CHAPTER TWO
Toah snapped back to reality just as Jacen returned from the shuttle. Noticing his master's frozen gaze, Jacen walked up to Toah.
"Are you all right?" he asked.
"I'm fine," Toah quickly answered. "Keep looking for more...old stuff."
"There's tons of relics here, master," Jacen noted. "It would take forever to find anything worth keeping."
"True," Toah murmured. "I'll contact Coruscant to send some help..."
His voice suddenly trailed off as he slowly turned his head around. He began to feel a current in the Force as it trembled. He knew right away what it meant.
They were not alone.
"Jacen, get back to the ship," Toah told his apprentice. Before Jacen could protest, the ground began to shake, knocking the two Jedi off their feet. The holocrons and artifacts slowly rose up into the air, light and energy bursting from them. The energy soon began to combine together, forming a ghostly figure. Once the spectacle was over, the spirit of a man stood before them. With a distant, almost disembodied voice, the ghost spoke.
"Who are you? Why have you come to Ossus?"
Toah hesitated to reply, eying the spirit wearily. "My name is Toah Jarsan. My apprentice, Jacen, and I are here to clear this place so a new Jedi Temple can be built."
The spirit arched an eyebrow. "A new temple? What of the one on Coruscant?"
Toah gently bit his lower lip. "Uh, long story. Very long story."
"How long exactly?" the ghost asked. "Has Exar Kun been defeated? Are the Sith finally extinct?"
The two Jedi exchanged glances. Jacen then stared at the spectral man. "Uh...Exar Kun was killed almost four millenniums ago."
Toah saw the ghost's face fall. "I've been gone for that long?" the spirit asked. "I...I can remember the apocalypse as if it were yesterday..."
"What do you mean?" Toah asked. "And what is your name?"
The spirit raised his downcast eyes and looked straight at Toah. "My name is- or rather was- Kyun Sanar. I was one of the many Jedi Knights who fought on Ossus during the war against Exar Kun...and one of the many that fell."
"Do you know what caused...this?" Toah asked, gesturing at the ruins surrounding them.
Kyun Sanar's face became grim. "I know not how it happened, but a supernova in the Cron Cluster occurred and unleashed a shock wave that brought this once magnificent building to shambles."
A heavy silence followed, until it was broken by Jacen. "So...is it all right if we...continue our work here?"
Sanar's ghost glanced at the young Jedi. "You may...if you are indeed Jedi. But beware; many evils haunt the remnants of this world. I can not guarantee your safety."
With that, the long-deceased Jedi Knight dissolved, returning to the realm beyond death.
* * *
Han Solo had known his wife long enough to tell when she was either very upset or very angry with something. When she stormed into their apartment on Coruscant's upper levels, he knew it was the latter. And he could tell it had something to do with Chief of State Jenssar SoBilles.
"What is it this time?" Han asked as Leia briskly walked in.
She fumed angrily. "First, he got the Senate to re-elect him," she muttered to herself. "Now he wants to use an unstable weapon on an innocent planet."
"What innocent planet?" Han asked. "And how innocent are we talking here?"
Leia glanced at Han, almost as if she did not notice him, and then sighed. "All right, it's not entirely innocent. It's a former Imperial world called Bastion. The last few remnants of the Empire are residing there."
"And Chief SoBilles wants to use the weapon to wipe them out, right?" Han guessed. He leaned back in the couch he was sitting in and sighed heavily. "As much as I hate to admit it, I don't think the Empire deserves to be wiped away like that."
Leia nodded as she sat down next to Han. "I agree. A few of the senators are trying to suggest a peace treaty instead, but a majority of the Senate support the Chief's plan, including Fey'lya."
Han frowned. "So what are you going to do?"
Before Leia could answer, the golden protocol droid known as C-3PO rushed into the room, followed by his companion, R2-D2.
"Oh, Mrs. Solo!" C-3PO exclaimed. "I have an urgent message from the Senate!"
Leia quickly stood up. "What is it?" she asked.
"Chief SoBilles wants you to negotiate with the Imperial Remnants on Bastion. He has considered offering them peace if they meet his demands."
Leia glanced at Han, who rose to his feet as well. "I guess those few senators you mentioned got their voices heard," Han said. He turned and called to a nearby room, "Chewie! Get the Falcon ready!"
The Wookiee howled a reply. Leia then gave Han a small smile. "Let's hope Chief SoBilles' demands aren't as outrageous as his plans."
"What is it this time?" Han asked as Leia briskly walked in.
She fumed angrily. "First, he got the Senate to re-elect him," she muttered to herself. "Now he wants to use an unstable weapon on an innocent planet."
"What innocent planet?" Han asked. "And how innocent are we talking here?"
Leia glanced at Han, almost as if she did not notice him, and then sighed. "All right, it's not entirely innocent. It's a former Imperial world called Bastion. The last few remnants of the Empire are residing there."
"And Chief SoBilles wants to use the weapon to wipe them out, right?" Han guessed. He leaned back in the couch he was sitting in and sighed heavily. "As much as I hate to admit it, I don't think the Empire deserves to be wiped away like that."
Leia nodded as she sat down next to Han. "I agree. A few of the senators are trying to suggest a peace treaty instead, but a majority of the Senate support the Chief's plan, including Fey'lya."
Han frowned. "So what are you going to do?"
Before Leia could answer, the golden protocol droid known as C-3PO rushed into the room, followed by his companion, R2-D2.
"Oh, Mrs. Solo!" C-3PO exclaimed. "I have an urgent message from the Senate!"
Leia quickly stood up. "What is it?" she asked.
"Chief SoBilles wants you to negotiate with the Imperial Remnants on Bastion. He has considered offering them peace if they meet his demands."
Leia glanced at Han, who rose to his feet as well. "I guess those few senators you mentioned got their voices heard," Han said. He turned and called to a nearby room, "Chewie! Get the Falcon ready!"
The Wookiee howled a reply. Leia then gave Han a small smile. "Let's hope Chief SoBilles' demands aren't as outrageous as his plans."
* * *
Fourteen years had passed since the death of Darth Sidious was reported throughout the galaxy. When it reached the ears of the Crimson Empire on Krem-Zon, no one knew how to react. Should they have cheered for Palpatine's demise, even though he gave them fame and glory in his old empire? Or should they have mourned his death, even though he nearly led them to their own demises at Coruscant?
In Thrawn's opinion, the best option was to remain silent about it.
The Chiss Grand Admiral sat in his office, observing the cold, silent capital city of Karnor. Less then two days ago, the Crimson Emperor had approached him with a surprising offer: to either retire from services, or be promoted to Supreme Commander of the Imperial Army.
Thrawn had once held the rank of Supreme Commander when he led the forces of the first Galactic Empire after the battle of Endor. He was not sure if he was willing to take up the rank again. Having seen enough action in his life, Thrawn chose to retire to his home-planet of Csilla and live the last days of his life there. Today was to be his last day in the Empire.
As he stared one last time at the city of Karnor, he wondered how successful the new Emperor would prove to be. Of course, that was no longer his concern. At that moment, his comlink chimed and Thrawn turned it on, allowing the voice of Admiral Gilad Pellaeon to speak through it.
"Sir, your shuttle is awaiting you."
"Very well," Thrawn replied. "I'll be at the landing platform in twenty minutes."
As soon as the connection had ended, Thrawn suddenly felt a sense of uneasiness. He quickly looked around his room, seeing that nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. But looks could be deceiving.
Paranoia creeping up on him, Thrawn took out his blaster and calmly called out. "Is anyone there?"
No reply came. Unconvinced, Thrawn spoke again. "I do wish to leave this planet alive. If you're here to kill me, you will not succeed in that task."
"You underestimate me," a voice finally answered. "I've been trained in the ways of the Sith. I will not fail."
Thrawn smirked. "I take it you are one of Palpatine's acolytes. Did he send you to kill me before he died?"
The voice laughed. "I couldn't care less about Palpatine. No, I work for the Dark Lord Vorath."
"Never heard of him."
"You're not supposed to have." Soon, stepping out of the shadows was a dark-haired man, wielding a double-edged lightsaber. "Any last words before I end your life?" the man asked.
"I do have one last question," Thrawn said calmly. "Why does this Vorath person want me dead?"
The man smiled. "I suppose I can spare you the details. My master wants to eliminate all major figures of both the Republic and the Empire. Already have we killed Palpatine and the remaining Moffs and Grand Admirals."
"Except me," Thrawn finished. "And I take it your next target will be the Crimson Emperor, correct?"
"Precisely," the assassin answered with another smile.
"Well," Thrawn said, "I'm afraid I can not give you the satisfaction of killing me."
"Oh, don't worry," the man chuckled. "You will."
"No..." Thrawn dropped a spherical object to the floor. "I won't."
The detonator exploded, sending a force so strong, that it sent Darth Nemesis out of the window. He grabbed onto the ledge just in time and quickly leaped back into the room. When the smoke cleared, all he could find of Thrawn was the Chiss Imperial's charred rank insignia.
"Very well," Thrawn replied. "I'll be at the landing platform in twenty minutes."
As soon as the connection had ended, Thrawn suddenly felt a sense of uneasiness. He quickly looked around his room, seeing that nothing appeared to be out of the ordinary. But looks could be deceiving.
Paranoia creeping up on him, Thrawn took out his blaster and calmly called out. "Is anyone there?"
No reply came. Unconvinced, Thrawn spoke again. "I do wish to leave this planet alive. If you're here to kill me, you will not succeed in that task."
"You underestimate me," a voice finally answered. "I've been trained in the ways of the Sith. I will not fail."
Thrawn smirked. "I take it you are one of Palpatine's acolytes. Did he send you to kill me before he died?"
The voice laughed. "I couldn't care less about Palpatine. No, I work for the Dark Lord Vorath."
"Never heard of him."
"You're not supposed to have." Soon, stepping out of the shadows was a dark-haired man, wielding a double-edged lightsaber. "Any last words before I end your life?" the man asked.
"I do have one last question," Thrawn said calmly. "Why does this Vorath person want me dead?"
The man smiled. "I suppose I can spare you the details. My master wants to eliminate all major figures of both the Republic and the Empire. Already have we killed Palpatine and the remaining Moffs and Grand Admirals."
"Except me," Thrawn finished. "And I take it your next target will be the Crimson Emperor, correct?"
"Precisely," the assassin answered with another smile.
"Well," Thrawn said, "I'm afraid I can not give you the satisfaction of killing me."
"Oh, don't worry," the man chuckled. "You will."
"No..." Thrawn dropped a spherical object to the floor. "I won't."
The detonator exploded, sending a force so strong, that it sent Darth Nemesis out of the window. He grabbed onto the ledge just in time and quickly leaped back into the room. When the smoke cleared, all he could find of Thrawn was the Chiss Imperial's charred rank insignia.
*
EDITED (5/9/13): When I first wrote this chapter, I was intending to have Jenssar SoBilles be Chief of State consecutively ever since 11 ABY. I then realized long after that Palpatine did the same thing as SoBilles and had the senate extend his term, which Leia was mad about SoBilles doing in the original version. And with people like Mon Mothma and Garm Bel Iblis still around, I don't think that would be acceptable.
So, I have decided to retcon this and have it that SoBilles served a full six or eight year term (11-c.19 ABY), was succeeded by someone else (c.19-24 ABY), and was then able to be re-elected, which some people- such as Leia- frowned upon. I have since edited the dialogue accordingly.
ADDENDUM 10/28/2017 All right, here's the revised timeline of Chiefs of State (as of this chapter):
Mon Mothma: 4-12 ABY
Jenssar SoBilles: 12-20 ABY
Fyve Fanb: 20-24 ABY
Jenssar SoBilles (re-elected): 24 ABY-Incumbent
ADDENDUM 10/28/2017 All right, here's the revised timeline of Chiefs of State (as of this chapter):
Mon Mothma: 4-12 ABY
Jenssar SoBilles: 12-20 ABY
Fyve Fanb: 20-24 ABY
Jenssar SoBilles (re-elected): 24 ABY-Incumbent
No comments:
Post a Comment