March 8,2016
Shawn escorted Camilla through the halls, "hey Shawn" Mara said "oh hi there I'm Mara" she said extending her hand to Camilla "hi I'm Camilla sorry I didn't get to meet you in Nashville" she replied, "he gave you the sword?" Mara said noticing Shawn held the blade in its scabbard "yeah pretty cool huh" he said as they headed for the shuttle, "so Leia is going back to Earth in about three weeks we'll be with her" Mara told Shawn "ok see you then" he replied leaning down and kissing her before getting in the shuttle, Camilla had a sly look "oh you got a bae or naw?". Shawn simply laughed in reply,
Moscow, Russia the Kremlin, March 8,2016
President Johnson was with Riosovsky who was talking about tactics and old war stories, she looked around the ornate beautiful gardens and her daughter Sophia sitting with Riosovsky's youngest son Alexi talking about who knew what. "It was quite humorous the officer made everyone drink vodka mixed with beer if they lost" Riosovsky said and she chuckled, "on a more secret matter Xi has agreed to this deal reluctantly, my forces have begun withdrawing from the Baltic's and Georgia as we speak the Chinese from India and New Delhi outskirts as will the Iranians I trust you've done the same?" He asked,
"yes The Pentagon has called up reserves and pulled back aircraft and ships overseas specifically the Pacific" Johnson said. "I must admit I'm pained to drag the world back into conflict, my oldest son just turned twenty two is an artillery officer in Gerogia I'd love to have him home but the greater good demands he liberate his motherland" Riosovsky said "and after nearly a million lives lost too, I fear it'll be many more this time if we fail" he continued, "we have to succeed so we don't become a colony" Johnson said. "Then in that case the assault can and may begin on May 1st" Riosovsky said, "also I want to formally extend my apologies my my actions in the UN" he continued, Johnson was unsure if he was honest or simply playing her for his own ends "I accept your apology" she replied
Toronto, twelve hours later,
Shawn unlocked the door to his house and walked in " hey Shawn how are you?" His mom asked walking over hugging him "I'm good thanks" she backed up and sighed "I think you got taller while you were gone" she said "what's that?" She asked looking at the sword "oh a gift from the Emperor" Shawn replied "is it real?" She asked, "yes it's called Excalibur, it's magical I heard" Shawn replied. "Oh very interesting" she replied "like your own magic or whatever", "no something different" he replied.
Munnilist,
"The governments of Earth prepare for an assault on the Imperials Lord Maul" Snoke said in his low monotone voice, "perhaps we should seize the opportunity to control that system it could allow us to travel from the north to the Western Reaches undetected" Maul replied, "I think not the Empire has a fleet stationed in the system we should not risk overextending ourselves" Snoke said, "and the Emperor has the Earthlings other colleagues monitor him for any treasonous activities" he said. "I have seen it for the Force provides all guidance Lord Maul" Snoke said "what if he is able to find that temple in their southern polar region Palpatine would collect any artifacts before us" Maul objected, "Palpatine would not be first neither was I, in that temple lies evidence of its discovery by a nation state around seventy nine years prior to my arrival" Snoke said. "What if the boy who has the unusual ability to traverse long distances through the Force heads there instead" Maul asked, "then I will rip that power from his soul, not to worry I've called on one to see that they don't" Snoke responded coldly before the transmission ended.
March 18,2016
-News broadcast "in other news Russian forces have begun withdrawing from the demarcation line in the Baltic's with Chinese and Pakistani troops withdrawing from India, President Johnson is still in Moscow in closed doors talks with the Russian government but it seems this war has finally come to an end, meanwhile more National Guard units have mobilized taking up positions outside the cites of Denver,Los Angeles, Seattle, and Portland which are still under Imperial control by the Vienna Peace Accords alarming many in the area while The Pentagon assures it is merely routine drills"
Shawn was out on a run on a beautiful spring morning, nothing seemed out of the ordinary except the usual uplifting feeling of the seasonal transition had remained the same for a long time..fear, fear of the Empire had latched into the minds of ordinary citizens and it was prominent in their faces on the streets, in the car, on the metro especially when stormtroopers were patrolling the area in armored vehicles searching anyone deemed suspicious of association with resistance fighters. He stopped to catch his breath looking around when suddenly a crowd was gathering in the center all staring at something with a loud snapping nose echoing, curious Shawn walked over and saw a young man being held by two stormtroopers as an ISB flogged him with an electrowhip lacerating his back but cauterizing it at the same time.The crowd winced and the boy groaned loudly "stop he didn't do anything!" A woman pleaded being pushed back by two other troopers, the ISB man stopped and turned a few drops of blood visible on his white jacket.
"he was caught tearing down a Imperial banner" the officer said "that doesn't mean you whip him!" Someone shouted "mind your own damn business sir! Or I'll arrest you too!" The ISB man said pointing at whomever protested. "Please he's my son just let him go he's only fourteen!" The woman who seemed to be the young mans mother pleaded again, the ISB man said "fine then" and nodded two the troopers who dropped the unconscious boy to the ground with a thud . The crowd walked away and Shawn couldn't believe what he just saw but just like everyone else faded off as the mother held her son looking at the ISB man with a pained face that read why?, But he couldn't do much without drawing attention and resistance fighters wouldn't attack in broad daylight preferring the cover of night to slip off into dark alleyways.
Upon returning home Shawn sat down scrolling through his phone, "you could've stopped them" Malgus said in a hushed tone but Shawn ignored him and just put his earbuds in putting music on " That won't work" Malgus said. Shawn clenched his fist he'd had enough of Malgus constantly baiting him to draw on the dark side and being followed around "will you just leave me alone!" He practical yelled and Malgus vanished. "Shawn?" His mom said knocking on his door " who're you talking to?" She asked, "uh no one just myself" Shawn responded fibbing prevalent in his tone that had irritation brimming it as well. "Well I can hear you downstairs" she said in a joking manner before walking away, Shawn waved his finger closing his door with the Force before scrolling through his phone more. He still couldn't stop thinking about that kid being flogged like that and for what? The look that ISB man had was one of pure evil and enjoyment, what could he do? When not on assignment Shawn didn't have his usual exemptions as he would on Coruscant,
Later that night Shawn was up a little late strumming strings on his guitar, he enjoyed this and longed for when he could simply strum away without interruption. Then there was a tick at his window, at first Shawn thought it was a bug but then it went again and again, curious he set his guitar down and looked out and there was Clara. He opened his window and in a hushed tone said "yeah?", "Marcus wants to talk to you" she replied, " I can't if my parents found me sneaking out" Shawn replied but after what he witnessed earlier helping the resistance seemed more inviting. "That's fine just warning you we're hitting a checkpoint tonight so if you hear anything that's why" she said before vanishing, sighing Shawn closed his window before going to bed. But at around three in the morning he was woken up to the sound of his walls rattling, it sounded like fireworks were going off but different.
Then Shawn heard an explosion and sat up instantly knowing this was a distant artillery barrage about five miles away, he got up and looked out the window spotting a series of orange flashes in the distance, lights around the neighborhood came on.The door opened and Aaliyah asked "what's that noise?", not wanting to alarm her Shawn replied " uh someone's setting off fireworks don't worry" though she had a confused look she shut the door and walked away. The shelling then stopped but still echoed for three seconds, something then went through the glass of the window and chipped the wall, Startled at first Shawn picked it up and it was a piece of shrapnel.
-News broadcast, "at around three o'clock in the morning eastern standard time a Canadian army lieutenant approached the Imperial checkpoint outside Toronto asking access to the city, an argument broke out resulting in a Imperial soldier shooting the officer and a shirt firefight broke out at least five civilians were killed in the crossfire, about twenty minutes Canadian authorities shut down traffic to the city before firing approximately twenty four mortar shells at the checkpoint inflicting major damage, The Imperial Governor Adelhard condemned this attack as tensions soar",
Yavin System,
The Ghost exited hyperspace in the remote system, "Intelligence was correct the Empire isn't in this system" Hera said clicking a few buttons as they entered the atmosphere, "I don't like it feels..cold" Kanan said still troubled by the fact his old friend had turned to the dark side, Vess had been a close friend before Order 66 they'd trained together frequently and Kanan helped the Youngling many times as well. "There's a temple" Ezra pointed out, Hera steered the Ghost down to the temple landing near it. Kanan and Ezra exited ten ship approaching the temple, "this'll make an excellent base" Ezra said "then we'll inform Mon Mothma when we get back to the Liberty" Kanan said. Then Ezra winced as a he had a flash, he saw a battle in a city with stormtroopers laying dead in the ground blood pouring out of small bullet looking holes in their armor with other solders nearby with flag patches donned with a red leaf. "What is it?" Kanan asked, "I don't know I think something will happen bad will happen soon" Ezra replied.
