The Sith Empress
by AJ Marks
Part 28
Jessica woke up feeling disorientated from the dream she had and quickly looked around seeing her quarters on board the ship. She looked at her own clothing and, with a sigh, was glad it was what she had on last night. Now she had to have a talk with a small Jedi and see what she had done, what power she had used and how to block it.
She quickly dressed and made her way out of the room and down the corridor towards the room where she had the Jedi prisoner. The guards were still on duty as Jessica passed right by them. This was something between her and the Jedi.
Gaia was lying down but looked up as Jessica entered the room and made her way right over to her. Looking down in the blonde’s eyes she noticed a hint of the same look she had seen during the dream.
“What type of trickery have you done to me?” Jessica asked the Jedi.
“Me, trickery, I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Gaia replied back to her. “If anything, you interrupted a great dream of mine.”
Jessica watched as Gaia looked her over, up and down before replying.
“I want to know what you were doing in my dream,” Jessica demanded trying for the direct approach. “And don’t lie to me little girl.”
Gaia’s eyes narrowed at the statement. “Little? I swear you are infuriating,” Gaia replied to her. “I have a great dream and you come in here telling me about yours.”
“That’s because mine is more important than yours,” Jessica replied back to her.
“Speaks the person who has me held prisoner,” Gaia replied sitting up. “I didn’t know I was that big of a threat to you.”
“You are impossible, you know that right?” Jessica replied back to her.
They looked at each for several seconds. Jessica was going over the dream in her mind wondering when the tables had turned in her seduction of this woman. Now it appeared the woman was trying to seduce her, and that look she was giving her. There was no fear, but something else.
“This is getting confusing,” Gaia replied back breaking the silence and shaking her head. “I have no idea what you’re talking about, but I was having a great dream where you were dressed, well, sexily, despite that attitude.”
“I don’t do leather,” Jessica growled watching as Gaia’s eye widened.
“I didn’t say anything about leather,” she replied. “How where you in my dream?”
“I wasn’t, you were in mine,” Jessica replied back to her.
“Impossible, I don’t know how to do that, but you, you’re strong enough to do something like that,” Gaia replied back to her.
“Enough, I’ll figure this out, and then we’ll be able to block it,” Jessica replied back to her. Things were getting complex and she had no patience. “As for impossible, you’re the impossible one.”
Jessica walked back out and decided to head to the bridge.
*****
“Are you sure now is the time,” a voice said.
“Yes, she’s thinking the recent uprising and how easily she put it down will make others back down for a while. She will be at her weakest,” the man replied back.
“All right,” the first voice said. “We’ll do it, I’m still unsure, about it all.”
“Don’t worry, everything’s in place,” the man said as the communications went dead. He stood, looking around to make sure no one else was around before heading out. Today was going to be a good day, and soon, he would have an empire all to himself to rule.
*****
Jessica walked onto the bridge in full Darth Rizon mode and quickly looked over at Tyi who standing nearby.
“What’s the situation?” she asked him.
“We should be arriving any minute now,” he replied back to her.
“Good,” she replied. “When we arrive head to the planet’s surface to prepare for my arrival.”
“Yes my lord,” Tyi replied back.
“Excellent,” Jessica said looking back out at the window and seeing the ship move though hyperspace. “Soon it will be time to hit the Republic and they won’t know what hit them.”
She would take her place among the stars as one of its rightful rulers.
*****
The flagship of Darth Rizon’s fleet arrived at the planet. Wtihin a few minutes a shuttle departed the ship with Tyi on board to head down to the surface and prepare for the arrival of Darth Rizon. He sat in the shuttle and looked out the window at the ship as a small smile came to his lips thinking about what was about to happen. She had no idea at all what he was capable of, he had played his part so well and now, well now, it was time to act.
He turned to the communicator and activated it waiting until the face came onto the screen.
“What? We’re in position,” the man replied.
“Good, then its time, open fire,” Tyi replied.
“With pleasure,” the man replied. “A woman playing as leader, time to take her down.”
Tyi turned around to watch knowing that no one board the ship would have a clue about what was going to happen. The ship had the most loyal to Darth Rizon, something he had seen personally. The other ships had been manned by more loyal personal to him.
The turbolasers began firing, and a ship with no shields would be a sitting target and quickly destroyed. His coup was all but assured to succeed.
*****
Jessica felt restless, an uneasiness in her as she had left the bridge. The ship had arrived and Tyi had left to go to the planet’s surface, yet something felt out of place. Looking up she found herself at the room where the Jedi was and entered.
“So, you find something out?” Gaia asked.
“No,” Jessica started, then stopped as something felt very wrong, and ebb in the Force. She walked out just outside, leaving the door open. “Captain, is everything all right up there?”
“Yes my lord, why do you ask?” the captain replied back.
“A feeling, expect trouble,” Jessica said to him turning to see Gaia standing at the door and look at her.
“Expecting trouble?” she asked.
“Always,” Jessica replied. However, as she was about to say more the ship suddenly lurched almost tossing her off her feet. “By the Force, what was that she yelled as the guards fell down as well.
“My lord, we’re under attack by the escorts,” the captain said over the communicator.
“Traitors,” Jessica replied as the ship shuddered again.
“Shield generators are damage, we won’t be able to bring up the ships, and engines are reporting damage as well,” the captain said.
“Return fire if you can,” Jessica said.
“Yes my lord,’ the captain replied signing off.
Jessica turned as another hit struck the ship causing everyone to fall over. She watched in horror as the blonde struck her head and remained motionless. Without thought she raced over to check on the Jedi, noticing a small cut above her eye.
A groan from the ship indicated the ship’s hull was failing. With little regard to what was going on around her she picked up the small blonde and raced towards the escape pods. People were racing around trying to figure out what to do as she found the closest one and placed Gaia into it as the blonde regained consciousness and the doors closed leaving Jessica behind.
“What?” Gaia stated, a bit disoriented by what was going on. She saw blue eyes lock with hers before the door closed and the escape pod was launched.
She could see out into space and noticed that a battle appeared to be going on between two ships which appeared very similar. The ship she had just launched from seemed to be taking a lot of damage. She noticed escape pods all over the place when the ship seemed to roll slightly before exploding.
“NO,” Gaia found herself yelling as she rose to look out the window. “No,” this time in a whisper before slumping into the chair unsure what to do next. Her heart felt heavy with the knowledge that the woman was probably dead. The unexpected pain at the thought was almost unbearable to her as she wondered what to do next.
*****
Luke watched as the shuttle landed this time he was told there was a surprise waiting for him on board. Someone he probably wanted to meet but had no idea who that might be. Rumors were swirling rapidly in the past couple of days regarding the problems with the Rizonians and the Sith Lord. Many of these rumors were conflicting.
He knew there were a few recruits on board the shuttle. The door opened allowing several people to walk out, and he noticed a blonde head of someone familiar to him. Gaia had finally returned after being out of contact some time. He made his way towards he noticing that she appeared different now.
“Gaia,” he said as he approached her. “Thank the Force you survived, what happened?”
“I was captured by the new Sith Empress,” Gaia said, her voice sounding a bit flat which was unusual for her. “You don’t have to worry about her anymore, she’s dead.”
The way she said it, and the look in her eyes said more to Luke than the words making him wonder what had happened, and had Gaia somehow been forced to kill. If she had she would need time to heal and recover, but something else nagged at him, a feeling that she might never recover.
He looked up as Kyle approached him with a data pad and handed it to him.
“Latest reports on the mysterious Sith group,” Kyle said to him.
“Anything good,” Luke said switching the subject off Gaia.
“Yeah, intelligence indicates that the Sith Lord was probably killed, and the new person isn’t as good at keeping things together. It appears a civil war has broken out among them,” Kyle said to him. “they are making mistakes they didn’t’ in the beginning, and it appears we now have at least one spy in their ranks sending us information that the Rizonians were the Sith invaders.”
“Unbelievable,” Luke said at that. They were fooled.
“You can say that, I can’t believe that the woman I met was this Sith Lord,” Fie-Tel said walking up to them.
“Anything else we have on them?” Luke asked.
“Yeah, seems like she was blackmailing one of the senators in the Republic to help them out. It seems when this Darth Raven, or so he called her, was killed the new person wasn’t as good at keeping him on their side,” Kyle said. “She was using the distraction to split our attention, and was using ships from Darth Raven’s fleet.”
“Any idea what to expect next?” Luke asked, wondering if the academy should prepare for another attack.
“Everyone’s preparing for an attack, I suggested we prepare here as well, being the Jedi Academy we are a prime target even if we’re not part of the Republic,” Kyle stated. “Leia asked if the Jedi would help in this as well, she thinks that Sith warriors will be in this battle.”
“If they are, we’ll give all the help we can,” Luke said looking over at Fie-Tel. “We have another problem, if you haven’t heard yet Gaia has returned stating that the Sith Empress was dead but didn’t say anything else.”
“She confirms that, which means our intel is correct and explains the sudden civil war as different factions try for control of the empire she created,” Fie-Tel replied.
“I hope that continues until we’re ready to strike back,” Kyle said. “The Republic is gathering forces to take back the conquered world.”
“All right, gathered a group of Jedi to go with them,” Luke said to him.
“I can do that,” Kyle said, walking away to carry out those orders.
Luke turned back to Fie-Tel.
“So, Gaia isn’t all right?” he asked.
“I’m afraid she might have been forced to kill the Sith Lord,” Luke said, recalling his two visions, one where Gaia joined the Sith Lord, the other where she defeated her.
“You want me to speak with her?”
“No, I will,” Luke said, turning and making his way to her quarters. He was the Jedi Master, he should do this and help out one of his Jedi. If he couldn’t do this, then he wasn’t much of a leader.
End part 27