Grinding Glass Into Wounds

[Qhorin Solas]

"Yavin IV," he said. "If it's no trouble, I would appreciate it if you could take me to Yavin IV." He would go there first, to the Academy where the warning could be broadcast more easily to every Jedi, given the open nature of the establishment. Afterwards, he would return to Ossus. "You don't owe me anything. I saved your life, you saved mind; that makes us even."

She offered him use of her communications systems to contact the Council, but he politely declined. "Thank you, but this is something that must be shared in person. But, I must ask, what do you mean by this dimension? Are you... are you from a different one?" Cronos had seen many things in his short life, but a transdimensional traveler? That was something new.

[member="Mayumi Kochi"]

 

[Mayumi Kochi]

Mayumi gave instructions to a crew member about where to direct the ship. She had never heard of that planet and neither had the crew member. Different name maybe. "Just go get the map we got last week and look it up, it has to be somewhere in this galaxy," she whispered harshly before turning back to [member="Cronos Aegir"]. Everything was under control.

There was hesitation to answer his question. No one besides her, her crew, and the people she had tortured for information knew that they were from somewhere else. "About a month ago my ship went through some kind of crack in time and space. We ended up here, where everything is the same but different. We tried to go back but we can't. The crack closed and now we are stuck here. That's why no one knows who I am and why I have technology you won't recognize," she explained fiddling with the sliver band on her wrist. "It's also why I have been capturing sith, I was hoping they could get us back."

 

[Qhorin Solas]

"Hmm." Cronos took on a thoughtful expression, rubbing at his hairless chin with his thumb. "I'm no astrophysicist," he began, "but I would imagine that a rip in the time and space continuum would be a rather volatile place. Even with a ship like this, surviving the trip..." he shook his head as he trailed off, taking to pacing around the room, rolling his shoulders and neck as if preparing for another fight.

"Either you are extremely lucky, or very blessed. Either way," and he stopped in front of her, held out a hand to shake, "I'm glad to have met you, in spite of the extreme circumstances. I must warn you against kidnapping Sith; the ones who could possibly tear the fabric between dimensions would never allow themselves to be captured. That sort of power..."

"What do you plan to do now? The galaxy is a large place, with various factions constantly warring against one another, vying for territory. This Empire you spoke of... was it the only faction in your galaxy?"


[member="Mayumi Kochi"]

 

[Mayumi Kochi]

"To be honest, I'm assuming we came through a crack in space and time. It seemed like we almost just appeared here. Which really sucked because we were being fired upon almost instantly. At first I thought it was the Empire but from what you just said it seems like the Empire isn't a thing here," she said watching [member="Cronos Aegir"] pace. This guy was either unable to sit still or just hyper-vigilant.

If it was true that the Empire did not exist here or just had met its demise long ago then it would be almost impossible to get parts for the ship. They were still damaged from being attacked upon arrival and it would still be a couple weeks before they were back at normal functions. The ship would need modifications. "I've dealt with some pretty nasty Sith in my day," she said thinking back to Koga and Maud. Thinking of the two of them sent a shiver through her spine. Her last encounter with Maud had left her with a few scars.

"But don't worry, I know that I can't get back to my own dimension. I am stuck here." She had been a queen and now she was going to most likely die in a place that didn't know her name. "There were a lot of factions where I came from and I was very important. Almost everyone knew who I was. As for what I plan to do now, I still haven't decided." That was a flat out lie. She was going to be pirate queen again, no matter what she had to do.

Her bracelet made a chiming sound and then a voice came through it relaying a message. "Oh good, we found the planet you are talking about. We should be there in a click. Now follow me and I'll take you to the bridge."

 

[Qhorin Solas]

"Not the Empire, no. It isn't a thing here."

The Jedi could sense a hint of duplicity in her words, but didn't press. Her future plans were no business of his. "Lead the way," he said, following her to the bridge. The last time he'd been on a Star Destroyer had been when the Atrisian Empire's fleet had fallen upon Csilla to defend it against the Klaxxi invasion. The sheer size of them still inspired admiration inside of him.

"There is an Empire," he explained as they walked. The corridors were long, some narrow, some wide, and there were people everywhere. "Several, in fact. The One Sith, the Primeval, the Imperial Remnant. There were others before them, who fell or were subsumed into greater factions. War is a constant thing here. Constant."

[member="Mayumi Kochi"]

 

[Mayumi Kochi]

"No wonder everyone seems really violent here," she said mostly to herself. It was normal for her to be the most violent person in the room but this new dimension was making her seem tame.

They made it to the bridge which was a massive room with viewport covering the whole one side. Upon entering the crew inside stood at attention. A large hologram of the galaxy was projected in the middle of the room. It was lucky that they had been able to get a hold of an accurate map or else they would be lost.

Walking forward she addressed [member="Cronos Aegir"]. "I would appreciate if you kept your knowledge of me to yourself. A Jedi council won't think much of a pirate but I am aware that my ship and the size of my crew would raise an alarm. I can assure you that I don't intend on raiding backwater villages and blowing up stars. I have an agenda, I won't lie. But it has nothing to do with owning the galaxy or controlling the masses. I want to control the pirates and only the pirates. I could care less about factions and war."

 

[Qhorin Solas]

Cronos nodded. "You have my word. If anyone hears about you, it won't be from me." He studied the holographic galactic map suspended above the console in the center of the room.

"A word of caution, though, if I may: you profess to not care about factions or wars -- if you collect enough followers, the factions of the galaxy won't care for your neutrality. If they feel threatened, they will attack. You have a star destroyer, but it is a single star destroyer." He paused, eyes flickering back to Mayumi. "Just... be careful."

He studied the controls for the map, then started highlighting groups of sectors and systems according to the faction that controlled them. An ember of anger flared to life when he saw just how vast the One Sith was becoming. "These are all the major factions." He highlighted more areas, each a fraction of the size of the major groupings. "And these are the minor factions. Learn them. Befriend them, if you can. But be wary. Always."

He stepped away from the console. The jungle moon Yavin IV loomed beyond the viewport, lush and green and rich in the Force. "Thanks again," he said, after turning to Mayumi.


[member="Mayumi Kochi"]

 

[Mayumi Kochi]

"I'm always careful," she said looking at the map. This was a start. She would befriend the as many factions as she could and those she couldn't she would stay out of their way. For now anyway.

"Thank you [member="Cronos Aegir"]. I have a feeling this won't be the last time we see each other," she smiled and let her mind begin formulating plans for her future.


Fin