From The Ashes of Empire

Chapter 5


Dantooine, Jedi Academy


Nevara stood in the masters’ vault of the Jedi Academy, the sight before her was one of surprise and shock even for her. The place was a literal treasure trove of Jedi artefacts and antiquity. She had thought perhaps a week to find everything she had wished to remove from the academy; it would certainly take as much time to empty the vast underground vault of all it held.


She was going to have to enlist the help of the others; HK could protect the ship, while they removed the items of interest. As well as the artefacts, the crystals, the light sabres among but a few of the items in the vault, they had to make recordings of the Academy’s records.


It was tempting to take what she wished for herself, but in truth she had no need, during her travels before destroying the Star Forge, she had amassed a sizable amount of her own items and artefacts, both of Jedi and Sith origin, as well an arsenal of weaponry and other equipment, there really was little need in stealing from the Academy.


She had to wonder if the Sith were now quickly preparing to leave their stronghold on Korriban. Once Carth’s fleet arrived it was likely they would leave little standing. But the Sith were just as likely to destroy themselves while fighting over the scraps of power left with the absence of Revan and the death of Malak. Time would tell if new Sith were going to arise from the ashes of the Sith Empire.


Nevara had to wonder why the Academy hadn’t already been emptied by the other Jedi who were present on Dantooine, whatever the reason for this oversight, she was not prepared to let all of this fall into the wrong hands, especially the corrupting hands of the Sith who would turn everything towards their own evil use.


“It is certainly an impressive sight, Nevara.” Yuthura whispered, at least a little awed by the sight of such abandoned treasures. It was more than a little tempting for her to take what she wished for herself, who would miss it among such riches.


“You mean a tempting sight, Yuthura. We cannot keep any of this, it belongs to the Order on Coruscant. You should know that I intend to return with what we take from here.”


“You mean you intend to return for Bastila.”


“The only reason for me to seek out Bastila is to find out why she seeks out the company of Mission.”


“You can find whatever reason you wish, Nevara, but remember what I told you, I will not play second to Bastila. I cannot remain at your side if you choose her over me.”


“You have nothing to fear from Bastila, Yuthura. If we can concentrate on the task at hand, we will be out of here all the sooner.” Nevara replied, she certainly wanted to change the subject; her immediate thought was why can they not accept I could love them both. ‘I could accept their love of someone else’ she thought to herself. “Why do things always have to be so complicated?’


Yuthura would not allow Bastila to take Nevara from her, although she held a great deal of respect for Bastila, she was not allow anyone to interfere in her life, she promised herself she would ruin Bastila if it was necessary, and kill her if all else failed. She didn’t wish this, but what was the alternative, the Jedi had left her little choice.


Yuthura rested her hand on Nevara’s shoulder, smiling at her, “I know, Nevara, I trust you and Bastila, but you have not seen each other for almost half a year, your reunion is likely to bring back old memories, unresolved issues, she will not let you go once you return, can you not see this is simply a ruse to get you to return.”


“Then I shall return as soon as possible, Yuthura, I will not allow her to corrupt Mission.”


“Why do you both insist on this … on this pointless denial, you cannot stand to be apart?”


Nevara simply shook her head; she went to open her mouth to speak. Yuthura stepped forward and pressed her fingers to Nevara’s lips, quieting her before she had chance to speak. Nevara laughed as her robes were opened, Yuthura’s hands hungrily finding her breasts.


“You want to make love to me here, Yuthura. I thought you wanted to get out of this place.”


“Can you think of a better place, among so much unused power, be wary of handing back what we do not have to, Nevara, perhaps this was left here for us to find.”


“You are impossible, Yuthura. A Sith at heart, still.”


“Perhaps.” She replied as lowered her hands, licking her lips as Nevara stroked her face, running her fingers lightly over the Twi’Leks head tails, until Yuthura couldn’t take it any longer, pushing Nevara back on to a pile of robes.


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Coruscant, Bastila’s quarters


While there was no doubting Mission could flirt when she felt like it, and she had had the occasional experience with male Twi’Leks her own age while on Taris, this was the first time she had been with someone older, and certainly anyone female.


Bastila had a ‘care nothing for the consequences’ kind of look in her eyes that said told Mission Bastila had already abandoned the Jedi Order, even if she didn’t realise it yet, after tonight there was no going back.


Bastila wondered if the time had come to try and finally contact Nevara. They couldn’t ever allow themselves to be parted again, while she realised that she was perhaps using Mission to bring Nevara to her, she held no regrets. If she had learnt nothing else from her time as Malak’s student, she would always remember the power of being able to twist others to her will. Of being able to command them to do as she saw fit, to be able to manipulate and betray at will.


Her transition back to the Jedi Order had never removed the underlying doubts she felt towards them, and in truth only the intervention of Nevara had truly saved her, only the fact that she loved the woman and was loved in return.


If she no longer had Nevara and could never hope for the reunion she craved so much, then what was keeping her here, certainly nothing worth while. Carth had been a distraction, Mission was … perhaps merely a means of sating the desire she felt for Nevara.


The Order had given her back her life, but the doubts had now returned once more, as they had before she was taken by Malak. The things she had endured at his hands, the pain, the emotional turmoil, his wicked and cruel deprivations towards her, it had done more than merely change her, she almost felt lost without Nevara to guide her. She could no longer allow such petty reasons as her objections to Nevara’s way of life to cloud her judgment and stand in the way of them being together.


Mission sensed something was troubling Bastila and pulled her close trying her best to comfort the woman, Bastila allowed her do so, their bodies pressed together once again as licked along the length of her head tails, backwards and forwards until the Twi’Lek rolled back pulling Bastila on top of her, Bastila’s legs between her own, her hand finding it’s way between her legs.


Bastila closed her eyes, but she didn’t see Nevara this time, this time she saw Malak, she screamed out loud as he approached her. Mission was shaking her, trying to wake her from the vision, the look in Bastila’s eyes was one of shear terror.


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Onboard the Shadow Wraith


Aaron sat alone in the crew quarters, the holo display running through a scene in which a roomful of female Twi’Leks were under the command of their male human master, Empire of Flesh, or something like that he believe the smut flick was called.


Entertaining for a little alone time, but nevertheless completely and utterly shallow, he was wandering if Janice was ever going to forgive him his many indiscretions, after Selvan, Janice was perhaps the only other woman he had ever loved, although he doubted he would ever tell her, she was certainly the only one who had ever put up with his antics for so long.


The girls had retired to their quarters, leaving Janice a little giddy and in need of company. She had certainly seen a side to both of them that she liked, but Twi’Leks were certainly more capable of taking pleasure from one another than humans, without the emotional complications that all humans seemed to insist on.


Aaron smiled as she walked into the room, her sigh of mild disapproval that he could find nothing better to do with his time than look at smut. She allowed her greasy mechanics uniform to drop to the floor and stood in front of her lover, his attention immediately on her.


He took her by the hands and pulled her gently onto the bed. Janice sat astride him, his naked and well toned body beneath her fingers as her hands wandered from his face down to his erection, she took hold of him, massaging him until his back arched and she moved over him, he grabbed her waist firmly and pulled her down onto him.


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Coruscant, Padawan Shaleena’s quarters


Juhani held Shaleena in her arms as she slept, the young Padawan seemingly quite content and not at all troubled by their encounter, she wondered what Bastila would say if should could see them now, although she had no idea what Bastila was doing.


Juhani wondered why she fell in and out of love so easily, first her Jedi master, then Nevara, and now it would seem Shaleena, perhaps she only sought to be loved in return.


Did she really love the young woman, or was she simply mistaking her feelings for the pleasure they had both felt, how could they possibly carry on and remain part of the Order. Things had been so much simpler when they were travelling under the command of Nevara aboard the Ebon Hawk, no questions, no implications; they were free to do as they pleased. She envied Canderous and Selvan, Sarna and Yun, even Blake and Janice, they had no one to answer to but themselves.


Perhaps once the fleet left it would be easier to disguise their relationship, her mind was caught up in the possible outcomes if they were caught. Why was it wrong to love? Nevara had always questioned the teachings of the Jedi for that very reason, Juhani now believed she was right to do so, a Jedi was a lifeless husk, they still had feelings, love, hate fear, regret, everything that others felt without reproach.


Juhani leant forward, kissing Shaleena as she slept, “I will not let them take you from me, Shaleena, we must leave if necessary.


Juhani closed her eyes, in moments she had joined Shaleena in sleep.


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Tattooine, The Ebon Hawk


Zaerdra felt almost alone among this ship full of couples, Selvan had Canderous, Sarna had Yun, and Marlena had Zelka, except for a brief fling with Blake and Yuthura, she was to say the least getting a little tired of being alone, perhaps it was the desperation of wanting to return to Taris.


They were returning to Coruscant in the morning, the Ebon Hawk was to act as a scout vessel for the fleet, at the request of Admiral Onasi. Canderous was only to pleased to agree, he had longed for a return to battle, and Selvan was never more at home than when she held a weapon in her hands with a target in her sights.


For Sarna and Yun the return to Korriban held something of a final chapter to their association with the Sith, finally they could put their pasts behind them, neither were proud of being part of such an Empire than would cause the destruction of entire worlds, but then they had fought for over a year against the Sith, always willing to go that little bit more to prove themselves in the eyes of their companions who had already long ago accepted them and the fact they had given up on the Sith.


Zaerdra promised herself that once there next mission was over she was returning to Taris, she felt fortunate that she had escaped the destruction, but also a little guilty that the other Beks and the outcasts weren’t also able to leave.


Canderous slammed into the cold metal of the cargo bay wall, the blow almost knocking him off balance, “You dropped your guard, Canderous, don’t think I won’t take advantage every time I see the opportunity.”


Canderous looked across at Selvan, with the exception perhaps of Nevara and Ice he had never met a woman like Selvan, she could hold her own against any man, and he wouldn’t think twice about needing to save her, she wouldn’t thank him for it.


He shot forward, covering the distance in little more than a second, picking her up in a bear hug and slamming her backwards into a pile of metal crates. She winced in pain from the impact, then Canderous felt himself falling her leg behind is as he pulled her down on top of him.


Zaerdra wandered past the cargo hold, and looked at the two engaged in the preliminaries before their usual vicious mating ritual, “Why is you two insist of acting like a pair of rutting rancor, instead of showing a little emotion.”


“Join us, Zaerdra, you’ll soon find there’s no need for emotion, just good, hard …” Canderous laughed as he held Selvan pinned in his grip above him, the assassin struggling as much as she could manage.


Zaerdra looked at them, if they weren’t so brutal she mat have considered it, but she had heard the two often enough to know it wasn’t for her.


“I don’t think so Canderous, I’d like to be able come out of it in one piece.”


Canderous laughed again as he rolled Selvan over, pinning her to the floor, his hand wrestling with her waistband as he inched down her trousers.


“I promise we’ll be gentle, Zaerdra.” Canderous laughed again as he pulled Selvan’s trousers down around her ankles, the assassin suddenly breaking free and landing a vicious blow to Canderous’s jaw, then rolling free of his grip.


“I’m sorry Canderous, I don’t think I’ve got the time, you’ll be like this for hours, what ever happened to …”


Zaerdra suddenly felt herself pulled further into the room by a smirking Selvan, the assassin easily tripping her and sat over her.


“I told you we’d get her in here one day, Canderous.”


“Let me go, Selvan, you don’t need to …” Zaerdra stopped suddenly as Selvan rolled off her and swept Canderous off his feet and then she was back up again, standing over him in triumph, Zaerdra wondered how they ever found the time to do anything other than fight.


“Go then; we just thought you needed a little time around us instead of spending it moping around in your quarters.” Selvan replied.


Canderous jumped up to receive a well placed kick to his abdomen, a second to his chest and a third that knocked him backwards, his jaw again taking the brunt of the assassin’s attack.


Zaerdra looked on as the two danced around each other throwing punches and kicks in an onslaught that would have felled most people, but these two were at least suited.


“Oh to hell with it.” Zaerdra said dropping down into a combat stance just in time to duck the throw as Selvan rushed her.


“You don’t know what your letting yourself in for, girl.” Canderous said, the look in his eyes told her she was going to have to fight hard to stay out of his grasp, but that was the idea of these little sessions, she’d also seen them during and afterwards, it might actually be worth a little pain.


“I can take you down, Mandalorian.” Zaerdra replied, getting into the spirit of the training session.


“We’ll see, Twi’Lek, we’ll see soon enough.”


Zaerdra didn’t get time to answer as Selvan rolled her to the floor, Canderous suddenly taking advantage of the situation as he tried to pin them both to the floor. Selvan struggled as Canderous ripped open he tunic, the two women suddenly looked at each other, both attacking Canderous at once, the wild flurry of kicks and punches knocking him off balance, then they were on him, ripping at his pants, Zaerdra decided she was quite liking this little game after all.


When the two turned on her and pinned her to the floor, this time there was no escape as first her trousers were removed and then her own tunic, until all three stood facing the others in nothing but their underwear. All of them laughed as they fell to the floor as one.


Zaerdra felt herself suddenly being roughly turned on to her hands and knees, both Selvan’s and Canderous’s hands pulling at the waist band of her underwear, Canderous holding her in place, his arms around her waist, Selvan undressed herself, and removed her lovers underwear until the were all finally naked.


Canderous took it as an invitation when Zaerdra raised her buttocks to him, Selvan’s hand between his legs, then parting Zaerdra’s, guiding Canderous into the other woman until he was inside her. Selvan moved behind him, her hands on his bare chest, moving down to his waist. Zaerdra gave a little cry as he entered her, she really was starting to regret having not getting involved before now, but better late than never.


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Coruscant, Jedi Training Academy


Belaya was in every sense of the word a true Jedi, having never strayed from the path, she would certainly not have approved of the over familiarity of her fellow Jedi. Especially the Jedi masters, Bastila and Juhani who should have known better, if she were ever to find out their sordid secret, she would not hesitate in informing the council.


Jennata was a woman who had been with the others almost from the beginning, she had seen so much death on Taris and yet she had remain honest and true to the Jedi ideals and the order, her Jedi master Belaya was a fine example to all, and a woman she looked up to.


While neither would she have approved of Bastila or Juhani, had she known of their activities, she also felt something of loyal bond with the others that the Order could and would not understand. It was not a bond in the sense of Revan and Bastila, but one of trust, they had all shared so much over the past year or more since their escape from Taris.


And she had accompanied Bastila at the fall of Darth Revan, Bastila had been her friend and training partner, she had looked up to the young woman and the ease with which she wielded the force and her power to sway even the most overwhelming odds in battle with her Battle Meditation.


Their training was almost at an end, at least in the sense of master and student, Belaya was well aware that Jennata often held back in her training merely so that she could prolong their time together, they were the best of friends, nothing more, but it was enough for Jennata that she was a little too unenthusiastic of having to take on the responsibilities of becoming a true Jedi knight.


Their practice session finished, Belaya had already decided the Padawan was much to valuable to the Jedi Order to be kept in her current position any longer.


“You know there is nothing else I can teach you, Jennata, there hasn’t been for some time now.”


“Then we are to part company, master Belaya?”


“We are friends, Jennata, we are certain to work together soon.”


“I believe Admiral Onasi has requested our presence aboard his flagship once they leave for Korriban.”


“You are well informed, Jennata, he has indeed, it will be an honour to accompany those of the order chosen to oversee the removal of the Sith from Korriban.”


“It will be good to back return to Korriban, Belaya, finally we can put an end to them.”


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Coruscant, Command Staff’s Ball


“Thank you for a wonderful evening, Carth; you can be quite the gentleman.” Milla whispered in his ear as they danced together, the ball room full to bursting with commanders, officers and their guests.


It was the last chance they would have to socialise before Carth led his fleet to Korriban to remove the taint from that world. Not only had he requested the task, he relished the thought of bringing destruction to the final bastion of the Sith in known space, they would undoubtedly have been rebuilding their armies and fleets elsewhere, but the Republic would certainly be able to breath easier knowing that the training grounds of the dark Jedi were destroyed.


Of course no one was under any illusion that this would remove the threat from the galaxy, the Sith were spread far and wide, in a galaxy of thousands of worlds, many along the Outer Rim, it was almost impossible for the Republic fleets to hunt them all down.


As the guest of honour, Carth had been expected to deliver a speech to the waiting audience, and though he really wasn’t a public speaker and his manner had lacked a little confidence, he actually managed to win over the entire command staff, receiving a standing ovation for his promise to remove the Sith from Korriban.


“It’s often been said that a common soldier shouldn’t have been allowed to rise through the ranks to reach Admiral, I’m not certain everyone would agree with you, Milla.”


“Then perhaps they are fools, Carth. You have been the perfect gentleman, more so than many who are gifted their rank, and now I believe we have something else to discuss. I would like to see you again, Carth, but I won’t go behind Bastila’s back. I’ll only see you again if your relationship ends with Bastila, although I would never ask you to do so.”


“I can respect your decision, Milla. I will speak to her tomorrow, if there is anything left, then she at least deserves a chance to explain herself.”

“And once we leave for Korriban, regardless of what happens, we will have to work closely together, that won’t be a problem for you will it Carth. I could arrange for a transfer to another ship if it was going …”


“I wouldn’t hear of it, Milla. You have worked hard to gain your position aboard the flagship, we will work well together I am certain.”


Before they had the chance to speak further, a messenger approached Carth, handing him a message. Carth read through the message, his face a look of both anger and sorrow.


“What is it, Carth?”


“The Jedi Council and Republic have summoned me and the other commanders to the Council Halls; it appears we are to leave for Korriban within the day.”


“But why, I thought this had all been arranged, and why would that make you look as you do, there must be more.”


“The Republic has lost all communications with several Republic colony systems along the Outer Rim, the Alpha Sagitor system is one of our main suppliers of ships and armaments, it seems the Sith have found their new base of operations.”


“The Alpha Sagitor system.”


“Once we are done at Korriban, it appears our new mission is to travel to the Outer Rim worlds and mount an assault against the Sith. I’m sorry to leave you here like this, Milla, but I really must go straight to the Council Halls, if this is indeed true, we can waste no time in regaining those systems, the longer we wait the longer the Sith have to turn our own weapons against us.”


“Thanks again, Carth, it really has been a wonderful evening.”


Milla watched as he left, perhaps a little reluctant to see him go, but soon they would have all the time in the world.


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