The Rebel Faction

Chardoc lay on the ground with a smile on his face and he stumbled up with a slight grin on his face after the Jedi’s force blow, he lay stunned for a while, but was able to shout out few words back at him.

"Until we meet next time Jedi! And next time there will be no prisoners on the scene, only you and me I swear!"

Chardoc got up knowing that the pursuit would be in vain for the moment as he stumbled up along with the soldiers, he took out his com link and opened the channel to the captain.

"Let me guess captain... they are getting away from our soldiers, you can’t open the door for pursuit in time or it just seems to be in vain and I have an order for you... get our men regrouped and get me a hole map of the place where the Jedi went... with good luck we will catch up with them, but now I doubt that to be possible."

The soldiers around him regrouped and some tried to open the door that the Jedi went into, Chardoc cursed and left the scene with his apprentice, but left the soldiers to open the door all tough he doubted that to open. The Jedi came and left taking what they wanted, this began to bother Chardoc because it seemed that the Jedi were always in the way, but Chardoc would wait for the day that he would meet that azguardian Jedi or any of them.

Perhaps....

He would meet them or not, that was not his main concern for now since some prisoners were free and he had to take the blame obviously. Chardoc scratched his chin, they wouldn’t throw Chardoc away for this little incidence, but a warning would be given....

(OOC: if I understood correctly there will be no more fighting...)

The abandoned train sat, slashed and broken, just on the outer edge of the prison facility. Battalions of guards poked around the wreckage cautiously, expecting at any time some hidden legion of vengeful prisoners to leap up and strike them down. Nothing.

Night had fallen, and one sand dune over, the prisoners marched behind a guard of Jedi, not Dragons.

"The hangar bay should be sticking out just over the next dune." said Katria, who inspected layouts downloaded from the train computer "They'll be on high alert, but I imagine most guards will be out searching the grounds for us. If we hurry, we'll be on the other side of their perimeters, taking them by surprise."

"Are you sure that Fwar and Shillia will be all right?" enquired Jubaz "It will be a long trip back for them, they might not even reach the shuttle before us."

"Have no fear." said Dolash, confidently "The kaboose-section should be able to take them close enough without running into any guard patrols. I predict it is we who will have to hurry to keep up with them."

They made it over the next rise. Dolash felt strange, leading not only his Jedi compatriots, but an entire army of prisoners. They followed without question, and as he turned to look at them, he saw sunken eyes and dazed expressions. A ripple of discomfort went through him as he saw that they followed not because of the taste of freedom so close, or any such hope, but more because they were broken, because they followed orders. He recomitted to making sure they got off planet - not for some great force destiny, or intergalactic politics, or famous heroic expoit, but because it was the right thing to do.

Finally, from this vantage point, they could see the hangar.

"The door is closed." said Ian, flatly.

"There, a small service door just to the right. It's probably locked, but we can handle that when we get to it." said Katria.

"We can't hope to march all the prisoners down there and get them through that narrow door... We'll have to steal a prison ship, land it, pick up the prisoners, and then escape. We'll probably need all sorts of launch codes and such too - that means I'll need you, Ian. Jubaz, you come too. Katria, Proq, keep the prisoners out of sight and somewhere where we can land and pick you up. This shouldn't take more then a few moments."

"Someone's confident." said Proq, whose eyes rose. "There's probably a lot of soldiers in there, and not just creepy torturer inquisitor types like we met before."

"That is why he is taking me and not you." said Jubaz, with smooth delivery.

"Good luck." said Katria.

"Thanks." said Ian, who then paused. "...er... on behalf of the three of us."

"Can we get moving now?" said Dolash "There will be time for trash-talking and Ian embarrasing himself later."

The group split up, three Jedi going one way, and the prisoners and two Jedi going another way.

"Geeze, that was smooth." said Ian, rubbing his forehead, as they advanced on the small service door."

"Oh it was only an offhand remark." said Jubaz, who had to pause as Dolash yanked a sentry off a paraphet with the Force, sending him falling to the ground before he could report them. "I'm sure you didn't sound that foolish. She probably wouldn't have even picked up on it if you hadn't clarified."

"Can we focus for two minutes here?" said Dolash, suddenly quite irritable. "I know it seems like we're home free, but there's still quite a good deal of fighting to be done."

"Oh come one, Dolash." said Ian "So we face a few Farfalen troopers, how bad could it-"

The door opened, and for a second, the three Jedi were looking at an entire regiment of Daemun troopers. They were looking back.

"-be?"

Laser fire flew in all directions, and the three Jedi engaged lightsabers, strafing through the cover of the hangar. Using the force, they leapt and sped at supernatural speed, until suddenly the troopers didn't know where they had went.

They backed up, regrouping towards the exit of the hangar, wanting to keep the Jedi inside. Quite suddenly, one of the troopers dropped - all rifles turned to where he had stood, but there was nothing there.

Then another, yanked bodily behind a pile of crates. A unit rushed over to see what had happened, only for they too to vanish - this time with an ominous swooshing of lightsabers. The Daemun troops broke and quickly dashed towards the corridor out, expecting a vicious Jedi pursuit, but none came.

"Okay, we better hurry." said Dolash "Whoever they were, they looked proffessional, even if we caught them unawares and leaderless. They'll be back, and they'll be ready. Ian? Get into the control tower over there and do whatever it is you do to make doors open. Jubaz? Cover the corridor, make sure they don't try and come back. I'll pick us out a nice prison ship -"

It was no prison ship, that he noticed parked in the centre of the hangar. A military-class troop-transport, big enough to carry an entire regiment, filled the entire landing pad.

"Geeze... how did we miss that?" said Ian.

"Get the doors open." said Dolash, his eyes still affixed to the ship "I'll make sure it's clear."

Kamon's eyes slowly fluttered open at the jerk of the ship going into hyperspace. It had been quite a while since he had felt that tell tale jerk and it had brought him out of a deep sleep. Glancing around he noted, unfortunately, that his eyes had not yet adjusted to the lights and all he could see was the steady haze of people around him. It seemed that there were quite a few people here and most of them were in a lot better condition than he was. Actually, all of them were in better condition than he was. Seeing as Kamon was one of the Empire's worst enemies, he had taken the most brutal torture and punishment of all of the prisoners that had been on Kessel.

"Water..."

There had to be water somewhere on this ship and Kamon was parched beyond parched. Liquid had only graced his lips every few days while he had been in prison. They had only given him enough of everything that he needed to stay alive and barely even that. Hopefully one of the people that were in charge of this operation had heard him because if he didn't get some water soon he felt that he wouldn't last long enough to make it to a planet. It had already been close to eight days since he had had anything to eat or drink and that was slightly beyond the maximum amount of dayz a person could go without both.

"Please..."

There were a lot of people and had they all been talking then no one would have heard him speak. His eyes began to focus again and he glanced around the ship looking at the people there. Not recognizing any of them didn't seem like a problem to him. He had been on Kessel long enough that he would be lucky to recognize his own children let alone anyone else. The aliens that seemed to be in charge were unfamiliar to him as well but he did recognize at least one Azguard in the mix. I just need a drink.

Kamon quenched his thirst thankfully, though he coughed up some of the water because he drank it a little bit too fast. This alien looked distinctly familiar, but Kamon oculd not figure out who he was. He did note, however, that the man now bore his lightsabers. Deciding not to request them back though, he took another small sip of the water in his hand. It was pleasantly cold and thirst quenching and his parched mouth soaked it up gratefully. The alien bent down before him and put forth a series of questions to the point where Kamon felt like he was yet again being questioned at the hands of the Dragons.

"I am their greatest enemy. The enemy who renounced fleet warfare and rid himself of all naval vessels. The one who was blockaded to the point where he lost his home, his planet, his family, and his people." Kamon coughed and a small amount of blood came out of his mouth. Maybe he had drank the water a little too fast. "I was captured when they invaded my home. I offered no resistance because it would have been futile. One man against a full army would have been suicide.

"They captured me, processed me, and shipped me to Kessel. There I was kept in force binders when I wasn't mining. When I was mining there were ysalimiri all around me. I have not felt the force before now for a very long time. They tortured me for information. I never spoke of anything. They could break my body, but not my will."

Kamon coughed out some more blood and wondered if he had a rupture lung or something of that nature.

"You are right. I am a Jedi. A Rogue Jedi Knight. I am Kamon Vondiranach of The Tholatin Republic."

The prisoners, along with Kamon, Dolash, and the Jedi, walked down the boarding ramp onto the solid ground of Fwillsving, where an entire welcoming comittee had formed around a half-built facility. This was where they had been directed to land shortly after arriving to the system, and Dolash admitted some surpirse.

"Glad to have you." said a smartly dressed Coalition representative, who shook Dolash's hand firmly "Always nice when an Azguard comes to visit - especially when he brings some new faces for our little land here."

Dolash was now practically bewildered, and said "Er, what then?"

"Oh, you don't know?" said the man, surprised "Well, I better explain myself! I assumed you were with the Coalition's Azguard Affairs Office. We're doing this thing now where the Coalition finds refugees and moves them to places like Fwillsving. We just assumed you must have been the first ship - as you can see, we aren't quite ready yet!"

"...But wait, that means you can take care of these people, right?"

"Of course!" He said, beaming "You've come to the right place! Refugee relocation and resocialization is our speciality! You're quite lucky you found us."

"Yeah..." said Dolash, smiling "Luck, that was it. I doubt many of them will be welcome back at their homes, but one of them is a man by the name of Kamon, a Jedi. He will most likely want to return to his order once he has rested up." Something still seemed to nag Dolash, however, and he spoke up over it "So you just take care of all these people? For free? Not knowing who they are?"

The Coalition man seemed to pause for a second, seeking to construct a suitable response, and then said "Yeah, pretty much. I guess that's just what we do. I know, there must be easier ways to immigrate, right? Looks like your guys here went through hell - surely the passport system isn't that complicated?"

Dolash felt relieved, and sensed no deception about the man. Bowing slightly, he said "I thank you for your courtesy - I had feared a great controversy when we set these prisoners free."

"Don't worry about a thing." he said, as the prisoners were politely lead away by aide workers "It's always an honour to help a Jedi." Dolash paused as he was turning, seeing that he had been recognized. He simply nodded.

"Thanks."

It was a surprisingly fast procedure, all told. The prisoners were lead out of the facility to be fed, washed, and dressed. The rest was all bureaucratic and involved signing papers, all beyond the scope of even the Force. Dolash felt somewhat confused by the Coalition's sudden interest in refugees, but dismissed it for now, instead returning to the shuttle, where his Jedi companions had gathered.

"Well, that's that." said Ian, clapping his hands together. "Another good deed. Score one for the Force, and all that."

Fwar seemed to focus off into the distance, and said "Is that truly all there is? I had thought perhaps our trip to Kessel would have shed more light on something more significant - perhaps the first piece of a larger puzzle?"

"Why do you always have to make everything some complicated?" said Proq, who patted the Frozian on the back before continuing "Maybe a good deed's just a good deed?"

"Still..." Fwar mumbled, unconvinced "I would have thought the Force to have slightly greater reason to send us off then that..."

"Indeed, you would think so." said a skinny, unkempt man who swung down from an overhead compartment quite suddenly - so much so that everyone else recoiled upon his appearance. "The Force is generally more complicated then that, or so I find."

"...And who are you?" said Dolash.

"Hm? Oh yes, me." The man had tufts of brown hair sticking out at odd angles all over his head, as well as a spikey beard that looked more like stubble which had grown too long. He wore as clothes a torn and restitched prisoners' uniform, adjusted to his own tastes and comfort.

"I am the Seer Oblox, and I can't see anything - except everything." the man still hung from the compartment by his legs, facing the Jedi upside down - but it was suddenly apparent that he wasn't quite facing them, as both his eyes where pure white, revealing him to be completely blind.

"Okay, Oblox, then how did you get on this ship?!" said Shillia, more then a little irritaited. The other Jedi gave her surprised looks, but she kept her gaze fixed furiously on the new arrival.

The Seer chuckled, and said "Well, I can see that you at least have an understanding of Seers of the Force, and if you do, then you should know already how I got on board - I am a Seer, and I saw that this is where I must be. Of course, I was a prisoner for a long time before this, and I can assure you that I was not supposed to be there - nor would I have stayed if I were 'supposed' to. The Force is all the vision I need, and it has guided you to me, as well as me to you."

Conversations and arguments began to break out amongst the Jedi and the new arrival, but Dolash left them to it as he tried to reach into the Force again. His reach was still weak, unable to recover quickly from the exertions he had made on himself at Kessel, but he could still feel it - that tug, that connection. It wasn't quite a bond, so to speak, as a link between what they had done and this man, their purpose and his vision. It seemed as though Fwar was right, perhaps the Force had a higher plan for this mission...

He opened his eyes, to see the arguments dying down, as all awaited his word on the subject.

"I believe that he speaks the truth, and that the Force wished us to free him so that we could make use of his vision. I think we should make him welcome, and heed what he has to say."

There were some sheepish nods, before Shillia struck out again "Oh come on, are you really going to let some self-proclaimed 'Seer' boss us around? If he can see the future then - "

"-Why doesn't he do something like finish our sentences?" said Oblox, grinning. "Parlor games like that are one way of proving myself, but I think there is a much more effective way." With that, he fell to the ground and arranged himself calmly on his feet. "Take my hand." he extended an open hand to Dolash.

The other Jedi seemed curious, but Dolash reached forwards and took the proffed hand. A sudden light seemed to move from Dolash to the seer, whos eyes closed and he begun to shake rapidly. Dolash could feel the intense Force power running off of him, swirling and siphoning through their perfect reciever.

Finally, it ended, and he stepped back. He seemed drained, but Dolash was simply curious. Finally recovering, the man opened his eyes, and spoke one word. "Ilum."

"Ilum?" said Dolash, confused.

"Ilum is a small, frozen planet out near the unknown regions, in the Galactic North quadrent on recent Coalition Maps. A recognized part of the Onyxian Commonwealth." said Katria, matter-of-factly.

"So, what's on Ilum?" said Proq, confused.

"You'll know when you get there." said Oblox, mysteriously, before leaping into Ian's bunk and falling promptly asleep.

"Well... It was never said that Seers are simplistic." said Jubaz. "If he speaks for the Force, then we should follow his guidance."

"Yeah, he's probably right." said Proq, sighing. "A whole planet of frozen wasteland, yay."

"Do not think of it as wasteland." Jubaz commented "Thin of it as... winter holidays."

"I still think it's a waste of time." muttered Shillia "Trusting a Seer we just met? But I can see I won't be winning any of you over, so I guess we're going to Ilum."

"That we are." said Dolash "To Ilum we shall go, and see what the Force wanted us to see."

"Um, guys?" said Ian "We've got a bit of a problem - if Hairy McProphecises-alot will be sleeping in my bunk, where am I going to sleep?"

"Oh, I've got an idea." said Katria, grinning to him.