{"id":2051,"date":"2017-07-01T07:15:06","date_gmt":"2017-07-01T12:15:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=2051"},"modified":"2017-07-05T07:37:27","modified_gmt":"2017-07-05T12:37:27","slug":"the-sith-empress-part-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=2051","title":{"rendered":"The Sith Empress – Part 1"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Sith Empress<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

by AJ Marks<\/span><\/p>\n

Part 1<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

Jessica sat in the back of the transport bouncing along as it sped through hyperspace towards a location which had not been given to them. She was among some hundred or so hand-picked storm troopers for a special assignment.\u00a0 No one knew what the assignment was but that didn\u2019t mean no one speculated about it.\u00a0 They were going to strike back against the new Republic.\u00a0 She silently hoped it might be true, but would wait and see.<\/p>\n

The soldiers around were part of an elite group under the command of General Garret of the Imperial army. It only fueled rumors they were going to be striking against targets of the Republic.\u00a0 She also heard other rumors when it came to the General\u2019s name, like he was a rogue general.<\/p>\n

Jessica cared not if he was rogue or part of the Imperial Empire, all she cared about was quenching her thirst for blood and violence. Because of that desire she rose quickly in the ranks of her unit. She gained a reputation for completing her tasks quickly and efficiently.\u00a0 But that same nature meant few people talked to her, not that she cared.\u00a0 Action was the only thing she craved.<\/p>\n

Taking a moment to stretch her legs in the cramped space but it didn\u2019t do much to alleviate the cramped nature of the space. Her height didn\u2019t help much either considering how crowded the cargo hold was.\u00a0 But they were all in the same predicament coping like she was.<\/p>\n

The shuttle\u2019s bumps changed slightly indicating it had entered the atmosphere of some planet. The bumps increased as they moved to wherever they were going as heads bobbed along with the bumps.\u00a0 Soon they might see action, or at least know what the action would be.<\/p>\n

The shuttle touched down on the surface. She figured there were no threats there simply because they had not been briefed about a potential enemy upon leaving.\u00a0 So no action yet.<\/p>\n

The doors opened allowing them all to exit in the order they boarded. She waited patiently for her turn in line and walked out looking around the area.\u00a0 It seemed almost barren except for a cave nearby which was heavily guarded.\u00a0 A large man standing nearby who reminded Jessica of a lizard stood in front and appeared to be the person in charge.<\/p>\n

Everyone lined up waiting to see what might happen next. Part of her felt an odd presence in the air, almost as if it swirled around her, a brush of the wind yet felt like a bit more to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cWelcome my troopers,\u201d the lizard looking man said to them. She looked at him as he looked out at them and noticed he thought of them as tools even as he continued.\u00a0 \u201cMy name is Desann, and you are my reborn troopers, my new shadow troopers.\u00a0 Together we will destroy the Jedi and the Empire will be reborn under me.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jessica had a feeling he wasn\u2019t quite tell them the entire truth, and he would probably clarify what he was saying a bit later on. When that happened she would be ready for any action he had for her.\u00a0 She also knew attacking the Jedi with normal weapons usually proved the least effective for a soldier and hoped they would be provided with better weapons.\u00a0 She turned her attention back to Desann.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know many of you are thinking what can we do against the Jedi? We are not Force users,\u201d Desann said, and he laughed a bit here before continuing on.\u00a0 \u201cThat is why you are here, the Valley of the Jedi.\u00a0 Each of you will walk through the fountain inside the cave.\u00a0 This will intensify your ability to use the Force.\u00a0 With this new connection you will have the power to destroy the Jedi once and for all.\u201d<\/p>\n

Jessica felt a bit strange by what she had heard. The fabled Valley of the Jedi was something she always thought had been a myth to cover a defeat of the Sith eons ago.\u00a0 Had someone actually found it?\u00a0 Even if they had how could they use it to give someone with no power to the Force the ability to use the Force.\u00a0 It seemed very odd to her but would wait and find out what happened next.<\/p>\n

She watched as the people in front of her went into the cave, one at a time before exiting the cave. Each was given a lightsaber and tested.\u00a0 It was amazing to see normal soldier able to use the Force and act more like a Jedi.\u00a0 She also realized by watching some were more powerful than others.\u00a0 Desann separated the groups as those who appeared more powerful were led off to another group which she assumed was the elite group.<\/p>\n

The line in front of her slowly disappeared until she was the next person. She was told to enter and walked in not sure what to expect.\u00a0 They told her to walk into the light in front of her.\u00a0 She was unsure what to expect as she walked forward, but it seemed to draw her in.<\/p>\n

What do you want?<\/em><\/p>\n

She turned around not seeing anyone despite her thinking she wanted to be in the middle of the action. With that thought a figure dressed in black appeared not far away.<\/p>\n

If action is what you desire, then follow me.<\/em><\/p>\n

\u201cWho are you?\u201d she asked taking a fighting stance<\/p>\n

I am Darth Zaris your new master, when the time is right go to Ouspent. There you will find your answers.<\/em><\/p>\n

Jessica wondered about the voice and figure, who was this person calling himself Darth Zaris and telling her he was her master. Who did he think she was?\u00a0 Before she could ponder the new question much more a sudden surge of power coursing through her.\u00a0 The power was intoxicating and wonderful yet in the midst of it all she felt the sensation of something, or someone else very important nearby.<\/p>\n

*****<\/p>\n

Four students faced off against several training droids in order to gain experience in lightsaber dueling, an important part of being a Jedi. Something they all went though and for this exercise it was deliberately frustrating for one master.<\/p>\n

Of course for Jedi Master Fie-Tel it was more than just his students which were training. He heard the whispers of what was going on as well as anyone else.\u00a0 A new problem facing the Jedi.\u00a0 It seemed they could not catch a break with everything going on.\u00a0 They needed a bit of time to fully recover and gain numbers where they might actually help the galaxy as they once did.<\/p>\n

Even the other students had caught on to the worries of the masters. Shaking the though from the head he looked back at his four students seeing they were all doing well, all except one of his students.\u00a0 He looked over to where she was standing, her green lightsaber on and in a defensive position and doing all right.\u00a0 But that is where it stopped, she was only defensive and seemed to refuse to attack her opponent.<\/p>\n

He watched as she easily deflected ay blows the training droid used. However, she didn\u2019t use the openings to attack at all.\u00a0 He had tried several times to get her to attack and even his patience was stretched by her refusal to do so.\u00a0 He would have to talk to Master Skywalker about her again.<\/p>\n

At that moment she froze before collapsing to her knees. Something was wrong and even as he watched the training droid refused to stop.\u00a0 He called out but she didn\u2019t respond.<\/p>\n

Fie-Tel started to move but realized he would be too far away to help out in time. Fortunately another student was paying attention jumped into action.\u00a0 He blocked the blade saving a life but now he had a problem as well.\u00a0 He was facing off against two droids as the one which had been fighting him refused to stop as well.<\/p>\n

Quickly moving into the battle Fie-Tel activated his own lightsaber and quickly dispatched the two droids much to the relief of the student. He then looked at the two students before looking at Pacy who had stepped in to help out before looking at his other student and felt relief that she had only passed out and was unharmed.<\/p>\n

\u201cPacy, take her to the med lab, I\u2019ll join you shortly,\u201d Fie-Tel said to her before looking at the rest of the group. \u201cThe rest of you go back to your studies.\u201d<\/p>\n

With that he went out in search of Master Skywalker and hoped he could think of something. He passed Kyle Katarn walking out of Master Skywalker\u2019s office and hoped nothing new had happened.\u00a0 Kyle seemed determined about something and Fie-Tel didn\u2019t ask as he moved into the office.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaster Fie-Tel, what can I do for you today?\u201d Luke asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaster Skywalker, I\u2019m having a problem with one of my students,\u201d Fie-Tel replied walking into the office, more like a large room inside the temple with a desk in the middle. \u201cShe collapsed during training just now.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGaia, right,\u201d Luck said not surprising Fie-Tel. It wasn\u2019t the first time he had come to him over her.\u00a0 She had been giving him fits for a while now and Luke stated he was going to talk with her but recent events had stopped him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, she collapsed during training, just fell down for now reason. If Pacy hadn\u2019t stepped in she would have been seriously injured by the training droid,\u201d Fie-Tel replied recalling what had happened.<\/p>\n

\u201cI really should talk to her then,\u201d Luke stated. \u201cShe\u2019s in the med lab?\u201d<\/p>\n

Fie-Tel nodded.<\/p>\n

\u201cThen I\u2019ll meet you there, I just have to fill out some information and send it to the New Republic\u2019s intelligence agency,\u201d Luke said, watching as Fie-Tel walked out of the room.<\/p>\n

There was so much to do and so much going on he almost had no idea where to start. Speaking with a student was almost easy compared to some things.\u00a0 He turned back to the computer and stopped, feeling a presence close by.\u00a0 Turning to noticed Master Yoda standing there.\u00a0 Something important must have happened for him to show up.<\/p>\n

\u201cMaster Yoda,\u201d Luke said surprised at the appearance of the great Jedi Master. While he felt apprehensive he still welcomed the visit of an old friend and mentor.\u00a0 It was really strange considering the last time he had seen Obi-Wan he mentioned it was getting harder to bridge the gap between the worlds.<\/p>\n

\u201cGreat disturbance in the Force there is,\u201d Yoda said to him.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes, I\u2019ve felt it,\u201d Luke said wondering what it might mean.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo, a new Sith Lord there is,\u201d Yoda said to him. \u201cOn the path of darkness this one is, to defeat you will need more than the Force.\u00a0 Powerful this one is, and ancient.\u201d<\/p>\n

Luke was about to respond again when Yoda disappeared leaving Luke alone to try and decipher what he was told.<\/p>\n

He wondered if Yoda was talking about the current situation with Desann, or something else. Perhaps he had awakened something even larger than them all, some ancient Sith Lord who had been sleeping.\u00a0 It would not be the first time such a thing had happened.\u00a0 The news didn\u2019t leave him feeling any better about the situation or who to look out for.\u00a0 In fact, he felt even worse than before and the second part of the message.\u00a0 He would need something else to defeat him?\u00a0 What could that be?<\/p>\n

Luke pushed it from him mind at the moment and focused instead on one of his students and wondered what Master Yoda would tell Gaia. What words of wisdom would he have for such a padawan?\u00a0 He knew he had to come up with something.\u00a0 Gaia was an unusual student with strong morals which she would not break, yet her desire to help, intelligence and even abilities were evident to everyone.<\/p>\n

Standing he made his way to the med lab to talk with her and hopefully find a way to get her to grow even more in her abilities.<\/p>\n

End part 1<\/p>\n

Continued in part 2<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Sith Empress by AJ Marks Part 1 Jessica sat in the back of the transport bouncing along as it sped through hyperspace towards a location which had not been given to them. She was among some hundred or so hand-picked storm troopers for a special assignment.\u00a0 No one knew what the assignment was but […]
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