Chapter Two: Worlds Colliding

[Akirapryde]

Admin Stuff: For some reason I couldn’t locate the name of the Capital city in my notes. So, I generated a new one. If anyone has the original name, please let me know. If not, ta-da! Also, I had to edit the months after Auro’s Birthday because it was mistaken. Some might ask, why am I doing the time that way? First I don’t have a clue how the months work in Star Wars. And two, its easer on you guys to be able to follow the progression of time in the game.

Setting up an Inferno
City of Jaoppolis
Outer Rim World of Olivan
Date: 2919 AOK (Six Months after Auro’s Birthday)

The rain slowly fell across the city of Jaoppolis, capitol city of Olivan. The lights of the city reflected down upon it from the low hanging clouds. This light gave the city a colorful glow that only added to its nature beauty. There was no thunder or lightening, just the winter rain shower. While the natural light of Olivan cast the city in a Turquoise color, the numerous lights from around the city created a rainbow of colors on that backdrop. This is what landed the city it’s nickname, ‘The City of a million colors,’ by the first visitors to Olivan some twenty thousand years ago.

The night had been one of festive activities. As the world celebrated it’s resent bid for Independence from the Republic. In a landslide vote in the Parliament, Olivan had official renounced their membership to the Galactic Republic. In an official statement, Governor Klahan, stated that if the Republic is led by a power-hungry usurper, that Olivan would be better off Independent. Across the city, and the world, street side performers entertained citizens of Jaoppolis.

What started out as a festive night ended in terror as a bomb exploded in the heart of one of Jaoppolis’ river side shopping districts. The bombing took place at a local favorite noodle house. Two people were killed, one of whom was the owner. Several others were wounded by the blast. As a sense of fear slowly gripped the once festive city, everyone started to realize that the bombing was an act of terrorism targeted at civilians.

While no one knows who was responsible for the bombing, local news reports indicate that it was an act of terrorism carried out by advanced forces from the Republic in answer to Olivan’s departure from the Republic. Before dinner time, the news of the bombing had reached even the furthest outpost on Olivan. The first stone had been cast by the Republic and now, Olivan and its people had little to do but wait for the fleet that the Jedi had sent.

If the bombing was meant to cause fear in the hearts of the people of Olivan, it failed. As the night slowly passed, more and more spoke out against the bombing and the cowards behind it. Fear was slowly consumed by anger. Anger for the Republic that wouldn’t force a free and independent vote in the Senate. Anger aimed at the Jedi on Coruscant for sending an army to take back that which wasn’t theirs in the first place.

Anong, who’s name means beautiful woman in Olivan and daughter of the slain Noodle shop owner, gave a tearful outcry regarding her father’s murder that was heard across Olivan.

An adolescent Olivan spoke with tears in her eyes. “I have a message for the Jedi, who are coming to invade our world. Tonight, you took my father from me!” Choked by anger and pain, she paused long enough to brush her turquoise hair back. Rain washed her tears down her face as her lips turned as she spoke with anger. “By the morning’s light, I promise we will take many fathers from their families back on Coruscant.”

Anong’s pain fueled her anger as she raised a fist in the air, “We will fight you in the skies! We will fight you in the streets. We will fight you in our own homes. You took my father! You WILL NOT take our world from us!”

For as far as the dark rain clouds reach, families across Jaoppolis started to slowly come together for what may be their last meal together. Despite the energy pulsating throughout the communities of Olivan, everyone realized the calm before the storm. There was no question about what was about to happen. No one had doubts as to what was coming, nor did anyone forget when that threat would arrive.

The Twenty-Seventh has a reputation for crushing worlds seeking liberty and freedom. Of all of the units the High Council could have sent, they choose the one unit who had brutally crushed the food riots on the Outer Rim World of Hublorth. The Twenty-Seventh was well feared across the Outer Rim, and for please like Anong, for good reason. And if anyone had any doubt as to when death was coming to Olivan, they only need look at any Holoplayer. A clock was slowly counting down the moments till the Twenty-Seventh was scheduled to arrive.

With Olivan’s military on high alert, one small band of mercenaries had gathered just beyond the city limits. The group of ten mercenaries had taken up formation within the trees and hiding behind large rocks. However, among them stood proudly a tale female with sharp red hair and a long flowing white dress. Her red hair seemed to shine and glisten from the rain. Like the rest of the city, the rain was washing down upon her as well. This caused her thin white dress to cling to her body as she stood in the small wooded clearing.

Rose smiled as she turned her face skyward, “I can sense the anger of the city. Their hatred boils over and emboldens them,” she said softly.

Behind her and in the background, a pair of massive anti-ship railguns pointed towards the heavens above the city. These power guns hit with enough punch to knock a hole in even a Venator's thick shields. These weapons were only a few of massive emplacements on world. The world boosts a powerful planetary shield, interlocking defenses. All of it, built by the Jedi and Republic to protect the world from attack. Olivan and worlds like it, made up a strong defensive line known as the Outer Rim Secondary Defensive Line or ORSD Line.

The ORSD Line consisted of nine worlds that helped protect the Corporate Sector from pirate attacks. Linked with worlds like Frey and Baklid, Olivan was positioned perfectly for this mission. The Temple built on Olivan was considered one of the finest in the Outer Rim. Many called it the Grand Temple of the Outer Rim. This is the reason why Olivan has always had such a notable influence across the Outer Rim. Therefore, Outer Rim world of Olivan is a strategically and politically important world for the Republic.

Unfortunately, it was what made Olivan so important, that also made it a focal point for those who became disillusioned with the current Jedi leadership back on Coruscant. For decades, Olivan’s Jedi had slowly become more and more distant from their Coruscant brothers and sisters. Despite efforts to bring the wayward Temple back under control, the ideals and philosophies of Olivan continued to drift further away from the orthodoxy of Coruscant.

From that rift, two factions within Olivan slowly emerged. There were those who saw a war with Coruscant as inevitable and moved Olivan to prepare for such a war. And then there were those who saw such a war as only feeding the darkness that was slowly growing in the galaxy. A shift in influence on Olivan allowed the more radical Jedi on world to seize the Temple and arrest those remaining Jedi still loyal to Coruscant.

Rose turned to Mathis, “the Galaxy is primed and ready for its transformation.” She stopped as a lone speeder approached. Mathis and his Crusaders readied their weapons. Rose raised her hand, “our guest has arrived.”

The speeder came to a stop as Rose walked forward. The lights of the speeder bathed her in a white glow as she stood there before the craft. She watched as the side of the speeder opened up and a pair of Crusaders pulled a hooded military officer from the speeder. But his uniform, it was clear that the man was a member of the planetary militia. Rose only stood there in the rain and smiled.

One of the Crusaders gave her a nod, “it was just as you said it would be. We took him, and no one is the wiser.”

Rose gave a nod and the hood of the man was removed. He fought against the two men holding him. His anger was clearly heard in his voice, “what is the meaning of this. WHO are you!?” He scanned the group and saw Rose, “the Jedi have gone too far now!”

“Silence” Rose said in her demonic voice. Over the air, her voice carried like a dark specter. Through the force, her will grabbed the man by the throat and started to choke him. “Who I am, is unimportant,” she said lifting him off the ground by her sheer force of will. “Who you are, Colonel Somsak, of the Nineteenth Air Defense Artillery Brigade,” His eyes widened with surprise and horror. “Is very important.”

He continued to choke as she continued to speak. “History records you, Colonel, as the man who ignited a war that would burn thousands of worlds. Billions of lives lost because of one order you issued in the coming hours. Of this war, chaos will be birthed across the stars for over a thousand years. So many worlds will die while others would be reduced back to the stone age. Entire civilizations will cease to exist. The galaxy as you know it,” she said coldly as she walked up and looking in to his wide blue greenish eyes, “will burn to ashes.”

He shook his head as she turned and started to walk asway. As she did, she waved her hand and he fell in to the mud. The Colonel landed hard as his face hit the water soaked mud. He rose his face from the mud and wiped it clean. “No, you’re wrong! The Jedi have always told me that the future is fluid and in motion.”

She turned back towards her and slowly lowered herself in to the mud alongside him, “I see the windows of tomorrow. In motion? Yes, this is true. But your destiny is at hand.” She smiled in such a way that only a lovely woman could. Her light green eyes glowed with a hint of red, reflecting the monster within. Her soft pale skin nearly visible through her white rain soaked dress allowing a casual observer to enjoy her prefect form. Rose could easily be mistaken for an angel, but for those that truly know her. They know the demon that she really is. “The future that you will bring is truly a bright and beautiful one,” she said with a wink.

She slowly rose from the mud and started to walk around him while he looked to his muddy hands. “Never” he uttered in anger. “Never,” he restated. “I don’t know what you think I will do, but I will never lead the galaxy to such a future.”

She slowly walked around the colonel as her men backed up. To some of them, they knew what horror was about to unfold. Others backed up, because they knew Rose was far from the angel that she appeared to be. It didn’t matter what world one was from, they all had a name for an evil supernatural creature. For the Crusaders, that name was Rose. They had learned to both respect and fear her.

“Oh, Colonel Somsak,” she said with a smile on her face and a hint of laughter in her voice. She continued to walk around him, like a predator ready to deal the final blow to its pray. “You have already done it. You just haven’t realized it, yet.”

He looked down in horror. ‘It can’t be true’ he thought. ‘The Jedi have always said that the future isn’t written in stone.’ His mind raced as he no longer paid attention to Rose. “I couldn’t, wouldn’t do such a thing.” He mumbled searching for the cause of such a horrific future. They had considered a limited war with the Jedi but they expected the Jedi to tire of the conflict and sue for peace. Then they would call for changes in the Senate before returning to the Republic. He searched his hands for the blood he suddenly felt that was on them.

Colonel Somsak had helped plan Olivan’s break from the Republic. Help the Jedi seize the Temple. Had he already created the events that would cause the war? “I will order a general stand down,” he mumbled. “Yes, I will contact Governor Klahan. I will tell him that we need to rethink our position, our plans. Sue for peace.”

As his mind raced, Rose walked up behind him with a bold smile across her face, “and to make sure you play your part in history.” As the words left her mouth, red bolts of energy leaped out from her fingers and danced over his head. “I will be with you every step of your historical journey.”

He let out a scream as the red glowing energy danced over his head. Bolts of energy crossed in to his mouth as his head started to glow from the energy being pumped in to him. He could feel Rose’s mind reaching in to his own. He could feel his own mind growing further and further away. He wanted to fight, but his body refused to even budge at his command. He was losing control over his own body and mind.

Rose, who stood behind him, just smiled as the red glow danced across her face and his screams filled the clearing. The Crusaders watched emotionless Rose slowly consumed Colonel Somsak. After a moment, she pulled the energy back in to her fingers. Rose nodded as she took a step back. Colonel Somsak slowly rose to his feet. His eyes glowing red as the last bits of red energy danced over his head. He turned to face Rose and they both spoke in unison.

“I shall make sure that history is made here on this world,” both figures said at the same time. Then they both added, “for us to be successful we must conceal ourselves from those who might wish to stop us.” The pair looked in to each-other’s eyes. “Auro and his friends are here, we must not allow them to know what we are planning. On that note, the possessed colonel dropped his head and closed his eyes.

A few seconds later he lifted his head back up and opened his eyes. The red glow of his eyes was gone and his voice had returned to normal. “In the coming hours, I will make sure that history remembers what happened here on this world. And the galaxy will burn for it,” Colonel Somsak said.

Rose turned to her Crusaders, “as for you,” she said to them, “you also must play the part.” She waved her hand and allowed the force to wash them over with an illusory effect. All twelve of her Crusaders now appeared to be Olivans dressed in local militia uniforms. “Your mission is simple,” Rose said.

Almost as if picking up on the same though, Colonel Somsak continued the statement seamlessly, “protect me at all costs. I must fulfill my mission.”