Vader's Apprentice IC

[Diachronos]

Mika Erence feels a chillingly familiar tightness in her throat as the shuttle pulls into the dock. Every time had she been summoned by Lord Vader, it had been the same; how does one forget the strangling grip of Darth Vader's displeasure? Is that why he had summoned her here? Had she made some mistake that he seeks to correct?

No, no, that can't be it. She'd performed admirably, right? She'd done just as he'd asked, followed his every teaching too the letter! Maybe... maybe he's here to commend her? Or to give her some new assignment? Right, that has to be it. He has to be calling here for good reasons. Not because he's mad at her... so she should stop worrying about getting strangled using the Force again.

Mika hears the familiar hiss of the shuttle doors unsealing, and the faint whir of the hatch opening. The ramp lowers, and she sees a small group of Stormtroopers standing at attention outside, accompanied by a man in the garb of an Imperial officer. The officer gives him a polite nod. "Miss Erence. Lord Vader sent me to escort you. Right this way, please."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika hesitates. She shouldn't salute the brass, because she's not part of the military. But she and her master are the only two civilians on the entire ship, it's often hard to fight the urge. She settles for returning his nod.

Mika follows the officer to her master's audience chamber.

[Diachronos]

Mika waits alone in the audience chamber for maybe ten minutes before Darth Vader enters. As soon as the door opens, she can hear the deep, unmistakable sound of his breathing, and his towering black-clad form strides him. His head turns to face her, fixing her in the soulless gaze of his distinctive mask.

"Mika... it has been quite some time. Have you been continuing your training since I last summoned you here?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika stiffens as she senses his presence and bows her head when he arrives. "Master...Yes, I have been in intense meditation for the last three days. As you told me, anger leads to power. I will harness that anger no matter what."

Unknown to her, the statement causes a ripple in the Force. The child, destined to be a Jedi, is quickly accepting the fast power of the Dark Side. There will be no balance in this new regime.

She takes a breath and looks up at her master. "Master. Why have you summoned me today?" Mika cannot hide the fear in her voice. Will these words be her last?

[Diachronos]

Vader is silent for a long moment. "Do you fear being in my presence, my apprentice?" His hand raises slightly. "Shall I find one more suited to carrying out these tasks?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika reacts without thinking. Her saber drops to her hand from her belt and she slashes forward. Her blade stops just short of his neck. She is shocked by what she's done, but if she wants to keep her neck she needs to come up with a way to explain this.

"I am not afraid, Master. I am ready."

[Diachronos]

For the briefest of moments, Mika feels that familiar, chilling sensation of her neck and throat being squeezed shut, but it stops just as quickly as it started. Had she imagined it?

"Good. I would expect nothing less of my apprentice." He turns to a hologram projector beside him, and an image appears of a planet. "There have been rumors of Rebels gathering on planet Anbesdur. You are to go there, learn of any plots against the Empire, and silence them."

[NeoSeraphi]

A mission? Her master thinks she is ready for a mission? She puts her saber away and bows. "The Alliance will fall before your might eventually, Master. But I am happy to inflict a small wound before you choke the life from them."

[Diachronos]

"I expect more than a small wound from my apprentice. Succeed in that, and you may actually impress me." Darth Vader, impressed? Is that even possible? This could just be planting seeds to give her false hope... but what if it isn't? Everyone she's met in the Imperial forces knows to fear incurring Vader's ire, but had anybody ever succeeding in earning his praise? Would she be the first?

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika does her best to keep her expression unreadable, but a bit of a shocked smile crosses her ilps for a faint moment. She looks down at the purple lightsaber on her belt. She can do this. She will do this. The Rebel scum cannot stand before the infinite power of the Dark Side.

"Master. Anbesdur and its people will remember who owns the galaxy. The Emperor will never again hear the name Anbesdur, so loyal and boring a blip on his map of territories it will be. Mark my word."

She turns and rushes to her room. After packing her bags quickly, Mika heads to the docks. She won't need a pilot or a guard, no one will share in her glory. She will fly to that system herself if it means her Master will finally look at her as a true apprentice.

[Diachronos]

Mika finds several ships docked in the hangar, with many of them being refueled or receiving minor repairs. Technically, these all belong to the Emire's military... but then again, she is Darth Vader's apprentice, and who would be foolish enough to stand between her and her mission? Even if they are, would they trouble Lord Vader to come sort this out if she were to raise a fuss?

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika shakes her head. None would dare to stop her. She is the new sword of the Emperor, after all. A sword, while her master remains by his side as his shield. Mika approaches the fastest looking ship and looks down at the mechanic working on it. "How soon until she's ready to fly?" she asks simply.

[Diachronos]

The mechanic looks up at her, clearly irritated at being interrupted. "The repairs will take an hour at most. Why?"

[NeoSeraphi]

"Because I'm reserving her. I need to fly to Anbesdur immediately, under orders from Darth Vader," Mika replies coldly.

That should get his attention. Everyone else in the station only dares to call her master 'Lord'. Only a member of the Sith, or a future member of the Sith, would dare to speak the title 'Darth'.

[Diachronos]

The sound of metal striking metal seems to echo through the hangar as he drops the tool in his hand. "F-from Lord Vader? He's sending you, alone, on a mission? With the authority to just take one of these vessels?"

[NeoSeraphi]

The sight of the lightsaber on her belt should be an easy mark of her as a Sith, but Mika decides to draw it anyway. She lifts the blade up and a beam of purple light extends from it. "Why must I verify any of that? You would give me the ship even if every word I spoke was a lie...because you are powerless before the Force. Just like every other lapdog here. Aren't you?"

Inwardly, she smiles. She sounds just like her master.

[Diachronos]

The mechanic gulps and bows his head. "Y-yes, ma'am!" He picks up the dropped tool and gets back to work.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika relaxes and takes a seat. She watches the man work without comment for the hour he promised, then stands up in annoyance. "It has been precisely one hour. Have you completed your necessary repairs?" she demands.

[Diachronos]

"Almost, all that's left is to run the system diagnostic." He turns back to the display on his datapad. "This shouldn't take more than a minute or two."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika starts to raise her hand, but she shakes her head. No. Let this fool finish his foolish tasks. She should save the energy for her mission instead. She takes a seat again and waits impatiently for him to finish his silly tests.

[Diachronos]

After a couple minutes, the man nods. "Everything is working perfectly, ma'am. You should be able to start it up and take off without any issue."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika nods and hops into the ship, flipping the HUD on and warming up her thrusters. She puts a headset on and taps the communication button. "Death Star Hangar, this is Tai Fighter 062 requesting permission to take off. Acknowledge please," she says, her finger resting over the ignition switch.

[Diachronos]

There is a brief silence on the other end of the channel. "Permission denied. That TIE is assigned to Patrol Squadron Alpha and isn't scheduled for takeoff until 18:00. Who is this? What is your operating number?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika sighs in annoyance. "This is Mika Erence. I have no operating number, but I am on direct orders from Darth Vader to crush the Alliance in another sector."

[Diachronos]

Another brief silence... "Apologies, Miss Erence. Clearance granted for takeoff."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika nods in annoyance and leaves the hangar. She brings up a map to look for the sector that Ansbedur is located in, and tries to learn as much as she can about the planet from the ship's database.

Pilot: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

Ansbedur lies in the Braxant sector of the Outer Rim. The majority of the planet's surface is either mountainous or covered in oceans, with most of its cities and settlements being built or carved into the mountainsides or constructed on sea platforms. The high peaks lead to most regions having cold and snowy climates, making terrace farming difficult (impossible, in some areas), and as a result the small amount of level ground on the planet has mostly been reformed as farmland to support the planet's population. Were it not for the rich deposits of ore within the mountains and below the planet's surface, it's likely that Ansbedur would have been abandoned by the Empire long ago.

Aside from the mineral deposits there is little of value on the planet, but its countless tunnels and caves make it an excellent hiding place for outlaws willing to brave the cold... and the massive "frost worms" that infest the planet.

Mika expertly flies the TIE fighter to the planet, even managing to dock at one of the mountainside stations in the middle of a blizzard without issue, much to the amazement of those in the hangar.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika steps out of the TIE fighter with a cold gaze. The Rebels may fear Vader, but they do not know of her. Not yet. But the lightsaber at her belt will make everything perfectly clear. After all, if you carry the weapon of the Force, you must either be of the Light...or of the Dark.

She looks up at the individual in front of her with annoyance as she disboards. "Tell me, stranger. What do you know of this planet's capital?"

[Diachronos]

The short, stocky man raises an eyebrow. "You're standing in it. Geldrin, the biggest city on Ansbedur. What brings you to a backwater place like this, little lady?"

[NeoSeraphi]

She looks out at the city and concentrates. Can she feel any disturbance in the Force from this city? Are there any Force users nearby?

[Diachronos]

Mika does not detect any Force presence or disturbances in the city. If any are here, they are too far for her to detect.

The man stares at her as she tries to sense any presences in the city. "Erm... you alright there? The altitude getting to you?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika turns to him. "You asked why I have come. Well, you see...I am a Jedi Knight, from far across the galaxy. I have come to rendezvous with some Rebel Alliance forces in the city, and help lead the fight against the tyranny of the Emperor, and his Sith puppet Darth Vader."

Deception: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

The man stares at her for a good ten seconds... before bursting out laughing. "Oh, that's a good one! Jedi and Rebels, coming here? To this place? Oh, that's... that's the best joke I've heard in a long time!" He takes a few steps closer, his eyes shifting back and forth. "You, uh... might want to be careful who you tell that one to. There's some around here who might think you're being serious, and they're more of the 'shoot first, ask questions never' type."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika bristles a bit at being laughed at, but she pays it no mind. She is not here to kill random subjects. Especially not one who is ignorant and loyal to the Empire. She nods at his advice. "Of course. It is only natural that those in Imperial territory would be serious about hunting down Rebels. I thank you for your concern."

With that, Mika heads into the capital city. Now, to track down these usurpers and silence them.

[Diachronos]

Being a mining settlement, Mika finds a number of bars inside, all of them bustling with patrons. Many of the civilians that she passes eye her suspiciously, but none of them act aggressive or shifty around her.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika takes a seat at the bar. "People always act this friendly around a pretty girl?" she asks the bartender with a droll smile.

[Diachronos]

The cerean man behind the bar shrugs. "Normally they're a more friendly sort, but there has always been some initial distrust toward foreigners, and lately people are on edge because of the dwindling resources in the current mineshafts. Please don't take any of the locals' standoffish behavior personally."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika nods with understanding. "Well, does anyone have a plan in town? Anyone have an idea for what everyone can do once the mine dries up?" she asks.

[Diachronos]

The bartender nods. "Our hope is that it won't come to that, but there are a few groups looking into other benefits that the Empire could obtain from Ansbedur. Imperial support is part of what makes life here possible, so we want to make sure that we can still be useful to the Empire even if we aren't able to provide ore."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika's eyes perk up with genuine curiosity. "Uses other than ore? ...That sounds quite intriguing. Well, sir, might you tell me where I could find one of these groups, so that I might learn more?"

Persuasion: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

He shakes his head. "I'm afraid I don't know much beyond what I've already told you. Your best bet would be to ask around the bar, some of the patrons will surely be able to point you in the right direction."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika nods and thanks the man for his time. She goes around the bar and asks the patrons about the mines and about any rumors they might have heard.

Gather Information: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

The patrons offer little in the way of help, most of them being too drunk to say anything coherent or unwilling to talk at all.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika sighs in annoyance and tries again at a different tavern.

Gather Information: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

Mika doesn't find much else in the way of help from the patrons, but when one of the taller patrons gets up to leave she sees a posting on the tavern's bulletin board looking for recruits in a new business venture. It lists a meeting place, and that the group is meeting later that day.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika nods in relief. Finally, a lead! She heads to the meeting place with gusto.

[Diachronos]

Mika arrives a few minutes before the meeting, which is taking place in an old bunkhouse near one of the abandoned mine tunnels. The rugged men inside leer at her as she enters, and more than a few look ready to throw her out.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika takes a seat without speaking to anyone and waits patiently for the meeting to begin. These Rebel scum will likely show themselves sooner or later.

[Diachronos]

More people file in over the next twenty minutes, until there are close to thirty individuals in the room. Most of them are human, but Mika spies a few other races like Twi'lek and cereans among them.

One of the men stands up before the group. "You all know what trouble Ansbedur is currently facing. All of the current mines are nearly tapped, and the only hope we've got of meeting the Empire's quotas is to either dig deeper or relocate to another section of the mountain range, and I think we all remember the stories of how that went the last time." Several of those gathered murmur in agreement, and Mika sees looks of both sadness and anger as they recall whatever had happened. "What are we going to do, though? The Empire's pressing us to dig up the ore they need, no matter how many of us have to freeze or get eaten in the process."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika stands up. "It sounds to me like the miners need a bodyguard to help them clear the way. Do not dig deeper into a mine that is already waning. You can relocate, and I will protect you from any threats you encounter on the mountain."

These people want to help the Empire and continue receiving assistance. If they are happy they have no reason to rebel. Solving their immediate problem will gain their trust, then when she returns Mika can arrange for the Empire to provide more permanent assistance. Possibly a team of Stormtroopers that guard the miners at all times.

[Diachronos]

Her announcement draws a few laughs from the crowd, and she swears she heard someone asking how a "little girl" is going to protect them.

"We've been asking for protection for years, and the closest we got to actual help was a few cheap blasters that barely work. There's nobody in charge willing to help, so we're stuck fending for ourselves."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika resists the urge to choke the man who insults her. Oh, to be a Jedi and just shove people to show her power without hurting them. She chooses instead to draw her lightsaber and walk to the front of the meeting, where all can see her.

She presses the button and the purple beam of light extends. "Darth Vader sends his personal apologies that the Empire was slow to send the protection you have requested. He hopes that his own apprentice will be sufficient to guarantee your safety while we gather a squadron of Stormtroopers to protect your mine. Dealing with the cold of this planet is your problem. But I am here to guarantee that no one is ever killed by a monster again."

[Diachronos]

The sudden appearance of the blade makes everybody in the room jump and recoil from her, as does her announcement regarding Vader. She's definitely made an impression on them with that.


A few people, including the one who'd originally been speaking, have slipped out of the room during the initial panic from her revealing her identity.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika raises an eyebrow as the individuals flee. Good...

"It would seem your leader has left for the moment. May I have his name and place of residence so that I might coordinate with him on my own time to plan for the next expedition? I'm sure you all are very eager to get to a fresh mine."

[Diachronos]

Mika has made quite an impression on them, and it takes no time at all to get the location of their leader's dwelling.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika takes in her surroundings for a moment before knocking on the door.

[Diachronos]

The "dwelling" seems to be little more than one of the many side passages carved into the mountain as part of Geldrin's expansion, with a tattered scrap of cloth hanging over a door that could easily be mistaken for a sheet of scrap metal salvaged from an old ship. Judging by the black stains on one edge of it, Mika's positive that that's a pretty apt description of its origin.

There is no answer when she knocks, but she hears the faint scraping of something moving inside, as well as what sounds like the clatter of a metal pot being dropped onto a countertop.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika frowns. "I suggest you open the door. You will only make things more difficult for you in the end if you try to run. Then again...I suppose resistance is something you're familiar with, is it not?"

[Diachronos]

There is still no answer at the door.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika sighs in frustration. She attempts to force the door open.

Strength check: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

Mika has a little trouble getting the door to move from its place, but as it starts to finally shift she gets the impression that it had been wedged in place; once it comes loose, it tips over and lands on the floor with a heavy bang.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika steps over the door and walks into the kitchen, looking around for any humans or aliens.

[Diachronos]

There is nobody in the dwelling that she can see... but she does notice that one corner of a rug beside the wall has been flipped up.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika yanks the rug aside quickly. If there is a trap door she immediately rushes down it, determined to catch these rebels.

[Diachronos]

There's no trap door under the rug, but there are scrape marks on the floor, like something moving away from the wall.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika frowns and moves every object she can away from the wall, including bookshelves, tables, sofas, whatever is against the wall. Then she starts tapping around looking for a secret door.

Perception: [roll0]

[Diachronos]

In no time at all, Mika finds a section of wall that sounds hollow. A quick search reveals a cleverly-hidden notch in the stone that she can fit her hand into, and when she tugs on it the wall swings out, revealing a narrow passage.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika isn't sure where the passage will lead but she enters it anyway, heading into the darkness to find the Rebel scum.

[Diachronos]

Mika has to feel her way through the tunnel's darkness, but she can faintly hear movement from ahead. It sounds like the one she's pursuing doesn't have that much of a head start over her.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika keeps up her pursuit, using the Force to guide her way. If she catches up to her prey enough to see him or her, she raises a fist and starts to choke them.

Use the Force: [roll0]
Successful check: [roll1] damage

[Diachronos]

After a few minutes, Mika sees a glimpse of light and a silhouette as she rounds a corner, just enough to target the figure. A strangled cry echoes down the tunnel, and the bundles they'd been carrying fall to the ground as they clutch at their throat.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika catches up to the figure and releases their throat, placing her lightsaber across their chest instead. If they try to run, they'll cut their own head off. "Stay still. You will do as instructed or you will be eliminated before I even have the chance to hear you out."

[Diachronos]

The man whimpers. "P-please, don't kill me! I don't want to die, not like this!"

[NeoSeraphi]

"Then start talking! Who are you? Where does this tunnel lead? Why are you fleeing from me?" Mika demands.

[Diachronos]

"M-my name's Kent, and the tunnel goes to my hiding place! I'm running because I thought you were here to kill me!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika frowns. "And why would I kill you? Do you honestly think that's what I flew to this side of the galaxy for? Killing a few humans for no reason? Or have you done something you fear would earn my wrath?"

[Diachronos]

"I must've if Vader sent his freaking apprentice here!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika sighs. "Calm yourself. I'm only here to investigate rumors about rebels trying to stir up resistance to the Empire. You wouldn't happen to know anything about that, would you?"

[Diachronos]

The man shakes his head. "N-no, I... well... there are a couple people I deal with who've talked about it, but I didn't help them out at all after I found out what they were trying to do."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika nods and retracts her lightsaber. She picks up his dropped possessions and returns them to him. "I believe you. In that case, you have no reason to flee from me. Let us return to your home and discuss things there, shall we?"

[Diachronos]

Kent glances at her lightsaber and nods.

[NeoSeraphi]

They return to the house and Mika sits down on the couch, looking up at Kent seriously. "Perhaps no one else in the Empire feels bad that we have neglected your planet for this long. But I do. For your friends to feel like they are struggling enough to actually consider rebellion is unacceptable. I want to improve conditions on this planet, but in order to focus on that I need to squash the rebellion first. Where are they hiding?"

[Diachronos]

"I... I don't know. The ones who were talking about rebelling never showed me where they were holding out, or mentioned specific places."

[NeoSeraphi]

"Then point me in the direction of one of them. I'll get him to talk instead," Mika replies.

[Diachronos]

"He's a Bothan named Tereb Ab'lon. Last I knew he was living in one of the places down near the most recent mineshaft."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mikal thanks him for the info and goes looking for this Tereb Ab'lon.

[Diachronos]

Mika locates the section of the tunnel where Tereb is supposedly hiding out. There are about half a dozen dwellings, all ramshackle places like Kent's had been. Where will she begin?

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika considers her options. She closes her eyes and reaches out to the Force, attempting to follow the path towards the disruptor.

Use the Force: [roll0]
Perception: [roll1]

[Diachronos]

Mika feels a tug toward the nearest doorway when she reaches out with the Force.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika walks to the nearest doorway. No need to be cordial here, the Force has given her the answer. She draws her lightsaber and slices off the hinges, then pushes the door inside and it falls to the ground with a thud. Stepping over it, she walks in and glares at the inhabitants.

[Diachronos]

Inside are a Bothan man and a pair of humans, all jumping back from the doorway. They hold their position, staring wide-eyed at her.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika turns off her lightsaber but keeps it ready as she lowers her hands to her side. "So, I hear talk of some complaints about the Empire. I have graciously come here to hear all of your complaints in detail. That way you gentlemen won't need to do something foolish like toss all of your lives away."

This is stupid. She should be killing every one of them. She has the power. And if she has the power, she has the right. But as much as she wants to impress her master, as much as she wants to complete this mission, she just doesn't have any raw anger in her to tap. These people only rebel out of desperation, because the Empire isn't taking care of them. If the Empire can take care of the wealthy planets near the Death Star, then it can certainly take care of the mining planets it uses to power all of its weapons.

[Diachronos]

One of the humans chuckles nervously. "'Complaints', ma'am? I'm afraid we don't know what you're talking about. We're all loyal subjects of the Empire here."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika sighs and shakes her head. "Perhaps you would prefer to be questioned in chains aboard my ship? Instead of sitting comfortably over a nice cup of tea? Speaking of which, why the hell has no one offered me tea yet? Does anyone on this backwater planet know how to treat a lady?"

She sits down next to one of the men, not caring if she's in his space and not waiting to be offered a chair. "If you are all too frightened to handle one Imperial warrior who knocks on your door, how do you expect to do any sort of damage to the entire Empire?"

[Diachronos]

"Well, not many Imperial warriors carry lightsabers. Issue with the Empire or not, anybody would be terrified to find someone with one of those on their doorstep."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika frowns and points to the three of them. Eenie, meenie, minie..."You. Fetch me some tea. The strongest you have."

She places her lightsaber back on her belt. "You are correct that not many of the Imperials carry lightsabers. But three of us do. And between the three of us we could easily topple the entire Alliance forces. You are fools to listen to them, when you should be reasoning with the Empire to try and change your lives for the better. Have you not considered what would happen once you removed the despot you view as tyrannical? What would happen to the galaxy then? Chaos? Anarchy? A revival of the Senate that was so powerless it was nearly wiped out by the Trade Federation and Darth Tyrannus?"

[Diachronos]

The bothan man frowns as the other human gets up to obey Mika's command. "Ma'am, what has you so convinced that we are accomplices of the Rebellion? This world depends on the Empire for just about everything, why would we jeapordize that?"

[NeoSeraphi]

She looks up at him. "The Force can tell a person many things, if they only stop to listen. I can hear the discord in your voice whenever you mention the Empire. You loathe us, you fear us, and you wish to challenge us. And here I am, offering you assistance. An Imperial officer who carries a lightsaber, come to your planet to deal with your problems, in person. And you dance around the issue and threaten your own life by insisting on lies and misdirection. Do you wish to anger me, sir? Because I can assure you that after flying all the way to the middle of nowhere, I am annoyed enough to punish you just for stringing me along this far."

[Diachronos]

"Why shouldn't we be unhappy with the Empire? We're stuck on this backwater ball of rock and snow, working our hands raw digging up the ore that the Empire needs for their damn war machines, and they can't even be bothered to put a handful of soldiers here to make sure we don't get killed? Maybe the Rebellion doesn't have the power or prestige of the Empire, but they've at least got the decency to look after their own."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika takes a moment to compose herself. "You are absolutely right. I cannot speak to the Empire's reason for inaction. To be honest, it is probably because assigning a soldier an assignment this far from home would be damaging to his morale. But that is an excuse, not a reason."

She puts her lightsaber on her hip and stands up. Mika bends forward all the way, giving the man an Imperial bow normally reserved for the Emperor himself. "I, Mika Erence, offer my personal apologies on behalf of the Empire. If you give me just a little time, I will use my influence to get a squadron assigned here. They can be here within a week."

[Diachronos]

The bothan frowns. "...And what do you gain out of this? There's got to be more reason to what you're doing than just wanting the Empire's subjects to be happy."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika shakes her head. "You are right. My goal is not only to improve your lives. It is also to prevent the Alliance from growing any larger. Every citizen of the Empire who joins the Alliance is a citizen who will be killed. I don't want anyone to die, and I certainly don't want to kill anyone. If I can't reach the people of this planet and bring them back to the Empire, then I will have to kill them."

[Diachronos]

"I see..." He seems to be relaxing a bit now. "What about those who don't agree with you about making improvements for the Empire's people?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika shakes her head. "I will not speak for others with any specifity. If you wish to get answers from Imperial bureaucrats, I suggest you save money and get a ride on a transport ship. Fly to the capital and ask them yourself. As for me, I am committed. The Alliance will bring war. And war is not something anyone wants. They may seek the change that victory brings...but I am not willing to tolerate the cost of that victory."

[Diachronos]

"Alright, then. It's surprising that an apprentice to someone like Vader wouldn't want war, but I won't complain."

[NeoSeraphi]

"Believe me. Any actual enemies of the Empire shall receive no mercy. The Jedi, the Senate. Anyone who seeks a Republic or some other form of government. But you are not enemies. You are citizens who are frustrated by the failures of our system. It is we, not you, who should change to solve that problem."

She finishes her tea and heads toward the door. "I need to explore the city a bit more to find the true Rebels, the ones who sought to recruit you. But I will not leave this planet until the new mine is dug out. No monster will take you on my watch. I promise."

[Diachronos]

Tereb shrugs. "I can't tell you much about the Rebels, I'm afraid. We've been making exchanges with them, trading ore for supplies, but it was always done by dead-drop. We haven't seen any of them in person."

[NeoSeraphi]

That's...not good. Mika sighs and nods. "In that case, I would appreciate the three of you returning to the Devastator with me and submitting to interrogation. You may have more useful information than you realize."

Whoever interrogated them may get a little rough to teach a lesson, but they shouldn't die aboard the ship. She can't go back empty-handed, this is the best solution she can come up with.

[Diachronos]

Tereb holds up his hands. "W-wait, wait! We're supposed to making a drop-off tomorrow night, and the supplies usually aren't there the next day. You might be able to hide out and catch them in the act."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika thinks it over and nods. "Very well. But if I get the impression they've been tipped off by you, you will all be executed as traitors. Are we clear?"

[Diachronos]

"Yes, completely clear."

[NeoSeraphi]

The apprentice smiles. "I am glad we could come to an arrangement, Tereb. I would hate to lose a hard worker like you over something as trivial as bureaucratic red tape." She heads out into the city. Time to find somewhere to spend the night.

[Diachronos]

Most of the dwellings seem to be simple hovels where one or two workers are already living, but Mika manages to locate a couple of places that are offering lodging for off-worlders.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika enters one of the locations and decides to strike up a conversation with the owner.

She takes a seat near the inn desk and looks over at the owner. "There are far fewer Imperials on this planet than the others I've been to. Any idea why that is?"

[Diachronos]

The woman shrugs. "I guess they just don't want to get their hands dirty with the manual labor involved in harvesting the planet's resources."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika nods. "It's unfortunate. But then again, I suppose planets like that are good for some too. I imagine there are those in the world who do not appreciate the Empire keeping them under strict scrutiny. It's a big galaxy, after all. There can be some benefit to having a few rocks for people to hide under."

[Diachronos]

The innkeeper nods. "I'm not going to lie, it's nice to not have the Empire breathing down our necks constantly, but no sane person would want them to just completely ignore the planet."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika chuckles. "No sane person is right, but...the Alliance has to be out there somewhere, right? It's unfortunate that we have to constantly be on our toes because of all these terrorists. Say, that reminds me. You wouldn't happen to have today's Galactic Gazette, would you? I was on my ship nearly a week, I need to catch up on the latest news."

[Diachronos]

"I think I have one lying around here somewhere." She looks around under the counter for a few seconds, then pulls out the requested article.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika picks up the paper and scans it, looking for any articles that would interest her.

[Diachronos]

There's little in the way of interesting news; most of it is political nonsense that isn't much out of the ordinary. She does spot an article mentioning that an Imperial official who had disappeared in this system is still missing.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika's eyebrows raise. Damn, that isn't good. Are these Rebels actually kidnapping and torturing Imperials? Anarchists...

She thanks the innkeeper and heads to bed. The next night, she goes to the specified location. She sets up a stakeout, ready to catch the Alliance in the act.

[Diachronos]

Tereb and his companions make the drop without any issue. Mika sits in wait for close to four hours before a pair of people with blasters and half-complete sets of armor comes by.

[NeoSeraphi]

She steps out of the shadows and smirks. "Well well well. Look what the cat dragged in. You know, that's Imperial property you're trying to steal. If you Alliance lot want supplies, maybe you should find your own planet to mine?"

[Diachronos]

The two men jump and point their blasters at Mika. One of them brings a hand up to his earpiece. "Tereb sold us out!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika chuckles. "Blasters? That's cute." She ignites her lightsaber and swings it forward. "Now, if you both agree to surrender, I'll bring you in for questioning. Otherwise, you will both be executed right here. Do you want to die, boys? Because you must realize your pathetic little toys are no match against a real warrior."

[Diachronos]

Her swing takes out one of the rebels, and the other shouts with fright before opening fire on her.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika takes the brunt of the blast and looks annoyed. She closes in on him so he has no room to aim and slices through his stomach.

[Diachronos]

Mika's attacks drop both rebels, leaving her with two prisoners to take.

[NeoSeraphi]

She arrests both of them and searches the bodies. In addition to whatever she might find interesting, she picks up the communicator and speaks into it.

"Good evening, Rebel scum. To whom do I have the pleasure of addressing?"

[Diachronos]

The men have little of value, just a blaster pistol and a vibro-axe each.

"Where are Lucas and Geoff? What have you done with them?"

[NeoSeraphi]

"I've arrested them, because they were trying to steal Imperial property and possibly smuggle it off-world. I won't know until I question them thoroughly. Considering they'll probably end up telling me your location anyway, would you like to try and arrange a plea deal? I can connect you with the best lawyers the Empire has to offer traitors. You may even get off as light as life in hard labor," Mika offers. "Now tell me, who you are. Why are you doing this? The people on this planet barely have enough to get by as it is, why would you take their goods for free when they could be selling those goods to the Empire?"

[Diachronos]

"Or we could stay put, tell you nothing, and have a chance of freedom. Do you have any idea just how little the Empire gives these people for their work? For the ore they trade to us, we give them at least double what the Empire does. Unlike the Empire, we care about the people on this planet, not just the resources they can provide."

[NeoSeraphi]

"Hmph. You can't argue that you're on the higher ground because you're paying more for the illegal shipments. That's how a black market works," Mika points out. "The men who were selling to you were risking their lives. If any other officer had found out they were doing this, they would have been shot, point blank, right after they gave up the info about the drop point. As for me, well, I didn't even kill your men. I'm turning a blind eye to the citizens."

She shakes her head and hangs up. Time to put these two on a ship. She calls a nearby fleet and orders a prison transport be arranged. She can't leave the planet until the new mine is built, so she tells the men to fly an officer with at least the rank of lieutenant over to the planet to pick up these men. That officer will then be held responsible for whatever happens to them.

[Diachronos]

The prison transport is confirmed, and Mika is informed that a shuttle will be arriving for the prisoners within 24 hours.

[NeoSeraphi]

Once she's taken care of that, Mika heads to bed. She gets up in the morning and goes to meet with Tereb and the others. Time to help them dig out a new mine.

[Diachronos]

When Mika shows up, Tereb jumps and backs up against the wall. "W-we already told you what you wanted to know!"

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika smiles. "Don't be silly. I told you at the meeting, did I not? I'm going to personally stay here and protect the workers while they dig out a new mine."

[Diachronos]

Tereb stares at her for a moment before sighing with relief. His hand drops to his side, and as he does she notices that he'd been reaching for one of the top shelves, where she spots a blaster tucked away. "I thought you were here to kill me..."

[NeoSeraphi]

"And why would I do that? I said I would execute you if the men I encountered were tipped off. Did you tip the Alliance off?" she asks sternly. "Because if not, you'll find that I'm only here to help from now on. I don't want you or your friends to feel like any of you have to side with some terrorist organization just to make ends meet. The Empire is here to help people."

[Diachronos]

"No, I didn't tip them off." He sits down. "So, you're intending to protect us... by yourself?"

[NeoSeraphi]

"Sure. I'm supposed to be a Jedi hunter one day after all. Can't exactly tackle the strongest Force users in the galaxy if a few aliens can wear me out. I think you'll find a lightsaber is a much deadlier weapon than a blaster to these creatures."

[Diachronos]

"I hope so. I swear, shooting them is like taking pot shots at a shuttle... does your saber give off heat?"

[NeoSeraphi]

"Only when it comes into contact with something solid. Then it superheats that surface as it slices through it, cauterizing any wound and melting any blast door. As it moves through the air though, no. It only emits light," Mika explains.

[Diachronos]

"Okay. Cuz the frost worms are attracted to heat."

[NeoSeraphi]

"Frost worms, huh? Okay. Good to know. I'll keep my cuts clean and swift, so there won't be enough heat for them to notice," Mika promises.

[Diachronos]

"I hope that'll be enough. They're usually drawn in by the miners' body heat. I hate the damn things, but can't deny that they've got a pretty effective way of hunting on this ball of ice."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika nods. "In that case I'll start a fire. That way, all the worms are drawn to me and you all can focus on work."

[Diachronos]

Tereb shrugs. "Whatever you want to do. Just warning you, though, these things don't go down easily."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika grins. "Good. I haven't seen a real battle in weeks. Now lets get to work."

[Diachronos]

"Well, if we're lucky you'll be the only one seeing battle." He leads Mika to where the next mine shaft is planned. Along the way, they pass several blocked-off tunnels with warning signs on them.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika meets with the rest of the workers. "Hello everyone. As promised, I'm here to personally protect each and every one of you from frost worms or whatever else might come looking for trouble. Fear not, for though I bear this lightsaber, I am no Jedi. I am a Sith, one of the ancient warriors who uses the power of the Dark Side of the Force. My strength and stamina are unparalleled. No matter how many creatures try to interfere with this mine, I shall cut them all down. And not only will I do that, I want the names of every wife, son or daughter who has lost someone to these mines in the last two years. You say that you have received no aid from the Empire. That stops now. But that does not help those who have already been lost. I will personally see to it that those who have lost a family member to the mines while the Empire was sitting on its haunches will receive reparations. It won't bring back the dead, but it will help ease the burden of their passing."

[Diachronos]

The gathered people all stare at her like she's speaking in tongues, clearly unsure of whether to believe her. After a few seconds, though, Tereb steps up to get their attention. "She's 100% serious. This woman's here to help us for real, not to give us some pretty speeches and send us on our way. I can't speak for her skills at fighting, but she's serious about helping us out. Now, come on. Let's get this mine underway."

As the other workers start gathering up their tools, Tereb looks over. "I'll send someone over to see about getting a list of the deceased from the governor. Maybe he'll be willing to get off his fat ass for two minutes to give us that much."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika smiles. "Thank you for your help, Tereb. After we finish up here, I would like to speak to your direct superior about a possible pay increase and promotion for the initiative you've shown since I arrived."

While everyone else gets started digging, Mika sets a pile of paper on the ground and kneels down, igniting it. She sits close to the fire, doing her best to keep it from going out. Hopefully any creatures who would bother the miners will be drawn to the light and heat instead.

[Diachronos]

Mika waits for a couple of hours without incident. As she starts to add more fuel to the fire, though, she feels the ground begin to shake, and she hears the rumbling of stone from behind her.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika stands up. Hopefully the shaking ground doesn't interfere with the miners' dig. She draws her lightsaber and grins to herself. "Come to me..."

[Diachronos]

The creature does come to her. In a shower of dirt and stone, the beast erupts out of the cave wall. The first thing she sees is a gaping maw lined with sharp teeth, pulsing as it reaches for her.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika attempts to let the fury of the Dark Side take her, but the empathy and generosity she displayed prevents her from truly tapping into her dark power. Gasping and dodging out of the way, Mika ignites her lightsaber and attacks the worm.

[Diachronos]

Mika's attack fails to strike the worm, and it lunges in to bite her.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika takes the attack and dashes around the creature, striking it with her lightsaber and avoiding further injury. After a few more swings, the beast crashes to the ground.

[Diachronos]

Some of the workers stop to marvel at the creature's defeat. There are a few who don't seem impressed, though.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika sighs and cuts the creature's body open. She searches its innards for anything of value.

[Diachronos]

Mika doesn't find much of extreme value inside. It's mostly stone and half-digested bits of whatever it had eaten last... but there is a small pack inside that hasn't been damaged. Inside, she finds a few grenades.

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika carefully takes the grenades and puts them away. She sits in meditation to strengthen her connection to the Dark Side while the miners continue their work.

[Diachronos]

As Mika regains her strength, she overhears Tereb talking with one of the miners. "What do you mean the readings are off?"

"I mean that there's already tunnels in this direction. Ones that aren't on any of our maps."

"You mean... like a frost worm nest?"

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika grins and walks over. "Music to my ears. Where is the nearest tunnel? I'll go to the nest myself and blow it to hell."

[Diachronos]

Tereb looks over at her. "There are a lot of tunnels that we passed on the way here. You probably noticed the blocked-off ones, right? The thing is, we're not sure where those tunnels connect to the nest."

[NeoSeraphi]

"Then get sure. I've been playing guard dog for hours and that's not going to fly. I'm not a protector, I'm a warrior. Keeping you safe is the least of my worries when there's killing to be done."

[Diachronos]

"That's easier said than done. Getting close enough to get a look at the nest is like ringing a dinner bell."

[NeoSeraphi]

Mika sighs and heads for the tunnels herself. Time to blow this place to hell.