Fires of Rebellion: Return of The Jedi

[The Storyteller]

Screens and displays the galaxy wide, across all channels, flickered and went black. For a moment there was nothing then something truly amazing filled the screens. Nastia Vant, for many weeks presumed dead or in custody, filled the screen. There was no flashy intro, no high value production that usually prefaced her newscasts. Today she had recorded this vitally important story with a cheap holocamera and only the dusty furnishings of a cheap apartment for backdrop. It didn't matter; her poise, her intensity and the sense of purpose commanded attention from every being the galaxy over.

They may have forced her into hiding but she would never be silenced.

Fires of Rebellion


Return of The Jedi​

"Good evening," she said, her voice still that of a professional newscaster. "Tonight I bring you breaking news from the world of Corellia."

She didn't wait, she didn't give any preamble to her story she simply launched into it.

"The Jedi have Returned."​

"Yes. Long thought to have been nothing more than dangerous legend spoke in nothing more than whispers, the Jedi had vanished from the galaxy. For centuries their disappearance at the hands of the Sith Empires has been nothing short of travesty. They were once the paragons of justice and duty and without them dark times have befallen the galaxy," she closed her eyes as if mourning that loss.

"But today, not four hours ago, I saw with my own eyes their return. They, and a contingent of people allied to them and the Mandalorians, attacked the Coronet Capital Tower. Thousands of beings witnessed the lone Jedi, his sabers alive with purpose make his stand along side the Mandalorian, Raz Solus."

The image cut jarringly to more footage form the same cheap holocamera. However, no matter the quality, the image was beautifully shot. A stunning and amazing close up of Valentine Rayth filled the screen. His lightsabers were out and flashing, he had purpose and duty etched into the lines of his face. Whatever his reasons, it was clear that he had intended to make this very public. Nastia let the short clip play fully; the armored mass of a Mandalorian Basilisk droid framed in the background as the camera panned.

With them were troopers. Lines and lines of them. The Jedi had returned and not returned alone. They had allies, powerful ones and they wanted the galaxy to know it. The camera shifted back to Nastia in her dingy apartment.

"Some will say that the Jedi are trying to sow fear, to further destabilize the established order," she said evenly. "Yet I cannot find a scenario where that is the case. The world the chose to reveal themselves, the people they brought with them and the battle they fought are too calculated.

The Jedi and his presumed Mandalorian wife chose this moment, this place to show the galaxy that there is hope. Though once beaten and all but wiped from our consciousness, the Jedi live and they are strong."

She stared directly at the camera her eyes burning into the viewers. It was as though Nastia had found new purpose following her run from Coruscant. The Fires of Rebellion were alight once again in the hearts of many, if she could show the galaxy that there was an organized structure in place, that people were not only fighting but fighting with purpose and goals, it would kindle those same fires in the hearts of many more.

"The Empire responded in the only way they know how," she continued as the footage cut again to a shot of the now infamous Saorise Kallig leading a line of troops. They fired rockets, blasters and everything they had at the Mandalorian and Rebel line.

Armor broke and blood flowed; a red haze seemed to come over the image as the troppers continued to deal more and more death. It was a display of their strength and their absolute will to rule that was chilling in its efficiency. But through it all the Jedi and Mandalorians pushed. The Jedi himself tangled with a Sith in a brilliant display of swordsmanship and acrobatics. Saorise herself came under fire from an unknown Mandalorian who had for a moment been wielding a lightsaber of her own.

It was a chilling, heroic image.

Immediately though, as the Mandalorian took the sky with her jetpack a rocket screamed from her wrist, detonating at Saorise's feet. The camera returned to Nastia.

"My friends," she said, "There is hope at last. Concrete proof that change is stirring in the galaxy once again. It is our time, our duty, to see it through. I do not know when I will be able to return to you but you must know that the Jedi are both alive, active and not alone. Seek them out, find them, give them your aid. They are strong, but alone they are not enough.

"The line of troops that the Jedi commanded is only the beginning. Soon it will be armies hundreds of thousands strong. What you have seen here today is only the beginning. It is a sign, a call to you.

"Answer it.

Inaction will only lead to further oppression and pain. You must take a stand, however your chose to do it. I do not say this lightly. I do not say this to encourage foolish action. We must be unified and we must have a purpose. If rebellion is alive in the Core, it is alight everywhere. You only have to look to find it. Just know that you are not alone. We are coming and with open arms and liberty we will receive you." Nastia gazed into her camera for a moment before adding a parting phrase that had not been heard in a long, long time.

"May the Force be with you."

 

[Leandros Solus]

Leandros was enjoying a nice training session on his ship with one of his retinue. Hovering in orbit above Mandalore, the duo fought back and forth, back and forth, each giving as best as they got. When one fell, another took his place and assumed his position in the melee, each hoping to fell the Field Marshal. Slash, slash, duck, stab – rinse and repeat. He was drilling them, preparing them for combat against the Sith. In the background, the other eleven members of the retinue watched, maintained their weapons, or took part in their own melee. One warrior in particular had the HoloNet up, his face a mixture of confusion and surprise. ”Vhetin Karjatr!” he cried out, pointing to the newsfeed. It was of their assault on Corellia, and he expected to see fire and ruin brought to the Empire.

Leandros blocked a strike with his beskad and held a hand up, signaling the end of the spar, and walked over to the man. He watched the news with vested interest, his eyes unmoving. Unblinking. There, on the screen, was a Jedi. True as the sun, that man was slaughtering scores of Imperials with non-red lightsabers. At first, Leandros thought it had to be a fluke – something wrong with an errant Sith and now he was killing his own men for the fun of it. But there was another alongside him. An unmistakable person.

His Alor.

Why was she with a Jedi?! The Jedi were thought to have been extinct! How was his Alor fighting alongside one? Why was she not gutting him alongside the Imperials? How come Leandros was not invited? Was she married now? Who officiated the wedding?

A million questions ran through his head as the news reporter went on, then it blanked at one particular line. His presumed Mandalorian wife?! Leandros scowled unconsciously, looking at the newsfeed with a disgusted expression. Was that why she was there? Was she in bed with their ancient enemy, previously thought extinct? Was this a spoof newsfeed? No, it could not be – there was her basilisk, and she was in their iconic armor. That really was his Alor. He knew they were striking Corellia with some newfound allies, but she was fighting alongside a Jedi.

The men around him looked at him expectantly, awaiting some kind of response. He turned from the news broadcast at its conclusion and sheathed his beskad, giving a listless shrug of his shoulder, ”Ni diba'a la cuyir gurire ja'napr,” he commented, earning a few chuckles from his fellows. Though his tone was jovial, deep down he knew such an alliance did not bode well. The witch was blessed by the trickster, Hod Ha’ran, whether Jedi or Sith. They could not be trusted. They fell once and that led to the Empire's current state; what would stop them from falling again and establishing a new oppressive regime? He pointed to the others and then folded his arms across his chest, giving the order to resume sparring.

What a strange day.

 

[B1-TH]

"Oh, what the—?!" B1-TH slammed her mechanical hands down on the large holoprojector that was currently broadcasting the HoloNet news into the rebel headquarters, Home One, on Al'doleem. Her head whirled first to Commander Ion, then to the hologram of Greybok, and finally to Leah Reach. She was beyond pissed off—if a droid could be such a thing—as this news had interupted their attempt to monitor the situation in Imperial Hutta. "Which one of you Kashyyykian moof-milkers ordered them to Corellia?!"

News of rebels fighting on Corellia had been out for hours. It was what had allowed for the attack on Nar Shaddaa. The rebel council had even known who had gone to Corellia. But apparently someone had felt the need to whip their lightsaber out during the fighting. Now the entire galaxy knew: the Jedi Order had never died out five hundred years ago at the hands of Andraste. It had survived, and now it had returned to finish the job its former leaders could not: to destroy their ancient enemies, the Sith Empire.

"Commander, was it you?!" The droid was on a rampage that could not be stopped. Her head swiveled towards Leah next. "What about you, princess?! The Jedi were our biggest secret weapon and now the whole bloody galaxy knows!" The hologram of Greybok chimed in with a loud barking noise. "Don't get started with me, fuzzball!" The droid councilor fired back. "The one place Valentine decides to whip out his lightsaber and wave it around like some boy-whore for all to see, and it's Corellia. Is he karking mad?!"

The droid sighed and lowered her head. Then, as she always did when she got pissed, she began to talk to herself to cool her circuits. "Calm down, Susan," she said to herself in a lower tone. "You're going to blow a fuse if you don't calm down." She glanced up, single photoreceptor primarily focused upon Commander Ion, "Please tell me one of you has a plan to clean this mess up?" @Deviant @Minuteman75

 

[Ner Giza]

Speeding across the Galaxy on a fool’s errand. But what could she do? Family was family. She just didn’t know how things were going to play out when 99 realized that the reason he couldn’t find her was because Nastia was dead. It was doubtful his tiny circuits would be able to handle it. Would he seize up and just cease to function? Would he go ballistic and have to be put down? By the nameless goddess this was a mess and a half.

She put in a call to Sonna Deli though days ago and the Zabrak swore she would work night and day until she turned up something. The slicer owed her big time for saving her from that swoop gang back on Tatooine. She and Aurel and Jorrin. She wondered sometimes what ever became of the man. After that mission, her very first one with the Galactic Alliance she had never seen the man again. At any rate if that slicer couldn’t track Nastia down then nobody could. Meanwhile every waking moment had turned to walking around on egg shells as 99 went through the many stages of grief. Well, mostly just denial and rage with smatterings of deep depression but it was surprising how much droid rage the tiny astromech could contain.

They had checked nearly all the leads the droids stalker capabilities could provide and all of them had turned up dead ending. Moving back through the Tempest Hunter, she left Ji hu piloting while she searched for 99. She found him right where she figured, in his pouting niche near Aurels compartment. The walls of the hull were etched in his pictographic scrawlings. Mostly death scenes of Sith with himself drawn 10 times bigger than the humans who hurt his love. ”Hey nine-nine. Why don’t you come and play some dejarik with me?”, she offered though she despised the game cause he always won. He didn’t even turn around but kept scratching at the hull drawing a big blood pool beneath the bodies of his victims.

Just then he whirled round, nearly knocking her over, in his haste to zoom into the day area and activate the video feeds. She staggered after him a bit off balance and blinked as she stared into the eyes of Nastia Vant. ”Look there. I told you she wasn’t…”, her words were cut short when he told her to shut the frak up. The news feed was truly staggering and she found herself drawing a blank as the news about the Jedi was announced to the Galaxy. And there it was again, that phrase Aly and the others had been throwing back and forth the day they took out the corvette. ”may the force be with you…”, she repeated instantly wondering where Aurelian was and if…

She couldn’t even imagine him keeping that kind of secret from her, and for the second time she buried her suspicions. Before she could dive too deeply down that rabbit hole she heard Sonna’s voice hailing her on the comm. ”This is Star Seven, go ahead.”, she replied waiting for the transmission.

”I found her. Transmitting encoded coordinates now. And Star Seven, may the force be with you.”

 

[Hugo Ion]

Watching the boardcast on the holoprojector from his seat at the council chambers, Hugo Ion’s crimson eyes widened and his jaw dropped in complete and utter shock. Never before he had been rendered so speechless as this very moment. The rebel leader couldn’t believe what he was seeing. His body froze as if in case within carbonite, with an expression of dumbfounded horror.

All their measures and all the sacrifices to maintain the Jedi Order’s secrecy just while little longer was gone forever. The screen continued displaying Valentine Rayth wielding his lightsaber for the whole galaxy to see.

Soon enough shock transformed into burning rage. Hugo squeezed his right hand and it shook so violently anyone nearby can notice. It took every fiber of his hard earned discipline not to lash out in a torrent of a thousand curses. He gritted his teeth while droid smuggler Susan went ballistic for them all. There was nothing but cold silence from the Alliance head and a number of staff members looked on in a mixture of concern and confusion. Leah would certainly sense the furious storm bottled inside Hugo’s soul.

What the kriffing hell has that force damned fool just done?! First going awol on an unauthorized attack now this frakking shit! If it wasn’t for the fact he had company present Hugo would be throwing his chair into the projector. Instead, he took a deep breath and released it, calming down ever so slightly. Not by much.

Finally the blue skinned rebel leader focus on the questions demanded of him and Leah. “It can’t be undone, but we will sort this out. One way or another.” Turning toward Leah Reach, the commander added.

”Assuming Valentine Rayth survives he is to be brought here to us as soon as possible. He has much to answer for.”

Now exhausted Hugo rubbed the side of his head with one hand. It’s going be a long week...

 

[Diocletian Solus]

Diocletian had been home for about eighteen hours at this point and he was really just starting to settle in. His wife was in the kitchen baking as she always did when he came home. She was making double batches of cookies for him to take back to the clan on Kashyyyk. He knew that Koil would steal a good half of them as soon as he hit the base, they were his favorite. Dio could hear the music as she danced and cooked, she liked to listen to music while she cooked. Dio was in the armory, working on their collective armors. Occasionally, in the brief moments when his son would leave his side, he would work on his secret project, is sons first set of beskar’gam.

Dio had just set the resin on one of the thigh plates belonging to his sons armor when he heard the news cut into the music stream. The Jedi have returned said the voice. He had already started to clean off his hands when he heard his wife calling him from the kitchen. He could hear the newscaster explaining about the attack on Coronet Tower. Dio knew all about that attack. He and his two squads had attacked the cities Imperial Garrison and communications tower at the same time. It had been multiple strikes against the targets and the attack had been successful.

As he was just about to enter the kitchen, he heard something that made him pause at the door. “presumed Mandalorian wife…” There was a loud clang as a cookie sheet hit the stone floor of the kitchen and he could hear his wife cursing loudly in the other room. He walked into the kitchen to discover that his wife had turned on the video and was watching. She saw what he saw, the Alor of Clan Solus fighting alongside this supposed Jedi. A woman who had been in their house multiple times at this point.

Dio heard a gasp and a slump, turning he saw his wife faint. He rushed to her side and lowered her head to the floor. He grabbed a nearby dish towel and placed it under her head. He knew he didn’t have any smelling salts, so he looked around frantically for something similar. He noticed a piece of Raz’s casserole from the potluck laying in a corner beside a dead rat. “Sorry buddy” he thought, sad for the poor rat to have died eating the casserole.

He grabbed the small piece and waved it under his wife’s nose while holding his own. Her eyes fluttered and she slowly woke up, blinking at her husband. She smiled and reached up to touch his face. “I had the strangest dream, that Raz had married a Jedi…” Dio’s wife searched her husbands face for confirmation that it had been just a dream, finding none she started to shake her head and then buried her face in her husband’s chest. “What does this mean?” she asked between sobs.

Dio had no answers for her so he just rocked her, his eyes on the spilled cookies on the floor.

 

[Darth Vrael]

Vrael was frozen in place on his shuttle, staring at the feed long after it ended. His jaw was slack, his limbs limp at his side. What had he just witnessed? Jedi? The Emperor of the Sith was truly shocked, his eyes wide with disbelief as he tried to absorb what he had just heard. and seen How? The Jedi had been long exterminated, many hundreds of years ago by his predecessors. Suddenly they were showing up on news broadcasts? Engrossed in battle no less!

He burst back into motion suddenly, life surging through him as his mind finally caught up. Vrael paced about the small space, glaring into every nook and cranny as he wracked his mind. Was it true? Footage could be faked, there was no doubt about that. This could maybe even be a stunt by the Mandalorians to divert attention away from them. Had he and the other Sith truly been so blind as to let something like this escape their notice? Vrael stopped moving once more, staring at one of the walls, trying to glare right through it into the depths of space.

He quickly gave up on that, closing his eyes to reach out with another sense instead. Instantly, the force was whispering in his ears as he threw himself into its depths. For a moment there was nothing, just the dark side and the usual eddies and flows of the galaxy. But then there was something else, a flicker of something different, a current of...light amidst the darkness. Vrael's eyes shot open and he physically recoiled from the wall, barely resisting the urge to roar. This was real, THEY were real. The Jedi had indeed returned somehow, managed to claw their way back from extinction. There could be no doubting it.

But...what was he to do about it now. To think that the Jedi had somehow managed to return on HIS watch. Vrael looked down at the floor, at one of his trophies from the fight. This couldn't have happened at a worse moment than this one, scattering his recent victory to the winds. There was only one thing to do, only one thing that mattered now. Vrael looked up, ruthless determination crossing his face for the second time that day. It was an irritation, but he could no longer go through with his other plans. Not with something like this on the line.

His shuttle shuddered as touched down, the astromech faithfully guiding it to landing in the command ship's hanger. Vrael stood and headed for the lowering ramp, a dark sneer on his face. It was time for his own press release, one with a few last minute alterations.

 

[Daniel Solus (old)]

Daniel was finally, after a long time, at home on Mandalore. He was seated on his bed, a datapad open on his lap and he was happily watching the newest episode of Super Jawa Squad. It was nice, being back in his own little apartment over the bakery where he had, until recently, so much time. It was a reminder of a life that he could easily go back to once things had calmed down. Not for one second did he think that maybe he wouldn't make it to see that time. He believed in his brothers and sisters, in their mission and their ability. He loved them all and they had never let him down.

He was smiling, thinking Dopey Badger thoughts, when the screen on his datapad flickered and shifted to the familiar face of the esteemed Nastia Vant. Daniel liked her reports, they were always so interesting and they kept his attention to the end. However, this time things were a little more serious. What was Raz doing on Courscant with Reyna and some Jedi fellow who the newslady said was Raz's husband.

Raz's. Husband.

It was as though Daniel's little world had shattered. Had he done something to upset her? Did she not like him anymore? Why hadn't she asked him to make the cake! It would have been one of his happiest moments to do something like that for her and whomever she chose. Daniel didn't hear the rest of the broadcast. He was too upset. He shot off from his bed and searched the pockets of the many pairs of pants that littered the floor of his room for his comm.

He flicked it open and opened a line to Raz. Once. Twice. Three times and more he called her until she eventually picked up. He didn't wait for her to say anything he just started talking, yelling, almost crying. He was experiencing a lot of strange emotions just then.

"RAZ LILY SOLUS!" He yelled into the comm, almost in tears. "What did I do!? How could you?! HOW COULD YOU?! Get married and not get me to make the cake?! HOW COULD YOU?!" His voiced cracked and he took a couple deep breaths to calm himself down. "Well, whatever, I'm so happy for you! This is wonderful! I saw him in the holos, he's very handsome! When do we get to meet him?!"

Though he was still upset and angry at Raz for running off and getting married without telling him, he couldn't help but be happy for her. She was his friend and leader, if she was happy, then he would be too. It didn't even really bother him that the guy was a Jedi; he had met a couple on Nar Shaddaa and they seemed like decent enough people. Magic or no, they were miles better than the Sith.

@Sreeya

 

[Devrim Wolfe]

In the meditation chamber of the Deep Stone Crypt, embedded deep within the mountain, Devrim Wolfe sat with his eyes shut. He had been practicing to control his emotions and simply meditate on the Light. The room itself hadn't been designed with comfort in mind, that much was clear. The floor itself was flat stone, and no chairs of any sort had been brought in or cushions to make it any easier for the Padawans. However, Devrim didn't complain and simply allowed the Force to flow through him. Several boulders of various sizes decorated the room, though the dark-haired Jedi hadn't bothered sitting on one.

He had only just managed to properly relax a few minutes ago, when the familiar mechanical footsteps of 10-NT grew louder as he approached. For a moment, Devrim thought that the medical droid would simply pass him by to continue working on the medical suite that needed to be restored. However, the Jedi also noticed that the caretaker's pace was quicker and more lively than normal. "Master Jedi!" he exclaimed, poking his elongated head into the meditation chamber.

Devrim's eyes snapped open as he was fully brought out of his meditative trance. Several loud crashes echoed throughout the room, and the Jedi Padawan realized that in his entranced state, he had been levitating the boulders. Taking note of this interesting fact, he gave the medical droid a scrutinizing gaze. "What's the matter, Tennant?" he asked, not unkindly. The droid hobbled into the room, bringing with him a datapad. "I managed to get communications online recently, and look what's happened!" Holding it in front of Devrim's face, the Jedi took it as he beheld what was happening on Corellia.

Lo and behold, a Jedi had revealed himself to the entire galaxy.

Devrim was at a loss for words. At first, he did not recognize the man — though by the looks of him, it must have been Master Valentine Rayth. Though having never met the Jedi himself, Devrim had been informed by Master Reach of the other four Masters that had survived and existed today. "This is...not good," he murmured, though the medical droid was taken aback in shock. "What could you possibly mean? The Jedi have returned! The greatest warriors of peace and justice are here to restore order to the Galaxy. How could that not be good?"

The black-robed Jedi pondered this. On one hand, Tennant was right — the return of the Jedi, long thought dead, would bring about revolutions and rebellions across the Galaxy. There would be such a revival of hope that even the Galactic Alliance had never seen. Their numbers would grow, and the Empire's iron grip would continue to weaken. Furthermore, this would bring more Force-Sensitive individuals to light. Up until now, many learned the path to the Dark Side out of ignorance and because there simply were no other options. However, as optimistic as Devrim wished to remain, this posed a grave issue. The reappearance of the Jedi would spur the Imperials to hunt them down and truly wipe the Order from existence. They had managed it before, why couldn't they do it again?

"Our strength lay in the shadows and in obscurity," Devrim replied to the caretaker after a moment of thought. "Now that the Galactic Alliance has made itself known so openly with these attacks and have the support of the Jedi, it could unify the Empire once again to destroy a greater threat." Letting out a sigh, he returned the datapad to 10-NT who let out a simple "Hmph," and walked away. Devrim's mind was now troubled, which was a perfect time for him to meditate. He had to learn to let his worries go, and so he closed his eyes to begin his meditative trance anew. Things had now been set in motion that could not be undone. The fate of the Galaxy lay in the balance.

 

[Leah Reach]

Leah raised her hands defensively at hearing Susan call her out. The droid smuggler was furious. Of course, she had every right to be. Valentine betrayed not only the Alliance for leading the attack, but he betrayed the Jedi Order he vowed to protect. He was the only Jedi survivor out of Dantooine save for Leah. She would have thought he learned the mistakes of the past. Instead, he revealed the existence of the Jedi, jeopardized the security of the Rebellion and endangered the survival of the Order. Not only did the galaxy know, but the Sith Empires. Their squabbling would soon come to a screeching halt. They would turn the whole galaxy upside down if only to find the Jedi they first thought extinct.

As B1-TH calmed down, Leah rolled her eyes only for them to land on a similarly furious Commander Ion. Her shoulders immediately tensed and cheeks pulled inward, mouth sealed shut before she said anything else. She was close friends with Hugo and a long-time advisor to the Rebel Council. Never before had she seen the Commander so visibly upset. She knew his threats against Valentine were not idle. They never were. The Jedi Master worried about what would happen with the other man, but at the same time, she didn’t care as much as she should. Her husband died trying to protect the Order. She trusted Valentine might honor that. In the end, he didn’t.

“And he will answer, Hugo.” She answered him and offered a reassuring smile. “I will summon the others and call for a hearing. When Master Rayth returns, he will explain why he’s done what he’s done.” The Jedi Master placed a hand on his shoulder, patted his back, and left for the communications array. She was ambivalent. Uncertain how to feel. But the longer she was alone, the more her heart and spirit shriveled. Soon, a meeting turned into a hearing, a hearing into a court, a court into a military tribunal. Indeed, Valentine would answer for his actions.

When she reached the array and readied a message for rebel forces scattered from Hoth, Ellora and Naboo, she remembered the words of the newscaster. Her lips pursed, incredulous, and chuckled. "Married? Yeah, right." Valentine was a punk bitch. No way would he have married a Mandalorian... right?

 

[Koil Solus]

____________

Dragging the blades down slowly he stared without blinking as the sharp edge brushed against his skin. Now matter how many times he did it he was always careful. Reaching down with his free hand his pale flesh gripped the metal handle before him, turning it. The faucet head spouted water which was cold at first but soon turned hot. The tips of his fingers tested it to see if it was a good temperature before placing the razor underneath the spout. His shaving cream washed away and went down the drain shortly after. Again he brought the razor up to his face, shaving away what light stubble was there.

Both of his eyes stared into the reflection of the mirror as the steam rose from the basin. He made it most of the way through shaving before the sound of his background holo projection caught his attention. One of his troupe was projecting the news and playing the audio. He was letting the other two recharge for now. Looking at the image in the mirror he started paying attention as he finished up.

It was when he in the back of his head his subconscious was piecing the information all together. He grabbed a hand towel. Part of him told him to pay attention to the broadcast, to not take off his towel and jump in the freshers just yet. So he wiped the residual shaving cream from his jawline and walked out of the freshers and into the bedroom. His beskar'gam was sitting on the bed, layed out and organized, each piece clean and maintained like everything else he owned.

Corellia, Jedi, and sure enough Mandalorians, oh my. He kneaded the towel in his hand an absent minded manner while he watched the broadcast continue. As it all unfolded he continued to stare at the project. He was not sure what to think. There was a lot to process. It was a public transmission and he certainly did not completely trust such things to begin with. But he felt it to be legitimate for the most part. Mandalorians joining the Jedi, he just knew he did not have enough information on them as he liked but he also did not trust them.

Perhaps what came next he did not know whether to laugh or roll his eyes. Wife, yeah, he did not believe that. It did annoy him that a reporter would say such inaccurate things but that was how public news worked. Make a mistake today and get the spotlight, get reported on about your mistake the next day and you will get the spotlight again. If Raz was going to marry someone the Echani knew they would not likely remain a jedi, that much he knew. If she wanted her personal business known then he probably would have learned it by now. Turning from the rest of the broadcast he went to go take his shower. A good shower was one of the comforts he could appreciate with modern plumbing. Never say no to good water pressure.

​

 

[Narr Noft]

Narr popped his head out of the Eternal cantina, slowly and carefully looking in both directions. Pfjew, coast is clear. With his datapad in hand he tried to send a quick message to the ranger HQ on Coruscant. He had just watched the Empress die, so where those admirals still en-route to be judged on Mandalore? He had just seen Sith fight each other and without a doubt the woman he previously investigated, a Mandalorian, fight with a Sith, who wielded a lightsaber of an unusual color. Perhaps he could re-open his..

<<<bleep-bleep pop-up newscast>>>

Kriffing slicers. Narr wasn't subscribed to this politically colored news channel. Still, he was intrigued and as he began walking down the street towards the spaceport he watched the broadcast.

..Mandalorian Raz Solus..married to a Sith?

Narr didn't know what a Jedi was, but he guessed it was some anti-Imperial sect of Sith and he wasn't far off. It was unfortunate when he saw aliens fight alongside this jedi in non-imperial attire. One of the many rebel groups in the galaxy? Why would they help a Sith? "He showed himself by killing" Narr mused, "-Jedaii is Sith."

Perhaps one day, if they Galactic Alliance won their war against the Empires, Narr would finally understand the difference between a Jedi and a Sith. For now, though, he needed to find his way back to the spaceport because no taxi would venture out here now.

 

[Saric Noms]

Everything Saric thought he knew was being proved true. The Jedi were allied to the Mandalorians. They may speak of freedom, but they knew nothing of justice, order and responsibility. They were anarchists.

The person on the screen said she could not envisage a scenario where the Jedi wanted to disturb the established order.

"Open your eyes, you fool! Look around you!" His fingers began to crackle with wrath.

He turned the screen off as he could not bear to see more. He then went into a dark room and discharged the lightning that had built up in him in a rage, screaming.

 

[Ashlyna Talmount]

Ashylna was no longer listening to the broadcast, having long sense tuned it out and was now caught deep her in thoughts. She doubted she was the only one.
"The Jedi have Returned."
The voice of the newscaster echoed in her head. It sounded strange, perhaps surreal, to hear such a thing. She wasn't scared of that fact, rather the opposite actually, but something felt wrong, like a massive weight just fell on her shoulders. The reaction to this might be massive, no doubt tensions would be raised over this. She swirled the contents of her drink twice and sipped it, her face scrunching up at the bitter taste of liquor. Maybe it was the idea of something so legendary unfolding before her, the long thought deceased Jedi Order rising from the ashes, standing to resist the Tyrannical Imperials. It sounded like a story to the uninformed viewer, but it was anything but that. This was just a flicker, a small ember in a swelling fire. Yes, this broadcast would be heard far and wide, thousands upon thousands, potentially millions struck with either fear, hope, uncertainty, what-have-you, but in reality what was this to signify? The end of things to come? Or just the end of the beginning for yet another bloody conflict. Ashlyna knocked back the rest of her drink and set it down on the floor. This was no time to be philosophical, she wasn't drunk enough for that. "The Jedi have returned..." She muttered to herself.

 

[Darth Inheris]

Saorise rapped a little on her writing desk as she watched the holo feed beam into her study. She still held a scar from that day, her ribs still hurt from the rocket that had thrown her from her feet, that had let a dozen of her men be mauled by the Basilisk, or mutilated by Mandalorian savages.

She still hated the sight of it. The thought of the Jedi who led them. The bark of the mandalorians who'd fought with them.

Saorise was processing it at least. With some time between then and now, despite the great many plans that needed to be made, actions to be taken, responses to be made, she could finally start to make sense of it.

And she could appreciate the shot of her standing on the frontlines that was found within the footage. A little positive press for a change, no matter what the report had said around it. She needed to make sure she had a copy of that. For posterity. And to make sure it found its way to the right people.

The rocket part could be left out. Though an injury in the line of service, that could put her in good standing.

And yet, while she mulled such things over in her mind, she knew they were merely trifles, games played in the shadow of something greater.

She was one of the few who knew about the Jedi's return before this, now the galaxy shared her insight. The true enemy had revealed themselves, after all this time.

And she wasn't about to let them win,

"Mistress Kallig, your officers would like a word" a knock at the door broke her from her thoughts,

"Tell them I'll be but a moment" her eyes flicked back to the screen, the face of the Jedi burning into her mind "There is work to be done"

 

[Aurelian Keth]

Aurelian sat in his study at Star Base, the table in disarray before him as he stared blankly at the HoloNet News broadcast in front of him. He was still staring silently a few moments after Fives had shut the device off once the broadcast ended. The little astromech beeped with uncharacteristic gentleness in obvious concern at it’s master reaction. It had been the droid that had come bursting into the room in the first place to turn the feed on so Aurelian would see.

“By the Force.” he breathed. What had happened? He didn’t recognise the figure from the camera feed but he wondered if it was a Padawan or one of the last Masters who the scholar still hadn’t managed to meet.

Was this planned? If so why hadn’t he been told? Sure he was only a Padawan but weren’t all students members of the order now? They shared the risks of discovery and the last he had heard the standing Orders where to tell no one about their existence. Aurelian hadn’t even told Nera, the closest person in the Universe to him, the closest thing to family he had left. It had been painful to keep the secret but he had done so because those where the rules and now this man had announced their existence to the galaxy?

Running a hand over his face he tried to gather his thoughts. Looking down at Fives he smiled and patted the droid on the top of its dome. “Thanks buddy.”

Tapping a finger against the table he tried to discern his next move. Everything would change now. The Order would have to adapt to no longer being a secret, the Alliance would have to deal with this too. The public revealing of the Jedi painted a huge bullseye on their back. They would go from being trouble makers to a genuine threat to the Empire; this might spill the beans about the existence of the greater rebel efforts too.

Standing up he sighed and made his way to the door. People where running up and down the corridors, paying little heed to where they went. It appeared that this news had been a shock to quite a few people. Well if the beans where spilt then Aurelian saw no more need to remain silent.

He had a call to make.

 

[Arda Breaux]

This reaction takes place moments before the Sith encounter here.

Nar Shaddaa

The holonet interrupted nearly every programming to bring attention to the trillions of beings in the galaxy the news about the Jedi and Arda Breaux almost missed it. Keeping vigilant probably did not mean keep your eyes on the holo according to Master Aurora, but for Arda, it was hard not to have her focus pulled to the entrence of a pub who had fallen silent in watching the program. The woman appeared, announcing the return of the Jedi, and the girl scoffed, knowing the Jedi had never left, but she also knew what this meant. They were here on Nar Shaddaa because of Corellia, though more so on the purposes of a distracted Empire, however, this moment was becoming more significant as the woman spoke and then showed images of the Jedi who was there.

A grin broke on Arda's face as she recognized Valentine; she had felt the tension of a heated council just before they left Hoth to come here, his move was risky, but he was a Jedi Master and for Arda, she trusted his judgement as much as she trusted her own Jedi Master who was training her. She was certain that a Jedi knew exactly where they needed to be at the right time, so as part of her didn't understand why the Commander and the other Jedi were slightly irritated at Corellia. The Jedi were there to help people, to defend off injustice and instill hope, but if they were continuously hiding, for Arda, it was hard to understand how that was of help to anyone.

When the broadcast ended, the girl realized she had fallen behind her group and quickly ran to catch up, she beamed in pride and confidence before refocusing and humbling herself to the Force. The dawn had come and she would not hesitate to follow in Valentine's inspiration.

 

[Nikka Toren]

The Alpherys had been making a smooth cruise back to Al'doleem from Contruum, after having parted ways from Castor and the dourly sarcastic droid shipmaster L8-TR. Tippy had been manning the helm after Nikka instructed not to be disturbed unless it was something absolutely important, or they were delayed. Cramming herself into the narrow bunker to close off her tired mind for one moment, it was all too soon before a startled screech of binary jumped her from her sleep, and she staggered over, stubbing one toe against a hefty manipulator arm as she rushed into her boots.

Panting, she streaked over to Tippy, forgetting her veil as her Vision cast over the ship, webbing through to sense any other presence. Surprise turned into mildly amused annoyance as her face tilted down at Tippy, trying to give the droid a frown but halfway failing. "What kind of a wakeup call is that?" she muttered, brushing heavy strands away from her face. He beeped and trilled, his binary stressing alarm.

HoloNews. Watch. Please do watch. Bad news, I think, very bad news.

She frowned then at the droid, patting it lightly on its' top as she settled into the copilot's seat, picking up a hydrospanner idly. "Patch me through, Tippy. It isn't... my friends... is it?"

But then, the reporter's voice echoed in the small pilot's cabin. And she felt her hands tremble.

"The Jedi have returned."

"Oh, kriff..." she whispered, hands hovering over her mouth as the spanner clattered noisily to the floor. The words streamed around her, tinny and distant. Her hands covered over the scars of her vestigial sockets, taking one deep breath, then another. Calm. She needed to stay calm. The old panic streamed away, but yet the grief remained. Yes... grief, the death of a secret. "The fools," she whispered, shaking her head as hard as she dared, the strands of her hair whipping against her cheeks. "How could they? It was too soon!"

She needed to get in contact with somebody. Ner'Giza, Aurel, possibly Horus or Jake. Luy if she needed, but he would probably reach her if necessary. Such an unveiling of their presence was surely going to need some sort of a meeting, and she intended to be there. But then she stilled. Her fingers lightly stroked the interfaced buttons, their translucent shapes glowing bright with electricity blue.

Tippy still manned the helm, one of his optics focused on her. Even though he was just a cheap secondhand kit she picked up from Savareen, she still treated him as if he were as good as some of those prettier, newer models. He beeped once in concern, and she gave a shaky smile. "I'm all right. Let's just get to Al'doleem, shall we?"

She settled into the seat further, hands pressed together. She only hoped there were familiar presences there... it seemed she had much to discuss with the others of the Order... and needed to find out who this Jedi was.

She only hoped it wasn't someone she knew.

 

[Ahrina Tirisfel]

Mood Music​

Shortly following Nastia’s broadcast, another illegal holofeed cut through the censors of the Galactic Holonet as ISB frantically worked to contain the fallout of the rogue HNN reporters’ revelations of the events on Corellia. A hologram burst into life over a backdrop of Coronet City, the spire aflame and Imperial troop transports zipping through the Corellian capital, “The Coronet Gazette” revolving slowly and cycling through Aurebesh and Olys Corellsi as the cityscape faded, leaving only the revolving words and a black void. A figure appeared in the darkness, small at first and growing larger as it approached the holocamera - featureless and androgynous, it wore a voluminous white robe and hood and clutched a burning torch that crackled merrily at its side. The Gazette holovlogs always featured this visage; a blank slate that could be anyone, everyone, acting in the pursuit of truth. This was Seeker, and for three years they had been appearing in illegal feeds across Corellia showcasing instances of corruption and criminality in the upper echelons of Corellian society with the same opening words: “Doaba ol'val tru, Corellisi.”

Today, for the first time, the audience was much wider and it showed in how Seeker addressed the camera.

“Peace and Hope, citizens of the Galaxy. We are the Seeker, and that prayer has been our greatest wish in an Empire lacking both. Tonight, we are afraid to say, will be the last broadcast of the Coronet Gazette. The Galaxy has been irrevocably changed by the events in Coronet City this afternoon, and so too must we change to meet it.”

Seeker paused a moment, the microphones picking up a quiet shaking breath, and with a flash of blue light, the white cloaked figure and void disappeared, replaced by a nondescript cargo hold and a young female Togruta. The teenager was clearly doing her best to keep her composure, but the blaster-scarred poncho did little to hide the blood-soaked bandages wrapped around her arm nor did the flickering lights of the cargo hold cover the quivering lips she tried to purse in an expression of severity.

“My name is Ahrina Tirisfel… I am Seeker, and for the first time in my life I found hope rising to meet the terror that the Sith inspire in so many innocent people. Today, I witnessed the return of the Jedi.”

The feed cut away to a shaking view of the square beneath the Coronet Capitol Tower, a Basilisk war droid rampaging among a squad of Imperial soldiers and blasting indiscriminately at the troopers with a massive pulse cannon. The Mandalorian on its back was adorned in the now familiar colors of Clan Solus, wielding a blaster rifle and downing soldiers with pinpoint accuracy. A Kel Dor seemed to be pulling a young human woman onto her feet and stepping forward to engage the troopers that pinned them down, smoke wafting from the end of the pistol barrel as he pegged three black armored thugs in the helmet.

The holocam operator, revealed to be Ahrina by the panicked muttering at a blaster bolt whistling just passed the field of view, fell to the floor as another salvo of blasterfire roared overhead and when the shaking stopped and the picture refocused, the girl was standing on the monument with a burning blade of sky blue held in her hands. The flag of the Republica fell toward the saber wielding woman and then fell to the side, bisected by the symbol of an Order long through to be extinct.

“The Jedi Knights have returned.”

A moment of stillness gripped the square, all eyes turning toward the Jedi standing defiantly before a trio of Sith and the might of the Imperial Army, and then everything exploded into motion. Ahrina fumbled the camera, a flash of the Togrutan females face caught in the frame showing eyes wide with awe and panic, and the square seemed to come alive. The Mandalorian was airborne, held aloft by jetboots and rifle spitting fire as he engaged one of the black-clad Sith; every line of his body speaking to outrage and hatred. The Kel Dor drew a sword and called out to another, taunting him with the knowledge of not one but two Jedi standing in open rebellion. And the girl, saber held ready and hand outstretched as the stonework of the flag monument crumbled beneath an invisible fist and hurled itself at the Sith that seemed to be at the fore of the fighting.

A loud series of thuds seemed to overload the holocamera’s sound systems as Ahrina turned, the lumbering bulk of the Basilisk wardroid tearing up duracrete as it rushed the Tower… and the young reporter standing in its shadow.

“Oh for kriffs sak…”

The feed cut and returned to the cargo hold and the wounded Ahrina, a rosy blush coloring her orange cheeks and white marking as she turned to hiss at a P.E.A that was floating just behind her, “You said that was edited ou…”

Shaking herself and trying without success to hide her embarassment at the slip in editing, Ahrina faced the camera and spoke once more.

“For three years I have been going by Seeker, trying to bring to light the truth of what is happening on my homeworld of Corellia. Trying to find some shred of proof that a galaxy where the innocent prospered and wicked people did not go unpunished could exist. And today I found it. The Jedi have returned. They are fighting for us, right now, to overthrow the cruelty of the Sith. And we all have a duty to rise up and aid them in that fight. Peace and Hope are no longer the prayers of a naive girl… they are the new reality within our reach.”

Bowing her head, eyes swimming with tears but a hopeful smile twisting her lips, Ahrina leaned forward and press shaking fingertips to the lens - as if she was attempting at that moment to reach out to every person across the galaxy watching the report.

“Doaba ol'val tru, citizens of the Galaxy. May the Force be with us.”