Star Wars: A New Dawn

Neri rolled her eyes at Tamil's mention of sedating her, "You'd do no such thing," then she paused to collect her words before delivering it, "you don't need to make a decision, I have one for you."

She glanced back and forth between them, "I would no sooner jump on board the next ship... take up the nearest lightsaber... even give up my own life, if it helped any other Jedi, but on this mission I agree- I would bring danger to you all. I spent my whole life wondering what happened to my sister, that not one part of me ever considered that she would be a Sith. No, she's more than that- she's evil...a killer... and she would kill me if she ever saw me again. I'm sorry Luke, but just like with your father... you wouldn't had killed him but I think you were slightly lucky. He probably wouldn't had killed you... Silvana, on the other hand, holds no more connections with me... its like the person I knew, she's wiped out all together. But I cannot watch her die nor will I allow it to.

So I know that if I came with you and I came face to face with her, I would be killed. Therefore, I'll remain behind. But you better give me something to do to help you out, cause by the gods I won't be sitting on my butt doing absolutely nothing. I'll go mad and I'd spend my time taking apart the droids to cure my boredom."

Zora nods, looking at the holodex. "Zora," she says. "Our task is sizable, yes. But nothing beyond our reach, I would think. The Deathstar was destroyed... twice. We can manage."

"Optimism? From you?" Jil says, approaching the table.

Zora glances over her shoulder at Jil. "Jokes? From you?"

"Touche," Jil says.

"I must admit, Jil, I am surprised they thought your assistance more valuable to our mission than theirs. Surely they would see harsher combat and have more use of a support, such as you."

Jil leans against her staff. "Well, this is a small team of specialists. Someone has to keep you all alive."

"And someone would like, very much, to avoid involvement with Mandalorians."

"If I didn't know you better, I'd say you were accusing me of something."

"If I didn't know you better, I'd say you were full of it."

"Full of energy and ready for the mission?"

"Jil'hani..." Zora says.

Jil slumps over on her staff. "Uh oh. Full name," she sighs.

Zora turns back to the holodex, looking it over. "If you believe your services would be put to greater use with us, then I will say nothing more of the matter."

Jil stares at Zora for a moment before glancing to Jarik and leaving.

---

Kitty sizes Beta up. "Well, the Duranium is tough, but we're gonna be up against some seriously heavy hitters. Maybe throw in a personal shielding system. And we can make his rocket arm transformable to he can have two functioning hands. Speaking of which, we can make his hands more... hand-like. You know, so he can actually handle stuff instead of just awkwardly gripping. Oh! And a data port! And maybe fix his blaster so he can alter the intensity and use it for welding. All some pretty simple stuff."

Beta chatters in droidspeak some more as Kitty lightly punches him in the arm.

"Ooh! Flamethrower with alternating intensity. There's an idea," Kitty says. "You really are part battle droid."

---

Jaxie hangs around with Tsuni near the main gun of the Raptor. "Are you ever not calibrating something?" Jaxie asks.

"When I'm sleeping," Tsuni says. "Or about to shoot someone."

Jarik took a bite of his bantha steak listening to their conversation. He watched as Jil left then he looked to Zora. "I can understand why she'd avoid the Mandalorians."

-----

Ford walked up to Jaxie and Tsuni. "She is always tinkering."

"Is that what we are going to start with?" Case asked.

Zora's gaze follows Jil to the door and she returns to looking over the HoloNet. "Perhaps. But I likewise have every reason to be wary of an Imperial. Yet she would scold me if I used that as an excuse to avoid this mission. So here I am. Still. She has been through things that I have not. So I cannot effectively judge her decisions. And, in truth, she is invaluable. I would be a nervous wreck without her. I am glad she is here. But I digress. We should develop something of a battle plan. The Sith are organized. We are... less so."

---

"Knight Starr," Tsuni says, bowing as Ford enters the room.

"Sup, boss?" Jaxie says, leaning against a panel, her hands folded behind her head.

---

A girl with pale skin and blue hair sits in the captain's seat of a battered Imperial cruiser, legs crossed. Littered around the bridge are bodies, some with holes through them, some with heads facing directions they shouldn't, and some charred beyond recognition. But immediately in front of her is what appears to be the captain of the ship, standing at attention but rigidly. As if being forced to against his will. Across from him is the second in command. "I must say, Captain, you've been quite the good sport, letting me win all of our games," the girl says. "Now let's play another, shall we?" The captain reaches down, seemingly against his will, putting forth every effort to resist. He grabs his blaster before holding it up, aiming at his own man across from him. The girl looks on with a rather bored expression plastered across her pale face and hollow, pink eyes. But smiling. If in a disinterested fashion. "I'll try and guess part of the communication code. You tell me if I'm right or wrong. If I'm wrong, you'll get a point. If I'm right, I get a point. If you lie, you'll find a new place on your friend, here, that could use an extra pocket or two. And trust me. I'll know if you're lying.  If I can guess the whole code, I win!"

"A-and what happens if I win?" the captain asks, his hands trembling as he looks directly down the sights of the blaster at his comrade.

The girl giggles. "Silly Captain. Who ever said anything about you winning? Are you ready to play?"

"No first and foremost I must know your skill level with a lightsaber and how you deal with a combat situation." Angalacon said.

-----

Jarik nodded. "Yes they are." He said looking from the HoloNet to Zora. "Intelligence reports have the Sith attacking Bakura early on, they snagged several systems there first like Endor and Rattatak as well. I think we should start there, it's out of the way of the heavy fighting near Kuat right now where everyone's focus is. We could slip in do some damage and maybe find a lead on this Star Forge the Jedi seem to think they have."

-----

"Just wanted a minute before we both went our separate ways." Ford smiled. "You ready for your trials?"

-----

Cassus was in the Katari arranging his personal area.

Qui Gon sat meditating, trying to connect to his father through the force.

"Probably better than you," case said edging him in a playful challenge.

"We should search for a map of Sith space first. We can locate and raid enemy vessels until we find what we need. Then we should be able to better navigate and plan for future offenses," Zora says. "Lazuli can assist with locating ships to raid. But I do agree. Bakura is the most sound option available to us. And their supply lines will likely run in Wild Space, further from the major fighting."

---

"You always said no one's ever ready for 'em," Jaxie says.

"Which is her own subtle way of trying to say she'll be the first who is," Tsuni remarks.

"Oh, calibrate your gun."

---

The captain of the defunct Imperial cruiser trembles as a body lies on the ground before him, no less than fives holes in places that were filled a minutes ago. The pale-skinned girl giggles then stands from the captain's chair, strolling casually over to the man, himself. She looks him in the eye, her hands folded behind her back as she stands on her tip-toes to reach even close to eye-level with him. "That was a very fun game," she says. "Thank you, so much, for giving me such a big head start. You surprised me in the end, lying like that. And so many times. I'm sure your friend had fun, too."

She reaches up and pats the captain on the top of his head as he stands there, clearly a wreck. Suddenly his arms begin to move, again against his will. To the point where he holds the blaster to his own chin. "You've been such a good doll. Your performance has improved so very much since we began our playdate. Look at all of the emotions you've mastered, now. They're practically all right there on your face." She seems to pause and ponder for a moment. "I want to keep you. It would be a shame to throw out a perfectly good toy."

"Monster..." the captain growls.

The girl giggles. "Silly Captain. I wasn't the monster. I was the queen. And you were the peasant." She cocks her head to the side. "Unfortunately, master says I can't get any more toys. I should return you to the Empire." The captain drops to the ground, freed of the invisible forces that bind him. He takes up the blaster and fires at the girl as she has her back to him but the blaster bolt hangs in the air. "Then again, the Empire isn't going to be around much longer to enjoy your playtime talents." She pauses for a moment again. "I know!" The girl suddenly turns around, igniting her light-whip and coiling it around the captain's neck on low intensity. "I'll send you along to their new home and you'll be waiting for them in the playroom. I'm sure they'll be very surprised and thrilled. Do say hello to them, for me." Suddenly the light-whip's intensity ups itself and the girl tugs on the hilt. Thud.

The blaster bolt picks up where it left off as she retracts her light-whip and makes her way towards the door, hitting the nearest viewport.

Later, the girl returns to her shuttle and departs for the Leviathan. On the way there, she opens up a communications channel. "Master Nazrin," she says, taking a knee and bowing her head. "Agent Quinn reporting. I have the Imperial communication codes as you commanded. You will be able to listen in on their communications and they will never be the wiser."

Nazrin looks over the codes as they come up on his view screen.

"I played an absolutely wonderful game in order to get them. I want to go and tell Lord Maeror, now. I humbly thank you for this opportunity, Master."

Nazrin waves his hand by the screen and Quinn is dismissed.

"You'll have to test yourself against the droids first." Angalacon said.

-----

Ford smiled and chuckled. "Well before we know it, you'll be a Knight." He said. "I'm proud of you kid."

-----

Maeror was in his meditation chamber, the entire deck level was flooded with the feeling of lamentation, of rage, and darkness as he delved deep into his own mind meditating and focusing his emotions.

-----

"Exactly my thoughts, the map will give us our lead." Jarik said.

Later, Quinn's shuttle arrives in the Leviathan. Quinn makes her way to the meditation chamber, her hands clasped in front of her as the door opens. "Lord Maeror, Lord Maeror!" she giddily chimes. "I did the mission for Nazrin, like you wanted! The Imperial communications are yours. It's only a matter of time before the Empire crumbles under your booted heel, my lord. I played a lot of fun games with the crew of the ship that gave the codes to me. And I won! The looks on their faces after they were dead told so much about them."

---

"Then that will be our plan of attack," Zora says. "With luck, it will lead us to this 'Star Forge.' When we're ready, I will tell Lazuli and Ro to search for enemy ships."

---

Jaxie stands upright and salutes Ford. "Thanks, boss," she says. "Time to save us a galaxy."

Maeror had his back to Quinn and he turned to face her, he looked down at the young girl and patted her shoulder. "Good, I trust you left no trace of your presence?" He asked walking out of the meditation chamber.

-----

Jarik nodded. "Sounds good to me. Well I'm going to get some rack time, wake me when we're nearing Bakura." He said getting up and heading out of the mess area.

-----

Ford smiled and nodded. "Yeah, good luck Jaxie. See you again soon." He said before looking to Tsuni. "Keep safe as well." He said before turning and heading out to the Katari.

Quinn follows Maeror. "Not a single atom," she says. "I planted the bomb just as Master Nazrin instructed and made certain the shuttle's stealth function was active the entire time." She catches up, walking at his side. "Thank you for the opportunity to serve you, my lord. Do you have any other tasks you would like me to see to?" She clasps her hands again, beaming up at Maeror with a childlike innocence and sparkle in her empty, pink eyes.

---

"Oh, and boss... make the old man proud," Jaxie says as Ford departs.

---

Zora sees Jarik out and folds her hands in front of her, closing her eyes and taking the time to think.

Ford stops for a second and nods glancing back. "I'll do my best." He said before continuing on towards the Katari. He stepped on board taking in the sight then he heard Cassus.

"Jedi!" He called out from the cargo hold. Ford sighed and walked into the hold.

"Mandalorian." Ford said seeing the warrior holding a blunted training sword and a training lightsaber.

"Spar?" Cassus asked. "You've got a lot on your mind and a good sparing match helps me." He said tossing the training saber to Ford who caught it.

"Sure." Ford said activating the saber.

-----

"Do you like treasure hunting?" Maeror asked bringing up a star map.

-----

Jarik entered his personal quarters and laid back onto his bed before closing his eyes and getting some shut eye.

"If it's for you, Lord Maeror, absolutely," Quinn says, bowing before him again. "I will find anything you demand and bring it back to with the utmost haste. Any Jedi in my way will be cut down to ribbons for decoration in the halls of your grand vessel."

Maeror nodded. "I do not doubt it. You will work with Darth Désir and the Inquisition as they scour these worlds for what I need."

"Oh! It has been a long time since I've had a chance to speak with Nanny," Quinn chimes. "Too long. I would relish the chance to see her, again." She looks up to Maeror. "For what would you have me search, my lord?"

"I am searching for the Mind Walkers." Maeror said. "Clues to their whereabouts is what I need."

"Droids? You'd have me fight robots? I'm better than that!" Case argued.

~~~~~~~~~

Arden sat in the cell quietly awaiting for the moment someone would come by, but even the guards were on edge around her.

"You've never faced these droids." Angalacon said. "They are designed to test and push a Sith warrior."

"They will be yours," Quinn says, bowing with a fist over her heart. Stands upright into a pat on the head that makes her smile giddily. "Where is she, my lord?" Once more she beams up at the Sith Emperor.

"She is on her vessel, the Ziost." Maeror said. "She is leaving for Anzat soon."

"I will away to meet with her at once," Quinn says. "Am I dismissed, my lord?"

"You are." Maeror nodded letting her leave.

Quinn bows once more and dashes off to get a shuttle to the Ziost. Upon arriving, she steps off of the shuttle and looks around.