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crqstalite · 5 years

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SHADOW OF THE SITH. Ch. 4.

NAJI_RISHI.

"Do we stop her?" Nadia whispers under her breath, concern written all over her face and wrapping both women in an anxious blanket, as the two can feel every death the Wrath had caused as a ripple through the force. It's terrifying, as they'd only just begun their trip on the island and already there was fire after fire to put out, trying to get slaves off the island, and also babysitting their new comrade, "We were here to save people, not kill them."

"She's...surprisingly not killing everything in sight. She's being methodical about who she kills, the slavers." Naji admits, careful not to let her robes drag in the bloody path her new...ally is leaving on the ground. Another shot fired, and another body falls to the ground with a hard, lifeless thump. This time murdered by her companion, who smiles wickedly behind his rifle, "We should be lucky it's not us and the slaves she's chosen as her targets."

"I'll...try and remember that..."

An unsure frown passes her face, crinkling her young face in a way that makes Naji's insides cold, before they catch up with the woman. A fire burns beneath her eyes, kicking a body away with the tip of her durasteel boot. Smears of alien and human blood alike decorate her uncovered torso, stains on her porcelain white skin. Another slaver writhers on the ground in pain, still just barely alive and attempting to shimmy away, and with a flick of her wrist, his neck bends at a horrifying angle. A loud snap is audible just as it happens, and Naji is quick to try and cover Nadia's eyes, but the sound of a pained whimper is still audible.

The woman has the nerve to chuckle at her padawan's expense, the light of her red kyber crystal resheathed in her lightsaber's hilt, and she turns over her shoulder. Her face is surprisingly free of scars (for a Sith, she's still extremely pale, even on the god-forsaken jungle planet. Naji would've thought the woman would've seen some sun at the very least), except for one that runs along her neck that she can see from the neckpiece, and blonde strands of hair hang down in front of her face, her surprisingly cerulean eyes with flecks of gold near the pupils staring back out from the curtain of hair, "Afraid of a little blood?"

"Do you have to kill everything that moves?" Naji asks, hardening her voice to seem more assertive. She'd let the Wrath take the reins for most of the mission on Rishi (something about the native species made her deathly ill, so any choice that the Wrath made she'd have to accept until they made it out of the Cove's denser places, or at least until Lana had time to find her something to counteract the allergies), but she wouldn't let the continued violence be detrimental to their mission, "We're here to free people, not kill them."

"I thought this is what you squishy-hearted Jedi liked. These slavers tortured others who couldn't protect themselves, and now they've met their deserving end." The Wrath quips in response, rolling one of her sabers over her wrist as she uses a teasing voice deserving of a reprimanded child, "Am I not serving your petty Code?"

"No." Naji grumbles, crossing her arms as the Wrath shrugs. She even had the nerve to comment on her Code, which didn't improve her opinion of the woman. This wasn't justice, or anything even near what the Jedi followed. Mass murder wasn't their way, "No it doesn't."

"Oh, and what would?" She narrows her eyes into yellow slits, angry or even possibly annoyed by her, "You killed the Colonel on Rakata Prime, didn't you? Wasn't that for justice as well? An arbitrary decision, don't you believe?"

Naji nearly flares at the notion. The death of the colonel hadn't been intentional, if she could let him live, she would've. Whether he was a traitor or not, he should've lived, even if only for questioning. The blood that dripped from her hands, she still hadn't fully forgiven herself for. What Theron got into trouble for that she had done, what should've been hers to shoulder. Something she should've admitted to the Council. Even if she had lost her position, the emotional loss was worse, having the two go into hiding, "That wasn't justice." She whispers.

It was self-defense.

Her chest pangs just at the thought. He'd shot her square in the chest, and had she not had enough adrenaline coursing through her veins, she wouldn't have been able to pull herself up and stab him through to keep him from getting another one off. Felix had carried her back, believing the worst, and after the trek through the rest of the planet, Naji was already sure she wouldn't make it. The scar was still raised and rather angry, even after the years past.

Just looking at the wound made her sick. Still visible just above her bra and below, it had been an ugly burn from a blaster especially, but the high powered rifle Darok carried, especially at such short distance, had made an already horrible wound worse. She was in and out of consciousness after being in a kolto tank for half a week, and struggled to breathe for months afterwards. Reminding her of the fight that had caused it didn't bode well for the warrior.

"Bah, apologies m'lord but the sun's going down. 'Fraid if we stay much longer they'll regroup and make this mission a lot harder on us." The gruff voice of the soldier snaps her out of her thoughts, and Nadia puts a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "You think they're organized enough to have snipers?"

A lingering look from the Sith before she turns to her companion, "With how easy they fall, I doubt it Pierce. But if we must, it wouldn't hurt to kill a few more while we wait for the Jedi to finish."

As if it's only their responsibility to free the slaves. As if she's only along for the ride and they're inconviencing her. She can see quite a few more slave cages just over the ridge, and she deflates her rigid spine once the Wrath is gone. Out of sight, sadly not out of mind. Running a hand through her hair, she turns over her shoulder to look at Nadia properly, "I apologize, this isn't the way our missions were supposed to go. I didn't believe the bloodshed would be so heavy."

"You're doing your best, master. You've never directed me wrong before, and you aren't now. This isn't your fault." Nadia says, her blue eyes twinkling in the setting sun. Her white hair is pulled up, severely away from her face, a delicate but sturdy braided bun atop her head. She's so much older than she was when Naji had first met the girl, but the same childish innocence remains sometimes. Not today, it seemed. She seems worried for her master, her training robes traded for armored pieces requisitioned from the Temple. So much has changed, so quickly.

For the millionth time in her life, Naji's afraid of what will come next. Revan -yes, Revan- was rising again, a cult in his name running around and committing dangerous missions left and right. It was supposed to be a simple happily ever after, especially after the mending of the Rift Alliance and continued hunt for remaining Children, but even she could sense the cloud of danger hanging over the Republic when she entered the operations room that fateful day. Nothing would ever be the same again, and she was afraid that would warrant a loss of everyone that become important to her.

She wouldn't let anyone take the crew of the Polaris from her, not if she didn't die first.

"I suppose there isn't much we can do about the Wrath..." Nadia trails off, rolling her eyes, "Are all Sith like her? Bloodthirsty with no regard for other people?"

"You'd be best asking a real Sith." Naji responds, trying to smile, "The slaves are safe for the moment, but I think they'd be happier on a transport, don't you believe?"

It's late into the night when the four return to the hidden alleyway, Pierce (as she's learned the bulky soldier's name), makes notes with the Wrath of places to enjoy the night instead of sleeping (she's beginning to think the Wrath is really involved with him and is playing Theron like a chindinkalu), and her nose is beginning to itch again. She's afraid Theron and Lana are gone before she hears the tinkling laughter of a woman. The Wrath has a hand on one of her sabers and Pierce picks up his rifle before Naji puts up a hand to stop in front of them with a tired and entirely distrustful look on her face.

"Theron, Lana?" Naji asks, peaking inside before their procession makes themselves known, "I apologize for being out so late, but the mission's been complete. There are quite a few former slaves safely returned to freedom tonight." She says proudly, a tight smile on her face once they're aware of their presence. Theron is leaning against a holoprojector while Lana is standing nearby, ready to debrief them on their progress. Albeit, both of them are smiling as if sharing an inside joke, but it's good to see them after such a long day.

"And plenty of their dead captors to go along with it." The Wrath interjects, making her presence rather loud as she pushes through Nadia and Naji, a smirk on her face and a well-hidden look of horror on Theron's face as he registers just what her triumphant declaration means, "A successful mission after all."

"We'll..go with that." The SIS agent responds, turning his attention from her to Naji (almost hopefully), "Chatter's picked up though, whatever you two did caused a major stir among the Nova Blades."

"I'm glad." Naji says, nodding as she turns to the Sith woman standing nearby, "Then we'll be able to finish up with the Blades soon then?"

"Not exactly." Lana responds, "Though we are growing closer to attacking the Aggressor soon. It's late, and it's been a long day. Better we finish this debrief in the morning, when all of us are of right mind. Agreed?"

"I'd second that!" Nadia pipes up, a tired smile on her face. Lana seems taken aback for a moment (Nadia isn't typically shy, but this has been the first word she's exchanged with anyone but Naji while here), before a softer smile replaces her surprise, "Maybe we can finally head back to the Polaris?" She asks hopefully.

"I suppose finding some food off-planet wouldn't be horrible. I'll call Zenith and have him join me tomorrow, so you can relax and find something, okay?" She asks, once the Wrath strikes up another conversation with Theron, effectively distracting her. She presses a light kiss to her forehead, Nadia giggling and then sighing in relief as Naji floods their force bond with happiness. She's tired, exhausted even, and a few nights away from Rishi would take care of the problem and get her back into high spirits, "Don't do anything stupid while I'm away, understood?"

Nadia nods happily, before questioning, "Aren't you coming back with me?"

She throws a look over her shoulder before frowning, "I need to be on-planet in case something happens and they need me. Give my regards to everyone, yes?"

"Felix is going to be disappointed." Nadia says, nearly naggingly, "Why don't you bring him out instead of Zenith?"

"I don't want Felix hurt anymore than he already is, and Zenith is going absolutely stir-crazy without any other missions to pass the time. You know how he gets." She and Nadia laugh good-naturedly, knowing the sniper rather well. "I do hope Bisauur doesn't miss him too much."

"It's his birthday soon, you know. She's going to want to spend it with him, even if she doesn't directly say anything." Naji has to hold back from rolling her eyes, her padawan (recently turned Sage) was exceptionally horrible at hiding her feelings for the sniper, and it was painfully obvious at times. No one made jokes about it, but because she took the Code so seriously (though she had to explain multiple times that it was still okay she was married to Felix), she acted as if her advances were simply friendly instead of having romantic intentions behind them.

"I would take Qyzen, but he's out on a hunt right now. And Tharan, well you know he's up to something in the cargo bay. I'd rather he not bring whatever chemicals he's collected here." Naji gives her a look that says 'I'm your master and that's final' before lightly embracing the girl, "I'll see you soon. Sleep and eat well, and be careful on your way out."

Nadia offers her one last smile and wave before heading out of the safehouse, and she can sense Lana approaching, "Barsen'thor."

"Beniko." She says softly, as not to make the woman presume she had any malicious intent, "I am genuinely glad you and Theron are alright. I do apologize for what happened all those years ago."

"Why would you apologize?" Lana asks, almost dumbfounded, "What happened on Rakata Prime wouldn't have been easily prevented as it was. I understand what you did, and I wouldn't blame you for...well this." She says, waving a hand around to the dark but still humid safehouse, "If anything, you and the Wrath did us a favor by doing so. Arkous and Darok were dispatched before they could turn anyone else or do any more damage inside their respective factions. In essence, that was a win."

"I still...I still feel just a tad horrible about you both. Having to uproot your lives because of something I and the Wrath did?" Naji knows she's delving into topics she shouldn't be discussing with a Sith lord, but the boundaries seem to have already fallen. Lana may have been Sith, but they were also allies for the time being. It didn't mean she wasn't still extremely uneasy about it.

"It was unfortunate, yes. But Jakarro and C2-D4 didn't have family. They weren't leaving anyone, not anyone we knew about. Theron...well I figure you can assume better about him than I can, and as for myself..." she trails off, the conversation inherently finished. They didn't have anyone to leave behind, "We let you both continue living your lives because you were much higher up in the ranks of both factions than we were, you were more productive in the long run. You both had crews to go back to who depended on you for your ship and to survive. In the Wrath's case, she has family on Dromound Kaas who would be suspicious if she suddenly went missing. I'm sure you have your connections as well."

"It was more theoretically plausible and safer if you both were out of commission rather than us." Naji finishes, wringing out her hands, "It doesn't make me feel much better if I'm being honest."

"I didn't say it had to." It has a rougher bite than she thought it would, that's the cold hard truth of what happened, as whether it made her feel good wasn't supposed to be Lana's concern. The woman pauses, sighing, "Though it is nice to operating with someone other than Theron and Jakarro again. It gets a little stuffy with just men."

"I can imagine." Naji smiles, and they share a laugh, before she queues up another answer, "Nadia. That's my padawan's name. I sensed your curiousity earlier, though you hide it extremely well."

Yet again, Lana is taken aback, surprised by her observant nature. "She's pleasant to be around, smart, crafty. She likes you. You've met Lieutenant Iresso, he accompanied me on Rakata Prime." Like always, she almost says my husband as she always introduces him, before figuring Lana doesn't need to know just yet, "You'll meet Zenith tomorrow I suppose, he's a strong personality, and it takes quite a bit to get used to, believe me." As soon as the words are out of her mouth, she wonders if she should tell her that Zenith may not work well with her or the Wrath. Stars, that's even worse, they'd be working rather closely with the Wrath, and it was hard to hide she was staunchly Imperial.

"If you're concerned about his alliance with us, I'm sure there's something Theron could say to keep her here while you and him work alone." A shiver runs up her spine, it's rather spooky that if Naji isn't actively thinking about it, others have an easy time reading her. Not even her mind, just her. Her force signature is easy to decipher, which she should probably put a better lock on.

"No, If I lie to Zenith, what kind of person would I be?" Naji asks, "He'll work with both of us, begrudgingly if anything."

"If you say so." Lana says, residing to accept and drop the conversation, "You didn't return with her?"

Naji shrugs lightly, "I'll stay here for the time being, but believe me, as soon as you give me a break you won't see me for weeks."

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livinglikebritishroyalty · 5 years

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𝒫𝓇𝒾𝓃𝒸𝑒 𝐸𝒹𝓌𝒶𝓇𝒹

♕ 𝐹𝓊𝓁𝓁 𝒩𝒶𝓂𝑒: Edward George Nicholas Paul Patrick

♕ 𝐹𝓊𝓁𝓁 𝒯𝒾𝓉𝓁𝑒: His Royal Highness Prince Edward The Duke of Kent

♕ 𝐵𝓸𝓇𝓃: Wednesday, October 9th, 1935 at No. 3 Belgrave Square in London, England

♕ 𝒫𝒶𝓇𝑒𝓃𝓉𝓈: His Royal Highness Prince George The Duke of Kent (Father) & Her Royal Highness Princess Marina Duchess of Kent (Mother)

♕ 𝒮𝒾𝒷𝓁𝒾𝓃𝑔𝓈: Her Royal Highness Princess Alexandra The Honourable Lady Ogilvy (Sister) & His Royal Highness Prince Michael of Kent (Brother)

♕ 𝒮𝓅𝓸𝓊𝓈𝑒: Her Royal Highness Katherine The Duchess of Kent (M. 1961)

♕ 𝒞𝒽𝒾𝓁𝒹𝓇𝑒𝓃: George Windsor Earl of St Andrews (Son), Lady Helen Taylor (Daughter), Lord Nicholas Windsor (Son), & Lord Patrick Windsor (Son: Stillborn on Wednesday, October 5th, 1977)

♕ 𝐸𝒹𝓊𝒸𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓸𝓃: Ludgrove (In Berkshire, England), Eton College (In Berkshire, England), Institut Le Rosey (In Rolle, Switzerland), The Royal Military Academy Sandhurst (In Berkshire, England)

♕ 𝐼𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓇𝑒𝓈𝓉𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝒲𝓸𝓇𝓀: Interests: Armed Forces (Air Force, Allied Code-Breaking, Arms, Armour, Army, Artillery, Aviation, Blues and Royals, Children of Deployed Parents, Defense Studies, Fallen Soldiers, Lifeboat Services, Life Guards, Navigators, Navy, Pilots, Retired Service People, Security Studies, World War 1 & 2), Business (Business Leaders, Community Leaders, Investments, & Trade), Education (Electronics, Engineering, Chemistry, Global Aerospace, Heritage of Counties, Informational Technology, Science, & Vocational Training), Health (Apothecaries, Burn Treatment, Chest Illness, Chronic Fatigue Syndrome, Dentists, Doctors, Environmental Medicine, Heart Illness, Hospitals, Leukemia, Myalgic Encephalopathy, Occupational Medicine, Pharmacists, Plastic Surgery Treatment, Post Viral Fatigue Syndrome, Strokes, Surgical Research, & Veterinarians), Other (Agriculture, Conservation, Geography, & Railways/Trains), People (Boy Scouts, Civil Servants, Freemasons, Joint Cultures, Motor Safety, Polish People, Social Clubs, The Disabled, & Young People), Sports (Alpine Ski Racing, Bobsled, Cricket, Croquet, Falconry, Fishing, Golf, Hunting, Lawn Tennis, Race Car Driving, & Skiing), & The Arts (Art History, Broadcasters, Cloth-making, Dance, Journalism, Literature, Music, Opera Music, Photography, & Writers). Work: Associate Member of The International Lawn Tennis Club of Great Britain, Chancellor of The University of Surrey, Fellow of The Royal Society, Founding Member of The International Baccalaureate School, Freeman of The City of London, Freeman/Liveryman of The Honourable Company of Air Pilots, Freeman/Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Mercers, Gold Card Life Member of The The Children’s Charity Variety, Grand Master of The Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George, Grand Master of The United Grand Lodge of England, Grand President of The Masonic Charitable Foundation, Honorary Chair of Gilwell Fellows, Honorary Doctor of Law of The University of Leeds, Honorary Doctor of Philosophy of London Metropolitan University, Honorary Fellow of The Charted Management Institute, Honorary Fellow of The Institution of Engineering and Technology, Honorary Fellow of The The Institution of Mechanical Engineers, Honorary Fellow of The Royal Aeronautical Society, Honorary Fellow of The Royal College of Surgeons of England, Honorary Fellow of The Royal Society of Literature of the United Kingdom, Honorary Fellow of The Royal Society of Medicine, Honorary Freeman of The Worshipful Society of Apothecaries of London, Honorary Life Member of The Band of Brothers, Honorary Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Clothworkers, Honorary Liveryman/Assistant Emeritus of The Worshipful Company of Engineers, Honorary Member of Cambridge University’s Scientific Society, Honorary Member of The Guild of Motoring Writers Limited, Honorary Member of The Household Division Yacht Club, Honorary Member of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, Honorary Member of The Royal Automobile Club, Honorary Member of The Royal Photographic Society, Honorary Member of The Work Foundation, Honorary Membership of The Old Wellingtonian Lodge, Honorary Preses of The Royal Caledonian Hunt, Honorary President of The Airlander Club, Honorary President of The Royal Geographical Society, Honorary President of The Royal United Services Institute International, High Steward of The Borough Council of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk, Joint Associate Member of The Lawn Tennis Association, Joint Patron of The Anglo-Jordanian Society, Liveryman of The Worshipful Company of Salters, Master of The Lodge of Antiquity, Member of The Blue Seal Club, Member of The Countryside Alliance, Member of The Honourable Artillery Company, Member of The Mountbatten Medal Advisory Panel, Patron of Bal Polski, Patron of Bloodwise, Patron of Boundless by CSMA, Patron of Buck’s Club, Patron of The Canterbury Cathedral Trust, Patron of The Catalogue Raisonne of Works by Philip de Laszlo M.V.O. P.R.B.A. 1969-1937, Patron of Combined Cavalry Old Comrades, Patron of Endeavor National Youth Organization, Patron of Everyone Can!, Patron of St. Mungo’s, Patron of The Army Winter Sports Association, Patron of The Bartok Festival, Patron of The Bletchley Park Trust, Patron of The British Computer Society, Patron of The Charles Douglas-Home Memorial Trust, Patron of The Devonshire and Dorset Regimental Association, Patron of The Edge Foundation, Patron of The Freemasons’ Fund for Surgical Research, Patron of The Gallantry Medallists’ League, Patron of The Hanover Band, Patron of The Institute of Advanced Motorists, Patron of The Institute of Export, Patron of The Institute of Occupational and Environmental Medicine at Birmingham University, Patron of International Musicians Seminar Prussia Cove, Patron of The Kandahar Ski Club, Patron of The Keighley & Worth Valley Railway Preservation Society, Patron of The Kent County Agricultural Society, Patron of The Kent County Cricket Club, Patron of The Lifeboat Fund, Patron of The London Philharmonic Orchestra, Patron of The Myalgic Encephalomyelitis Association, Patron of The National Army Museum, Patron of The Newbury Spring Festival, Patron of Opera North, Patron of The P.G. Wodehouse Society, Patron of The Polish Hearth Club (Ognisko Polskie), Patron of The Restore Burns and Wounds Research, Patron of The Royal Air Force Charitable Trust, Patron of The Royal Armored Corps War Memorial Benevolent Fund, Patron of The Royal Institution of Australia, Patron of The Royal West Norfolk Golf Club, Patron of The Scots Guard Association, Patron of The Ski Club of Great Britain, Patron of The Society for Army Historical Research, Patron of The Staff College Club, Patron of The Supreme Council 33°, Patron of The Tank Museum, Patron of The Tree Council, Patron of Trinity College London, Patron of The Trinity Laban Conservatoire of Music and Dance, Patron of The UK Friends of the Felix-Mendelssohn-Bartholdy-Stiftung Foundation, Patron of The University of Surrey’s Postgraduate Medical School, Patron of The Watlington Hospital Charitable Trust, Patron of The Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Museum, Patron of Wigmore Hall, President In Chief of The British Racing Drivers’ Club, President of The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, President of The Anmer Club, President of The Army and Navy Club, President of The Association of Men of Kent and Kentish Men, President of The Cavalry and Guards Club, President of The Chest/Heart/Stroke Medical Research Funds of Scotland, President of The Commonwealth War Graves Commission, President of The Duke of York’s Royal Military School, President of The Engineering Council, President of The Football Association, President of The Henley Society, President of The King Edward’s VII’s Hospital (Sister Agnes), President of The King’s Lynn Festival Limited, President of The Noel Coward Society, President of The Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, President of The Royal Armories Development Trust, President of The Royal Choral Society, President of The Royal Institution of Great Britain, President of The Royal Nation Lifeboat Institution (RNLI), President of The Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies, President of The Scout Association, President of The Stroke Association, President of The Board of Trustees of The Imperial War Museum, President of The UK Trustees of The His Royal Highness The Duke of Edinburgh’s Commonwealth Study Conference Leaders, President of Wellington College, Royal Bencher of The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, Royal Fellow of The Royal Academy of Engineering, Royal Member of The Royal Society Club, Royal Patron of The Admiral Ramsay Museum, Royal Patron of The American Air Museum in Britain, Royal Patron of The British-German Association, Royal Patron of The Dresden Trust, Royal Patron of The Honourable Society of Lincoln’s Inn, Royal Patron of The Last Night of the Proms in Crakow, Special Representative (Formerly a Vice-Chairman) for The United Kingdom’s International Trade & Investment, Vice-Chairman of The British Overseas Trade Board, Visitor of Cranfield University, & Visitor of The Centenary World Scout Jamboree.

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