The Rebel Faction

Cairo was also dressed to a T that night...her outfit was very much like Jai's, except Jai was a Tigeress and Cairo was decked out in a Leopard/Jaguar style.

Cairo waved a g'bye to her older sister as she walked off and then smiled at Owen. "The band sounds great. Let's dance...cm'on..." Then a thought occured..."Owen, do you even know how to dance?"

Apparently there was a party on the old world of Naboo...and seeing as the Rogue Imperial emperor both had a lover going there as well as an old friend -- not to mention it had been so long since he'd seen the place where he'd started his Jedi training -- Fearsons had finally agreed upon going.

For hours he had readied his shuttles and his PeFauna, but most of all he wanted to spend some time alone, with Jade, and her family. Every now and again he'd check the robes he wore that day and he'd flash himself a smile.

"She'll like them," he hopefully promised himself. When he finally arrived at the party, he stood silently in the shadows, simply watching, trying to hide his gleaming, scarlet eyes.

And Gash Jiren was again in the palace he'd helped destroy, in the city he'd helped committ an atrocity upon. The site of the Ziost Empire assault, the grave of Qual Zaiso, and the city which owed Gash a debt of great pain.

The cool night air brushed against Gash's dark, scarred face, enwrapping it like a fine Twi'Lek silken cloth before releasing it and fleeing again like a wraith from the light. It rippled his dark blue robe and green cloak he wore, concealing the simple black garments beneath. The air was conspicuously lacking in that Naboo humidity which famed the planet the Jedi Order so oddly chose to call home. But it was warm, nonetheless, the water about Theed heated during the day by the planet's warm sun, and that heat transferring to the air in the night. Thus, the sun left a legacy through it's absence; much like the one Gash Jiren hoped to leave on Theed, despite his absence from there.

But his path was not so easy, yet similar to that of the Naboo sun; for not only must the star heat the water, but it must first bring it up to average temperature from the cool night. Similarly, Gash's relationship to the people of Theed would need to be brought up to the level of "existent", from "near hatred".

The Jedi Master's infamous bombing and strafing of the city while he'd been a Sith had earned him the animosity of a bereaved people and the speculation of a galaxy. It had, in effect, put him on "the map". Not quite the way he wanted to be remembered, but he now had little choice; he would always be the Sith who became a Rogue Jedi Master, not just a Rogue Jedi Master. But what he could do to repair it, he would.

Gash stood on the balcony of the Theed Palace, the place he'd once reduced to rubble with the help of Qual Zaiso. Even now... Gash chuckled wryly at that thought. In the corner of his mind, in his sense of the Force, he could feel Qual's lingering presence, a splinter of ice in his brain. This place would forever be the final resting place of Qual Zaiso, just as Gash would always be a former Sith.

From behind Jiren came Ji'hal Nebro, a wealthy beaureucrat of some small fame on Naboo, and the administrator of the Theed Palace refitting project. The place had never been truly reconstructed to it's former glory after it's destruction by the Ziost Empire.

'Gash, Gash, my old friend, good to see you... you're not in costume!' In the dim light of the balcony, Ji'hal seemed to be wearing some kind of black-and-white mask and cloak.

"I'm here on behalf of JirenTech's donation to the Theed Palace Refitting Project. Not to take part in this... mockery."

'Come now, you've become far too serious with your office. There was a time when Gash Jiren would have leapt to join the festivities.'

"There was a time Gash Jiren bombed this place, and strafed the city in a snubfighter. I think we can all agree I've changed."

The light from the grand arch at the joining of the balcony to the palace made Ji'hal look like little more than a silhouette, but this effect faded as the man moved to lean on the railing beside Gash. 'You have changed, my friend.'

"I said that already." Gash bit back, shooting Nebro a crimson-eyed glare.

'You still don't like being here.' The politician commented.

"No, no I don't. Would you like to return to the place where you widowed women, orphaned children, bereaved parents? Where you left your brother in arms to die, to sacrifice himself to the cause of slaughtering civilians? No, I do not like being here."

'Kyp Durron destroyed an entire Imperial star system. Yet he lived on happily.'

"And was shunned and hated by the Empire. Besides which, Kyp Durron was controlled by Exar Kun. I was quite calm and in control when I got behind the controls of my CloakShape; I was quite in control when I got a target lock on five city buildings; and I was quite in control when I loosed seven proton torpedoes and began strafing civilians with the vessel's laser cannons."

'Kyp Durron chose to--'

"Stop. You obviously know nothing about what you speak. I have been on Yavin 4, in the Great Temple. I know all about the Dark Spirits."

Ji'hal sighed. 'Whatever you say. I'll be inside.'

Gash nodded, and let the man leave.

Then he was alone; alone with his thoughts of how to reconcile himself to a city, to a people, and to one, dead Sith brother.

Jade sighs happily at Tec and Jai, then walks back into the ballroom.

She stops dead in her tracks when she sees Fearsons, not having expected to see him there.

She smiles softly and continues on her way, now reading a datapad message that she had just gotten once coming back inside, walking right past Fearsons without even knowing it.

Jade stops at the bar and grabs a glass of white wine that had been set out, then hops up onto a stool, still reading the datapad.

"My ships will be done in a few days, as well as the repairs on my TIE Advanced. Good. I have a feeling I will be needing them soon." she mutters to herself.

The emperor jumped slightly and he turned to see the familiar face of Snake...or at least...one of them. After the Pirate Wars of Hoth the clones of the man had been wreacked and destroyed by the pirates as they attempted to steal several cloning cylinders, and then the man himself was killed when he attempted a hit and run mission on Despayre where he thought he would find the facilities that constructed the dreaded Angel Virus.

To see him here was quite a shock, and his not lashing out to kill the emperor came even more so. Snake had been genetically enhanced and transformed for the will of the Rogue Empire...a man they had found dying in the street and gave him a second chance at life...similarly to the Empire's enslavement of the Noghri and Honoghr.

"Why...hello Snake," he said, peering at him, thumbing his lightsaber at his side incase the man decided to do something. When all he did was smile...he nodded. "If you'd pardon me, I have to go see...someone," he said and nodded his head apologetically.

Jade had seen him...but why was she playing dumb? Maybe she was teasing him?

Fearsons made his way for the bar, and sat next to her, grabbing a glass and downing the contents inside after the bartender placed it in front of him.

"No hello?" he asked her mischeviously.