High Mage Serratus
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Cerean ReviewDarth Serratus was in his office on Kuat, reading reports. He absentmindedly pushed the buzzer to his secretary.
"Let me know when Darth Ultiria arrives."
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Darth Ultiria
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Ultiria walked unhurridly through the Mage offices. She felt proud to be a Mage, and the respect she was gievn assured her she had made the right choice. She came to the secretary to Serratus. "I'm here," she announced.
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus's buzzer activated.
"Darth Ultiria is here."
Serratus put the report back in his drawer.
"Send her up."
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Darth Ultiria
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Ultiria was wating patiently when the secretary nodded. She smiled thankfully and headed up to Serratus' office, and knocked.
"Come in"
She did so, cutseying in front of her superior. Bowing would mess up her hair, worn free around her shoulders today. "High Mage. Are we ready?"
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus looked up at his subordinate.
"Just a moment."
He got up and walked over to an unremarkable wall. He entered an extremely long and elaborate code into a keyboard on the wall. The hologram of a shelf faded and the wall rotated 180 degrees to reveal one of Serratus's three personal armouries. He ran his hands over the assorted weaponry. the pair of gaderffii from Tatooine, the twin beskad hunting knives, his rancor-tooth lightsaber and his chain-shoto. He surveyed all the weapons carefully before choosing his father's violet lightscythe, one of the flame carbines that had deformed him, his Myneyrshi battlestaff and his Sith sword. Considering himself sufficiently armed for the surface of Cerea, he turned to Darth Ultiria.
"Lead the way."
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Darth Ultiria
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Jerina's eyes were wide as she saw the massive array of weapons the High Mage held. All she bore was her lightsaber, clipped to her skirt. She nodded and left, heading to the hangar. When they got there, she turned to Serratus.
"Which ship should we take?" she asked.
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus motioned to a Dragon-Class Heavy Cruiser.
"We'll be taking the Bane of Ignorance. And you'll drive."
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Darth Ultiria
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She nodded. She had never been given much experience in flying, especially with cruisers, but she could do it well enough.
She took a seat and waited until everyone was seated, before taking off and leaving Kuat. After a few minutes they were in hyperspace, en route to Cerea.
*
When they arrived outside Cerea, Jerina looked outside of the viewport and was shocked at the state of the world. What had once been beautiful countryside and plains were now devestated war zones, blackened and charred. An Imperial Star Destroyer was laying into the planet with it's turbolasers, clearly providing air support.
Jerina headed down into the area around the main citadel. In the distance, rocket trails streaked in the sky and the dull thudding of explosions could be heard. Clouds of smoke from when a missile found it's target were faint on the horizon. Jerina turned back to Serratus, slightly scared about being in a warzone.
"What now?"
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High Mage Serratus
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((Could you edit your post to say we never landed, it would be better than me telling you to get back in.))
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Darth Ultiria
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((Um, allright, done.))
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus was completely unaffected by the chaos.
"We'll circumnavigate a couple of times to take note of places for investigation and then we'll land in said places, take soil samples, observe the flora and fauna etc."
He took out a datapad.
"And we'll hope we don't get shot down."
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Darth Ultiria
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She directed the ship slowly over the fields, or what used to be the fields.
"The fields look like they would be good for farming, but at present it's not that good, due to the azure."
She looked back to Serratus. "Just tell me if you want to have a look on foot."
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus nodded.
"Take us down, we need to take soil samples and review the animal and plant life."
He knew that these fields composed most of Cerea and would be an excellent insight into most of the planet's state.
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Darth Ultiria
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"Sure."
Steadily their ship landed, the ramp descending. Jerina got up and followed Serratus out, before heading over to a cluster of plants to take a sample.
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus on the other hand, found a quaint little tree stump and sat down on it, cross-legged. He reached out with the Force and began searching for animals. After noting the presence of an Aryx, several Oorg and a cloud of Crowns of Silk, Serratus rose from his position and started taking soil samples.
"Ultiria, how are things going with the plants?"
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Darth Ultiria
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Jerina looked up with a smile. "They look good. At the moment they are slightly contaminated by the residue from the weapons, but without any combat in the area they should be back to normal in a few days."
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus nodded and went over to the Bane of Ignorance. He took two of the specialised aquatic cages and captured two Crowns of Silk. After returning with a larger cage to catch an Oorg, he was about to call Ultiria when a whooshing sound pierced the air. He turned and raised his hands, using the Force, he stopped the massive boulder that had been about to hit him. Even as he stopped it, he felt it being pushed again. Someone on the other side was trying to throw it at him with the Force. But clearly they had never witnessed the proficiency with which Serratus wielded the Force. Diving into the pool of pain within him, Serratus pushed the boulder away mightily. But whoever was on the other side did just the same.
"Ultiria! A little help wouldn't go amiss!"
Serratus pushed again, only for the boulder to be pushed back again. If only the High Mage could have seen the true wielder of the boulder. A sad little Cerean boy, tears streaming down his face, who was trying to stop the bad people who were trampling on the graves of his parents.
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Darth Ultiria
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In an instant Ultira dropped what she was doing and had thrown the Force at her target - all she saw was a threat to Serratus and therefore herself. She leaped across the field, her blade springing to life in her hand, and moments later it was at her target's throat. Only then did she see who it was. A scared, whimpering, tear streaked little face looked back at her.
"Serratus, it's only a boy." She whispered, her eyes wide.
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High Mage Serratus
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"What?"
Serratus used the Force to push the boulder upwards, sending it flying away from the scene. Standing there was indeed a young boy. But the amount of power the boy had wielded was equal to his own. If honed properly, this child could be a blade of the Empire. Or a thorn in its side. Serratus raised a hand and knocked the child out painlessly with the Force. He turned to Ultiria.
"Now what do we do?"
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Darth Ultiria
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She stood up, hooking her saber back to her belt, the threat eliminated. "What can we do? He is clearly strong in the Force. He could make a good Sith, or he might just be a hinderance."
She regarded his limp form thoughtfully. "You're the High Mage."
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus paced back and forth. The boy could indeed make a good Sith. Or a good Jedi. If taught properly, the boy would be the bane of the light side. Or the dark side. Serratus grumbled. This was a dilemma indeed. Stepping quickly, he regarded the lad's form. Fit and young, pale skin.
Almost like me up until a few months ago. Minus the domed head.
Whatever choice Serratus made, knowledge of it could not leave the planet. If he took the boy, it would be to Tatooine and Ultiria would have to be memory wiped. If he killed the boy, she would have to be memory wiped nonetheless. The High Mage ran his fingers through his hair.
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Darth Ultiria
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Ultiria could feel some of what Serratus was thinking - it was not that hard. She knew he was deciding what to do with him, but his thoughts kept drifting to her, which confused her.
"With some work, we can train him to be valuable to our Order." She offered.
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High Mage Serratus
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"That we could."
Serratus looked at the sky. This boy had more Force potential than himself and Ultiria combined. The things that could be done with such power. He turned to Ultiria.
"Help me to get him on the Bane of Ignorance. We'll put him in one of the Force-resistant cages for now."
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Darth Ultiria
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She nodded. "Sure."
The two of them used the Force to lift the limp boy and carry him onto the ship, where Serratus began to put him in a Force cage. Ultiria returned outside to gather more samples.
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus stared at the young boy. His plan was both genious and foolish. If he was caught, accusations could be made. None of them true but this was still going to be a risky business. Serratus opened one of the three hidden compartments within the ship and concealed the young Cerean within. He injected him with one of the powerful animal sedatives he had on the ship and hooked him up to an oxygen tank before concealing him again. He went outside to Ultiria.
"Jerina."
When she turned, Serratus raised a hand and with an unsurprising amount of effort on his part, wiped her memory of the last few minutes.
"Did you get those samples?"
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Darth Ultiria
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Jerina's mouth hung open and she shook her head, trying to figure out what just happened. She must have just been thinking about something else. Hurridly she nodded.
"Er, yes High Mage I did. I think we're done here." She glanced worridly over her shoulder at the rising plumes of smoke, before heading back onto the ship.
((That was mean  ))
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High Mage Serratus
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((If it makes you feel better, you not knowing about the boy will help me return to a normal form.))
"Good. Come, we shall forth to Tecave City."
Serratus resumed his position in the passenger seat and waited for Ultiria.
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Darth Ultiria
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((  ))
Ultiria nodded and slipped into her seat, lifting the craft off and heading away from the nearby battle towards one of the huge Citadels. When they were hovering over it, she looked over her shoulder at Serratus.
"Where do you want us to set down?"
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus reached out with the Force and quickly located a number of areas that they most certainly shouldn't land in. He eventually located an area almost devoid of life.
"There is an area to the north of Tecave that seems to be on fire, swoop down near it so I can extinguish the flames."
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Darth Ultiria
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She complied, randomly distracted for some reason. The craft swung low over the flames.
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus opened one of the doors and hung off the ship by one hand, trusting Ultiria to keep the ship balanced. He raised his other hand and started manipulating pockets of air, cutting them off from the fire. He worked as quickly as he could, isolating large fires from others, like disassembling a jigsaw. Eventually, he had the flames extinguished.
"Land here."
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Darth Ultiria
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She did so, setting down in the wreckage. She climbed out and stepped outside, breathing deeply. She had always loved the smell of smoke.
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus hopped out of the Bane of Ignorance and landed on the smouldering remains of nothern Tecave City. He inhaled deeply before turning to Ultiria.
"Let's split up. You'll be covering military and civilisation resources while I do Force and mineral."
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Darth Ultiria
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"Ok. Meet you back here." She said, before walking off, still confused per the blank space in her mind.
She entered the city and located a large tower, which she climbed at a run, the excerise giving her a rush. She then overlooked the finer details of the city.
Cerea's citadels, like Tecave, are built on the same ring like method, each larger than the last. This meant that it could, in theory, hold millions of citizens in each walled ring. She noted this.
She knew that after the first battles the Moff, Crozeus, had called in Military divisions to retrain the Cerean militia, and to keep a permenant garrison there. The war industry had been heavily stepped up, and natural resources were being exploited. She noted this as well. When she had made enough points to reason a grade for it, she headed back to the ship to wait for Serratus.
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High Mage Serratus
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Several yards away from the Bane of Ignorance, Serratus had produced a short pole-like object with a handle on the top. He pushed a button, causing it to extend to an amazing length before sticking it deep into the Cerean soil. When the entire pole was submerged, he pressed as second button, and deep below the surface, a disc spun out of the bottom of the apparatus, cutting through the soil. With great effort, Serratus pulled the pole upward, extracting a perfect soil profile of Cerea. He analysed each layer thoroughly with the numerous chemical vials on his belt, taking notes all the while. He stopped suddenly, however, when he reached the bottom. A piece of metal was attached to the pole at the bottom of the soil profile. Serratus frowned.
"What is this?"
He stood up and walked over to the hole, going on his knees before looking into the hole. He jumped backwards as a blaster bolt came flying from the hole. Serratus opened his comlink and contacted Darth Ultiria.
"Ultiria, come to my location immediately, I may have discovered something important."
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Darth Ultiria
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"Understood, I'm on my way." She said into her comlink, before running to his location. She saw firstly a large appendage with a box of soil on it, and secondly the High Mage looking into a hole.
"What's going on?" She asked.
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High Mage Serratus
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!I think I've found a rebel command centre, in an underground bunker. Here"
Serratus pointed at the hole.
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Darth Ultiria
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Ultiria peered into the hole. A flurry of blaster bolts shot up at her.
"Huh. So you have. Should we tell the army?"
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus shook his head.
"No. We'll deal with this ourselves. Do you have any explosives on you?"
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Darth Ultiria
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Ultiria looked down. She wore only shorts and a armless top, and a small utility belt.
"Why, no, no I don't."
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High Mage Serratus
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Serratus sighed.
"Very well. Contact one of the bombardment ships and tell them to waste the city. Let's get back to the Bane of Ignorance."
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