Angcuru
First Post
Ch. 24 - Departure
“Is he always this grumpy?” Jorran asked Adrial once Arias was out of earshot.
“Grumpy?” Adrial relied, surprised. “He’s focused, like he always is when there’s an element of danger about. Then again, I’ve never seen him have to deal with anything of this scale before.”
“Tell me about it. We have to find a way to keep the civilians out of harms way whilst flying straight into a large Imperial battle fleet with the intention of stealing one of their larger ships. And, stop me if I’m missing anything here, then we have to escape back to wherever Jaess came from, all the while avoiding almost certain destruction by said fleet.” Jorran grumbled.
“You forgot about this Tabano figure.” She pointed out. “Whoever he is, we may have to deal with him as well.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful.” He said exasperatedly. “So the nine of us are going to accomplish all of that?”
“I don’t see why not.” Adrial shrugged. “We’ve shown our capability to handle ourselves in combat, and we have many new companions who are skilled in subterfuge and electronic warfare.”
“They have a fleet of warships. With many large weapons that can destroy any ship we he have in our possession.” Jorran countered pointedly. “What do we have?”
“We have the Force at our command.” She answered simply, as if informing a toddler that apples are larger than grapes.
“Somehow I doubt that will be sufficient.” He stated shakily.
“Why should it not be?” She asked. “You have seen only a fraction of what our masters are capable of, yet it is enough to cow you. Our own strength, and perhaps the nature of that strength is enough to provoke the same reaction in lesser beings.”
“Lesser being?” Jorran asked skeptically.
“Those who do not feel the Force, who cannot draw strength and knowledge from it as we do, are lesser beings.” Adrial stated. “It is no accusation of inferiority or declaration of their servitude, but a simple truth. We have power where they do not, and so we are made greater by that power.”
“That’s a harsh way to judge the matter.” He replied doubtfully.
“Not at all. We are what we are, as are they.” She said. “The fact of the matter remains that this is a situation where numbers are not necessarily an advantage. I know not exactly how we will prevail, yet we shall. Of that, I am sure.”
“Sure?” Jorran said doubtfully, “How can you be sure when you haven’t even witnessed the devastation of which I speak? You have spend most of your life around Miera and Arais, so I do not question your knowledge of their capabilities, yet you have seen naught but a low-class anti-personnel cannon from Kia’s vessel. The meanest of the ships we stand to face bear weapons which can render a man to nothingwith a single blast.”
“I know nothing of what we are to face, I admit this openly.” Adrial countered. “However, as you have said, I know the power of our masters much more thoroughly than you can as of yet.” She stepped closer to Jorran, as if desiring to confide a great secret.
“I was but a young girl when our ship crashed onto this world, Jorran.” Adrial spoke softly. “For as long as I can remember they have been my guardians, giving me the security to go on living in peace as I will without desire for any recompense. Many are the nights when I, a helpless young woman, feared no nightly beast whilst they stood guard over us. The recognized my talent with the Force as soon as they laid eyes on me, yet they required no obedience further than they asked of any other in exchange for their protection, and only when I wished for their teachings. My youth ended they day I misused my powers with intent to aid my a loved one, and someone very dear to me perished as consequence. Those two offered me the capacity to control my abilities, and required only that I followed their guidance, which was only offered for my own benefit, and has never failed me.” She tightened her fists. “I must admit, your questioning of them feels an insult to my very being. Yet, while you have an ignorance of their benevolence, you possess knowledge of the depravity and strength of our foes. Thus, I cannot hold you at fault, much as I wish to.”
“The Jedi would never permit such thought.” Jorran snorted. “Your words reek of half-truths.”
“Tell me, Jorran.” Adrial said calmly. “How many Jedi now live to permit anything?”
“That has no bearing on this,” Jorran spoke heatedly, “we were betrayed from within. Skywalker turned to the Dark Side and helped the Empire hunt us down, we stood little chance. Now his son seeks to undo the damage that is his inheritance, and we should provide what aid we can in that endeavor.”
“Standing a chance would not have been necessary,” Adrial pointed out, “had he been shown to recognize, embrace, and control his own Dark Side. The Light offers peace and strength through long dedication, yet the Dark always beckons with the promise of quick progress. Thus, those who opt for the light become numerous and weak, while those who choose the Dark are weeded out, with only the strong surviving. In the end, quality trumps quantity, as proven by two Sith who were able to decimate the entire Jedi order till they held little import or strength.”
“Yes, I know. Balance between the two is key, I’ve seen that. But surely one can still act ethically while still maintaining that balance?”
“What can anyone consider ethical?” Adrial asked. “Will you follow a set of rules irregardless of the outcome, provided they suit your personal morality? Too much generosity and protection breeds dependency and weakness, as the Jedi displayed much to the detriment of the general public. The Sith follow the opposite, following only their own desire, so that any public support must be the result of coercion or bribery, as the Empire has shown. Your old order only weakened the Republic, and then the Sith simply cleared the way for something greater.”
“Do you propose that our destiny is to create a new world order, Adrial?” Jorran snorted. “To counter the ignorance of lesser folk with our inspired wisdom, is that our goal?”
“Not at all, Jorran.” Adrial replied. “Only to restore balance to the galaxy, and see that it is maintained. The methods for achieving this goal are blatantly obvious at this point, we must crush the opposition, the Empire.”
“Crush the Empire? You must be joking!” Jorran scoffed at the idea. “We are but a few, and they are many. Force or no, we cannot counter them with brute force.”
“Perhaps not, yet you forget your lessons on War, Jorran.” Adrial pointed out.
“Jedi studied the ways of peace, not of war. I received no such lessons in my own days as a learner.” Jorran admitted.
“And naturally, they perished as a result.” Adrial stated. “War is not the application of military might to eliminate the foe. One must recognize what feeds the enemy war machine, and cripple that source of sustenance. Without logistics, any army becomes a simple raiding force within a short span. Deceive the foe, appear to mass your forces at one spot, only to strike at another. Be as smoke, visible only when the fire is already lit. Play to your strengths and against the weaknesses of your opposition. If you must face the enemy in battle, see to it that you visit such a slaughter upon them that they lose their taste for battle.”
“The Empire doesn’t care much for the welfare of its soldiers.” Jorran added. “Such a tactic will be for naught.”
“Perhaps, yet to wage a war with intent to reclaim a galaxy, one must be ready to employ any tactic as necessary.”
“Can I just do that over?” Kal sighed as Aasan’s clever little trap unfolded itself. Where the Sethi apprentice had formed what he considered to be a decent assault strategy, the Kel Dor had found a weakness, which became a deathtrap for the young man’s holographic troops.
“No backsies.” Aasan replied as a few swift moves brought the game to a finish.
“Great,” Kal said with disappointment. “Two out of three, then?”
“Oh, I think that’s quite enough, Kal.” Aasan keyed a small switch on the side of the table, causing the figures to dissipate into nothingness.
“Good timing, we’re about to arrive at the lake.” Miera said as she entered the lounge. “Has our guest shown any signs of waking?” She pointed towards the black-uniformed Imperial Officer who was currently bound and gagged on one of the lounge seats.
“None at all, he’s been out cold this whole time.” Aasan cracked his knuckles.
“We’re going to need as much information as we can get out of him, so we’re going to have to do some interrogation.” Miera approached the unconscious Imperial and prodded him a few times. “There doesn’t seem to be any harm done, so I could wake him if need be.”
“So wake him and do your Mind Trick thing, or whatever it is you do.” Aasan shrugged.
“There’s a problem with that,” she replied, “he’s highly training in resisting mental manipulation through the force, so my talents in that respect will be quite useless here.”
“But how is that possible?” Kal asked. “As powerful as you are, master, you shouldn’t have any trouble overcoming that.”
“I wish it were so, Kal, but I can with difficulty. Unfortunately, there are signs that he has undergone a strange ritual which greatly impedes any contact with the force.” Miera frowned. “Such a technique is usually reserved for and used only on force sensitives, which severs contact with the Force. When used on a normal being, any possible contact is made incredibly difficult, if not impossible. Go ahead, Kal. Try and do something to him.”
“Alright, if you insist.” Kal focused on tipping the Imperial off of his seat, and nothing happened. To his surprise, it was as if the man was actively repulsing the Force itself. He felt…slippery. The uniform however appeared to be less affected by the strange resistance, and with a tug to the imperial’s sleeve Kal rolled him over onto his face.
“Somehow I’m not impressed.” Aasan mused. “How does one go about having this technique done?”
“Seeking a way to avoid our influence, eh Aasan?” Kal chuckled. “I don’t blame you, I wouldn’t want to be vulnerable to the Force if I wasn’t sensitive, myself.”
“If only it were that simple.” Miera smiled. “There are some notable side-effects, however…”
“I’m sure I can cope.” Aasan grinned.
“If you don’t mind complete memory loss from before the time of the ritual and a bit of schizophrenia, I can schedule you for an appointment.” Miera said jokingly.
“Damn, I knew there’d be a catch somewhere.” The Kel Dor sighed.
“Yes, there always is.” Miera said as a beeping alert sounded from the cockpit. “We’ve arrived, I must see to the people. I’d like you two to conduct the interrogation, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t see why not, if your nifty abilities are more or less useless.” Aasan jabbed. “I’ve pried some information out of people in the past once or twice.”
“And I’ve got this.” Kal lit is lightsaber, which while only on the stun setting was still impressive.
“Good.” Miera clapped the Imperial on the shoulder, waking him as if from a light reverie. “Have fun, but try and be sure to avoid any fail-safe systems if you can.” She headed towards the loading ramp as Kia ran past towards the cockpit.
Aasan looked to Kal, who looked to the Imperial, who promptly saw Kal’s lightsaber and appeared to have shat himself.
“It’s a good thing you’re finally awake.” Aasan said absently, leaning back into the cushy seat. “We were thinking we’d have to toss you to the Masliths.”
The officer’s eyes never left Kal’s lit blade, yet he managed to put on a quizzical expression behind the gag.
“Oh, this interests you?” Aasan asked quietly, indicating the lightsaber. “Perhaps you’d like to be better acquainted with it.” He nodded to Kal, who took the hint and left the tip of the saber hovering near enough the man’s eye as to sear his eyebrows. He seemed to get the point, going quite stiff.
“Of course, we can avoid that if you just provide us with some information. Can you do that for us, or will my friend here have to begin carving his initials into your scalp?” Aasan leaned forward and traced a quick grouping of letters across the Imperial’s head. “Either way you will speak in the end, and so it is very much in your best interest to fess up before we decide to get creative.” Kal flicked the tip of his blade along the officer’s hair, briefly igniting the foremost locks.
The black-uniformed Imperial appeared to be trying to speak, but the only sounds that escaped the gag were muffled, incomprehensible, and somewhat panicked. Kal flicked his blade, severing the gag and providing a very shallow slash across the Imperial’s face.
“You know I can’t tell you anything.” He spoke directly to Kal, as if Aasan weren’t present at all. “The master has ensured that there is no point in questioning me, you know this, not that your pet will know anything of such civilized ways.” Aasan quite remarkably did not even flinch at the barely disguised insult.
“How can I be sure you are not simply bluffing for your own sake?” Kal enquired, waving his saber under the prisoner’s nose pointedly. “The master also dislikes failure,” he bluffed, “especially failure on such a scale as you have committed.”
“An entire combat team killed to the last man can’t be impressive in the eyes of your superiors.” Aasan offered.
“Ha! You think they care about the lives of that paltry few?” The Imperial scoffed. “They were but a single drop of water from our oceans of soldiers, and you think your tiny victory impresses? You are more foolish than you look.”
Kal prodded slightly with his blade, searing a small line across the man’s face. “A victory, you say? We were just warming up. Just you wait until my brethren and I start fighting seriously, and we’ll see who the foolish one is.”
“You think yourself a Jedi, do you?” Their prisoner chuckled. “They went extinct decades ago, or do you mean to join up with that Skywalker whelp? It doesn’t matter, he will be dealt with soon enough, and you shall follow in the extremely event that you survive the night.”
“Jedi?” It was Kal’s turn to laugh, now. “No, I would not imagine myself amongst their lofty ranks.”
“It doesn’t matter either way.” Aasan interjected, sneering behind his mask. “The Emperor is long dead, and his vicar Vader lies with him. You no longer have a feared dictator to keep order amongst you, and the Rebellion grows stronger every day. It is your defeat that is inevitable, not ours.” The Kel-Dor prodded the man harshly in the neck.
“These animals don’t have much sense, do they Jedi?” The captive mocked.
“Perhaps, but that should not be what concerns your worthless self.” Kal almost growled.
“What should concern me, then? That your pathetic rebellion will hope we build another Death Star for you do destroy through some convenient weakness? Will they pester us with their toy ships? Or maybe you expect the Jedi to return to deliver you from bondage?” The prisoner taunted.
“Not the Jedi, no.” Kal spoke without emotion, punctuating his words with shallow gashes across the man’s face. “Sadly for you, their silly order allowed itself to be destroyed by their complacency, and their mercy died with them. There is A New Power in the Galaxy, and it knows neither mercy nor forbearance. The Republic’s Jedi and your Sith were ended through their own stupidity, and shall never disgrace the Galaxy through their dogmatic idiocy ever again. You face the unbridled wrath of the Force, and should your Empire choose to test its fury, the ensuing slaughter will be not to our end, but to yours.”
“A Jedi would never speak as you have.” Aasan stared coldly at Kal.
“A Jedi also wouldn’t do this.” Kal’s blade slashed down through the Imperial’s face, sending his unmoving form to the floor.
“Lash it down tighter, we don’t want any possibility that it can slide around the ship while we’re in flight.” Nakima directed the other men of the village as the women ushered the children on board the assault shuttle and carried their few prized possessions with them.
“You’re completely serious, man?” Jaess questioned Kal’s father. “Absolutely invulnerable, even against a lightsaber, and completely frictionless?”
“I can think of nothing with the same properties as the device that protects the Dawnsprinter’s hyperdrive.” Nakima said admiringly, running a hand over the perfectly smooth silvery mirror that had formed on the surface of the drive. “The effects are undeniable though, so we must make sure it never falls into anyones hands.”
“You mean anyone’s other than mine, of course.” Kia stated. “My ship, my drive, silver thingy or no silver thingy.”
“Naturally, it is yours, Kia.” Aasan said for what seemed the sixth time. “Still, we cannot allow the Empire to get their hands on it; else the consequences could be disastrous.”
“On the contrary, that may be exactly what we should be hoping for.” Nakima said distractedly.
“What?” Jorran blinked in surprise. “Explain yourself, Nakima.”
“Well, it’s all just theoretical, but I have heard of experiments in teleportation which result in a supposedly impenetrable barrier surrounding the subject shortly followed by an antimatter detonation.” He scratched his chin thoughtfully before noting that everyone suddenly grew very silent. The elderly technician waved off their concerns. “Of course, the field in question never lasted more than a few nanoseconds, a few short frames captured on the high speed recorders. This could be something altogether different.”
A set of clanking footsteps announced the arrival of Arlee, who shook his head doubtfully for the humans’ benefit as he approached the hyperdrive. “You forget to account for scale, sir. The Separatist experiments you mention of which very few had been conducted, used test samples far smaller than the average grain of sand. The largest of which is, if my databases are not mistaken, was no more than a photon. Judging from that, and extrapolating on the possible combined effects of mass difference, surface area, atomic weight, and other complicating factors, I’d hypothesize a detonation delay of approximately forty-eight hours at the maximum.”
“Well, that’s good.” Arias shrugged. Everyone promptly looked at him as one would a pink stormtrooper dancing around waving pom-poms. “What, so the ticking time bomb of penultimate doom is ours. Show a little optimism, will you?”
“It’s also on our ship.” Jorran pointed out.
“Are you mad?!” Kia almost shrieked. “If that’s what it is then we need to get it as far away from us as possible, right now!”
“I too would prefer to jettison the doomsday device before it makes us all very dead.” Adrial suggested.
“How can you be very dead?” Arlee asked curiously, his single bright green eye focusing on her. “Either an organic is alive or it is not, there is no ground between the two.”
“Well, antimatter tends to un-make things on the atomic level, so…we’d be dead and our bodies would cease to exist as matter.” Adrial offered.
“Then your physical form would cease to be, and you would be just as dead as before.” Arlee forced himself to sigh. “I should take the time to introduce you organics to my friend Simple Logic at some point in the near future…”
“Maybe I should intro my friend Mister Electromagnet to your memory core.” Jaess said with frustration.
“I don’t think this is the time to be contemplating robocide, missy.” Nakima said forcefully.
“Indeed.” Arlee nodded. “I must inform you that I have been running possible scenarios for other potential identities of the device, and I gather the possibility of the antimatter scenario as being 99.98% possible.”
“What are the other two hundred percentiles?” Jaess requested inquisitively.
“Mostly references in old holographic scholarly holograms which suggest the generation of the black hole in such a circumstance.” Arlee answered blankly.
“That’s…not a good thing.” Aasan shuddered. “We should take our leave. Now.”
“Fine then, we use it as a weapon against our opposition.” Miera suggested. “But right now, everyone is secure and we really must be going.”
“Right, then. Which ship carries the supernova-in-a-box?” Kal asked.
“Is he always this grumpy?” Jorran asked Adrial once Arias was out of earshot.
“Grumpy?” Adrial relied, surprised. “He’s focused, like he always is when there’s an element of danger about. Then again, I’ve never seen him have to deal with anything of this scale before.”
“Tell me about it. We have to find a way to keep the civilians out of harms way whilst flying straight into a large Imperial battle fleet with the intention of stealing one of their larger ships. And, stop me if I’m missing anything here, then we have to escape back to wherever Jaess came from, all the while avoiding almost certain destruction by said fleet.” Jorran grumbled.
“You forgot about this Tabano figure.” She pointed out. “Whoever he is, we may have to deal with him as well.”
“Oh, that’s wonderful.” He said exasperatedly. “So the nine of us are going to accomplish all of that?”
“I don’t see why not.” Adrial shrugged. “We’ve shown our capability to handle ourselves in combat, and we have many new companions who are skilled in subterfuge and electronic warfare.”
“They have a fleet of warships. With many large weapons that can destroy any ship we he have in our possession.” Jorran countered pointedly. “What do we have?”
“We have the Force at our command.” She answered simply, as if informing a toddler that apples are larger than grapes.
“Somehow I doubt that will be sufficient.” He stated shakily.
“Why should it not be?” She asked. “You have seen only a fraction of what our masters are capable of, yet it is enough to cow you. Our own strength, and perhaps the nature of that strength is enough to provoke the same reaction in lesser beings.”
“Lesser being?” Jorran asked skeptically.
“Those who do not feel the Force, who cannot draw strength and knowledge from it as we do, are lesser beings.” Adrial stated. “It is no accusation of inferiority or declaration of their servitude, but a simple truth. We have power where they do not, and so we are made greater by that power.”
“That’s a harsh way to judge the matter.” He replied doubtfully.
“Not at all. We are what we are, as are they.” She said. “The fact of the matter remains that this is a situation where numbers are not necessarily an advantage. I know not exactly how we will prevail, yet we shall. Of that, I am sure.”
“Sure?” Jorran said doubtfully, “How can you be sure when you haven’t even witnessed the devastation of which I speak? You have spend most of your life around Miera and Arais, so I do not question your knowledge of their capabilities, yet you have seen naught but a low-class anti-personnel cannon from Kia’s vessel. The meanest of the ships we stand to face bear weapons which can render a man to nothingwith a single blast.”
“I know nothing of what we are to face, I admit this openly.” Adrial countered. “However, as you have said, I know the power of our masters much more thoroughly than you can as of yet.” She stepped closer to Jorran, as if desiring to confide a great secret.
“I was but a young girl when our ship crashed onto this world, Jorran.” Adrial spoke softly. “For as long as I can remember they have been my guardians, giving me the security to go on living in peace as I will without desire for any recompense. Many are the nights when I, a helpless young woman, feared no nightly beast whilst they stood guard over us. The recognized my talent with the Force as soon as they laid eyes on me, yet they required no obedience further than they asked of any other in exchange for their protection, and only when I wished for their teachings. My youth ended they day I misused my powers with intent to aid my a loved one, and someone very dear to me perished as consequence. Those two offered me the capacity to control my abilities, and required only that I followed their guidance, which was only offered for my own benefit, and has never failed me.” She tightened her fists. “I must admit, your questioning of them feels an insult to my very being. Yet, while you have an ignorance of their benevolence, you possess knowledge of the depravity and strength of our foes. Thus, I cannot hold you at fault, much as I wish to.”
“The Jedi would never permit such thought.” Jorran snorted. “Your words reek of half-truths.”
“Tell me, Jorran.” Adrial said calmly. “How many Jedi now live to permit anything?”
“That has no bearing on this,” Jorran spoke heatedly, “we were betrayed from within. Skywalker turned to the Dark Side and helped the Empire hunt us down, we stood little chance. Now his son seeks to undo the damage that is his inheritance, and we should provide what aid we can in that endeavor.”
“Standing a chance would not have been necessary,” Adrial pointed out, “had he been shown to recognize, embrace, and control his own Dark Side. The Light offers peace and strength through long dedication, yet the Dark always beckons with the promise of quick progress. Thus, those who opt for the light become numerous and weak, while those who choose the Dark are weeded out, with only the strong surviving. In the end, quality trumps quantity, as proven by two Sith who were able to decimate the entire Jedi order till they held little import or strength.”
“Yes, I know. Balance between the two is key, I’ve seen that. But surely one can still act ethically while still maintaining that balance?”
“What can anyone consider ethical?” Adrial asked. “Will you follow a set of rules irregardless of the outcome, provided they suit your personal morality? Too much generosity and protection breeds dependency and weakness, as the Jedi displayed much to the detriment of the general public. The Sith follow the opposite, following only their own desire, so that any public support must be the result of coercion or bribery, as the Empire has shown. Your old order only weakened the Republic, and then the Sith simply cleared the way for something greater.”
“Do you propose that our destiny is to create a new world order, Adrial?” Jorran snorted. “To counter the ignorance of lesser folk with our inspired wisdom, is that our goal?”
“Not at all, Jorran.” Adrial replied. “Only to restore balance to the galaxy, and see that it is maintained. The methods for achieving this goal are blatantly obvious at this point, we must crush the opposition, the Empire.”
“Crush the Empire? You must be joking!” Jorran scoffed at the idea. “We are but a few, and they are many. Force or no, we cannot counter them with brute force.”
“Perhaps not, yet you forget your lessons on War, Jorran.” Adrial pointed out.
“Jedi studied the ways of peace, not of war. I received no such lessons in my own days as a learner.” Jorran admitted.
“And naturally, they perished as a result.” Adrial stated. “War is not the application of military might to eliminate the foe. One must recognize what feeds the enemy war machine, and cripple that source of sustenance. Without logistics, any army becomes a simple raiding force within a short span. Deceive the foe, appear to mass your forces at one spot, only to strike at another. Be as smoke, visible only when the fire is already lit. Play to your strengths and against the weaknesses of your opposition. If you must face the enemy in battle, see to it that you visit such a slaughter upon them that they lose their taste for battle.”
“The Empire doesn’t care much for the welfare of its soldiers.” Jorran added. “Such a tactic will be for naught.”
“Perhaps, yet to wage a war with intent to reclaim a galaxy, one must be ready to employ any tactic as necessary.”
***
“Can I just do that over?” Kal sighed as Aasan’s clever little trap unfolded itself. Where the Sethi apprentice had formed what he considered to be a decent assault strategy, the Kel Dor had found a weakness, which became a deathtrap for the young man’s holographic troops.
“No backsies.” Aasan replied as a few swift moves brought the game to a finish.
“Great,” Kal said with disappointment. “Two out of three, then?”
“Oh, I think that’s quite enough, Kal.” Aasan keyed a small switch on the side of the table, causing the figures to dissipate into nothingness.
“Good timing, we’re about to arrive at the lake.” Miera said as she entered the lounge. “Has our guest shown any signs of waking?” She pointed towards the black-uniformed Imperial Officer who was currently bound and gagged on one of the lounge seats.
“None at all, he’s been out cold this whole time.” Aasan cracked his knuckles.
“We’re going to need as much information as we can get out of him, so we’re going to have to do some interrogation.” Miera approached the unconscious Imperial and prodded him a few times. “There doesn’t seem to be any harm done, so I could wake him if need be.”
“So wake him and do your Mind Trick thing, or whatever it is you do.” Aasan shrugged.
“There’s a problem with that,” she replied, “he’s highly training in resisting mental manipulation through the force, so my talents in that respect will be quite useless here.”
“But how is that possible?” Kal asked. “As powerful as you are, master, you shouldn’t have any trouble overcoming that.”
“I wish it were so, Kal, but I can with difficulty. Unfortunately, there are signs that he has undergone a strange ritual which greatly impedes any contact with the force.” Miera frowned. “Such a technique is usually reserved for and used only on force sensitives, which severs contact with the Force. When used on a normal being, any possible contact is made incredibly difficult, if not impossible. Go ahead, Kal. Try and do something to him.”
“Alright, if you insist.” Kal focused on tipping the Imperial off of his seat, and nothing happened. To his surprise, it was as if the man was actively repulsing the Force itself. He felt…slippery. The uniform however appeared to be less affected by the strange resistance, and with a tug to the imperial’s sleeve Kal rolled him over onto his face.
“Somehow I’m not impressed.” Aasan mused. “How does one go about having this technique done?”
“Seeking a way to avoid our influence, eh Aasan?” Kal chuckled. “I don’t blame you, I wouldn’t want to be vulnerable to the Force if I wasn’t sensitive, myself.”
“If only it were that simple.” Miera smiled. “There are some notable side-effects, however…”
“I’m sure I can cope.” Aasan grinned.
“If you don’t mind complete memory loss from before the time of the ritual and a bit of schizophrenia, I can schedule you for an appointment.” Miera said jokingly.
“Damn, I knew there’d be a catch somewhere.” The Kel Dor sighed.
“Yes, there always is.” Miera said as a beeping alert sounded from the cockpit. “We’ve arrived, I must see to the people. I’d like you two to conduct the interrogation, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t see why not, if your nifty abilities are more or less useless.” Aasan jabbed. “I’ve pried some information out of people in the past once or twice.”
“And I’ve got this.” Kal lit is lightsaber, which while only on the stun setting was still impressive.
“Good.” Miera clapped the Imperial on the shoulder, waking him as if from a light reverie. “Have fun, but try and be sure to avoid any fail-safe systems if you can.” She headed towards the loading ramp as Kia ran past towards the cockpit.
Aasan looked to Kal, who looked to the Imperial, who promptly saw Kal’s lightsaber and appeared to have shat himself.
“It’s a good thing you’re finally awake.” Aasan said absently, leaning back into the cushy seat. “We were thinking we’d have to toss you to the Masliths.”
The officer’s eyes never left Kal’s lit blade, yet he managed to put on a quizzical expression behind the gag.
“Oh, this interests you?” Aasan asked quietly, indicating the lightsaber. “Perhaps you’d like to be better acquainted with it.” He nodded to Kal, who took the hint and left the tip of the saber hovering near enough the man’s eye as to sear his eyebrows. He seemed to get the point, going quite stiff.
“Of course, we can avoid that if you just provide us with some information. Can you do that for us, or will my friend here have to begin carving his initials into your scalp?” Aasan leaned forward and traced a quick grouping of letters across the Imperial’s head. “Either way you will speak in the end, and so it is very much in your best interest to fess up before we decide to get creative.” Kal flicked the tip of his blade along the officer’s hair, briefly igniting the foremost locks.
The black-uniformed Imperial appeared to be trying to speak, but the only sounds that escaped the gag were muffled, incomprehensible, and somewhat panicked. Kal flicked his blade, severing the gag and providing a very shallow slash across the Imperial’s face.
“You know I can’t tell you anything.” He spoke directly to Kal, as if Aasan weren’t present at all. “The master has ensured that there is no point in questioning me, you know this, not that your pet will know anything of such civilized ways.” Aasan quite remarkably did not even flinch at the barely disguised insult.
“How can I be sure you are not simply bluffing for your own sake?” Kal enquired, waving his saber under the prisoner’s nose pointedly. “The master also dislikes failure,” he bluffed, “especially failure on such a scale as you have committed.”
“An entire combat team killed to the last man can’t be impressive in the eyes of your superiors.” Aasan offered.
“Ha! You think they care about the lives of that paltry few?” The Imperial scoffed. “They were but a single drop of water from our oceans of soldiers, and you think your tiny victory impresses? You are more foolish than you look.”
Kal prodded slightly with his blade, searing a small line across the man’s face. “A victory, you say? We were just warming up. Just you wait until my brethren and I start fighting seriously, and we’ll see who the foolish one is.”
“You think yourself a Jedi, do you?” Their prisoner chuckled. “They went extinct decades ago, or do you mean to join up with that Skywalker whelp? It doesn’t matter, he will be dealt with soon enough, and you shall follow in the extremely event that you survive the night.”
“Jedi?” It was Kal’s turn to laugh, now. “No, I would not imagine myself amongst their lofty ranks.”
“It doesn’t matter either way.” Aasan interjected, sneering behind his mask. “The Emperor is long dead, and his vicar Vader lies with him. You no longer have a feared dictator to keep order amongst you, and the Rebellion grows stronger every day. It is your defeat that is inevitable, not ours.” The Kel-Dor prodded the man harshly in the neck.
“These animals don’t have much sense, do they Jedi?” The captive mocked.
“Perhaps, but that should not be what concerns your worthless self.” Kal almost growled.
“What should concern me, then? That your pathetic rebellion will hope we build another Death Star for you do destroy through some convenient weakness? Will they pester us with their toy ships? Or maybe you expect the Jedi to return to deliver you from bondage?” The prisoner taunted.
“Not the Jedi, no.” Kal spoke without emotion, punctuating his words with shallow gashes across the man’s face. “Sadly for you, their silly order allowed itself to be destroyed by their complacency, and their mercy died with them. There is A New Power in the Galaxy, and it knows neither mercy nor forbearance. The Republic’s Jedi and your Sith were ended through their own stupidity, and shall never disgrace the Galaxy through their dogmatic idiocy ever again. You face the unbridled wrath of the Force, and should your Empire choose to test its fury, the ensuing slaughter will be not to our end, but to yours.”
“A Jedi would never speak as you have.” Aasan stared coldly at Kal.
“A Jedi also wouldn’t do this.” Kal’s blade slashed down through the Imperial’s face, sending his unmoving form to the floor.
***
“Lash it down tighter, we don’t want any possibility that it can slide around the ship while we’re in flight.” Nakima directed the other men of the village as the women ushered the children on board the assault shuttle and carried their few prized possessions with them.
“You’re completely serious, man?” Jaess questioned Kal’s father. “Absolutely invulnerable, even against a lightsaber, and completely frictionless?”
“I can think of nothing with the same properties as the device that protects the Dawnsprinter’s hyperdrive.” Nakima said admiringly, running a hand over the perfectly smooth silvery mirror that had formed on the surface of the drive. “The effects are undeniable though, so we must make sure it never falls into anyones hands.”
“You mean anyone’s other than mine, of course.” Kia stated. “My ship, my drive, silver thingy or no silver thingy.”
“Naturally, it is yours, Kia.” Aasan said for what seemed the sixth time. “Still, we cannot allow the Empire to get their hands on it; else the consequences could be disastrous.”
“On the contrary, that may be exactly what we should be hoping for.” Nakima said distractedly.
“What?” Jorran blinked in surprise. “Explain yourself, Nakima.”
“Well, it’s all just theoretical, but I have heard of experiments in teleportation which result in a supposedly impenetrable barrier surrounding the subject shortly followed by an antimatter detonation.” He scratched his chin thoughtfully before noting that everyone suddenly grew very silent. The elderly technician waved off their concerns. “Of course, the field in question never lasted more than a few nanoseconds, a few short frames captured on the high speed recorders. This could be something altogether different.”
A set of clanking footsteps announced the arrival of Arlee, who shook his head doubtfully for the humans’ benefit as he approached the hyperdrive. “You forget to account for scale, sir. The Separatist experiments you mention of which very few had been conducted, used test samples far smaller than the average grain of sand. The largest of which is, if my databases are not mistaken, was no more than a photon. Judging from that, and extrapolating on the possible combined effects of mass difference, surface area, atomic weight, and other complicating factors, I’d hypothesize a detonation delay of approximately forty-eight hours at the maximum.”
“Well, that’s good.” Arias shrugged. Everyone promptly looked at him as one would a pink stormtrooper dancing around waving pom-poms. “What, so the ticking time bomb of penultimate doom is ours. Show a little optimism, will you?”
“It’s also on our ship.” Jorran pointed out.
“Are you mad?!” Kia almost shrieked. “If that’s what it is then we need to get it as far away from us as possible, right now!”
“I too would prefer to jettison the doomsday device before it makes us all very dead.” Adrial suggested.
“How can you be very dead?” Arlee asked curiously, his single bright green eye focusing on her. “Either an organic is alive or it is not, there is no ground between the two.”
“Well, antimatter tends to un-make things on the atomic level, so…we’d be dead and our bodies would cease to exist as matter.” Adrial offered.
“Then your physical form would cease to be, and you would be just as dead as before.” Arlee forced himself to sigh. “I should take the time to introduce you organics to my friend Simple Logic at some point in the near future…”
“Maybe I should intro my friend Mister Electromagnet to your memory core.” Jaess said with frustration.
“I don’t think this is the time to be contemplating robocide, missy.” Nakima said forcefully.
“Indeed.” Arlee nodded. “I must inform you that I have been running possible scenarios for other potential identities of the device, and I gather the possibility of the antimatter scenario as being 99.98% possible.”
“What are the other two hundred percentiles?” Jaess requested inquisitively.
“Mostly references in old holographic scholarly holograms which suggest the generation of the black hole in such a circumstance.” Arlee answered blankly.
“That’s…not a good thing.” Aasan shuddered. “We should take our leave. Now.”
“Fine then, we use it as a weapon against our opposition.” Miera suggested. “But right now, everyone is secure and we really must be going.”
“Right, then. Which ship carries the supernova-in-a-box?” Kal asked.
But I've finally found some post-graduation work so I can start writing regularly now. Probably. You know how I can be. 
