had just given him this ridiculous power to avoid him fleeing from his destiny into death though.

"Concerning Mandalore ... I guess we can consider it a detail we agree to disagree on." He gave another smile to the Man.

The man was a political creature, not a military thinker. The moment Anakin had seen him withdraw the fighter-droids he had signaled the Rebellion fighters to concentrate fire on the ground targets. Five minutes air superiority ... if there still was a droid army by now he did not know what to do to help them.

"We have a deal?" Anakin asked and he mentally prepared to cut the connection again. This had become a bad habit, really.

The same time he powered down his fighter and ordered the Twin Sun to prepare for departure.

He would save billions with this and he had planned to leave the Rebellion anyway. It had plans and he was in the way of these plans, maybe even harming them with his presence.

Through the force he send Feyna one single thought. A single powerful thought he needed her to receive. The key to victory.

Droid Control Ship

Then he looked at Mas Amedda and awaited the answer.

Wyyrlok received the report about half of the Droid army being shredded and his face dropped. “So you’ll leave when our deal is concluded?”

His voice was quiet and he hated himself for it. Pestage glared at Wyyrlok and he remembered that he needed to project utter control. Swearing mentally, Wyyrlok spoke more strongly. “And what of your son. Pestage arranged the children; I know that Luke or whatever he is now calling himself is on Moraband. He’s the imbalance in our accord.”

Imbalance.

His voice was careful as he thought. The Force was trying to balance itself through Anakin; of course it was. But if Anakin had been supposed to fall... and Luke had instead... did Anakin realise that Luke, and also Leia, had been supposed to counter Anakin?

Curious.

“Deal, either way, to be secured when your Twin Sun enters hyperspace.”

He gestured at Pestage in the meantime, who gave orders for the battle to resume.

Luke. Amedda presented him on a plate. Yet he had seemingly had partially helped him, as he knew about the children. This was not Sidious, clearly. The lies of this man lacked the subtle power of the Sith Lords whispers and promises. He did not know his victims so well. His wish of Anakin to take care of the boy was obvious.

Luke. Anakin knew he grew more powerful with every moment he was allowed to exist. Yet, he also knew Obi-Wan Kenobi had been right. Anakin lacked the strength to face his son.

Instead he smiled at Amedda. "You are right. Just a boy, isn't he?"

He killed the connection and opened to cockpit. A minute later he was sitting in the familiar cockpit of the Twin Suns and made his way into orbit. He had at least bought himself time with the deal.

Leaving behind a Rebellion which had to learn to fight and a galaxy ruled by a self-declared Dark Lord ... he knew this was not THE war.

He pulled back the lever and his ship vanished into hyperspace.

Tag: @Sinrebirth, @JediMasterAnne (for Anakin's mental message), @LordTroepfchen (because mentioned a lot)

 

Darth Zorn and a little XoXaan
Platform, Korriban

He felt Pestage leaving. Another traitor and another failure by his Master. He climbed the stairs to the platform and saw the two transports up there waiting for him. A Weequay pirate and a couple of Younglings were waiting with him. He concealed his presence as Lord Maul had shown him and approached the pirate who he had briefly met on a visit to Naboo.

"Master Luke, was a piece of cake. Got the young ones and brought them here with no problems. Is your father around?" Hondo raised his brows. "You guys know a lot of planets I had never heard of." He remarked.

"A wonderful job you did there, Hondo. So glad to see you." Zorn considered murdering him for a second, him and his crew. But it would be counter productive. He had other plans for him.

"Glad you little guys are fine." Luke tried to give them a warm smile.

"You changed, Luke." A young boy said. Zorn remembered him. It was Yovan, a boy he had played with on his last mission. "We felt ... them die, Luke."

"I know." Luke smiled again. "This is my disguise. I am disguised as a bad man so the bad men don't find me so easy."

"We do not like this place." This was a young girl, who he had never before seen. "It feels cold."

"That is the Dark Side. It is strong here. It will hide you from your enemies." Zorn answered. Then he got up and handed His hand.

"Thank you. Please keep this mission confidential. We need to keep the kids save." Zorn said and shook the man's hand. Of course sooner or later it would slip out. And once it was slipped out, his father would hear about it. Exactly as Zorn wanted him to. It was the reason why the man was allowed to leave alive.

--------

A few minutes later he lead the Younglings down the stairs. The boy Yovan took his hand and Zorn allowed him to. He brought them to the tomb Maul had lead him to first and then went to one knee and took Krayt's lightsaber from his belt.

"You will be save here." He said. "But take this. A few hours and I will get you off planet."

"Can't you stay with us Luke?" Yovan asked with tears in his eyes.

"I am nearby. Don't worry." He stepped back and reached it with the force. The giant stone slowly rolled to seal the tomb, with the children inside. He would let fear spread. Fear was so easy to create in children, yet such a powerful force of darkness.


"Do we know what the beasts I feel inside are called?" Zorn asked and turned. XoXaan answered in his mind. They were now connected through the darkness of the planet.

"Their Master called them Hounds simply. They are hungry, they will smell the kids, but you know that, do you?"

"The force is their ally. They will overcome them. But it will cost them a little bit of their innocence." Zorn turned away and made his way back to the temple.

Inside the tomb he felt the despair, fear and terror of the children.

It put a smile on his face.

----

He had no idea for how long he had meditated. He felt no need to sleep or eat anymore. He drained energy from the Dark Side itself.

XoXaan had whispered to him, shown him how to feed of the Dark Side. How to consume it's power. How to drain the pain and despair of the children and feed on their fear. How to make the darkness of the planet itself a part of him.

"The Sith of old had access to many secrets." XoXaan whispered as he returned from his dark slumber. "The Masters of the Dark Side could create unspeakable monstrosities and rip scars into the fabric of the force itself unleashing terrible storms. They created chambers to multiply their powers and rip suns apart and souls. All their secrets lie here. Yet you are not ready to learn them. They gave themselves fully to the Dark Side and the Dark Side gave itself fully ... to them."

"The Embrace." Zorn whispered.

"The Embrace." XoXaan simply replied.

"What do I need to fully give myself to the Dark Side." He whispered into the dark.

"You know what you have to do." She answered.

"Only the Dark Lord of the Sith can fully embrace the Dark Side. A sacrifice. I need a sacrifice." He shivered in the dark.

"The Apprentice must become the Master." XoXaan agreed. "The Embrace began the tradition so misunderstood by the Sith of the age, yet still practiced." XoXaan sounded almost sad as she said this.

"He tries to proof himself. I feel his presence." Zorn smiled. "His envy and fear."

"He feels the depth of your darkness and the power you command now. The one called Maul has never reached the depth you have. He never will." XoXaan replied with a cool voice.

"He has served his purpose then." Zorn replied and stood up. "Soon. Soon I shall be ready to take his crown."

He turned to leave and heard the gurgling laughter of XoXaan in his mind as he made his way back to the surface.

Tag: @LordTroepfchen (combined with), @Sinrebirth

 

IC: Princess Feyna Organa
Mandalore

She watched Ka’rta storm off, too stunned to react. The nasty surprise of the dark man’s identity and the realization that there was no crystal, plus the physical blow from whatever had hit her head had left her dazed, her mind frantically scrambling to catch up.

Amedda was alive.

How?! According to Graul, Amedda had died of wounds sustained in the Dark Jedi Rebellion. Had Graul lied, had he been in on the whole scheme from the beginning, or had Amedda tricked him?

The latter seemed more likely, though in the long run, Feyna supposed it didn’t matter. Did anyone else in the Empire know? Was he still in control of them and the Separatists now? She didn’t know how much power Graul had now—not much, if Garm’s last message was any indication. Would the Empire flock back to Amedda once they heard of his survival?

We’re screwed.

They had no advantage here, they didn’t even have the damn crystal. Part of her was furious; the trip to Takodona now proved to have been a complete waste of time. Irenez and Wedge (and possibly Arek) had died for nothing.

On the other hand—of course the crystal wasn’t there. Han wouldn’t have trusted her with it if it had been. It had occurred to her to wonder, she had considered opening the box once or twice, but she taken Han at his word, rather than test the limits of his trust.

Instead, she felt like she had cemented her own failure.

She looked in the direction Ka’rta had gone, still feeling a little indignant, but…all right, I deserved that.

But how was she going to turn this around? Anakin had suggested they retreat, and she had agreed (not just because she did agree, but also an attempt to repair the rift between them, to mend that broken trust), but no order had actually been given, and now, she wasn’t sure if they could get out.

Hearing Amedda call out to Anakin again, Feyna scowled and wiped the blood out of her eyes, anger spurring her to finally move—even if it was only to help Winter to fashion a makeshift splint for her broken arm while the princess quietly tried to think of a way to get them out of this mess without sacrificing what was left of their forces.

Droid Control Ship.

Anakin's voice--for a moment she thought he'd said it over the comm, but Winter showed no reaction, and it sounded too clear and too close to be a transmission.

She knew from growing up around the Skywalkers and Obi-Wan that Jedi could use the Force to communicate telepathically, though she had never been on the receiving end of such a message before. Perhaps he was trying to get the idea through without giving it away to Amedda.

Anakin had, at nine years old, fired the shots that had destroyed the Trade Federation's droid control ship during the Battle of Naboo, and despite this defeat, the Separatists seemingly never learned from it, and the Federation droids that comprised most of their forces were still controlled from a single station.

They might survive this yet.

She opened a private channel to Dodonna. "General, get a squadron up to launch an attack on the Separatists' droid control ship." She was hesitant to throw all of their fighters at it, but she also knew that just one squadron might not be enough, so she would leave that up to Dodonna's judgement.

Thank you, Anakin.

TAG: @Sinrebirth @TheSilentInfluence @galactic-vagabond422

 

IC: Madelyn Linnett
Mandalore

Madelyn hadn't realised she was shaking after they were attacked. She looked around for Ka'rta and realised she was no where in sight, looked for the Princess...the Chancellor Freya and found her at the standstill as Winter took the controls.

"I need you here with us you're grace." Madelyn squeezed her shoulder as she passed, hoping that it reassured her. "We can do this together."

Madelyn moved up to where Winter was piloting. "We have to take out that super weapon...when it's gone I need you to drop me off on the surface. My people need me." She pressed the comm. button. "Does anyone read me?"

Tag: @Sinrebirth @JediMasterAnne @galactic-vagabond422

 

IC: Qi’ra/Ananke
The Aurora, still near Kashyyyk


“You’re tempted.” The holocron eyed her suggestively, and it chiseled away at Ananke’s heightened nerves. However, that did not dampen the truth in the statement.

She was tempted. She could not ignore that fact.

Amedda was still living. Amedda was alive and well and he was this mythical Dark Man, had been all along. She had slaughtered a clone, not the being himself, so even she had been thoroughly duped – directly, personally, not like the galaxy at large that were so far removed they might as well not be involved at all. The magnitude of the subterfuge needed to pull this massive scheme off… she was astonished. Curious.

Tempted.

But not stupid.

Studying Braata, hearing the increasing whines of her ship’s hull as it was coerced in a direction it did not want to go, it occurred to her for the first time that this holocron was discovered under the clone’s pillow. Not the real Amedda… was this device a set-up? Somehow spying on her?

No. She’d be dead already. And the Force told her it was authentic, somehow.

So, how was it exactly, that Ananke come to be in possession of the ancient pyramid… if Amedda had never had it to begin with? How, and why?

Gnashing her teeth, she eyed the readout that had calculated the jump path of that random yacht she had just seen disappear into hyperspace. It was stupid to run, she knew this. But was it far more dangerous to allow the allure of fate to tempt her so? Next casting a glance at Arek, dare she actually call him her ‘apprentice’ just yet, allowing Amedda to take them would surely mean his death, or worse – that he be persuaded to take a new Master. For all she knew, the Dark Man needed a student.

No. The boy was hers, for now.

He is mine.

“Teach me how to release us from the snare,” she demanded of her holocron, the tractor beam pulling them in far too rapidly for her liking. Soon enough, it would be too late. “NOW.”

TAG: @Sinrebirth

 

Obi-Wan Kenobi
The Force

Obi-Wan Kenobi smiled generously at Ashoka. "Something is always unbalanced, something is always in danger." He floated closer. "The conflict never ends Ashoka. It is probably the nature of the force. Yet, you are right. It is about Anakin and maybe it always was. The shift you feel is a result of the force staying unbalanced. Yet, now it is not only about him. I have seen his son and what has become of the boy. I have seen his fathers power in him, his ability to change destiny. Anakin won't heal as long as this wound burns into his soul." Obi-Wan nodded. "He won't accept Qui-Gon's gift. He seeks peace in his own death, he desires to become fully one with the force." Obi-Wan began to slowly dissolve. "Anakin tries to escape the inevitable confrontation." Obi-Wan's bluely glowing shape was already gone as he whispered his final words to Ashoka.

"We always look at Anakin to heal the galaxy. Even you and me who were closest to him. Yet, maybe we should have looked for a way to heal Anakin." Even farther away his voice was now little more than a whisper.

"He knows, Ashoka ... he knows what the prize was to bring balance to the force and it breaks his heart ..."

He send the same vision Anakin had received to Ashoka and dissolved in the force, searching for the presence of his former apprentice.



Tag: @Sinrebirth, @BobaMatt, @DarkLordoftheFins (who gave quite some input to this one)