Star Wars OPEN War of the Galaxies: Fist of Fire - an Episode XII Story

IC: Rikis and Nihl - short but enlightening combo with Sinre
Saijo

The darkness burning inside Rikis subsided to a simmer, as though a pane of glass had been placed between the rest of her mind and that anger. Sitting in her command chair as her quarter fleet raced away from Nagi, she nodded at that, understanding the need for her to focus. There was one more being she could reach, now that Romulus and Remus had betrayed them all. The fleet was on course to reach Saijo soon, to take on more of her people and to regroup so they could strike again.

Before they reached the colony world she had them drop out of hyper, unsure whether her coruler was involved in the betrayal or not. Standing, she stalked off the bridge and to her office. Tapping the holo stud, she called Nihl, ”Where are you? And why did you allow our homeworld to be attacked?” she growled out, without preamble.

“Why would I commit to an assault against three, four enemy fleets, when two thirds of our forces have vanished?” Nihl bit back. “Your brothers have betrayed us, and took with them more assets than they ever committed to our war.”

“Already the Eriaduans have called for the Confederates to secede from our alliance. We are finished.” Nihl was furious.

”You expected them to remain faithful when our hated foes are busy tearing our home apart?” she asked in a scornful tone. ”They seek to destroy us, to tear apart the Nagai. My siblings efforts have…”

A growl escaped her and her eyes flared in anger, ”...accelerated any reason to mistrust us.” Lightning cracked at her fingertips as she tapped them on her desk, the material of it beginning to smoke. ”We aren’t meant to fight head to head wars, though. Our skills, yours and mine…are more apt to strike and destroy our foes from the shadows.”

"Raids and the like," Nihl sniffed. "That is your strategy? To defeat the Tofs with stings and pin-pricks? Terrorism may have damaged Tof and killed most of the Royal Family, but it won't win us the war." He glowered. "I order you to put all assets into the defense of Saijo. I shall recall what remains of our people there, and we shall rebuild behind a fortress, like the Remnant did with Bastion."

”No.” she stated flatly. Her attention turned to something outside the view of the holo pickup for a moment.

Turning back to face Nihl in the display, ”You know little of what the true war is, or how to fight it. Petty Sith intrigue.” she said disdainfully.

”I return to Saijo to retrieve any of value, any that may be of use to me. Let our foes believe they have vanquished us and they will be ripe for destruction from other avenues.”

"I am at Saijo," Nihl said flatly. "You come here, I will destroy you."

”Do you trust every single Nagai at Saijo, little Sith?” she asked, tone dropping several octaves as she did. ”Sure that none of them have not their own plans or desires to assist any save yourself?”

"I trust them more than you, Darth Rikis." At that, he cut the channel.

”Pitiful fool…” she muttered in the same dark tone.

Exiting her office, she strode onto the bridge. The dark expression remained on her face, her crew understanding and knowing it. ”Send the orders, that all who remain must make their choices now.”

A wave of energy, a mental command, lashed out from her, spreading throughout the fleet. The time of hiding ourselves, the time of facades, is over. Let them see the truth.

TAGs: @Sinrebirth, @Mitth_Fisto, @adaml83, @Kev-Mas_Colcha

 

Resource Fatigue

The galaxy had hit its limit.

For eighty years the galaxy had been harvested, reaped and fought over. Endlessly consumed for the war machines of the Republic, Separatists, Empire, and Yuuzhan Vong. The sheer amount of durasteel consumed by the Death Stars and Starkillers, let alone the millions of warships constructed in-between, caused a pointed shortage.

Reports across the board confirmed that a resource recession was afoot. The chaos engulfing the galaxy harkened to the Third Galactic War, where the Sith and Republic went to war yet again, and both found little kindling to keep the fire going. Battles shifted from military targets to agricultural havens, rare isotopes and new technologies. Some considered the galaxy never truly recovered, and eventually that weakness to the economy birthed the New Sith Wars. It was only with the rise of the trade cartels after Ruusan that the resource issue was circumvented, but even then critics would point out the Republic was a rump of itself and it took centuries for it to be fully restored and encounter the problem again.

But since the Battle of Naboo the Galaxy has been building. If not the Separatists preparing their droid armies, then the Republic creating its clone army and armada of Venator-class Star Destroyers. The Empire’s initial surge in growth came at the expense of those Separatist worlds and resources, before bearing down on the Outer Rim, fighting wars for resources to fight more wars for resources. This self-fulfilling prophecy saw a single major defeat unravel the entire regime, as the Imperial Navy was suddenly, abruptly, largely unable to replace those ships lost to the Imperial Civil War.

The New Republic had less gargantuan appetites, but the First Order continued such consumption albeit in the Unknown Regions. Come the war with the Yuuzhan Vong even more worlds were despoiled and the shift to total war drained coffers and systems. Now, in the fifteenth year of the war with the First Order, experts consider that there is now a finite amount of resources in the Skyriver galaxy. That the wars will have to become more circumspect, if only because everyone’s ability to wage war is coming to an end.

In short order the war must be ended - whether won or lost, who can say. But as they call this the War of the Galaxies, the importance of new fields of conquest will rise…

TAGs: @darthbernael , @Mitth_Fisto, @adaml83, @Kev-Mas_Colcha

 

The Imperial Remnant

The Pellaeon Gardens had been a soothing reminder of order refined and regrouped and restored. Gardening was the ultimate expression of Pellaeon’s philosophies; he would use it to identify weeds in his Empire, and also to emphasise with the whole.

As he oft said; he didn’t lead, he consulted.

The Imperial Remnant had flourished thanks to him. To his prowess in battle against the New Republic and Yuuzhan Vong; to his pragmatic acceptance of the Bastion Accords; to his foresight in expanding the Empire into lost sectors after the Battle of Yuuzhan’tar. Through agreement, he had grown the Empire to its greatest extent since 17 BBY.

The Moffs, in form of Quille, Lecersen and Quillan, and the Sith, in the forms of Darth Caedus, Snoke, and the Reborn Emperor, had brought it all low. Reige had spent years defending Bastion from an invasion that never came. The First Order had been content for the Imperial Remnant to humble itself besides their achievements, them, who had never given up on the Galactic Empire. The True Imperials.

Reige, Grand Admiral, Head of State, and former adjunct to Pellaeon, lamented often, in these very gardens, his failures. But today, he raged. At the Moffs, principally. The six surviving Moffs were all present.

“Why did none of your networks, none of your agents, and not a single one of our ships, respond to the attack on Jaemus?”

Moff Poliff, a historic foe of Jagged - as were five out of six of the remaining members of the Council - bristled. “The Bastion fleets didn’t respond either.”

Newly constructed and drawn from younger adults, Reige had personally been overseeing the two fleets above Bastion being put through their paces. An equivalent number of battle stations also hung in orbit, Golan V’s besides Maxima-class Star Cruisers, Ardent-class fast frigates and flights of TIE Predators, Neutralisers and Defenders. “By the time we were ready, it was over. We could only send relief crews.”

Moff Woolbam shrugged. “What can we say? Moff Quillan’s former sector was a gap in our remit.” Which was true. The man had not been replaced; Reige hadn’t wanted to make more Moffs until the crisis was over, but he didn’t have administrators to rely upon. Loath to ask Adam Lyons for more support, Reige had been trying to rebuild the Remnant on its own terms. That Jaemus fell in the late traitor Quillan’s purview likely explained how the Grysk had thoroughly undermined their defence; he must have been in the Grysk pocket at some point - at very least by when he moved to Ord Trasi.

The explanation didn’t help.

“The Bastion fleets are going on the offensive,” he confirmed. “We’ll be coordinating with Emperor Fel.”

“Yes, yes,” muttered Poliff. “Of course. We must strike back at our enemies, perceived or otherwise.”

“Perceived?” Moff Garretter said archly. The sole supporter of Fel, he had originally commanded from Bastion until Reige reassigned him to Lecersen’s former holdings. “Have we not been attacked?”

“For Fel’s war,” opined Woolbam. A chorus of agreement.

“For Lyons’ war,” another muttered; Reige didn’t catch who.

“Admiral Lyon and the Emperor are pursuing war against the First Order and the Unknown Terrors,” Reige said, patiently. “These are our stated goals; to restore order. No less than ten Unknown Terrors have struck the Knowns since the Clone Wars. We’ll be encouraging a free-for-all if we don’t get our galactic act together.”

A demurring murmur. The Moffs did agree, they’d just rather be in the reins of it all. But nobody half as charismatic as Remnant Moffs Disra, Flennic, Quille or Lecersen had risen from their ranks. Not that Reige was half as competent as Pellaeon, Saretti or Jagged Fel. Swallowing, he opened a comm channel and activated the holoprojector so the entire Council was evident. “Now let’s see where the Emperor best needs us.”

The Moffs had already leaked much about this meeting, so the Remnant reaching out was hardly a surprise, but what came next might be.

TAG: @adaml83 (primarily)
—-
IC: Tycho Celchu
The Outer Rim Alliance

The Resistance had been built upon the Insiders, founded by Wedge Antilles during the Yuuzhan Vong War. Admiral Ackbar had, in the last hours of the war, faked his death to withdraw into hiding and command the Insiders, and with Leia had prepared for war with the First Order for years.

When the Remnant collapsed, the New Territories - the worlds of Gwori, Dantooine, Garqi and so forth, between the Hydian Way and the eight sectors of the ‘public’ First Order - had became the Borderlands. Not New Republic members since the Yuuzhan Vong War, the then Chancellor Villecham took a measured approach to rebuilding diplomatic links to the region to avoid direct conflict with the First Order.

In that void the Resistance had stepped, gathering evidence of First Order atrocities at Otomok and in the Cassander Sectors, right until the war began. Hosnian Prime was destroyed, and Ajan Kloss eventually became the main Resistance base. But Tycho, Winter and others, they had rebuilt the Insiders - and Outer Rim Alliance - inside these territories, preparing to rise up. The Galactic Jamming had prevented them doing so, and then Warlord Gherlid had become their newest enemy. Years of raids had bore fruit when the warlord vanished at the Battle of Lexrul, but by that time the Resistance had been trapped at Jakku and the war seemed to be split between more and more factions.

A full fleet had been cultivated in secret, using old ships that the New Republic and Galactic Alliance hadn’t scooped up. When Adam Lyons and Jagged Fel reappeared, it hadn’t taken long for them to get regrouped and via that extended network of Antilles and Fel’s, Tycho had brought the entire group into the Fel Empire. Privately he’d committed to Adam, not per se trusting the Empire that had destroyed his homeworld, even with people like Jagged and Adam and Reige in charge.

But from the bridge of theMon Mothma, regarding ships like the Galactic Voyager, Elegos A’Kla, Ocean, Mon Adaphne, Yald and Rebel Dream, Tycho was ready to set out from Gwori to wherever he was needed.

They’d declared themselves.

They were now known.

Even more than just to Iella Wessiri, who of course had kept track of her old friends. The signal passed over.

The Alliance was ready.

TAG: @adaml83

 

InterGalactic Travel

The arms race for intergalactic travel continued. The Rishi Maze and FireFist were thoroughly fought over; the Nagai had seemingly fled to Peridea. But there was more to it too.

Zat Lah retained the secret hyper-routes to the Yuuzhan’tar Galaxy. From Janguine, Helska and Crispin, but also, it turned out, Exegol…

That knowledge was taken from Zat Lah by the mechu-deru spell and given to Khei, who served Darth Mascon. The way to Yuuzhan’tar.

But also, Scut presented a pilfered quasha to Warmaster Nas Choka, who instructed Qurang Lah to attend his flagship. Together, they, too, unlocked the secret. Nas Choka didn’t take a moment to send it to Adam Lyons, knowing the tremendous danger of this knowledge.

But Zat Lah had sent a villip signal before his transmogrification. His revenge was to announce E’thinaar as the new Warmaster of the Yuuzhan Vong. To send to him the data. He also contacted Rodia, but the population and orbiting quarter fleet was rapidly transformed to serve Mascon.

And yet among E’thinaar’s personal effects had been an unresponsive villip, and the Tof scientists had been loath to dissect and thus kill it. Luckily they hadn’t, when Zat Lah recorded his last message, which had included the four planets’ names. With three, one could just about triangulate the route back to Yuuzhan’tar. With four, it was a given. The Tof’s scientists promptly sent the data to Barbosa.

The knowledge of a new galaxy was suddenly, abruptly, in the hands of the Adumari Union, Tof League and Sun Guard.

Whether Darth Rikis ended up with it was another question, but for now, she was in the dark - as in the dark as to the hyperroute her kin were taking to Peridea.

@adaml83, @Kev-Mas_Colcha, @Mitth_Fisto (direct) and mention for @darthbernael

 

The Yuuzhan’tar Galaxy

There was not much known of the abandoned realm. Centuries ago the Yuuzhan Vong left; millennia before the galaxy was first depopulated by the Silentium-Abominor War. Nonetheless, Zat Lah had made use of mechanical hyperdrives to send scouts.

The Yuuzhan Vong Core World of Ygziir had been destroyed by a dovin basil, using Yogand’s Core. It had since been shaped into a shipwomb, much like Sernpidal had for a time. The massive shipyard lay, abandoned, but nonetheless in stasis rather than deceased. Even the Yuuzhan Vong would not kill an asset that could grow worldships just because the worlds that could grow coral were dead.

Nearby Cremlev, the world upon the Cremlevian War had sprung, remained intact; but had been subject to a bombardment so ferocious in recent millennia that the planet had only just recovered. What existed beneath its surface was unclear; it had lost its atmosphere in the last few centuries before the Yuuzhan Vong left. It would need attention to be restored.

In the Mid Rim there were two taboo worlds; each were Dyson Spheres - artificially created and lacking reliance upon a star or even ordinarily features such as a moonlet; much like Iokath in Skyriver. The Yuyzhan Vong had merely labelled the abandoned planetoids as heretical constructs, and left both Silentia and Abomino be. Their species that had lived there had long fled, and though perfectly habitable, the idea of living on a durasteel world was simply anathema to the Yuuzhan Vong. But there was ample opportunity over either planet. From Silentia you could jump to Crispin; from Abomino straight to Exegol.

The scarred Outer Rim did host the reptoid homeworld of Chazrach had proven too alien for traditional Yuuzhan Vong biots to be sustained, and the gravitic setup of the binary system meant that they were unable to adjust Chazrach’s orbit. It was nonetheless a habitable world, if not isolated; its population had long died out. Indeed, the Yuuzhan Vong armada last visited this world and took the slave armies with them; a direct hyperlane from here to Helska existed.

The Outer Rim also included the charred world of the original Yuuzhan’tar, once named Aerimus; it had been killed millennia before by Yuyzhan Vong bioweapons, but in the intervening millennia and centuries of being left alone had grown an atmosphere and recovered as a basically beautiful green and blue world. From here one could jump straight to Janguine.

The planet Maelich, once the world of Domain Stoor, from before the Cremlevian War, also stood in this region. It had, from opening surveys by scouts, ample deposits of doonium, phonium and even coaxium. Fifteen millennia had apparently been enough time for its atmosphere to return.

The last world in the Yuuzhan Vong Outer Rim was Yammsara, the so-called Sea of Sustenance, was a water world that’s waters had slowly recovered from being drained of nutrients to grow dovin basils.

INFO ONLY TAG: @adaml83, @Kev-Mas_Colcha, @Mitth_Fisto, @darthbernael

 

IC: Admiral Stridan
Inner Rim

When Tirran Huxley escaped into hyperspace, he didn't get very far.

There was a gravity anomaly, and his freighter was tugged free.

Before him was a whole fleet. One immense dipyramid, larger than the other Tho Yor; a 18km long spear of a Super Star Destroyer, and twenty Maxima-class Star Cruisers. Among them were a variety of Nebulon-C frigates, Dissident-class light cruisers, Cutlass-class corvettes, and a pair of Lancer-class frigates.

It wasn't remotely pointed at him.

He was, however, proximate to a black command shuttle.

"You! Ship!" A comm signal sounded out immediately. "This is Admiral Stridan! You're a Rebel! You just escaped Jakku!"

TAG: @Mitth_Fisto (combo)

 

IC: Ship

The Inter Galactic Void was the descriptor for the space between the galaxies.

Between Skyriver, the Rishi Maze, FireFist, Peridea, Yuuzhan'tar and the other galaxies.

It was empty.

It was traversed, yes, in recent years, by Nagai, Tofs, Maccabree, Faruun, Yuuzhan Vong and Chazrach.

But it had been dipped into over the centuries by the Sith, Jedi, Republic and Empire, in their various wars in ancient times.

Now, an armada had left by way of Seatos in the Denab system for Peridea.

Not remotely the size of the force that had invaded from Yuuzhan'tar, but comparable to those fleets from the Nagai-Tof War.

Curiosity eventually meant that he wanted to know why.

Or what.

The last Nagai warship in the formation, probably holding the way for Tiber, Zara and the others still trapped at Jakku, was suddenly aware something was en route.

A ship.

Named.

Well.

Ship.



TAG: @darthbernael (combo)

Image for scale to a shuttle.

 

Inter-Galactic Invasions 1.0.1

The Yuuzhan Vong War is a textbook example of a failed galactic invasion. There are others comparable. The Nagai-Tof War of course, but also the First Sith Empire ruled by Sith Emperor Vitiate, which was the first full galactic war, encompassing the traditional Knowns and Unknowns.

But the Yuuzhan Vong War was an example of complete and total war. The marshalled might of a full galaxy; not a divided one, nor one in the throngs of an internal conflict, as between Nagi and Tof. Estimates suggest that some fifty worldships of varying sizes, headed by ten thousand capital ships and nine times that number of escorts, entered the Skyriver Galaxy in the space of a year.

An armada.

By the standards of the Galactic Empire it would have warranted a war footing, but following the battering down of the galaxy by the First Galactic Civil War - which the Yuuzhan Vong rudely interrupted - the New Republic, Imperial Remnant and lesser powers were completely outnumbered and outgunned. A dozen dreadnoughts, around a thousand capital ships and ten thousand escorts across the collected powers - not nearly enough to fight on an equal war footing. Not that the galactic response could be called a unified one; the New Republic triaged, the Remnant withdrew behind its borders, the Hutts, Mandalorians and Corporate Sector struck separate pacts, and the Hapans were knocked out of the war due to misuse of Centerpoint Station.

But the Yuuzhan Vong suffered from the exact same issues the Nagai had; their invasion was a front for the simple fact that they were refugees from a devastated galaxy. One devastated by their own hands, rather than a predator race as with the Tofs. So while the Nagai and their allies could pursue primarily military goals to retake their worlds, the Yuuzhan Vong also had to pursue infrastructural and even civilian goals. The threat of their own annihilation was more terminal than that of the Tof assault, which merely threatened cultural destruction; failure in the initial stages of the Yuuzhan Vong invasion would have crippled the very things they needed to exist; their food, their resources, their shipyards and very culture required quick and easy and early victories.

And so much of the initial Yuuzhan Vong invasion was about propagation. They could not retreat, they had nothing to retreat to, and would not survive the trip back. The assault had to be merciless, relentless, and enact as much damage as possible to the enemies’ ability and even will to fight. So the Yuuzhan Vong exuded invincibility while avoiding almost any hard engagement, using their few armed worldships to project their power and winning by numbers against outnumbered local forces.

The Battle of Ithor was a military and tactical defeat, but the destruction of Ithor was a strategic triumph, causing the New Republic and Imperial Remnant to abandon their brief advantage. Similarly, the Battle of Fondor was set to be tremendous engagement with the First Fleet and Hapan Navy, the Yuuzhan Vong fielding one of their twenty battlegroups to a single engagement. The firing of Centerpoint blew apart half of the invaders fleet, but three quarters of the Hapan forces, the disaster on both sides nonetheless causing a collapse of confidence in the New Republic. The Yuuzhan Vong simply turned their remaining forces on the treacherous Hutts, and the last arriving warships of Tsavong Lah breached the Core Worlds; a symbolic rather than military victory, for even Duro was defended by a single Mon Calamari light cruiser.

But then they’d deployed every ship they had. Civilian worldships were held back from colonisation, for moving back from a war footing would expose their weakness. Resources were poured into a new worldship, large enough to host their people, while another armada was rose up. They had ample Yuuzhan Vong, an overpopulation problem the war was designed to alleviate. A new armada was rapidly cultivated and turned on the Core.

But had the New Republic, Imperial Remnant and so forth pursued a more aggressive strategy in that first year, the Yuuzhan Vong would have been forced to hold back, perhaps even withdraw to consolidate their gains. They stripped their shipwomb of defence’s to capture Yag’Dhul, and the New Republic pounced, destroying the wing and the new worldship; the war began anew.

Even when half of their new armada captured Fondor, Bilbringi, Rhinnal, Ralltiir, Reece’s and Borleias, they were losing engagements at Arkania, Talfaglio, Eclipse and the Black Bantha. The other half advanced on Coruscant into the teeth of the New Republic Navy, and even though greatly outnumbering the defenders, sixty percent of the fifty thousand ship strong force was lost. The subsequent months of the year saw the Yuuzhan Vong bleed ships retaking Borleias and losing Fondor, all the while trying to consolidate their gains and accepting surrenders from many worlds they couldn’t necessarily patrol.

But the perception of their invincibility was gone, and the Yuuzhan Vong had lost a third of their warriors; several worldships, six thousand capital ships and tens of thousand escorts. When the New Republic replaced all its casualties of the prior two years and had to season rookies, they unleashed the military to raid the Yuuzhan Vong in force. A worldship was assigned to a new fifty thousand ship armada as it was raised, less than they had in the prior years due to the losses they had sustained and now the continued damage to their infrastructure from months of incessant raids.

All they needed was to swing their hammer at the right target. Unfortunately for the invaders, they swung poorly, and the New Republic pounced at Ebaq 9. The battle destroyed a third of their forces, the worldship and killed the Warmaster, and the subsequent year saw them lose a string of engagements not against the New Republic but a Galactic Alliance between them and the Hapans and Hutts.

The Yuuzhan Vong had been exposed; their entreaties were always broken, their ultimate goal of conquest revealed, and their aura of invincibility shattered. They had gambled at Ebaq 9, and so they gambled again, leaning into the enemy raids and striking into the teeth of the Galactic Alliance - and attacking neutral powers like the Imperial Remnant, Chiss, Yevetha and Ssi-Ruuvi. This is definitely a lesson what not to do, but it did slow the Galactic Alliance response; they lost Fondor, attracted Imperial support, and entered into a phase of baits and switches trading and capturing worlds - recapturing Yag’Dhul and finally Fondor and setting their eyes on Bilbringi.

But the defeats of that year had been at the expense of their allies and otherwise while on the offensive, and so the Yuuzhan Vong reestablished technological parity and destroyed the HoloNet. In an instant there had been a twist, and Kuat, Commenor and Bothawui fell. The Alliance consolidated three dreadnoughts and five fleets at Mon Calamari even as the Jedi hunted Zonama Sekot, the Alliance developed a bioweapon, and a revolutionary movement seized the lower castes of the Yuuzhan Vong.

There is no rhyme and reason as to the following wave of engagements. The next fifty thousand ship armada broke the Alliance lines at Mon Calamari, trapped half their forces at Contruum, bloodied their armada, and then abandoned the offensive to rush back to Coruscant to protect it from Sekot. The Yuuzhan Vong splintered, abandoning Hutt Space, and five Alliance fleets struck Corulag and then Coruscant proper, dividing their forces and luring the reinforced armada to strike back. By the end of the calamity the Yuuzhan Vong leadership was decimated or had surrendered, and the galaxy rose up.

The survivors accepted that Sekot was their warden now, and the rest fought and died, so thoroughly decimated were they.

But as the most successful of the Inter-Galactic Wars, lessons can be learned. Divide is more successful than conquer; propagation is key; psychology is half the success; consolidation reaps more benefits than endlessly advancing; infiltration is half the battle.

Not that they were tremendously surprising lessons. But it was important to remember that the Yuuzhan Vong were as much like the Nagai as they were the Tof; refugees and conquered.

But four years of warfare, half a ruined galaxy, and 365 trillion dead spoke volumes.

TAG: @adaml83, @Kev-Mas_Colcha, @Mitth_Fisto, @darthbernael

 

The Twenty Great Hyperlanes

1 - 6. Skyriver
7. Rishi Maze
8 - 11. FireFist
12. Peridea.
13 - 16. Yuuzhan’tar
17 - 20. REDACTED.

1. Perlemian Trade Route
2. Corellian Run
3. Hydian Way
4. Rimma Trade Route
5. Corellian Trade Spine
6. Rago Run from Rago to Csilla
   
7. Rishi to Kamino
   
8. Faruun to Champala
9. Vhetin to Gargon
10. Maccabree to Ord Bueri
11. Nagai to Kinooine
12. Seatos to Peridea
13. Helska to Chazrach
14. Crispin to Silentia
15. Janguine to Yuuzhan’tar
16. Exegol to Abomino
17. REDACTED @Kev-Mas_Colcha
18. REDACTED @adaml83
19. REDACTED @Mitth_Fisto
20. REDACTED @darthbernael

 

Inter-Galactic Invasions 1.0.2

Conversely, we shall look at one of the less successful galactic invasions. However this was not one launched by an overwhelming Imperial power, or genocidally driven set of refugees.

No, the Nagai were rebels, fighting a centuries long war against the much more powerful Tof. A collection of similarly defeated and oppressed allies formed a resistance, with the Maccabree and Faruun offering troops and shipyards to the Nagai as their primary forces. Spider battleships, Brute destroyers, Yulari-class cruisers and an increasingly sophisticated and individualistic fighter craft, the allies had no triumphant Yavin 4 or Endor moment, and instead looked to sending an armada to the Skyriver galaxy, consolidating a vast territory, and returning in force to FireFist. They had been jaded by centuries of fighting and had now became just as ruthless as their foes.

Decades of infiltration saw them prepare to invade after the Clone Wars, but the sudden and abrupt end to that conflict meant they reconsidered. The Empire was more powerful than even the Tofs, and so they worked to nurture a burgeoning rebellion until the Galactic Civil War blossomed. Mapping new hyperlanes to the Skyriver, they were placed to pierce deep into the galaxy, as far north as the Mandalore Sector and distant Ord Bueri, as well as coreward as Champala. Tracking rebel bases and Imperial secrets, they assembled their armada and dispatched task forces to prepare the initial stages. As the Battle of Endor loomed, they moved ships to the Mandalore Sector and concealed others inside Sith Space, where they happened upon Lumiya, training on Ziost. It was a huge risk; the fleets of two Grand Admirals were sent to Gargon to track down the mysterious invaders - but the Empire remained focused on its trap at Endor, and the fleets sent to Chandrila, Mon Calamari and Hosnian Prime to blockade the rebels until the Second Death Star was ready.

When Palpatine died and the Empire fractured, the Nagai knew which power to strike at; the Rebels. Manipulating warring planets into wiping each other out, such as at Saijo, and taking control of the slave trade on Kashyyyk and Herdessa, the Nagai - with Lumiya as their ally - were placed to undermine the Rebels. They also struck at potential allies of the Heroes of Yavin at Mandalore, mounting a traditional invasion while isolating the planet. The Outer Rim became a patchwork of warlords, independent states and growing Rebel territories, with a limited remaining Imperial presence along the Hydian Way.

Lumiya and her apprentice Flint seized walker construction facilities on Belderone and Naldar, but were driven off by the Rebels when Flint turned back to the light. The Wookiees also threw off their Nagai oppressors, and Herdessa joined the Rebels. Even Mandalore repulsed the Nagai primary offensive, and they consolidated planets in the system to keep the enemy bottled up. Successfully, Saijo was decimated but those actions were merely a distraction from the true plan; to cover for the armada reaching Skyriver at Kinooine.

The Nagai were used to matters going against them, and thus committed minimal forces to their initial strikes, merely wanting to keep the Rebels off-balance, and from making too many gains while the Empire tore itself apart. Fondor fell to the Rebels, but Kuat repulsed them; Corellia fell to a rogue Warlord, and the Empire’s main forces were thus busy consolidating the Core and then Outer Rim leg of the Hydian Way against the Pentastar Alignment.

But they were nonetheless completely unable to block the true thrust of the Nagai invasion.

The armada reached Terminus and thus had access to the Hydian Way and Corellian Trade Spine. Chasing the Rebels off Endor, even with Mandalorian assistance, they struck at Ord Bueri and Champala and destroyed Rebel bases, and promptly advanced on the warlords in the south. They blazed through the territory of Admiral Delvardus and the Lambda Sector, and when they reached the Corellian Run, Herdessa had already been prepared and they were promptly heading towards Bothawui. The Rebels managed to hold the line at Sullust and the First Fleet consolidated Fondor, but the Nagai were winning at lightning speed; it was merely a month since the First Battle of Endor and they had already became the dominant power in the southern quadrant.

But when the Nagai reached Iskalon, a water world at the edge of Bothan Space, they encountered an organised resistance, and with Rebel help their forward base was destroyed - their invasion blunted. But the Nagai had plenty of ships left, and alternate targets in the Inner Rim to consolidate. With two Rebel Fleets at Bothawui, heading into the heart of the weakened Empire would have been a logical strategy.

However the invasion was already over.

The Tof had arrived.

Their first act was to utterly destroy the Nagai Twelfth Squadron of capital ships at Trenwyth, eliminating the Nagai rearguard. They had no choice now but to commit to the invasion of the Inner Rim, bypassing warlord Prentioch, taking Yag’Dhul, Bacrana and Deysum and advancing on Zeltros, intending to link up with Champala.

But in very short order the Nagai were entirely on the run; the Tofs followed them to Zeltros and crushed them. They also traced the Nagai invasion path to Iskalon, and took the world from the Rebels.

The Nagai invasion was over; their territory had been too freshly taken, was determined on military superiority over several warlords and they were already struggling with the Rebels before the Tof tracked them to a new galaxy. Their invasion was usurped, and all they had done was expand the territory in which they were now hunted.

It is hard to rhyme what the Nagai could have done differently. In a month they had seized control of an entire quadrant, and beaten down two powerful post-Imperial warlords. Perhaps their earlier forces should have been larger, eliminating the problems of Mandalore and the Wookiees, or perhaps they should have actually invaded at the time of the Clone Wars. Or perhaps the invasion should never have happened at all; the factions of Skyriver were quite happy to battle beside them against the Tofs thereafter…

TAG: @adaml83, @Kev-Mas_Colcha, @Mitth_Fisto, @darthbernael

 

Inter-Galactic Invasions 1.0.3

The Tof invasion was an opportunistic assault on Skyriver that was not planned but nonetheless took advantage of the overwhelming position they had in their home galaxy. They had oppressed the Nagai, Maccabree and Faruun with their empire and fought a centuries long galactic war with those who had escaped their worlds. With that immense strength, they could launch an impromptu galactic invasion.

The Tof destroyed the Nagai Twelfth Squadron at Trenwyth and advanced on Zeltros in the very Inner Rim, sheer brute force seeing them reach from Saijo through Yag’Dhul, Bacrana and Deysum. The conquest of Zeltros will follow the decimation of the species, but the Rebels manage to destroy the deployed bulk cruiser and rout them.

Royal acknowledgment of what had essentially been bloody sport followed more than 20% of the Tof Navy being deployed. As such the Tof invasion begins proper, with fleets advancing on Gargon and then the Thesme Sector, another salient heading towards Fondor, and the Nagai corridor to Iskalon is completely usurped. In short order, Trenwyth, Saijo and Iskalon are consolidated into fortresses, and months pass by of war. The Mandalorians, at great expense, drive the Tof back from Thesme, while the Rebels group with the Protectors to defend Fondor. Imperial factions also come together to support the Nagai, Rebels and Mandalorians, even as Lumiya supports the Tofs. Iskalon and Trenwyth, finally, fall, four months after the First Battle of Endor.

Saijo resisted, heavily consolidated and the Tof Prince settled in to fight the war. A month long siege saw Lumiya present, but also a key Rebel spy. Five months after the First Battle of Endor, some four months after the invasion began in its impromptu matter, the Rebels capture the planet, as well as the Crown Prince. Lumiya is shot by the spy, and believed dead. The Tof forces surrender and withdraw to FireFist.

The Nagai take Saijo for their own, and the Mandalorians assist the Nagai, Faruun and Maccabree in launching their own counter-invasion; an Inter-Galactic Invasion of FireFist, as the Nagai always planned!

The lessons of this galactic invasion are fairly easy to draw upon. The Tof command structure was so loose that the invasion was not even planned. The assault was no more than an extension of hunting games, and by the time it became a formal invasion, the Tof had no opportunity for any strategies more sophisticated than brute strength, which served them better perhaps than the overly sophisticated - some could say Sithly - tactics of the Nagai.

TAG: @adaml83, @Kev-Mas_Colcha, @Mitth_Fisto, @darthbernael

 

Inter-Galactic Invasions 1.0.4

Strictly speaking this should have been the second most successful Inter-Galactic War, but without the context of the prior two, it doesn’t quite follow. For more than one reason, to be fair. One would think the invasion of the FireFist Galaxy - or rather, its liberation - would have warranted more than an epilogue, but nonetheless it was treated as just that.

Much like the year long campaign that the Rebels launched in Ssi-Ruuvi space - assisted secretly by Thrawn’s Empire of the Hand - the invasion of FireFist was considered an aside to the First Galactic Civil War - the calamitous engagement between the Empire and Rebels, later New Republic. Nonetheless, we pick up at the end of the prior Inter-Galactic War; the Tof invasion of Skyriver was repulsed with the capture of the Crown Prince and fall of Saijo.

More than 20% of the Tof Navy had been committed and damaged, thus the royal involvement, and the seizure of the Prince and subsequent defeats triggered internal conflict within the Tofs. Nagai consolidated Saijo, and while some of their kin opted to remain, the rest wished to return home.

The Mandalorians agreed to head back, and assist the Nagai in freeing their planet. Mandalore Fenn Shysa and his Protectors returned with the Nagai, and roughly a year later Fenn Shysa had returned to assist the New Republic against Lord Shadowspawn.

In the intervening time, Nagi was liberated, and the Tof withdrew to their homeworld, their dominion of FireFist completely undone. Faruun and Maccabree were freed too, meanwhile Tof society upended. The FireFist Galaxy breathed a sigh of relief, but the Nagai wanted more revenge. It wasn’t enough for them, and when they sought their own genocidal campaign, the Faruun and Maccabree broke from the Nagai and the hope of a new galactic community fell away. But the Tof were too strong even in defeat for one species to overcome, and so the Nagai couldn’t pursue their campaign.

FireFist collapsed into four factions, and the Mandalorians left behind their own colony. But peace was restored, for a single year of warfare, the Tofs were defeated. FireFist was no longer a single monolith territory, able to inadvertently sponsor an invasion of another galaxy, but a neighbour that would take decades to recover from the wars it had waged and led.

The Nagai-Tof Wars, eighteen months since they began, after centuries of buildup, were over.

TAG: @adaml83, @Kev-Mas_Colcha, @Mitth_Fisto, @darthbernael

 

Inter-Galactic Invasions 1.0.5

This lesser known invasion of the galaxy was a disaster for those who launched it, so it’s surely not really relevant. They’ve only had fifty odd years to prepare to do so again.

So why mention it?

Why not?

No, you’re right, I won’t.

No need.

TAG: @adaml83, @Kev-Mas_Colcha, @Mitth_Fisto, @darthbernael

 

IC Bernael, Kigrael,Adalia, Kyp, Feral, Delta,HRH Kenzie, HRH Amber, - children Amy, Jesse, Nikki
Huge thank you to @darthbernael and @Sinrebirth


Location: Bakura



As Bernael slipped the Fury through the defense net that surrounded Bakura, he had a slight smile on his face. What he’d revealed to Adalia and Kyp had caused a discussion that had lasted for most of the trip to the planet her cousins were Royals of. It hadn’t been an easy discussion but had been necessary and, by the end of it, the pair had agreed the course of action they were taking was the correct one, even if it wasn’t the most palatable one.


Entering the atmosphere, dodging the patrols, he flew the ship through the night’s sky. Approaching the Palace his attention turned away from their course. “Adalia…would I be correct in my belief you know how to get in without the entire Palace being woken to our arrival?”

"Yep.....where do I enter it?" She asked from behind him.

He gestured to a panel on the left-hand side of the aft end of the bridge. “There, it will let you send the encrypted code so that no one else receives it.”

Moving to the left, Adalia sat down in the spare seat and began to enter the code, "it's 2am down there, right?"

Bringing up the chrono function on his display, “Correct, 2am.”he told her, slowing the Fury until it hung just outside the Palace shields.

"Landing pad beside the main building." She pointed to the right.

With the code entered the Fury slid through the shield, landing legs extending and the wings folding in against the fuselage. With barely a whisper Bernael set it down on the pad, hitting the icon to unlatch the main hatch and extend the ramp. “Alright,” he said, his attention turning to the guest house for a moment, “let’s retrieve your children.”

Adalia was already standing and moving, "we're down, let's go wake our kids!" She called out.

Kyp was already standing, he knew they were down and was just as excited as his wife to see their children. "Ready and waiting."

Following behind the pair, the small smile returned to Bernael’s face. “Kigrael will stay with the Fury. Best to be prepared.” He moved past the pair, walking down the short corridor to the hatch, stepping out onto the ramp.



Kenzie frowned, the warning light beside the bed flashed a soft red just as there was a loud knock at the door.

"Your Majesty?"

He sighed, "Come!"

The older man entered, "Sire, a larger craft has just landed on the main pad, it had the codes to the shields."

Kenzie frowned as the lights began to come on in the room at his command, beside him Amber groaned and covered her eyes, "what's ...going on?"

"Security have the area covered, did you want us to open fire?"

"No!" Kenzie flipped back the covers and stood in his pyjama bottoms, "find me something half decent to wear, Amber, get up, it's a gut feeling..."

"Addie's here, so's Kyp!" She sat up, wearing the top half of his pyjamas.

"Find her something too."



Reaching the bottom of the ramp Bernael’s head tilted to the side for a moment. When he straightened his head again, he snorted.

”They have decent reaction times, I’ll give them that.” he said, in an amused tone.

His silver eyes swept the darkness as he turned in a circle. Glancing back over at Adalia, ”I can assume that the Royals do know we are here already.”



Sitting up in the bed, Feral glanced out of the Guest House bedroom window. Where it was placed let him see a craft whose design he was familiar with, an ancient design. Rolling towards Delta, “Love, I think there’s an interesting guest who just arrived. Want to wait here or come with me?” he murmured as his fingers lightly grazed the sheet covering her torso.

Delta sighed, "it's cold out....and I don't feel like playing with anyone else right now." Rolling toward him, her arm encircled his waist. "I'll keep the bed warm, don't play out there too long."

Chuckling, bending over in her embrace, Feral kissed her deeply. When it finally ended, he sat back up, “I’ll do my best to be back quickly.” he whispered. Hugging her for a moment he slid out of the bed, standing and admiring her before he sighed and turned, dressing quickly.

As he walked to the bedroom door, he blew her another kiss, letting it close behind him. It took him several minutes to get back to where he could see the ship as he chose to use the back door so as not to reveal him leaving the building.



"Amber knows." Adalia said as she stood alongside him and held her hands up, "Adalia Durron, Cousin to the Princess!" She called out.

"They're on their way down and I think the order to stand down just went through." Kyp said carefully, his green eyes slightly narrowed. He broke into a smile, "kids are awake."

Still amused, Bernael lifted the hood of his cloak, settling it over his head. “Then we should, perhaps, greet your cousins inside, rather than out here where anyone with a camera could see us all.” His head turned, glancing at the Guest House again before facing Adalia once more, “Which will also give our new shadow time to follow us.” he went on in a lower, humored tone.

"Shields are up, no one and nothing can get anything past them, holo's included." Adalia began to walk forward, her hands still up.

"Been here many times before, no one knew." Kyp added.

With another soft snort, Bernael kept up with both of them. “I’m sure that you do not need to keep your hands up if they’ve decided to allow us to pass without incident, Adalia.”


Feral was slightly shocked, the hooded figure had looked right at him where he’d stood in a shadow at the front of the building. When the trio began to head to the Palace itself, he moved through the shadows, until he was near the imposing craft on the pad, not wanting to get too close to the three heading inside, not yet.


Kyp stopped, "down there, front of the building.....someone's watching." He said under his breath to Adalia.

"Not even noticing." Her hands now lowered. "Focused on the kids."

"It'd be nice if you called before you just breached the shields! It's just gone 2am!!" Kenzie said forcefully as he crossed the landing platform.

Amber was beside him, "he's right you know." She stopped, she knew the outline of the ship and the figure with her cousin and her husband. "Oh....it's you."

“That never gets old.” Bernael replied with a touch of humor. “I must apologize for the seeming subterfuge but Adalia and Kyp need to talk to you and do something as well.” Turning away for a moment. “And you are not as well hidden as you think. I recommend you join us.” he stated in a louder tone.



Once again the hooded figure had looked directly at where Feral had been hiding. ’Am I getting out of practice?’ he thought to himself. Shaking his head again, he stepped out into the light. “Saw them land, wondered what new, unknown guests were here.” he said, with a nod to Amber and Kenzie.


Amber sighed,"neither do your uninvited visits." Turning as the tall being spoke to someone in the shadows, she gave an exasperated sigh this time. "Do you not know how to mind your own business?"

Adalia eyed the new comer as Kyp joined her, "and you are?" He asked firmly.

Kenzie gave his head a shake, "anyone else want to join this late-night party, or should we take it inside?"

“Finnefrael Ordwgal, ruler of Lexrul and currently a guest of Amber and Kenzie, due to political developments.” he told the woman who looked somewhat like Amber herself.

”I believe it would be best to take it inside, Prince.” Bernael replied. Glancing at Amber, “My visits always have a purpose, a reason. Even if those who I am to meet with understand those visits often mean chaos is to come.” he told her in an even tone.

"Understatement." Amber muttered as she turned back to the house, "I'll get some hot chocolate and caff going."

Adalia knew Bakura had an alliance with Lexrul due to her niece’s marriage to one of their own, and the surname just cemented it for her. "Related to Tiber I take it?" She asked as they began to walk after Amber and a now turning Kenzie. She looked away, slowing, "kids are on their way down."

His hand on the small of her back, Kyp pushed her forward, "let's not keep them waiting."

“His uncle…well great uncle.” Feral admitted. Waving generally in the direction of Amber and Kenzie, “As well as a former Black Sheep with Amber and Kenzie.”

Behind the rest of the group, Bernael kept his hood in place until they had entered the Palace itself, sure that the Security forces would have been more wary if they knew his species. Once inside, he was content to let the others take the lead, although he did sense something causing the most recent addition to the group stress. He would find the reason before they left.

Adalia gave a nod at the newcomer, knowing and hearing about the 'Black Sheep' through her reading and her cousin’s stories. If nothing, the man deserved respect for his work there.

"Please, take a seat everyone, let's get the reason you're all here out." Kenzie gestured to the lounges. "And I'm sure this is going to be....interesting at best."

Amber disappeared to the kitchen, but her staff had been woken and were already on task. She was grateful for that, and thanked them, telling them she'd handle breakfast when they rose in repayment. Amber fully believed servants were not entirely necessary, but in this situation, she was grateful they were there. Turning she re-entered the room, "so, this is another interesting gathering........twice in one day......"

Adalia had sat, Kyp on the arm of the chair beside her, "the kids are awake, but can they be held back for a few minutes?" She asked.

Amber nodded, turning to the man who'd woken them and was now standing behind her husband, "can you get the nanny to keep them in their rooms please?"

"Of course your Highness." The man left the room.

Adalia turned to Bernael, "you wanna start explaining this mess?"

Bernael waited until it was only the six of them in the room before he began. “I’m certain you know of the war against the First Order and are personally invested in the Battle of Jakku. I have seen the reports of another war taking place across the range of space outside the Known Galaxy, something you all seem a part of.” He glanced again at the last man, “What you may be unaware of is that one of those groups has seized an opportunity, as have…a portion of my people. Something is coming, something beyond these wars and we,” The last word held emphasis, “are assisting with what is happening.”

Feral’s eyes widened, “So that message was correct…” he muttered, in awe and worry. “You’re…” Suddenly, the comment about the children registered, making him look between the woman who had questioned him and Amber. Shutting his mouth, he knew it wasn’t his place now to say what he suspected.

Kenzie regarded Bernael, having never met the man, but somehow knew him well through his wife. "What do you need from Bakura, from us?" He asked carefully as Amber stood behind him.

“I, personally, do not need anything. Adalia and Kyp on the other hand…” He glanced at this Finnefrael, “I would, however, recommend that the Lexrullan here, and his people, become more active in the Alliance, as well as Bakura. The Nagai…well, after what is happening, will lose many of the allies of your Alliance if you three do not act.”

Feral sighed, “you’re saying that the destruction of Nagi and what else has happened will mean those allies will need someone else to give their allegiance to, don’t you? And you’ve chosen us to be those others.” he stated, tone flat but pondering.

Adalia turned to Amber, "we want to take the kids with us........we don't know how long we will be gone........could be years......"

"or forever." Kyp added quietly.

Amber had always had her cousin, her only living relative in the background of her life, as children, teens and adults, they knew of each other and when they were adults, began to turn to each other. She and Kenzie had been caring for the couple’s two children for several months now, Jesse and Nikki. It tugged at her heart as she spoke and Kyp's words were almost painful. "Forever?"

"We don't know" Adalia said evenly, "we just can't leave the children behind on that premise."

"Please don't misunderstand, we are so grateful for your care of them, really we are, but you understand why, don't you?" Kyp said gently.

Kenzie nodded, "of course she understands, we both do." He had to speak for Amber, he could see the look on her face and knew her well enough to understand her feelings.

Bernael nodded, “Where we are headed is…at such a distance return is not guaranteed.he told the Royal pair, deciding the truth was needed here. “It, however, doesn’t mean return is impossible but not easy, at all.”

Feral sighed, nodding at the response. “Which means we have to ensure the path of return remains safe and secure, another reason why we should do as you’ve just recommended.” his tone musing and thoughtful.

Amber nodded silently; she had no words. The idea of her being alone in the galaxy, her own family wise, was hard to swallow.

"We understand." Kenzie said evenly as he reached back and took his wife's hand, giving it a squeeze.

"I'm sorry it has to be this way Amber, I really am.....you know I love you, you know I have always admired you...." Adalia spoke from her heart, "please understand I .........we need to do this."

"I'll go get the children."Amber said almost painfully as she turned and left the room, leaving Adalia to slump.

"That didn't go as well as we'd hoped." Kyp sighed.

Glancing at the silver eyed figure, Feral sighed. Reaching up, he ran one hand through his hair. “It’s family…” he stated softly. “It’s never easy when you spend your life with them and suddenly are faced with the possibility of never seeing them again.” Eyes focusing on the figure, whose head had turned towards him, he nodded slowly, “I do suspect, Kenzie, with how your wife reacted to this one, he’d find a way that it would not be forever.”

Once again a fractional smile crossed Bernael’s face. Returning the man’s nod, “This family…in the long course of my life, has been one of great import to me. I will find a way.” he intoned.

Adalia looked up, "and I know I will fight hard to get back home....." She stopped, "I've not even thought about the estate, who will run it.....the jobs lost ...." She shook her head, it was a little overwhelming.

Kenzie smiled, "trust me, if I tell Amber she has to manage your place, she will rant and rave...but she will love it and make sure it's right when you get back.....besides, we have need of your cocoa..."

Kyp chuckled, "always a financial angle, isn't there?"

"Keeps me busy." He shrugged. At that moment the sound of two children running could be heard, and Adalia stood looking expectantly at the entrance to the house as the children ran through.

"MUM!! DAD!!" Seven-year-old dark-haired Jesse cried; his arms outstretched as he plowed into his father.

"MUMMY!!" Nikki bounded in behind him, her long red curls bouncing as she utterly ignored her father and wrapped herself around her mother.

Amber walked in behind them, a quiet Twi'lek looking girl stood beside her rubbing her large blue eyes. "Amy was woken by the noise." She said as she wrapped her arm around the girl.

The difference between other species' upbringing of their children and his always was a touch of amusement to Bernael. He’d spent so much time away from home that he was more used to seeing this than he’d have been if he’d remained home. At the moment though, there was little he could add to what was now occurring so he remained silent.

Feral, on the other hand, rose from where he was seated, padding over to where Amy stood in her grandmother’s embrace. Squatting down to meet her eyes levelly, “You doing okay, little one?” he asked in a quiet tone filled with concern.

A faint smile touched Amethyst's face, "I'm ok, just a bit tired, Jesse and Nikki woke me up."

Amber gently squeezed the girl, "you can go back to sleep you know."

"Everyone is here....why would I do that G-ma?" She frowned as her eyes caught the hooded figure, "who is that big scary man?"

Adalia looked over at Bernael and smiled, "all yours."

Bernael had been watching the exchange and, when the question came, he shook his head for a moment. Glancing at Amber, “I am an old friend of your Aunt Adalia’s. Or as your grandmother puts it ‘that annoying one who shows up at bad times’.” he stated calmly, without giving away more of who he was.

Amy looked at him, then up to her grandmother. "Does he know where my mum and dad are?" She asked sadly.

Adalia frowned, "you don't know where they are?"She asked as she pushed Nikki to her father and embraced Jesse. "Did you call Adam?" She asked.

"I put a message out to him, but I doubt it got through." Amber explained.

Feral reached out, gently touching the upper curve of one of Amy’s lekku before he stood, moving to the other side of her. “She was there when they left. But six months is a long time for a young child to remember where her parents went. We all miss them.” he said softly.

Frowning slightly, Bernael’s head turned to focus on Adalia and Kyp for a moment, before turning back to the child. “I am well informed about the galaxy, as to your parents in particular I am not sure although, from what Finnefrael and Adalia have recently said, I’m sure I know where they are. As I am sure, they love you and miss you too.”

Amy nodded sadly and leaned into her grandmother, she missed them so much, and she found herself a little jealous as she watched her 'cousins' with their parents.

Kenzie sighed, "come sit with me sweetheart." He patted his knee. Amber pushed her gently in his direction, she'd spent a lot of time with her father’s family and now craved her mother’s family's attention as she surged forward and climbed into the older man's lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. Royal or not, Kenzie was a proud grandfather and he embraced the girl similarly. "I just know they are ok Ames, and I know they will be home with you soon enough." He said gently.

Kyp bent down in front of Nikki, "how would you like to go on a long holiday with us?"

Jesse frowned, "and Mr B?" He asked.

Kyp looked up to Adalia with raised eyebrows, "Mr B?"

Adalia chuckled as she looked at Bernael, "they've met him, they know him....."

Standing to look at Bernael, Kyp nodded, "makes sense....is the Fury 'childproof' then?"

Snorting at the question, silver eyes gleaming, “There have been multiple children aboard in the past, to include Romulus, Remus, and…if it survived Kigrael as a child I’m sure your two will be quite safe.” he responded. “Besides, I am sure the chef droid will be pleased to have beings that will enjoy its repertoire of pastry skills.”

Adalia said nothing, figuring a good father would naturally ask such a question, she bent down to Jesse, "wanna take your sister upstairs and pack up your gear, so we can leave soon?"

The boy’s green eyes sparkled, "yes mum!! Come on Nikki, we're going on a holiday!" Grabbing his sister’s hand, he led her almost running from the room.

"Holiday." Kyp pursed his lips, "not I'd call it that, then again the thought of leaving them behind was not even an option."

Amy looked sadder, if that was possible, her 'cousins' were going and there would be no children in the palace and she'd only been home a day. Kenzie rubbed her shoulders,"don't worry honey, your other cousins are so excited you're here and are coming over tomorrow....today.....speaking of such.....are we done?"

Looking around the room for a moment, Bernael’s eyes settled on Finnefrael. “I believe he mentioned a message to you earlier. Yes…magical mental powers…” he stated, wryly. “I suspect, know, that some of the minor allies of the Alliance are not going to be pleased. But I have already set things in motion. As I said I recommend that he and you both take the lead in convincing as many of them as possible to remain as your allies regardless of whether the grander alliance falls apart or not. As I would also recommend that you not let on that I am gone.” he suggested.

Turning to Adalia and Kyp,“I believe, otherwise, once your children are ready, we may depart.”

Feral let what the silver eyed being had said settle into his system. It took a couple moments before he looked up again, ignoring that one, but looking at Amber and Kenzie, “I know you both feel and believe your figureheads but I think we can do as he asks.”

Amber snorted, "he can, I'm out, come on Amy, it's back to bed for you, you have a busy day coming"

Kenzie let the girl crawl off and watched as they disappeared through the doorway, "she's not lying, you have me, but not her."

"I trust you." Adalia said evenly, "always have."

"I appreciate that, Addie." Kenzie said with a warm smile.

"Once the kids are here, we'll be off, you two can either talk after that, or in the morning....which ever you prefer." Kyp said evenly, "I'm sure you both understand how important this is."

Feral nodded, already considering the angles. He looked over at Kenzie, “Thank you.” his tone solemn. “I believe we will have time to discuss it in the morning but, if there's such a conference, I know who we can send to represent us. Ellias did well in this last and I'm sure she'll do well for us in that. I don't relish the idea of suddenly expanding our sphere of influence so broadly but I'd rather have a better link between here and Lexrul and that could offer us that.”

"Agreed, I'll set it up at say 9am?" Kenzie said as he stood up, "while you weren't invited thank you for coming tonight." He gave Finnefrael a lopsided smile.

Adalia shot Kyp a knowing look, Amber had told them long ago the issue there. It was the past, and the way it felt, it really was now.

Whipping his arm up to look at his wrist chrono, Feral paled for a moment. ”9am sounds good…” Standing, he nodded to Adalia, Kyp, and the silver eyed one. “Safe travels, we’ll keep an eye on things here. But… must return to my wife, told her I wouldn’t be long.” With that, he turned and headed down the corridor to the Palace doors so he could return to the Guest House.


TAG @darthbernael @Sinrebirth @adaml83 @Mitth_Fisto and anyone else interested.

 

OOC: Other half of the Exodus begins combo, with Addie and Sinre.

IC: Bernael, Kigrael, Adalia, Kyp, Sabel, Decimus, Eleodie, Remus, Romulus, and Susurri
Seatos

The family had boarded the Fury before it once again had weaved through the Bakuran defenses. None but the Royal Family and Feral knew what had transpired that night as the ship leapt too hyper. Bernael had set the course, once again one that hid their departure point and arrival point. But, as they approached their destination he could feel it, feel the mass of beings.

Settling into the command chair, Kigrael leaning against the nearby bulkhead to his left, Bernael prepared for arrival. Keying the intercom, “Adalia, Kyp…I have a feeling you’re going to want to see what’s here, when we decant from hyper. Your children may join us as well, on the bridge.”

"I was almost asleep." Adalia muttered.

"I wasn't, something feels really strange, can you not feel it?" Kyp asked.

She started to sit up, "no, then again, I'm not looking. Turn it off from time to time, you might like it." She swung her legs to the side of the bed, "I'll check on the kids, and you .....do whatever you need to do.......don't want to tell you want to do....but pants might be a good start."

"Har har." He sat up and did as he was asked, pulling his black pants on as he watched her check the next room. "Asleep?"

"Out like lights. Come on, I'll tell him when we get there, must be something he wants you to see as well, ‘cause he used the intercom."

"That's right, endear him to me by reminding me what he can do that I can't." He stood with a raised eyebrow.

"Not my intention, come on." She opened the sliding door with her handprint and led them to the cockpit. "Kids are asleep, what's so important?" She asked.

Holding up a hand, the swirl of hyper still filling the viewscreen, Bernael dropped it when the swirl disappeared as they exited hyper. “That.”he said, gesturing outside where the space around the temperate world below them was crowded with ships of a multitude of designs. Nagai, Slissi, Eriaduan, Imperial designs, Old Republic designs, hybrid SDs, even a variety of droid ships all maneuvered around each other and the massive structures where each took up station and were connected to. As well there were shadowy forms of craft that seemed to flow around the others, several of which appeared to be heading towards them.

”This is who we’re traveling with, Adalia. I’m sure you and Kyp can feel the Force users out there.”

"She's not on....apparently, but I can." Kyp said evenly, "felt it before we came out......is that like...an exodus?"

Adalia said nothing as she searched the Force for what he'd mentioned.

“It is. As much of the Nagai that survive, many of their allies that didn’t want to be left behind, a group from an independent polity which while they had been Imperials once upon a time are their own people now, and…”A thought went out and the shadowy ships dropped their stealth fields, “at least a third of my own people.”

Kigrael pushed off the bulkhead, pointing at a long thin spearpoint shaped ship, bigger than almost anything there, “Looks like your Chiss friend and his people did make it, Sire.”

Adalia turned to him, "so your people.....will have 'trapped food'?" She asked, "I mean, with all due respect....if I can say that."

That was an angle Kyp had not thought of. "Fair question."

An almost amused look came over his features, “I’ve told you of the Circle of Masters. A new Circle is being formed from those taking this journey. However,…at the moment the Circle is one. One Master…me. And they know how poorly I would take them feeding on any that are taking this trip.”

Adalia nodded as she turned back, her spine tingling.

"Who is it?" Kyp asked, "I'm getting ....darkness...should we be ready?"

“That would be the Chiss friend my son mentioned.” Bernael replied. He pointed out a battered Onager. “He is no saint but is an honorable man and protects and cares for what he considers his. Which has expanded by a very large margin with this exodus. You will meet him soon.”

Both his and Kigrael’s heads tilted to the side, eyes slightly unfocused. Recovering, he nodded, then pointed to one of the larger structures. “We are headed there, the same structure the Eclipse and a few others will be docked to.” he told them, “My people will escort us through this chaos to it.”

Adalia was accustomed to the way Bernael worked, but never before had her children been nearby. “What happens to the kids, do they come?”

“Think of each structure as a massive ship. Each ship that docks becomes a component of it, still a separate entity but conjoined. Which means that there is a superstructure to the structure itself but…” The Fury, guided by the shadowy ships, maneuvered towards the one he had indicated. “That does not mean that your children need to leave the Fury unless you feel it is safe enough for them.”

“Safe but seriously bored, are you prepared for a pair of bored Force users on board when we’re not here to……control them?” Kyp asked casually.

Turning over control to the navigation AI, Bernael stood. Moving away from the command chair his silver eyes peered intently at Kyp, looking him up and down, his mind touching but not piercing Kyp’s mental defenses as he circled the man. “No…no mental or physical defects…” he muttered before turning to look at Adalia, “So is it old age that would have him ask such a nonsensical question?” Turning back to Kyp, “I know you can sense it, sense just how many Force users are around us. There will be much to keep them from growing bored.”

Adalia folded her arms, "be nice, I love him...." She raised an eyebrow, "and there is an element of curiosity on my part as how many human children have you raised?"

Shaking his head, walking over to stand beside one of the seats closer to the viewscreen, “Adalia, you know how old I am…there have been children of many species that have called this ship home over the eons. I am not a monster and I do not leave children to be orphans.” Turning his head to look at her in profile, “Two of which will be on the same structure as us, having waited decades to see their ‘Father’ again.”

She dropped her head, and gave it a shake, "wonderful." She muttered.

"Now should I be concerned?" Kyp asked, having given Bernael a look of disdain.

"No....just don't show your.....'feelings' toward our host." Adalia explained.

"Oh, this is going to be just wonderful."Kyp drawled sarcastically.

That brought a series of staccato laughs from Kigrael. It felt almost as though he was trying out how to laugh. “They are technically two of the hosts of this gathering. And not Anzati. They’re Nagai.” he said, once the laughter died down.

”And they’re probably slightly upset at me.” Bernael admitted. “In days past my children could reach me anywhere in the galaxy in moments. So…to have been cut off for decades…they’re going to have questions.”

Turning to her husband, "you're right, this is going to be wonderful." Adalia smirked, "do I leave them sleeping? Will the chef droid be content to deal with them?" She asked, turning back to Bernael.

There was a slight shudder as the Fury was captured by clamps on the structure and then a deeper shiver as the Eclipse did the same. “It will ensure they are cared for. And I’ve tied in the internal security to notify you immediately if they need you or anything.” His head tilted to the side again, one side of his lips turning up in a half smile. “It appears we have a greeting party.”

"I love surprises." Kyp muttered sarcastically.

"We both do." Adalia reassured him.

“In that case…” The engine noise of the Fury died down to the hum of simple activity, ready to be used if needed. He turned, Kigrael following, as they headed towards the main hatch. “Let’s see who is there.”

"As if you don't know." Adalia sighed.

The hatch itself began to ring as someone began to pound on it. Bernael’s silver eyes glinted as he approached it, “Don’t dent the Fury.” he called out to the person beyond it. Touching the stud by the hatch it rolled open revealing a furious looking female Nagai, fist raised as though she was going to pound again.

”Father!!!” [/COLOR]Remus yelled. “Where the…” Seeing the two humans, “Excuse me, Father has…” she shook her head, “Perhaps it would be better to take this to the conference room so Rom can get his own annoyance out.”

"It's ok, we can feel it......let it out." Adalia grinned, beside her Kyp smirked but said nothing as he too was well aware of the feelings being projected.

”So this is what happens when you coddle your offspring, is it Sire?” Kigrael asked, his tone giving away nothing about what he was thinking.

”Who the…ahhh now I see it.” Rem said, looking over at the younger Anzati. Turning, “Oh he’ll hear all about it. After all, why would the Ghost abandon his children and the galaxy for as long as he did?” she asked, guiding them from the hatch towards a turbolift.

Adalia pursed her lips and turned to Kyp, rolling her eyes, he in return just shot her a smirk.

The ride on the lift was quite a long one, as they traveled to a thicker section of the structure. “Not all of the others have arrived and the Chiss is taking his time to join us.“ Rem looked over at Adalia and Kyp once again. Her eyes narrowed slightly at the man before she smirked. “So, you have history with Father too…related to…” her eyes widened, flicking over at Adalia before she spun to look at Bernael once again. “All our lives and you never told Rom or me?!?”

Adalia sighed, "let it go.....I am not here to play favorites, and he's.....got no real relationship with ....'your father' cause his relationship is with me."She tilted her head to the side and put her hands on her hips and a symbolic challenge.

Kyp shrugged on one side, "fair."

Turning back to face Adalia, Rem shook her head. “No, you don’t get…” before her mouth snapped shut. She spun, glaring at Bernael, her jaw moving as though to speak but her mouth wouldn’t open.

”No, Remus, that is not to be discussed.” Bernael said in a flat voice before he released the hold he had on her mouth.

”But…” Rem saw the look in Bernael’s eyes, “Fine…still doesn’t explain why you disappeared for as long as you did.”

Adalia was curious, but knew well enough not to ask right now, beside her she felt Kyp's slight interest but knew he'd never ask.

The turbolift came to a halt, the doors opening. Standing just outside them was another Nagai, a male who looked very similar to Remus. Seeing her rubbing her jaw his attention turned to Bernael, “I see you said something Father was not pleased by.” Romulus stated. “However,…Father…I am just as annoyed with you at your disappearance. It cost me…much.”

”Both of you…you know my life and that sometimes I must not be present to allow events to take their course.” Bernael stated calmly. “I accept your anger but we must unite for this voyage to be carried off without issue.”

A dark presence approached, opposite the room they were entering, “I see he’s arrived. Perhaps it would be better to speak about this at another time.”

Adalia shivered as her gaze returned to Kyp for his reaction and was astounded how he held his cool distant stance, but only she knew every hair on the back of his neck was standing up on end. She knew the darkside, but this was so controlled and new to her and she found herself edging toward her husband, linking her arm with his.

He turned to her, "I'm good for something then?"

"You're good for a lot of things...you know it...shshsh." She whispered.

The door at the other end of the room opened, a tall, robed male Chiss entering through it. He walked towards them, the dark energy drawing closer as he did. Stopping on the opposite side of a large table that dominated the room he nodded to Bernael, red eyes focused on him. “Eleodie and Decimus will be here shortly. But I did not expect to see you here, Ghost, when Remus gave Octus this location and the invitation.” He glanced at Adalia and Kyp, “I have no ill will toward either of you, you could ask that ancient one if you doubt me.”

Adalia waved her hand, "sure...whatever." Not wanting to get any more attention than they already had.

Kyp's gaze was leveled, "nor do we to you....at this stage."

”Sabel…don’t tease them.”

The energy surrounding the Chiss slowly lightened until it was a steady grey. “I’ve just spent too long at Jakku, my sense of humor must have atrophied. But those two are definitely sensitive to the Dark. They may not be fans of my Red Guards.”

"Sensitive to a lot of things....my friend." Kyp said evenly without breaking his gaze.

"Don't push." Adalia whispered.

The Chiss’s red eyes turned back to the pair of them, glowing for a few moments as he studied them. Without saying anything he turned back to Bernael, nodding fractionally. “I believe we are still waiting for several other representatives of those taking this journey.” he said, changing the subject. “Once they join us, we should be close to departure.”

Golden skinned Eleodie stepped into the room with zher hand in that of Decimus, the man attired as an Imperial Royal Guard. As everyone looked over, they broke their grasp; back to business, even though Decimus had his helmet under his arm. “Sorry we’re late,” zhe said, unabashed.

“We had to regroup after that. The Onager didn’t even have the energy to recycle water by the end of that siege.” Decimus deadpanned.

“So we’re on our way to…" Eloedie looked to them. "Peridea?"

"Another galaxy, apparently," Decimus said drily. "The selfsame one that Thrawn was apparently trapped, with an ancient hyperlane the only way there."

"One that the Nagai have re-plotted?" Eleodie glanced at Rem and Rom and smiled. "Have we missed anything?"

Looking around, Rem finally turned back to Eleodie with a twisted smile.“Only that Father finally decided to make an appearance. And more…a good portion of his people have chosen to join us.” she replied. A chime sounded, making her check a display. “It appears that all that are taking this journey have arrived and are almost in position.”

Sabel had moved to the viewscreen, watching the dance of ships as they docked with the massive structures. A flash caught his eyes, his lips twitching as he picked out a fighter dropping out of hyper just by the Liberty’s Misrule. A tractor beam caught it as it raced towards the SSD, drawing it into one hangar on the flank of the massive ship. Turning back, the corners of his lips had turned up, red eyes glowing as he walked back over to Eliodie. “It appears we have a guest on our ship. Someone to meet when we return to it.” he whispered to her.

”This construct has quarters for all here if you’d care to join us. Of course, we will not object if you prefer to remain on your own vessels but we should begin to acclimate to each other as we will only have each other to ensure we all survive when we arrive.” Rom stated calmly, with a glance at his Father and his companions. “I, for one, would like to learn more about the people who have managed to keep Father’s attention.”

Adalia and Kyp had remained silent, these new people unknown to them having been 'out of the galactic loop' for some time now. She knew Rom and Rem, but she'd not felt their ire like this before, it was intense. "Oh hi Rom....Rem...been a while...." She plastered on an overly exaggerated smile, "how ya been?"

Kyp raised an eyebrow as he turned to his wife, she knew at least two players here and once again he'd been caught off guard, leaving him to seriously wonder how much she had actually not told him now.

Sabel could tell the slight insincerity of the woman’s words, making him wonder at the relationship between her, Bernael, and the Nagai. For the moment he held his tongue, wanting to see how it played out.

An eyebrow arched even as a frown crossed Rom’s face. “It’s been decades, yes…” he muttered. “Seems as though you and…” he looked over at the Chiss and the pair with him, “dad…” Lifting a hand, he rubbed his chin in thought. “It seems dad did manage to keep in touch with someone in that time, so what makes you more special than his children in that regard?”

"It’s the hair......men love it." Adalia flicked her head so her slightly greying red hair bounced back. "What can I say?" Her tone dripped with sarcasm. "Seriously, you'd have to ask him.........I have no idea."

"I'd be interested in that answer as well." Kyp folded his arms and tilted his head to the side.

Sighing, pinching the bridge of his nose, Bernael took a deep breath. Letting his hand fall, his eyes narrowed slightly, peering deeply into both Rom and Rem’s eyes before turning his gaze to Adalia and Kyp. The intensity of his expression had softened when he did before it hardened again looking over at Sabel, Eliodie, and the guard. “I am quite certain that all four of you know exactly why.” he stated in a calm, even tone. Nodding at the others, “And…while I’m close to these others, sometimes things are better discussed in private.”

Sabel snorted, moving up beside Eliodie, “Tell me, daughter, does it seem like the ancient stoic has something for the redhead?” he whispered to her.

Kyp shrugged, "got a rough idea." Beside him Adalia simply sighed, she didn't need this garbage.

Eleodie glared at Sabel. "You have no subtlety."

Decimus didn't dare come between his lover and Lord, and appeared to ignore zher and him.

Zhe cleared zher throat. "So, we have our mother's ship, the Misrule, whatever ships Uncle Sabel has left, and... what else?" Zhe eyed the Nagai, pale white skin contrasting to zher golden. "Do we have any knowledge of the place we're heading to? Are we invading another galaxy?"

Decimus was well aware the hardware they were packing was enough to start a new life. Away from Palpatine's and Skywalker's. But where there were Jedi, there may be Sith.

Sabel let the glare wash over him without a care. He’d known the vampire for many years and it amused him to have found this tidbit out. “Didn’t seem an appropriate moment to be subtle. Besides, I didn’t voice it that loudly.” he whispered to her again.

Rem turned to face the person who had spoken up, still trying to figure out the hierarchy of that side. “The exact numbers of those accompanying us is…vast. Suffice it to say it encompasses a majority of what remains of the Nagai, some Mandalorians, your and Sabel’s people, some Slissi, a variety of those who had joined the Alliance a short while ago, and…” Her eyes flicked over to her Father.

”And a third of my own people.” Bernael added.

”Yes, you might say we are an entire civilization being transplanted. Also, yes, to a galaxy that is quite distant yet the guideways hint that they could tell more of the earliest history of the Knowns.”

"A third," ruminated Eleodie, with a shrug. "And the rest, we're just abandoning? To the First Order, and all of the terrible things in the rest of the Unknown Regions?"

Decimus cleared his throat. "Eleodie is concerned we'll find even more Unknown Terrors the further out we go."He was referencing the colloquial term for every threat in the Unknown Regions. The Ssi-Ruuvi, Grysk, Yevetha, the Keshiri Tribe, the Nagai, the Tofs, and so on. There were many in their own galaxy, let alone the two nearest satellite galaxies, and they were launching for even further out.

Adalia had folded her arms, stepped back and was content to be in the background of this 'heady' group.

For a while.

Then a few things occurred to her, "excuse me if I appear ignorant...but has anyone asked anyone ...over there? I mean what if we go there and find out that what we face there is worse than what we're running from here?" She asked.

Kyp turned and smiled faintly at her, pleased she'd asked the hard questions.

Bernael stood, with that statue straight lack of motion that well described when he could either be pondering or be on the edge of terrific violence. There was nothing to suggest that he was communicating with anyone, vocally, mentally, or even with body language. All those present who were Force users would have known. What was missed, however, was how Sabel’s eyes dimmed to a ruddy crimson and his head twisted back and forth in the most minute of a negative gesture.

In this frozen moment Kigrael spoke “You think bringing over two million of the beings most beings in the universe believe are the stuff of nightmares is too few? Or that leaving close to four million, who have chosen to remain, behind would mean their destruction?” he asked, a sardonic edge to his voice.

From seemingly empty air, coming from several paces away from the central table, a barking peal of laughter erupted. As a woman faded into view, her silver on black eyes appearing humored, “What if, what if, what if? What if the Force suddenly disappeared…what if everyone here dropped dead…what if….”The woman, the obviously Anzati woman, turned to Bernael, bowing.“I see here Force users of every stripe, species that know war, intrigue, and fighting as well as they know how to breathe.” she went on as she straightened.
”The Master of All Anzati, the one who rules all of us who have chosen this exodus, has seen things that would shatter most of your minds. And yet…” For a moment something akin to pride and awe filled her expression, a fleeting moment,
“He cares for all present, you, your peoples, your families. So much so that all of us, all our fractiously independent people, who know him knew why he chose to accompany you lot. Because he wouldn’t leave you defenseless in the space in the maps that say ‘Here be monsters?’.” Shaking her head with a snort she walked over to within a pace of Bernael, behind and to his side, the opposite side from Adalia and Kyp. “What if…” she muttered as she came to a halt.
Adalia was no fool and knew this woman who appeared from nowhere, was of Bernael's kind, and her utter disrespect only annoyed her further. "Humble apologies for coming into this mess late, not knowing anything having been kept pretty much in the dark while having to drag my husband and children with me.....and asking what you clearly consider to be stupid questions, more apologies for not having hundreds, if not more, years of knowledge and experience...... and you are?" She responded and asked with sarcasm, her flashing blazing vibrant green eyes sensing this attack was more personal than it probably should be from this woman.

Kyp blew out a sound of disbelief as he turned away briefly, "Does everyone have to rile her?" He muttered under his breath.

The amused look returned to the woman’s eyes. “Oh…did I not say?” she asked, cooly. “I am known as Susurri. You could call me the Shadow Hand of the Master of All Anzati. His will is mine to enforce, to guide our people.”

Kigrael glanced at her, shaking his head, “You always did have a flair for the dramatic. You also forget that these beings do not have our advantage, they need to understand this more.”

A deep, tonal chime rang, Kigrael glancing towards the viewscreen at the sound. “I’d recommend bracing yourselves. What I pick up from the minds of the engineers says this could be a heavy surge.” he warned before he sank his talons into the edge of the table before him, leaning towards the viewport.

Kyp slipped his arm around Adalia's waist and moved to back up to the bulkhead, bracing his right foot just in front of hers. "Hold on."

"I'm good, you're doing it for me." She said softly, smiling as this was what this female 'Susurri' was missing.

The hyperdrives surged indeed, buffeting the entire ship and fleet.

It was a powerful jump, using technology that had made inter-galactic travel possible years ago - the adventures of Ahsoka and the Nightsisters and Thrawn had been fairly classified until the Yuuzhan Vong War made inter-galactic Unknown Terrors a possibility, though plenty had disputed the fact when the Nagai and Tof last invaded.

Nonetheless, the engines of Morgan Elsbeth were being put to use again.

But still, it was expected it would take days to cross to Peridea.

Eleodie stretched. "Well, we will leave you to it. When we arrive, we shall be on-guard, and make sure we don't find new enemies. Red alert and all of that."

Decimus nodded, deadpan. Eleodie turned to go and looked over. He shook his head. "I will stay, for the moment, I have a question left."

Shrugging, zhe left, and Decimus looked back.

"Zhe isn't wrong. This is a massive commitment and we're going into the dark. Nightsister dark, I gather. I'm concerned that we may end up gathering up our resources and jumping again. Can we manage another inter-galactic jump if need be?"

Sabel frowned for a moment, “Decimus has a point. We are trusting your tech, for this journey and perhaps more.”

Susurri had just recovered from her bracing for the jump when Eleodie departed. She was slightly disturbed that it had affected her so, especially as only the Chiss had seemed as unaffected by it as Bernael had been. Glancing at Bernael, she began to speak, “Considering our hosts received copies of all the data that the witch used to create her vessel…”

Rem snorted, “Impractical thing it was too. Too much wasted power and energy. When our cradles were constructed, we improved the designs, used Nagai tech and engines to create them. Hers survived traveling there and back, ours should be useful for multiple journeys, if we need them to.”She looked over at the guard, “We’re also prepared to respond to anything hostile that we come across, at a moment’s notice.”

Both Kyp and Adalia remained silent, with was all new news to them and the only way to learn was to listen, so that is what they were doing.

Decimus wasn't convinced this wasn't all bluster. "Well, it will take us, what, more than a few hours to cross the Intergalactic Void?"

He looked around. "If I am to continue in my role as second-in-command, Lord Sabel, I look forward to a full breakdown of what we have with us. We're going to need to repair the Onager, too."

A wry smile crossed Rom’s face, “Repairs, to all craft that need it, will have to wait until we arrive. I can say, though, that between the Slissi and others that have joined us, once we do arrive repairs should be affected swiftly.”

”A full roster, as full as possible for the amount of beings in this exodus, will be provided to each of you.” Rem stated calmly. “There are, after all, close to fifty million beings traveling with us.”

Sabel’s eyes lit up, the red of them bright now. “An entire civilization is what you intend this to be?” he asked, lips twitching in an almost smile. “And who will lead it, the vampire?”

Decimus looked to the Jedi. "I assumed Masters Durron would."

"WHAT!?!" Adalia spat.

"I doubt either of us is qualified for that, with due respect." Kyp said more calmly than he actually felt.

"Not our circus......not our lizard monkeys!!!" Adalia added.

"She's right, we do not have the knowledge nor the ability to run this......circus."

Decimus affected confusion. "So instead, you intend to be... Grandmasters, yes? Of the Jedi Order you will found in the Peridea Galaxy?"

Adalia was speechless, her eyes flicking wildly around the room, no mean feat to be honest and Kyp was well aware of that. "I don't like having such a title forced upon myself, or my wife, who for the record, is not a Jedi at all. In fact some of her decisions go against everything I know.....so if that was posed as a question to consider, I will consider it....but to tell me.......my answer will be no."

Decimus paused. "Ah. So, we shall instead have a Dark Lord of the Sith?" His eyes cut across the gathering. "Are we to be a new Sith Empire?"

"Do we need either title?" Adalia asked, "are there like ..........younglings out there who need to make a choice?"

"No....we were not to be a Sith Empire, if that were the case, we'd not be here and would take our chances....at home." Kyp shifted his weight, "are you telling me the Sith cannot control their urges to commit violence and will in fact.....take over?" His voice was a little more intimidating.

Decimus shrugged. "The Sith in this room? Perhaps not. The Sith in the future? Who knows. Do you propose to set up a unique Force using sect? An amalgamation of both? Or are we just going to hope for the best?"

"To be honest, it wasn't even on my radar but I do agree something more......neutral might be in order....and that's not me.....that's her." Kyp pointed to Adalia, who was shaking her head.

"No no no...I ain't not leader."

Clearing his throat, "you're not,...retired Colonel?" Kyp asked.

"I hate you." She growled.

"No you don't." He smiled, "I would be happy to be your advisor."

Adalia simply glared at him.

Bernael had stood there, while the debate was ongoing, between the Guard, Kyp, and Adalia. The corners of his lips were turned up in a fractional smile. Glancing over at Sabel, he shook his head as the smile grew a tiny bit more.

”If this is the path desired…I have a suggestion.”

Beside him Susurri shifted, wondering if he was going to suggest himself, a decision she personally believed was the wisest course of action.

”Perhaps, a leader, Adalia if that is the consensus, should have those who aid her.” Bernael glanced between Sabel and Kyp a couple times, “And what would be better than one who serves the Light and one who serves the Dark?”

Sabel let out a snort of laughter, raising one hand. “I do not intend that as any negative reaction to your proposal, old friend. But I believe…you are suggesting two who have seen those sides of the Force but tend to sit more…” his hand turned palm up, his other hand rising to join it, both going up and down in opposite rhythm, “...between those two sides.”

His point made - or mischief made, perhaps - Decimus bowed to Lord Sabel and departed.

Leaving them to it.

Adalia sighed, giving her head a shake as she spoke softly to her husband, "you were pissed they nominated you without consult.....yet you just threw me under a speeder...." Her head turned to him to glare.

With a forced smile, Kyp looked away and gave a nod, "well, I do believe I have just harpooned my own private life for the foreseeable future, I'm ready to get to work. If you wish us to work together, I think I can do that. I have seen the dark and have no desire to go there again."

Pulling out one of the seats at the table, Sabel sat with an amused look. There had been some discussion of who was to lead these people, at least that was what Octus had reported to him. But, watching this couple and their discussion about how this would proceed was filling him with a sense of glee. To him, the Jedi had always been a bit…stuffy, so watching them in a more relaxed atmosphere was interesting.

Susurri was scowling now, to her this was not amusing at all. She was certain they were choosing the wrong being to lead whatever this group was going to be called. But, if he was going to play this game then she would have to do the same and find a way to rectify the situation so it turned out how she believed was the correct course.

”So, is it decided then, that Adalia will be the leader of this new society?” Bernael asked.

”Something tells me you have less doubts about that than your tone implies, Father.” Rem replied with an arched eyebrow.

"I have doubts, does that count?" Adalia asked, her tone dripping in sarcasm.

Rem’s eyes glittered as a thin-lipped smile crossed her face. “You’ll be fine, you’ve got Dad after all. Don’t you?”

Sabel, for his part, was sitting back, a miniscule smile on his face, as he watched what he was seeing as a family drama play out before him, but one with stakes that was the survival of this exodus.

Adalia turned to face Rem, "what is it with you? Is this a sibling rivalry thing? Seriously, not siblings....or did you not notice that? I do not have your 'dad' for the record, last I checked he was his own law unto himself." She shook her head, "I knew this was a disastrous idea...........now look." She turned to glare at her husband, "I have this wonderful advisor.........who will forever be gracing the lounge for this one."

"Well aware, bigger things at stake right now.......I'm seeing the bigger picture, try to do the same love." Kyp said calmly.

Giving a gentle cough to draw attention, “I believe you have two advisors, Lady Jedi.” Sabel said in a calm tone, “So that one of us always is the devil’s advocate to whatever decision you need made.”

Susurri had a small smile on her face, watching the Nagai, believing they were digging a hole for themselves with their Father as was the woman who was all but rejecting the Master. She stayed quiet, her lot was thrown in with his and his decisions would dictate how or where their people went, regardless of how the others decided.
”We could go in circles for hours. Hours we do have as this trip will be several days, but better we decide this as soon as possible so that things can begin to be settled by the time we arrive. Adalia is correct that I would not want to be the throne here, regardless of what else she meant, and I offered the most…balanced solution. So, is this how we are going to proceed?”

"Of course." Kyp said with a sage nod.

"Right."Adalia decided to shut up now, she could read the expressions around the room and her unique brand of stubbornness and determination was not welcome right now.

Sabel’s pad vibrated in his pocket causing him to pull it out. One eyebrow arched and an almost amused expression crossed his face before he returned it to his pocket, after reading the message. “Good, so if we’ve decided then I do have business to attend to on my ship.” he said as he stood. With a small bow, he headed toward the hatch that led to the Misrule.

Susurri likewise bowed to Bernael, “I will inform our people, Master, and will be waiting for your command.” she stated before disappearing from sight once more.

Shaking his head, “This is going to be…interesting.” Bernael muttered. Glancing at Rem and Rom, “I think, perhaps, it would be best that I take Adalia and Kyp back to the Fury. If there is anything that needs to be decided then we can be found there.”

Rom nodded, “Of course the suites here might be better and it might also be better to have the command team in one area…” he suggested.

Adalia turned to the twins, "with all due respect, our children are on the Fury, and we will be with them for now. Our entire lives have been upended and they need us and they need to be away from ......all this......for now."

Both nodded at that, “We understand, ma’am.” Rem replied for them both. What went unsaid was that they both knew that meant their Father would remain on the Fury as well, not stay on the construct. Which caused them to wonder, even more, what hold the woman had over him.

------
Parsecs away

A signal went out, broadcast across the Eternal Fleet. The Eternal Throne reverberated with it but without speakers to broadcast the message from the Throne it meant that someone had to be near or in communication with the Gemini droids to know what it said. The message repeated, almost a chant, a celebration, a crowing victorious sound. There are now only seven bloodlines to activate the Eternal Throne. One bloodline has…vanished from the galaxies, unable to access them.

TAG: @Sinrebirth, @Adalia-Durron, @Mitth_Fisto, @Kev-Mas_Colcha, @adaml83