Public A Moment of Meditation

[Vulpesen]

While still independent, Vulpesen and by extension, Veradune, had come to call the Galactic Alliance close allies. In truth, it wouldn't be a stretch to say that they were on the road to membership within the alliance. With this sentiment in mind, Vulpesen and his men were quick to react when the distress beacon was activated. "Captain! I need Avalanche loaded and shipped in five!" His own battle effects were kept in a single bag next to his desk and Vulpesen wasted no time in snatching it off the ground and running down towards the Veran starport. He could suit up on the way.

It didn't take long for the squadron of VSF-Lupas to come screaming through Cathar's atmosphere, having given the star destroyer a wide birth. They were transport ships, meant to put boots on ground, not go toe to toe with capital ships. But at least now the empire wasn't the only faction with a company on Cathar's soil. Vulpesen had a radio operator sweep for friendly signatures, happy to find that beyond the initial beacon sent out by Jonyna, another signature pinged as recognized and allied. Valery Noble, one of the first Jedi Vulpesen had met and someone he figured would be able to get a handle on the situation.

"VSF Avalanche Company to Master Noble and Cathar Control, this is Arch Wilder Torrevaso speaking," he started, hailing the jedi on the comm systems as soon as he was given the green light, "What's the situation? I've got one-twenty looking to get boots on if you need it." Vulpesen didn't wait for a response as he waved for the rear ramp to be opened, attaching his raven wing pack to his back. "Keep me patched through! And don't fire unless I tell you, or one of us gets shot first!" With that, he leapt, the black wings unfurling to catch the wind as his repulser generated the lift to carry him towards his jedi companions. As he flew however, another presence caught his attention. Dark and foreboding, it seemed to hang in the back. This situation was already tense and he didn't even have all the details. The last thing he wanted was someone new throwing a wrench in things. "Be advised, Torrevaso diverting to dark side presence."

Jonyna Si Valery Noble Minerva Fhirdiad FN-999 Darth Valor

 

[Jonyna Si]

“Move aside, Jedi.” demanded the Baron. "We mean no harm. We have not come to occupy your world. We simply seek to take our old munitions and confidential documents off your planet, and then we will leave all of Cathar be.”

"I'll move aside when I'm dead." Jonyna snarled back. "You can take your scrap durasteel Ties and Grey Eyesores and get off my planet. If you're looking for equipment, you can find it elsewhere. I know you're MO. You're not here for your equipment. You're looking to integrate a new colony. You'll set up a garrison to 'secure' your caches, and you'll never leave, just waiting for the tribes to accept your rule. Well I won't. Leave."

The Cathar's attention was squarely on the Imps. Whatever the dark side presence was in her periphery had been blocked out, but not ignored. She knew it was there, she just wasn't giving it attention at the moment. One problem at a time, in her mind.

Valery Noble FN-999 Minerva Fhirdiad Darth Valor Vulpesen

 

[Darth Valor]

The presence Jonyna was sensing emerged before her, revealing a towering figure exuding power and darkness. It was Darth Valor, a formidable Sith Lord. An unsettling aura enveloped him, sending shivers down her spine. "So, your name is Jonyna, huh?" Valor's voice cut through the air with a chilling tone. "Well, I come in peace. For now, at least."

Darth Valor stood tall and formidable, his presence commanding attention as he locked eyes with Jonyna. The dark side of the Force radiated from him, enveloping the surroundings in an unsettling aura. His jet-black hair framed a face adorned with faint Sith tattoos, a testament to his unwavering devotion to the dark side.

Darth Valor, a formidable Sith Lord, emerged from the shadows, his presence commanding attention as he fixed his intense gaze upon Jonyna. The dark side of the Force emanated from him, enveloping the area in a palpable aura of power and malevolence. With each step he took, the ground seemed to tremble beneath his imposing figure.

A sinister smile curled upon Valor's lips as he locked eyes with Jonyna, his fiery amber gaze filled with a mix of amusement and calculated intent. His jet-black hair cascaded over his shoulders, framing a face adorned with faint Sith tattoos, symbols of his unwavering loyalty to the dark side.

"So, Jonyna, we meet at last," Valor spoke, his voice dripping with a cold, menacing tone. "Your defiance is commendable, but it is merely a futile resistance against the inevitable. The Sith have always prevailed, and you will be no exception."

He took a deliberate step forward, the weight of his presence pressing upon Jonyna like an invisible force. The crimson glow of his lightsaber illuminated the surroundings, casting an eerie light upon his angular features.

"Your fate is sealed, Jonyna," Valor continued, his voice carrying an air of unwavering confidence. "Your actions have brought you face to face with the true power of the dark side. Embrace it, and together, we can reshape the galaxy according to our desires. Deny me, and I will show no mercy."

As he spoke, the dark energy crackled around Valor, sparks of Sith lightning dancing across his fingertips. The air grew thick with tension, anticipation hanging in the balance.

"I offer you one chance," he proclaimed, his voice resonating with authority. "Join me, embrace the true power of the dark side, and together, we can unleash our full potential. Deny me, and you will meet your demise."

The intensity in Valor's eyes burned brighter, his presence radiating a mix of dominance and arrogance. He extended an open hand towards Jonyna, an invitation laced with both promise and threat.

"Choose wisely, for your destiny hangs in the balance," he concluded, his voice trailing off into a chilling silence.

Tags: Jonyna Si

 

[FN-999]

Tags: Darth Valor | Jonyna Si | Minerva Fhirdiad | Valery Noble | Vulpesen
​

[Nines, this is James speaking. We’re picking up multiple troop transport signatures entering atmosphere. They do not match any known Imperial design. Due to your de-escalation order, we are not engaging.]

Time’s up.

[Thank you for the notice. Keep track of where they land. If I give the order, fire on them. For now, stay alert. Nines out.]

It would be very easy to give up now.
​

Unknown parties were entering the scene one by one, each adding new risk to an already precarious operation. A fiercely determined Jedi blocked the most direct route to the locked Imperial depots, seemingly unwilling to give an inch to the Baron or his legionaries. The smart move would be to retreat, to regroup on Borosk and try again with a team of undercover agents. Even if it meant that much fewer supplies could be acquired, it would be far better than nothing at all. However, call it the sunk-cost fallacy, but the Baron was far too invested in this operation to withdraw now. Borosk barely had enough resources to support its meager fleet, and if the Baron returned empty-handed then the Austere would likely have to return to the shipyard for months. Such a loss would be a terrible blow not only to the strength of Borosk but also to the prestige the Empire once carried. If an Imperial force could be thwarted deep within its former territory, then the Empire’s enemies would be emboldened to tear bigger and bigger pieces out of its carcass, not stopping until the flame of Imperialism was no more.

It was a risk the Baron could not afford.

“Fan out by platoon!” ordered the Baron. “I want one to stay with me."

Troopers proceeded to peel off the middle and rear of the hundred-man column, reforming into four separate twenty-man columns five troopers long and four troopers deep. Each of the four smaller columns then turned to leave the hangar through alternative exits. Only the frontmost platoon stayed in place, maintaining its five-deep formation with four lines.

His resolve strengthened, the Baron decided to make a bold move.

The colonel stepped out from within his legionaries and approached the Cathar Jedi, his hands empty. He stopped about halfway between the platoon and the Jedi, close enough for comfortable conversation but distant enough to avoid melee range.

As he registered another being near the Cathar, the Baron’s heart suddenly froze.

Valery Noble.

One of the most famous Jedi in the galaxy, a Master so proficient in the Force that she had earned the title of Sword of the Jedi. By all regards a phenomenal combatant and a superb commander, the Baron had spent many a night contemplating without success how to handle such an inhuman force. While it was true that he had once gone toe-to-toe with Thurion Heavenshield and Caltin Vanagor, that had been in his thirties and it had taken every ounce of his energy and concentration just to secure a draw. Now, the Baron was almost sixty years old and facing a Jedi Master at least ten years his junior with a mere platoon of troopers to fall back upon.

If it wasn’t already obvious, the Baron would not be starting any fights any time soon.
​

Instead, he turned his gaze to the Cathar glaring him down. She appeared to be fairly young, perhaps in her late teens or early twenties. A far more probable aggressor than the Master by her side. Fortunately, in his decades of experience he had found a trend among nearly all Jedi, young and old alike. They loved to talk, and would hold a conversation in almost any circumstance. One could delay a Jedi for over half an hour just by acting emotional and pretending to show enough of an opening to be “brought back to the light”, earning their sympathies as long as their ideological rambling was tolerated. And the moment one earned a Jedi’s sympathy, the possibility of dying at their hands was nearly zero.

Hopefully, Cathar were no exception to this rule.

"I'll move aside when I'm dead." Jonyna snarled back. "You can take your scrap durasteel Ties and Grey Eyesores and get off my planet. If you're looking for equipment, you can find it elsewhere. I know you're MO. You're not here for your equipment. You're looking to integrate a new colony. You'll set up a garrison to 'secure' your caches, and you'll never leave, just waiting for the tribes to accept your rule. Well I won't. Leave."

“I assure you, we have no intentions of setting up a colony on Cathar.” replied the Baron.

“A great deal has changed in the ten years since the Empire’s collapse. I am being completely honest when I say that neither I nor any other officer who claims to act on behalf of the Empire have the resources needed to colonize any inhabited world outside our temporary capitals. Even Bastion, once the beating heart of the Empire, is utterly unobtainable. We have neither the men nor resources to reoccupy such a densely populated world. It is the same with Cathar."

“I am well aware that there are many Cathar who share your sentiments, and that is completely understandable. In hindsight, we should have valued this world more while we still had the power to do so. Alas, we cannot erase the sins of the past. The only thing we can do is prevent them from impacting your future. With this cleanup operation, the last traces of Imperialism will be erased from Cathar. You and your people will be free to go your own way, to continue your traditions as you have done for millennia."

“Personally, I quite admire the Cathar. Their martial spirit rivals that of the Empire’s finest stormtroopers, and their loyalty both in their relationships and to their brethren is nothing short of admirable. Your species deserves nothing less than complete self-determination, and I am simply here to ensure that the last vestiges of foreign entrenchment are erased from your world."

To show his sincerity, the Baron took off one of his gloves and extended his hand out towards the Cathar, flinching inside his helmet as the warm air hit his bare skin. He felt dangerously exposed, but he had to remind himself that he was not under attack. At least, for now.

“This is nothing less than a gesture of goodwill. For both my sake and yours, let the Empire pack its things and conclude the peaceful evacuation we left unfinished ten years ago."

​

 

[Jonyna Si]

“This is nothing less than a gesture of goodwill. For both my sake and yours, let the Empire pack its things and conclude the peaceful evacuation we left unfinished ten years ago."

​

​

Jonyna snarled at the hand.

"I'm not going to repeat myself. I'd pack up your troops before you end up like your old friend Vader."

Her mother's words rang through her mind, reminding her to not let her emotions run too wild. The hero stood tall, keeping the predator in it's cage. But for now, she wasn't going to let the Empire stay on this planet. Even if she could be accused of being unreasonable by the politicians, she didn't care. This was her home, and she wasn't going to have Stormtroopers running around. She didn't trust them to not loot the place, and leave everything in tatters. The Empire didn't do kindness. It didn't show mercy.

Tag: FN-999 Vulpesen Valery Noble Minerva Fhirdiad

 

[Vulpesen]

Equipment: Varos Cloak, Three Rhak Skuri Gas cannisters, Kits Yelp Bracer(With ten extra belts), his personal lightsaber, three EMP grenades, two frag grenades, 10 miscellaneous lightsabers, Shadow Fox Amulet, VSF Fennec, Ravenwing Pack

A flap of wings beat the air and Vulpesen cut off the repulsers on his ravenwing pack to land behind the sith who had approached the cathar jedi. "This situation is fraught enough without a sith's interaction," he began, "I'd suggest you take this moment to peaceably take your leave." the Wilder's voice was calm, but commanding. Despite his verbiage there wasn't a hint of suggestion and the slight adjustment of Vulpesen's cloak to reveal his lightsaber only further reinforced the point of his kindly order.

Vulpesen had fought decades against sith imperialism, both within and without their order. Hidden beneath his cloak was a tattoo on the center of his back that would mark him with the memory of those dark days forever. The dark side didn't scare him. It was at best, a tool used to destroy evil. At worst, it was the embodiment of evil that he had been trained to destroy.



Vulpesen's men had yet to ahve the fortune of meeting with their supposed enemy. Rather, the Lupa's drifted through the skies and towards the forest. Radars pinged and alarms blared as the pilots were alerted that their presence had been detected. For several tense seconds, they prepared for the sound of canon fire or the long beep of a missile lock on. Silence. It seemed the imperials weren't quite ready to start a fight. Every man breathed a sigh of relief as the Lupas set down in a clearing, their ramps opening to let the men file out. They would keep their distance for now, but a steady sprint would put the, in range of contact should things become obviously hostile between the imperials and the alliance jedi.

The company of alliance troopers melded into the forest, breaking into platoons and squads to keep a wide range of fire. For now, their weapons were pointed down, and each soldier kept his finger far from the trigger. Orders still stood for peace until peace was broken. They were worried about being shot, that much was true. But it was far more worrisome of a prospect to face the ex-Valde if they started a bloodbath without due cause.

Jonyna Si FN-999 Darth Valor

 

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

Tag: Jonyna Si Valery Noble Darth Valor Vulpesen

Frustrated with not being able to what's going on as she looked on from her vantage point. Then someone cleared his throat behind Minerva. Scowling in annoyance the Mandalorian glared back only to see Sumi from Aritsa. Despite some nervousness she said.

"Uh LT remember I have my little probe droid, Hanzo. He can get us audio once close enough."

Mentally Minerva kicked herself for not ordering her to do that earlier. Rectifying that she nodded.

"Do it now"

Smiling in delight, Sumi gave a soft whistle and floating off from her left pocket was a makeshift probe. It was the size of a normal human hand with four spider-like legs, and a large purple optic in its head and an antenna on top. Hanzo beeped in droidspeak, ready for action. Like a proud mother Sumi whispered, pointing at the now crowded dock.

"Go there Hanzo. See what you can learn but stay hidden."

Acknowledging through binary Hanzo floating away at quickened speed toward the objective. Watching the little bot Minerva remarked.

"Well done, private. When this is over I'll buy his new recharger myself."

Several of the squad chuckled including Sumi and Gakot. It provided some brief amusement from the tension mounting in the air. Meanwhile Hanzo went low into the streets. Once close to a street corner the probe walked on its sharp legs before hiding itself in a discarded basket with a view of all the parties. Hanzo activated his surveillance mode, patching back to the squad's encrypted comm channel.

Back at their roof Minerva listened before gritting her teeth. Sounds like this will get violent real soon unless the Imps actually decide to leave or Jedi and company stand down.

If it does we’ve do our part.

 

[FN-999]

Jonyna Si | Valery Noble | Vulpesen
​

"I'm not going to repeat myself. I'd pack up your troops before you end up like your old friend Vader."

"Let me set one thing straight. I have never once considered that tyrant to be a friend."
​

Clearly, the Cathar Jedi had a deep-seated antagonism for the Empire. Yet, curiously, she seemed to reference the policies and people of the old Empire, the galactic hegemon which had died with its Sith emperor almost nine hundred years ago. Not once had she mentioned anything unique to the new Empire, the one that had collapsed only ten years earlier. Has her education been lacking, the Baron wondered, or was something else at play? Perhaps she was a recent immigrant to Cathar, born far outside the Imperial sphere. Or perhaps, like the Jedi Master who stood beside her, she had been frozen in a cyrosleep for decades or even centuries and had woken up in a post-Imperial galaxy. Regardless of what factored into it, her apparent ignorance gave the Baron a vital opening.

"We are not the same Empire that birthed Vader and Palpatine. If we can agree on any one thing, it is that the Sith are one of the greatest evils known to the galaxy. Our new Empire has never welcomed Sith into our ranks and will never seek to emulate their terrible feats."

"Furthermore, we have been sure to leave Human High Culture in the grave with our Imperial predecessors. Our Empire understands that each sentient species brings its own unique value to society and treasures their contributions in return. My legion is composed of five unique species and treats them all with equal respect. The Cathar are and have been equally appreciated."

"I can understand your grievances with the Empire of old. However, hopefully you can now understand that we are not that Empire. We will not repeat the atrocities of that Sith puppet, not here or anywhere else in the galaxy."

The Baron could still tell that the Cathar Jedi was restless and growing impatient. If he truly wanted to prevent a battle, he would have to take drastic measures. He needed something to throw her off. His mind went into overdrive, trying its hardest to come up with any possibility. Ultimately, only one lingered. It would cost the Baron dearly, but if it saved the operation, and by extension the Empire, then it was more than worth it.

For the first time in forty-one years, the Baron would take his helmet off in public.

For forty-one years, the stormtrooper helmet had been one of the Baron's most recognizable features, seemingly on at all times. Indeed, the Baron wore his helmet with all the strictness of orthodox Mandalorians, never daring to take it off in view of others. However, unlike the Mandalorians, the Baron was not following any millennia-old tradition. Instead, he wore his helmet for a far more primal, instinctive reason. He wore it because he feared death. Almost six decades of battlefield experience had put the Baron's body and mind alike on constant alert, with not even alcohol or medicine dulling the sensation. Every second of his life felt like a battlefield, another Dosuun or Csilla waiting for the perfect moment of weakness to strike. By that rationale, he could not let his guard down in public under any circumstances, lest he find himself at the end of an assassin's blade.

So, as he moved to detach his helmet, it was only natural that his arms shuddered. A sensation of raw, primal fear coursed through the Baron, all his instincts telling him that he was opening his defenses to ferocious predators. In a grand irony, the Baron drew on the Jedi Code to reassure himself in his desperate state. The Jedi were defenders of the innocent, not attackers or predators. Unless he struck, they would not strike back.

His hands were now firmly clasped on either side of his helmet, the vibrations from his shaking arms coursing through the plasteel and directly into his head.

Three.
Two.
One.

For the first time in forty-one years, the Baron took his helmet off in public.

His face was as pale as an albino, the result of both aging and decades of minimal sunlight exposure. His eyes delivered a stern, wide-eyed gaze, his irises a pair of emeralds locked firmly on the Cathar Jedi. Wrinkles from aging and stress lined his face, his cheeks loose and his forehead scrunched. Interspersed with the wrinkles were scars from battles of decades past, mostly healed but forever discoloring and distorting what had once been a spotless face.

On the verge of drowning in his fear, the Baron spoke quickly, a low baritone to his unregulated voice.

"I-I know far too well that old traumas may never heal. However, from one veteran to another, you have my personal guarantee that we are not here to inflict any more pain. Perhaps you may not understand now, but with age, you too will learn the benefits of stopping for a moment to think. To realize that things change, that old wounds can be slowly but surely healed."

"I am not asking you to love the Empire. All I am asking you to do is to temper your emotion, to look at this situation from a more nuanced perspective and realize just how little value there is for either of us in fighting right now."

While the Baron and his platoon held the Jedi up, the other four platoons took to the streets of the city-tree.
​

Having found unobstructed emergency exits in the hangar, the stormtroopers had slipped out of the hangar and now each ran down a separate road, each bringing them close to a hidden cache. There was an immediate uproar as native Cathar rushed to the side of the road, a combination of old trauma, surprise, and the risk of being trampled keeping them from obstructing the Imperials. For now. Each trooper was well-aware of just how delicate their operation was, making sure to stay out of melee range and keeping their firearms in their hands at all times. They accelerated into a jog, adreneline pumping as they sought to complete their tasks as fast as humanly possible.

All the while, the troopers remained on the lookout for the mysterious reinforcements that had arrived earlier.

 

[Jonyna Si]

"We are not the same Empire that birthed Vader and Palpatine. If we can agree on any one thing, it is that the Sith are one of the greatest evils known to the galaxy. Our new Empire has never welcomed Sith into our ranks and will never seek to emulate their terrible feats."

​

The Cathar growled at that thought. If they weren't the Empire of old, then why use Ties? Why drive around in those damn grey relics that call back to the days of old? If they weren't evil, then why talk about order like those old propaganda videos? She needed an answer to that more than anything. This man talks as if he puts the past behind him, and yet he still wears the armor of oppressors.

As the man took off his helmet, Jonyna's first response was that of anger. She raised her lightsaber, pointing it right at the man's face, close enough so that he could feel the heat off the blade. "Why?" She asked, her frustration boiling. "Why call yourself the Empire then? If the puppet of the sith has truely broken it's strings and won it's freedom, then why use the symbols the sith used? Why use the technology they used to oppress trillions? Why call back to the days of old if you're so insistent that you've put them behind you? If you're so desperate for this tech, why not join the GA and fight for the freedom of all species against the sith?!" Her tone went from calm and rational to infuriated the more she spoke, her tail drawing Claire on instinct. She wouldn't be the first to strike, but she'd be prepared once this got ugly. "You ask me to see nuance, and yet you parade around with the weapons of tyranny and invoke the icons of fear. You wear the helmet of an army that slaughtered my people and put the galaxy under their boot, and you ask ME to be the reasonable one?! Get the fuck off my planet you hypocritical old fool in the next ten minutes or else I won't hesitate to give the order to blow your Star Destroyer out of the sky. Wouldn't be the first time I watched one smash into the ground..."

Her tone was now dead serious. She was sick of his stalling. She could hear his men move into the hanger from a mile away. If Valery Noble wasn't beside her, she'd have already massacred this neo-fascist reunion tour before they had the chance to speak. But she couldn't let the predator win. Not with Val here, not in front of children. She needed to set an example. She'd given her last warning. Now it was only a matter of how this wrinkled bastard reacted...

FN-999 Minerva Fhirdiad Vulpesen

 

[Vulpesen]

"Get the fuck off my planet you hypocritical old fool in the next ten minutes or else I won't hesitate to give the order to blow your Star Destroyer out of the sky."

Now that was certainly an alarming statement, and Vulpesen's ears pricked to the jedi's voice, just before his head whipped around to face her. With no response from what he had earlier assumed to be the immediate threat, Jonyna's outburst now had his full attention. "Miss Jonyna, while I understand your hesitation and concern, might I suggest a more tempered response." Piercing golden eyes flicked to the imperial then held for a moment. There was no fury of untamed youth, but there was a danger in his gaze. Vulpesen was a soldier more than he had ever been a jedi. The saber at his hip wasn't some symbol of a monastic tradition. It was a weapon. But the pendant around his neck and his regalia marked him as something else. A Valde. A ruler. And a ruler must know diplomacy.

"I don't think we've been introduced sir, but there's a compromise to be had. If my flyboys are right, my men outnumber yours on this planet. I suggest we keep it that way." The words came after a report buzzed in his ear, brought by the comlink in his vulpine mask. The Lupas were circling the area and had managed to find his men, brazenly standing in the middle of the street. "Mine will link up with yours. They will escort and watch. Expect your equipment to be searched and watched for dangerous contraband. This is no longer your planet, but if you truly wish to erase your presence, then there should be no trouble." Once more, his hard gaze turned to Jonyna. He might not have had the fame of Valery Noble in this present era, but once upon a time, he had been the one who saved planets and earned the respect of younger jedi. Those times, while lost to history could be read in the way his presence in the force swelled.

"Small arms are understandable. But empires have a habit of having artifacts and weapons that have no place in this galaxy. This way we ensure that the empire's intentions are true. They get their rightfully owned stuff. They leave. No one dies." He reached up to his mask as he finished, hitting the comm button on the side. "Captain. Move in. Weapons tight." Once more he turned, his body having since been fully placed between the two parties. "That a fair deal, imperial?" Vulpesen had no doubt that his men could annihilate the troopers. They had the advantage of stealth. And many had been fighting longer than anyone on this planet had been alive. It would be a slaughter on the ground. But a squadron of Lupas against an Imperial Star Destroyer? His men were good. Not that good. Maybe Vulpesen would be able to knock the ship out if he could get aboard. But that was distinctly not possible. Best case scenario, he'd piss them off enough to start a prolonged fight, taking on wave after wave of imperials until reinforcements arrived. Worst case... a glassed planet and his ashes scattered across the barren wasteland. He liked the jedi. But he wasn't ready to send a company to suicide if a diplomatic resolution could be found.


Jonyna Si FN-999

 

[FN-999]

Jonyna Si | Valery Noble | Vulpesen

The moment the Jedi pointed her blade at his face, the Baron realized that he could no longer entertain her.
​

Instinctively, his right hand reached for his sword, stopping just short of unsheathing it. With his left hand, he put his helmet back on. Immediately, a wave of relief rushed over the Baron, threatening to bring him to his knees. Fortunately, he soon regained his composure and was able to think clearly once more.

Evidently, his moment of vulnerability had not softened the Cathar’s heart one bit. If anything, she appeared angrier than ever, her glare unrelenting. In all likelihoods, there would only be two things that would satisfy the Cathar Jedi: an immediate withdrawal of all Imperial forces or the Baron’s head on a dinner plate. Quite frankly, the Baron could afford neither, not when one meant a major setback for what remained of the Empire and the other ended in his untimely demise.

It was time for pickup.

Just then, a quartet of transmissions ran through his helmet, each message delivered within seconds of each other.

[Nines, this is Bastion Team. Phase 2 is complete.]
[Nines, this is Borosk Team. Phase 2 is complete.]
[Nines, this is Dosuun Team. Phase 2 is complete.]
[Nines, this is Munnilist Team. Phase 2 is complete.]

[All teams, commence Phase 3.] whispered the Baron through his comms. [Two minutes to pickup.]

Just then, yet another complicating factor entered the scene.

"I don't think we've been introduced sir, but there's a compromise to be had. If my flyboys are right, my men outnumber yours on this planet. I suggest we keep it that way." The words came after a report buzzed in his ear, brought by the comlink in his vulpine mask. The Lupas were circling the area and had managed to find his men, brazenly standing in the middle of the street. "Mine will link up with yours. They will escort and watch. Expect your equipment to be searched and watched for dangerous contraband. This is no longer your planet, but if you truly wish to erase your presence, then there should be no trouble."

Vulpesen.​

Like Valery Noble, the Baron had never directly interacted with him before, instead relying on rumors and the vast Imperial intelligencia to glean as much as he could on the being. A member of the Zorren, a rare and elusive species who by all accounts were nearly immortal, Vulpesen was said to be a powerful Force user with over a dozen titles under his name and a small army at his disposal. If the odds were stacked against the Baron before, then now it was beginning to look a lot like a suicide mission. In fact, if not for the Star Destroyer securely in position above the city-tree, he may have accepted any demand thrown his way.

Instead, the Baron had just enough bargaining power to thoughtfully consider the Zorren’s terms. They seemed fair, a far better deal than the Cathar’s withdraw-or-die ultimatum. It was likely the best deal the Baron would ever get. Furthermore, while the supervision was far from ideal, there was no use in resisting soldiers who potentially had centuries of experience on the battlefield. Plus, the Baron’s platoons were only a few minutes away from completing their asset retrieval missions. In all, there was little reason not to accept.

"That a fair deal, imperial?"

“Indeed it is.” replied the Baron. “I will inform my teams immediately. Your troops may freely scan our reclaimed goods before they are loaded onto the gunships."

[All teams, an experienced Alliance unit will search our goods before they are loaded. We are in no position to refuse. The alternative is pitched battle.]

Undoubtedly, the proud men and women of the Reborn would chafe at the thought of being supervised by Alliance soldiers. However, they hadn’t survived over a decade of chaos by being inflexible. In their haste to leave Cathar and the rapidly escalating situation on the surface, they would comply.

[Delta 1-4, move to team coordinates and begin extraction. Delta 5, lower the ramp.]

Four of the five gunships parked in the hangar roared to life, their engines rapidly propelling them above the walls. They each turned towards the coordinates of a stormtrooper team and then sped off, a pair of TIEs swooping down to escort each.

Next, the Baron took a few steps to his right until Vulpesen no longer blocked his view of the Cathar Jedi. Turning to face her, the Baron took a deep sigh and then made his closing remarks.

“Once more, I am not asking you to love the Empire. However, I ask you to consider this. We claim to continue the Empire of old not because we seek to recreate it in its entirety, but because we seek to keep its best parts. Its technological superiority, its efficient government, its unmatched armies. The very TIEs that you claim to be the embodiment of tyranny have defended countless worlds against the assaults of rebels, anarchists, and Mawites who would rather see the galaxy burn. The stormtroopers who you claim oppress trillions have in fact protected trillions from subversive forces. Most notably, on Csilla, we protected its people during the planet’s evacuation as the Maw’s hordes tried to break us."

“The Empire of the present is not the evil you think it is. If you ever feel so inclined, I personally invite you to come to Borosk, to see for yourselves the wealth and prosperity that even the scattered remnants of our New Order enjoy."

“I hope that next time we meet, it will be under better circumstances."

Hopefully, that had been enough to plant a seed of Imperialism, however small, in the Cathar’s head. In any case, his time on Cathar was drawing to a close.

“Fall out!” ordered the Baron to the platoon behind him.

The Baron and his troopers promptly turned back the way they came, towards the ramp of the gunship that would take them back up to the safety of the Austere.

In the meantime, the four deployed platoons began to dig into their caches.
​

Each site was identical: a pair of unassuming wooden sheds with a wood pole in between. Within the right shed at each site was what appeared to be an electrical socket. However, when struck three times with a two second delay with a detachable segment of the wood pole, a pair of planks in the shed opened up to reveal a passage to a hidden elevator. Each site’s elevator brought the platoon down to a large square room filled nearly to the roof with durasteel boxes, plus a few repulsorlift carts to move them to a second elevator on the other end of the room. Once the second elevator was accessed, it would bring the troopers and their supplies back up to the surface, opening up a hole in a lightly wooded area in front of the two sheds.

Troopers at each site hastily stacked crate after crate into their carts and up the elevator, forming a growing pile of supplies in front of the sheds. Within the crates were an extraordinary variety of goods: hundreds of millions pieces of ammunition of all conceivable calibers, tens of millions of MREs, hundreds of thousands of small arms, tens of thousands of fuel canisters for jetpacks and light armored vehicles, and thousands of files of Imperial data ranging from routine to highly classified.

With the scream of TIEs growing louder overhead and the rustle of foreign soldiers approaching to observe their work, the troopers of the Reborn hastened their progress.

 

[Minerva Fhirdiad]

Tag: Jonyna Si FN-999 Valery Noble Vulpesen

The little probe droid, Hanzo did his work. From the audio receivers the team overheard the exchange between Jonyna and the Baron. Just as Minerva thought things would escalate until the following deal was made by an unknown party she hadn't known about. Several of her comrades behind her groaned and swore under their breath Minerva said nothing.

Her hatred of this empire was different compared to the Cathar Jedi but nonetheless she detested the Imps still getting something out of this affair. If they had known where to locate the caches they would've sabotaged as much as possible to deny the Baron. Looking out to the city around however, reminded her that there are more lives at stakes than hers, allies and foes.

A Mandalorian concerned about the Cathar's well being. No one would've thought it possible centuries ago. But I'm not like my predecessors. Not in that regard.

"Orders boss?" Gakot spoke up, earning Minerva's attention.

"Squad stand down and head back to the ship. I'll see to the Jedi." She immediately said in a tone that brokered no objections. To Sumi the lieutenant added.

"I'll get Hanzo myself though it means I’ll be buying a basket as well."

Sumi and the other Talons laughed before they withdrew. Minerva pulled off her helmet and got the cloak on again. Minutes later she was seemingly walking casually in the streets, heading for the docks. All the while the Imps and their escorts moved about. A number of the Cathar came out and watched it play out with either fearful or relief or anger.

Remaining calm as possible she worked her way through the alleys and corners until she came to the shop where Hanzo was hiding in one of the baskets. Due to a hidden locator she knew exactly which one. An elderly Denik Cathar with a cane who she piqued as the owner glanced over to the docks with apprehension.

Clearing her throat the old man turned his glance to Minerva who asked, pointing the basket where little Hanzo hid. It's bright colorful style displayed feline hunters pursing, trapping then slaying a Kiltik.

"How much for this one? Really like the design.”

The shopkeeper raised both eyebrows.

"Selling in a time like this?"

Quickly he shrugged.

"Ah I need to get my mind off this madness anyway. That will be seventy credits."

Pulling out the left pocket Minerva counted then handed the amount. Done the basket was handed over not before the merchant remarked.

"Feels a little heavier."

Minerva didn't comment on that but took it and said.

"Thank you."

As she was walking away she made sure Jonyna and Valery would notice her face that they would recognize underneath the hood. She gave a nod in simple greeting but it was in reality to show them that she's been nearby and observing events. With that she made her way back to her ship's hangar.

 

[Jonyna Si]

“The Empire of the present is not the evil you think it is. If you ever feel so inclined, I personally invite you to come to Borosk, to see for yourselves the wealth and prosperity that even the scattered remnants of our New Order enjoy."

​

As the stormtrooper turned to leave, the Cathar stopped him by grabbing his arm, claws rending into his armor just deep enough to leave a mark. She needed the last word, if only for her own peace.

"One of your kind pointed a blaster in my face when I was five years old just because I could float a couple marbles. I had to run for my life as a kit, from your kind just for EXISTING. I will NEVER see your kind as anything other than the tyrants you are. Be thankful that the people I called for help are much kinder to your kind than I will ever be..."

And with that, she let him go, his armor now forever scarred with the claws of her kind. A small reminder to not come back.

Nearby, a teen watched from behind the safety of a building as Jonyna let the man go, only to suddenly burst into tears. Finally her emotions were let loose, the Cathar hero falling to the ground as her mind became overwhelmed with the stress of the moment. Her home had been her safe haven. Her rock in the storm. Now it felt a little less safe, and that caused the woman to finally crash, water streaming from her eyes.

She could only lean on Valery Noble for some form of safety and comfort, at least knowing that the Sword would protect her had this gone down differently.

Vulpesen Valery Noble Minerva Fhirdiad FN-999

 

[FN-999]

Jonyna Si | Valery Noble | Vulpesen

The Baron froze in the Cathar’s vice grip.
​

His free hand immediately reached for the hilt of his blade, ready to draw it in a moment’s notice. The platoon halted as well, many of its troopers tightening their grips on their blasters. Only the threat of the Sword of the Jedi kept their response tempered.

"One of your kind pointed a blaster in my face when I was five years old just because I could float a couple marbles. I had to run for my life as a kit, from your kind just for EXISTING. I will NEVER see your kind as anything other than the tyrants you are. Be thankful that the people I called for help are much kinder to your kind than I will ever be..."

The Baron had no further comments to make.

Once the Cathar released her grip, he simply walked away with his platoon in tow. In rows of five, they boarded the last remaining gunship. Only once the doors closed and the vessel ascended into the air did the Baron let his emotions loose.

With a deep sigh, the Baron of Borosk fell to his knees. Against all odds, he had succeeded. The Empire had succeeded. All without a single life lost. As his comrades gathered around to comfort him, a giddy sensation rose within the Baron's chest.

Moments later, he received a transmission that made his heart do cartwheels.

[Nines, this is Borosk Team. Phase 3 is complete. Returning to Austere with the goods.]

He couldn’t find the words to reply, not as emotions threatened to overcome him.

[Nines, this is Dosuun Team. Phase 3 is complete. Returning to Austere with the goods.]

[Nines, this is Bastion Team. Phase 3 is complete. Returning to Austere with the goods.]

The Baron barely heard the gunship’s pilot as he announced they were touching down onboard the Austere. He rushed to the side windows of the gunship, peering out as a trio of gunships accompanied by a squad of TIEs and a pair of Imperial corvettes rose up slowly but surely to the Star Destroyer above. Yet as no fourth gunship appeared above the tree-city, a new sensation bubbled up in the Baron’s chest. His heart seemed to stop beating, anxiety taking over as he prepared for the worst. Then, all of a sudden-

[Nines, this is Munnilist Team. Phase 3 is complete. Returning to Austere with the goods.]

The Baron was barely able to contain his emotions for long enough to transmit one final operation message.

[All teams, this is Nines. We did it.]

At that moment, the entire gunship erupted in thunderous cheers. All the tension the troopers had pent up since they had first arrived in Cathar exited their bodies in a tremendous cry, blasters discarded as Imperial men and women swung their bodies wildly through the air. The Baron too was swept up in the festivities, letting out a cry of delight as his troopers - his loyal comrades - swept him up and lifted him into the air.

The mood was no less joyous onboard the Austere. Upon exiting their gunship, the Baron and his troopers were treated to a round of applause by hundreds of crew members, from the lowest midshipman to Rear Admiral James Valenta himself. Only after the last of the gunships and the corvettes that had helped carry their unexpectedly large haul arrived onboard did the opening round of festivities begin to die down, each stormtrooper and naval officer committing themselves to their tasks with twice the vigor they had before arriving on Cathar. Hundreds of large crates had been collected, with only a few chemical weapons and otherwise legally dubious equipment being screened out by the Alliance observers before they could be loaded onto gunships and corvettes. A small army of droids and handymen went to work unloading all of these crates, storing them safely inside the Austere. As quickly as it had arrived above the tree-city, the Austere left Cathar behind, its sublight engines propelling it out of the planet’s atmosphere and eventually out of its orbit.

With one last glance back at the planet that had given the Empire its first glimpse of real hope in ten years, the Austere jumped into hyperspace.

ONE WEEK LATER - ALGE, BOROSK

As usual, the capital city of Borosk was full of life.
​

A modern, sleek metropolis, Alge was home to over sixty million souls, its population surging over the past decade with loyalist refugees from the Third Imperial Civil War. The city stood proudly as one of the last bastions of Imperialism in the galaxy under the guidance of the civil-military diarchy of Moff Calkon Quennis and the Baron of Borosk. Presently, the pair were meeting on opposite ends of a desk in the former’s high-rise office, its vast windows giving superb views of the metropolis stretching as far as the eye could see.

“You have done well, Lucas.” acknowledged the Moff. “I have never seen the legion or the fleet in such quality condition or such high spirits since the pre-civil war days."

“Likewise, Calkon.” replied the Baron. “If not for your superb management of this city and planet, both the legion and fleet would have faded away long ago.”

“Pleasantries aside,” continued Moff Quennis, “I would like to hear your new assessment."

“Very well.” responded the Baron. “With the resources we have acquired from Cathar, we have been able to bring three more Star Destroyers out of mothballs and completely restock the entire army. Not just the legions, but the Imperial Army regulars too. We are as prepared as we will ever be to lay the seeds of an offensive into unclaimed Imperial space. I plan to begin a new campaign soon, one that will take advantage of our increased strength."

“It is time for the Empire to strike back."

TO BE CONTINUED​

 

[Vulpesen]

Inwardly, Vulpesen let out a sigh at the stormtrooper's acceptance of his terms, though he gave no external sign relief other than a nod of acceptance. "Scan and watch. Unless its something world ending, let them go. Facilitate and keep the peace." The words were spoken into his comlink and Vulpesen started to step back, his job as mediator done. Jonyna's clawed grasp however, immediately brought back his attention and his hand slipped beneath his cloak, fingering the activator on his lightsaber. In truth, if a fight broke out now, he wasn't sure who he'd be more tempted to neutralize first. He was far from a sympathizer for any empire. But he couldn't deny that the jedi had become the aggressor in this situation.

The peaceful resolution that transpired made Vulpesen almost sag in relief. He could feel the adrenaline pumping uselessly through his system, forcing an almost imperceptible shake into his hand and as FN-999 walked away, the Wilder was half tempted to tear into the cathar jedi, berating her for her suicidal demands. Instead, he simply took stock of the broken woman as she cried and strode towards the woods, his hand on his communicator. "Keep containment. Razor squadron, keep an eye on the surroundings."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

​

The imperials would see the members of Trident company seem to form from the trees and woods that surrounded the city. One second it was nothing but empty wilderness. The next, it was squads of tailed soldiers with a myriad of weapons at the ready. For the most part, the imperials were allowed to do what they wished so long as they kept clear of the local populace. The majority of Vulpesen's men simply walled off the operation, acting as a barrier between the imperials and the public. The sergeants who took to the work of clearing the items however, would make it clear that the act wasn't for show. Every chemical weapon and property of questionable nature would be reported to the commander of the operation. Vulpesen would be quick to nix the chemicals and as such, the imperials would leave a few crates lighter than they might have intended. But general small arms and intel would be released with only a cursory look to ensure it wasn't instructions on how to make more of such dangerous chemicals and illegal items.


All in all, the compromise had allowed Vulpesen to avoid any unneeded bloodshed on a planet who's history already had oceans of blood. Furthermore, he had prevented materials of a war criminal nature from going back to a faction who's name was famous for such evils, and finally, it allowed Vulpesen's men to catalog everything that the empire took with them. More than weapons, Vulpesen so often found that knowledge was power. Every gun would be accounted for. And while his men were careful not to stare too long in fear of provoking a fight, they had done their best to memorize as much of the documents as they could to place in later reports.


FN-999 Jonyna Si Valery Noble

 

[Valery Noble]

Cathar

​

Outfit: Operative Suit | Factory Link | Wedding Ring
Appearance: Link
Ship: Link
Weapons: Blasters | Double-Bladed Lightsaber
Tag: Jonyna Si

"Come on, let's go somewhere quieter."

Valery's tone was soft and gentle, as she crouched down to place her hands on Jonyna's shoulders. For someone who had gone through what she had, dealing with any kind of Imperial would provoke horrible memories to resurface. And she wasn't even too aware of what this Empire had done during the war. The test of their superweapon prototype was still a vivid memory — it had carved through both friend and foe, killing countless and for what?

All that was left was a broken Empire, and entire worlds left in ruin.

"Do you have a place here to go to?" She asked, before attempting to guide Jonyna back up to her feet. If she needed a hug or comfort, Valery would be there for her. But she figured that Jonyna would prefer to lean on her for support away from prying eyes, and away from this place in particular.

 

[Jonyna Si]

​

"...my house. I bought back the house I...I grew up in..." Jonyna could only choke out, "...I had some stew in the pot before they came."

Her voice was ragged, and she used Valery Noble as support to walk, not out of an inability to, but out of pure mental exhaustion. As they got away from the crowd of cathar coming out to inspect what was going on, Jonyna could sense Vulpesen 's frustration towards her. She had to make a stand, in her own mind. Her people had for so long hidden away in the jungle, terrified of what would come if they fought back. This was not a suicidal choice, but her own cultural victory. A message to her own people to let the generational scars of the Mandolorian genocide finally start healing, and for her people to stand tall on the galactic stage. She only wished more cathar had been there to see it.

AS they approached, Val could see a small cottage built into the trunk of the tree, the entire house carved more or less into the side of the tree that towered over the plains below, a mountain of bark and fiber. Most of the houses were like this, but Jonyna's had the distinction of having a mural carved above it, of what looked to be Jonyna fighting an Inquisitor, as well as another female cathar, the same one Val had seen on Ashla, Jonyna's mother. The mural was painted in natural hues, stained into the trunk probably as far back as Jonyna was from. The legend of the jedi rang through the ages, and on Cathar, it was painted into the city itself.

"...I couldn't...I couldn't just let them get away with it again." Jonyna finally spoke as they entered the house, a humble abode that opened to a decent sized living room. "After everything..."

Jonyna couldn't help but throw her arms around Val, wanting some form of security in her moment of weakness. For so long, she'd built herself up as the hero of the hour, an infallible paragon that would save the day at a moments notice. For the first time in so long, she was once again the scared kit hiding amongst the wreckage out of fear of annihillation.

 

[Vulpesen]

The empire had left, and the reports buzzing in Vulpesen's ear informed him that everything had gone well. The Zorren heaved a sigh of relief, leaning against a nearby tree as he calmed his racing heart. He was getting too old for this and he still had five millennia to go if he was lucky. "Captain, I want a docket of field reports prepared before we get off this planet. Once we've secured the contraband, tell the men they're relieved. If they want to head home they can, just leave one ship behind so I can get out of here as well."

Business handled, he strode back towards the abode where Jonyna and the Master Noble had both gone. He wasn't so bold as to enter, stopping at the door as he peered in, his ears easily catching the distressed admission that poured out from the cathar jedi. He said nothing, instead taking a deep breath to banish away the frustration that had been coiling within himself. He was no stranger to such feelings as hers. How many times had the words, "Not again" filled his thoughts? Evil filled the galaxy and needed to be stamped out. But it was a hard lesson to learn that not all problems could be destroyed with saber and blaster.

Jonyna Si Valery Noble