Lord Greshh

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Cosen Greshh

I look at Jerus, but don’t say anything. I am clearly shaken, and I don’t lower my weapon. Jerus is the only one I allow to get even remotely close to me.

Hunter Ordo

I look to Talion. “We’ll take the prisoner back to base. I’m not much for interrogations myself, I confess. I don’t have the heart to cause pain to a brother, even a traitor.” As I signal a transport, I ask Jerus “Have you heard anything from our... your family? They may have been targeted too.”

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Hunter Ordo

I nod to Talion. "Good work. Restrain him for now. I'll deal with him momentarily." I go to Cosen, looking down on her and Gavin sympathetically. "Is he...?"

Cosen Greshh

"Get away from us!" I lash out, swinging my lightsaber at him to keep him back. "If you come any closer, I'll kill each and every one of you!"

Hunter Ordo

I jump back. "Whoa! Easy there, Cosen! The traitors have been dealt with. You're safe now..."

Mandalore the Risen

"Safe?! I don't believe that for a moment. You think I'm stupid?" I point my blade at the Mandos around me. "Get back! Leave me alone!"

Mandalore the Risen

"I hope it won't become a fight, but I don't know who else is involved. For all I know, there are other Clan Chiefs on his side. I need to act quickly and nip this in the bud before his treachery spreads too far through the ranks."

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Mandalore the Risen

“Apparently he lacks the courage and the honor to face me. I plan to repay him in kind.” Zar’kun and I reach the common area of the command center, where the Clan Chiefs usually hang out. “I’ve been keeping a close eye on the building since the attack yesterday. Nobody comes or goes without it being reported to me. Zarka is still here, and probably doesn’t know I know what he’s done yet.” I give Zar’kun a grave look. “This is between Mando’ade. If things get violent, I welcome your assistance. But otherwise, leave it to me and my chiefs to deal with.”

Hunter Ordo

The Saxon uprising was strangely short lived. By no means do I believe it’s over, but the fighting seems to have stopped almost as soon as it began. The Saxon men have all either fled or been killed. “I want survivors! Someone bring me a conspirator ALIVE! I want answers!”

Duny Saxon

I lay on the ground, Talion Wren still pinning me in place. I don’t struggle much, as I realize it is pointless. It wasn’t supposed to go this way.

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Mand’alor the Risen

When I hear Jerus’ message, I do not attempt to hide my anger. “I knew that snake would turn against me! Zar’kun and I will deal with Zarka here at the base. Jerus, do why you can to stop his renegade men.” I am not in my armor, at the moment, and I waste no time getting it. I only grab my gauntlets and my blasters. Otherwise I am in civilization clothes.

Armond Organa

I kneel beside my wounded bodyguard, the other one watching my back in case more Saxons attack. I have my small defensive blaster in hand as well. “We need to get out of here now!”

Hunter Ordo

Talion and I fire back at the Saxons on the stage, taking two down almost immediately. The others, seeing us, suddenly break off their attack. I can’t tell through their helmets, but their body language is that of surprise and confusion. Rather than attack us, they begin to retreat. “Go after them, Talion! I’ve got the leader!” I jump on stage and rush at Gida, who has his blaster aimed at Cosen Greshh. “Stop this madness in the name of Mand’alor!”

Gida Saxon

I turn, surprised at Kamari’s appearance. “Kam?! What are you doing?”

Hunter Ordo

“Stopping you, of course! This is against Mand’alor’s command! Stand down or I will shoot you!”

Cosen Greshh

Gida doesn’t get the chance to make that decision. My lightsaber springs into my hand and I slice his head clean off. With only an angry glare at Kamari, I dash to my brother, turning over his limp body. “No no no no!”

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Gavin Greshh

Forced to go off script, I rack my brain for a good response. “The alternative was Galactic Annihilation! Do you not understand that your Chancellor, I’d left unchecked, would have caused death on such a scale that it made this war look like a minor street brawl? I regret those deaths, but all wars have casualties, and I believe the Republic has far more to answer for! Genocide for one...”

Cosen Greshh

While Gavin is arguing with the angry crowd, I get a ping of danger sense. Something nag very bad was about to happen. As I turn to Gavin to warn him, my danger sense flairs, and the spot on my head where I’d been concussed explodes with pain and nausea.

Gavin Greshh

I see Cosen gripping her head in pain out of the corner of my eye, and I turn away from the podium. “Sister? What is wrong?” For some reason, my own danger sense does not detect the movement behind me until it is too late.

Gida Saxon

I raise the barrel of my blaster carbine and squeeze the trigger. Before Gavin can react, I perforate his back with a rapid fire barrage, sending him crumbling into the podium. Immediately after, my squad of Saxon warriors rush to the foot of the stage and open fire on the crowd, targeting the Kham Rho and his associates, but also hitting bystanders unfortunate enough to be too close. “For Clan Saxon!!”

Armond Organa

My eyes widen, and I grip the railing tightly. “By the Force, what’s happening!?” I hear a blaster cock behind me, and I look over my shoulder to see Nor Saxon with his pistol to my head.

Nor Saxon

“Sorry, sir. Orders are orders.” Before I can pull the trigger, one of Organa’s guards throws themselves at me, causing me to miss my shot. Now in close combat, I extend a hidden blade from my gauntlet and repeatedly jab it into the guard’s side.

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Gavin Greshh

The audience makes a lot of sound as I come out. Some of it is good sounds like cheers and applause. Others are bad, like booing and a few shouts calling me every name from “Terrorist” to “Sith”, and even a few racial slurs like “Tail Head”. Thankfully, I could see Mandalorians in the crowd moving in to have a private word with the more animated haters.

I raise my hands to quiet everyone. “People, please! Settle yourselves! I do not come before you as a conqueror or a savior! I am only one of many who the Republic has tried and failed to suppress! The unsilent majority who refuses to be buried under level upon level of steel, and forgotten about by the upper crust of the Republic! We who, when the time to rise up against our oppressors came, we took it, raising our banners high for all to see!” Everyone slowly begins to quiet down, though whether it is out of respect or because a Mandalorian threatened them into silence is unknown. “Now, I may be a Sith by blood, along with my sister, but we are not Sith by creed. Those of you who fear us for our heritage should know that we are not influenced by darkness. We want nothing more than to be accepted, just as our mother is accepted as a Twi’lek. How many of you are seen as Humans, Zabraks, Ithorians, Bith, and so on. The Great War is over, and the Age of the Sith Empire is over. Now, we want what you all want; peace.”

Armond Organa

I watch him speak from a balcony above the crowd. “Talking about peace surrounded by Mando invaders. Hard to sell, but if he words it right...” a Mandalorian flies down and lands on the balcony, starting me. My two guards move to defend, but I wave them down. “Woah! Don’t surprise me like that!”

Nor Saxon

“Sorry, sir. Mand’alor sent me to give you extra protection. Sort of an offering of peace between our two factions.”

Armond Organa

“Oh, right. Tell her I said thank you, and I look forward to speaking with her soon.” I can’t make out the Mando’s reaction under his helmet, and he doesn’t say anything more. “Okay then.”

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Hunter Ordo

“Plunder the banks of Muunilist? Those long faces wouldn’t know what hit them, and imagine what would happen when all those Republic nobles realize their accounts have been depleted.” As I joke, I look up at the podium again. Wonder what’s taking Gavin so long.

Gavin Greshh

I stand just out of view, making the final preparations to address the people of Coruscant. With me, of course, is Cosen, and I also have Gida Saxon leading a security team of Mandos. “Is it too late to cancel this? Or at least postpone?”

Cosen Greshh

“What’s wrong? I’ve never known you to have stage fright. You’ve always been a better leader than me. You will do great!”

Gavin Greshh

“It’s not that. It’s just... I can’t stop thinking about last night. Father... laying near death, waiting for us to save him. I don’t like that. I want to bright him back already. The longer we take... what if it’s too late?”

Cosen Greshh

“Satele said the armor would keep him alive. We will bring him back soon enough, brother. And he will be proud that you did this; took up leadership in his place and lead the Revolution to victory.” I smile. “You can tell him all about it when we wake him.”

Gida Saxon

“You’ll do great, sir. I have total faith in you. Everyone seems to be on your side too. Pretty sure nobody is going to throw rotten fruit at you.” I hold up my rapid fire carbine. “And if they do, they’ll get a taste of this.”

Gavin Greshh

I chuckle. “Thanks, Gida. Glad to have you watching my back.” I look out towards the waiting crowd. “Well... I guess it’s now or never. Let’s go.” I step outside, followed closely by my sister and Mando bodyguards.

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Hunter Ordo

“Ah yes! That would be a fine conquest. Perhaps we ransom Coruscant back to the Republic in exchange for Onderon... but then again, where is the fun in that?” I laugh, knowing full well we can be overheard by normal people.

Armond Organa

I stand with a small group of my bodyguards, waiting to see how Gavin’s speech is going to go. I’m aware that he isn’t a big fan of mine, and that his group is actively against politicians and rich people in power. I wished their was a way to assure him that I was not one those corrupt billionaires he hated so much, but that was exactly the type of thing a corrupt billionaire would do. My only option was to prove myself genuine. I just hoped he give me the chance.

Xanthippe Naberrie

“Armond!” I walk up with to him, waving. “So good to see you made it at last.”

Armond Organa

I look surprised. “Senator Naberrie? You’re...” I look her up and down. “...walking.”

Xanthippe Naberrie

It takes me a moment to put two and two together. “Oh! Yes, I am. The whole vegetable thing was all psychosomatic, it turns out.”

Armond Organa

“Right... Well, I’m glad you finally got over yourself.” I say that in the nicest way possible. I then look out over the Senate District skyline. “So, our old Chancellor has run for the hills, I hear, and the capital is now in the hands of Mandalorians. An interesting state of events, to be sure.”

Xanthippe Naberrie

“A surprise, to be sure. Not quite a welcome one, but better than the alternative.”

Armond Organa

“I suppose that’s true, and Zar’kun Je’and says they’ll be leaving soon. Once that’s all settled, we can start the healing process.” I glance at Xan from the corner of my eye. “Now that Sucal is gone, I hope the senate realizes their mistake... and never elect a Sith as Chancellor again.”

Xanthippe Naberrie

I bristle imperceptibly. “Yes, well... nobody knew what Sucal was when they elected him.”

Armond Organa

“They do now though.” I turn to face her fully. “And they will know what you are too. I’ll make sure of that.” Before she has a chance to retort, I walk off with my guards.

Xanthippe Naberrie

I stammer first words as Armond walks away. My fingers crackle momentarily with electricity, but I ball it into a fist to suppress it. Zar’kun must have told Armond my secret, and the honorable man he is, that damn Alderaanian will have no choice but to reveal it to everyone.

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Hunter Ordo

“That’s the rumor. Mand’alor hasn’t made any official announcement about it yet, though. And don’t worry if we are leaving. We don’t need to occupy Coruscant for us to still rule here. The people will remember what happened; how the Mando’ade brought the Pubs to their knees, but chose to let them limp away with their lives. Think how much more humiliating it will be when we deny the Republic a chance to retake their capital through battle.”

A Galaxy in Twilight[Lord Gressh/Zarkun]

Hunter Ordo

I moving through the crowd to stand next to him. "Oh yeah. The Pubs thought they were being clever by sending guys to attack our flanks. Luckily, some of our Jettise allies were there to lend a hand. And here I thought I wouldn't be seeing any action, stuck guarding the command center."