A Clash Of Ideals

[Connor Harrison]

The Imperial District
Coruscant, Core Worlds

Joon stared out of the window the whole way down into the old Imperial Sector on Coruscant.

Her second trip to the planet, this time with a lot more understanding about the importance of it and the role it played in history. Eyes wide like an eager youth, the clone was eager to find what she could about the part the Empire played in galactic history so she knew how to act for the future.

Only a handful of people emerged from the transport, and Joon was one with her fur lined cowl covering her body, an ensemble of black and tan layers and wraps covering her torso and arms. Heavy wedged boots clunked on the iron walkway as she walked alone through the district which was on the upper-levels.

The skylanes were visible in the distance, and it was clear this was a sector that was more run-down than most. A few flags here and there, a few garrisons dotted in the buildings as she passed, but nothing that jumped out of here.

She trailed her fingers across the railings as she walked through the district and glanced up at the once thriving skyscrapers that housed who knew what . Military intelligence? Scientists? Doctors? Soldiers? Governors?

The Force was strong around her and it was humbling to be around a place that once helped control the galaxy from this very spot. It was also a place she knew Jedi Knights were known to locate. Well, it was clear what she would do if any tried to take her down or the history of her Empire.

[member="Stephanie Brown"]

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Stephanie would have worked all that morning at her part-time job at the diner, it wasn't much but it was enough for her to get by on while she was being trained in the Jedi arts. Practice was nothing new for Stephanie, she had been working hard ever since she was 9. Her own home was not far from the location of Joon, it was about time for her to start her nightly patrol. Very few people knew that she was the masked vigilante that protected Coruscant, and even fewer understood why she did what she did. Nonetheless she would suit up, placing her armor on one piece at a time she would check each piece to make sure it did not need any repairs. Once she was suited up she would then walk back over to her closet and reach inside, she would then pull out a beautiful blade. She had learned forging from an old blacksmith who was rumored to be one of the best around here she would then work for months to construct both the blade and the handle. She would admire her craftsmanship for a moment before placing the blade in its holster which was across her back. She would then open her window and step out onto the ledge before opening the wings on her suit and gliding to a building with a good view

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Joon peered through a large pane of broken glass, leading into a dark building, before moving on.

Her curiosity was at peak now, exploring a place the Empire had ruled for so long and had set the stage for many battles and conflicts on both large and small scales. And still a few fingerprints of the past remained.

Coming to a T-junction on the walkway, Joon stood by the railing and looked across at a large square below, with what looked like a partially destroyed statue in the middle. She squinted, but couldn’t make it out. Was it a Jedi? A solider? A politician?

Glancing around, she swung her legs over the edge and lowered herself down a few floors on metallic grates before dropping down with a crunch to the ground below. A large dome shaped building was on the far opposite, and beyond that was more buildings that touched the clouds. Skylines passed above and the dull hum of speeder engines could be heard.

Joon walked into the square, hands held out to feel what could have been a huge rally point – a place for people like her to come together before their leader and plot their next move against the criminals of the galaxy. It must have been a wonderful thing.

Then, she turned around from where she had come and looked up into the waning light.

Her eyes narrowed.

It was like she was being watched.

Amber eyes scanned around, but she saw nothing.

She turned back and continued to walk along the square, pushing back the edge of her cowl as she did so she could reach her weapon if needed.

[member="Stephanie Brown"]

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Stephanie had been monitoring this planet for years, she had gotten used to the ebb and flow of traffic. She would reach out with the force searching for anything out of the ordinary. Then she would feel it, a strange feeling she had never felt before, it was bone chilling and as dark as the blackest night. It sent a chill done her spine, goosebumps would appear on her skin but she would then follow the feeling.

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

There it was again.

She slowed down in her casual walk to a dead stop, feet from the crumbling statue in the center.

Enjoying the thrill of what was in the air - dread - Joon turned around and looked into the darkness and raised her hand.

"Come out. Come out, wherever you....are."

They were scared.

She fed on fear.

Joon smiled.

[member="Stephanie Brown"]

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Steph heard the voice and decided she needed to face whatever it was that wanted her, better to face it than run and hide. She would come close to the woman and then drop onto the ground. She would grab her beskad from her back and ready it "What do you want?"

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

The clone covered her hand with her mouth, and gasped.

”Oh, my…very dramatic! What are you? You don’t look like a Jedi Knight”

She took a few small steps forward, looking at this girl curiously.

”What do I want? I want what everyone wants – the return of the Empire and the installation of law and order once more. Isn’t that you want too, with your mask and fancy clothing?”

[member="Stephanie Brown"]

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Stephanie would study the woman closely, so she was looking for Jedi knights? That was very interesting, Steph may not look like much but she was always underestimated. "I may not look like a Jedi but would you like to put your theory to the test? I wouldn't bet on your chances." Steph said snarling at the sith, she had only heard of the sith. She knew they were out there but she had never faced or even seen one before today. Her knuckles were white on her Beskad as she awaited an attack "That is the last thing that anyone wants on this planet, or anywhere in the galaxy."

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

A laugh escaped her lips and she started to close the gap on the masked girl. So young! So full of fear.

Feed me…

”You are frightened, aren’t you child.”

She glared at her, walking slowly, hands ready, eyes fixed.

”The Empire keeps systems in line. Maintains governance where there is none. Gives people hope for futures and stability. A strong fighting force to back them up. Forces like me and you. Force warriors, trained to kill.”

Joon’s eyes closed.

”Are you frightened, or can you embrace the change coming? You must feel it….”

[member="Stephanie Brown"]

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Stephanie would lock eyes with the woman, she wasn't scared of her. If Stephanie wanted her dead she would be so already. Steph would keep a good grip on her Beskad, but what did Stephanie fear? That is a very good question, deep within herself she feared being the exact thing she hated the most, her father. He had tried to kill her and in the process had ended up killing her mother. She would never be like him, she would die first.

As she stood there facing the woman down she would ready herself to fight, she already knew what her first move would be. She would unleash a fighting technique she had developed herself, she would unleash a volley of full body blows in hopes of isolating her enemies weaknesses. "You and I have nothing in common."

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

The amber eyes snapped open.

”Yes we do. We so do.”

Her hand slowly lifted her lightsaber hilt from her hip and held it out for the masked girl to see.

”We both fight for something we believe in. We have discipline. That makes us better than most of them out there. Better than Jedi Knights and Sith Warriors.”
Joon looked past the hilt to the girl’s eyes, and her hand behind her back.

”If you raise your blade to me, I’ll cut your head off. I promise you that. So don’t be stupid. Why don’t you put your desire for greatness to use. Join me in the quest to put order back into a galaxy that has taken so much…taken those we love…we can help stop that happening….”

[member="Stephanie Brown"]

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

"Never I will not join you I am not like you, I am much better than that. You can try to take my head if you wish but let me warn you, you wont succeed." Stephanie would then raise her blade ready to be attacked. She would never turn she had too much fight in her to be turned by some words spun with the silver of the force. She was sure the woman would try to take her head. Let her try, she had faced the best blades men in this part of the galaxy.

Steph would set herself. Her gaze would become hard as steel as the light glinted off of her blade.

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

Joon watched as a nasty looking blade was unsheathed from the girls back.

”Hm. As you wish.”

She snarled and broke into a run, igniting her crimson blade outwards with a sharp snap-hiss, as she moved another way, before bringing the blade down horizontally in a wild swipe left and then again right.

The clone grinned at the scent of battle.

[member="Stephanie Brown"]

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Stephanie would see the blade coming and get out of the way of it by jumping backwards before bringing her own blade down. She would unleash a rapid fire series of full body attacks, if her methods were good she should be able to isolate the weakness of her enemy. The sun glinted wickedly off of her blade as it was swung, she had forged it herself but this was the first time she had actually used it in combat. She had practiced with it and perfected her technique with it .

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

It was just like the forest of Sojourn – the girl countered and attacked, and so Joon never forgot her training.

Let your enemy weaken themselves…

Joon recoiled quick, ducking this way and that as the blade sliced to her. She pictured the tree trunks and branches, ducking each one and never stopping as she did.

She span, rolled on her heel, ducked and weaved low, leaning back, ducking again, the blade moving constantly.

Then on the next turn, Joon hopped on her foot and shot out a roundhouse kick to the gut to buy a priceless second to move in.

[member="Stephanie Brown"]

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

The roundhouse would sure as the sun rose every morning connect with Stephanies stomach. Her armor would take the impact but she would be knocked back, but not lose track of where her enemy was. She was too well trained for that. She also needed a break for a second. Looks like she was going to have to fight this the old fashioned way, use her training and hope to get lucky enough to find the womans weakness that way

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

The boot struck, and Joon grinned, and used her momentum.

The crimson blade came back up and hacked towards her, going for the chest and head – the key areas to strike for a kill.

While she savoured the fight, this girl was far too stubborn for her own good.

She switched hands holding the light in a second, and backhanded another swipe of the blade for her head.

[member="Stephanie Brown"]

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

Stephanie would duck under the lightsaber before rolling between the womans legs and coming up on the other side. She would then throw a kick to the woman's lower back. Maybe she could get her cornered, she would then come around with her blade and swipe for the womans arm hoping to disarm her quickly and end this

[member="Joon"]

 

[Connor Harrison]

As the girl dropped and went under, Joon span around and countered the kick with her own, cracking the bones together on their lower legs and sending a dull pain up their legs.

She thrashed out of the way of her blade, and turned to run.

Joon ran towards the large crumbling statue in the square and started to hurl chunks of rock and debris back towards the girl that littered the floor. For added fun, she dragged her saber across the floor sending orange sparks flying up to add to the disorientation and assault.

[member="Stephanie Brown"]

 

[Eli-Mae Forrest]

As their legs smacked together, Steph was sure that if she hadnt been wearing armor she would have broken at least one bone. For the thousandth time she thanked the force for her armor. She would then give chase to the woman, as the chunks of debris began to fly her way she would dodge them as if they werent there. It was common knowledge that force users had faster reflexes than that of normal people. The sparks didnt really effect her either

[member="Joon"]