Legacy of the Aether

[Lord_S_Gray]

Chapter 4

Soryu

“Mili!”, he placed his hands on her shoulders, he had taught almost all the Padawans in the temple and some point, and cared for them all, but he had always had a special affection for her, not only because of how he had found her and her natural connection to the force, but her bright and determined personality…even though Jedi were not meant to form such bonds, he sometime felt she was the daughter he would never have. 

“How are you, I heard about what happened on Chandrilla,”

“I’m fine master, just little scuffle,” she replied,

“Sofa says you did very well, come on let’s get something to eat to celebrate! I have a trick to show you”

They went by the main mess hall picking up some blue milk pops, Milaea’s favourite then up to one of the newly completed corner towers of the temple.  They still hadn’t really moved anyone in here yet so it was empty of even furniture.

“So,” she started as they sat watching the traffic, “What’s the trick,”

“Ah now this one,” he put his pop down and stretched out both his hands, in one was a Jawa Baby Lolly, “is one Valens showed me, from a people called the Aing-Tii in the Kathol rift,” 

Soryu’s eyes closed and his face tightened in concentration, he channelled the force as much as he could, trying to replicate artificially how naturally Valens had done it…then suddenly, a pop as the Jawa Baby vanished from his right hand and air filled the vacuum it left, then tremor in his left hand and a blow of air as it appeared there.

Her mouth was wide open as Soryu opened his eyes, sweat on his brow, it had strained him more than he thought it would.

“Whoa…did you just!,”  she exclaimed

“Teleportation…the way it works is seeing all objects as concentrations of the force…you’re just shifting one blob of the force to another place in the vast ocean of it…it’s very hard though…I don’t think it could ever have a practical use,” he loved the concept, but he had found the application near impossible, it seemed to require more energy the larger the object you moved, given what it took for him to move a small lolly he doubted anyone could do much with it.

“hmm…let me try,” 

He passed her the Jawa Baby, she tossed it into her mouth,

“There, made it vanish! Need to work on reappearing though,”

Soryu chuckled, “might take a while”

She smiled and picked up her pop, she’d only eaten half, it filled her palm easily, she stared at it intently, brows furrowed, Soryu could feel the force build up around her.  It flowed so rapidly, like with Valens, that it always took him by surprise.  Their races natural connection was enviable.  She eyed the pop then suddenly…

…poof, puff…it vanished into a vacuum and reappeared in her other hand

His eyes went almost as wide as his mouth.  She flashed him a mischievous grin,

“Think of the pranks I could play with that trick,” she licked her teleported pop.
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He sat in the caverns beneath the temple, feeling the flow of the force amongst the winds in the cavern…he had always liked it here...away from everyone else. 

There was a flow, a life…yet so many threads…so much history…he opened himself to it all, suppressing his instinct to block out the dark and focus on the light…not a dichotomy he thought recalling Valens words about the Aing-Tii…how they saw the force as a Rainbow.  The force ebbed and flowed…the lights seemed to shade into different streams, blues, greens and whites, the dark into orange, reds and browns…yes a rainbow…

His chronometer beeped…2 hours already…he would have to spend more time on this later.  He got up and hurried to the maintenance turbo lift.  He was more pressed for time these days, he had taken up most of Yoda’s classes after he had left. 

Yoda as well as six other Jedi were on a six year mission into the Unknown regions seeking to find the capital world of the Rakata Empire, lost to history.  They had been gone for three years now, the last signal had come through 6 months ago…

Soryu pressed the control to take him to the eastern tower for meditation classes with teenagers…Soryu was less worried for Yoda out in the wilds of space than he was for the Jedi left behind.  Kimar’s influence had become ever more pervasive without Yoda there to keep him in check…more and more Jedi were being sent on missions that had less to do with peace and justice and more to do with helping smooth the way for large companies or ambitious Senators…ending disputes with unions, dealing with piracy against corporate transit companies, cutting down new smuggling operations yet ignoring old ones…

The doors hissed open and he half sprinted to the room, trying to clear his head with the flow of the force as he moved.  A master with a cluttered mind teaching mediation would not be a good look!
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With Yoda gone, Soryu had taken over the majority of the younglings training, it was a lot of work, but very fulfilling, to be able to see each of these unique children develop, learn, grow, and yes at times fail.  Fortunately there was never a shortage of volunteers to help him, today he had both Sofa and Milaea assisting. 

As he watched a pair of 8 year olds slowly plod through shii-cho forms he let himself feel the flow of the force form the pair…compassionate, patient, warm…Milaea had picked up many of Sofa’s best qualities…she gently held a young togruta’s arms guiding her through a low parry…he could remember her at this age…actually he could remember them both…Sofa had been plucky and confident, Milaea worried…

By agreement with Yoda they hadn’t told her anything much about her ancestry, she was just another Jedi as far as she knew, of course she had to be told about some biological differences, but that wasn’t so uncommon.  It had been an odd discussion they had had just after Valens had been knighted, Soryu wanted her to know a little about her  parents, but Yoda had insisted it wasn’t necessary,

“If told she is her parents, enslaved then murdered were….a dark pall across her young mind it may cast,” Yoda had said. 
He couldn’t really argue with that, and Valens showed no indication he wished to tell Milaea much about her ancestry.  Valens was gone more often than not, though when they were both there he did look in on her and Sofa…he glanced over at Sofa demonstrating a double flourish....He knew his former apprentice all too well, she couldn’t hide her relationship with Valens from him…he sighed…as happy as it made her…if Kimar ever found out…

A brief flicker in the force, bright and glowing as Milaea showed a combination slash then force push….that had…no still was…her greatest battle…her ancestry, like Valens gave her enormous powers, when young he had to train her himself after she unintentionally hurt other padawans…that had cast a dark pall across her…but looking at her beaming face as the togruta copied the move perfectly he almost forgot it.

She was strong, but restrained, compassionate but wise…she was everything a Jedi should be he thought.  Kimar would not agree…but Soryu hoped, maybe just maybe, Milaea could be the one to turn the tide of the culture amongst the Jedi…lead them to realise their potential as a force for good in the galaxy…if only she didn’t hold herself back…
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The staffs cracked against each other below his waist, he turned his wrist to try and lock his opponent, but she quickly flicked out and stepped back,

“After this one…I think…no reason to delay,” Sofa said slightly puffed as she circled Soryu keeping her staff in a defensive spin.  He pivoted on the spot to remain facing her,

“You don’t think another year?” she rolled forward unexpectedly coming into a high sweep as she rose, he leaned back and parried to the left

“Ugh…why wait, she has the skills, the knowledge,”  Sofa spun to come around at him from the right, he met the attack with the centre of his staff, using the point of contact as the fulcrum he tried to sweep the ends of the staff at her, but she pushed against him to keep the distance, a good strategy to compensate for her smaller frame…it forced Soryu to use his energy coming to her over and over.

“no doubt,” he arced into a downward slash, it was true he had no doubts about Milaea’s knowledge, and her connection to the force put them all to shame

“I just don’t want you to push too hard…if you do Kimar might push her back years,”

Sofa spun, Soryus slash cut only air as she twirled to his side, he followed through his momentum from the slash into a spin to meet her face to face just in time.

“After the last mission,”  she moved back defensively, he stepped forward an launched a few probing jabs,

“…if I give her the lead on this one…”  she knocked his jabs but retreated, Soryu angled her to the wall of the sparring room,

“…and it all goes well, I don’t think they can object surely,” He made an left to right upper cut with the left end of the staff turning it quickly into a horizontal slash toward her neck, the first she dodged the second she blocked with her staffs centre,

“ha, you don’t know Kimar!” he replied, he wanted Milaea to undergo the trials just as much as Sofa, though she seemed to be in more of a hurry for some reason…Soryu just didn’t want to risk Milaea’s chances.  They kept locked, Soryu using his greater strength to try and pin her, Sofa trying to pivot out. 

“I’m sure you can put in a good word,” she dropped to her knees, his push without an opposite force caused him to unbalance and she stabbed low, half falling he lurched back to knock her jab aside just in time, then come round to tap her on the head.

“Just,” Sofa smiled rubbing where he had hit theatrically

“Tell me about it…” he agreed.
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[TheDutchman]

This should be canon as to the reason(s) that the Jedi become so intransigent and dogmatic later on.  Kimar is the perfect character to inaugurate this fundamental shift.  And now, with Yoda dealing with the Rakata (I had to look them up; your knowledge of the SW universe is encyclopaedic LSG  ), it helps to further Kimer's agendas.  This is awesome!

I am so glad to see more of Soryu and Sofa, again.  I am really invested in these characters and the legacy of the Aethans (no pun intended). 

And I had to smile at the "blue milk" reference 

Until next installment friends 

[Karmack]

Nice installment.  Soryu's recognition of the natural connection that Mili has to the force is actually kinda cute, but teaching her something like teleportation?  He seems almost recklessly niave sometimes.  As Valens analyzed it, he equates a strong connection to the Force on a natural level with a connection to the good and light.  Rather like the "noble savage" concept of our own culture.  With just as much error and danger.

I also loved the way you included the Rakata Empire and the six-year mission to find them.  Nice.  And you can certainly see the seeds of the eventual downfall of the Jedi in Kimar's "practical" application of his Order's power.  Ir reminds me a bit of the Templars evolution from protectors of pilgrims to bankers and power-brokers.

Hmm.  Inspiration? LOL  :-)

Nicely done!  Its great to see these guys again, especially Soryu.  I really like him a lot!

[Lord_S_Gray]

Nice installment.  Soryu's recognition of the natural connection that Mili has to the force is actually kinda cute, but teaching her something like teleportation?  He seems almost recklessly niave sometimes.  As Valens analyzed it, he equates a strong connection to the Force on a natural level with a connection to the good and light.  Rather like the "noble savage" concept of our own culture.  With just as much error and danger.

I also loved the way you included the Rakata Empire and the six-year mission to find them.  Nice.  And you can certainly see the seeds of the eventual downfall of the Jedi in Kimar's "practical" application of his Order's power.  Ir reminds me a bit of the Templars evolution from protectors of pilgrims to bankers and power-brokers.

Hmm.  Inspiration? LOL  :-)

Nicely done!  Its great to see these guys again, especially Soryu.  I really like him a lot!

Spot on re Soryu, he's a great Master, peerless student of the force...but a terrible strategist...then again he has no reason to see Milaea as anything other than a prodigy of a Padawan given he has basically raised her. I guess Kimar and Soryu are two visions of what they Jedi can be in tension, between then and within themselves, the Warrior Knights, or the Mystic Monks. Anyway chapter 5 will be the last 'getting up to speed' 20 years after CotA chapter before the action starts...

[Lord_S_Gray]

Chapter 5

Lyr'Ca'Njo

The room was very white and very clean…too white and clean for his liking.  It was almost a reflection of how legitimate his business dealings were…well mostly legitimate. 

“That is an interesting request…but I think we can accommodate it, there is only the matter of price to consider…for this many…we will have to analyse the samples first to determine the cost,”  Tian Wey said, blinking his large black eyes.  His low desk made the Kaminoans height and long neck even more prominent, typical tactic Lyr thought, he had seen it a hundred times negotiating for the Hutts.

“I’m sure you can provide a Razor Ball Park figure of the cost per item,” Lyr replied, he could tell when someone was trying to avoid giving a price by referring to some ‘expert’ or need to ‘investigate further’, he’d done it himself countless times.

“Well it’s difficult, the preservation method is…interesting to say the least,”

Lyr was getting annoyed, “Just give me a figure on the worst possible option,”

“Well if we had to do a full species sequencing to fill in gaps in individual members, I would say around 12 million per item.”

That was expensive…12 billion credits for all 1000…. Lyr nodded thoughtfully,

“And a mid-range estimate?”

“Around 8 million,”  8 billion far more manageable but still

“You understand this is a far smaller order, and with only 100 unique items, each replicated 10 times…well that’s not what we usually do, typically there is one or two templates and thousands of clones, we can’t achieve the economies that keep costs down…,”

Lyr understood, but his orders were specific, after all there was only so much they could manage at once. 

“We can work within that higher range, now let’s get down to details,”
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“Is it done” he asked through the holonet

“It’s done,” Lyr replied

“And the cost?”

“We’ve contracted to a maximum of 15 billion, deposit of 2 billion has been transferred already, instalments due after they are born, and again on maturity, final one five years after delivery, although we have arranged for replacements of faulty items,”

His employer nodded slightly, “and the intellectual property,”

“I’ve been assured of their confidentiality and that their records will be deleted after the process, but I don’t believe them,”

“Very well, I may have to pay them a visit afterwards,” 

Lyr shuddered at what that visit might entail…his employer was obsessed with keeping the overall scheme of his project, and the delivery location as secret as possible…The last time his employer had paid a contractor Lyr suspected of cheating them a ‘visit’…they had been running stories across the holo-news networks about the massacre and the dismemberment for weeks….How the police or Jedi hadn’t caught on yet he had no idea.

“Any other updates?” his employer inquired,

“Maynard confirms the Chiss have begun work on the second phase, proceeding at 70,000 Kilometres square per day overall.”  918 million square kilometre, ¼ done in phase one

His employer looked up for a moment doing some brief calculations ,

“less what was already done in phase one…that’s 26 years, the projections for phase three were almost double that weren’t they?”

Lyr shuffled some notes, “Yes…about 120,000 slightly under double…but its variable and could be improved if we can get the Duran Mark 3 Processors,”

“Very well…well done Lyr, give Nxi and Churi my regards,”

Lyr smiled and switched off.

He blew out a large breath…the employer was not hard to deal with, in fact they were the best employer Lyr had ever had…never violent or threatening toward Lyr…apart from the fact his nose would bleed and head would ache every time he even thought about disobeying an order…..
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The Deft Player was a beautiful ship, a luxury liner with a few enhancements, plenty of room, and best of all free.  It had belonged to a Falleen slaver who had run afoul of someone in the Republic so much they had sent a Jedi to bring him in. 

And his employer had dutifully brought the Falleen in…in pieces, the ship reported destroyed to the Jedi and given it to Lyr, all Lyr had to do was swap the atmosphere processes and replace all the furnishings…they were a horrible colour to begin with such that the blood stains left from the fight...well more like butchery…had actually improved things…his employer had a penchant for dismemberment.

He waltzed down the corridors to the main kitchen where Churi was feeding Nxi, who in turn was feeding her stuffed wampa Blibli.  Lyr was well aware that having him marry Churi was part of ‘domesticating’ him, and his daughter Nxi was an obvious hostage.  They needn’t worry, Lyr had never had it so good all things considered, nice ship, family, all the credits he could spend…the job was difficult at times, but lots of travel and no Hutts or Mandolorians…just a paranoid psychopath masquerading as a Jedi.

“Finished for the day?,” Churi asked, she was the bright and bubbly type, pale red skin and graceful lekku, and so energetic she wore him out sometimes.  She had been a slave that like the ship, had been handed to Lyr by Valens, he had asked about her rescue once early on, but she shook so violently and looked so terrified he didn’t dare press for details. 

“All done, that smells...interesting” he sniffed at the air and glanced at the boiling pot,

“Oh its Vyja…Vyga…some type of Kaminoan fish…they didn’t have much else…will we be stopping at a trade hub soon…we’re running low…oh and Nxi needs new boots”

“Nuuu Booz,” Nxi added

Churi patted Nxi and stroked her lekku, “Newww Boootttss, tttss”

“ttsssss” Nxi tried to emulate

“We can manage till we reach Denon I think…don’t especially want to stop off at Ryloth…”  They were headed back across the outer rim to the Corellian Run, then up to Corellia to arrange some automated shield generator manufacturing facilities, then down the Corellian Trade Spine to Duro for the gas processors.  After that back to…that place…her shuddered at the thought…to report in person.

“hmm alright…” she sounded resigned and served up the fish, didn’t actually taste that bad…Churi had many wonderful qualities…cooking wasn’t one of them.

As his family ate he reflected on the scene before him…he would never have guessed this was where he would end up when he was working for Myzm…or the psychotic Sevra…every moment back then his life was at risk…he had made the most of every minute, with slaves, spice…now he was almost respectable…he had been well and truly whipped…but he was…happy?

He wondered, was he happy, or was that just something he was made to feel to keep him in line…would he even be able to doubt his happiness if he were fully under his employers control…

“Paaabaaa”  Nxi interrupted his train of thought pointing at him with her spoon

“Alright,” he shifted over and took it from her, “open up the hangar bay doors here comes the Spaceship!”  perhaps all that mattered was it felt real.
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Lyr certainly did not have force…or aether as they called it…but even as he approached the vast space stations that surrounded Duro he could sense her…why did it have to be her.

He pulled into Pellezara station with Nxi on his lap as he sent through his credentials to access the port he had booked near the main corporate areas of the 40 kilometre space city.

Most Duros lived on the spaces stations around the long since over polluted planet…as a result of the need to keep them supplied the Duros used huge gas processes on their world’s surface and ferried up breathable gases to the stations.  It was these processors he had come for.

He gave Nxi to Churi before he lowered the boarding ramp, he could taste her on the air…the unrestrained hate blew like a burning wind from a wild fire.

“You all right,” Churi asked

“Oh fine…maybe just stay on the ship for now…” Churi frowned, she hated missing any opportunity to go shopping, “Just till the business side of things is finished,” he gave her and Nxi a peck on the cheek, then glanced at the lowering ramp, “It won’t take long,” he said with grim certainty.

She was standing right in front of the ramp, immaculate long dark brown hair, piercing blue eyes, a professional and no doubt expensive white and black business dress…and a smile that chilled him to the bones.

There she was…the insane pyromaniac…she was beautiful and crazy in equal measure…how his employer kept her on a leash he had no idea.

“Miss me?” she asked sweetly,

“My Lady” he bowed, “…I didn’t expect to see you here,” 

“Really, did you think we would allow you to arrange something so important on your own?” even after all these years he still didn’t really understand the ‘we’…he couldn’t work out how their little club of force powered whackos worked, her, his employer and the old man seemed to have some strange equal rank…they would argue then hug…but his main employer…Valens the ‘Jedi’ always seemed to get his own way…probably for the best, as paranoid and emotionally unstable as he was Valens was a logistical and strategic mastermind who had planned out every detail of the plan Lyr helped him implement. 

“You did on Kamino…” he replied trying not to shake

“Don’t be an idiot, I’ve been on you every step of the way…you only feel me when I want you too,” she stepped right into his personal space,

“and when we’re done with you…you are going to be feeling it very very viscerally,” 

He swallowed hard…she remembered the day he had sold her to some pervert from Commenor…and that he had organised attack on her people…and he knew one day…when he was no longer of use to them his employer would let her have at him…but any time he even contemplated running…his head suddenly pounded….

At any rate…there was no running from Them.

“Perhaps we can do the whole veiled threats thing after the negotiations….” He suggested feeling very hot all of a sudden…

“Let’s go,” just like that every bit of discomfort vanished from him as she turned to lead the way.
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Even before his current role he had been adept at negotiations, now 15 years of hard haggling had made him a master.  He could get anything for at least 25% less than the asking price…but none of that compared to a force user with no regard for other people’s sentience.

The Duros head was swaying as he signed the triplicate copy of the contract. It should’ve cost 800 million…or more…it had cost 500 million with her suggestions.  There were twenty people in the room, the three main Duro negotiators, fifteen various aides, experts and lawyers…and only he and the Lady were close to being fully conscious.

As he finished the scrawl she beamed across the table with a smile he could feel in his own heart…just more manipulation…as she no doubt relaxed her grip on their minds.

“An excellent agreement that benefits both parties, I know everything will go perfectly,” 

Of course she knew, Lyr thought, she had just hypnotised them into agreeing to eat their own legs, or other limbs for the non-bipedal species on the room, if they dared try and cheat on quality or delivery in any way shape or form. 

He suddenly imagined what a Hutt would do with powers like hers…he shuddered…

“Cold?” the pyromaniac harpy asked at his shudder as the awoken Duros and hangers on popped bottles of various intoxicants to celebrate the deal, “shall I get you something to warm you up,”

“Oh void no…” he replied to the horrific smile of Kiraea, “I’m just fine….”
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[Karmack]

Yes, be very afraid of Kiraea.  VERY afraid...

LSG, I love the way you've brought these threads together!  That's some very intricate and masterful plotting!  Lyr working for Valens is just ... karmic somehow.  And he knows that Kiraea is waiting for him.  So he works VERY hard to be valuable...

Clones.  Now THAT makes sense.  They need a viable population, that would provide it.  Beginning to see the path here...  interesting that in the end, though, they seem to be going back to the roots of the whole Aetherian "origin" with the clones.  Perhaps that goddess of yours had something to do with that?

I'm still wondering if the goddess isn't really some kind of master-computer...  LOL

Well begun!  bring on the action!  :-)

[TheDutchman]

Yes!  Lyr's back!  My favorite scum  . I kind of like that he's aware of his deliberate situation and the ramifications of it.  To paraphrase, pretend to be happy and he might have some fun by accident... Of course, I like that Kiraea is there to remind him that not all sins are so easily forgotten...or forgiven...

It's neat to be able to appreciate many of the crossover characters that you've introduced us to; especially since we're vested in them to such a degree  . Karm's right: awesome storytelling and first-class planning!

Interesting development with the Kaminoan Cloners...but it's brilliant!  But is their technology up to the task?  And why the expansive land development of the Chose?  Damn these are good mysteries  .

Oh: I like Karm's idea concerning the Goddess...

Until next installment friends 

[Lord_S_Gray]

Chapter 6

Sofa

“Anything interesting,” Sofa asked her apprentice beside her in the small Hapan jet.

“Nothing so far…a few anomalies…doesn’t look systemic” she had Milaea looking into the accounts and inventories that Cygrat Arms Manufacturing provided to the Republic as part of their oversight.  Their mission was to investigate rumours of the company smuggling of weapons outside of the Republic.

She piloted them gently through the orbital traffic to Cygrat, dead in the middle of the inner rim, it was a non-descript planet, a few large oceans, long brown plains of farm land, and dotted with cities that were home to mediocre manufacturing concerns that serviced the needs of nearby systems and little else.

She brushed a stray lock of black out of her eyes as she angled toward the large spaceport, it wasn’t exactly welcoming…like the planet it was mediocre, plain…like the mission…like her whole life it seemed….

“hmm…maybe…”Milaea mumbled to herself, she was a good student, not that Sofa had any to compare her against, very smart, and her connection to the force…sometimes Sofa almost found it terrifying.  Many times she had had to ask master Soryu for help in how to teach Milaea to channel the raw energy she possessed, in that Sofa had learned just as much as Milaea…but they had grown together over the last 10 years forming a strong bond. 

“Here, I was looking at completed products shipments, the issues isn’t there, it’s the parts, here 150,000 barrels, 150,000 stocks, 150,000 pulse converter chambers, 150,000 of every part produced each year….but…”

She glanced over as she entered the vast hangar,

“Don’t keep me in suspense….” She jibed trying to make the task more interesting

“They only officially shipped 130,000 blasters out last year….20,000 barrels and power cells just vanish….they must be sending the components somewhere else to be assembled,”

“that’s  a lot of blasters…”

“Not just blasters either…grenades, fixed emplacements…if this has been happening every year they’d be able to supply a fairly reasonable army….”

The ship landed in the much too large hangar, obviously designed for industrial freighters, with soft thud.

“Sounds like a start then, check over this ship will you” She said as she got up and stretched out and headed to the refresher. 

She washed off her hands and tied her hair back into a tight pony tail, looked more professional and didn’t get in the way if things got rough.  She looked in the mirror and checked the small amount of makeup she used, just a brush here and there…there was no explicit rule in the Jedi ordinances about it, but it was frowned upon…could lead to pride…but as she got older she used more and more. 

She sighed at the prospect of another boring mission…It just seemed so pointless, look into this, arrange a treaty here, shut down a smuggler or pirate…yet for everyone one the Jedi addressed she knew ten more took its place…they were trying to impose law and morals on a galaxy that could care less.  Milaea was just about ready for the trials…once that was done….then what…

She thought back to her last tryst with Valens as she wriggled out of her clothes, checking herself in the mirror, the training kept her toned and strong, a little lean.  She was long since over the guilt of disobeying the Jedi ordinances, she just didn’t care anymore, being with Valens satisfied her physically and emotionally and provided a welcome distraction to the monotony of pointless missions of ‘peace’.
 
She caressed her hand over her breast to her stomach…sometimes…more frequently these last few times…she would secretly hope she would find out she was pregnant…she felt so stuck amongst the Jedi, so bored…she loved Milaea like a sister, but she wanted her own family…to stop pretending to toe the line…to be open about what she wanted for herself, stuff all that “dangers of attachment” nonsense Kimar and the masters went on about.

She smiled wickedly…imagining how she could make it public…perhaps she and Valens could make love on Kimars desk…his face when he would walk in….

Perhaps, she thought, that was why for all their missions the Jedi achieved no lasting change…not because they were so few in number as they said, but because so few of the ones they had actually gave a damn about obeying their rules after the passion of new Knighthood, and the dreams of making a real difference had woken to the harsh reality of an indifferent galaxy.

She was stuck…she couldn’t leave the Jedi, it was all she knew, she couldn’t jeopardise Milaea’s future by having a rogue master.  And yet she also wouldn’t…couldn’t…give up her relationship with Valens…Once Milaea was knighted…perhaps she should ‘forget’ her contraception one day…they could go and live in Hapes….

 “Are you done yet?” Milaea called,

“Just a minute,” she replied pulling on her robe, saddened to be leaving her imagination for the dull sights of Cygrat.
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“Defects are an unfortunate reality in manufacturing Master Neirai” the unhelpful pudgy Director of Cygrat arms informed her when confronted with Milaea’s statistics

Sofa crossed her arms incredulous as Milaea pressed on “Really, 20,000 defaults…every year…like clockwork…for the last five years,” he raised his hand in a helpless gesture

“Well we round the figures to the nearest thousand…” he replied as if that made sense,  Sofa could sense Milaea was just as disbelieving as she was…in an automated factory like this there was no excuse not to have completely precise figures on items produced, and their regulatory conditions required it.

“What do you do with the defective items,” Milaea asked, over the last few years as she neared the time for her trials Sofa had encouraged her to take the lead in such situations, she still had her to fall back on, but Milaea was getting more confident in her interactions.

“Well we recycle them of course,” 

“I see,” Milaea said then quickly tapped on her datapad….

“Says here you were paid 30,000 credits last year by you’re only contracted recycler…boy that’s not much is it…let’s see 20,000 times 40 product lines….that’s 0.0375 credits per item in scrap…,”  she stared at the Director, Sofa could feel the force building in Milaea,

“You’re getting ripped off, market price for scrap is at least 10 times that, Director,” 

The pudgy man was sweating now, the office was only small over the factories conveyer belts, he had an oily stink to him and Milaea had him well stuck and sliding…Sofa would have to take a very long shower afterwards she thought absently happy to leave her apprentice to deal with this.

“Well I…” he suddenly found some kind of bravery, Sofa could feel the rise in his presence even before he spoke,
“Listen here girl, who are you to come in here and tell us how to run our business” he stood, his knuckles on the desk leering over at her
“you Jedi just waltz in here all high and mighty making all kinds of accusations, sticking your nose where it’s not wanted, now unless you have something more interesting than random facts to talk about, girl, I think we’re done here!”

His dismissive use of the word ‘girl’ annoyed Sofa more than a little, to her credit Milaea seemed unfazed.

“We’re done,” her Padawan said turning to leave, “for now”.
*********************************************************************************************
It was obvious there was something going on here, they just had to be patient.  Patience was not one of Sofas many virtues. 

With only a little help Milaea had managed to hack into the companies system and find a manifest that showed there were 200 components in excess of finished rifles and plasma mines, just sitting in a stock room.  Cross referenced with transport manifests they had found it was bound to be shipped out tonight, a week and a half after they had landed on Cygrat.  They were perched on the roof of a nearby three storey building, and Milaea had arranged with the local authorities for a sting operation. 

Again Milaea was showing when put to the task she could easily handle the daily demands a Jedi would face in the field, as soon as they got back Sofa would recommend her for the trials.  Soon she wouldn’t need Sofa…it saddened her a little, but it would free them both, and she couldn’t be prouder of her apprentice.

Three large cargo haulers slowly approached, the lights from their warning lights softly blinking against the night shrouded buildings as they approached.  Workmen got out, exchanged datapads and forms with the factory workers then started loading the crates of goods.  Sofa tensed and relaxed her muscles keeping herself prepared physically if bored mentally. 

She and Milaea had changed out of their robes in to more practical one piece suits, their hair tied back.  The intent was to follow the hover craft to their destination, arrest the recipients and hopefully get some information about the extent of their network from them. 

The cargo haulers left one by one in a line, she overheard the chatter on the comm from the police

“Targets moving, following at 500, air-wing circling,”

They approached the building they were perched upon, Milaea looked to Sofa for the signal, Sofa nodded and Milaea leapt off and landed soundlessly on the top of the first hauler.  Sofa paused then leapt onto the back of the third.  The landing was smooth and silent, the rumble of the hauler noticeable but not dangerous at this slow speed.  She kept her self-prone but doubted anyone was watching with any enthusiasm.

Her mind stayed focused on sensing the current in the force for any danger…she hoped this would lead only to the middlemen transporters and not actual soldiers

Suddenly the first hauler took a left, the second straight on, and the third carried her to the right…pretty poor attempt at deception on the ground, but shipping out on different ships would make sense. She was confident Milaea could deal with anything she encountered.

The hauler approached the far end of the space port,

“Location confirmed, Strike team moving to scout, comm silence” clicked off the police for the moment. 

She sensed it as soon as the hauler crossed into the space port, a presence alert, precise, deadly.  She couldn’t pin its location as they moved to the hangar…it was everywhere and nowhere at once….like nothing she had ever sensed before…overwhelmingly powerful, yet not like any Jedi master…ruthless yet not dark or angry…focused like a laser, yet not concentrating on any one thing.

As the hauler came to a halt a voice boomed across the hangar, made intentionally louder by the force. 

“You might as well get off now, we have you in the cross hairs,” 

Sofa concentrated…it was difficult to sense anything other than just the sheer presence of this…person…a faint trickle of danger on her back, she looked up and saw a sniper on the catwalks above.  This was not going as planned.  She tried to sense the police force but the presence was too strong to push through.  She had no choice.

She leapt down in front of the hauler.  In front of her was the loading ramp of amid sized freighter, at the top of it a man in grey chipped armour, a strange animal breaking out of a cage in yellow on the shoulder.

She swallowed hard and spoke,

“I am Master Neirai of the Jedi Order, you are surrounded and under arrest for breaches of the Republic Firearms Statutes section 4.4 through 4.9,”  she glanced around the room, she could see the dark figure of the sniper above, to the far side on a platform was another armoured male with a large repeater.  “Put down your weapons,” she adopted a conciliating tone, “we don’t need to fight,”

“You’re right Jedi, we don’t, and trust me you don’t want to…” he sighed, for all his focus and power it was as if he was bored…no resigned, “Turn around and leave, this is your only chance,” 

She was stuck…she couldn’t just walk away…but she didn’t want to risk a fight with whoever this was…she had never sensed anything like him before.  The comm crackled,

“CP, Lone sight 3, three armed targets, confirm green to move,”

No, no, no she thought, she really didn’t need this, she really, really didn’t want this

“Jedi Neirai confirm status,”
 
The man stared at her, his eyes like stone beneath dark hair. 

“CP, Lone sight 3, Jedi is compromised, eyes on target confirm green to engage,”

“No don’t” she yelled too late, as the blaster bolt sailed past she flicked her sabre to her hand and ignited it in defeat.
*********************************************************************************************

[Taegin Roan]

More great entries LSG. Cool to see Lyr again. I was just thinking that we hadn't seen anything from Jarys recently, and then I read the Sofa chapter. Seems like we might have gotten a bit of him as well.

[Karmack]

Well..   Sofa was bored.  I'm thinking she isn't anymore.  :-)
Well written and tight!  Another great entry!  I have a feeling this is about to get VERY interesting!

[TheDutchman]

Looks like Sofa has stumbled upon the Sons of Kessel and our wayward Jarys  . I wonder what he'll make of Milaea 

I like Sofa's ruminations; I wonder what that would look like: Sofa (maybe with Valens but probably not) pregnant, goes to Hapes to hide... 

Again, this is the way to present galactic policy AND make it enjoyable!  CanNOT wait for the next chapter!

Until next installment friends 

[Lord_S_Gray]

Chapter 7

Jarys

The plan had been simple, on the way back from a quick raid on a slave plantation they would pick up some weapons on Cygrat and take them back to Home Base.  But war…war never left him in peace for long.

With the speed of the aether he pivoted to the right, the bolt passing harmlessly past him plugging a searing dent in the ships inner door. 

More would’ve followed but Selaena’s deadly aim picked off the sniper outside the hangar.  This was inconvenient…it was meant to be a simple pick up, fly out…he fooled himself, every moment of his life since he had left Aethas had been war.  As the officers fell the Jedi raced toward him a blue sabre alight.

This was the second time he had seen a Jedi in the flesh…he was no more impressed now than before.  Another had briefly joined the Sons of Kessel years ago but was killed soon after, rumour was killed by another Jedi.  Jarys had only met zher once and considering the awe with which people spoke of them was disappointed…compared to an Aethan they were not especially strong in the aether…perhaps just above average. 

The danger came from their training.

Maeson surged forward as a strike team moved in behind the hauler…he left Maeson and Selaena to deal with them, he would not underestimate the Jedi.  Before she could close the distance he had his blaster pistol out and fired, the blue blade swept swiftly to deflect each back at him, just as swiftly he pivoted to avoid them.

Impressive.

She closed the distance quickly as he unsheathed his tremor sword.  Stray bolts from the police flicked past as they came upon each other, she began with an upward slash and he met it in a crackling collision with a downward cut. 

She was a competent warrior, he was a head taller and much heavier in his armour, but she kept herself fluid and balanced to avoid that becoming a disadvantage.  She moved swiftly, accurately, trying to hit at his legs or lower abdomen.  He kept the pressure on hammering at her with heavy blows, he wanted her to think he was just a talented brute. 

Then he struck, he pushed forward with an aetherhic blast that caught her off guard, she spun off to the left nearly falling off the ramp but kept her composure, stretching out her hand she delivered a blast in return. 

Bizarre, he thought, why would you signal an attack with a hand gesture, must be a trap.  The energy bounced off his aetheric reflex shielding and he dove forward into a roll, she leapt up to flip over him.  As he came up twirled in a reverse swipe to catch her landing behind him, but she quickly leapt again, forward into a kick at his head that he easily dodged. 

She was tenacious, time to step it up. He struck back with swift slashes interspersed with aetheric blasts, she countered and dodged as she pushed forward, then turned on the third level of combat, mental attacks.  He pushed into her mind, he reached a little way in before she realised the danger and closed off suddenly, the abruptness of the clamp down set him back a little, but he had gleaned enough to realise she was growing quickly fatigued…keeping up with his superior reflexes was forcing her to pull on the aether more than she was used to. 

The blasts around them were dying down, Maeson and Selaena had taken care of most of the police, Sel was watching out for any re-enforcements and finishing off the last few in cover while Maeson loaded the crates and prepped to launch….he took what he could - after this they wouldn’t be able to smuggle goods out of here anymore.

Jarys was winning all three levels of battle, his rampant blows were wearing her out physically, his aetheric blasts from all side had her defensive, and his mental attacks had forced her to lock down…odd that she didn’t seem to know how to fight back in that field.

He didn’t especially want to kill the Jedi, it was simply she was in the way…He had to find his people, they were all enslaved, the Sons of Kessel freed slaves and were helping him track his peoples possible locations, the Sons of Kessel needed weapons, he had come to pick them up, the Jedi stood in his way.  It was just the way it was. Simple.

A sudden surge of energy somewhere outside the hangar caught his attention, the Jedi used the distraction to push forward, a strike high toward his neck, he leapt and pivoted slightly so it grazed into his shoulder pad, the energy sabre cutting through the metal but not reaching flesh before his fist pounded the woman’s exposed stomach.  She retched and staggered backwards, he followed his pivot through with a back hand to her face, before she could hit the metal he kept his momentum going to spin into a kick to her chest, bones crushing as his armoured, aetherically powered shin armour smashed into her lightly clothed ribs. 

She crashed hard into the metal ramp, her shoulders and head dangling off the edge. 

“Get the ship moving,” he called out, he had no desire to stay around any longer than needed.  He pulled the Jedi’s sabre to his free hand as he stepped his heavy right boot onto her breast, squeezing down to crush her lungs and heart. He raised his tremor sword to decapitate her.

A whooshing sound and air sped across his face as he accelerated rapidly.  Crunching pain shot through from his spine and the back of his head, his vision blacked out briefly…as he opened his eyes he saw he was on the far end of the hangar sliding down the ferrocrete wall he had just been slammed into by a massive aetheric blast he hadn’t even sensed coming.

On the cat walk Selaena fired as a figure dressed like the other Jedi flipped along the railings a glowing amethyst blade in hand, batting the bolts back at Sel.  He saw two deflected shots hit Sel, the Jedi reached her, slashed the rifle in half then landed a spinning kick to her face sending Sel off her nest and into the floor with shattering force.

Maeson charged out the ship firing his repeater up, the Jedi leapt, Maeson tracked her descent, but every red bolt was sent straight back at him, one hitting his thigh another his shoulder.  As the Jedi closed Maeson attacked with an aetheric blast but it seemed to simply slide past the female figure as she landed a heavy punch to Maesons sternum, flattening him on the deck. 

All this…both his team mates knocked out before he had slid the 3 metres to the floor…This had to be the Master Jedi, he must’ve only beaten the apprentice.  He shook of the pain and charged forward, tremor sword primed.

The Jedi sensed him coming and surged to meet him.  He jumped onto the top of his ship , but she followed suit.  As they moved toward each other they fired aetheric blasts, he skidded, she flipped to avoid their mutual blows.  He clamped down mentally, he didn’t want to risk being effected by a Jedi Mind trick.  She landed blade arcing down at him as he rose with a high guard, strengthened by the aether.  Their blades clashed with sparkling fury sending shockwaves through the air. 

Closer now he noticed this Jedi was far younger than the first, an attractive, near perfect white feminine face, green eyes, golden red hair tied back in a tight pony tail.  The power streamed off of her as their blades locked and pushed…it had been a long time since he had sensed anyone this strong.  He would not toy with this Jedi.

He pivoted out of the lock and rolled, she slashed and grazed his back armour as he stood and came round with a mid-cut for his sword, a low strike with the aether.  She parried the first and mentally rebuffed the second.  Now she came at him, right-low cut, mid blast, left parry, high blast…and on it went, it took him a few blocks to realise he had no advantage in strength on her, the aether made her just as strong.

Ever dodge and feint he tried she anticipated, every clash of their blades or missed aetheric blast sent another shockwave through the hangar, the catwalks above them were swaying and creaking, heavy bolts on support beams were unscrewing of their own accord.  He drew more and more power out of him and into him, he pulled crates and police corpses to throw at her, in return she sent a cargo lifter and shipping container at him.  Yet neither of them could land a hit.  They were evenly matched…for now.

He had to end the stalemate, as she came through with a twirling high slash, he sidestepped back and raised his left hand, channelling his rage, his hate at what the filth of this galaxy had done to his people, it fuelled the lightning from his fingers effortlessly.  Taken aback she caught the energy on her blade, as she held the torrent back he ripped light fixings off with his mind and sent them at her back as she moved toward her side. 

Somehow knowing his intent she held her sabre in place, it acted like the hub of a wheel as her body spun around it to kick the fixtures away then repositioning.  She broke off the block and came at him as lighting scourged past, he cut off the flow and met her blade with a parry, then tried to blast her feet with lighting, she flipped up and over him, he spun streaming electric fire but she hand landed too far back, she seemed to be staring at the lightning stream, then suddenly emboldened charged. 

He aimed the torrent of death straight at her, the blue lines arced and surged…but then folded around her limbs, crackling around her and burning of strips of her clothing but none scorching into her skin.  She brought her blade down and he met it, his own lightning arced up her sabres length and cracked back along his arms!

The sparks started to burn into his own skin and boil the paint on his armour.  He tried to strengthen himself with the aether, to send a blast behind her, but every blast he sent she countered, every newton of force he put behind his arms she matched.  They were locked the blue lighting surrounding them.  The entire hangar was staring to come apart, the walls were cracking and leaning in, the floor split and debris lifted off the ground. 

He hadn’t seen this kind of intensity since his Grandfathers death two decades ago.  He had to work out a way to break the deadlock…she had already undermined his lightning…she would kill him.

Jedi…noble, strong, dedicated, just…he recalled the ridiculous things they cared about…compassionate he recalled.  He turned his lighting hand away to the ground, aimed straight at the other Jedi whose life force was an ever diluting drop in the ocean of the aether. 

The girl reacted immediately trying to slice off his hand with a desperate blow, it gave him his chance, pulling his hand out of the way as the tip of the amethyst sabre cut a furrow in his gauntlet, he drove a heavy knee into her chest, she flew back off the ships roof.  Suddenly it began to move, he reopened himself a little to sense Maeson below him in the cockpit, Sel a dull but stable stream of life below. 

The ramp began to rise with the ship and the older Jedi began to slide over the edge.  The younger rapidly moved to save her as she fell off.  Jarys steadied himself at the end of the ship and fired more lighting at the older one, the younger moved with unbelievable speed, the air booming as it was displaced, to shield the older with her body, the lighting arcing around them. 

“Get us out of here!” he yelled to Maeson, if he couldn’t’ hear him he could at least sense him.  Maeson hit full reverse out of the hangar as Jarys clung to the ships top, keeping up his barrage on the huddled figures of the female Jedi.  By the time they were out of the hangar and out of range he was utterly spent.

[TheDutchman]

Now THAT is how you show a titanic clash between two incredibly powerful Aethans!  Great to see Jarys again!  What a shock (for him) to meet his literal match.  This is what the movies are missing IMO: Force battles that focus on the potency of Force-users.  The only fight from the movies that comes close is Vader's curb-stomping the Rebels at the end of Rogue One.  Disney really should hire you LSG (...and Karm...and TR...hell, ALL of us  ) since we write better stories 

Once again, great job!

Until next installment friends 

[Taegin Roan]

Yes, everything that TD said. Such a great battle. I could envision every single strike, dodge and parry. Very very well written battle. And to finally see Jarys again, and going at it all out against someone else who is just as powerful, that was amazing to read. Can't wait for more.

Disney really should hire you LSG (...and Karm...and TR...hell, ALL of us  ) since we write better stories 

I really wish we had more of the community reading and responding to our stories. I want to get some constructive criticism from other members with different views of the SW universe from our own. Someone like Logos who has documented well his dislike for the new canon, and can actually back it up.

[TheDutchman]

I really wish we had more of the community reading and responding to our stories. I want to get some constructive criticism from other members with different views of the SW universe from our own. Someone like Logos who has documented well his dislike for the new canon, and can actually back it up.

I would love to see more members post their criticism/comments/original stories.  Clearly we all love SW and sharing that excitement is part of it.  But if only you, LSG, and Karm are those posting, then I'm in good company 

But think of it this way: someone besides us is reading; otherwise the post counts would remain the same