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May The Invisible Hand Be With You - (Star Wars CK2-Style Quest)

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Teron said:
BLACK TEA! BLACK TEA! VERY HOT WITH LOTS OF SUGAR! THAT IS THE BEST POSSIBLE TEA! NOT WHATEVER YOU HAVE BEEN DRINKING!

UNCIVILIZED BRUTES, THE WHOLE LOT OF YOU! *TEA SIPPING LIKE A GOD DAMN GENTLEMAN INTENSIFIES*
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Black tea? Approved. Sugar in tea? Likewise. But does it compare favourably to coffee? Not even close.
 
And now a unifying statement: I like both - black tea and coffee. But, please, not that flavored liquid some people also call 'tea'.
 
I prefer water. Maybe add an ice cube or two if I'm feeling adventurous. Slightly more on topic, did HK-47 ever get his memory wiped between KOTOR and now? Probably easier to just ask instead of trolling through the wiki. Mostly because a Word doc is acceptable in class. Wookipedia is more likely to get me busted.
 
Teron said:
BLACK TEA! BLACK TEA! VERY HOT WITH LOTS OF SUGAR! THAT IS THE BEST POSSIBLE TEA! NOT WHATEVER YOU HAVE BEEN DRINKING!

UNCIVILIZED BRUTES, THE WHOLE LOT OF YOU! *TEA SIPPING LIKE A GOD DAMN GENTLEMAN INTENSIFIES*
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I say it is you who are uncivilised. Tea without milk!? What colonial drivel have you been subscribing to?

I meanwhile am going to drink my mocha, made with fine coco power with a splash of REAL coffee.

Panory said:
I prefer water. Maybe add an ice cube or two if I'm feeling adventurous. Slightly more on topic, did HK-47 ever get his memory wiped between KOTOR and now? Probably easier to just ask instead of trolling through the wiki. Mostly because a Word doc is acceptable in class. Wookipedia is more likely to get me busted.
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It was certainly damaged, considering he can recall the Foundry and the events of KOTOR, but not all of the details. I think over the years he of had many a good shot to the memory banks.
 
Dark as Silver said:
I'm sure its not the case but to me this reads like you're trying to make the thread do your homework.
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Not literally. My professors aren't cool enough to assign essays on Star Wars lore. Just figured I'd write an omake during a lower level course I'm stuck in for a while, the premise of which depends on HK-47 remembering certain things. Like I said, no professor is going to get suspicious when they see a Word document open on my laptop, but pictures of droids and blasters on the wiki might raise some eyebrows and lower some grades.

Whumbly said:
It was certainly damaged, considering he can recall the Foundry and the events of KOTOR, but not all of the details. I think over the years he of had many a good shot to the memory banks.
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Thanks.
 
Panory said:
Not literally. My professors aren't cool enough to assign essays on Star Wars lore. Just figured I'd write an omake during a lower level course I'm stuck in for a while, the premise of which depends on HK-47 remembering certain things. Like I said, no professor is going to get suspicious when they see a Word document open on my laptop, but pictures of droids and blasters on the wiki might raise some eyebrows and lower some grades.
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:p Tell them you're considering swapping to a degree in engineering.
 
Temple Bombing Achievements (Work in Progress)

Decades of Decay: Solve the Temple Bombing.
We're Sanitation Workers: Solve the Temple Bombing without the Jedi Council and Palpatine realising that Ciaran helped.
Guardian Demons: Abyssalkers protect Ahsoka and defeat the Dark Acolytes without taking a single casualty or alerting anyone to who they really are.

Meta-Achievement

You can't stop the Omake Train: Overwhelm the GM with two turns worth of omake bonuses.

New Vault Item

Padawan Braid, Donated by Ahsoka Tano to Thrawn

*This wasn't the work of a single man, but the systematic failure of many to realise that there was a problem. There has always been Jedi who have struggled with the balancing of serving the Republic and serving the Jedi Code. Bulq didn't create the situation, he exploited the doubts and fears that were already there and the war made the situation worse as Jedi Council failed to realise that not all wounds are physical... plus I found this nice haunting soundtrack for the aftermath of the Sentinel-Fallen Jedi fight.



**It's a reference to SWTOR's Imperial Intelligence: we're sanitation workers. We clean up after the military and the Sith and do the jobs no one else will. It isn't glamorous work, but without us the Empire falls apart.

It resonated with me that if you changed two words (Sith to Jedi, Empire to Republic) it would be a valid description for the Abyss Watchers.

***A play on Guardian Angels, since our Abysswalkers aren't exactly heroes.

****More of statement by participants than anything else.

*****I don't know if Ahsoka is going to leave the Jedi Order or not (thankfully the Jedi Council never got to the point where expelling her from the Jedi Order was an option), but her skill in evading two Jedi Council Members and all of Coruscant's military authority is likely to get her knighted.
 
I haven't caught up yet (still like 100 pages behind), But!

Has Doctor Reaper (Dr. Death?) figured out a modification of Blazing Chains and Matukai stuff to manifest a pair of literal wings of fire?

Because between the symbol for Matukai being a pair of wings, the name he earned "Angel of Death", and because it's both cool and original (I think)...I would be surprised if he hasn't.

Also, you know, it gives him some more maneuverability.
 
Sure it is!

Between his knowledge of biology, fire, Blazing Chains, and Force shenanigans he could totally do it.

Well, it might take him a little while to pull it together, and it'll probably take some focus at first, but he could probably figure it out soon enough.
 
Just make him a Terminator body.

Living flesh and blood and bone, and brain, but with a (force-cunductive) metal skeleton and stuff.

So once he's in the body, he can also link himself to the robot bits within, giving him a mobile platform if he's ever killed again.
 
far as i know thats not really a thing!
unless we can build a guri like bot and stuff him in there?

but as far as i remember those where very very rare and not a thing yet
 
Ridiculously Average Guy said:
I haven't caught up yet (still like 100 pages behind), But!

Has Doctor Reaper (Dr. Death?) figured out a modification of Blazing Chains and Matukai stuff to manifest a pair of literal wings of fire?

Because between the symbol for Matukai being a pair of wings, the name he earned "Angel of Death", and because it's both cool and original (I think)...I would be surprised if he hasn't.

Also, you know, it gives him some more maneuverability.
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I think that hilariously, horrifically failing at this at the Home could be a fun omake. "So...you burned yourself and your room and three other rooms near you including one housing a Watcher before the fire suppression system finally got a handle on it. How the hell did that happen?"

"Well, I didn't want to give up the first time I tried manipulating fire."

"Consider this your conscience speaking: give it up."

Redhead222 said:
far as i know thats not really a thing!
unless we can build a guri like bot and stuff him in there?

but as far as i remember those where very very rare and not a thing yet
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Human replica droid
Entechment
Technology approximately a generation away.
 
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The Gutter Apprentice| The Invisible Hand | The Empress


The apprentice bound her saber to her rival's locking his into a position that allowed her Master to strike at his head. The red blade lanced angrily past her left cheek, its hum in her ear changed to a woosh as the blade found its mark and retreated.

Her rival growled in pain, its sound almost inhuman despite its owner being so. He withdrew again, his anger roiled around him, its presence a stain on the force, one that she used to strengthen herself.

'Dear I don't understand why you won't just give up, we have you bested. We've undone everything you've worked for,' she laughed mockingly, thrusting her lightsaber forwards at her rival's chest.

He parried the thrust and blocked the cut that followed it then with malice spat out, 'I will not be taunted by one such as you! You are nothing more than a child!' The last word was timed with a blow that knocked her guard upwards and was followed by a slash downwards that would've carved her from chest to hip and taken an arm on the way if it had not been stopped by her master's blade.

He retreated again dodging the downward cut she made, his glare now directed to her master, 'And you! So pathetic and cowardly, you knew you couldn't defeat me so you enlisted the help of some Coruscanti gutter whelp. How long have you been planning this, how long have you known you couldn't best me alone!'

'Remember what I taught you Sidious, anyone who enters into a fair fight has made a serious error in judgement. I would be a fool to not heed my own words.' He shadowed his apprentice's movements as she pressed the attack again, preparing to step in should he need to. He could feel the enjoyment she felt through the force, he'd known her long enough that it wasn't enjoyment of the battle that was the cause but the schadenfreude of the entire situation. There was no doubt that Sidious felt it too. 'And I could not let you jeopardise my work with your inevitable betrayal.'

Sidious growled. He blocked the apprentice's low cut before sending both her and Plagueis flying backwards with a force push.

'Your pursuits are irrational. We could have ended the Jedi together "master" but you would jeopardise millennia of work over the pursuit of immortality, that could have been done after we had wiped out the Jedi,' Sidious seemed content to rant as master and apprentice brought themselves to their feet, 'I should have moved quicker, this is nothing more than foolishness!'

Sidious drew a second lightsaber from seemingly nowhere and ignited it, he moved immediately towards Plagueis' apprentice and she reignited her lightsaber and adopted a defensive stance. The fifty feet she had between her and Sidious disappeared rapidly, a precarious position for even the best of swordsmen Plagueis knew. He drew his lightsaber and rushed to join the fray, to prevent Sidious from defeating them in detail.

The apprentice's and Sidious's lightsabers clashed in a fevered and rapid dervish of blows, each more intense than the last. The apprentice's enjoyment gave way to panic yet her stance, guard and blows were stoic, her saber retreated towards her, conserving energy and becoming a thin wall that stood between her and death.

Plagueis joined the dance with heavy blows to drive Sidious away from his apprentice. She joined him on the offensive after a brief respite yet her cuts and thrusts would be parried easily by Sidious's second blade, their blows would continue to drive Sidious back, however.

'You protect her, yet we both know she is unworthy of being Sith,' Sidious exclaimed as he burst quickly onto the offensive and sent the apprentices blade flying across the room. Plagueis pushed his apprentice out of the way of the follow-up blow with the force before placing himself in-between her and Sidious. He remained silent.

'Don't worry dear, I know this better than you,' the apprentice exclaimed with an odd glee as she called her lightsaber to her with the force, 'I don't even have a Darth title, I wonder what I'll be called? I hope it's something like Darth Ridiculous, it seems my master isn't that inventive with his names, I may have to come up with my own.'

'Don't mock me, child, death is too good for you,' Sidious shifted himself to the defensive again, 'Once I've killed my errant master I'll make you suffer. And then find uses for you, there will be no mercy.'

Plagueis withdrew from his attack to let his apprentice join him at his side, 'I cannot be goaded Sheev. I'm not some simpering Senator with an ego as fragile as their spine.'

'Sheev! Pfft haha!' Plagueis's apprentice cackled from his side, the dark side coiled around her like a viper preparing to strike before she seemed to disappear from the force completely, 'Master this is just too good. With a name like that…' she cackled again, 'Can we end him now master this is just pitiful.'

Palpatine didn't give them a chance as he launched another offensive involving wide slashes which pushed master and apprentice apart. Plagueis went on the defensive, he redirected Sidious's blows wide and off path to slow his offensive down. His apprentice, however, went on the attack which caught Palpatine off guard, cuts and thrusts which had been easily deflected before were barely repulsed. Palpatine looked for a way out from the blows of the apprentice and intensified his attacks against his former master which resulted in a queer dance of blades, a chain of offence and defence.

The apprentice bound the blade in Sidious's right hand before she redirected it across his body with a strength that belied her frame. Sidious's left-hand blade suddenly away from him and the right-hand blade still bound to the apprentices Plagueis took the opportunity and cleaved off Palpatine's right hand with an upward slash.

Palpatine let off a howl of pain yet acted with speed. He sent out a telekinetic push with his right stump which threw Plagueis back some ways across the room into a wall with a solid thump. Palpatine's left-hand blade came around with force assisted savagery nocking the apprentice's blade to the ground which it cut through before it was knocked high by a reverse grip slash which left her exposed. Blue lightning erupted from Palpatine's hand and stump which coursed through the apprentice's open guard and into her body, his pain became hers and she shrieked.

The force of the lightning sent her flying to the opposite side of the room, the pain blinding, her shrieks deafening. Sidious advanced with speed towards her as he continued his barrage of lightning, cackled as the apprentice once had and exclaimed, 'Now you see what you have wrought, this is but an inkling of the pain you shall experience girl and only at the end will you truly understand the depth of your mistake!'

The dark lord's unrelenting stream of lightning continued its assault upon the apprentice, her shrieks and screams now groans and sobs. The overwhelming pain made seconds feel like hours, the distance between her and her master miles.

Her presence in the force was restored seemingly ripped from the abyss it was hidden in yet its flicker was faint.

The dark lord however relented in his barrage and ignited his lightsaber to defend a blow from up high as Plagueis had recovered and hurled himself at Sidious. They traded blows, the offensive and defensive. Palpatine's pain seemed to fuel him.

'You've little to say, "my master", are you afraid?' he gloated, 'You will lose and I will rebuild. The Sith shall forget your name.' The saber fight became a game of binds and deflections with no clear leader in ability.

'You should feel no pride in downing my apprentice Sidious, she is nothing compared to us' he said, renewing his attack in wild, angry, aggressive but controlled blows that left no room for defence, 'Yet the force showed me a vision, she is the key to me surviving you! She is my insurance against your machinations!'

'You're more fool than you know, the gutter rat shall know only pain once I'm done with you,' his defence did not waver as Plagueis drove him back, he prepared himself to move on the offensive and gathered the force around him, 'Your insurance is unconscious and barely alive, her presence in the force dwindles just as gahhhhh!'

An angry red blade erupted from his chest, his saber dropped from his left hand and as his ability to stand became lame the blade rode up slightly in his torso before it was drawn upwards in a vicious cleaving slash that split him in twain from chest to face.

His corpse dropped lifelessly backwards past the apprentice who had moved to the left to avoid her grisly work. She stumbled back a few metres before collapsing unceremoniously onto her back, her head hitting the ground softly. Her presence in the force came back fully as her concentration that concealed her faltered and she let out a pained gasp. Plagueis sensed she would be fine - if she remembered her training - so left her to her pain as he considered the fallen body of his old apprentice.

'Don't mind me, master, I'll just die here… slowly,' she gasped out.

Amusing, 'Do so quietly as well then. If you don't mind,' he retorted as he studied his apprentice's handiwork. He felt little for Palpatine yet felt himself a fool for trusting the man, it was a shame that a Sith such as him should meet his end here. It was necessary, however.

'Just as the apprentice learns from the master, the master learns from the apprentice,' she called out shakily, with a chuckle she sat up and placed her arms behind her to balance herself.

Plagueis made his way over to her and offered her a hand, 'To save you the indignity of falling over as you try to stand, my apprentice.'

She accepted the offered hand and stood up unsteadily with effort. Plagueis studied her; white blonde hair drenched in sweat that stuck to her brow; her cheeks flushed red with exertion; the mask for her useless eyes carbon scored; her black attire burnt and frazzled; the stench of ozone about her.

He frowned, the trust she had in him and willingness to show weakness around him was, well, a weakness. An acceptable one for now considering he had plucked her from poverty and raised her, to be a weapon certainly but there was no doubt a paternal nature to the relationship was to be somewhat expected. That would be quashed with time, there existed the beginnings of a good Sith one that could possibly fill Sidious's shoes and give him enough time to pursue his research.

She wasn't powerful yet she was innovative and inventive she could prove worthy in time to a proper title. Her sword work would however need honing, her wit forged further into a weapon, her ability to rule needed to be tested, perhaps she could be given control of a gang in the lower levels, he considered for a moment and decided it was immaterial to the now. They achieved their goal, now came rest.

'What master, not even some thanks for killing your old apprentice?' she queried jokingly and haughtily.

'Credit shall be given where it's due. Your bind that cost him his right hand, hiding your presence in the force that allowed you to strike the final blow yet it was his arrogance that cost him,' he saw her frown, he knew she would object before she knew herself, 'He was so certain in his defeat of you that he all but ignored you, any serious check through the force would have telegraphed your movements.'

He had more to say but he remained silent to allow her to consider the words and his meaning.

'I suppose you have some task for me to complete now? No rest as usual not even in our triumph,' she responded bitterly as she rubbed her left arm with her right. Anger bubbled up through the force momentarily before being quashed.

'No Ciaran now comes rest, I shall send a team of droids to clean this mess up. I would urge you to reflect on your role in this fight, a brief respite shall be had in our plans,' he paused to consider his next words, 'You did well today, you have the foundations to be a good Sith yet you aren't there yet.'

She looked up at him, he thought it would have been a glare had her eyes worked but her body language and her presence in the force radiated a muted hope. Yet all he saw of her face was her mask, 'Then what is required, my master? What is needed for me to be Sith?'

Very well then, now would be the start of her ascendancy to the title of Sith, it would take time but he had decided he would not cast her aside as he had intended to do so when he first plucked her off the streets, just as he had done so to Palpatine now.

He turned to leave and walked down the carpeted floor towards the door, he felt her jog briefly to catch up to his long strides, he felt her gaze upon him and so he spoke, 'Tell me what you regard as your greatest strength, so I will know how best to undermine you; tell me of your greatest fear, so I will know which I must force you to face; tell me what you cherish most, so I will know what to take from you; and tell me what you crave, so that I might deny you.'



-*-



There was a great irony in this summit, in its location, in its aim, in its place in the wider context of the situation in the galaxy. It was Lady Ciaran to a tee, yet her present company would not know that.

She was kind, charitable, in touch with the common people, a vain hedonistic socialite turned eccentric champion of the galaxy.

She was in truth a deceiver, a manipulator, an orchestrator, a corruptor, she would joke in Damask's presence that upon receiving her title she would be a Lord of Irony. No, thought Damask, she would be a Lord of Deceit.

This summit was doomed to fail, vague promises of compromises and reconciliation two years too late.

The expansion region, the mid and outer rim were aflame in conflict, not even the inner rim was safe. This galactic civil war had consumed the hearts and minds of almost all sentients in the galaxy, a total war not seen since the days of the old republic.

He was shaken from his thoughts as his apprentice sat down on a seat across from him. Her presence was one of relaxed dignity and her face adorned a knowing smirk.

'This courtyard is a nice enough place but the architecture has always seemed rather drab,' she exclaimed as she signalled a waiter for a drink and took a sip.

'The Mandalorians were never much more than their ability to fight,' he stated offhandedly, 'And the arcologies leave little to the imagination. You merely need to look behind you when you enter to see the work of both them and the Jedi.'

'Come now Hego, the Jedi are trying for peace… Not that it'll help but you can't fault them for trying,' she finished with a chuckle before she took another sip of her drink.

'I must say your work has been impressive, 12 years and here you are a mediator in this all-consuming conflict. I'm quite glad that my contributions to your charitable efforts have reached across the galaxy.' Hego Damask stared off into the distance his eyes caught sight of the Jedi Masters Dooku and Yoda walking down the steps of the building negotiations were going to take place in. The thought of Dooku remaining as a Jedi rankled at him yet his apprentice's plan had exceeded his expectations, it certainly seemed Dooku had more use as an agent of the light. He turned the CIS from what would have been a shadowy council of slavers and corporate interests into a beacon of hope for the outer rim.

More fool the galaxy.

'You know how it is my old friend, when one sees the evil in this galaxy it becomes impossible to not use one's status to alleviate it in any way possible,' her head shifted slightly to the left, no doubt she had sensed the presence of Yoda and Dooku approaching.

'Naturally,' was his short reply as he made to stand, Ciaran took another short sip of her drink and joined him in rising. They walked side by side closing the distance between them and the Jedi Masters, Ciaran facing Yoda and Hego facing Dooku.

Ciaran wore a regal if ridiculous outfit, a black-green jacket with subdued gold patterns the jacket had splayed sleeves that did little of their actual function and seemed to end just before they scraped the floor. A burgundy-purple vest hemmed in gold which bared her midriff as well as a small panel of skin on her chest, further up, her neck was ringed in gold bangles; her burgundy lipstick in a style common to galactic high society. The customary eye mask of the Miraluka was a dark royal blue-green, framed in ornate gold decoration and framing with an understated use of green gemstones. She played the eccentric very well, the absurdity was well complemented by its subdued tones, however, paradoxically it even made her seem somewhat humble.

Her opposite, however, was the archetypal Jedi, brown robes and brown cloak and a wooden stick to help him walk.

Dooku had however merged the style of his heritage as a Count of Serrano and the Jedi robes that he had worn for most of his life. A style that had permeated through the ranks of Confederate society as the assistants of politicians and senior politicians of the CIS that occupied the courtyard had adopted the style or variations upon it.

They met in the middle of the courtyard, Hego Damask shook Dooku's hand and offered a familiar greeting while Lady Ciaran gave Yoda a small respectful bow which he returned with a nod of his head.

'Good to see you it is, Lady Ciaran. Your charitable work, and the organisation of this ceasefire and summit, speaks well of your character it does,' Yoda spoke upwards, his voice sounded tired if hopeful.

'That is high praise coming from you Master Yoda, I simply wish that this unfortunate situation could be put behind us,' she replied her voice was sympathetic as was her presence in the force. It was something that had occurred before when she was in public with other force sensitives, she'd wear her false emotions on her sleeve so to speak.

'Hope I have, but also doubt's. A war for the very soul of the galaxy this is,' he responded solemnly as he turned to look at Dooku.

'And one for the soul of the Jedi order as well, it is a shame, even if we Jedi reconcile our differences it will be unlikely that our respective polities' could be brought in line… or that the Jedi who have followed me would be willing to fight for the Republic,' Dooku stated simply, 'There is to much bad blood over the ineffective rule of the Republic in the outer rim and numerous other areas, although the CNS inspires hope in some that a peaceful resolution can be found.'

'That is my hope too, that peace isn't far from us, yet the odds seem stacked against us. But as an old friend once said, "ambition alone can enable one to perform great deeds", this is an ambitious project let's hope that if it comes to it, that will be enough,' was Ciaran's hopeful response, framed with a smile.

'A pillar of light and hope you are Lady Ciaran, in these troubled times. But where are my manners?' Yoda exclaimed turning to look upwards at the towering form the Muun to Ciaran's right, 'A pleasure to meet you it is, an associate of Lady Ciaran's I presume?'

'A pleasure, Master Jedi,' Hego spoke simply as he inclined his head in a nod, 'And you are correct, I've helped fund several of the Lady's major Silver Cross projects across the warfront. Particularly those with high upfront costs, where donations may not cover them immediately.'

'I must say I'm surprised, we've had business before and you never seemed to place much time on these sorts of things Magister Damask,' Dooku queried politely, his wizened eyes moved back and forth briefly from Hego to Ciaran.

'It took some time for me to really consider. The attempt on my life which left me needing to use this respirator set me on that path yet I was always reluctant to donate to charity, many have been suborned by those that run them as profit-making devices,' he exclaimed somewhat gravely as if he was adrift, surrounded by the ghosts of his past before he turned his head to look at Ciaran, 'Yet her meteoric rise caught my attention and so did the actions of her charitable efforts. Speaking to those fortunate enough to have benefitted from her work, as well as those that work for her... they deify her and it's not hard to see why.'

Dooku nodded his head in understanding.

Ciaran gave them humble smile and a shrug and said, 'I'm just a simple woman trying to make my way in the galaxy. And help a few people along the way.'

'A talent for understatement and humility, I did not realise you had,' Yoda joked and received chuckles all around.

'Small talk is good, I've been absorbed in matters of state so long it is hard to feel like a sentient being at times yet I'm afraid that I would be remiss in my duty as a statesman if I did not return us to why we are here,' came Dooku's weary voice as he gestured for them to sit at the table that Ciaran and Hego had sat at earlier. They made their way over in silence.

'Hmm, testament it is that you organised this summit Lady Ciaran yet hope to achieve what do you?' queried Yoda leaving unsaid what many felt, that the differences between both sides were irreconcilable.

'Three months, a ceasefire for three months so that I and others like me can stockpile resources and expand our influence into areas away from the frontline,' she exclaimed resolutely, Yoda and Dooku shared glances the former's one was slightly more concerned. Ciaran continued, 'The notion of refugee camps and hospitals being in the crossfire worries me, it would, after all, be a terrible tragedy if a hospital was proton bombed by mistake so I would need to spend time moving existing camps to unimportant worlds, perhaps even CNS space.'

'You ask for the impossible I'm afraid. You're more likely only to get one month and that's even if the Republic Senate and Confederate Parliament will entertain the notion,' Dooku exclaimed not unkindly, 'To say nothing of the logistics such a program would require.

'Which is why I'm asking for three and preparing for one, Master Jedi.'

'Ah clever,' Dooku responded with a chuckle, 'It was unbecoming of me to doubt you.'

'Time to gather our forces it would give us. Grave the cost of life would be if we did not give you the time you need, yet grave the cost of life will be as soon as the ceasefire ends,' Yoda seemed to contemplate his words with a sage-like hum before nodding his head, 'Push for this I shall, three months I shall request of the Chancellor if bring this up during negotiations you will.

'So will I. It is likely the session shall be adjourned for the rest of the day when this is proposed. In truth, it should have been the first thing either of our sides asked for but we've been arguing minute for the past few days. I think it simply slipped our collective minds,' Dooku announced as he stood from the table and bowed deeply to the three of them, 'All the best for the future and may the force be with you.'

He made his way across the courtyard catching the attention of one of his Jedi Knights alongside an entourage of young political staff (who seemed in awe with him) and a few members of the Confederate Parliament. A calm brief exchange of words and they fell in behind him as he made his way off towards the offices awarded the Confederate contingent.

'Leave too I must, wishing to head to the gardens not too far from here I find myself,' said Yoda. Ciaran made to stand and to offer to accompany him but he seemed to pre-empt her, 'To meditate I shall, poor company I will be but my thanks.'

They said their farewells with the two of them offering Yoda bows as did he in return.

It wasn't until Yoda was well out of sight that Ciaran turned to look at him offered a wry smirk hidden behind a long drink of her glass that drained it empty. She made a light sweep through the force and saw that no one and nothing was within eavesdropping range.

'It won't be long until I'm on the CNS council, this summit will see to that whether it fails or not. Then afterwards I shall bend them to our purposes more directly,' she elucidated, humour in her voice.

'This is hardly the place my Lady,' he warned.

'Oh please, the only people listening in on things are us. I made sure of that, no one else has been able to bring even the simplest of listening devices here,' she said with well-deserved arrogance before taking another drink from a waiter she called over from the far side of the courtyard. When the waiter had retreated back to their position she continued, 'I am going to have to prepare my people for both the proposal and our plans with regards to it. Do you wish to shadow me and my work?'

'That is not necessary Lady Ciaran I believe I shall retire to my apartments instead, I tire of these people,' he explained standing from his seat.

'Very well, should you wish to join me feel free to. However, if you get lost I'd suggest staying away from the 7th floor west wing and the level 2 southern rooms,' she regarded him seriously through her eye mask before elaborating with a grin, 'That's where some of the most aggressive negotiations have been occurring.'

'Charming,' he stated before he turned to leave. Ciaran's laughing faded into nothing as he made his way back to his apartments.

It was some time before Ciaran re-joined him. He would have seen Mandalore's sun bleed into the horizon if the arcology didn't prevent him from being able to view it or he had not blackened the windows of the apartment.

They were now both stood in the luxurious kitchen of the apartment, the walls were well stocked with wines and the refrigerator stocked to the brim should the occupants wish to cook themselves. Rarely did they, the fresh food would often go to waste.

Ciaran practically radiated a smug happiness and it became clear why as she explained the events of the days.

'I had them at each other's throats, not that they knew of course and managed to calm them down. After soothing their tempers, they were more receptive to my ideas. That gave me the opening to drop in the notion of a temporary ceasefire,' she laughed a hearty mocking laugh and continued, 'the military attaches on both sides practically salivated at the idea but the politicians were more reluctant.'

'The Supreme Chancellor sees himself as a "hardman making hard decisions" so he's unlikely to listen to the Senate – not that the vapid fools have much worth saying – and if the military and Jedi prompt him to, he won't say no,' her excitement was palpable, 'With Dooku supporting the position, the ease of our plans blasts through the roof.'

'And the movement of all these people will no doubt allow you access to almost any world you want,' Plagueis supplied.

Ciaran nodded, 'But also supplies us with an almost limitless base of manpower, expertise and loyal support. It is as you said a good portion of the galaxy deifies me, we can move them to the galactic north or pockets of CNS space. We can rebuild worlds like Taris and Mandalore here, we can ply systems from both polities. The longer this war goes on the more my rule will look enlightened, the more attractive the CNS will look.'

'And how will you ensure that the planets that join you won't rebel when you declare yourself Empress? The Republic has lasted thousands of years, the ideas of liberty will be difficult to burn away,' questioned Plagueis, they had been over this several times before but it was important for him to see how her plans changed even if minutely so he could modify his part of the plan.

'We'll pervert liberty as the Republic has, just without the weakness inherent in giving power to those unworthy of it. All debate shall be done within a narrow frame, all groups who would oppose us will fall apart through petty infighting arguing minute,' she seemed to enjoy this, he knew she did. She was enamoured with the idea of ruling the galaxy. She also saw the Republic as it truly was, a corrupt group of kleptocrats and oligarchs leading the blind, 'and when people are sick of politicians and their partisan ways - should it need to devolve that way – I will wade in and restore order and my position as Enlightened Autocrat will not be questioned. Until it is necessary to shake things up a little.'

'And the Jedi?'

'So long as the Confederacy implements the conscription law we've been pushing at through their parliament and the general populace, everything will fall into place,' she exclaimed with bloodthirsty glee. A pillar of light and hope indeed.

'No Jedi can walk away from the type of war we are planning Ciaran not when both sides are technically in the right. The dark side will eat at them as they slaughter fellow sentients. No Jedi will be able to cope with the rigours of war without being unchanged. Those that fall we will use as weapons to annihilate those that don't, we shall secure all knowledge of the force from the disparate sects of the galaxy,' resolved Plagueis. He drew himself up to his full height.

'And the Jedi that won't fall, they will be Jedi no longer, I have planted the seeds for that in the chosen one. He shall leave them and those that are lost will follow,' Ciaran explained with an almost reverence, an insidious smile adorned her face.

'He will come to you,' a statement, not a question. Hego had seen the Jedi's Chosen One and it was clear that he chafed under their iron grip. Ciaran was there, not only as a teacher but as an invisible hand that would guide him away from the Jedi.

'Just as a child goes to a trusted family member when they cannot make sense of the world,'she spoke. Her insidious smile replaced with a knowing smirk.

'And what will you do now?'

'Of late our enemies have been our greatest allies. Their blunders and idiocy seeming to multiply daily. I will do nothing to interrupt when they are making so many mistakes,' she mocked with a surety that only a seasoned political or military operator could.

'Kneel, my apprentice,' Plagueis said suddenly, surprise was etched on his apprentice's face before a ghost of realisation flashed across it and she knelt with her left knee to the ground, left arm hanging in front of it and her right arm rested across her right knee.

'Yes, my master?'

'The force bestowed me a vision, ones often lost to us who are powerful in the dark side. In that vision, I saw my death at the hands of my old apprentice and I saw who was to forestall that. The death of Darth Sidious marked the beginning of your journey to the mantle of the Sith Lords.

And through your journey you have grown stronger on your own merit, you are not powerful through the force by chance as so many are. Your strength was forged by you and you alone. Your actions over the last twelve years serve to demonstrate your strength and the power you have amassed, the strength of your intellect and your ability to deceive is what drives us towards our final victory over the Jedi.

Where you were once weak I now see someone worthy of the title "Darth",' he spoke with an intense respect. He drew his lightsaber and activated it. He brought it to rest just above Ciaran's head. Even with the hum of the blade and as her instincts shouted at her to move out of the way she did not.

Plagueis deactivated the blade and returned his lightsaber to his belt and spoke again, 'You shall henceforth be known as Darth Decevus, arise as a Sith Lord!'



_*_


The sun had been setting on the Tarisian skyline for some time now, it cast a warm orange glow which heated the indoor air slightly above normal temperatures. Numerous dignitaries occupied chairs which lined the hall and behind them a select group of refugees invited to the occasion from all around the galaxy in their supplied finest.

In front of the dignitaries spread down the hall on the left side were numerous groupings of naval officers adorned in tan dress. A small group of generals, devoid of the usual grey overcoats stood resplendent in their grey and gold dress uniforms, curiously a Kaleesh was barefoot among that group. Their position in the hall was just before a group of five individuals in white and gold dress uniform - the highest military authority in the galaxy - who stood at the foot of the slightly raised throne. A tall Chiss was the one closest to the throne, hands behind his back, head held high his gaze pierced through the group of politicians opposite him but focusing on none in particular.

The politicians wore a mixed collection of formal wear, generally inspired by their planets of origin. Their positioning was less ordered than the military ranks that stood opposite them but it did little to lessen the ceremony of the event. At the head of the politicians was the newly elected Prime Minister Skywalker-Amidala. She was clothed in a purple shoulder cape that rested on her shoulders, fastened together with a large silver white crescent-like brooch, its edges patterned with woven gold threads. She wore a similarly styled heavy dress. Also fastened to the brooch was a lighter pink-purple patterned half shawl.

The ex-Nubian senator had a serious and severe look on her face despite the circumstance, a look that told the tales of her disillusionment and defection from the Republic. She glanced around briefly catching the eyes of the Chiss across from her, they offered each other slight nods before she continued her visual scan. Her eyes came to rest on the tall wide doors that everyone currently present had walked through to get here. There was a symbolism there, she realised, the Empress was constantly finding ways to subtly influence galactic society's perception of her. Not that it was necessary, many saw her as a paragon. To the prime minister, she was a confidant, a good friend, a wise and intelligent source of inspiration and knowledge, as well as a smooth political operator. Her years as head of the now reformed CNS had made that clear, her ability to influence the CNS to take this course of action merely cemented the Empress' ability.

As her eye's lingered on the door and the purple carpet that marked the walkway from door to the throne she was caught momentarily off guard by the loud sound of the doors being opened. They moved open slowly, a temporary white glow existed that seemed to give the entry of the Empress a divine aspect before the glow receded and it was made clear that the glow was given off by the people behind her. Clad in ceremonial white robes were force users, their glowing white lightsabers held in front of their chests their blades humming. Jedi defectors that had followed the Prime Minister's husband or had been inspired by his example. They walked slowly, in time with the Empress as she made her way down the long hall with grace.

The Empress wore white and grey flowing robes that were both practical yet held an air of authority about them. Resting on her shoulders a grey shawl which topped a white half cape with patterns of silver thread at the edges. A neat silver circlet rested on her head, some of her white-blonde hair was pulled into a long braid which was framed by curled hair. Finally her silver-white eye mask, it was the most elaborate part of her regalia and even then it was modest. A simple and understated style compared to many monarchs in the galaxy.

The walk was done in silence except for the hum of the lightsabers of the force users that shadowed the Empress, their formation four in width and twenty-two in length with a single force user that lead them, his blade a bright blue.

The walk up the carpet didn't take too long but was done so in a stately grace, as the Empress ascended the steps to take her throne the force users deactivated their lightsabers and knelt as one, their position at the Empresses feet.

The Empress turned and sat slowly on her throne. She brought herself up and looked to her right despite the mask covering her eyes.

The Prime Minister nodded and walked up two steps before she started speaking, 'With the defeat of the Republic and the CIS the mantle of responsibility in shepherding this galaxy now lies in our hands. A decade and a half of war is now at an end. This is the time to rebuild and reshape the galaxy so that the faults of the past do not repeat themselves.'

The Prime Ministers voice was carried through the hall by hidden speakers that ensured all within heard her words clearly. Furthermore, numerous cameras were on her as the event was being broadcasted throughout the entire galaxy from Dantooine to Terminus. It was to be the single most watched event in galactic history.

'These trials that the people of the galaxy have had thrust upon them evolved from the corrupt politics of the Senate where politicians sold planets and people as political currency all for their self-betterment. As a young girl and during the time I spent as Queen of the Naboo I was taught that a politician should always divorce their private interests from their public service. Yet as I took on the role of Senator I found myself surrounded by those that saw public office as a means to an end,' Padme's voice was thick with emotion yet her features were schooled and stately, 'The Republic had become a corrupt and inept state helmed by Oligarchs and Kleptocrats that could not see past their own wanton greed. As the Galactic Civil War raged on it became clear to me, as Senators got rich off of arms contracts and the suffering of others, I could no longer dedicate myself to serving such a state. At the end, it was little more than a Military Dictatorship that turned on its Jedi allies, its sole purpose to wage an unending war against the oppressed people of the galaxy. The Republic was beyond redemption and it had to be burned away.

The CIS, born of the failures of the Senate hoped to forge a different path but the jingoistic greed of the Republic smothered the idealism of the CIS in its bed. As the war went on it became increasingly clear that the CIS was held together largely by one man and the Jedi Rogues that followed him. Made up of disparate polities with disparate aims and bound together by only one man and a hatred of the Republic the CIS was doomed to fail. With the death of the statesman and Jedi Yan Dooku halfway through the war, the Confederacy found itself bursting at the seems, capable of sending waves of droids and conscripts to fight the Republic but paralyzed everywhere else it became a mockery of itself. The final insult was the formation of the Separatist Council and its stuffing with corporatists, war profiteers and slavers. The CIS had become what it sought to destroy.'

Silence fell temporarily in the hall and across the galaxy as the Prime Minister stopped talking. She had needed no notes, she had memorised the speech and spoken as much from memory as from conviction. Yet her speech only formed the first part of the ceremony.

The lead force user, his lightsaber deactivated and hung on his belt stepped up two steps as the Prime Minister, his wife stepped down. He turned to the audience and began to talk to them.

'The Galactic Civil War has been the most destructive war since the end of the Jedi-Sith war just over one thousand years ago. Yet throughout this war there has always been one who counselled peace, who watched out for those in the galaxy that were forgotten by the governments they trusted. In her enduring efforts to provide for those displaced by war and in guarding this Imperial Federation from the numerous threats that it has faced the Lady Ciaran has proven herself a champion of this galaxy and the people that inhabit it,' Anakin's voice was filled with belief and evidently so were the people in the hall as they erupted into applause and cheers.

The applause continued for sometime before it began to fade away and Anakin spoke to the assembled sentients and the galaxy once again, 'She has brought peace and order to a galaxy where anarchy reigned! She has forged order from chaos! Without her efforts the galaxy would still be aflame, burning as the ambitions of a corrupt few ran rampant over those who could not fight back! Yet she has given us a voice, enlightened us to the games that these politicians played with our lives. She vowed two years prior that she would wear no crown until she had restored order to the entire galaxy. Through the foundations she has laid and the valiant efforts of our military we have achieved what many would call the impossible. She unified us when were content to divide and destroy ourselves! Now she takes her place as rightful Empress of the galaxy!'

Anakin's speech was once again met with applause and cheers. The sound was a thunder of hope and jubilation that spread across the galaxy, the culmination of a longing for peace, prosperity and security that this Empire had finally given them.

Lady Ciaran stood from her throne and in response, the cheers and applause reached an almost deafening level when she bowed humbly it increased even further.

She was content to leave them to their applause as she stood still at the top of the steps and contemplated the audience. She caught sight of Hego Damask as he sat off to the side with the other dignitaries behind the ranks of military officers that stood beside the carpet that led up to her throne. Her throne. It had been a herculean task to achieve what they had done, splitting the Jedi order, whittling down their numbers indirectly through the Galactic Civil War or more directly through the Sith Assassin teams she and Plagueis had put together. Once or twice they had had to intervene directly when a target had escaped and could have warned the Jedi order or Dooku's followers. But now those orders were scattered to the wind.

Even before then her master was reluctant to accept her ideas. That's fair, she was young and inexperienced in the ways of the dark side at the time. But pressing him on not revealing themselves had been the masterstroke, the Sith, as far as what few Jedi that remained knew, were still dead. As far as the Jedi were concerned all that happened was the will of the force and the force had seemingly abandoned them. Darth Decevus wished she could have been in the minds of those few Jedi at the end, to know how defeated they were. She had considered ripping the feeling from the minds of what few Jedi were left as she and Plagueis planned to hunt them down in earnest. He had been particular on that point, there were to be no loose ends when it came to the Jedi.

She wasn't as concerned about it as her master was, they would achieve immortality through both the force and any other means available. She had already tasked several teams to investigate possibilities and with a galaxy's worth of resources at their disposal, it was a case of when not if.

Her thoughts turned back to her master as the applause started to die down. She had given thought to the idea of killing him, seriously contemplated it but she needed his expertise and ultimately held little ill will towards him. And killing him would have been cliche, something a Sith of the past would have done but they were the Sith of the future. The only Sith in the future perhaps, to live eternally and rule eternally.

By now the applause had died down, she held her right hand up to about chest height and the remaining applause died down even quicker until there was silence. She dropped her hand and held them both in front of her.

'I have dedicated my life to charity and assisting others, it is only natural that when one is accustomed to doing something they seek to continue doing that something regardless of the surrounding context. For better or for worse,' she began, her voice carried like an uplifting breeze through not only the force but the hall as well, she received polite applause for her start, 'As it became clear to me that war was to be the outcome of the many crises that occurred during the dying days of the Republic I did all I could to prevent or lessen the effects of such a conflict. Alas, I could not do much to prevent the tragic events of the past decade and a half, at times it felt like I was applying bacta gauze to wounds so deep that it was a miracle I did not drown in them.

I worked with the CNS from the beginning, the worlds that it was made up of at the start were few in number but they provided good bases from which we could assist those displaced by war.'

Another round of applause occurred, Decevus was torn between considering them sycophants or considering them her children. She very much enjoyed her role as a parental figure to the galaxy but nevertheless revelled in the strength the dark side gave her

'Yet two years in, after the abortive attempts at peace talks on Mandalore led to only a months ceasefire, which both the Republic and CIS used to rearm and reorganise, I found myself on the council of the CNS. It is then that my real work began, I sought out those worlds that were sick and tired of war, those Jedi tired of slaughtering fellow sentients and showed them the way.

I encouraged the CNS to accept billions of refugees, this I asked and the CNS was more than willing, together we rebuilt worlds, forged cities and offered a place for the masses that had found themselves displaced during the course of the Galactic Civil War.'

She paused briefly for effect.

'More bitter words have never been spoken, Galactic Civil War,' Ciaran spoke with disgust and wrinkled her nose appropriately. She saw the effect it had on the gathered beings in the hall and could guess that the reaction across the galaxy was much the same. Many of the refugees nodded their heads while anger simmered through them, many of the politicians felt guilt and shame, some even felt resolve. The officers there were disciplined, what emotion they had was guarded under responsibility and decorum. The force users in front of her, however, were a mixed bag but there was a haunted undercurrent to whatever the individuals there felt.

'It was during the most vicious fighting, where I saw footage of CIS conscripts and droids charging an emplaced republic position, the entire company was wiped out by a hail of artillery and blaster bolts in a matter of seconds. In those seconds, I resolved to put an end to this fighting.

Five years after that resolution, when I addressed you all in parliament about taking necessary action to put an end to this brutality, that was when what I resolved to do became achievable. Parliament would vote almost unanimously to mobilise for war and again unanimously to crown me.

I was however hesitant to take the crown. And when I stated that I would not be Empress until I had restored order to the entire galaxy I was received with universal praise for saying so, it was then that I was no longer hesitant. My resolve to end the Galactic Civil War had never been stronger,' she spoke with a determined finality as she conjured up the memory of that day when it felt as if the galaxy itself had bent to her will. She was met with thunderous applause and cheer.

'Now though, the war is over and this Imperial Federation is the victor. The torch of our civilization lit scarcely two years ago has weathered the tempest of a galactic conflict to burn as a solitary beacon of hope for all sentient kind. It is now that I accept the title of Empress of this Imperial Federation!' She was met with even greater cheer the room seemed to swell with the roar of patriotism, the force danced with the emotion in the room.

She had finally achieved her dream. To rule the galaxy. It was finally hers. She removed the simple silver circlet from upon her head and as rehearsed a cushion bearer appeared from somewhere off to the side and she placed her circlet onto the purple cushion. The bearer retreated hidden off to the side.

The Chiss Admiral, the Prime Minister and the leader of the force users each received a purple cushion from three other bearers. Each cushion held a third of the simple silver crown that would herald Darth Decevus' ascendancy to Empress of the galaxy.

Anakin stopped on the second step up to the throne whilst the Chiss Admiral and the Prime Minister stopped on the third step. They each held out their third of the crown on the cushion and invisible to everyone else except force users the force flowed through Anakin and surrounded the thirds of the crown. The audience and the galaxy watched in silence as the pieces of the crown floated into the air, the pieces seemed to pirouette and dance around each other before they came close and unseen to the naked eye fused together. The crown floated gently down onto the cushion Anakin was holding and came to rest.

As Anakin walked up the steps to bring himself level with the Lady Ciaran, Padme and the Admiral knelt on one knee and offered up the empty cushions just above their heads. Anakin adopted the same pose at Lady Ciaran's feet.

She felt trepidation but cast it away, it had all come down to this, she merely needed to pick up the crown and place it on her head.

She picked up the crown, the hall completely silent, and slowly placed it on her head. The metal was cold but the crown was comfortable and seemed to rest easy on her head. She turned around and walked to her throne and sat down upon it with regal, practised, grace. She commanded the three in front of her to stand, bearers came and retrieved the cushions from their hands.

Ciaran gave a slight nod of her head and the three in front of her called out, 'Long live Empress Ciaran, may her enlightened rule be felt for generations to come. Know that if you are lost she shall guide, if you are destitute she will raise you up and if you are ill she shall soothe you. Know that never again shall the galaxy be cast into chaos by the selfishness and greed of others. So long as you follow her example you shall know peace. Long live the Imperial Federation! Long live the Empress! Long may she reign!'

The hall broke out into applause as well as cheers of "Long live the Empress! Long may she reign!" The spirit of elation seemed to carry itself throughout the hall as they cheered for their beloved Empress.

A small smile graced Decevus's lips, to anyone looking it was a motherly smile. For her, it took all her willpower not to burst out laughing. She had deceived a galaxy, and they thanked her for it.

---------
A/N
Big thanks to @Killerflood for helping me with this and letting me bounce some plot points off him.

An alternate history of sorts.
 
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