Dark Age of the New Republic

[Sigundr]

((Oh yeah, Tepe, a ysalamir only has a force dampening radius of one meter. If you read Vision of the Future, you would have seen that. Just a little pointer.))

 

Raek picked up a fist sized rock and hurled it with the Force, but it landed short of hitting Tepe.

 

Malicious bastard, Raek said in his thoughts, silently scorning himself after realizing he had said that through the unified mind.

 

"Dammit," he mumbled.

[Black Knight of Keno]

((Well excuse me for not happening to be a pathetic little nerd by reading every single book in Star Wars EU))

[Writer]

"He's arrogant," Riebe said softly, dissolving the joined mind. "We surprised him with our 'Forceless' fighting techniques. He was expecting a panic."

 

Then, she addressed them one at a time:

 

"Jahara, you did well, but keep a better grip on your saber. Raek, Kin, I sensed some minor loss of emotional control. You'll need to work on that. If you can't control your emotions, they'll control you and your actions will make you fall. Katherine, when you first sensed the loss of the Force, you hesitated. Strider, it's good to see you remembering our old unified fighting styles. It was your bold attack that finally drove Tepe away."

 

She saved Danera for last. "You're a fool, kid," she spat. "To think you could do anything to Tepe alone... your arrogance was properly rewarded. I hope you've learned your lesson well." Turning to Strider, she said, "Take him to the infirmary and let the droids patch them up."

[Flamehart]

Strider nodded and at once moved towards Danera. He knew that Riebe already knew how he would act before she even gave him the order. The old Hunter leaned over and grabbed Danera by the front of his clothing, lifting him with one hand. "Consider yourself lucky kid," he growled, and continued, "That I'm not the leader - Riebe is far more forgiving than I am," and with that, he hoisted the man over his shoulder and headed back for their facility. He then looked at Katherine as he passed her and gestured at the city loudspeaker, telling her to give the code for everyone to come back, and she nodded and ran off to do so without question.

[Black Knight of Keno]

Danera sighed and shook his head as he was carried to the medical bay. As he was set down, he grunted and placed his hands on small holders so the droid could work on the wounds better. The man looked over at Strider and smirked slightly.

"It's time for me to go then. After my hands are patched, I'll leave with everything I own, but you'll be sure to see me again later on. It's a promise too. I might not fight with youm but I'll be on the backround easing your way" the mercenary said and looked as the droid worked on his hand.

 

------

 

The Sith Lord left with the Colonel swiftly, jumping into hyperspace as soon as they could. The Sith went back to his small room and started meditating. He had checked on the skills of the Sith Hunters and it seemed that the ancient ways of fighting that the Hunters had been teaching the new joiners was more than equal with what he had learned. He would need someone else to teach him more than old holocrons. So, he would head off for secret training under Emukiel Al-Saefar, a veteran of ancient battles during both Old and New Sith Wars. Emukiel was a treasury of knowledge to the Sith Lord, so now he only needed the weequay to fight for him so te Hunters could be beaten once and for all. Demolished and broken back to their old routine of hiding and fleeing

[Flamehart]

Strider looked back at Danera. "You still have a chance here, Danera, and there's still much you could learn from the Hunters. Before you fully convince yourself on leaving, you should think about that for a bit. I won't lie to you - we do not wish the information of Gerv getting out to a high paying bidder who would pay well for that information. I'm sure you understand that," Strider said, before turning and walking to the doorway, stopping to look at Danera.

 

"You have potential, and we're willing to try again - but we cannot teach you if you are not open to our methods," he said at last.

[Black Knight of Keno]

Danera sat up from straught once the droid had finished and looked back at Strider.

"No... It's time for me to go. And if you are scared of me selling Gerv out to anyone, you should let that pass beyond yourselves. I have seen what corporations, armies and greedy mercenaries can do and I won't ever want a part of that utter demolishing of native culture. Besides, even if I still would have much to learn from you and Riebe, I'll never become a Sith Hunter. I'm a Mercenary. A Mercenary who has just gotten to know that a certain Mercenary faction is without a leader currently. If I manage to get that position, there is much more that I can do for your cause than by fighting the sith myself" he said and stood up after the medical droid had listed his info. He walked padt Strider and left for his room to pack. He stuffed his things into a pair of duffelbags mostly, but gearing up back into what he hadn't worn for two years. The cape was on, covering half of his body, he had his blaster, whipcord launcher, wrist laser and all that jazz. He also had on his armor and an ear-attatchable comlink. As he walked to the hangar, he set the duffelbags down next to his light frighter. Danera's B-1 pilot droid had already been commanded to dock the fighter with the Light Cruiser and the battle droid was now setting the fighter down onto the docking hatch. He looked around and sighed with a bit of melancholy in it before walking inside the cruiser and throwing the duffelbags inside while waiting for the battle droid and astromech to get everything ready and maybe even for the Sith Hunters to come and say goodbye.

[Sigundr]

Raek sat down on a large smooth rock and ran his hands through his hair, thinking about that short but insightful fight. He lifted up a fist sized rock with the Force and twirled it around in front of him, trying to think. He closed his eyes and started to think about all the emotion that had made him weak: anger, sadness, hatred, all the things he was not supposed to be concerned with. He lifted up his open hand and started closing it. The rock started to crack, and with a bone crunching snap, turned into dust. He let it drop and started up for the fortress.

[Flamehart]

Katherine walked by Raek on her way back from the loudspeaker, and fell into step with him as he headed back to the fortress. "Raek..you seemed troubled over your emotions...I'm not very good at counseling but...remember that as Hunters, we are different from Jedi. Anger and Hate are not so much weaknesses as they are something we can draw energy from, as long as we don't let those emotions get the better of us, and keep them in control. Strider taught me when I was a Jedi not to give into my anger, but to use the power created by it to my advantage," she tried to counsel. After they arrived, she bid him farewell for the time being to run some other errands. She passed by the Hangar and saw Danera leaving, feeling it was unfortunate that he felt he had to do so, as his mistake was one that any of the other new Hunters could have committed. She walked over to him and offered a handshake, saying with a smile, "Danera, sorry to see you go. I won't forget the Makashi training you gave us all, and I hope you'll still be on our side after all this."

 

----------

 

Meanwhile, Strider found himself roaming the halls of the fortress, with no particular aim in direction. As he walked however, he soon heard a feminine voice that whispered out to him.

 

"Strider..."

 

He turned, hilt draw, his senses alert. He looked around, but saw nothing. Seconds later, the voice came again.

 

"Strider..."

 

It didn't take long to track it after a second time, and began walking with a long, hurried stride down the maze of hallways in the fortress. As he walked, he heard the voice increasing in its volume, going from a whisper to a murmer, a murmer to a gentle voice.

 

"Strider...over here..."

 

He turned around the corner and found an empty, dark room at the end of the hallway before him. A training room, he knew, but something about it gave him an eerie feeling - he could feel a strong Force presence within the room, unnatural for a room that should be unoccupied. He started to advance forward, stepping into the dark room, the open door being the only projection of light into the room, and even then not supplying much.

 

Suddenly, the door sealed shut behind him. Strider turned to the door for a moment, watching the room instantly cast into absolute darkness. He heard the voice again, loud, clear, and threatening.

 

"Strider, I'm here!"

 

With that, he whirled around, the blue blade of his lightsaber igniting as he brought the blade up, only finding it to meet with a scarlet red blade. He could not identify his opponent, and knew only that she was female through her voice. He pushed back on the blade and growled.

 

"Who are you?" he demanded.

"A shadow of your past, Flamehart," responded the voice.

 

Much to his surprise, the female forced him back and began a vicious offensive on him, using a very unique style that Strider was familiar with but surprised to see used - his very own. Strider was caught off guard, not expecting something he taught himself to be used by another, and carefully defended himself from the attacks. She's good, he thought to himself as he defended, waiting to find an opening in the offense, Too good. How could she have learned my style? He couldn't figure it out. Only three people had ever seen his style extensively enough that they would recognize it on sight, and one of those three he had actually taught it to personally, but they were long dead - almost four thousand years ago. This couldn't be them!

 

Before long, Strider was able to find an opening and moved onto the offense, catching the woman off guard, but still managing to keep up. She had great speed and ability with the blade, but not quite the level that Strider had. It didn't take long before he was able to disarm her, managing to knock the blade from her hand while exercising a backflip to avoid one of her attacks. He swung his blade about himself and then pointed it at her, expecting her to give up, but what came next completely threw him off guard.

 

The woman thrust her hands forward and a powerful shockwave sent Strider flying back, knocking his blade out of his hand, causing it to shut off and tatter across the metal floor, out of the way. Strider tried to advance on her, deciding to use melee now to pin her, but suddenly felt something similar to his bones turning stone stiff, and soon saw himself lifted off the ground. He could see her lips beneath the hood of her robe, and saw somewhat of a smirk. He growled, finding this a taunt of sorts, but for some reason could not shake her hold on him. His eyes still moved as he looked to the far sides of the room, spotting both of their lightsabers. He concentrated on them, using his mind as his body was paralyzed, the hilts lifted off the ground and activated, then placed themselves in a scissor position at the woman's neck, who blinked, startled, and dropped Strider to the ground, backing away from the two blades.

 

Strider grunted, standing back up and advancing on the woman, who managed to find her back against the wall now. "Give me one good reason I shouldn't," he said in a low, harsh voice.

 

"Strider..." she said, her voice now frightened. Strider's eyebrow cocked, confused by her sudden change in demeanor.

 

"Who are you?" he growled again. "How do you know me, how do you know that fighting style?" he demanded to know.

 

"You know who I am Strider," she said, the lights suddenly activating as she reached up to lower her hood, revealing a young girl, looking to be twenty-two, with hazel eyes and shoulder length brown hair. "I was a Jedi with you...you taught me that fighting style."

 

Both of the blades deactivated and clattered to the floor.

 

"It can't be," Strider breathed faced with the familiar face of his old friend, someone who was three thousand and seventy eight long years dead.

 

"Strider, it's me, Cylia."

"You're supposed to be dead!"

"How can you say that?"

"I watched it happen! That scum of a Sith killed you!"

 

Her eyes lowered, and knew at once there would be a lot of explaining to do. "There is so much I need to tell you Strider," she said in a quiet voice. She beckoned him to sit on one of the observation benches at the side of the training room, taking her seat on one. Strider took his place next to her, listening to what she had to say, and she spoke, giving answers to many of the questions Strider harbored for four thousand years.

 

 

((Gonna have to cut this post short in terms of what she tells him. It'll come up later, but for now it's just between them. By the way, I'm sure at least Riebe, maybe one of the other gifted Hunters, if they aren't bidding Danera farewell, could most likely sense the intense Force energy from where the fight was happening.))

[Black Knight of Keno]

"I'll be around. You just won't know it. Don't tell Strider but I managed to sneak a bugging device inside the armor of his ship. If you get in trouble, I'll be around to bail you out in no time. And with an army of mercenaries and pirates if I'm lucky enought on my trip" he said to Katherine and smiled before shaking her hand and standing up. He looked up at the clang of a droid's feet and the Battle Droid nodded.

 

"Well... That's my cue. Keep training on your makashi. When in a duel, you'll be in trouble if you have forgotten it. Contact me if you need help with it. Spread the word" he said and then walked up the ramp. as the ramp closed, he saluted in a military fashion and left off to the cockpit.

"Okay then. Let's head off to Shadowport Jargon, captain Sulu!" he said loudly as he entered the cockpit, only to get a loo from the confused droid.

"Oh, nevermind. Just launch off before I decide to upgrade you with a humor sensor" Danera said as he sat down on the pilot's seat and the ship took off and vanished into hyperspace in upper orbit. They headed out to Shadowport Jargon, a large mercenary and pirate center on the Mid Rim. It was also the base of the mostly pirate organization called Gray Brigade, which was the target of the mercenary. If he could manage to take control of the Brigade, he could be more than helpful to the Sith Hunters by equipping them with fighters, weapons and even disguises or armors if they would need them.

 

------

 

Tepe's ship left hyperspace, landing softly on Tibrin unannounced and let the men out. The colonel left back to catch up on the training of the personal guards of the Dark Lord while the Sith himself left to learn more from Emukiel. The two were swiftly sealed inside a training room with a set of guards on each entrance to make sure nobody and absolutely nobody would disturb the training that could even take up to weeks with nothing else but water given to them so they wouldn't dehydrate. In an instance, the two men were sparring and Emukiel was teaching the art of wielding a sword instead of a lightsaber. The two decorative Sith Swords had been removed from the wall where they hung on small racks and the clanging of the metal to metal could be heard from inside.

[Black Knight of Keno]

((Well somebody do something before this thing flops on it's back and dies))

[Writer]

((Ok, ok! ))

 

 

Reibe burst into the training room, one blade of her saber active. She'd sensed the great waves of the Force fairly early on, but had been in the middle of another training session with Jahara. She managed to cut it short and hurried off to find her friend.

 

"Strider, what happened?" she demanded, holding her saber warily, eyeing the woman next to Strider.

[Flamehart]

Strider looked up. He was sitting casually next to the brown haired woman, who looked up at Riebe with her hazel eyes.

 

"Nothing Riebe," he said, standing. "It was a test...Riebe meet Cylia. She's an old friend..." he paused, noting Riebe's surprise, unaware that Strider made many friends during his mercenary days, or those whom he would call friends, and he added on, clarifying, "...from four thousand years ago."

 

Cylia stood and bowed lightly, not taking her eyes off of Riebe. "I apologize for the..disturbance I caused...I merely had to test my old friend," she said softly, her eyes glancing back at Strider for a moment. There was something about her, in her eyes, when she looked at him, that was quite evident to Riebe. Strider noticed, but said nothing about it.

[Writer]

"Naturally," Riebe said softly, deactivating her lightsaber. "A pleasure to meet you, Cylia."

 

Puzzled, she turned to Strider. "So..." She couldn't quite figure out how to question Cylia's presence here and decided on, "So any other old friends planning to drop by today?"

[Black Knight of Keno]

Danera landed his light cruiser himself inside the hangar of the Shadowport. As he was walkig towards the hatch, he attatched a shield generator on the battle droid and gave it it's old blaster back that was a bit enhanced with more accuracy and power than the standard blaster of the Trade Federation. The two then walked out of the ship, greeted by a Duros slave there to greet any people coming to the port and alert the "authorities" if any law enforcement officers came about.

 

"I'm here to meet with the Grays" Danera said and the Duros bowed before asking for a name.

"I don't have a name they are worthy to use but some call me The Makashi" Danera said and the Duros bowed again before rushing off to announce him. The mercenary closed the door and the ramp raised as the Duros came back.

"They will agree to see you in twelve minutes" the boy said and led the man to a waiting area. Once the Duros had left, Danera unplugged every security camera and broke inside the meeting room where the leading members and his current rivals for the position were.

 

"Good evening gentlemen. Let me introduce myself. I am Danera. Usually I would not give my name, but as you won't be saying it after this meeting, I think it's allright" he said and drew out both his lightsaber, blocking all the blaster shots aimed at him while taking out his blaster and shooting everyone with the aid from his battle droid companion. As the last pirate was standing, Danera holstered the blaster and approached him while the battle droid secured the entrance. As the exile jedi cornered the leading member, a smirk appeared on his face.

"Notify every man in the organization that I have taken control. Any who defy me are welcome to come here right now to try and get me to change my mind. I'll of course kill them. Move" he said, ordering the man to a holoprojector. Both of them were shown to every mercenary and pirate in the Brigade.

 

------

 

The training continued intensly between the two masters of several forms of combat, some ancient and some more recent. The veteran of the Hundred Year Darkness, knowing much more of fighting with a heavy sword instead of a light lightsaber and so beating the Dark Lord easily to every punch. As the Sith finally dwelled deep inside himself for power, the sword of his broke the one Emukiel was wielding in half. The weequay flinched, stepping back and dropping the sword.

"Well done, Lord Tepe, but you cannot do that to a lightsaber. Breaking the energy flow of a lightsaber will be too much even to the greatest of Sith Swords in the possession of the greatest Sith Lord. Let us try it with me wielding a lightsaber as the Sith Hunters will be doing" he said and activated his lightsaber, lunging towards the sith, making very swift attacks that the Sith could barely manage to avoid. The weequay turned to use his speed he hadn't used since the Hundred Year Darkness and the lightsaber left a long blurry tail behind it as the ancient Jedi Master attacked the Sith. However, after several blocks that had now become more easier as the Sith speeded himself up also to a much greater speed so he could see the Weequay slower than he were, the sparring ended with the sword ripping flesh from the weequay's left leg.

 

Emukiel let out a grunt as he stepped back again and deactivated the lightsaber.

"Good... Good... I think you are quite well trained to meet the Hunterd again. There is a gift for you on the table there. Use it on the droids. I'm going for the medical bay" Emukiel said before leaving the Dark Lord. Tepe smirked and placed the ancient sword back on the wall before walking to the table, uncovering a box that he opened. There were three weapons inside. Two double-bladed vibrostaves and a double-bladed lightsaber made to resemble the Lord's own lightsabers when attatched together. The Sith grabbed the staves and twirled them around a bit, playing with them before starting the training program. With ten well programmed droids with a lightsaber in both hands against him, the Sith Lord once more twirled the staves before setting himself on defence. With four blades new to him on his side against the twenty well trained ones, you would be certain of death. And even the Sith was certain of this as the lightsabers set on low power burned him quite well every now and then as hits landed on him that shouldn't have throught mistakes of a youngling. He would learn much from the hours of practice with the droids that he could usually beat in two minutes while he trained to wield the staves differently to what he used to wield the lightsaber and hone his skills of Jar'kai to their maximum

[Black Knight of Keno]

((People should post so I don't get too far ahead))

[Writer]

((Waiting on Flamehart...))

[Flamehart]

Strider shrugged helplessly, "None that I know of. We need to go to the Sith Base to acquire the age reducing agent for the other Hunters. It will be a good training, for them to be able to feel the memories of the Past Hunters to understand what we went through. They'll be stronger for it, and then we'll move on to our campaign against the Sith Lord," the Hunter declared. He turned to Cylia, who looked over at Riebe.

 

"I must ask..may I please accompany the Sith Hunters in their mission?" Cylia asked, looking back from Strider to Riebe. "I can watch for myself. Strider trained me in his form of lightsaber combat. In exchange, I taught him many of the Force techniques I know," she assured.

[Black Knight of Keno]

Emukiel entered again the training room, smirking quietly as he saw what had become of the battle. The Dark Lord was meditating, floating a few feet in the air with a calm face but with many bruises, burnmarks and scratches. A droid was slumped in a croner, cut half in two with the arm off and lying next to it. A couple of others were pinned to the wall with the other dual-bladed vibrostaff throught their chests. The rest of the droids were rubble on the floor, some cut in half, some in small pieces and some pieces hanging from the roof after a force strike against them. The weequay coughted and gained the attention of the Sith who lowered himself and set himself down on his feet with a smile.

 

"You are doing well, Lord Tepe. However, you have much training to do before you can approach the Sith Hunters again" Emukiel said and walked around the room as Tepe pulled a towel to himself, drying himself up and standing still on his place.

"I'm not going to face them. They are going to face me. I have seen it in my meditations. And when we clash, there will be damage done to all. Especially the Hunters. Do not get me wrong Emukiel. I am not arrogant of my powers, but according to my sight of the future, I will come out victorious, even if it will claim much of me. Betrayal is the word of that time. A Darth Traya will arrive from their ranks and when she does, the Hunters will be confused enought for me to win and them to go back under their rocks" Tepe explained and the weequay nodded quietly before stopping right infront of the Sith. He was about to say something when suddenly the colonel entered.

"Sires, a pair of Republic sector fleets just arrived and opened fire on our planetary shield and the defence platforms" he said and Tepe nodded, throwing the towel away and rushing out while picking up his robes and putting them on.

 

A moment later, the Grand Admiral, Grand General and the Sith Lord with his guards entered the command bunker. The holographic map was up with the holograms of all the admirals and generals on the planet's defence.

"Gentlemen and Ladies, let's not let these bastards inside" Tepe said as he entered the conversation, leaning onto the desk where the holomap had been placed on.

"We have lost two platforms and planetary shield projectors are under fire from mass drivers. Blue, Black, Silver and Force squadrons are out of the bases and engaging enemy dropships while the 1st and 4th fleets are taking off. 10th fleet has already confronted the intruders" the Grand Admiral explained and pointed at different spots on the holomap. The Dark Lord smirked and looked at the people around the table.

"Full power to all planetary turrets and defence platforms. Wipe them out. All of them" he said before sitting down on his seat, a smirk appearing on his face as he fell into battle meditation, helping his troops to annihilate the Republic forces swiftly

[Black Knight of Keno]

((Oh come on, people. Don't make me jump time or c0ontrol your characters. I won't let this die, you bastards ))

[Writer]

((Finally! Tepe, we've discovered an RP you actually care about! ))

 

 

Riebe frowned thoughtfully. Then, she nodded. "A friend of Striders will always be welcome with us," she said. To Strider, she said, "We need to get moving. I'll leave Gerv in Shaam's control. If Tepe decides to return, he'll find Andarin as empty as before. And this time, all but one of the ships will depart as well, with millions of life-signs aboard. It'll look like a full-scale evacuation."

 

She turned to Cylia. "We're about to go to the birthplanet of the Sith Hunters," she said. "It's fairly deep inside Dominion Space and if Tepe has researched our history, he'll know this is where the age supression agent was applied and where we were trained. Most of the equipment is in ruins, but the place still contains useful information. We're going to use it, copy it, and destroy it."

[Black Knight of Keno]

((I'm dominating the Galaxy! Of course I care))

 

The Republic dropships had managed to land and out poured the largest invasion army the Defence Forces had managed to gather in the time given to them. It was about a million soldiers, most of them regular troops with the rest being in different heavy weaponries. The fleets clashed violently in space. Several Sith Battleships were already destroyed before a Mon Calamri Cruiser had been managed to be destroyed, but eventually as one of the Republic ships fell, others started to fall also even if they would manage to make damage to the Sith Dominion also. The Dominion ships utilized Space Marines that could take over the ships they attacked or if not take over, destroy it from within and modified buzz droids that were huge and cut throught the Republic ships like a lightsaber cut throught blast doors; Slowly but surely. From the cities of Tibrin all you could see when looking upon the skies was flashing and explosions. The civilians were evacuated into shelters while every single troop on the planet massed to counter the attacking Republic forces. As the battle was already tipping to their side, The Dark Lord stood up from his battle meditation and grinned at the Generals and Admirals. As he walked out, his Colonel followed him.

 

"Get my Dark Jedi mounted up and armored. And get my Rancor ready" he said and looked at an officer who ran from the bunker and after them.

"My Lord, the frontlines have reported of jedi activity" the man said and bowed to his lord.

"The jedi? Skywalker should keep better care of his people. Tell them to avoid the jedi but if they can get a clear shot, let them shoot. Send out every single droid we have! We cannot lose our sentients" he said and rushed off with his colonel while the officer rushed back to the bunker.

 

A few short moments afterwards, the Dominion armies had been pushed back and the Republic had a clear spot where the reinforcements could land if they got throught the space battle first where the Dominion forces mostly dominated currently. The Republic had really invested their everything to this sneak attack on the Dominion and with the help of the Imperial Remnants for what it seemed on the Star Destroyer part of the fleet and the several battallions of Stormtroopers sent down to the planet later in the invasion. However, the pulling back was more of a trick and as the frontlines backed as slow as they could, the lines behind them had managed to dig in and get a well armed defence line. As the frontline dug in also, the droid army was sent forth to give the Republic some pain before the ultimate surprise would come.

 

Not even three hours from the initial landing of the Republic forces, the big surprise came to the Republic soldiers. A deep mist had fallen upon the battlefield where already the many bombardments and missile strikes had caused thick smoke. As the Stormtroopers and Republic soldiers advanced rapidly, cutting throught the dimwit and obsolete droids, they suddenly got to the defences that had been swiftly abandoned. They thought it would be the best place to rest for a short while, using the defences against the Dominion, but suddenly from the unseen coral cliffs of the distance a deep roar of a rancor sounded and it was followed by screams of men and aliens alike. The Dominion forces quickly made forth towards the enemy who had been joined by the jedi on the lead. From the mist, several deep orange and different shades of red appeared as long strips, glowing like the devil's eyes. When the enemy could finally see, tens of rancors rushed forwards, ridden by Dark Jedi and the Dark Lord of the Sith in the lead himself. Behind these great foes, the Dominion armies followed. Many of the invasion army's sodliers panicked and fled while those that stayed were cut down by the Sith, Rancors or the intense shooting of the Dominion forces. The tide changed swiftly. Especially after the 19th fleet jumped from Korriban and the 21st fleet jumped from Arkania. So were the Republic forces pinned both on the planet and in the deep darkness of space

 

((Hehe...))

[Writer]

((While I wait for Flamehart to respond to Riebe, I'll give Skywalker's reactions to the Jedi on the front lines.))

 

"Master Skywalker," a young Jedi Knight said, approaching the old Master. "The New Coruscant Jedi Council have sent a literal army to combat the Dominion."

 

"I know," Luke said quietly. "And they sent you to me to inform me of that which I already know."

 

"They have told me to inform you that this is the end of your leadership," the Knight went on. "You are a relic of the past, an icon of history. You have great wisdom, but you do not use it for ensuring the safety of the galaxy."

 

"Need I remind you of the last time Jedi became actively involved in a war?" Luke asked softly. "That was the beginning of the Empire and the end of the old Jedi Order."

 

"Skywalker, you have been the head of this Order for many successful years," the Knight said. "But it's time for you to let someone else take over that spot. Hand over your lightsaber."

 

"No," Luke said. His voice was quiet, but firm. The Knight switched on his own lightsaber.

 

"Luke Skywalker, you are being removed from your position as Grand Master of the New Jedi Order," he said. More insistently, he repeated, "Hand over your lightsaber."

 

"I will not," Luke answered again. At that moment, Kyle Katarn revealed himself from the shadows.

 

"We may be old," he said, flicking the blade on his blue saber, "but we're not gone yet. Return to your Masters Council of Coruscant and inform them of what you have seen."

 

"Fools," the young Knight sneered. "Do you really think the Council would send their greatest duellist if they wanted the two of you to continue training in your outdated ways?"

 

"We can't kill him, Kyle," Luke said quietly, drawing his emerald saber.

 

"No," Kyle agreed, "but we can... injure him a bit."

 

And in less than ten seconds, the young Knight was disarmed and panicked.

 

"Now go," Luke ordered, "and tell your Council they have left the New Jedi Order by their latest decisions. You are not Jedi any longer."

 

The frantic Knight retrieved his sabers and fled the hall. Kyle chuckled.

 

"Not bad for a couple old farts, eh, Luke?" he said. Luke Skywalker did not smile.

 

"The New Jedi Order has experienced its first split," he said softly. "We here on Ossus are the only True Jedi remaining. Inform the galaxy of this new development... and prepare the spare rooms."

 

"The spares?" Kyle wondered. Luke smiled.

 

"You can count on there being True Jedi other than right here on Ossus," he said. "They'll be coming to get new orders... from the Grand Masters of the True Jedi Order."

 

"Masters?" Kyle echoed. "Now, hold up, Luke! I'm no leader..."

 

"Yes you are, Kyle," Luke interrupted. "Believe it. Accept it. The Order needs you."

 

Kyle fell silent for a long moment. Then, he sighed. "And they have me," he said.

[Flamehart]

Cylia nodded, comprehending the plan. Also, realizing that this would be in Sith territory, she would have to be wary of the dangesr they would encounter.

 

Strider on the other hand, had his mind on other things. He could feel echoes being created in the Force - the death of Jedi on Tibrin against the Dominion, the split of the Order between Coruscant and Ossus. Many things were occurring, and fast. The war had started again.

 

"The cease fire has ended," Strider said suddenly, looking at Riebe. "If we are to move, we must move now. We have little time. Let us go seek the shadows of our past, Riebe," Flamehart finished, looking from Cylia to Riebe. "Round up the Hunters, Riebe. I'll prepare the ship," he added, before leaving without another word, knowing his sudden rushed nature would probably catch Riebe off guard for a moment. Cylia followed behind him as he walked with a long stride to the hangar, boarding the ramp of the shining, almost factory-new looking Ragnarok.

 

"You're still flying this old clunker?" Cylia said with a surprised look on her face.

 

"This old clunker has had many modifications done to it, for your information. It is far advanced than it was when you knew me, and is far more advanced than the times now. Much of the technology I have on here surpasses most of what is equipped on Tepe's own Dominion ships, which I'm sure you saw on your way here. Some of it though...I haven't quite...how to say...activated yet," Strider informed.

 

"You haven't activated? Why not?" Cylia asked him.

 

"I haven't figured out how. Now take a seat and hush," he said, obviously not liking to admit to a shortcoming.

 

Cylia could only laugh, and sat down in one of the seats in the center body of the ship while Strider headed to the cockpit to ready the ship.

[Master Nark]

Master Gandon Nark recieved a message from Master Skywalker requesting his presence on Ossus. He said goodbye to his friends who were in the training room of the Jedi Temple and hopped in his custom built Jedi starfighter. When he arrived on Ossus he was greated by Luke and Kyle. "Master Skywalker, Master Katarn, what events have transpired here and summoned me from the temple?" Gandon asked calmly. "Master Nark, a student of the Order requested, even threatened me to stand as Grand Master of the Jedi Order," Luke replied. "What is the meaning of this treachery?" Gandon asked. "We do not know, but the council has been corrupted," Kyle stated. Gandon sighed and then spoke again, "I do admit that the council showed some signs of betrayal to the Jedi. I shall form a new council with the other Jedi who served in the Old Republic. Most importantly, you two shall be it's leaders. Luke and Kyle looked at each other and both seemed flatered. "Thank you Master, and I accept," Luke stated and bowed. Gandon bowed in return and then looked at Kyle. "Yeah I'm in too." Gandon smiled. "Let us go inside, for the other Jedi will be coming soon," he said. Then they returned to the building with signs of confidence in their eyes.