(All Endgame threads [with the exception of Empire Forever] to run concurrent with each other)



Prologue…..taken from TNO’s Agamar takeover…



"Uncle? Uncle? You said you would meet me on Naboo.." came the irritating whine of the little girl.

Ciscero sighed, and slipped into character as he held out his gloved hands to catch the bubbly girl bouncing off the transport.

"Could you have picked a worse place?" sniffed the rather tall guardian walking up as well.

Ciscero (aka: Motsi Aeurilias) turned to the guardian and grinned.

"Hek, the ship ride was bumpy?"

"For the amount of money we spent to come to this god forsaken place.. quite frankly, yes!"

"Welcome to Agamar, sweety." Motsi said softly to the girl as he let go of her.

She wasn't that young but there were times when it wasn't hard to remember that 8 had only been a few years back.

"Why weren't you on Naboo?" she asked again, refusing to forget which only served to reinforce in Motsi's mind that she was, in fact, a female.

"Business, Carlotta. Family business."

"In this filthy..."

"It may not look like much, but I assure you Mr. Hek, you will be impressed with the potential."

"Harumph!" the man responded and had the orderly from the transport pack their bags onto Motsi's skiff.

Motsi sighed to himself and resigned himself to being a tour guide through the most economically challenged planets in this galaxy.

Agamar... let's see.. who's supposed to be here?

Ciscero had been out of contact, following Isard's instructions explicitly. The girl was important and he knew why... plus there was that General Kaine... well.. Where the hell was Kaine??.

His fleet was said to be anchored at Muunilist but Ciscero had his suspicions about that. He was considering breaking into the Fleet Grounds just to check...but .. later.

He WAS out of the loop and if he looked hard enough, perhaps...perhaps he'd find the detail that would lead him to an agent here.

If there was an agent here.

He knew Agamar was on the list...but as big as that list is... it was anybody's guess if the Empire was here or not

The skiff started to move to their hotel .. for, as with any extremely poverty sticken planet, there was an extremely rich side to it as well.


Calna Munn City



This place is a powder keg!


Ciscero had seen the extreme poverty the general population experienced with the stoicism that went with being in Imperial work.

"Mosti, what have you gotten us into?" Carlotta's retainer angrily said, as they made their way to the plush buildings near the center of town.

"The future," Ciscero responded, noting that even a blind man could sense the dispair that hung over everything.

Two men and a woman were fighting over the halves of some domestic pet with great determination.

Carlotta looked on with silent curiosity, her spoiled nature quieted by the sights.

Yes, take a great look you fool of a girl. This is what the future holds for most..


They passed through a fancy checkpoint and into a gated community. A community for the privileged of Agamar.

Soldiers lined the walls in growing numbers, as if the rich on the planet were aware of the powder keg about to go out.

But it's hard to empathize when you have everything at your grasp. It's only when you have it stripped from you when one starts to truly see the horrors of having to do without.


When they were situated in their rooms, the chill in the room a refreshing experience from the lurking humidity and stench outside.

"I feel like I must shower by walking outside," the Naboo retainer commented, and then turned to Ciscero.

"Now.. Uncle Motsi. Could you provide an explanation as to why you brought us to this godforsaken planet?"

Ciscero only smiled as he picked up a piece of fruit off the table before answering. "Quite simply, Sir, because the family now owns a great deal of stock in this world's major export industries."

"WHAT???" the retainer shouted?

"Are you mad? Do you see what's going on out there?"

"Class struggle. The worker will get his due," Ciscero said, slightly grinning knowing he was egging the family guardian into a frenzy.

"This planet is going to experience a civil war between classes alright. The productivity of this planet is almost nonexistent! If the rich win, it will remain so..and with fewer workers."

"And if the poor win?" Carlotta asked, which surprised Ciscero.


"Then, my dear, I am sorry to say they will not know how to govern themselves with any semblence of order." The guardian looked straight at Ciscero.

"And Motsi just tossed away a great portion of our money. Money, I might add, that we will need for your coming election."

"Motsi? Is it true you do not want me to win?" the little girl asked.


Ciscero's eyes grew serious. "On the contrary, Carlotta, I would like you to very much win. But winning isn't everything..if you cannot hold onto it. The leaders of this world think of themselves as winners but tell me, are they really winning?"

"No.." the girl answered looking out their highrise building.

"If your people are not happy, how long do you think they will put up with it?"

"Naboo is not like that!" the guardian snapped.

"Everybody who grows hungry eventually becomes desperate, no matter their race." Ciscero said with a conviction born of experience.

"Quite an expensive lesson, wouldn't you say Motsi?" the guardian said.

"You have front row tickets to a government's greatest disaster."

"We have the Jedi.." the girl started.

"Yes. That is one strength we have. But it is one we cannot rely on."

"But..?"

"Reason it out, darling. The Jedi claim to be the guardians of peace and justice not only on Naboo but in the galaxy. But there are too few of them. They cannot be everywhere at once."

"They certainly are not here.." the girl concluded.

"No.." Ciscero said, "The Jedi will fight to protect you. Or at least I do hope they will when you get elected. However, Carlotta, think. We cannot rely on the Jedi to always solve our problems. You cannot always rely on others to give you the answers."


"That's like cheating.." the girl said, and Ciscero's eyes brightened.

"And cheating is not only morally wrong." the guardian started, not wanting Motsi to get all the credit for teaching something to this aspiring queen, "It does not help you learn the lessons you need to learn."


"But... Why did you throw our money away, Motsi?" the girl asked and the guardian smiled, his eyes saying... Yes, I'd like to know that too..


Ciscero's eyes grinned for he knew the guardian would not like his answer. He walked over and stood near the window to look out with the young girl.

"Because I think the poor will win this fight. By buying shares of stock in certain companies, it keeps the poor in work a little while longer. That is something a poor man appreciates. Steady work and steady pay.... and because I think that the poor will have other's help them."


"Who?" both the girl and her guardian chimed in unison.

Ciscero pulled out a flyer he had taken from the side of some building. It was old but still distinguishable.

It held the words, "FREEDOM!" and a faded symbol of the Empire behind it. "They may be talking to the Empire to gain outside recognition."


"If they gain Imperial recognition..." the guardian started.

"The market will remain steady and grow. The family will make more than enough money to win an election."


"But.. but.. the Empire?"

"Another lesson, Carlotta. Sometimes, one has to go with their gut and take a risk. I don't love the Empire, but I respect the stability it stands for...and this world could use stability."


As if to punctuate his words, weapons fire suddenly erupted down below.

"WAR! It's war!" some shouts in the hall of the highrise building came through the room.

From the news reports it looked like no one knew what set the conflagration off, but both sides were determined to finish it.

The people taxed beyond their means struck with a savagry previously unknown to Agamar and the higher citizenry fought with grim determination to protect their crumbling, privileged way of life.


For days the fighting when on, the building struck repeatedly forcing Motsi, Carlotta and her guardian to go to lower levels.

"Wh..when will it stop, Motsi? Why .. why can't they find peace?"

"They hate too much... Carlotta. They hate to much."


"Look!" the guardian shouted.

In the distance, shuttles were descending. Ciscero snatched some nearby lens and zoomed on the ships.

"Their Imperial!" he said rather excitedly.

The girl was going to shout in exclamation when Ciscero clamped down on her mouth. "Remember whose camp you are in." he whispered. Even the guardian nodded at that.


Inwardly, the Imperial agent smiled.







Now….



Naboo



“I won! Motsi, I won!” came the excited greeting as soon as Ciscero walked into the family estates of the Aeurilias Family.

The thirteen year old girl… No..young woman now.. walked up and hugged her Uncle as he stepped through the entrance, as if she had been waiting for him.

Motsi Aeurilias hugged Carlotta with equal vigor and laughed as a smiling Hek also walked up.

“Mr. Motsi,” the man said in a rather good natured way.

“Mr. Hek,” returned Motsi smiling. The both of them had never really been on good terms but they were both after the same thing.. and they both found a compromise that would ensure both their successes.

Carlotta was that compromise.


Motsi had to realize, upon noting the girl’s demeanor, that she had grown out of her rather spoiled personality when the Rites of Succession were initiated.

“Did you when on Coruscant?” the girl asked, clearly her perceptions growing.

Motsi smiled in response. “The elections on Coruscant are a bit different than here on Naboo. They will not decide for me for another few months.”


“I hope you win, Motsi..” the girl said, seriously.

“Ahh, well that is for the people to decide Carlotta. I certainly hope they have as much faith in my as they do in you.”

“You helped,” the girl replied. “Both you and Hek helped. I just wish Mom and Dad were here to see this..”

“I am sure they would be very proud, my Queen.”

The girl blushed. “Motsi, you don’t have to use my title.. You’re family..”

“Now Carlotta, protocol demands that your office is respected, especially by those of your own family.”

“Hek! I am the Queen. I can do…” Carlotta was angrily starting to state her case.


Motsi decided to intercept her. “My Queen, I am sorry but Mr. Hek is correct. You were elected the Office and now you must live with it’s trappings.”

The girl was about to retort when suddenly the house was alive with people crowding around her..

“Do all new Queens face this hassle?” Motsi asked, of Hek as Carlotta was led away.


“Every Queen.” Hek confirmed, knowing the people will keep her occupied for the rest of the day going over the proper protocol and etiquette of the Queen.

“She has been going on and on about the New Republic’s attack on the Global Defense Initiative. Has Coruscant been debating it?”

Motsi shrugged. “There are some agencies doing the debates and covering the Senate Emergency Meeting on Corelia but mostly, Coruscant only talks about Coruscant.”

“I am afraid that Carlotta’s political sense will not be properly tempered. She still says what is on her mind and in this new position, that could be very bad for her.”

“True.” Motsi agreed. “But we can only wait and see for now. I believe that not even a shot has been fired, so let the rest of the Republic debate ‘what if’s’. Cryonics Industries is relocated several main factories to Coruscant and renovating Underside levels as much as they can.”

“You should worry about Carlotta instead of your own political ambitions.” Hek chided.

“Carlotta will be fine, Hek. There is no war here. There is no unrest here. We are the galaxy’s paradise. Besides, the Jedi Temple is here. With the Jedi protecting Naboo, how could Carlotta not be more safer?”


Later that night Motsi lifted a tile piece from his bedroom and tapped on it twice. It beeped once.

Long range cyphers are still in place..


A static field had been erected around his room when he first started visiting this home so he didn’t need to worry about eavesdropping…..and cameras in the Queen’s house was against Royal Policy.

Royalty had advantages..

He spoke quietly into the transmitter and then replaced the piece back.

As he drifted back to sleep, his mind recalled the message and a sliver of excitement went through him.

“Endgame”

The blue transparent holo-image of the Imperial Admiral faded out, leaving the room void of light, save for a few torches along the far walls. The man smirked. This alliance that had taken place a few months back was proving profitable very quickly.

The Sith liked that. A lot.

A short buzzing sound came over the intercom - the only thing that looked as though it were a completely 'new' technology. Snack cut in before the person on the other end could speak.

"Send him in."

"As you wish, my Lord."

Snack stood from his seat, the smirk on his face still evident as Darth Zeta entered through the swift opening doors.

"How did the talks go, Master?" Zeta asked, not taking any more than three steps into the room. He did not have to.

Snack had already moved around his desk like a shadow. When he reached the relative center of the room, he spoke, his smirk now an evil grin.

"Our Prize is now within our grasp. They have given us free range with our actions, and have offered us their help, if we need it."

He walked past Zeta; the mechanical doors opening in a blink of the eye.

"Gather the other Sith and tell them that the time for our attack is now. Naboo will be ours once more."

Snack strode down the long hallway, walking high and with confidence in his step.


*****


That was two weeks ago. Preparations, training and meditation were all of what the Sith had been doing to prepare for their upcoming destiny.

Fate had led them here once before. The Force had driven them out. Now, both the Force and fate would be on their side.

In the pilot seat of the <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Darkscar<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->, Snack looked out the viewport at the swirl of hyperspace. The view was not much different than the one he had from the co-pilot's seat, but the air and the fact that he <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> was<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> in the hot seat was different, almost bittersweet. The vessel had belonged to Darth Poreon. It was his baby, his pride and joy. It was the only thing the other Elder Lord smiled about.

But now, with Poreon gone, the ship "transferred" over to Snack: the only other Poreon would let touch the controls. And now, Snack sat there alone. It felt wrong. Though maybe it signified the coming of a new era. An era filled with Darkness. An era that would finally fear and respect the Sith.

A glance at the crono revealed the ETA before the point in the outer regions of the system that housed Naboo: <!--EZCODE BOLD START--> 2 Standard Hours.<!--EZCODE BOLD END-->

****

As soon as the ship exited the confines of hyperspace, Snack shut down all the power minus the life support systems and immediately turned the cloaking device on.

The <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Darkscar<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> sat out in the middle of space like an invisible rock, shut off from the outside galaxy. No transmissions could get in, nor out. The ship and its occupants were all alone, waiting.

The signal Snack waited for was a solitary word. It would be broadcast over a special frequency transmitter, though it mattered little. Never would it reach the Elder Sith Lord. Its tone, however, would. When the time was right, the Force would tell him. The Force and all its omnipotent power would guide him.

“With the chaos running rampant across the galaxy, I pledge my life to helping our peaceful world maintain the balance so taught by our past leaders.

In the past decades, Naboo has become home to the Jedi Order. In the coming years, I plan to encourage Jedi interaction in civil duties. I plan to encourage the Jedi to take up more teaching positions within the community. It is my hope that, in addition to their duties in training new aspiring Jedi Knights, they can, by extension, help educate the ideals of the Old Republic, ideals of peace and balance to the civilian population.

The years to come are feared by many to be quite daunting. It is my hope, with the Jedi’s help, to shatter that fear and focus on the optimism that it will bring.

Together we can <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> all<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> bring continued years of contentment and peace and keep the chaos out.”



-&nbsp &nbsp &nbsp &nbsp Inauguration Speech of Queen Aeurial excerpt.

Taking his place on the Darkscar, he heard the speech as it was traditionally broadcast as the child queen took her place.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Her place among those who would suffer…<!--EZCODE ITALIC END--> he thought rather sardonically. <!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Why is it, when we strike, it is always prefaced with our victims shouting to the heavens their undying optimism and peaceful intents.<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

He smiled to himself.

<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Do they not know that the galaxy consumes the weak? Do they not know that no matter on which end of a lightsaber you stand, you will always be cut?<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

As if on cue, he flipped out his lightsaber. It’s black blade making a lie of the name given to the elegant weapon, he flicked it on and off and felt warmth at it’s reassuring hiss.

The Dark Lords, Darth Zeta and Darth Snack were up front, no doubt waiting for the righ time to strike.

One thing that impressed him about TNSO was it’s enduring aptitude for excellent timing. If anyone could be counted on to effectively make use of whatever time lay before them, it was TNSO.

Their move was not so much exciting as it was liberating. Perrin had resented the presence of the Imperial overlords. It grated on him that these people would put so much faith in their physical weapons. Nothing was, and nothing would ever be..a match for the force.

His smile turned grim.

The other’s were anxious.

He could feel the frenzy building.


<!--EZCODE ITALIC START--> Whenever the Dark Lord Snack felt it appropriate..<!--EZCODE ITALIC END-->

Motsi Aeurilias looked out at the stars of a rather warm Naboo night. The sounds from the marshes could be heard in the distance as Gungans went about celebrating some event.

Usually the Naboo people and the Gungans remained separate but not all the time.

But his thoughts were not on the Gungans. In fact they were many light years away as he anxiously paced.

"Pacing won't win you the election Motsi," his niece chided as she walked into the room, followed by several attendants.

"Staying on Naboo won't either.." he said, half in irritation and half in resignation.

"Staying here helping me and the Jedi keep peace here will go along way to smoothing things over on Coruscant. It's terrible over there, I hear."

"It is ..and worsening all the time." Motsi said heavily. "And here I stand, comfortable and well fed while many Coruscant citizens are going to bed hungry."

"I hear there is terrorist activity there.."

"Yes, Carlotta. Senator Balledan should not be dealing with these civil problems. He is supposed to speak our cause in front of the Senate on Corellia. Instead, he's going back and forth!"

"But Motsi, Why is he this nominal head of Coruscant anyway?"

"Becaue the last Governor of Coruscant was a supporter of Musaile. Because he was forced to step down and was impeached by the Senate for crimes against the Republic. Basically it was a backlash for the death of Xylon Hexyra, the Republican Admiral."

Motsi sighed. "It's a shame really. I heard that Xylon was the last of his kind.."

"That is sad.."

The man turned to face the young queen. "And that is why I must head to Coruscant. Win or lose, I must do what good I can. We all must, my Queen or the darkness will consume us."


Carlotta smiled, "You sound like a Jedi."

"Keep your eye on them, my Queen. Keep an eye on your politicians and your servants. There will be many who wish to steer you to their desires."

"When do you leave, Motsi?"

"Soon, my Queen, Soon." The man tore himself from the night sky and followed the queen back into the main house.

"These are precarious times, my Queen. Take heed and watch yourself."

"Thank you, Motsi. I will."

Ugh, so cramped!

Lupercus stretched out in the back of the craft.

This maybe Lord Snacks, but i would much prefer my Star Destroyer...

He clicked his wrists, and looked around at the others, a look of derision on his face.

How long until we are on planet! I want to kill something!

He kept his thoughts guarded, his Anger contained, but building. He couldn't wait to unleash it on the planet and its inhabitants. His sabre glinted duly in the shuttles dull light, its internal crystal hidden but the glow it provided unengaged was still a marvel to behold. The dull glint was much like Lupercus' temprement. Festering, waiting until it was unleashed, and then it burned with the hellfires of Inferno.

And so the waiting continues...

"Naboo...this could be entertaining..."

Chikami paced around the front section of the Darkscar. Having recently been released from the medbay for training injuries Chikami was not fully up to par, but felt well enough for this. His fellow brethren may notice that Chikami is missing his right arm, and burn marks on his neck.

Chikami stops his pacing and rolls his shoulder trying to ease the annoyance the burn is causing him. Returning to pacing across the area Chikami feels for the signatures of his brethren and finds one of interest.

Chikami makes his way to the back of the shuttle to. He needed to speak with his apprentice.

"..."

Edit: Ha! fixed the goof-up.

(OOC:Chik, i'm editting mine now, so i'll just say you have come back to the passanger area to see me.)

Lupercus nodded as his Master came back to see him. His eyes widened as he saw the damage done. But he was strong, and if anyone could take that amount of damage and still rip the beating heart out of his enemy, it would be Chikami.

"Jeez Chik, don't tell me you had another run in with Vonta? Let me guess, your gonna say 'you should see the other guy!' right?"

Lupercus laughed quietly, looking over his Masters wounds.

"So what happened? Still have that Lightsabre i gave you from Corran? I'm hoping you didn't lose it to your attacker..."

"Vonta? That fool girl could would have died from the amount of darkside energy it took to do this. No, this was done by Malice. He wanted to test my growth and was pleased as to how far I had come since his tutelage. We decided to hold nothing back and for a while I held my own...Then he unleashed a truly inspiring assualt of force attacks ending with a massive explosion of force in my back. That explosion took my arm and gave me these burn marks."

Chikami was restless and began pacing again.

"He left me fighting to maintain consciousness on the ground. He said he was leaving again, gave me his book on Sith Sorcery, and left. I awoke days later lying in a bacta tank."

Chikami stopped pacing and forced himself to take a seat across from Lupercus.

"I wish I had caused as much damage to him as he did me, but alas he got away with only a couple good burn marks from really close brushes from my own saber." Off-handedly Chikami adds "Oh by the way I have created a new saber to replace my old one."

"The saber of Corrans is safely hidden within my quarters I have uses for it yet."

Chikami gets a sadistic gleam to his eyes while saying that, and an evil grin crosses his lips. Chikami jumps onto a 'train of thought' and it is obvious he likes where it is going.

"Chaos...Otoh Gunga...I never did like those blasted idiots..."

Chikami lets out an evil laugh as his idea forms.

"Lupercus what say you to a little mindless slaughtering of the gungans once we reach the surface? I never liked them and this gives me a ready excuse to cut them down."

The Force ran through his aching body. He was one of the most patient Sith in the galaxy, yet knowing what was soon to take place caused the Elder Lord to be antsy.

For many years, he had planned on the Sith attack of Naboo. Each detail had been worked out hundreds of times in his dark mind, with all possibilities accounted for. Yet for some reason, the conquest of their former home world, the place where they started, was always out of reach.

Today, though... today would be the day of reckoning.

If Naboo could not be his... then it would be no one's.

It would be a move to end the power game ripping the Force into two.

Endgame

It rippled through the Force like a shockwave, releasing the rabbit for the dogs of hell to chase after.

"Let it begin," his voice said over the Darkscar's comm channel.

Flipping the switch, the cloaking device deactivated, revealing the shuttle in the dead of space.

Throwing power back into the craft, the sublight engines burst to life, propelling it forward, closer and ever closer to its final destination: Naboo.

****


The falling through the Noobian atmosphere was rough, but the ship made it in one piece. Snack had landed the craft in a forest. Would others find it? Yes. Would other know they were here? He counted on that. Would they know why? Not soon enough...

At the bottom of the opened ramp of the Darkscar, Snack stood, his black robes flowing around his body. He looked over his shoulder, waiting for his fellow Sith to set foot on the ground.