Dark Age of the New Republic

[Writer]

Riebe looked down at the ring for a moment. Then, her eyes rose to meet Striders. I'm still married, she told him. I won't give up on that until I'm certain he's dead. And right now, I've got a feeling he's not.

 

At that moment, Jahara caught sight of the ring. "Oh! Big Sister, you married?" Her eyes flicked to Strider.

 

"Been married a long time now," Riebe answered with a quiet sigh. "My husband hasn't been around in a while..."

 

"Long distance relationship?" Jahara wondered. Riebe shook her head slightly.

 

"No, no," she answered absently. "We were very close... just haven't seen each other in 500 plus years... give or take a few..."

 

"He doesn't sound very committed to the relationship," Jahara observed carelessly. Strider winced just slightly as Riebe bristled in anger and Jahara went flying across the room.

 

"Don't you ever accuse him of that," Riebe hissed. "Never!"

 

Seeking to calm herself, Riebe closed her eyes. Without opening them, she said softly, "I'm sorry, Jahara. I should not have done that. Excuse me."

 

Opening her eyes, she left the room quickly, running off to be alone again.

[Black Knight of Keno]

"Aye... Thousands of years. Whoever keeps deleting it over and over again must be pretty old by now" Tepe said and stood up, smirking slightly at her. He knew it would be the place where could find the Sith Hunters, but even his top spies or underworld allies had found anything but old records that have proven to be either fake or too inaccurate to use. Nobody really seemed to know where the planet was or didn't care to tell anyone else to keep themselves the trade with the planet. The Dark Lord turned to the guards and nodded for them to leave. aftr the guards had left, the sith walked towards the door but turned before he could get out.

 

"Your next mission is on the disc too. My scan rom the atmosphere revealed a good deposit of valuable metals we could use for weapons on the Northern polar region. I want you to establish a mine there and gather up as many locals you can to work there before getting other races. I can supply you with a few good mining engineers to make the plans. I will also inspect it myself when it is finished" he said before walking to the door and placing his hand on the button to open it but still turned before he would walk out.

 

"Also, I would like you to prepare your fleets, wake the generals and admirals and tell them to preapre for war. I'm currently planning a small conflict on a shared world and it could go off to become the continuation of the war" he said and finally left the office for the inspection round.

 

------

 

Danera walked inside the house, cleaning his hands on a rag hanging from his utility belt now. He had no idea where the Hunters had gone off to and so headed for the kitchen to get something cold to drink when Riebe suddenly wooshed past him.

"Whoah! No running in the hallway children!" he shouted after her and shook his head before going throught a room, accidentally finding the Hunters instead of the kitchen. He stopped by the door, raised and eyebrow and looked back

 

"You live in a house for two years and you're still lost when rying to find the kitchen... This must be a morphing house or something" he mumbled to himself before shrugging and walking forwards to them with a slight grin on his face.

"Okay, who made the grannie cry?" he asked and raised an eyebrow at the group whle the look on his face showing that he was kidding

[Writer]

The look on Jahara's face told Danera his teasing wasn't far from the truth.

 

"I... said something," she stammered. "Something careless. And she wanted to be alone. Can't blame her." With a sigh, she turned away, unwilling to look at anyone.

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

 

((Tepe, is Charna's next mission actually on the Watchtower?))

[Black Knight of Keno]

((Nope, as they don't know where the planet is))

[Writer]

((Ah, right... so where is she being sent?))

[Black Knight of Keno]

((To the north pole to build the mine. After that, who knows))

 

Danera shook his head and looked at Jahara. After a short awkward moment, he moved in and plaed a hand on her shoulder, trying to calm the younger woman.

"Ah, well... She'll come around" he said and patted her shoulder a few times before turning to the others and looking at the door. He left towards the door and sighed.

"Next I'll probably manage to find myself a torture chamber instead of a kitchen..." he grumbled before stopping by the door and smirking and turning back to Jahara.

 

"Care to join me on the quest for some blue milk? Might get your mind off of things" he asked from her and grinned slightly before stepping out to the corridor.

[Writer]

Jahara smiled slightly. "Sure," she answered, moving out into the corridor with him. "And I'll make sure it's the kitchen we find next... not a torture chamber."

 

- - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Charna watched Tepe leave and then turned to the small communications center in her office. With it, she contacted the dungeon ship in orbit.

 

"This is Governor Charna, Dominion Representative of Naboo," she said. "I'm calling to authorize your removal of the Jedi prisoners of war we have at our Naboo Base of Operations. My guards are awaiting your arrival."

 

Then, she sent out a message to her Generals and Admirals. "We have been lying dormant for some time now," she told them. "It's time to wake up. Ladies and Gentlemen, prepare your troops for war. Our time of rest is nearing an end. Increase your training time and intensity."

 

One by one, they answered, "Yes, Lady Charna."

 

Satisfied with their responses, she made one final call, this one to Queen Sacha.

 

"Charna!" the queen exclaimed. "What's happening? We've detected..."

 

"There's nothing to worry about," Charna interrupted. "My Master came for a visit. We're going to set up a mine at the northern pole. His engineers are coming to me to finalize construction details and whatnot. Send out a notice in your cities. The Dominion is hiring again."

 

"That's not advised," Sacha objected. "Remember the last time we tried that?"

 

Charna smiled slightly, remembering the overflow of applicants. Many of them already had jobs. "Yes, but I'll have a computer weed through the applicants. Those who've already got jobs will be excluded from our recruiting process. Put out the notice."

 

"As you wish," Sacha agreed. "Little Mira's wanting to see you again."

 

Smiling slightly, Charna answered, "Tell Mira I'm going to be away for a little while. I'm going to the pole to oversee the construction of the mine and will be there for at least a month."

 

"I'll let her know," Sacha promised. "She's going to be disappointed."

 

"So are you," Charna observed. "But we'll all survive, now won't we?"

 

"Strong women we are," Sacha agreed cheerfully. "See you sometime."

 

"Indeed," Charna answered. Cutting the connection, she whispered to herself, "Possibly."

 

Then, she began reviewing her factories' production numbers.

[Flamehart]

Strider sighed, and nodded at Danera as he and Jahara left. He trusted he'd help her take her mind off what happened, and after briefly giving Katherine something to do for the time being, left to find Riebe. It didn't take him long - the amount of energy she was exerting was impossible for him to miss.

 

He approached her quietly, not at all making a sound, even with his steel-toed boots, and placed a hand on her shoulder comfortingly. He half wondered if his silent arrival would trigger any of her self defensive reflexes, but even if they did, it wouldn't matter. She'd figure out who it was before long.

[Writer]

Riebe had returned to the cave and was methodically removing piece after piece from the holo-generator with the Force. As each new piece was removed, it floated up to join the ever growing collection of parts swirling around her. As Strider approached, the swirling mass of free parts moved to engulf him as well.

 

"Is there something you need?" Riebe's voice was soft, but her words also rang through his head at such a volume that any normal human would be trying to block it out. Riebe's eyes opened slowly and she turned to face him. "Or are you coming in an attempt to... comfort me?"

 

Before receiving his answer, she returned her attention to the slowly shrinking holo-generator and parts continued to detach as she slowly closed her eyes.

[Flamehart]

Strider's hand gripped her shoulder more firmly. He would not hurt her, but he would bring her to her senses. "This is not you, Riebe," he spoke persuasively, his voice ringing back into her head. "This is not what he would want, Riebe. You know it. Find your focus and calm again. You're letting yourself get out of hand," counseled her fellow Sith Hunter, trying to bring Riebe back.

[Writer]

"Out of hand?" Riebe's words boomed in Strider's head. But still, her audible voice was soft. "She had no right to criticize him like that!"

 

Roughly, she brushed his hand from her shoulder and thrust her open right palm toward his chest. The holo-generator parts seperated for a moment, allowing Strider's flying passage toward the far wall of the cave. Though he wasn't quite sure what to expect, Strider had prepared himself for nearly everything Riebe might do. In his prepared state, he was able to position himself so his feet hit the wall and he rebounded, flipping through the air back toward the cloud of floating parts.

 

"I'll show you 'out of hand', Flamehart!" This time, both Riebe's voice and her thoughts were screamed and she activated both blades of her saber staff. Around her, the generator parts flew against the walls, shattering as they connected. A look of pure and unrestrained rage proved to Strider that Riebe had truly lost herself in her anger.

[Flamehart]

Strider could only smile. For the first time, he would show her the side of him she had never seen before. He drew out his lightsaber and activated it, the deep blue blade glowing brilliantly. His penetrating blue eyes seemed to emanate a bit of a glow before seemingly turning platinum.

 

Riebe thought Strider was still standing before her, but suddenly knew better as she heard the hum of his lightsaber coming from behind. She whirled and deflected his blow just in time. She looked into her fellow Hunter's eyes and knew this was serious.

 

And so the two Hunters fought, their blades moved magnificently, although Riebe was quite surprised by Strider's incredible aggressiveness. He attacked from all sides, and she often had to avoid swings rather than parry them.

 

Next it became a contest of Force. Riebe hurled an incredibly powerful Lightning blast at him, using the metal of her robotic arm to conduct the electricity far greater than it's normal potential. Strider held one hand out and the lightning struck it, causing him to stagger back, but his hand remained uplifted, absorbing the Lightning energy into his hand. Riebe glared, upset by his foil of her attack, and was getting ready to use another strike, when she noticed Strider doing something.

 

Strider clenched his fist, the lightning from Riebe swirling around it. He drew it back then slammed his fist to the ground, the lightning dispersed along the ground, gaining power from the generator parts along the wall now, then from every angle enclosed itself on Riebe. Riebe was caught off guard and shocked violently by it, falling to her knees. Strider began to advance, however Riebe lifted her hand and suddenly Strider's vision was clouded. Strider gripped his hilt instinctively, and began to focus. Riebe already knew he was too well experienced with fighting without his vision, but it made him cease his advance long enough for her to regain her footing, and strike at him with her blade.

 

Strider took this cue to begin fighting defensively, blocking her every blow as she advanced swinging at him, stepping back at a steady pace. He knew this would frustrate Riebe, knowing she could not penetrate his defense, and she pressed harder and harder, until finally thrusting forward a hand, unleashing a fiery blast of Destruction from her hand. Strider was caught off guard and was launched back at the wall. His body slammed into the generators, which were still charged from his earlier Force blast, and his body was momentarily electrecuted before he managed to thrust himself off the wall, landing on his knees. He pulled himself to his feet, steam rising off of his shoulders. He shrugged it off, his platinum eyes gazing back at Riebe. They both dashed forward, their blades connecting in a brilliant display of finesse and power, until finally Strider decided it was time to end it.

 

Riebe thrust forward with her blade. To her surprise, Strider did not move, and the blade pierced his left shoulder. She stared at Flamehart, having seen him take one before, but wouldn't expect him to openly allow it as he just had.

 

Suddenly, Strider reached over and grabbed the hilt with his right hand, turning his torso some to the left, then thrusted his left hand with what energy he had left in it forward into her own shoulder, knocking her with great force back, her hand slipping off of the hilt of her own lightsaber. Strider pulled the blade out, deactivated the hilt and tossed it aside. Riebe reached out and called it back to her hand, activating it and bringing it down on a strong vertical strike on Strider.

 

Before she knew it, his hand shot up and grabbed her wrist, his other shot forward and took hold of her neck. He thrust upward, lifting Riebe off of her feat and forced her back against the wall, his other hand on her wrist pulling it aside and also holding that against the wall, out of reach of hitting him. He stared directly at Riebe, his eyes penetrating into her mind. She felt as if he was digging around inside of her, trying to find the most vulnerable part of her mind.

 

She soon heard a voice. A harsh, reprimanding one that caused her to flinch some as it barked in her head.

 

"This is something that was never meant to be seen, Riebe, never meant to be unleashed. Why do you exert your anger on those who are close to you, those who care about you? How could you expect the young Hunter to know anything more of the situation than what was common to someone who lives much shorter than we do? You are a strong leader, Riebe, but Tepe was right - you have let things in that are weakening you."

 

Suddenly, the voice grew calm, gentle. Strider's eyes slowly returned to their normal blue, seeming far more welcoming, Riebe almost felt her growing anger being absorbed out of her through Strider's own hands, pinning her against the wall defenselessly as he spoke now.

 

"You are truly a strong leader, Riebe, your compassion for those around you as well as your strong heart and dedication are not weaknesses, but strengths. The only way they would present themselves as a weakness is if you let them become one, if you let what people say or do effect you personally. I care about you Riebe, and that is why I allowed you to exert your anger on me, so I could draw your anger from you, both from battle and counsel."

 

The voice slowly faded from her mind, and Strider spoke, his own voice now, directly to her.

 

"Welcome back, Riebe."

[Writer]

A flash of pain came over Riebe's face and she collapsed, both physically and emotionally weakened after such a contest of power. Tears came and refused to stop as she rested her cheek on the cold metallic floor of the cave. Her robotic right hand had been clenched tight in anger, but now released, flattening against the ground. When she finally spoke, it was in gasps.

 

"Thank you... Strider... I needed... that..." she murmured. Slowly, she forced herself to stand. With an attempt to take a deep breath, she looked around the completely demolished cave. The generators were scraps of metal and she smiled faintly.

 

"I kept these machines in good repair once," she said quietly. "They served as reminders of how dark a human can get." She shook her head. "But it is good they have been destroyed, for they are no longer good examples of this."

 

With a little sigh, she went on. "I gave in to my full anger today, Strider. And in doing so, I have seen a darkness blacker than anything these holo-generators could have ever portrayed."

 

Slowly, shaking, Riebe moved forward, embracing her old friend. "I am sorry, Brother. That should never have happened."

[Flamehart]

Strider put an arm around Riebe, accepting her embrace. She noticed as it rested on her shoulder that his right, previously gloved hand, charred and burnt mildly. She knew at once this was from his lightning retaliation. As she embraced him she also had a clear look at the lightsaber wound on his shoulder. The wounds were great, yet Strider seemed to shrug them off, although she could feel that internally his body was screaming from the pain, working hard to keep his outer composure calm.

 

Strider used his right arm, which still retained use, to support Riebe. "I say we pay a visit to the medical bay," he suggested, noting that neither of them were in quite good shape after their bout. "Before these wounds get worse than they really are," he added. He guessed she might try to shun his support, wishing to be independent of assistance as they headed back, but he decided to be more stubborn if she did, insisting on the support whether she wanted it or not, and led the way back to the hideout and the medical bay.

[Writer]

"N-no," she stammered. "I-I haven't been inside any medical facilities in two thousand years." She smiled weakly. "Can't break down now..."

[Flamehart]

Strider laughed, and before she knew it, he bent over and hoisted her over his right shoulder.

 

"Too bad," he remarked, carrying her out. "You've never been injured this badly either, and I'm not risking my friend's health for stubbornness," Flamehart said, smiling as he knew Riebe would likely be pounding her robotic arm into his back the whole return trip.

[Writer]

"No, no!" Riebe protested, giving his back a few weak thumps with her robotic arm. The thumps continued for a few moments. Then, she went fully limp, complaining, "Oh, that's so unfair!" After this comment, she began to laugh softly, a further release of her built up emotions.

[Flamehart]

It didn't take long for them to arrive back, at which Strider immediately headed to the medical bay, avoiding all the students to prevent having to explain the events that occurred. He placed Riebe carefully onto one of the beds, before suddenly, to her surprise, his eyes blinked, his hand went to his forehead. She could tell now that his body was giving out on him. He stumbled back and sat, his right hand darting to his wound on his shoulder, hissing as he started to feel the pain of that along with his burnt right hand. His expression calmed, before he quietly lay back on the bed, keeping his hand over the wound. She could tell he was drawing upon his own strength to keep his composure as the med bay droid made its way over to begin repairs on Strider's wounded body. Flamehart's face turned to look at Riebe, reassuring her he would be okay, as she had never seen the fellow Hunter injured so badly before.

[Black Knight of Keno]

The sudden unleshing of pure anger caused a great disturbance, and this was felt and absorbed by the Dark Lord of the Sith in such amounts that his yellow eyes became bright enought to seem like white ones with only the two irises showing. He also managed to pinpoint the source, now knowing exactly where the Sith Hunters were. Tepe looked over at one of the Guards and ordering him closer. The guard removed his helmet after getting in close, revealing to be the very same colonel that the Sith once promoted at the start of the war.

"Give me your galactic map" Tepe said and the guard took a small holoprojector from his belt and gave it to his Lord after opening the map. The Sith had a smug smile on his face as he zoomed in on an empty spot and linked the Watchtower there. As he gave the projector back, he pulled the guard closer.

"This is only between you and me. When we get back to the ship, transmit a copy to my personal archives. I don't want either of my apprentices to get a hold on this information. Contact the Head Archivist and tell him to delete Gerv every time it is added, even if it would be by my apprentices or any of my high command" he said and the guard bowed before putting on his helmet and going back to his place.

 

Without knowing why, but possibly guessing when the time was right, Riebe suddenly got a flash of the secret planet and the hills of it inside her mind with a swoop bike apearing with the Sith Dominion emblem on it. The rider pulled his hood off and revealed two bright white eyes and the face of the Dark Lord with a smirk on his lips.

'Thank you, Riebe. You both betrayed Gerv and gave me so much power that I might just come over and visit. Keep good care of yourself now' the man said and laughted before the image disappared from her.

 

------

 

Danera walked with Jahara, indeed finding the kitchen as planned. The helpful little droid tat took care of the kitchen came over and beeped.

"Two blue milks, Harpy" the mercenary said before looking over at Jahara and smiling. IT was such a cheesy moment that he had to say something, so he said something equally cheesy.

"Two years we've known each others and you just keep getting more and more beautiful"

[Writer]

Jahara smiled, fully accepting the 'cheese factor' of the situation and answered, "Coming from such a handsome specimen of a male, I take that as a high compliment. Thank you!"

 

- - - - - - - - -

 

As the med droid worked on her, tears began to from little streaks over Riebe's face.

 

"I've revealed us," she whispered. The med droid finished its work and Riebe sat up, looking over to Strider. Another droid was still working on him. With a little sigh, she turned and dangled her legs off the edge of the bed. The med droid chose this very moment to inform Riebe of her physical condition.

 

"Lady Riebe," it said, "you are now once more in excellent health."

 

"How perfectly thrilling," Riebe muttered sarcastically.

 

"Your hair has grown ten inches since your last examination," the droid went on. "There has been no change in your eyesight, the eyes are just as good as ever. You've gained five pounds, coming to a total of 125 pounds..."

 

"Gotta stop eating so much," she murmured to herself.

 

"... and your height is five feet, three inches," the droid finished.

 

"I know, I know," Riebe interrupted. "Five..." she stopped, her eyes widening. "... three?"

[Black Knight of Keno]

Danera smiled at Jahara. The two were such an odd couple if they would become one. A rugged man over his thirties and a noble jedi knight, now turned Sith Hunter not yet even in her twenties. They recieved their blue milks and the man swiftly drank half to regain from his exhaustion with the building of his ship. He suddenly turned to her and smiled brightly.

"I heard news from the merchant. He tells me that the Dominion is starting to losen it's grip on the nearby worlds. If you want, I could arrange a visit with other civilzation than this dull planet. My ship is almost ready to leave. Just say the word" he said and turned back to his milk before grinning to himself slightly. Ooh, he was such a smooth player...

 

------

 

The great Sith finished his inspections and returned to the office of Charna, his now white eyes gleaming under his hood.

"I have had a revelation, my apprentice. I will turn my governor's position to Emukiel for a while. From here on and until I return, the Council of the Four Governors, the fourth being the Grand Admiral, will rule instead in unision and all militaristic plans will be halted unless we are attacked. I do not know how long it will be until my return, but if the Council has any questions, you can find help from the Cloak of the Sith. There ask for Darth Undison for advice for he is the nearest of them to think like me. Farewell!" he said and left the office as swiftly as he had arrived, being on orbit in practically no time. As the Dungeon Ship was ready to leave for hyperspace, an unnoticable little craft left. It was a small freighter with many luxuries inside for the people of the Watchtower. This would help the two men to blend in as merchants instead of who they really were: the Dark Lord and his Colonel

[Flamehart]

Strider soon was restored to his own health, the droids quite surprised how little actually had to be done, as Strider had began using the Force to heal his wounded flesh while waiting for them to start work. Strider raised an eyebrow at Riebe, wondering what was wrong. He could hear her thoughts, however, and knew immediately then what had happened, his hand moving down to grip his lightsaber hilt. Upon hearing her reaction to her height, his eyebrow shot back up again, not quite catching at first the significance of her height.

 

He stood and looked at her, "What's the big deal?" he asked bluntly.

[Writer]

Her concerns momentarily forgotten, Riebe hopped off the bed and ran to Strider, hugging him enthusiastically.

 

"Strider!" she exclaimed. "I grew! I'm five three!"

[Flamehart]

Strider couldn't help but laugh, he put his hand on top of her head and measured against his chest, then smiled and said teasingly, "Really?"

 

He paused for a moment, then continued with an even wider smirk, "I couldn't tell," said the fellow Hunter with humor in his tone.

[Writer]

Riebe laughed. "Well..." she answered, "I guess an inch in two thousand years isn't exactly the most notable growth spurt ever."

 

Then, her mind snapped back to Tepe's discovery of the Watchtower and her tone changed immediately.

 

"Strider," she said seriously. "Tepe knows where we are. We have to let the citizens know. They're well prepared for potential discoveries. And furthermore, we have to leave. I'm going back to the holo-generators. If we can restore them, we can confound him for a little while. It'll look like the city's heavily populated... and that we're still here. Only when he tries to speak with anyone will he realize that nobody's here."

 

She closed her eyes in silent frustration. "I have spent too long protecting this place to let it fall into the hands of the Dominion. As beneficial as it would be for us to leave, I can't."

 

When she opened her eyes, Strider could see a calm determination. "I'm going to stay here, to hold the Dominion away. Tepe has to learn that, no matter what, he cannot have Gerv."

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

Jahara's eyes widened slightly. "My friend," she said, avoiding the use of his name, "if anyone were to see us, they would be able to figure out a general idea of where the Hunters are! We can't do that."

 

 

((Btw, Tepe, in the first RP, Jahara was 21. As this is two years later, she'd be 23 now... ))