Operation Fear

ABY 70
Coruscant
Big Daddy’s XXX

The decades had gone by quickly for the pair of soldiers who had met up at the club early in the afternoon. Although in different clans and houses over the years, the Son of Sadow and the Son of Palpatine had managed to keep, if not a friendship, a respectful acquaintance for going on 40 years. Now with the grand opening of the thirtieth location of Big Daddy’s Club for Gentlemen and Ladies, the duo had met once again to share some ale and enjoy the sights on the stage.

Thinking back to the conflict of the Orders that had happened when Fremoc was still working his way up the equite ladder, the former Grand Master chuckled at how young he’d been. He’d thought Dante was so old at being in his forties then. Now as he himself was about to turn seventy, the Sadowite didn’t think that of himself as being that ancient. He could still wield a lightsaber with skill and determination and teach the young ones a thing or two about respecting their elders. Thinking of elderly, Fremoc turned to Dante and said “So, old man… what do you think of your latest club?” as the music ended for the dancers to switch locations.

Smiling, the old stormtrooper replied with “One of my better finds...” as his attention was distracted momentarily by the female walking by. “Back to what I was saying… It’s a good location as we’re close to the Galactic Alliance Senate and the main recruiting center for their military. Great place for loose lips to add to our intelligence gathering.”

“You’re like a Krath sometimes with all of your secrets. Too much time in Imperial Intelligence is what I think…” retorted Fremoc.

“Krath… yes… you do know I made Dark Jedi Knight as a Krath the “first” time, you know…” Dante said as he began thinking back to those days.

Shaking his head, the Sadowite sighed and said “Yeah… Yeah…. Emperor’s Hammer… blah blah blah… old man. I’d think you’re getting senile, but you said the same old bantha poodoo for decades” with a snort.

The younger man’s comments had set Dante to thinking about what he still called the “War of the Orders” back on Antei all those years ago. “Remember at the end of the War of the Orders? When we were mopping up the rest of the Sith and Krath?”

Fremoc thought for a moment and said “Yeah… I remember when…”


ABY 33
Antei
Triumvirate Library

Sabers connected with the distinctive screech as the energy weapons bounced off one another. Boots impacted with the ground as the combatants scurried around the battlefield in search of the warfare that so many had craved in the time since the dissolution of the clans. Bodies were scattered amongst the destroyed equipment of war and broken landscape. Such was the War of the Orders.

Outside the entrance to the Triumvirate Library, the victorious Obelisk surveyed the scene of their obliteration of the other two orders. Even in the skies, their pilots now reigned supreme over the Sith. A number of high ranking Obelisk came out of the Library deep in conversation for a few moments before breaking up into pairs and heading towards their units.

One of the pairs was made up of two rather large commandos in full combat gear. Both men were approximately the same height, but the Dark Paladin of Scholae Palatinae was definitely the larger of the two. Placing his helmet on his belt, Dante looked out at the army that the Obelisk had brought together. “Well, Fremoc… it seems that our Order has proven their dominance once again on the field of valor…”

Antei
Outside the Triumvirate Library

The armor was different for Fremoc. It wasn’t his normal armor that was on Tarthos. He wasn’t given the luxury of returning to Tarthos given his current state of affairs within the House. He had only enough time to get away from Ma`ar before the fighting broke out so he could join Korras and Kir on the battlefield for Temple Boyna. Instead, Angelo Dante, a one time rival with Fremoc during the retaking of Antei, had loaned the elder Pepoi the armor. Fremoc had not had time to get used to it before being thrown into the fight for the Triumvirate library with the rest of the Obelisk Forces. He pulled the helmet off his head before turning his red and gray eyes to the older man.

“Well, there are the hordes of Sith and Krath still out between us and Boyna, including Muz and Sarin, old man.”

“Old man?” Dante chuckled. “I’m only ten years older than you Pepoi!”

“Still have a lot more experience than me, Dante.” Fremoc thought of his time in the Corvanni military and how Dante was like some of the older commandos, highly skilled and highly disciplined. Angelo’s focus was in distance, watching the battle ensue between the Sith and the Krath, knowing that they too would be doing battle out there as well. Fremoc gripped the Death’s Blade igniting it once more, erupting its emerald blade from the hilt. With one hand he slide the helmet back over his head and charged into the fray.

The Son of Palpatine chuckled again as he slid his own helmet over his head and followed Fremoc as he gripped his AXM-50. Angelo watched Fremoc crash into a dueling Krath and quickly fired three bolts into the Krath’s head while Fremoc killed the Sith that had been engaged. Turning, Fremoc looked at the older man and said through their comm, “Thought you would have been too fatigued to pull that one off.”

“I have a high stamina Pepoi.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Fremoc turned to face another Krath, who was quickly killed, before Dante fired a grenade into the clustered Sith and Krath, sending limbs and bodies into the air. Splatters of blood and gore painted red onto the white armor the two Obelisk were wearing. “Think you can keep up?”

In the thick of the fighting now, Dante snorted at Fremoc's comment and retorted with "Just watch..." With years of experience behind him, the Dark Paladin of Scholae Palatinae deftly swung his rifle onto his back at the same time as his saber flew from its resting place on his belt and into his hand.

The nearly violet blade sprang to life just as a pair of Sith came at the grizzled warrior. Heads soon flew from the stick jockeys as the Obelisk quickly made work of the duo. With a reverse grip, Dante then neatly killed the Krath who had been attempting to land a blow from behind. Fresh targets were in abundance on the battlefield so Dante had little time to savor his victories against the lower ranking journeymen and equites of the lesser orders.

Fremoc was busy himself as he waded through the crowd of warriors who had come to the plains of Antei to do battle with one another. His emerald blade cut a swath out of the combatants in front of him. He glanced over to his left and saw Dante doing the same so he continued on with his onslaught.

The pair had quickly outpaced the others, and Dante was beginning to think that they were going to be overrun so he yelled "Get back to back so we can try and hold them off until the rest of the Obelisk catch up...."

The thud of the two men's armor against each other was welcoming yet disturbing at the same time. Fremoc knew they were in the thick of the battle and could die at any moment, yet the former commando knew that despite the two men's competitiveness, they'd watch each other's back. Another red blade sliced through the area but the wielder's hand was cut in half and cutting the hilt in two pieces as well. The emerald blade of Fremoc continued its motion cutting through the opposite shoulder and lungs.

In an odd move, Fremoc put his lightsaber on his belt and raised his hands, desperation began to fill his body. The feelings of being alone, without help, desperation to live, took over his body as he focused it to his outstretched hands. Force Blasts erupted from his hands hitting those that were mere meters from him, and breaking several bones in their bodies, while others who took the shock waves were flung backwards.

A lone Krath Journeyman ran up to Fremoc and swung his war sword into the Prelate's helmet knocking the white armor to fly. The elder Pepoi quickly grasped the man's arm and pressed his opposite hand into the Journeyman's chest over his heart before unleashing a Force Blast directly into the ribcage and heart, killing the young Krath. Within moments the Krath's body went limp and fell to the ground.

"If I didn't know better I would have though you were a Krath." Fremoc chuckled at the older man's comment.

"Yeah well, we've got good news. The rest of the Obelisk have caught up."

"I can sense Sarin and Muz not far from here." The two Obelisk Warriors looked at each other for the briefest of moments. The two had a singular thought on their mind. Obelisk ruling on the Iron Throne once more.

"Shall we?"

The two moved forward as one through the crowd of fighting Dark Jedi. Red, blue, and purple clothing littered the ground as bloodied bodies filled the field of battle.

As they neared the scene of the final confrontation between Muz and Sarin, a whistling sound suddenly screamed in the ears of the two Obelisk. The pair looked at one another and started running in opposite directions. All that Dante could remember when he woke up a few hours later was the explosion of the bomb, a bright light, and the concussion wave hitting him a few moments later. The fighting was over, and the Vendetta was complete…

ABY 70
Coruscant
Big Daddy’s XXX

“And that’s how we became friends enough to sit here today….” the Dark Paladin of Scholae Palatinae managed to say as one of the dancers snuggled in his lap. Even in his 80’s, Dante seemed content with an ale and an attractive woman.

Fremoc just shook his head and added “Yes… and drinks are on Dante!” with a shout.

Chuckling, the older man retorted “Works for me…” as he watched the people flock to the bar for their free drink. “Now where’s my son…”

Just then, a tall and rugged warrior dressed in matte black clothing came through the front door of the club. Not out of place for mercenaries working on Coruscant, the man had a concealed armor chest plate under his clothes. Looking like he was in his late 30’s, the seasoned trooper came over to the table and said “Father... I think mother is looking for you….”

Smiling at his youngest son, the old stormtrooper said “See Fremoc… even now, I can’t escape the clutches of my wife…” With that, Dante stood up from his repose and ended the evening with “Enjoy the rest of the night.”