AUTHOR'S NOTE: This chapter contains multiple depictions of mass genocide, weapons of mass destruction, graphic violence and mutilation, and psychological torture. Reader discretion is advised.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN: SERROCCO & THE CATHAR MASSACRE (Part 3 of a lot)
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Opela followed in close step with Master Atris as the Council Member carefully transported the holocron through a series of passages leading to a vault underneath the Jedi Temple on Coruscant. The thing seemed to be screaming all of the while, as if it knew and understood their intentions to dispose of it. The whole task made Opela rather nervous. She could feel the dark side energy which radiated from the holocron. She regarded Master Atris with a concerned expression, but the Master remained focused with her gaze forward.
“What language is it speaking?” Opela asked. “I’ve never heard anything like it before….”
“It is of the ancient Sith tongue,” the Master replied. “Pray you never have to hear it again…”
“What is it saying?
“Things that I dare not repeat… Explain to me where you found this again?”
Opela shook her head. “I didn’t find it. Halin did when she was on Dxun she said…”
“Ah yes, the self-proclaimed ‘Revanchist’… She should have told us of this rather than about the Mandalorian base when she appeared before the Council… No doubt she was debating using its knowledge for herself. It wouldn’t be the first time she attempted to access knowledge that was forbidden…”
Opela was confused by the way of which Master Atris spoke of Halin. It seemed that her distaste for the woman was rooted in occurrences from even before the emergence of the Revanchist. “Master Atris, why do you despise her so?”
“I feel no such thing,” the Master replied. “Hatred is the path to the Dark Side… I merely believe that she should show more respect for the Council’s decisions and try to see their wisdom behind them rather than reacting so violently in opposition. Her actions were irresponsible and cost one young Padawan his life. I’m only glad now that you and the rest have returned so that her poor influence can harm you no longer.”
“She meant no harm in her actions. She had thought all of us to be safe. It was why she had chosen to place everyone where she did, based on their strengths… Though I’m sure she will consider placements differently in future scouting…”
Master Atris stopped, causing Opela to stop alongside her. “
Future scouting? Don’t tell me that you intend to follow her back into this war…”
“I made her a promise, Master Atris, and I intend to keep it.”
Master Atris continued walking, quickening her pace this time so that Opela practically had to jog to keep up with her.
“No! She will lead all of you astray! It is foolishness! This holocron only further proves such. Mark my words, Opela Moraf—the horrors that you will find in war are ones that no one can fully cope with—Jedi or not—without grave consequences. Continuing to follow down this path will lead you to violence, hatred, destruction, and ultimately the Dark Side. You will not return as yourself—
if you return at all!”
It was at this point that the two made it to the doors of a large vault beneath the temple.
“You are not permitted beyond this point. There are many relics of the Dark Side here that could easily corrupt a mind unprepared. That is, if you’ve not begun to be corrupted already. Reflect upon my words, Opela Moraf. For if you leave this temple and join with the Revanchist again on this crusade, you will
not remain a Jedi.”
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“Why did you come with them here?” The Revanchist asked, the irritation evident in her voice. Her arms were folded as she stood face-to-face with Talon Chan on the Deralian deep-space shuttle that Opela and Fiolli had returned upon. “Deralia needs you in case of another attack. If the Mandalorians return, it will be in much greater numbers than before.”
“Halin, they need you just as much as they need me,” Talon protested.
“I told you, I’m not Halin anymore!”
“Revanchist or not, you’re still Halin Chan. You’re still my little sister.”
“And
you’re still not listening to me. You shouldn’t be here!”
“Why are you like this? It seems like you’re avoiding me….”
“Well, if it seems like I’m avoiding you, then perhaps that’s because I am. I’ve already lost someone under my command and I don’t need you foolishly following me around and getting yourself killed while trying to deal in Jedi business.”
Talon shook his head. “You just don’t get it, do you? I’m trying to help you, Halin…”
“I don’t need your help.”
“Why do you hate me? What did I do deserve this from you?”
“I don’t hate you, I—” She stopped herself mid-sentence, swallowing hard. She understood well why the Order discouraged contact with family members. It was a strange set of emotions that surrounded Talon’s presence, and she didn’t understand them. It made her feel uncomfortable. It made it difficult to focus. The woman let out a sigh. “I don’t hate you….” She repeated, more gently this time.
Talon was no less confused about his sister’s treatment of him. He wasn’t certain whether she was trying to protect him or trying to forget him. The man sighed and reached out, placing his hands on her shoulders. “I’m just worried about your safety… Being a Jedi was never a ‘safe’ thing to begin with, but war… war is something completely different…. People aren’t willing to negotiate. Lives are lost every day. Likes are
taken every day….”
He broke off and turned from her, going to a locker there on the ship. “I wanted to bring this for you,” he said, opening the locker and pulling out something gleaming in bronze. “You’re going to need it if you end up on the front lines…”
The Revanchist looked at the thing which Talon Chan held before her. It was a suit of armor in the style of the Deralian Royal Military Guard.
“I’m not wearing that,” she said simply.
“In case you haven’t noticed, Jedi robes don’t offer the greatest protection against blaster fire…”
“That’s what a lightsaber is for. Besides, how is one supposed to move in that stuff?”
“Halin, please take it.”
“Fine. But I’m not wearing it.”
Talon rolled his eyes. “You always were stubborn, even as a kid. Just… promise me you’ll be careful out there…”
“Only if you promise to go back to Deralia.”
“I promise.”
“Then I swear to you that I will be careful not to get hit be any stray blaster fire.”
Talon chuckled. “That’s close enough I suppose… Well then, if I’m going to be getting back, I’ll need you to get off of my ship. Otherwise you’re coming back with me.”
The young woman smiled. “Goodbye, Talon. I’m sorry our meetings are so brief…”
“I’m just happy they exist at all. Given our track record before, I would say it’s quite the improvement.”
“I’ll show myself out them. Have a safe flight. May the Force be with you.”
“May the Force be with you.”
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“She didn’t seem happy,” Opela told the other Revanchists of her encounter with Master Atris upon bringing the Sith Holocron to the Jedi Temple. “She said that if we continued, we wouldn’t be Jedi any longer…”
The group was gathered about the
Stalwart Nightingale attempting to decide their next course of action. The Council had anticipated that the group would stop once they returned to Coruscant, but the Revanchists had other plans. They had a cause, and Flashpoint had only served to strengthen their resolve. There were undeniable atrocities being committed in this war, and it was up to them to put an end to them.
There were murmurs among the group at Opela’s words, but the Revanchist seemed more certain than before. Her blue grey eyes burned with a defiant determination. It had become more than just a war to help the Republic defeat the Mandalorians. It had become a war to win over the Jedi Council—to re-define what it meant to be Jedi.
“If we stop now,” the Revanchist began, “then everything we have strived for until this point will be lost. Deaths will have been in vain. Sacrifices will have been for naught. We cannot allow their fear to control our actions. You saw the way that they reacted upon our return. You heard all that they had assumed. Are we to allow their ignorance to determine who we are and what we stand for?”
“I agree with the Revanchist,” Malak said. “I say we press onward.”
“Any opposed?” the Revanchist asked. She looked around the others. There was concern clearly in many of their eyes… but no one dared to speak up. Whether it was because they agreed or because they were afraid to be thought of traitors to the cause was unknown. After all, the last mission they had gone on had been quite gruesome. It was only likely to go downhill from there.
“It is settled then. We continue as planned. Ferroh? You had mentioned you had lost contact with your people on your home planet? That Cathar was one of the first planets attacked at the beginning of the Mandalorian crusades?”
The Cathar hesitated. “Yes… The Mandalorians had never forgiven my people for defeating them in the Great Sith War… After all, the Cathar are a proud warrior race, but our planet is not within the Republic… I’m afraid that no one knows for certain what happened on-planet though. The only ones left of my people that I’ve been able to make contact with are all refugees, scattered on different worlds…”
“I see… Malak, what is the latest update on the Mandalorian front?”
“The Republic is still trying to hold the defense between The front and Taris… It looks as if Admiral Karath is planning to mount a defense at the planet Serrocco to buffer against the Mandalorian advancement.”
“Then we divide our forces,” the Revanchist said. One group will head to Serrocco to make contact with and aid the Republic military there. We will
not wait for the battle to clear and risk another ambush unprepared from leftover soldiers… The other group will follow me to Cathar to investigate what remains. If Cathar was the start of this war, perhaps we can find some clue there as to the Mandalorians’ goal and how to stop them.”
“I would like to volunteer to lead the group to Serrocco,” Opela stated. The Revanchist regarded her with confusion. Only weeks before, when they had been headed to Deralia, she had been hesitant to accept any positions of leadership… and yet now she had volunteered on her own accord?
“Why the sudden change in heart?” the Revanchist asked her.
“If we’re meeting the Republic military leaders, then you’ll need someone who can deal with the diplomatic aspects of the situation. Negotiation is a strong point of mine. If we’re acting against the Council’s orders, then it will take negotiation to convince the Republic to accept our aid.”
A small smile crept to the Revanchist’s lips. It was good to see Opela finally taking some initiative. “Very well then,
Lieutennant Moraf. I leave the Serrocco company in your care. Fiolli, Nisotsa, Tavlon and Xaset—you will join her. The rest of you are with me. Serrocco Company will take the
Williwaw and Cathar the
Nightingale. If there are any complications, you report back
immediately to your commanding officer. Do I make myself clear?”
There was a bought of ‘ayes’ from the group. Things were taking shape again. Things would be better off this time around. She could sense that much. Perhaps this would finally be the turning point for the Revanchists.
