Chapter 27 - Fallout
Part One: New Dawns
The sun rose over a different planet.
M’Tzigon was still there, the physical accumulation of mostly silicon and iron that spun about a distant yellow sun, but the essence of the world that woke on S'Kar'Yom morning to blood spattered snow and the scent of smoke was indelibly changed.
They had escaped the wrath of the Empire and the desolation caused by the Clone Wars before that: for some it seemed fate had finally caught up to them. For others fate had been
summoned to them ... by Mak’tor meddling where they didn't belong.
Militarily losses were relatively few, apart from the
Requiem's initial assault and the losses on Lunar 3. General Cliff’s strategy of holding back his forces and using the Mark IV droids to spearhead the ground and orbital battle had worked: of 80 droids deployed, 48 had been destroyed beyond repair, but they had eliminated over 3000 Alliance troops, two corvettes and dozens of Imperial mech units at the spaceport and power plants.
In the cold logic of post-engagement analysis they were a resounding success. Cliff’s sole regret was not being able to afford a full legion of them.
The
Hornet and other M’Tzigon fleet elements tracked the
Elinga, the Rebel Command Ship, to the edge of a nearby empty system. There they found a confused Commander Gingal, who had finally re-established contact with Alliance command only to discover that they had never heard of a "Jedi Master Gaetana", nor the "Mad Singer Ka’Ah’Re’Mack".
When hailed, Gingal agreed to parlay with the M'Tzigon forces and a negotiating party was dispatched. When they met the Rebel command team Knight Da'Ne'Mass instantly felt the back-wash of Mendax' mind control from all of the senior officers, exactly as the Gray Singers had reported feeling from the Captain Nyder, commander of the surrendered
Requiem, though in her case the intensity was far greater and her withdrawl systems left her struggling just to piece together coherent thought while Commander Gingal and his officers were simply deeply confused and disoriented.
With Captain Nyder incapacitated, Lieutenant Regann Nordas of the Imperial contingent was instrumental in ensuring a smooth surrender of the
Requiem and the few Imperial forces still holed out up after an aborted assault on Lunar 4 that had gone unnoticed – he had surrendered to Mendax and Gingal to save his men once and was not too proud to surrender once more to save the lives of his remaining forces and prevent their dying in another pointless battle.
Of the invading fleet only one ship was not found by the Jokers as they sought to track down the location of all ships involved in the orbital battle.
Zearics Bane, Mendax' Raider 2 Corvette had simply dissappeared. Adding to the mystery, it's small crew was found in an airlock on Lunar base 5. No one knew how they got there or what had become of their ship. Even under Jaim’s interrogation their memories were simply ... not there.
Across the ruin of the Temple the Men-At-Arms began clearing up the bodies and debris as best they could. Many of the residents of the Temple Precinct approached the area, attempting to volunteer, but were kept behind the hastily erected barricades while the scene was examined.
Among the prefab tents set up around the ruin of the Temple was a M.A.S.H. unit filled with the injured Knights of the Mak’tor, emotions shattered along with their bodies. They had won the battle; defeated the dark-siders; the Master of Song had destroyed Mendax and prevented a thought bomb from desolating the planet...
Yet none had ever felt so defeated.
Their Kage was dead. The Master of Blades and Master of Balance were on life support. All had been cut down by one man - a man that General Cliff had then
apologized to for the Kage's attempt to arrest him.
The Death of Silman Lo and a dozen other Mak'Tor was emblematic of the split between the Military and the Knights. Silman had refused to follow Cliff's demands and pull back from the Temple; Cliff had refused to hold back the Droids despite their lack of friend-foe identifiers; Silman had refused to accept the Dark Warriors credentials issued by General Cliff; General Cliff refused to censure the Dark Warrior or his employers for destroying the Kage and instead blamed Silman for the whole disaster.
They were talking past each other now, Knights and Officers convinced of their own right and the others wrong:
“The Knights disobeyed a direct order to get out of the way of the droids,”
“Cliff refused to listen to the Kage because he hates Karmack”
“Karmack Brought Mendax here, the blood is on his hands! Cliff saved hundreds of lives by using the droids!”
“He threw untested, out of control machines into the battlefield and let that Murderer just walk away! Silmans blood was still on his fists...”
As his body slowly repaired Karmack heard the whispers and felt the staring eyes upon him. The attention from his fellow Knights was split; the attetion from the Sword of Light Commandos securing the site far more hostile. Cliff had deployed the Sword of Light to patrol the Temple and provide security for the convalescing Knights – and also (he suspected) to keep a close eye on them.
"Take what you want and pay for it” Zearic’s phrase rumbled in his head triggering ugly recriminations on how he might’ve stopped all this. The unexpected meeting on Geonosis, the chance to end Mendax by doing a deal across Time and Space. He had refused ... and M’Tzigon had paid the price.
Guilt twisted the knife in his gut. Oh he could see that Mendax' actions were not his responsibility. The blood was on her hands ... but if he accepted that position so too did he have to wash her revivers of responsibility. If he was not accountable for the terror Mendax wrought even after refusing to stop her how could he hold them responsible for it after they healed her?
No! There was a difference! They actively assisted a mad woman, I only refused to murder one...Karmack shook off the guilt. They were the ones who enabled all this, they who killed Silman, they who let crazed droids loose on the Knights, all so
they could learn how the Ancient One worked. They... The Dark ones... "Black Armour"s... Nameless and vile... An evil worse than Mendax!
“Take what you want and make others pay for it.” That was their creed, they took everything and risked nothing in return...
The energies of the Ancient One caressed his mind as he gripped his sabre tightly beneath the flimsy medical sheets.
No. He would never allow them to have it.
<<<<>>>>
Council of Maenowans
“Let us keep a moment of silence for those fallen,” Ju’Lus began the convocation of Maenowans sombrely.
The silence that followed seemed to echo off the walls of the meeting chamber deep in the Mountain, the empty space on the carved list of Kage’s on the far wall where Silman’s name was yet to be entered another speechless reminder of their losses.
After what felt like and eternity it was broken by Ju’Lus quiet but firm voice. “I call this convocation to order.” A light tap of the ceremonial gavel and the proceeding began with the surviving 15 Maenowans on planet in attendance seated around the large round table, carefully etched with scroll work and verses from the Book of the Way exhorting wisdom but also temperance, and above all a reminder of the heavy responsibility all leaders had. “My friends, our first order of business must be the election of a new ...”
“A moment Master. I believe it is important that we assembled understand the nature of the threat that we now face. A moment to explain, if I may?” Karmack interrupted, ignoring the sets of eyes that now bored into him from around the table.
Ju'Lus scanned the room, but then sighed in resignation. “Very well. Master Karmack has the floor.” Ju’Lus sat, yielding despite a number of indignant expressions.
Karmack nodded his thanks and turned to face his peers. "Fellow Masters ... Friends ... The dark singer Mendax has been defeated but I fear there is a far greater and more dangerous enemy at work. Our Kage gave his very life standing against them - the black-armored warriors, the Dark ones even now inflitrating our very world and society."
The murmurs were stifled but they were there Chillum noted.
"Kage Lo stood because he knew the truth: These beings have no respect of life, no regard for the Way or the Song. They seek only power, to what end I know not. When I went to Commenor they approached me desiring a copy of the Ancient One. They promised great things in exchange for it's knowledge and wisdom but refused to share what their purpose for it would be. When I refused to allow them access to it they offered threat. It was shortly thereafter that I encountered Mendax on Vyth, not only impossibly alive but renewed and strengthend and in possession of a device which enveloped her in a force-null field. She used it to attack me with a thought bomb in the caverns of Vyth, which I barely survived with the aid of the Ancient One."
“cccggh…nerfshell…” someone coughed not subtly
"Unable to believe even my own eyes," Karmack continued evenly, "I sought out Mendax' grave on Geonosis. Using songs taught to me by Master Odjina, I was able to enter a flow walk and observed these Dark Ones rescue Mendax months ago, intent on setting her loose with no regard as to the consequnces. When I spoke with one of them, and he offered..."
Across from Karmack, Maenoan Ra’Qe’Nell groaned and buried her face in her hands in utter disbelief at this insane story of dead women rising, time travel, and thought bombs. Du'An Chillum kept his face neutral. Next to him Maenowan Telow'Na Jackson radiated only anger, her own experience with the "Dark Ones" and their drones clearly influencing her to agree with him, despite the incredible nature of his story. She glared at Master Do'Ran, who again coughed loudly into his hand to cover another rude exclamation.
Karmack again brushed off the interruption. “...he offered to destroy Mendax in my time in exchange, again, for the Ancient One. This confirmed to me that my refusal on Commenor was the trigger that led them to unleash Mendax on us, as well as reinforcing my conviction that it is imperetive that we keep such power from these ... these creatures..." Karmack's voice broke and he closed his eyes briefly as the image of his Kage ... his
friend ... shining like a beacon in the Force...
...only to be destroyed, the light extinguished by that Oblivion-clad Monster.
Karmack cleared his throat and continued. "These ... creatures ... have no morality beyond their own desires. They defy the very laws of physics and nature itself, as if they no longer apply to them. They ripped my son's memories from him, twist time as if it is their personal playground, revive the dead with no regard for the natural order of life, offer artifacts of tremendous and sickening power such as these null collars, the Mark IV drones, even the Tenebris Pugione, which are beyond our ability to understand. Under the guise of helping and healing they resurrect twisted and evil sentients like Mendax and turn good, decent men like Zearic Vih'Torr into helpless patsies. They seek out the most powerful force relics they can find, such as the Ancient One and the Holocron of Soryu...
Another sigh of incredulity, stronger this time, rippled around the table.
"...and employing the most vile of agents – Nimmin Cha not the least of which I’ve no doubt. These dark creatures will stop at nothing to obtain what they desire. They ALREADY control vast armies of advanced droids and create wars simply to test them! I believe it is no exaggeration to say these beings are worse than the Inquisition! They are more powerful individually and have far more advanced weapons and knowledge of the Force than ANY inquisitor. Arguably better knowledge of both force and Song than we do, and they seek to constantly and rapaciously expand it under the guise of ‘self defense’.”
As Karmack paused he glanced around the table. Half the gathered Maenowans looked at him as if he were a poor comedian. Of the other half a few nodded with firm gazes of confidence, but most seemed uncertain or simply unmoved. To his sadness even Chillum seemed lukewarm.
Karmack made one last attempt, leaning on the table, his voice filled with urgency. “My friends, make no mistake: This is a greater threat than the Empire ever was to us. I would gladly trade these enemies for the return of Vader and Palpatine! We need to arm and prepare for their next move, but as a start they
must be expelled from M’tzigon, by force if necessary, their droids melted to scrap and every shred of their "oblivion" based technology eradicated! We must call on the Vhal’dan and the Templars, to warn them and form an alliance against these ...”
“Oh for frells sake, is this going to go on any longer?” Ra’qel finally complained out loud. “It’s like a campaign speech for President of the Crazy Conspiracy Society! You talk as if these people were an army of Revan’s, or Black Rikards, or mythical Aetharians! They’re just men and so are you!” her finger jabbing at Karmack with each word “Even with your fancy crystal...”
“Enough!” Ju’lus interrupted. His voice, normally soft, crackled with the authority of his age and position. “Master Mack do you have anything further to add?”
Karmack sighed
Yes, much, but it seems the Masters of the Mak'Tor wish to bury their heads in the sand rather than listen... he thought, but bit off the bitter reply. "No, Master Ju'Lus. I yield." he said instead, taking his seat again.
“Very good. In that case, assuming no one has anything additional to add, we will proceed with the discussion of the election of a new Kage. To that end I have recalled a number of other Maenowans who should be arriving over the next few days...”
Karmack sat, his mind cataloging the discussion as it progressed but his attention was on other things, while next to him Du'An Chillum mused over Ra'Qel's statement.
Aetharians... Chillum rolled the name of ancient myth around in his head.
Now there's an ancient and obscure myth! I doubt even Karm knows about that one. Aetharians .... and something Zearic had mentioned a few months back ... [i/] He would need to dust off some old tomes, but maybe, just maybe there would be something to give them a clue as to who these creatures were. 
