{"id":2136,"date":"2017-08-23T07:00:30","date_gmt":"2017-08-23T12:00:30","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=2136"},"modified":"2017-08-26T07:27:27","modified_gmt":"2017-08-26T12:27:27","slug":"the-sith-empress-part-16","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/ajscifistories.com\/?p=2136","title":{"rendered":"The Sith Empress – Part 16"},"content":{"rendered":"

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

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

Part 16<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cMy lord,\u201d a man said bowing to the tall, dark-haired and clothed woman standing on the bridge of the ship.<\/p>\n

\u201cReport,\u201d Jessica replied curtly turning to look at the man.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe attack fleet is ready to strike,\u201d he stated, obviously scared of her.\u00a0 She knew many of the crew were scared of her and it was exactly how she wanted it.\u00a0 At least this one was behaving himself.<\/p>\n

\u201cExcellent, tell Admiral Pietete to have everything ready to go when I saw so,\u201d she replied and headed off the bridge of the ship and towards one of the hangars.<\/p>\n

They had converted one hangar to a large training room where they were practicing Jedi and Sith techniques.\u00a0 There were a few instructors, who wore dark grey clothing to make them stand out from the light colors the trainees used.\u00a0 She strode into the hangar making her way to a specific person.<\/p>\n

\u201cDarth Rizon,\u201d the woman with blonde hair said doing a slight bow.\u00a0 She wasn\u2019t quite as tall as Jessica was but had proven adapt in training and being ruthless.\u00a0 She was also someone Jessica would keep an eye on.<\/p>\n

\u201cKatie,\u201d Jessica said to her.\u00a0 \u201cHow are the recruits coming along?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cWe have a great group, mostly trained already,\u201d Katie replied back to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cSee for yourself,\u201d Katie replied back.<\/p>\n

Jessica walked into the hangar as the training stopped to watch her.\u00a0 She motioned for one of the students to attack her.\u00a0 He paused, glancing at Katie who also nodded before he moved forward unsure of what to expect.\u00a0 Finally after a few seconds he ignited his lightsaber and attacked with a flurry of attacks.<\/p>\n

Jessica easily dodged or blocked the strikes but she wasn\u2019t looking for his ability to attack.\u00a0 She continued to block watching as his frustration got the better of him and anger took him over.\u00a0 He put more effort into his attacks this time.<\/p>\n

Jessica casually blocked the attack before using the Force to send him across the room.\u00a0 \u201cExcellent work, you are ready,\u201d she said to them all as the man slowly stood up and looking over at Katie.\u00a0 \u201cGet them ready for a planetside attack.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOf course my lord,\u201d Katie said as Jessica returned to the bridge seeing Admiral Pietete standing there.\u00a0 She then motioned them both over to discuss the planet she wanted to hit first.<\/p>\n

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

Gaia arrived at the planet she had discovered in her meditation.\u00a0 It didn\u2019t seem like much and the people there greeted her with a bit of hostility, or so it seemed to her.\u00a0 They must not like outsiders too much but once they realized she was a Jedi they warmed up a bit more to her.<\/p>\n

She had a feeling that somewhere in their past a Jedi had done something for them.\u00a0 There were several towns and cities on the surface and she realized the planet was mined for some ores used in manufacturing, but aside from that wasn\u2019t very livable.\u00a0 Most who were there either worked in the mines, or tried to earn a living on the surface.<\/p>\n

The conditions reminded her of some of other worlds, like Tatooine where people only lived there if they had to.<\/p>\n

She really had no idea what she might be looking for, only that she had been led here, either by the Force or something else.<\/p>\n

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

Six large warships appeared in orbit, the types of which hadn\u2019t been seen in over a thousand years.\u00a0 They stopped out of hyperspace in such a way to quickly blockade the planet and that the planet would have a hard time to defend against them.<\/p>\n

Jessica looked on from the bridge as the planet came into sight.\u00a0 This would be where she would begin her conquest of the galaxy, her empire.\u00a0 She would be swift and merciless in her conquest of those who dared to stand up to her.<\/p>\n

Even as she looked on a familiar feeling swept over her.\u00a0 She had to think about where she had the feeling before, and realized she felt it several times, the last time was on Korriban specifically it had been when looking at a certain blonde-haired Jedi.<\/p>\n

\u201cGet me Katie,\u201d Jessica said to the bridge crew, waiting a few seconds until the woman appeared on the communicator.\u00a0 \u201cKatie, be careful, there is a Jedi on that planet, and I want her alive.\u201d<\/p>\n

She watched as the blonde hesitated for a second before replying back to her.\u00a0 \u201cYes my lord,\u201d she finally said, as Jessica ended the communications.<\/p>\n

Jessica looked on knowing that a single Jedi would not stop her, but there was something else going on which she wanted answers to.\u00a0 For those answers she had a feeling that only that Jedi might have them.<\/p>\n

She ordered the attack and stood watching as fighters rushed out of the ships and headed to the planet, the shuttle would follow shortly after and soon the planet would be hers.<\/p>\n

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

Gaia was wondering around looking for a place to sleep for the upcoming night not having found much of anything during her search.\u00a0 There really hadn\u2019t been anything going on here for a while now, and they were at peace with their neighbors for now, so the sirens caught her by surprise.<\/p>\n

Looking up she spotted a group of fighters sweeping though the sky blasting away at everything they could reach.\u00a0 She had never seen anything like them before and were more round than anything the Imperials had.<\/p>\n

The entire attack lasted longer than she expected as she ran around trying to find a safe spot and learn what might be going on.\u00a0 Other locals were rushing around as well and it appeared they didn\u2019t have any such shelters for attacks like this.<\/p>\n

It was after the strikes the shuttles appeared and Gaia could only think of one reason why the shuttles were coming down, a ground assault.\u00a0 She readied herself as best as she could, trying to figure a way out of this situation without the use of violence.<\/p>\n

She noticed they were dark robes and had ligthsabers themselves.\u00a0 One word rolled through her mind, Sith.\u00a0 She turned and ran knowing she was outnumbered hoping not to be detected by anyone.\u00a0 With her training she was able to stay ahead of her pursuers, at least until she turned the corner and found herself face to face with a group.\u00a0 She couldn\u2019t turn around because there were groups behind her as well.<\/p>\n

Knowing she had little choice she took out her lightsaber and readied herself for combat.\u00a0 A few of the troopers opened fire which she easily deflected.\u00a0 Surprisingly she felt herself get hit from behind and briefly wondered if this I s what death was like as she fell to the ground and darkness overtook her.<\/p>\n

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

Jessica waited impatiently for the reports to come in from the attack on the surface.\u00a0 The entire attack had only lasted a few hours before the planet leaders surrendered.\u00a0 She now had her first planet in her empire.<\/p>\n

Now all she was waiting for was the reports of a Jedi on the planet.\u00a0 She knew the blonde was down there somewhere.\u00a0 How she knew that was still a bit of a mystery, and made Jessica wonder what type of power this Jedi held.<\/p>\n

She turned to see Tyi heading towards her and hoped he might have some good news for her.<\/p>\n

\u201cMy lord,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cReport Tyi, any word on the Jedi?\u201d Jessica asked a bit impatient for any news.<\/p>\n

\u201cYes my lord, it seems that Pitpis\u2019 groups ran into a Jedi while patrolling.\u00a0 On your orders they stunned her,\u201d Tyi replied as Jessica smiled.\u00a0 \u201cWhat should we do with her?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cBring her to me,\u201d Jessica replied, knowing her day had gotten better.\u00a0 With the Jedi now in her procession she could finally figure out this secret and perhaps add a new power to her Empire.<\/p>\n

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

Leia made her way towards the council chamber with a grim look on her face.\u00a0 This was not something she wished to have happened at all, and it seemed like ever since the end of the Empire there had been one crisis after another.\u00a0 There was something about this one though which seemed different to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cMadam President, what is so important that you had to call a special meeting?\u201d one of her aides asked, obviously not having heard the situation developing.<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019ll inform you in the council,\u201d Leia replied to him, as they continued to walk into the chamber.<\/p>\n

Inside the large room several people were already there, their voices echoing off the walls and ceiling as they everyone seemed to be talking at once.\u00a0 She took a moment to head to the front even as the assembled people quieted a bit waiting to hear what she had to say.<\/p>\n

\u201cI want to thank you all for coming here on such short notice,\u201d Leia said to them all.\u00a0 \u201cIntelligence had come to a conclusion about the loss of a Republic cruiser around Korriban, which was supporting a Jedi mission.\u00a0 The intelligence office had sent me their findings from the ship\u2019s computers.\u201d<\/p>\n

Leia stepped to the side a bit as the lights dimmed and the holo screen came to life as they all looked up and watched what had happened.\u00a0 Everything appeared normal as the cruiser approached the shuttles which had lifted off the planet.\u00a0 It was suddenly when another ship appeared, one which appeared to be a large warship.<\/p>\n

Leia heard a few people gasp in the room which mean they understood what they were looking at.\u00a0 Leia had to be told what it was having never seen one before in her life.\u00a0 She had spent her life learning ships of the Empire so this one surprised her.\u00a0 Everyone waited watching as the warship opened up on the cruiser before the recording ended.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat you saw was a Sith battleship from a thousand years ago when the Sith Empire was at war with the Republic.\u00a0 Intelligence had confirmed this,\u201d Leia said to them seeing a few shift uncomfortably in their chairs at the thought.\u00a0 \u201cI\u2019ve been told that they are unsure if this is a replica or a real ship.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI\u2019m sorry, but what is this again?\u201d one of the council members asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cA Sith battleship, of a design that is thousands of years old,\u201d Leia replied.<\/p>\n

\u201cAre you saying that an empire which hasn\u2019t been seen in over a thousand years attacked a Republic cruiser, and it wasn\u2019t able to defend itself?\u201d another council member asked.<\/p>\n

\u201cI do not know about the Sith Empire, but there is someone out there using a model of a Sith battleship to attack us.\u00a0 Intelligence informs us that even if the design is outdated, its weapons still pose a problem to our ships,\u201d Leia said pausing knowing she was going to get to another problem.\u00a0 \u201cAn hour ago we received a new report, six of these ships appeared and attacked a planet on the rim of the Republic.\u201d<\/p>\n

That bit of news caused an even bigger stir.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe can\u2019t go helping everyone madam President,\u201d one senator said.\u00a0 \u201cWe don\u2019t have the resources, or the manpower, to do such things and watch out for the remnants of the Empire.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI realize that, which is why I called this meeting.\u00a0 It appears there is a new power out there, or an old one re-emerging and whoever it is has a fleet large enough to be dangerous,\u201d Leia told them.\u00a0 \u201cIf anyone else encounters this new enemy inform us at once, we need information.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIf this is what you wanted, a waste of a meeting,\u201d one said and walking out.\u00a0 Leia noticed he was the senator from Kababi and watched as a few others left as well.<\/p>\n

\u201cWell, that went about as well as I hoped,\u201d Leia said wondering how many would actually inform their governments of a new, and possibly powerful, third power out there.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere are those who will always look for any way to avoid war, even at their own peril,\u201d another senator said close to her.<\/p>\n

\u201cI know, but and it\u2019s the same ones who ask why nothing was done when it does happen,\u2019 Leia replied with a sigh.\u00a0 She had a bad feeling about it all.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere must be balance, you are cautious and yet can use force when needed,\u201d her aide said.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s why so many dislike you.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cGee, thanks, I think,\u201d Leia said glancing at her aide.\u00a0 She still had a lot to do.<\/p>\n

End part 16<\/p>\n

Continued in part 17<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Sith Empress by AJ Marks Part 16 \u201cMy lord,\u201d a man said bowing to the tall, dark-haired and clothed woman standing on the bridge of the ship. \u201cReport,\u201d Jessica replied curtly turning to look at the man. \u201cThe attack fleet is ready to strike,\u201d he stated, obviously scared of her.\u00a0 She knew many of […]
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