Rose was livid to put it lightly as she spotted the young girl disembarking with the older Jedi. “What is she doing here?!” She said angrily, catching the attention of several nearby soldiers before Sunset put herself between the two padawans.
“Watch your tone, Padawan Rose. Now.” Sunset said with a similar fury in her eyes. “Now, we need to speak to your master.”
Rose glared at her for several seconds before turning around and walking away. Sunset looked back to Zaza, who was still hiding behind Spike. A small nod of the head encouraged the unnerved padawan learner to follow her master behind Rose. Spike stayed near the shuttle platform as Therma exited the ship and stood next to the droid. “I feel an...uneasiness between them.” Spike gave a low beep in agreement.
The walk through the camp was chillingly quite as Sunset was met with uneasy looks from men and women dressed in military uniforms as well as members of several of the local tribes, wearing a mix of their traditional garb with things like arm and headbands or shirts, all with the colors of the loyalists to show their allegiance. Rose eventually lead them to a two story building that was being used as a field hospital that she entered. Sunset moved up but stopped as she turned to Zaza. “Wait out here for now. I shouldn't be long.” The young girl shakily nodded and stood watching her master disappear inside.
Rose and Sunset moved through the facility where the latter witnessed a number of soldiers bed-ridden with varying degrees of injury. Others were submersed in bacta tanks as their injuries were far more severe. “You should have seen how bad things were before we arrived. A lot of these soldiers wouldn't even have it this good.” Rose said as she led the way.
“The Council asked that Master Tempest to broker peace, not get involved. We are a neutral party, not soldiers for one side or the other.” Sunset countered.
“This coming from Sunset Shimmer.” Rose shot back. “Well things don't always work out the way we plan now, do they? If you'd seen the things that have been going on out here, you might not be so quick to judge.”
“I've seen exactly where this is leading.”
“That's right, Queen Flare has you to thank for helping her get on the throne.” Rose said in a mocking tone. “Joining your quest for power gave her the drive she needed to carve out something for herself. Seems your own ambitions were...lacking.”
“Excuse me?” Sunset scolded which caused Rose to turn violently towards her and grabbed her by her robes.
“I've excused you just about enough! You've got a lot of nerve yourself, bringing that...thing here!” She stopped as the two noticed the alarmed staff and guards before Rose released her and regained her composure. “Talk to Master Tempest yourself. You might just learn something.” The two resumed their silent, if not somewhat tenuous walk as they went up a set of stairs and the staff did their best to calm everyone down. A few minutes later they entered a room marked as private.
The two entered and were greeted by Tempest Shadow as she was still being tended to by the medics for her freshly wounded shoulder as she laid in bed. “Sunset Shimmer. This is certainly a surprise.” The two medical staff members left after Tempest gestured to them.
Sunset bowed lightly to her with a smile. “It's good to see you again. I just wish it were under different circumstances.” She sighed as the smile vanished from her face. “The Council has sent me to retrieve you. They have agreed that you have exceeded your mandate and have asked that I come on their behalf to assess the situation.”
Tempest nodded in agreement. “I fully understand. Understand, things here are complicated. Far more than we initially realized. Rose, why don't you go and see how the others are doing while Master Shimmer and I discuss matters?” Rose hesitated for a moment before Tempests stern gaze urged her on and she departed.
The padawan soon found herself walking back through the facility, being mindful to take an alternate route outside, partially to avoid the staff that she'd disturbed minutes prior but mostly to avoid...her. Her mind raced as she couldn't believe that the Council would send her to this world of all Jedi. She reached back into her pocket yet again and saw the pendent glowing faintly as she walked outside before putting it away. Rose knew this couldn't have been a coincidence that of all the Jedi in the galaxy, this Zaza was one of two that had been sent. She thought back to the Siren that she'd battled earlier. A vision? A construct of the force perhaps, guiding her down a path? If so and to where, she didn't know at the moment.
“I wish I'd have gotten selected by a master when I was your age.” Rose heard as she exited the facility. A few dozen feet away, she saw Lily and Daisy conversing with the young girl who had earned, quite rightly in her mind, all her scorn and disgust. Daisy noticed her and waved her over. “Hey Rose, check it out. Looks like we got some reinforcements. This is...”
“We've met.” Was all Rose said as Zaza recoiled a moment as the red haired padawan's gaze seemed to burn through her.
Meanwhile, Sunset and Tempest discussed what had transpired since the assignment began several months ago. Sunset paced back and forth as she contemplated what she'd heard. “I can see why you went silent with this for so long.”
“The dark side of the force surrounds this world. Someone powerful is manipulating events in their favor. To what ends, I don't know.” Tempest responded.
“Sunny Flare certainly had no short list of enemies when I knew her. I'm certain that list has grown exponentially since she came here. Question is, who could be supplying the rebels with this level of tech and in these quantities? Battle droids, anti-ship platforms, star-fighters...None of this is adding up.”
“Anyone on this planet opposed to Hisan with that level of wealth perished shortly after he claimed the thrown. Sombra, Fleur, Cadenza...they all fell in battle or to the loyalist forces years ago.” Tempest laid back as the two continued to converse. She sighed as she looked at her wounded shoulder. “Sunset, I know full well the council doesn't approve of my actions here. Neither do I sometimes, but I know that without our intervention, something worse will come from letting things run their course.”
Sunset sighed herself before turning to the other knight with a smile. “You said it yourself; the dark side of the force surrounds this place. No one knows that better than us, huh?” This response garnered an uncharacteristic chuckle from Tempest before she groaned as she lightly held her shoulder.
“Ah! Don't make me laugh please. Barely keeping it together as is. Sunset, I know this is asking a lot of you, given everything that is happening, but...”
“Don't worry about it. You aren't the first one to ask me today. Rose?”
“I brought her here to help her deal with her...situation. Seems the force has seen fit for her to deal with it head-on. You're well aware of the history between our padawans. They need this if either of them is going to get passed this block that has been placed in their paths.”
“I have no doubt each of them was placed under our tutelage because we have experiences unique to their particular conditions. I'll do my best, for the both of them. You heal up. We'll do what we can and investigate. With any luck, we might just uncover exactly what's going on here before it's too late.”
Tempest once again had an unsure look on her face. “Too late for what, I wonder.”
“Let's just hope we won't have to find out.”
Later
Within the temple that acted as the rebel's base of operations, Indigo Zap was working feverishly over several sets of plans in her private quarters. Her eyes darted periodically to each grouping as she worked out strategies in her head, muttering to herself every so often to help keep track of her thought process. A sudden buzz came from the door of her room as she looked up briefly. “Enter.” Lemon Zest walked in as she saluted. The gesture seemed to go unnoticed as her commander had already went back to the task at hand. “Hey Lem. Really don't have time to talk right now. Busy planning our next move.”
Lemon looked around the desk her friend was working at to see piles of papers and food. Worse though, were the empty adrenal packs around the desk, normally used on the battle field to boost a soldiers stamina and restore energy. “When's the last time you've gotten some rest?”
Indigo merely grunted in annoyance as she kept working. “Was there something you needed?”
“Indigo. Indi, would you look at me?” Indigo groaned before turning her attention to the other girl. “I'm worried...about you...about all this.”
“What are you talking about?”
“All this. When we started this, you said this would be over in a matter of months. We're going on what, three years now? Things are really getting messed up.”
“We're close to winning this and stopping all of this.” Indigo assures as she stood up.
“That's what you said last month and the month before that and the year before that! Indigo, this is getting out of hand. Getting pirates to drop in weapons and supplies is one thing, but now you're working with that doctor and those two...I don't even know what they are.”
“They offered to help us.”
“They have a frickin' army! Starships, battle droids, huge sums of supplies and munitions that they are just willing to give away. And that doctor they brought on... We've been diverting tons of raw materials from the facilities we captured to her mystery project. Materials we could be using to help people like we came here to do. None of that seems strange to you?”
“I'm trying to win this war by any means necessary.”
“That's what's worrying me. We've been at this for years...and I've seen you killing prisoners of war and having the troops burn fields and villages and everything you taught me a soldier should never do. This is getting out of hand, Indy. I can't help but think you're doing all this just so you can get back at Sunny Flare.”
Indigo leaped forward in a fury at the sound of that name. “She betrayed us!”
Lemon didn't budge one inch from her position. “And that let's you throw away your moral code just so you can even the score? No! All these deaths...it isn't right Indigo, and you know it. This has to stop. We want to do good, then we need to start acting like it again. If we just called a cease-fire...”
“Don't ask me to do that.” She turned and marched back to her desk, using it to support her tired body.
“This has gone way beyond what we intended, you've got to see that. Now we've got Jedi on the field leading the royal forces. It won't be long before the Republic gets involved in this. What then? Our benefactors aren't gonna be able to help us.” Lemon slowly approached her and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. “ I've always had your back, Indigo and I always will. You've done more than anyone could have asked of you, but maybe it's time we deal while we still have the leverage.”
Indigo looked across the room at a wall mirror and viewed her reflection. Her ragged appearance; ruffled hair, bags under her eyes and pasty complexion all spoke volumes of her constantly burning the candle at both ends. At the same time she considered the words of her friend. “Okay. Okay you're right about one thing. I do need some rest. Look, Lemon, this is a war but you're right, we have to be better than they are. I'll sleep on this, heaven knows I could use it. Wait. I've got a bunch of planning meetings with some of the officers and our benefactors over the next two weeks.”
“Let me take care of those for you. All it is is a bunch of debriefings, charts and graphs...blah blah blah. Just rest up. You're no good to anyone worn out like you are. We'll talk more after you've gotten some rest.”
“It's not just that. It's strategies, implementing new weapons, troop rotations.” Indigo stopped and thought before sighing. “Okay. If you can promise me that you won't go overboard and go spouting all this peace talk stuff before I get back, I think I can entrust you with the responsibility.”
Lemon saluted her. “Ma'am, yes Ma'am.”
“Good. Everything you need is on the desk right there. I'll get packing my things for the retreat. Nothing says relaxing like living it up in the summer home you captured from the royal family. Thanks, Lemon. Thanks for sticking with me through all this.”
“Don't mention it. Now go on. I got this.” She moved her friend toward her bedroom before heading off to prepare herself for the meeting. As Lemon walked the halls she bumped into a small green skinned alien. The creature was little over two feet tall, wearing a blue body suit and a black hood with blue lens goggles covering his eyes. The most noticeable feature about him were the four mechanical, spider-like legs that lifted the diminutive alien off the ground. The collision had caused him to drop a data pad as well as several other items. “Sorry, Zurb. I was in kind of a rush.”
“So was I.” He said in a monotone, raspy voice as he went to retrieve his items, with Lemon aiding him. “Have you seen General Indigo? I needed to speak with her concerning the staff meeting later today.” Despite his small stature, Zurb had been one of the most effective commanders in the rebel faction. No matter what he was doing at any given time, he always seemed to be crunching numbers, analyzing every event and conversation. He disturbed some around the base but for the most part he kept to himself.
“About that...I'm actually going to be taking charge of things. The general is in no condition right now to be handling such matters and so she's tasked me with overseeing things until she's back on her feet.”
The antennae on Zurb's head perked up at hearing the news. “I see. Well, you are her trusted second-in-command. If anyone can handle things, it's you.”
“Thanks, but no one can match Indigo when it comes to tenacity and passion for what they fight for. I'll do my best though.”
“I'm certain you'll do just fine.” He gathered his belongings in his arms and organized them once again. “If you'll excuse me, I have a few other matters that need tending to before our next scheduled debriefing. I'll address my other concerns then.” He dismissed himself and moved down another hallway as Lemon went the other way. Zurb eventually made his way to his quarters and made sure the room was secured before he opened a communicator. The image of a hooded figure appeared on screen as his mechanical limbs lowered him to the ground in order to kneel. “My Lord, there may be a slight...change in plans. It would seem that Indigo Zap has entrusted the planning for the next phase of operations to her loyal second.”
“What do you think of this Lemon Zest?” The figure asked.
“She has taken a much softer stance on the war effort and has countermanded the decisions of many of the more hard-line on the command staff and has on several occasions made vocal her desire for a peaceful solution to the conflict. The fact that she has a direct line to General Zap gives her much more power than any of us. As stubborn as Indigo may be, when Lemon speaks, she listens. Given all available data, it's not unreasonable to believe that Lemon may well be able to convince other members of the general staff to see things her way.”
“Unacceptable! This conflict must continue for us to achieve our goals. Steps must be taken to ensure that. Make it happen, commander.”
“It shall be done, My Lord. What of the Jedi that are aiding the loyalists and their allies?”
“Concern yourself not with the Jedi fools. Wheels are already in motion to neutralize them as a threat, permanently.”
Inside Patchwork's expansive laboratory, the Siren Aria was in the middle of training with the scientist the sole member of her audience. The session took place in a pit that had been constructed for other experiments but had been repurposed just for her. Her opponents were five loyalist POW's armed with vibro-blades as they circled the sith. She smiled widely as she ignited her twin crimson blades and leaped into the air. The maneuver put her outside the circle as she rushed one of them, slicing him across the chest before he could react. Before he even hit the ground, she charged another, knocking his blade aside with her strength behind her lightsabers and slashing him across the mid-section.
Two of the remaining troopers charge her and force her back with their dual assault. This success lasted about as long as one would think against a savage fighter such as Aria. She forced them back as they locked blades with her and she stepped around to her right and slashed the first in the abdomen before rushing the second and violently slamming him against the wall, cracking the surface. Aria turns with a bored look at the last of the troopers, a woman, seemingly frozen in fear as the sith shuts off the blade in her left hand and puts it away, taking a relaxed stance. The female trooper sweats heavily as Aria eyes her for what seems an eternity. She looks to the ground, to her fallen comrades and then back to her opponent. Releasing a scream of fury, she charged forward and threw a powerful overhead strike. Aria planted herself and blocked the shot and then headbutted the woman followed by her grabbing the woman's left arm and, with a savage motion took it off with her blade before slamming her to the ground.
“And that's time.” Patchwork said as she stood up and approached the sith. “So, did you feel any difference?”
“Not much of an egghead but I have to say, these implants of yours are amazing.” Aria said as she put away her weapon. “I feel stronger and faster. You know what you're doing with these things. Just wish I had more of a challenge than these wimps to give these a real test.”
“Believe me. The time will come. Until then, I'll get to upgrading the implants to improve your reaction time and even your durability.”
“Personally, I think it's creepy.” Sonata entered the room accompanied by her pet, a blue furred anooba, that walked beside her.
“Personally, I don't care what you think.” Aria shot back. “Where have you been anyway? You've been gone for the last three days. Not that I minded the blissful silence for once.”
“Some troopers were giving me a tour of the front lines and I had some fun. Besides, I came back yesterday and you were no where in sight either.”
“Don't spin this back on me. You don't go anywhere without my knowledge. Is that understood, apprentice?” Sonata seethed at the use of that title. She hated it but she had no choice but to submit. “Sonata! Answer me!”
“Yes.” She said under her breath.
“Yes, what?”
The blue skinned Siren bit her lip before answering. “Yes, master.”
“Good, now go get things ready. We'll be moving out soon.”
Sonata turned to leave as the anooba snarled at Aria. “Remo, come.” She called as the animal soon turned and followed her.
Aria simply sneered at the two as she turned her attention back to the doctor. “Sometimes she simply needs to be reminded who exactly is in charge.”
“I completely understand,” Patchwork responded. “That Flash Sentry you gifted me was a handful at the start but after a few weeks and a bit of 'positive reinforcement', he came around to how things were going to work.”
As the two conversed, Flash Sentry, alongside Wallflower Blush worked on their assigned task of taking account of the chemical supplies. They were positioned in a room with a tinted window that overlooked the area where the doctor and sith were located. “Ones a user of the dark-side of the force who slays people for fun. The other is making us keep account of every single thing in this facility down to the milliliter, trying to kill us with boredom. I can't tell you which is more evil.”
The small attempt at humor garnered a chuckle from the girl with the shaved head. “You fu-u-unny, Flash.” She managed to stutter out. “G-g-good have here. Alone long time. Hard.”
“I can imagine. Not exactly a quality work environment. Once I figure out how to slice into these collars...” He then looked around the room at the materials they were taking account of. “Wish I could figure out exactly what she's using all these chemicals for. Worked a lot of jobs and I have no idea what kind of cocktail she's cooking up. And these Sith can't be any good if my past dealings with them are any indication. I just can't put my finger on....” As he turned, his datapad accidentally connected with a vial of some unknown chemical. “Jeez!” He said as it tumbled off the counter top. Inches from hitting the floor, it was caught by Wallflower who moved with blinding speed. “Wow! I knew you were fast but wow all the same.”
“Brain no-o-ot work good wi-i-ith words but fast still.” She placed the vial back on the counter.
“Wouldn't expect anything less from a Jedi Knight. As smart as the braniac down their things she is, she couldn't pick up on that. Good thing too. Last thing we'd want is for her to put you back under the knife before we can figure out an escape plan.” Wallflower gestured in agreement as the two got back to work. Unknown to them a hidden camera on the wall had recorded their entire conversation. On the ground floor, a digital visor appeared over Patchwork's eyes and fed her information. She smiled curiously. “Intriguing.”