Nathaniel Somir - Son of the Dark Lord of the Sith - moved silently within the imposing uniform assigned to Imperial Sovereign Protectors. Some time ago Somir had been dubbed "The Hand of Fearsons" and given complete freedom and control over the Jutraalian Empire and it's men. Whatever means or assets he required were instantly allowed him, without question. It had come at a time when the Jutraalian Empire had needed such a man to enforce order.

Nathaniel Somir was actually two men rolled into one. His body was that of Nathaniel Somir, son of the Dark Lord of the Sith, and the man's soul also was held within that body. However, the soul of another.. one Artum Somir, was also held within the mortal shell of the man. Bound by Sith Magics and balanced by perfect control. One a Jedi Master of unsurpassed power and skill, the other a Sith with the power to rival the Dark Lord himself. The balance of the universe contained within the shell of one man.

Somir moved silently into the room containing the General Simon Kaine of the New Order and the Grand Inquisitor. He moved without sound, his black cloak swirling slightly around him. He spoke through the communications unit of his armored helm.

"Viscount del Forza, Grand Inquisitor of the Jutraalian Empire. It is hereby ordered that the General be allowed to leave without further delay, and I shall personally escort him to his ship to insure his safety."

The 'Hand's voice was cold and authorative, and left no room for question or reply. Turning to the General, Simon Kaine, he spoke once more.

"Let us depart, General."

"Of course I would take a drink with you.." Simon had started, the Viscount's personality surprising him.

Perhaps there are simply checks and balances that Fearsons requires me to go through before committing himself...


Again, more games but the Viscount's initiative did grab Kaine's interest. And, being that he was pressed for time, he responded with an initiative of his own.

"Tell me, Viscount, the Empire is planning something big, something that we would like you Jutraalians to be a part of, but I recently questions had come up if you were really interested or not.

I am not a diplomat. Fearson's figured that out quickly. However, since that is so, my requests have been rather forward.

A venture of this magnitude with the Jutraalians would require a solid answer as to where you stand in relation to the Shadow Jedi?

I know not what a Shadow Jedi even is, but if they are considered in league with the Jedi fanatics on Naboo or the Rogue Jedi, then the Empire wants no part of them.

They are a .. destabilizing influence."


"As of now, Grand Admiral Hyfe and your Emperor are smashing the Galactic Defense Initiative. This merging of purpose should be continued...

Tell me, Viscount, are you interested?"


...and it was then that Kaine felt a coldness come over him. Someone else had entered the room.

The words were surprising and directed at del Forza.

"Viscount del Forza, Grand Inquisitor of the Jutraalian Empire. It is hereby ordered that the General be allowed to leave without further delay, and I shall personally escort him to his ship to insure his safety."


Kaine should have counted on something like this happening.

Who runs these damned Jutraalians?


The newcomer was turning to Kaine. While doing so, the TNO General lifted his wrist and spoke into a comlink. "Fall onto my location. Apparently, we are leaving."

There was an acknowledgment and Kaine stared at the newcomer garbed in the same colors as he, though with more flair.

"As soon as the Viscount acknowledges your authority, whomever you are, we shall leave."

Kaine's eyes watched the uniformed intruder carefully, his mind putting into place some questions.

In the split second before the Viscount would acknowledge or condemn the intruder, Kaine asked of Somir, "If a purge were made of the Jedi, on what side would you be found?"

The 'Hand' spoke once more through his armored helm, still in a cold, authoritative voice.

"I would be found on both sides, and neither. I am the epiphany of balance in the Force. However, first you must find the few men who possess the skill to slay me and then find out of them one who wishes to try."

He paused a brief moment, as if to separate subjects.

"As for your request for aid from us. I shall personally see to it that the Jutraalian Empire assists you in any possible way, once you show me how it benefits us to do so. However, we shall do that once we are aboard your ship."

He turned back to the Inquisitor momentarily.

"We will be off now, inform the Emperor when he returns of where I have gone, and that I have taken my personal task force with me."

Turning once more to Kaine he said.

"Shall we?"

The 'Hand' turned his gaze once more to the inquisitor.

"Oh yes, Inform the Admiral that we will be assisting The New Order operation in any way we can. We will extend the hand of courtesy to them... "

He paused and looked back to Kaine for effect.

".. and when we ask, I am sure they will see fit to do the same in return."

His voice still, as ever, cold and carrying a massive weight of authority. He picked up a small trinket, a listening device he had placed earlier.

"Abolishers and mine layers, I believe it was. If he needs specifics, he can contact us aboard the General's ship."

Turning from the room, he led the General towards the landing bay where a shuttle would take them up to the General's waiting ship and the 'Hand's waiting task force.

The Viscount turned to the Imperial General. He motioned to his study of sorts.

" If you please, General. I will be along in a moment. We will dicuss this there."

Whether the Imperial turned or not to depart the Grand Admiral did not see. He did look at the one of many Emperor's Hands before him.

" I trust you do not know who I am, but I do you. So I shall allow you to leave this occurrance with all your limbs attached. I also let you know, that there are five thousand Inquisitoriate troops in and around this compound."

The Viscount smirked. " Food for thought."

With a stern glare and steady gait, he moved into his office. He waited to see if General Kaine would join him.

Despayre



Kaine's interest in the newcomer heightened when he spoke of paying mind to the General's request. His mind was still going through the motions of whether or not he should explain to this newcomer the benefits of such aid (as requested) since they were rather obvious..

..at least to Kaine.


Still, any aid would be welcome from the Jutraalians so Simon hesitated when the Viscount ushered him into a side room.

It was not in Kaine's interests to have two Jutraalian heavyweights fighting over his time. The waste of resources alone troubled him.

He turned to the newcomer and spoke softly, on the heels of the threat from the Viscount. "I will speak for a bit with the Viscount. My men are on their way here and I would very much like you to escort us to our ship."

Kaine's eyes blazed with a curiosity at the hidden figure beneath the robes.

"Your comments regarding the Jedi were both enlightening and helpful. I would like to continue the conversation.."

Then the TNO General turned and walked into the room, his gloved hands clasped behind his back.


When did you start desiring that Jutraalians not kill each other?


The smirk on Kaine's face was one of ironic amusement.. at his own actions.


He was glancing at the rows of antique books (both traditional and holographic) on a shelf near a wall when the Viscount walked in.

"Never a dull moment..." Kaine's voice murmured.


He waited for the Viscount to start...

Nathaniel Somir smirked beneath his armored helm. All had gone according to his plan. He did not bother to tell the Inquisitor that his own men in and around the compound outnumbered the Inquisitor's by more than ten times, nor did he bother to correct his assumption that he did not know who he was. He merely allowed the power plays to be made, and the general to be led off to speak about alliances and aid.

Nothing thus far had not been predicted weeks before in his visions. Nathaniel had ordered his Task Force prepared but at the last moment had called all but his flagship to stand down from active status and report to the Fleet Commander for new assignments. They had not failed to serve him properly, they would just no longer be needed.

He had a mission to complete, a mission which had been in the works for a long time now. He turned for the landing pad and would meet the general there once the meeting had concluded itself. Finally his mission would be complete and he could take on a new one.. .

The Supreme Inquisitor heard the General's almost quiet musings and replied, just as soft," power corrupts and I cleanse."

The Supreme Inquisitor motioned to the Imperial General to take a position next to him by a tall, glass paned window behind the greel desk. The room looked ancient in its appearence, few overt modern appliances and gadgets beeping and buzzing in announcement of their presence. Instead, a bygone grace sat like a haze on the office and its occupants.

" General, I know yout time is limited, but, without any offense intended, I have ordered some of my dispatch control officers to delay your ship's arrival for ten or so minutes so I can rant, as it were, without any great rush.

" You know, General, as well as I do, your Empire and mine are not that far apart. Do not think I am some sort of radical; I am a realist. Think of it. Both us desire order as opposed to chaos, and victory to defeat.

" As it stands now, there are thousands of governments in liege over millions of worlds, and millions more single planets with dreams of individuality. There are three governments that are the true beacons of power in the galaxy, holding not three or four, but hundred of systems in their grasp. Yours, mine, and the New Republic, our mutual idealogical enemy.

" While these thousands of demi-powers shift allegiances and wonder about in hopless pursuit of recognition, we fight amongst ourselves, Imperial pitted against Jutraalian in a vice that few thought would break.

" Our bonds, however, are not to be scoffed at. My uniform is very close to yours in styling, the weapons of troops the same issued to yours, and our levels of training, each unparalleled in all the galaxy are roughly equivalent."

The Grand Admiral turned, his right hand in his pocket and his left now holding a small snifter of brandy.

" Let me paint you a picture, Marschal Kaine, the way I envisage things. There is a small plateau of power, with many hundred of billions of being clamoring at the base for even the slightest ascent. On top, there are two standards firmly planted in the ashes of fallen foes: the Banner of the Jutraalian Empire next to the Crest of the Empire. Together, under our mutual reign of power and dominance, we lord over all the rest. However, for one to remain, the other must as well. Neither is strong enough to maintain that position alone. Together, both can prevent any attempt, regardless of size, to usurp that shared throne, paid for in blood and debris.

" You are doubtless wondering why a Jutraalian officer, among the highest in his government, is saying these things. It is simple. When you return to Bastion and meet with your superiors and commanding Moffs, you can tell them that the Jutraalians are not all bad, and are not the war mongers we have been painted out to be. We seek to live in peace with our like minded cousins.

" I remind you, this is all in confidence," del Forza said, thanking himself for having removed every listening device planted in that room and its antechamber.

The Grand Admiral offered the General a snifter of brandy as well, its amber colour looking radiant in the fading Despayrian daylight. He wondered what the other might say...

The Grand Admiral had swept the room for listening devices and removed them, a smart move. However, the 'hand's devices needed not be in the room itself to pick up on the conversation. They could have been half way across the city and still managed to hone in on the two.

Nathaniel sat, listening as the information was fed into his helm mounted headset. What was the Inquisitor up to? Perhaps he was wiser than given credit for. Something he certainly had not learned from the Emperor.

Fearsons had raw talent, that was sure, but he had no refined skills. Oh he surely thought he had, but he was no match for any true master. Nathaniel often wondered how Fearsons had actually believed he had pushed his father back those times. It was obviously a ploy his father had placed, one he was sure to get to the bottom of.

Nathaniel received other reports from around the capital, but disregarded them as unimportant. He waited in silence, for the General. However, he would know well before he was on his way.

But what happens when the cleanser is corrupt as well?Kaine set aside the mental exercise as his fingers traced the outlines of the reading material on the shelf.


The General stared at the books as the Jutraalian "Inquisitor" spoke his peace. In silence Kaine listened as his mind broke apart sentences and followed every nuance of breath.


When the Viscount had finished, Kaine turned and looked the man in the eye.


"Allow me to paint you a picture of my own, Viscount. The way things are.


We are the Empire. You are an Imperial faction, formed from the pieces of former Imperials. You are the prodigy of us in a darker time.

Perhaps you thought the Empire dead. Perhaps you thought the Empire would die. Perhaps it was figured that the "Rogues" would put its fire out.

Perhaps not.


In any event, it is true that your uniforms are stylized like mine, that your troops are trained like ours... your ideology, though... your ideology is where the question lies."


Kaine turned from the Viscount and studied the other furnishing of the office.


"I was content to believe your idealogy was the same as ours, but this 'Shadow Jedi' influence leaves me to wonder? 'Will the Jedi conquer the Jutraalian Empire from within?'"

The General's eyes narrowed, "Or will your true ideology prevail...dominate? An ideology given you by us. The Empire!"


Simon leveled a gloved finger at the Viscount. "We are not at war, Viscount. Do not presume to think that the Empire desires nothing else than to bring down one of her erring spawn. There is a great history behind what you've built here... a history beginning with us... when your Emperor claimed the honor of Imperial Citizen.

Do not presume to think that the Empire desires to tear down all that one of it's former citizens has created. Your strength and conquests only adds glory to our own. Your older soldiers, those having been with Fearsons the longest were trained by the Empire. They, in turn, trained Rogues...and later the Jutraalians.

Without us, you wouldn't be. And that, my dear Viscount, is a fact of life. Without the Empire, I wouldn't be. Can you imagine? What if Palpatine's assumption of power and creation of the New Order failed?

What if the Jedi had won the day, routed the plots, and the Republic continued to stand?


Where would we be?


Where would our leaders be?"


Kaine smiled faintly.


"So keep your planets. The imposition of order on them serves us and our needs by extension as well as your own.


Granted there are those in both our governments that do not trust each other. Sometimes a healthy lack of trust is good to have. Keeps one commendably cautious. There are those, though, that look for treachery were none reside. I do not feel that words will win such ones over, so I will not waste my time, energy or breath.

Let their own fears identify them. Let their own weaknesses shine out... and when they do, purge them!"



Kaine smiled and put a hand on the Viscount's shoulder. "You need not fear having this in confidence. Clear thinking should be respected an honored, especially by your superiors."


The General walked toward the door.


"I did not come here to Despayre to threaten, Viscount. I did not come here to trick or entrap.

Your Emperor and my Grand Admiral started something rather grand. With our combined might, GDI will fall.

I am here to see that this initiative continues. As Grand Admiral Hyfe was kind enough to go to war with the Galactic Defense Initiative, so too, I know that you will be kind in return with a very small token of the TNO/TJE Initiative.

I came here to request two things. As many Abolishers as you can spare and reassurance that the order you have strived to maintain all these years will not be erroded by the infiltration of Jedi into your ranks...

The first would merely be a gesture of goodwill on your part. The ships are not necessarily needed but should you agree to spare them, I can find use for them. The operation will be small and would not tie your vessels up indefinitely.


Should you have none to spare, I will require an answer on the second, for that does affect Imperial Security in this region of the galaxy."


Kaine turned his head slightly back toward the Jutraalian.


"Breathe in peace, Jutraalian. The Empire has no quarrel with you."