Xenn hits a bunch of flashing buttons, and twists a couple knobs. He locates the microphone and hails General Ahem aboard the Sormontato, the head ship blockading all of Tatooine.

"This is Xenn aboard the FL-142 Flower Recon ship, requesting docking permission to the sanctioned grounds of the new jedi academy."

He and the others wait patiently for a responce.

Her eyes catch the fact that the streaks of light are now tiny dots glimmering in the distance.
We've come out of hyperspace she thought to herself.

"We should get in the Shield, we have to get permission to land from those bloody imps..."

He then stepped into the turbolift, and held it open for Sarisa. He brought up his comlink and depressed two buttons, one for the Shield's security system and one for the systems on the shield to start running. Two cheery beeps followed after the button presses.

She walks over to him as she looks around the bridge watching the crewman conduncting their assigned duties proficiently. She then looks outside the main viewing area of the bridge to see the multishaded red planet as well as the glimmering of the vast armada surrounding the poor orb.

"Is that Tattooine I see infront of us? What's Xenn doing? SHouldn't we gather Kitiana and Somar and anyone else who might want to join us?"

He looked out the hangar bay,

"Hell, they might already be with xenn!"

He then walked up to his ship and released the mag-locks, the two arms on top and the bottom of the ship retracted, letting the shield float on it own.

"Well, let's get this pointless recon overwith..."

"My name is Xenn, and i am representing myself, aboard the Flower of Carnage recon ship FL-142, and the others aboard the Flower Of carnage itself. I am Requesting permission for myself and the others to land at the grounds sanctiond for the new Jedi academy."

Xenn waits...

She's never seen such a craft in person. Only heard vague mentions of this type of vessel by her mother.

Soon the transmission from the Imperials came over the comms asking what we were doing there.

Kitiana sits quietly and looks out the viewing window toward Tattooine. she had never seen the planet up close before, but had hears stories of it from the past.

"Do you think it wise to mention our purpose here?'

Sellith watched the other ships depart from the hanger. He quickly ran down to his ship to join them, he didn't want to fall behind. He started his ship and tried to catch up with the other ships. He had not seen a blockade of this scale from as close as we was.

Soon he caught up with the Major and Sarisa's ship. He could see Xenn and Kitiana's ship further ahead.
Tattooine has alot of history, there will be alot to learn from this. Sellith thought to himself.

"This is Major Konig, of the Flower of Carnage, I'm just visiting the planet to survey the Jedi Praxeum site. I command the Flower of Carnage, but I'm currently located on the Jedi Shield, the little red and white ship. Currently with me is Sarisa Ker, and ahead of me is a recon ship, piloted by Xenn, and maybe a few passengers."

He inhaled,

Maybe a few passengers?

He was bending lower to the mike to reply when behind him a cry rang out.

"General on deck!"

He could fairly hear the crisp snap as the command crew leapt to their collective feet in salute; again, his training kept him engaged at his station.

"Flower of Carnage, this is Sormontato. Ahh-- 'maybe a few passengers' is denied; we request all writs of travel and identification information for all those onboard all ships immediately, including purpose of visit for the entire party as well.

Taking a reaxing breath and using as calm of a voice as she could muster she keyed the button to transmit.

"Sormontato this is Sarisa Ker aboard the Shield from Flower of Carnage. Our members consist of Major Konig, Xenn, Kitiana, Somar, Ender and myself along with Major Konig's crew who are remaining aboard the Flower of Carnage. We are here to request permission to investigate the proposal of a Jedi Praxeum on Tattooine. Over"

She sat back and turned to the Major. "I really hate the Empire, but I shall do what I must for all of ou sake while we are here.

She took yet another deep breath.

" I hope that was a more satisfactory reply to their querry."

"Im sensing a trap Kitiana, but for the sake of our task at hand, we must let them know why we are here. The Imperials sanctioned this Temple, So there HAS to be a catch."

"Sir, I am reading that their defense systems are coming online."

Ahem, having come up behind the Lieutenant at Communications, turned his head sharply at this. A frown wrinkled his grizzled features.

"This is certainly unexpected; a subtle attempt at a threat?" he mused, just barely loud enough for his command crew to hear.

"They know Tarnus has sanctioned the rebuilding of their praxeum, they themselves have acknowledged that. This is entirely out of character for a Jedi, not to mention no Jedi I have ever heard of comes with so many ships at his beck and call... and I was certainly not aware of anyone sanctioning the use of a battle cruiser to anyone other than our own military."

The Lieutenant looked up at him, then nodded, returning to his board as the General gave his shoulder a meaningful squeeze.

"This is entirely too suspicious, permission is denied. Open a scrambled intership transmission, please."

A flick of a switch, and the command was obeyed.

"To all Imperial vessels, this is General Ahem. Please boost your gains to the tractor beams interlacing; there are vessels here claiming to be Jedi who wish passage. Their weapons systems have come online--"

That statement was a rather redundant one, he realized; all the blockading ships around Tatooine more than likely were already aware of the fact.

"Be prepared in the event of an attack upon us, however futile that would be. But these ships are not -- I repeat, not to be allowed passage to Tatooine at this time.

"General Ahem, out."

He looked to the viewscreen which zoomed obligingly in upon Flower of Carnage.

"Flower of Carnage, this is Sormontato.

"One moment, if you please...

"Sormontato, out."

Even as he closed communication he nodded toward an alert Second Lieutenant. That young officer immediately attended to his board, bringing up specs pertaining to each of the vessels, easily gleaned from their immense data base, pinpointing them quite easily from the unique signature which accompanied each ship.

He quickly got on his own comms device to inform the party.

"I don't think that they are going to let us through. What do you think we should do?.."

Her eyes still closed she speaks to the Major.

He walks back over to the cockpit and pulls up the schematics for the ship, which is really meant for nothing more than a recon drop off and pick up, heavily sheilded and armored incase the to be crew is in a bit of trouble while trying to board and take off.

He keyed the comm,

"None of my defenses are online! I repeat, nothing besides my engines are powered on! Over."

((OOC: I Calibrated my defenses, I never powered them up, nice job misconstruing my post..."

The Major keyed a secure transmission to the Flower,

"We may need to get out of the system really fast Bruno, be prepared to power up shields and the cloak, Over."

He closed the comm and reconnected to the Star Destroyer. There was a whine from the sensor pod and he looked down, the Tractor Beams on the Star Destroyer were powering up.

"Oh, great..."

Thank you for your time with us here.))

Or lack thereof.

Indeed, there was little information to be found concerning the troop of ships so suddenly appearing in Tatooine space.

I find this lack... disturbing, he thought to himself as he reached out a thoughtful hand to close the window.

And in particular, the battleship; how in blazes did a jedi come into possession of a battleship?

And of greater importance... WHY.

Extremely atypical.

He pursed his lips, then reached out and toggled some more keys. Now the display scrolling in front of him showed objects of almost heart-warming familiarity...

...but which were of an even more disturbing nature.

MIA Vessels, IHQ Command Eyes Only

He scanned the specs, grimacing at what he was reading.

They lost so many; how could such a thing happen?

Even as the question came to mind, he knew its answer. In the days of the budding new republic and the Empire under Palpatine, there was little organization, as impossible as that might seem. Although the old Dark Jedi had put up a menacing front, in reality it was quite often that under his regime the right hand did not know what the left hand was doing.

If, indeed, those hands were given permission to do anything autonomic at all.

But no more, Ahem thought as once again he closed the window, and got to his feet. A quick tug straightened an imvisible wrinkle on his impeccable uniform

Actar runs an orderly ship; the Galaxy will be all the better for it.

Now he flipped open a connection to the bridge.

"Tractor in those smaller vessels, target the battleship but but other than remaining on Red Alert in the event of possible attack, take no overt action other than that.

"I will meet those aboard these ships in the Main Docking bay.

"General Ahem, out."

With a final tug upon his uniform he departed his ready room, heading for the giant bay in whose belly he soon expected to find some answers to several questions which plagued him.

The Lieutenant at communications wasted no time.

"All vessels, stand down your weapons and prepare for tractoring. Please power down so no damage will come to your engines.

"Flower of Carnage, stand down your weapons, and take no aggressive action. You shall soon be notified as to the dispersal of your crew.

Kitiana decided to answer the comm since Xenn seemed a bit busy looking over schematics.

"Things could be worse. But did we really expect a nice welcome?"

Xenn pauses, and looks out of the window, feeling powerless as the tractor beam started to rip them from outer space.

"They had to be waiting for us, Its not even the fact that were jedi, its the fact that we were going in search of the new jedi temple grounds. I dont have a good feeling about this..."

"See to it that the crew of those ships are assembled in my ready room, and make certain there are no stragglers finding a difficult time of it exiting their ships."

"Aye, Sir," came the brisk reply, and the comm snicked closed. From his vantage point, the General watched a moment longer, waiting to see who would exit.

"This is Sarisa Ker aboard the Jedi Shield. All engine systems are powered down and awaiting docking procedures."

Once the transmission was sent she then sent out a messege to Somar, Xenn and Kitiana.

"I think things will go much more smoothly if we are open, honest and cooperative with the Imperials. If we state our business we may get the information we seek as well as possibly getting to see the proposed sight of the Praxeum."

She continued watching as the three ships were drawn into the SSD.

AS they entered the bays she observes the rather large welcoming commitee lining the bays.

Once the Shield is down Sarisa turns off all remaining systems after opening the exit port.

Military training forbade the reflexive shake of his head which wanted to come out; instead he stiffened and motioned to a Lieutenant standing nearby.

"Send troops into both of those ships to search for any stragglers, and make certain you scan all elements inside. Smugglers and the like have not been above passing themselves off as Jedi in the past, and we do know their penchant for installing secret little hidey holes.

"I want every cubic millimeter of those two ships scanned, and now, if you please."

As the Lieutenant saluted and turned away, barking orders as he went, the Officer approached Xenn and Serisa. Coming to a halt in front of them, he gave them both a polite nod of greeting.

"If you would please go with the escort provided, the General of this ship wishes to speak with you."

He raised a gloved hand to one side to indicate that they follow the squadron of soldiers who were standing patiently by. Then with another nod of his head, he returned to his task of overseeing the search of the two tractored vessels, which was already underway.

As for the third vessel...

"Replace tractor beam on the unopened vessel, and repel it out to 6,000 klicks," he ordered smoothly.

"Keep the tractor beam engaged, but standby on weapons and shields."

Xenn swallows as they come up on the door that once opened, will make things alot more interesting.

With the whisk of air from the door, it opens. Revealing a shadowy figure at the back of the room. Perhaps General Ahem?

Xenn steps in.

First impressions speak louder than words, he thought to himself as, belatedly, he toggled a switch, polarizing the gigantic viewport behind him through which the brilliant sunlit surface of Tatooine had undoubtedly silhouetted him. The duraglass darkened, the ambient lighting automatically rising in turn, to reveal him to the others as the grizzled, experienced and patient war veteran that he was.

He stood quietly a moment, then indicated banks of chairs set off to the side, and was in the process of indicating them with a genteel gesture when his comm-link chattered for attention.

"Sir," it chirruped.

"We have found two more within the vessels specified; one, a female, was ahhh--"

Here there was a blatantly embarrassed sort of pause.

"Momentarily indisposed, but en route to disembark. The other was a male, whom we found sitting at the command station, refusing to speak or move.

"Both are in custody, Sir."

Ahem paused, pursing his lips thoughtfully.

"Escort the female to my ready room; as for the other, place him in detention... and be sure to search him thoroughly for any hidden weapons. Bring out the ysalamari, in case he truly is a Force-user, that he will not be able to play any tricks upon you in the process.

"General Ahem, out."

A short period of time followed, and then the door to his ready room opened, revealing a handsome young woman with an extremely disturbed look on her face. She was escorted to where the others stood; the guards then backed off but stayed at the ready.

Ahem now turned his full attention to them.

"Please," he said smoothly, politely, once more indicating the chairs.

"Have a seat. I will send for refreshment, if you like, before we get down to the business at hand."

"Thank you General for your hospitality. We are most thankful."

She takes a minute to survey the room, the General and his guards.

"I think drinks would be a most welcome refreshment."

Her voice soft and in a state of calm under the uneasy conditions.

"We would like to discuss the proposal from the Empire of a Jedi Praxeum on the planet below. First off I'm personally curious why such a proposal was offered when the Praxeum on Yavin IV was destroyed."

She looks into the Generals eyes.

This one is direct, and rather brave at that.

Good.

He let some of that humor escape him in the smile which now crept about his lips.

"A fair question, and one that will be answered forthrightly... but after you answer, once again, ones we have of you.

"Now," he went smoothly on, motioning to one of the guards who flipped a data-padd open.

"For the record, please state your names, the names and serial numbers of your ships, your planet of origin, and what again it is that brings you here to Tatooine."

General Ahem... Tsk Tsk, for a seasoned war veteran your just like all the imperial officers ive encounterd before. Too extreme, giving away your intentions prematurely.

"Xenn, Fl-142, is my ships name. 142-af423-098 Is my ships serial number. Dantooine. I Am a Jedi, and we are all seeking permission to land at the sanctioned temple grounds."

The the smile on Ahem's face faded a bit however, in return to Xenn's overt stand-offishness.

This is no Jedi, he thought to himself, as he nodded to the guard with the data padd. Then the smile strengthened, and he gestured once more toward the proffered refreshments.

"I know how you must feel," he began as he walked to a sideboard to take up a carafe of Iberian tea. Returning to the viewport, he adjusted the polarization, allowing a bit more of the light reflecting from the planet below to filter into the ready room. He stood there a long moment, his back to the party, contemplating the view, organizing his thoughts.

"You have no reason to trust us yet, but it is the hopes of Admiral Actar that one day you will.

"But now--"

He turned round and faced the group once again.

"May I ask the others here to please comply with the stated questions? This is purely a matter of record, you must understand."

"Sorry for my delay. I am Kitiana. I was riding in the Fl-142 with Xenn, but my ship, the Nysa is on the Flower serial number 302-N98-001. I am a force user."

She takes a seat next to Xenn and glances at both him and Sarisa. Though she feels a bit uneasy, she doesn't feel that anything is out of place. Of course though, she would remain on guard incase anything were to happen.

"This Flower you refer to in which your ship is berthed; do I assume correctly that is the dreadnaught halted in our outer perimeters?

"Might I ask of the Commander of that vessel; is he still aboard?"

Smiling again he returned to the sideboard, taking up a bit of sweetmeat which he carried with him to his desk. There he seated himself, nodding to the guard with the data padd, who nodded in turn.

"My name is Sarisa Ker. My ship name is The Ripper serial number 243-SN9-528. It too is aboard the Flower of Carnage."

She then nodded to General Ahem's question regarding the Major.

"The commander of that dreadnought and of the vessel in which I arrived is Major Konig."

She thought for a moment as her brow wrinkled a touch with confusion.

"Though I am not sure why he is not with us at the moment. As for where I am from..." her eyes became cold as flashes of her father appeared in her minds eye followed by explosions from cannon fire of orbitting SSD's. " I was born on Corusant."

With a briefly relaxing breath she kept her composure and warmth crept back into her eyes.

"As Xenn stated we are here to investigate the site from which a Jedi Praxeum is to be constructed. Though my previous question regarding the position of the Empire on this matter is also a curiousity of my own."

"Your questions will be answered," he repeated before folding his hands together and placing them loosely upon his desk. He settled a bit in his seat, tilted his head a touch to one side.

"Tell me then, Serisa Ker, if you will: a third ship came with your group, one whose crew declined our invitation to disembark. Will you please state for the record the operator of this vessel, owner if you know it, and why this person is here with your group but has chosen to remain aloof from it?"

I belive its Soman you speak of, none of us know where exactly he came from, nor his intentions.

Now, General I feel we have answerd your questions thouroghly enough. Perhaps you can entertain us with some answers to our own."

Xenn cant help but notice the General studying us like lab mice... Grining behind his cup of whatever he his sipping on. Knowing he has an ace in the hole.

"Thank you for your observation," he said at length as he quietly unfolded his hands from where they had been laying loosely upon the desktop. Toggling a link, he bent over, spoke into the mike in a voice too low for even Jedi ears to discern.

If these are truly Jedi...

Smiling then, he turned back to the group for a moment before he rose and moved over to a darkened area of his immense ready room. There he flipped a switch; a soft blue light immediately turned on, revealing the impossible:

A portion of a Myrkyrian metal-tree, against which trunk there clung a full-grown ysalamiri.

The creature hung there in apparent content, turning it's head to mewl at the General's approach. He reached to a nearby bowl, took up a bit of a treat, and presented it to the creature.

"It is such a rare thing to be allowed a pet upon an SSD," he stated then, his voice neutral, his back to the group.

"I take such joy in the little pleasures of life."

With that he turned back to the others, one hand re-establishing the barred cage about the tree, which descended smoothly from where it had been uplifted to snick softly into the deck.

He regained his seat, glued his eyes to Serisa.

"A question was presented to you, Serisa Ker," he repeated.

"Cute pet you have there. I wasn't aware Generals had pets on their ships."

Once the General restated his question specifically at Sarisa she looks at him as if trying to read him through his gestures and movements. Then with a still calm soft voice.

"Thank you, Sarisa Ker, for that affirmation."

He rose to his feet, moved back to the ysalamiri. Once again it mewled, expecting another treat.

His back to the others, he reached a hand through the bars and gently scratched the animal's shoulder, which provoked a series of delighted squeals and purrs from it.

"Ysalamiri have been standard pets aboard SSDs since the days of Talon Karrde," he said smoothly, turning away from his pet to face the group.

"I believed all Jedi were aware of-- ahh, but it is of little matter now, isn't it my friends? The point is that you are now aware of it yourselves; hopefully there will come a day when this animal may be returned to its natural home on Myrkyr."

He nodded to the guard with the data-padd, who once again nodded in return.

"So, this Somar is then.. not a Jedi? That is all I can deduce from your statements, as he apparently is not a part of your group. Why he persists in keeping your company...

"Well."

He returned to the sideboard, poured himself some tea. Nodded to his aides, who sprang to the needs of his guests.

"That is something we must discover from him then, isn't it?"

Taking a drink, he remained quiet a moment, studying them all, reading their body language: Serisa uncomfortable but apparently open, Xenn sullen and mistrusting, Kitiana...

That one. A bit more of a mystery. Open, yet with an aura of secretiveness unbecoming to Jedi....

"Please, pardon what appears to be evasiveness on my part. You have responded to the best of your ability, and as far as I can deduce, truthfully as well.

"Let me return the favor, if you will."

He paused a moment, then turned back to his viewport. Below him, Tatooine hung like a great mauve and ocher fruit, dried and sere yet contradictorally ripe for the picking.

This planet has already been plucked once; this shall not happen again.

Not if Actar has anything to say about it, or Tarnus the power to follow through with what action might or might not be necessary.

"You... Jedi--"

A brief, pregnant pause.

"--have been heartily misled."

He turned round to face them, spreading his hands to the side, letting them fall. Calm, serene, and openly genuine, he returned to his seat and set his cup quietly upon his desk.

"While the Praxeum on Yavin IV has been destroyed, no attendant Jedi were killed. Many at the time, in fact, were elsewhere; those at the Praxeum were simply removed, for future replacement.

"Here."

He paused, letting the golden orb behind him announce itself for all to see.

"It was always Actar's intention to rebuild a new Praxeum, on larger and more efficient than the old one on Yavin 4.

"Those few Jedi who had been at the old one are now on Tatooine, out in the Dune Sea in the vicinity of Jabba's Old Palace.

"Following their duties in the teaching of a new group of-- I believe your term is younglings?

"ARE YOU TELLING ME,THAT THE EMPIRE IS BREEDING JEDI TO DO THIER BIDDING?"

Xenn coverd his mouth, at the thought of hundreds of jedi being trained by... THE EMPIRE? This was a truley evil act if Xenn had ever seen one. Noticing the Ysalamiri, he concluded there were only a couple options left available at the moment.
Xenn Glared at the General, waiting for his response.

"Oh dear," he finally stated, now regaining his former calm.

"Perhaps I wasn't clear enough; I was under the impression that Jedi not only were those blessed with somewhat high midichlorian counts, but people of reasonable intelligence as well.

"Ah well, forgive me if the circumstances cloud your ability to analyze-- Jedi."

He rose to his feet, came around the desk and approached Xenn. There he came to a halt, a mere meter from the irate man's nose.

"Let me clarify for you. We are most certainly not breeding Jedi, as you so disgustingly suggest.

"We have, as has already been offerred and then followed through upon by Admiral Actar and Lt. General Tarnus, already created a new Praxeum for the Jedi to use. It has been built for some time, has been occupied by the few Jedi in attendance at the old praxeum on Yavin 4, and has indeed been in use as well.

"The younglings who were at the old praxeum are those who are being taught below; several of your kind--"

He paused, his eyes narrowing for by the gods he now was certain Xenn was a wolf among the fold.

"--have already assisted our police in eliminating the Hutt threat here on Tatooine. The illegal spice run has been truncated, those Hutts in charge -- and at the expense of innocents within this sector, I might add -- have either been killed or imprisoned, both quite within the boundaries of the Judicial system set up by the faltering New Republic.

"Which, I might add--"

He now turned away, dismissing the blustering Xenn as a bug.

"Shall only be strengthened by the incorporation of an honest police force.

"How do Jedi otherwise keep the peace? Are you not, by your own mandates, the original such force in this galaxy? Weren't your numbers entirely too small? Weren't those such as the Hutts and the Black Sun a permanent threat, one difficult to remove for the peace of all?"

He sat down, stared Xenn straight in the eye.

"We have already eliminated the threat of the one, my friend," he repeated. "And with the assistance of one Jedi by the name of Shawn Petrolu. It is our hope that other threats to the peace of this galaxy will likewise be eliminated, by the joint cooperation between us and the Jedi--

"--that the inhabitants can then live out their lives in peace, without chaos."

Taking a semi-deep breathe she refocused on Ahem.

"It was my understanging that ever since the Empire came to be the Jedi were always against them due to your overbearing and corrupt ways. How do we know that hasn't changed?"

She looked out of the view port at the planet below.

This one calls herself a Jedi; she needs to meet those who truly are such, he couldn't help but think as, drawing a breath, he spoke up once again.

"You are mistaken in your beliefs," he said quietly. Once again he let his hands spread out to either side of him, then come to rest in folded repose.

"We are not the ogres as were the Imperials of Palpatine's day; in fact, by calling us such, you not only bring us disgrace but display your own naivety. We are not the Empire; in fact, there is no Emperor.

"There is only Admiral Actar, who with those others in High Command wish nothing more than to bring order to chaos.

"As for the Jedi below, why yes. They may come and go as they please, although not many have chosen to do so. They have to date preferred to remain in the New Praxeum, teaching the children, and working with us."

He paused again, then turned round and went to his desk. There he opened a communication to the bridge.

"Send for Petrolu," he ordered curtly, closing the comm-link at the ensuing "Aye Sir!" which crackled back at him.

He looked up to the others.

"Perhaps you would believe words coming from another Jedi instead; I have sent for Shawn Petrolu, who will speak to you of his own free will. But until then--

"Would you rather we returned control of Tatooine to the Hutts? Would you rather we back off of our maintaining order, that the ruffians and pirates and bounty hunters and such have the freedom to run rampant, as they desire?

"If you wish to hear further truth from me, it is the statement that I find your continued refusal to respond to this line of query discomfiting, as if you do not wish for order to be maintained, as if you desire the darker elements to run amuck in the Galaxy.

"That-- and the possession of as many ships as you appear to own-- do not a Jedi make.

"At least not according to what I have learned. But then, perhaps I am as misunderstanding of you as you are of us?"

The Lieutenant at communications saluted mentally to the General, then turned toward his panel to carry out his order. Swiftly keying in a few strokes, he brought up the private communications frequency given to them by Jedi Petrolu.

He then set about setting forth a call.

"Jedi Shawn Petrolu, Jedi Shawn Petrolu, this is Sormontato, currently in Tatooine space.

"General Ahem requests your return at your earliest and swiftest convenience, reply when able, over."

"This is Jedi Petrolu. I am currently away from the Praxeum on Tatooine, but my destination will take me right by your location. I am on the way."

Sending the message at that, Shawn turned to Dat, who was already in the process of making corrections to their hyperspace path. In moments the ship reoriented herself under his command, and spread her wings into hyperspace once more.

"You cant just USE the jedi at your convenience. The Jedi Order is a Seperate and unbias organization that keeps the peace. Not an ace in the hole that you can use on whatever situation you cannot control. Hutt space, Spice trading, these things are for the Empire to worry about, not the jedi. Misleading, and Misteaching, is what i meant before, my initial thoughts overcame me."

General Ahem turned back to Xenn, eyed him steadily.

"Are you saying that your order is the 'end say-all,' so to speak, of what is right and what is wrong in the galaxy? By what right do you have to take this power upon yourselves... alone? To choose at your discretion? To designate what is good, what is evil?

"Do you fear to relinquish some of the... obvious control you either do have in this regard, or at the very least feel you do, to join with another with like interest? Is not what is of greatest importance here the end result, the maintenance of peace and order in the galaxy?

"Yet by your own words you dismiss offhandedly the spice runners and Hutts and smugglers as 'worries of the Empire.' Something you apparently are too high and mighty to soil yourselves with."

Now a small thundercloud began growing in his eyes.

"By what right do you give yourselves this selective vision, to pick and choose who to defend and who not? We at least, who although are really something more of a Federation than this 'empire' you insist upon calling us, do see the larger picture at hand.

"I have stated not once but several times the mandate set forth by Admiral Actar, supported by his command, and maintained by troops: within the galaxy, there are both predators and prey. We hunt the predators, to place the protectorate governments in asylum with us, that in the long run all may live together harmoniously."

He nosed up even closer to Xenn.

...which didn't take all that long, as Shawn had already surmised. As the proximity warning began to blare insistently, Dat brought the ship smoothly back into realspace...

...and not very far from an impressive Imperial blockade. Shawn didn't hesitate, but opened a general comm frequency. "This is Jedi Shawn Petrolu, requesting docking priveleges aboard the Sormontato. My presence was requested by General Ahem."

Ensign duPritt sat at his post aboard the battle cruiser, staring down at the comm panel in front of him as if it was going to bite him.

Which it might, if I'm not careful... he thought as he cast another furtive glance about him.

All others were busy maintaining their stations, all focus on the monstrous blockade which prevented them, or any other ship of theirs, from getting any closer to Tatooine.

He glanced down again, then shifted in his seat. Making certain that to all others he appeared as yet another crew member attending to his duties, he hid the finger that crept to a switch sitting off to one side.

Touched it, innocently enough...

The carefully encrypted, encoded, and zipped message he had prepared earlier squirted out from the cruiser, piggybacked atop yet another scan another group was in the process of implementing upon the SSD which led the blockade, searching futilely for any weakness.

There, he told himself with satisfaction.

Now we're getting someplace....

"Sir," came a professional voice.

"Petrolu has arrived. And-- Sir, we have received a message marked Command Eyes Only; shall I send it on to you now, Sir?"

A frown flickered across Ahem's grizzled features.

"Allow Petrolu docking privileges, his usual spot, and please escort him to my ready room asap.

"As for the message, yes. Please do so now.

"Ahem, out."

He turned back to the others, the thundercloud diminishing from his gaze.

"Jedi Knight Shawn Petrolu will be joining us directly; I hope you find your conversation with him to be more enlightening than the one we have shared between us.

"If you will excuse me now..."

He nodded to the guards, who stiffened, then ushered the three to the anteroom, where comfortable couches and seats and yet more refreshments awaited them.

Once alone, Ahem opened the message the Sormontato had picked up as coming from the battle cruiser.

"With respect, this is Major Jalthor du Pritt aboard the vessel Flower of Carnage... in reality, the stolen Imperial cruiser Tolerancia.

"I have been stationed here for several years, being one of the few who was allowed to seek asylum among the traitors who overran the ship. At that time, most of our crew was either killed or sent off who knows where, forgive me that I do not know the specifics. But there are at least 75 of us who were offerred the chance to come to their cause, so to speak. These cruisers aren't run as easily as they expected.

"I managed to dump all insignia and was thus able to remain aboard. The others and I await further orders, Sir, as this is the closest this vessel has come to home ships, and it is assumed you wish to re-acquire Tolerancia.

"I am standing by on this frequency--"

A brief string of values followed.

"--and await the time of your choosing to put this possibility into action.

"I remain respectfully under your command, Sir.

"du Pritt, out."

Ahem raised his head, looked off into middle space.

How convenient. A mole. Perhaps it won't be quite as difficult a thing to re-acquire that which was stolen from us, those many years ago...

Nodding to himself, he called his Second to his ready room, that they could begin to plan the strategy they would use when the opportunity presented itself to do so.

...but they don't necessarily know of the presence of either the two of you. I will inform them of your presence, but let them know you will wait for me abaord the ship unless this takes longer than I am hoping. Because it is a possibility you may need to get off this ship, I advise," he continued, looking at Dat's Royal Gaurd Uniform, "That you consider not wearing that attire aboard this ship. It will raise many questions."

Saying no more than that, Shawn stood from where he had taken a seat at the copilot's station, and headed towards the hatch of the ship. Once the hatch was lowered he stepped out, finding a waiting Imperial escort already in place. "I have two other parties aboard my ship," he opened with, "They wish to wait until I return aboard our ship...we were enroute to a mission at the time I received the General's request."

Falling silent at that, Shawn nodded to the escort, indicating that he was ready to prceed. The escort wasted no time then in directing him to the General's ready room and leading him inside...

...where Shawn was overwhelmed with a wealth of negative emotions from the parties within the moment he was stepped in the room.

Shawn cocked a curious brow at Ahem, who turned his way as he entered. "General?" he queried simply, saying nothing more.

His eyes flicked back to them; nodding their understanding, the other brass merely settled into their seats, striking up a low conversation with themselves, but keeping one ear ever alert upon the Jedi and General Ahem.

The latter now rose to his own feet, coming around the desk to meet Shawn, hands outstretched.

"Ahh Shawn, good of you to come," he opened, his two hoary hands engulfing one of the Jedi's in a handshake. Then wasting no further time on pleasantries he got to the topic at hand.

"Shawn, I assume you noticed our-- guests out there?" he said, nodding toward the door leading into the antechamber. Ever succinct in his own manner, the Jedi nodded in return, waiting.

General Ahem allowed himself the luxury of a sigh.

"My friend, I hope you can come to my assistance. Those waiting in the antechamber are, by their own free admission, Force users and Jedi who state further that they have come to Tatooine to attend to the opening of the Praxeum. Apparently they were not aware that we have had this built, to your specifications, I might add; we hope the structure was to your liking--

"--but now are extremely resistant to the idea of Jedi and our New Order working together, in any manner. No matter what I stated, I remain highly mistrusted, which I suppose is expected after Actar's methodology..."

He paused a moment, his expression growing even more serious.

"Shawn, you know that outside of the fiasco in the Senate chambers, we have bent over backwards to preserve and protect the lives of our galactic citizenry. You also are, I trust, fully aware that sometimes in the creation of an omelette, one must break a few eggs.

"We have broken all the eggs we desire to, Shawn, you know that. Yet there are others in the galaxy who do not, and who view us with continued fear. As long as this occurs, we shall never be able to obtain the true peace and order that we all desire, according to the mandate we contracted with you Jedi in the Praxeum below."

He paused again, his eyes growing dark with meaning.

"We need every Jedi we can find to help us, Shawn; the fact that the Hutt's stranglehold on this world having already been broken is but one small step toward that ultimate goal. Let me once again thank you and the Order on behalf of Admiral Actar, we could not have succeeded so efficiently and with such little loss of life without your assistance."

Now he turned away and walked to the viewport.

"Screen," he commanded, and watched as the duraglass polarized to black, smoothly sequeing into a gigantic monitor. He reached out to touch a button on his desk; a starfield immediately filled the bulkhead behind his desk, one in which a 600-meter-long battle cruiser lurked.

"This ship is supposedly Jedi property."

He turned back to Shawn.

"Inconceivable, is it not? But no matter; the point is that our visitors out there originally came into our space via that ship, from whence they departed in the attempt to land on Tatooine. I brought them aboardship, purely for our agreed upon record maintenance, and found them highly resistant to what I had to say.

"Shawn, where they won't listen to me, at least not now, perhaps they will listen to another Jedi. I hope you yet remain friend enough to do this favor for me."

He paused, sending a genuine look deep into Shawn's eyes, letting him know by his body language that he was being as open and honest as he could be. For like the others, Shawn had no use of his Force abilities aboard the Sormontato, thanks to the ysalamiri placed strategically about the great SSD.

Seeing what he believed to be compliance in the body language of the Jedi, General Ahem raised a hand toward the door.

"In there," he repeated unnecessarily, inviting Shawn to join Xenn and Sarisa Ker and Kitiana at his own disposal.

"And please, come back when you have finished. There is another little matter I would like to discuss with you, if I may prevail upon you further."

He nodded to Ahem. "I would be glad to help you in whatever way I can, and I'm hoping you will likewise be able to assist me in an important mission of my own. But then, we can discuss this when I return."

Nodding politely once more to Ahem, Shawn returned back to the antechamber, where the others waited tensely, suspiciously.

Shawn spread out his arms, his palms up in a motion of clear openess and invitation. "My name is Jedi Master Shawn Petrolu. I understand you have some very real concerns, and I would like to hear them out. Please, ask me whatever questions you feel are necessary, and I will answer them."

Falling silent at that Shawn waited, his greeny-blue eyes scanning the others in the room calmly and evenly.

Bowing in respect ,having only head of actual Jedi Masters, she introduced herself in return.

"Jedi Master Shawn Petrolu my name is Sarisa Ker..." Using an open palm turned up she directs The Masters attention to the others. "and this is Xenn and Kitiana."

She regains her posture and keeps herself calm as her eyes give a sincere look of honesty.

"Master Petrolu please forgive me for being direct but I have never met a true Jedi Master and I hope you may clarify something. I don't understand how the Jedi and the Empire have joined forces. I know I probably gave the General a bad impression as I gave off an air of distrust. For that I appologize, but I hope you may help us to understand better."

Plus, getting chewed out by General Ahem was no fun at all.
Maybe if Xenn still walked on the dark path, Ahem would not be amungnst the living at this very moment.

Jedi- he finds that hard to belive, no real Jedi would allign themselves with the Empire! These are just a shadow of what the real Jedi were like, so long ago.

He knew precisely the sort of feelings each one of them were having regarding this situation, regardless of the ysalamiri. At least one of them was more than just a touch readable. Shawn didn't bat an eye though, and his expression never changed from that of utter serenity.

Totally unrattled. Totally unreadable.

"If it's that you believe this New Empire is the same as the old, then take a look at the majority of what has taken place since its return to power. Please, if you have concerns about a particular situation with this new Empire, elaborate. And be aware that this is not the first instance where the Jedi have aligned themselves with the government. The Jedi of old supported and fought for the Old Republic until its fall. Their mistake was not looking for corruption within it when things began to go awry...

...however, that mistake does not mean that the Jedi cannot have a peaceful relationship with the government any longer. In fact, I believe it makes our relationship with the government even more important. To alienate ourselves from a government which has maintained peace throughout the galaxy would be to alienate the people in the galaxy themselves.

The people we are supposed to be serving and helping."

Pausing at that, he was quiet a moment, hoping his words and their meaning would sink in to the minds of the three parties present. Then, as a thought occurred to him, he finished with. "I believe your real trouble with all of this is that the Jedi have aligned themselves with the Empire. I caution you...

...do not judge the book by its cover. You can't truly understand these people and their ways unless you take the time to get to know them. And only when you know them could you truly claim there is any corruption or evilness in their ways at all. Being nonjudgemental and observant are the most important attributes of a Jedi, after all."

In fact? It had been a very little amount of time. But to him, this wait was unbearable. "If they come back while I'm away tell them I'll be back soon enough."

He drew his cloak of shadows and gas over his head and closed it around his body to cover his horrific form, and strode down the ramp.

She pauses for a moment to look at Xenn and Kitiana. Her beautiful blue eyes return back to Master Petrolu with a mixture of a childs innocense and a curiousity that seems to always be present.

"Master Petrolu I believe we need to take time to interact with the Imperials in order to get to know them better. I also would like to help keep the peace in the galaxy and if that means joining forces with the Empire then I will do what I must."

Just before anyone else can speak Sarisa pipes up once more.

"I have a couple of requests. First I would very much like to have my ship brought over from the Flower of Carnage. Secondly I request to become your padawan learner so that I may better myself and in turn better serve the galaxy."

Shawn does have a sense of rightness about him, But, just like he himself said, you cannot judge a book by its cover, Xenn would remain cautious...

Xenn had been thinking about the days of the old, the Republic.

"Maybe Im oldschool... Being frozen for a couple decades could do that to you, although i know that the Jedi should always remain a neutral factor. True, during the time of the republic the Jedi alligned themselves, but it was after meditation, and due process. This allignment almost seems forced."

Shawn's tone was even, unoffended.

Then he looked to Serisa Ker. "As for your request that I take you on as a Padawan, your friend here is correct. You have just met me, and I have just met you...

...and at the moment neither of us have our Force-abilities to guide us in such a matter. Such things should not be rushed into. As for your ship, you will have to discuss that with General Ahem."

Saying nothing further than that, Shawn's greeny-blue eyes returned to Xenn, waiting for his response to all that had been spoken.

"You are both correct. Please forgive me."

SHe looks back to Shawn.

Pausing at that, Shawn let his greeny-blue rest on Serisa another moment longer, the look in them almost penetrating.

She pauses trying to think of how to express herself.

Keeping his manner casual, he strode to assist the young officer.

"Perhaps you might enlighten me as to this matter which presses you so," he said smoothly as he moved to a nearby comm and opened a channel to the General.

"We might be able to offer you our assistance."

The General's voice abruptly chirruped at him, and he turned to speak with his Commander, keeping his voice low enough that no one else would overhear their conversation. At length he closed the connection and turned back to Nefrai.

"Unfortunately, I am unable to comply with your request at the moment," he said calmly. "The Jedi Master is currently engaged in Imperial matters, and unable to be disturbed.

...they do not exist on every world. They are here on Tatooine to help stave off the Hutts from trying to regain control of the world; they exist on Coruscant because it is the government's capital.

I sitll believe you judge this government based on the fact that it is the "Empire" in name, and by that alone. As for your ship and your freedom..."

Shawn paused a moment, looking now to Serisa, "You do realize that, as a Jedi, you would have to give up your possession of it anyway? Attachment to such objects is not fitting for a Jedi. Granted, some Jedi own ships...

..but they understand that those ships come and go. But please, as I would like to understand your concern better...

Xenn paused.

Cant you see that the Empire is using you? Your thier ace in the hole. They only sanctioned the Praxeum because they felt if they had the Jedi on thier side, they would be unstoppable, and with the amount of ships and troops they have they almost already were.

You think the Empire cares about the people? The only thing they care about is having total control of a planet, thats why the blockade is up, and thats why it will never go down."

The Jedi can be very irritating, although being around them could be.....helpful. Although they are suspicious, I have a feeling that with a little 'persuasion' they could agree with me.

With this final thought he pressed a few buttons and hoped his words will be heard.

"Sormontato, This is Soman Socar aboard the small yellow vessel that is currently in your tractor beams, I wish to join my Jedi companions that are currently onboard your ship, over."

Sellith was not used to communication between ships, he prefered face to face simply because the fact that if they do not see things his way there is always 'alternate' ways to make them agree with you.

"Master Pertolu, I am not officially a Jedi. My mother was once a Jedi Knight and she took it upon herself to teach me what she could of the Force, the Jedi and the Dark Jedi. I know possesions aren't a necessatiy."

A quick glance around the immediate area allowered her to look over the faces of Xenn, Kitiana and of course Shawn.

Or could it be that they merely want to establish and keep the peace of the galaxy, and feel that having an established Praxeum for Force-users to attend is one way of doing so? And as far as the Empire using Jedi as an 'ace in the hole'...

...if and when such an instance should occur, don't you believe the Jedi would consider what they were being asked to do and if it would serve the good of the people before they actually went through with anything related to the government? Just as it always has been, the Jedi work with the government so long as the government supports the safety and security of its people. If that government was threatening that safety and security...

...then we would deal with that. And you do not know Sorben Tarnus well. He's a leader, yes. But a dictator...

...no way. Again you make judgements of the man when you don't know him."

Pausing at that, Shawn then cocked a brow to Sarisa. "And I still do not see why you are so very concerned about your ship. The Empire would have no need to take it from you. Furthermore, if it is on another ship...

Her tone was a bit annoyed as she spoke. Kitiana was growing tired of hearing their arguement; it was going nowhere. Xenn was being too stubborn on the matter, but she didn't really blame him. She herself didn't trust what was going on, but she was trying to push that aside. She distrusted almost everything and anything she didn't know, and at present, that was quite a bit. The Empire had a bad name from the past, and it was hard to simply ignore. Of course, history didn't always have to repeat itself.
I cannot believe you are subjecting yourself to these Jedi, Kitiana. I taught you better. She could hear the words of her father in her head. He was dead, but she knew what he would say and do to her if he were still alive. A shiver went down her spine as she turned from Xenn to Shawn; waiting to hear what they had to say next.

That reply was long coming. Tatooine and a heavy silence filled the ready room. Then--

"What are you going to tell them, General?" came a respectful prompt from behind.

Another pregnant pause stretched into infinity.

"I don't know."

Ahem turned round, the weight of his command and its attendant predicament lining his face, filling his gray eyes with concern.

"The truth?"

The brass who had spoken let out a stifled snort.

"You've tried that approach, General. It hasn't appeared to be too successful."

Ahem pursed his lips, something dark flashing in the depths of his eyes.

"I know," he said simply, turning round to stare out upon Tatooine once again.

The accursed dustball hung there as if it would never go from his eyes, his thoughts, his dreams...

"We dare not let another weapon downplanet, and these newcomers have arrived armed to the teeth," he said somewhat unnecessarily. The fact that all present knew precisely what he referred to came in the form of murmured agreement, followed by the slight tinks as tea and caf-cups were set studiously upon the gleaming greelwood.

"You can let them go on their way," came a suggestion, one causing Ahem to turn quickly round. One hand reached up to rub against his temple.

"I have thought of that," he began. "But we need them here. At this Praxeum. This has scarcely begun, there are too few of them down there, and from what information we have gathered concerning--"

Another of his command spoke up, interrupting him.

"We do not know for a fact, General," he said, reaching out to take up his cup again. It rattled in its saucer, prompting him to bring his other hand up to steady it.

General Ahem sighed.

"We dare not go on any other assumption, you know that. And we dare not allow weaponry entrance here, free for the taking. Bahrkyr..."

A fierce-eyed Colonel straightened in his seat.

"Have you heard from any other systems? Who has replied; who can we count upon?"

"Sir, we have confirmation from Telti, Sullust, Mytus VII, Myrkyr, M'haeli, Kuat, Kashyyyk, Hapes, Fondor--"

He coughed, flipping through the data-padd he had with him.

"The list is rather extensive, shall I continue?"

"No," Ahem replied, raising a gloved hand. A slight smile came to his face.

"At least some have had the patience to wait and see in what direction we lead; damn Actar and his bullying tactics!"

The darkness in his eyes grew to thundercloud proportions, then promptly dissipated. He sighed again.

"These visitors are not being easy to deal with, and they're not going to go easily to the Praxeum, if--" He paused fractionally.

"If indeed they decide to continue on as stated.

"I only pray Petrolu can talk some sense into them; time is growing short, and though we have the promise of several star systems I am afraid that without Jedi it simply might not be enough to overcome--"

He turned to his men.

"Those who you know damned good and well are returning."

Here he trailed, his look somehow darkening despite its evenness. Perhaps that was due to the fact that the serenity that lied within seemed to simply...

...melt. Into knowledge of something else.

"...there is far more out there in the galaxy to threaten us than the Empire; far darker Forces with far darker power. We've made the mistake of believing we'd seen the darkness in all its depth once before, with Vader and the Emperor. We'd seen nothing compared to what later approached us, something that did not even come from within our own galaxy. I'm certain you've heard the history concerning the Yuuzhan Vong?"

Here Shawn trailed, his greeny-blue eyes looking to every person within the party for a brief moment before he continued. "They came at us from the outside, at a time when we were fighting and squabbling...

...and at a time when we at last found we had to dismiss our petty differences in order to defeat them. No one seemed to feel that the Imperial Remnant was a "bad thing" then. Nr did the Remnant see anything wrong with those of the Republic. No one saw anything except for the utter terror that was the Yuuzhan Vong...

...and finally unifying ourselves, we were able to drive them out. I am not a man of visions..."

He trailed again, his eyes growing distant, "...and I have seen in my dreams something of great darkness, something that is very real...

...and trust me when I say that I know it is just that. And I fear that if we do not have unity before whatever is coming down the spacelanes arrives...

...we will not survive. I might not always agree with the Empire's ways, and when I do not believe me, I speak up and take action. But in the same light, I see much good in most of their hearts...

...just as there is good within most of the hearts of those who are not Imperial. But the Darkness is out there...

...and the only way we stand a chance against it, I am certain, is if we stand together."

"I have only heard a couple rumors about them. I only know that they hate technology. Can you tell me more about them?"

She also looks at the others expressions for a brief moment.

The statement was in her head, but she thought better of saying anything. To her, everything had to have light and dark, good and evil, to survive; for balance. Kitiana knew that no matter how much something surpressed the darkness or the light, it was always there, waiting to emerge.

"Do you know what this darkness is that comes?"

She was curious. Her father was training her for something, something he knew was coming. He had mentioned it to her numerous times, but never gave any specifics. Only that one day 'they' would come, and there would have to be a battle.

Xenn cocked a brow and said

"What is this Darkness that you speak of?"

Pausing at that, Shawn pursed his lips, his greeny-blue eyes intense, thoughtful. "And, as I have already stated, my visions do not point to anything clearly. But this Darkness...

...it exists. And other Jedi have felt it in the Force aside from myself...

...do you not sense it?"

"I did have a vision recently but I'm not sure if it is the same thing you are talking about. I saw what I thought was Tattooine but it was surrounded by dark vessels of various sizes from large capital ships to smaller ones like fighters. My first thought was that it was the Empire, but the images weren't clear so I may be mistaken."

And, again, it is dangerous to speculate and not focus on the moment. Per the moment, we have this Darkness within the Force, and Darkness which will eventually come one way or another. We need to focus ourselves on preparing for it and watching for it. But my question stands...

...does anyone else feel this Darkness as well?"

"No, i havent felt anything Unusual... but maybe my senses are just out of touch, i was... Disconnected from the force for a while..."

Hoping that Master Petrolu will spill the beans on what he's referring to she keeps looking at him with with curiousity written on her face.

"And I cannot relate this Darkness to my prior experiences," Shawn continued, now looking to Sarisa. "To do so would be to assme that whatever is out there is something I've dealt with or can somehow understand...

...which I feel would be rather arrogant of me. I've dealt with fallen Jedi, with plots of deceit and murder, and with many other things...

...but I don't think this is something I can grasp but rather will have to simply prepare myself for. But then that is what makes this such a threat to us all...

...I cannot believe that if you truly stop and search your feelings in meditation that you would not feel it too...

...I have not been the only one, as I think I may have already stated."

"Pardon me Master Petrolu, but does anyone one know of how to stop this threat? I've heard that it was pushed out of the galaxy once before. Isn't that true?"

"I dont need the force to sense what the Empire is doing wrong, But as far as this darkness. that..."

Xenn looked over to the side where the Ysalamiri was, then pointed at it and said

"Has not been helping me focus on anything.
Ive been thinking..."

Xenn Decided that it would be better to have the help of other jedi for this matter

"And perhaps i mispoke before, I Have felt this darkness... and I think we should Investigate this matter before it gets out of hand, we should return to your Temple, and meditate on this untill we come up with a plan..."

...I do not feel that is the only thing we as Jedi should be doing. In the meantime the galaxy still exists, and the people within it still need our attention and help. Staying in meditation would make us the thing that some others in the galaxy feel we are...

...a pompous, ritualistic cult that centers upon itself and nothing else. The time for meditation will come...

...but the time that is with us is what counts. Thus the reason I am willing to help the Empire in matters I feel are appropriate for me to, thus the reason I'm on a mission even now. For while meditation will help us...

Not yet anyways.

"Whatever we decide to do, can we get on with it? Being in this room is getting old. We have learned what we came to learn, whether we understand why things are the way they are or not."

Seek the good, I implore you."

Pausing at that, he let his words fall into momentary silence. And then he turned to Sarisa, his greeny-blue eyes intent. "You asked me if I would take you as my Padawan learner, and I said I did not know you well enough yet to accept such a task. Likewise, you do not know me well enough yet to know if I would make the Master you perhaps think I might. Still, if you truly wish to learn the ways of the Force, and perhaps become my apprentice at a later time...

...you will need to have the opportunity to learn of me and I of you. The only way to do that is for your training to begin now. I would like to take you with me on my mission, Sarisa...

...but know this. That which we would embark upon, should you take this challenge, is not for the feint of heart. This mission involves the lives of people who seem, to the average galactic citizen, perfectly average and mundane. They are anything but. And, I further advise you that what you see with your eyes may not be what is truly there: we venture into a territory involving people and races who are not well understood, and who may easily be mistaken as something they are not. And, at times, as something they perhaps indeed are.

She pauses and looks Shawn square in the eyes.

"I would like to join you. I may not know as much of the Force or the universe but I do know some things and they may be of help. So, if you will acept me I will join you."

She looks to Xenn adn Kitiana.

Then he looked to Sarisa. "I would like you to join me in speaking with the General, so that you will know what truly goes on."

"Ahh, Master Petrolu-- or do I yet have the honor of referring to you by your given name? Please, come in and join us."

His smile never wavered as the jedi came into the room, but a brow rose in silent inquiry at the sight of his companion. Knowing that the jedi would be open with him, he let that little unexpected surprise go for the moment, and turned to Shawn instead.

"How fares it with our visitors?" he queried, seating himself and waving one hand to indicate that they seat themselves as well. His command staff shifted a bit, making more room at the table; one hurried off to the side to fetch another set of chairs.

"Have you talked any sense into them--"

Now his clear gray eyes turned toward Sarisa in a manner that was almost apologetic, then returned to Shawn.

"You mentioned something earlier about a mission you were on; how is it that we might assist you?"

...they are still seeking to understand and believe the Empire to be what it was in times long past. I feel it best for them to be free, to go and explore what it is the Empire is doing...

...and to hopefully look at it with an open mind. As for Ms. Ker--"

He trailed, nodding towards the young woman. "She will be joining me on my mission, and truly wishes to understand all that is transpiring. As for that said mission, I have some long-time friends who are possibly trapped on a planet currently blockaded by Imperial forces, and I feel it is very important that I get to them. In order to do so, however, I will need permission to get into Khar Delban space."

Khar Delban? That name was never taught to her by her mother. Perhaps she didn't know of it.

General Ahem turned toward his aide, who stiffened to attention.

"Contact Lt. General Tarnus, and inform him that Master Petrolu shall be arriving--"

He paused, sending a querying look Shawn's way. The Jedi merely closed his eyes and smiled, already knowing where Ahem was leading.

"--in short order. They shall be aboard the infiltrator Carnelian; send the specs that their arrival will be not only expected, but welcomed."

The aide saluted in reply, turned smartly and departed for the bridge to carry out his order. Ahem followed his departure; when the door closed behind the aide, he turned back to Shawn.

Folding his hands on the table, he leaned forward earnestly.

"Shawn, there has been something going on here for some time now, something we can't quite place a finger on. But weapons allowed to land on Tatooine have shown an alarming tendency to... disappear.

"Nothing untoward has occurred, there has been no attack, no theat of any kind. But weaponry of any kind that actually touches Tatooine soil simply isn't any longer.

"That is why we have tightened our blockade around this world; it would, of course, have long ago been released, now that the Hutt stranglehold upon Tatooine has been broken.

"But we dare not allow any weaponry of any kind to make planetfall... if only for the possibility that what is being taken from us is being done for the purpose of weakening us... or strengthening another...

"Or both."

He paused for another sip of tea; even with his iron control the teacup rattled as it was set within its saucer.

"Shawn," he went on, more slowly now.

"It has come to my attention via Lt. General Tarnus that there have been strange... happenings going on in the Khar Delban system. There are hints of... powers that something possesses, something inhabiting the system, something of which I am not quite aware. Whether Tarnus is letting me in on all he knows or not, I do not know. But I do know this:

"The strange powers of which he has hinted may be behind the weapons disappearance here on Tatooine. Of course this is pure conjecture; I was going to ask you to investigate the matter for me, but it appears that our paths have been destined to intersect anyway.

"When Shawn returns, we will tell him that he should be expecting us to venture with him."

Didn't sound very much like something the Sith would take part in, unless...

He actually frowned. "I would be glad to look into this, and extensively if need be. I'm not at all unaware of the strange happenings in Khar Delban space, and Tarnus is well aware of this, for that is my connection to him.

Along with the fact that your sister is involved with the woman who is the sister of his ex-wife...

Shawn didn't blink at the thought, his look remaining even.

"I am not certain that the powers from within Khar Delba, as I know them at least, would take part in the massive disappearance of weapons on a remote world like Tatooine. I find it rather odd...

...and extremely disturbing. Almost makes me wonder if there are other powers at play here..."

"That something... unusual is occurring in the Khar Delban system -- a system, I might add, whose discovery posed quite a surprise to me -- is obvious. The Lt. General knows of... something; something he himself has stated that those higher echelon under his command will be informed of on an as needs basis, a time which has not yet arrived."

He let out a sigh of air.

"But to answer your question: only weapons. All other technology has been ignored, at least so far."

He took a sip of his tea, then spoke up in a firmer tone of voice, his body language altering subtly.

"Dare I presume you have had some success with our visitors?" he asked, letting his eyes briefly flick to Sarisa and back again.

She took a moment to glance out through Ahem's view ports. Looking over the planet below and wondering what could be taking weapons.

Supposedly the Hutts were disposed of but perhaps this was a new band or breed of smugglers? Anything is possible in this universe.

...I'm not so sure they are ready for that just yet. In time, perhaps they will be, but I think it would be unwise to rush them. They will have to come to an understanding regarding the Empire on their own time. And, until then, I think they may need to further explore the qualities of a Jedi.

Jedi do not judge on preconceived notions. Jedi judge on facts...

...along with the guidance of the Force."

The General rose to his feet, now coming around the table to approach Shawn. Coming to a halt in front of him, he reached out and placed a comradely hand upon his arm.

"There is an infiltrator waiting for you in Hangar 576, Bay 83A. I wish you and your new, ahh, companion the best of luck. May the gods of the universe direct your flightpath, and bring you safely back, Shawn.

"Perhaps upon your return here we might have something more tangible to offer you by way of conjecture, or hopefully explanation, as to what is happening down on that accursed dustball of a world. Or perhaps you will have discovered some kind of connection on Khar Delba, or its sister world."

A nod from the General.

"General Ahem I must appologize for how I acted earlier. Knowledge of the past doesn't always carry forth into the present or future. I Hope when next we meet that it is under more friendlier terms than how this meeting began. may the Force be with you."

"And with you as well, miss," he said, nodding again toward Sarisa. He then took a step forward, motioning to his command staff.

"Let us accompany you to the hangar and see you on your way, in the event that another question should arise before you embark upon your journey."

Coming up next to the jedi he opened the door to the ready room, revealing the somewhat anxious looking pair who hovered there, obviously waiting.

"You must pardon us for a moment, but we shall soon return. Please, until that time make yourself at home here. There is food and refreshment to be had."

Nodding toward Xenn and Kitiana, the General then turned back to the business at hand, barking an order to one of his aides, that he should remain behind with the other two in case they needed anything else in the meantime.

She looked down joining hallways mainly because she had never seen the inside of a SSD before. Watching soldiers doing patrols. Engineers making sure everything is running correctly.

Shawn quieted a moment at that, letting those words sink in before he continued with a comment directed towards General Ahem. "The others could simply follow Ms. Ker and myself to our destination....

"The infiltrator is yours, Shawn, and perhaps you would do well to take it. I am not trying to force it upon you, of course, but you might find having two ships at your disposal somewhat helpful to you.

"Even though, as we know, Jedi do not possess ships."

He stopped then, turning to Shawn with an uncharacteristic twinkle in his eye, and slapped a button imbedded in the bulkhead. Immediately the hatch next to it slid open, revealing an enormous, echoey room.

"Here is the hanger, you'll find bay 83A down that way and on your left."

He pointed.

"I will let you know how my mission progresses, and look into matters concerning this weapons disappearance as much as possible. I will be back in contact with you, General."

The general interrupted long enough to grasp Shawn's forearm in a surprisingly strong clasp, feeling the jedi automatically return the gesture by taking hold of his own. They stood there a moment or two, locked thus, eyes locked as well.

Then Ahem turned and departed with his entourage, barking orders that none were to delay the jedi's departure, making certain that Tarnus received word now that two ships were to be expected in Khar Delban space.

"Yes I have pretty good skill as a pilot. Though I do not know how to get to the system you mentioned. However since you said we will have plenty of time before we get there I'm sure you'll tell me where to go."

Just before Ahem takes his leave she speaks to him.

"May the Force be with you General Ahem. Until we meet again."

Then turning back to Shawn with a curious look.

"So are we going in your ship or the infiltrator?"

...I have the coordinates."

Saying nothing further, Shawn turned and walked through the docking area til at length he finally came to the platform Ahem indicated.

Jedi or no his mouth dropped.

Fates, if Shayla could see this thing!!!

With effort, Shawn closed his mouth, and headed for the infiltrator, finding the hatch in the back yawning open, the care for the ship before his arrival at the platform clearly evident. After directing Sarisa into the pilot's station, Shawn took a seat next to her and allowed her time to warm the engines. Meanwhile, he keyed up the frequency for the ship Dat and Nefrai were on and let them know he would be taking the infiltrator into Khar Delban space and that he'd gotten them clearance as well.

"I have a new member for our team; a young lady who is interested in becoming a Jedi and may have skills which might help us. She tells me she is a very good pilot, and the more of those we have, the better. We'll meet you when we revert to realspace, at..."

He trailed, figuring the change in their coordinates so that they would not come out right on top of the Imperial blockade. Then he rattled the coordinates off. "If you have any questions, please let me know. Otherwise, this is Shawn Petrolu, out. See you at our rendezvous."

After being directed to the pilots' chair she began warming the engines and checking out all the systems.

Shawn contacted his other companions telling them where to meet up as well as telling them about Sarisa joining them.

"Well Master Petrolu let's see what this thing can do." A smile sneaks it's way across her mouth as she glides the craft out from the bay and into open space. She punches the throttle and the ship vaults forward almost as if a giant had kicked them from behind.

"Wow she's got some get up and go." Looking at Shawn who didn't seem to be too thrilled at her little speed demon like piloting.

"Sorry I just wanted to see how it responds."

There he paused a moment.

"Gentlemen," he said as using a private and unbreakable code he keyed open the door. Within the open rectangle was revealed another corridor, one which snaked away parallel to the primary corridor they had been walking along, and one which lead to a back entrance to his ready room, thus by-passing the antechamber altogether.

"It has been a day; please, see to the comfort of our guests by granting them quarters to their liking. I shall meet again with them tomorrow."

With that he nodded in casual salute then entered the corridor, now accompanied by his two highest-ranking officers, two highly trained personal guards and his top aide. They came to the ready room, which they entered and then crossed, coming to a halt before another door, one likewise simple in appearance, not drawing attention to itself.

"Keep me informed as to the status of the detainee; I still wish to know how a jedi came to possess that dreadnaught."

He turned to enter into his private quarters, but paused again.

"And speaking of, make contact if possible. I want that ship back in our hands within twelve hours. Is that understood?"

The officers saluted their affirmation.

"Good," the general replied as he saluted them in formal dismissal, turned, and entered his chambers, accompanied only by his aide. The two guards took up a stance outside the door, and remained rigidly unspeaking there.

The officers turned and departed the same way that they had entered the ready room, going back to the main corridor and from there on to obey the last order Ahem had just directed. There fellows by this time had already dispersed to their own quarters, or perhaps to the recreational lounge, a somewhat new development aboard an Imperial vessel.

After quickly conferring with each other, the most senior of the two approached Communications. The young lieutenant there moved aside, that his ranking officer could take over his station.

The officer flipped open the maintained link with the unknown vessel.

"This is Sormontato. Might I inquire as to your sudden change of heart?"

Sending the transmission, he then flipped the comm-link from send to receive; while waiting he opened another communication. This one, however, was nothing other than a mere squirt, tightly bound and highly encrypted, piggy-backed upon yet another broad-spectrum scan and aimed directly for the ominously hovering dreadnaught.

"Within the hour."

He then closed the connection completely, letting the scan complete its circuit of the vessel, and turned back to await any reply he might receive from the tractored ship.

Aboard the Flower of Carnage...

The mole slid his eye around the command deck; good. No one caught the blip, no one saw his surruptive movements. Nodding to himself, he leaned over his boards, seeming to be lost in his duty to any eyes under which he might be scrutinized. In actuality, however, he was laying the groundwork for actions soon to follow; he had very little time in which to jam the connections in several key systems aboardship.

"Sormontato, this is Soman Socar, I suppose you could say I was a little 'shy' but it appears you are taking care of my companions, and I wish to join them."

"Sir--?" he queried, then turned back to his console, his fingers poised.

The Officer on Deck merely shook his head.

"Belay any further action, Lieutenant," he said, now coming up beside him where he stopped, standing at his shoulder. The lieutenant cocked his head toward him, then nodded as the Officer on Deck tapped his chronometer meaningfully.

The lieutenant transmitted back to the tractored ship.

"Soman Socar, if you would just bear with us a moment longer..."

He then turned his attention to other matters, sending pre-determined orders out across the intraship communications system, ordering all troops to their vessels. All aboard the great SSD hundreds followed that order, first dressing themselves in self-contained survival suits.

They then boarded their ships and swarmed out like angry bees leaving a hive, heading straight for Flower of Carnage.

(Aboard the Flower of Carnage...)

The Major closed his eyes, concentrating on his silent count. He opened them, checked his chronometer.

The time was now.

The movement small and unnoticed by anyone, his finger touched a keypadd...

...and all hell promptly broke loose upon the dreadnaught.

Lights went out, to be promptly replaced by the stridently red-flashing emergency ones.

A klaxon began blaring, harsh and shrieking.

Every hangar bay door opened, much to the dismay of the few crewmembers who just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time...

...and throughout the ship excess carbon dioxide, stored away for later disposal, the remnant leftover from the natural act of breathing that was not recycled in some manner; this gas began flooding the ship.

The Major reached under his console, drawing out a rebreather which he put on. Then he made himself scarce, able to do so in the general ruckus which was erupting aboard ship.

There is certainly something to be said about military training, he mused to himself as he headed toward a preordained meeting place: a storage locker close to one of the docking bays. Everywhere he went, the civilian crew were in a panic, a few striving to maintain calm, passing orders. But the majority were running about like ants without a queen, not understanding what was happening and thus afraid.

Still smiling, the Major opened the door to the storage locker, there to join with the seventy-some other crewmembers left-over from when the usurpers captured the ship. One of them carried a blaster he had managed to obtain; he handed it to the Major, who promptly melted the connections which operated the door. He then sent a signal out toward Sormontato, which was promptly answered.

He then turned back to the group, smiling as best he could around the rebreather in his mouth, noting with satisfaction that all present were likewise fitted with one. They hunkered on the deck, awaiting rescue, while all around the dreadnaught its crew members were dropping like flies, overcome by the rising carbon dioxide levels.

He glanced at his chronometer.

Give it a few more hours; this is a big ship...

Outside the door then came a blessedly wonderful sound: the rhythmic beat of footsteps marching in military precision as the first of the Imperial troops swept past his hiding place, undoubtedly en route to the bridge where they would then take control of the ship that, theirs to begin with, would be theirs once again.

Sorta like Shayla and her x-wings and other various little frieghters. Ahhh, what a good ship can do to a good pilot who should be elsewhere studying instead of out flying...

...but then, Shayla always managed...

Shawn's look was unreadable, and he reached for the communit on the infiltrator. "Okay, we're gonna blast out of here to the coordinates I've already given you on my mark," he stated, speaking to Dat and Nefrai aboard the other ship. He turned to Sarisa another moment, making certain she had inputed the coordinates into the navcomputer as well before turning back to the communit. "See you just outside Khar Delban space, guys. 5, 4, 3, 2, 1...

... Mark."

As the final words passed through Shawn's lips, both ships simultaneously bursting forward into starlines then into hyperspace.

Soon after he contacts his other unknown companions aboard the second ship.

Shawn double checked that Sarisa had correctly input the coordinates into the navicomputer. Which being a good pilot she had put them in correctly.

Must be a pretty important mission if he feels the need to check to make sure she had done it right.

"5,4,3,2,1...mark."

"Excuse me. All of my belongings are on my ship, which is aboard the Flower of Carnage. Is there any way for me to retrieve them?"

Normally she doesn't care about belongings as she never really had any. But, any change of clothes, and all of her father's datapads are on the ship. She knows this ship surely had extra clothing it could offer, but nothing can replace the datapads from her father. Not knowing exactly what is on them, she would hate for them to be viewed by anyone but herself, or to lose them completely.

((ooc: I have changed this post to coninside with the previous posts. Sorry for the misunderstandings))

"Strange, that now you would ask such a thing," he commented, quite casually. "I would have expected that such items would have been taken with you to begin with, when you departed from that dreadnaught.

"Unless, of course, you do not plan on ever returning to her--?"

His composure never wavered, but something deep in his eyes turned suddenly glacial.

She watches them for a moment before continuing

"I would like to freshen up and change clothes, and go over some information that is stored on my ship. Perhaps I should have brought the items with me, but...things happen."

"Strange, to thus allow oneself to be subject so to the whims of fate. How one can accomplish anything in this manner is unfathomable to me."

He paused, pursing his lips a bit as he eyed the clearly drooping Kitiana.

"It was our impression that you were en route to the Praxeum; this was to be a short visit then?"

The officers waited, silent.

Before them, Kitiana had fallen into sudden silence as well, seeming to sway a little as she stifled another yawn. She blinked, just looking at the two Imperials.

They exchanged another glance.

"I see you are quite fatigued; such questions as we have been putting forth to you do not need to be posed here, now. Please, take this opportunity to rest; you will find various items of clothing in the locker inside your quarters."

The Major stepped forward then, taking Kitiana lightly by the arm and turning her toward the door. It whoosed open, revealing a small but comfortable room which sported a bunk, a chair, table and attached desk/counter, and the aforementioned locker. Over in the corner a half-wall marked the position of a discreetly hidden head and shower.

The Major nodded, gave Kitiana a little nudge.

"Good night, Miss," he said, giving her a formal half bow. "Sleep well; the General will call for you in the morning."

He backed away them, waiting until she had disappeared inside, the door whooshing closed in her wake. He then turned to the Captain, who only arched a brow.

"Shall you report this or I?" he asked with a slight chuckle; the Captain merely shifted his weight and then gave a quick salute, whirled and departed to report to the Officer on Deck, who would then pass this information along to General Ahem.

The Major sighed, shook his head, and continued on aft toward the recreational lounge. He wanted a nice, cool one before he turned in for bed himself.

Meanwhile, aboard the Flower of Carnage...

Time passed, stretching minutes into hours. All this while the Major sat in undisturbed quiet with his fellows, listening to the rise and fall of the general brouhaha outside the door. Indeed, it seemed as if the noise level was falling more than rising now, that there was lengthier and lengthier spaces of time between each little outburst, and that the rhythmic pound of marching, booted feet came more and more as the Imperials swept through the dreadnaught, making her their own once more.

The Colonel in charge of the infiltration stood at an upper deck of the bridge, staring down at sweet success. The entire bridge crew was out for the count, their breathing slowing and becoming more and more stentorian as the atmosphere filled with more and more carbon dioxide. He nodded a little impatiently as his troops moved swiftly from body to body, cuffing each one, until at length the usurpers lay completely bound, unconscious. He lifted his communicator, barked several orders, waited until all had been responded to.

Major Konig's crew was taken. The ship was theirs again.

Quickly he shot another order; a loud hissing sound began to fill the bridge as oxygen was pumped in to replace the carbon dioxide before the usurpers all died. He nodded again, smiling to see the alacrity with which his troops then sprang out, to take the crew members one at a time and drag them off to a cleared hangar bay, there where they would be held until a means would be determined to send them all to the surface of Tatooine.

His smile broadened as the last of the bridge crew was dragged off, completely replaced now with Imperial officers. After a bit more time had elapsed he took the rebreather from his mouth, took a cautious breath, and then a deeper one.

"Communications, alert Sormontato that we have regained the dreadnaught," he barked, watching with even greater satisfaction as the brief order was carried out. He then sent a small contingency out into the corridors, there to search each and every storage locker, not only for hidden stragglers but to find their own hidden officers.

He reached out a hand to a nearby railing, ran his fingers over it lovingly.

"Thank you."

He leaves and she goes to freshen up, finding the clothes in the locker. She rustles through them quickly and grabs some items; not being too picky on how they look. She takes her shower, changes, and falls into a light sleep.
"If you were going to kill me, why didn't you find someone worthy to go traipsing around the galaxy with? Hanging around with Jedi and their collegues. What a waste."

"What would you have me do? You treated me like crap, and then lie about everything. I did what I was told to do, and that was to kill you. Now, I am living by the moment; and that does not include you!"

He jerked upright, shaking his head quickly. Around him was the solitude of his darkened quarters, a digital display revealing the time in soft blue numerals, the hum of air circulators the only sound coming to his ears, other than...

His comm bleeped for attention, as quietly insistent now that he was awake as it had been in his dreams. Shaking his head with a somewhat rueful smile, he reached over and flicked it on.

"Ahem," he said succinctly, his smile fading as the blue numerals off to one side informed him that it was either quite late, or very early, depending upon one's personal viewpoint of the universe.

The frown evaporated as he listened to the words being spoken. After a bit they stopped; he cleared his throat, and opened the comm to reply.

"Send her with a three-quarters crew to our shipyards in Ambria; I want that-- that ridiculous insignia she bears blasted off of her, and to have her repainted the nice clean white which she deserves.

"And for goodness sakes make certain she is designated correctly; she's the ISS Tolerancia."

He paused a moment, ascertaining if there was anything else of import he should order. Coming up empty handed, he merely signed off with his usual, "Ahem, out."

Puzzlement tinged not without a touch of outright concern.

At length he could keep his thoughts to himself no longer. Risking being booted off of the command deck altogether, knowing that if the gods were with him and his concern indeed proved one to be reckoned with -- tantalizing him with the possibility of a fast promotion, perhaps -- he spoke up.

"Sir," he said, speaking clearly and succinctly.

"I-- the dreadnaught has been taken, and those of our men not ordered to crew her are returning to Sormomtato now. Yet--"

He gulped, shifting away from his console to eye the approaching Officer on Deck.

"Yet the pilot of the ship we still hold says nothing. He hasn't tried to contact us whatsoever, and I detect no systems being engaged as if he were trying to escape.

"It-- it isn't natural, Sir. I mean, he came with those who came from that dreadnaught, and yet he remains silent."

His growing concern was mirrored in the eyes of the Officer on Deck, who immediately came up to peruse his boards. Indeed, there was no new sigil blinking, telling of any incoming transmissions. All that showed was the latest one coming from the dreadnaught, in which the captain in charge had responded that the order from Ahem had been received, and that they were underway. Indeed, this was so; the space once holding the giant dreadnaught was now empty of anything other than the odd bit of space dust or errant long-chain molecule. The once-called "Flower of Carnage" had left for Ambria, her crew deposited cleanly upon the surface of Tatooine where they were given quarters in the Imperial barracks, there to await a transport bound for Coruscant.

The Officer on Deck frowned, tightening his lips.

"Good lad," he replied, laying a strong hand upon the young lieutenant's shoulder.

"This is strange indeed; one would think that comm-board would be squawking like a Toydarian who had just found himself robbed."

His look darkened.

"I don't trust this; let him stew where he is. I'll bring this to the general's attention in the morning."

With that he nodded and departed on his rounds, leaving the lieutenant to stare out at the viewscreen which showed a tiny speck: the entrapped vessel bearing the entity who called himself Soman Socar.

His lip quirked upward though, for even his stringent military training could not keep at bay the rising sensation of pride in a job well done which now filled him.

Not to mention the ship they yet held in the tractor beam which, contrary to any form of logic he was aware of, remained ominously silent in the face of what had to be certain knowledge as to the fate of the dreadnaught it had been associated with.

That bodes no good, this is a certainty, Ahem mulled to himself as focused on his morning ablutions.

I agree with the command deck consensus: that pilot is not one to be trusted. But what to do with him? He cannot fire either his engines or his weaponry, so long as we keep him in the safety of the tractor beams. But who is to say what he will do when released?

Understanding our point of view in this entire matter is undoubtedly a moot issue, I would think.

He let a puff of air escape him, settled himself at his desk, his aide at his side. From there he called for their two guests, who soon arrived.

He gave the pair of them, the one called Xenn and the odd-eyed female named Kitiana, a calm look. Then he leaned over his desk, folding his hands and laying them atop it.

"I am prepared to see to your passage to the Praxeum on Tatooine, which you stated earlier as being your planned destination. But, due to safety issues, I'm afraid you will have to leave your ships here."

He paused, keeping his face utterly calm against the growing thunderclouds he was now reading in theirs.

"We shall shuttle you planetside, see you to the Praxeum. When you desire to leave, contact us at this frequency--"

He rattled off a number.

What kind of safety issues would one encounter by taking their vessels planetside? She looks at him a bit questingingly, but knows he has his reasons. Of course, she wants to know what's going on that neither Xenn or herself knows about. For the time being she keeps her questions to herself. At the end of the General's words she speaks up.

"What if we decide we wish to stay at the praxeum and help?"

She doesn't know what they will find when they reach the praxeum, and she isn't quite sure what to make of the jedi 'joining' with the empire. Though she knows she doesn't have all the information, she also doesn't have a valid reason not to try and place some trust in them. Thus far, they have been reasonably hospitable. Besides, Sarisa trusted them enough. Kitiana wonders when they will next see her.

"It is hoped that you do decide to remain at the Praxeum; there are so few jedi there as it is to teach what younglings have come to our new school."

He took another sip, then leaned back in his chair.

"Very well then," Ahem concluded, setting his cup down, a smile beginning to stretch across his rugged features. With a flick of a finger he opened a comm to the hangar bay.

"Prepare shuttle 76-A," he ordered succinctly, then flicked the connection closed. Still smiling, he rose to his feet.

"My aide will escort you to your shuttle, and you will be taken downplanet. When you wish to return, you may contact us at this frequency."

He keyed a number into a small datapadd, which he then handed to Kitiana, who of the pair looked to be the least distrusting.

"We will then retrieve you. Take care, and what is it you tell each other? Ahh, yes.

"May the Force be with you."

He nodded in dismissal, and the aide leapt into action, motioning the pair to follow him. Ahem watched as all three departed; not long thereafter he was notified that the shuttle had left Sormontato for the New Praxeum out in the Dune Sea.

Ahem nodded in satisfaction, then contacted the bridge again.

"This is General Ahem speaking," he opened. "As far as the ship yet in our tractor beams is concerned--

"Has there been any further contact?"

His query was rejoined by a quick "Negative, sir."

He sighed briefly, then made his reply.

"Release him from the tractor beam. Unless he contacts us with his desire to do so, he will not be allowed downplanet, especially not flying that ship. Conversely, he is small enough not to concern us unduly; let him go."

"Aye, General." came the crisp reply.

General Ahem let out another sigh, and retrieved his cup from his desk. Lifting it to his lips, he turned to his viewport where he stood a long moment, staring down at the rusty mass of Tatooine as it hung there below them in space.

Kitiana stated simply for both herself and Xenn; who thus far had remained silent. It was odd to her that he hadn't said anything since yesterday since he almost always had something on his mind. She shrugs it off for the time being, noting that she would need to talk to him later.
She takes the datapad and stores it under her cloak along with her many other items she carries. Without objection she follows their escort to the shuttle and settles in for the ride downplanet. After a moments silent she turns to Xenn.

Lt. General Tarnus stretched his muscled body, letting his head fall back as he allowed himself to relish the luxury of a full-immersion bath. There were few such facilities on SSDs, for even there must precious water be conserved.

But rank does have its privileges.

Tarnus let a sigh escape him; while not a creature who normally chased after life's hedonistic desires, he did privately cherish this one small aspect of it. For it was here, in the soothing warmth of the tiny spa, that his mind was absolutely freed from all physical restraint. The more his body relaxed, the more his mind was able to assess and analyze and collate.

But even the mind deserves a rest.

The Lieutenant General was doing just that, giving his mind and body a rare moment of absolute relaxation, when a wall-comm chirrupped apologetically.

He grunted again, sitting up, water dripping off of his honed body, to slap a fist against the receiving button.

"Yes?"

The syllable was neither angry or disgusted, instead being carried upon the inflections of neutrality.

The reply he received made his brows rise. After a moment--

"They have been taken to the surface? And the crew--?"

More chatter. His brows began settling to their normal resting place, when there was an ominous pause.

The speaker blurted out a quick chatter.

He blinked, shooting to his feet, water dripping.

"You're certain of this? Sullust--?"

The speaker confirmed.

He was moving from the bath even as he answered, now reaching to wrap a soft towel about himself.

"Inform Ahem I wish to speak with him."

The speaker squawked obedience. There was a moment or two of silence before the Captain's voice came on. Sorben quickly directed him to his private frequency, and when after a moment's further silence the speaker squawked again, he finally spoke.

"I applaud your spies, and am delighted to know that Ms. Manth was among them. Please direct her to this ship, which she will have free clearance to approach and board. I would like to speak with her in person. But as to the information she and the others have provided--

"I direct Sormontato to proceed to Sullust with all due haste. Use your own judgment, but...

"The Body shall die when we cut off its head. This organization represents a great threat to the New Federation and its citizens, and will not be tolerated."

He paused a moment longer, then added, "After all, the Mandate Actar laid down was one of Order, which I shall follow to the letter."

It seems it never ends. Thus are the real fruits of a life in military high command, especially during times of change.

Straightening, he then opened a connection to the bridge.

"This is General Ahem speaking. Under new orders from Lt. General Tarnus, we are to proceed forthwith to Sullust. A full planetary and orbital scan shall be implemented from a distance the moment we break from hyperspace; I do not wish to announce our presence too suddenly."

He paused again, pondering. Then-

"Give Ms. Manth whatever she wishes, the Lt. General was most pleased with her work.

"Ahem, out."

He turned from his viewport, staring down at the rusty ball of Tatooine which, even as he watched began to slowly slide off to one side. It was soon replaced with nothing but the pinprick splendor of the stars, which in turn suddenly smeared themselves into the signature streaks of hyperdriven space.

He smiled softly to himself, then proceeded to get himself another cup of tea.

Follow Ahem and "Sormontato" into Dark Star, Black Sun" in the "CSWU" forums, thank you.))

Her ship was going to get the refits she wanted all along, for from past experience she knew the Empire to be good to its word. They never failed her yet.

Like you failed Nefrai and Shawn and the others...

She shifted uncomfortably, taking a vicious slug of her drink.

Nonsense. They were going to deal with-- with the--

Sith.

Anyone who had been observantly watching at that moment would have seen the effect of the shiver which then raced through her body. It rippled as an almost tangible wave, sending her slight frame to skittering about a little upon the seat of the booth she was occupying.

Luckily that booth was in a far-off corner of the lounge, as well as that in general people in such places usually pay no heed to anything but their own, immediate surroundings. If that.

She clenched the goblet, forced herself to calm down. Thought about her ship.

When we get to Sullust, I'm taking a little vacation. Then it's off to Ambria for the refit, and time to disappear for awhile again--

Her immediate future as secure as she could imagine it to be, she let out a deep breath and called over the steward, to order another drink.

Follow Minna into Dark Star, Black Sun in the "CSWU" forums, thank you.))