The Imperial Exile Chapter Two

                                   The Imperial Exile
                                      Chapter Two

12 P.M, Primeday, Tenth Month 30, 989 ABY Kalee

     Isorak nodded towards As'bak, allowing the Kaleesh's hand to slide off his shoulder. Accepting the command, Isorak turned towards the center of the battlefield, where bodies of hundreds of bloodied and dead Kaleesh people laid on the ground, giving the earth a slight red tint. Meanwhile, Kanto gravemen dotted the field picking up the Kanto dead. They left the Gruus'kav dead untouched, as was custom on Kalee. Isorak sighed, too many had died, he should have done better, but now it was too late. So he shrugged off the thought, though it remained in the back of his head, nagging him, taunting him. He then began walking towards the center of the battlefield, the location where the first blades of steel met, and the opening cries of war sounded. He walked carefully, making sure his feet did not touch the dead, for it was the considered to be the greatest disrespect to a fallen foe if someone stepped on them, as if they were being kicked from godship, something not even the Gruus'kavs deserved.

     As Isorak got closer to the center and the bodies mounted, he could see a figure in the distance. The figure stood tall, around two meters in height, wrapped in a garb that appeared to look like a cape. As Isorak drew nearer to the shrouded figure, he could pick upl more details. The figure wore a dark green cape over a civilian garb, or at least a human garb; but he was not human, as he had no hair and his skin was a brownish orange. Isorak finally got close enough to identify it as a species he did not know of, not that he knew many. He approached the outsider, speaking in a nearly inaudible voice, "You wanted me, outsider." Isorak stood behind the outsider, who was observing the aftermath of the battlefield.

     The outsider turned, his face covered by a metal mask and his eyes capped by black goggles. "Yes, yes I did, young one" he said in a soft and wise voice, crossing his arms underneath his cape. One of his hands was stroking a long metallic stick-like thing that was clipped on the outsider's belt. Isorak glared at this thing, curious, he thought. The outsider noticed this. "Want to know what this is?" he asked, motioning towards the thing that Isorak was glaring at. Isorak snapped out of his daze and answered timidly, "Yes, sir" adding the sir due to respect and military discipline he had learned as lad of three. Despite his brush with death he was still a boy and he was still intimidated. The outsider nodded and detached the metallic stick-looking thing, "It's called a lightsaber," he said as he ignited it. A yellow beam drew out from the lightsaber. "It is a weapon an Imperial Knight uses, as well as the Jedi and Sith" he explained, allowing Isorak's eyes to wander across the blade. Isorak was seemingly stunned, in awe of how magical the blade looked. Moments later Isorak snapped out of the awe-moment, and looked at the outsider. "How did you get it?" he asked in a risen voice now that he was curios, his eyes showing his inner child, one that was hidden by his mask and bloodied appearance. The outsider responded "I did not get it, young one, I created it." he answered, disigniting the saber and clipping it back on his belt.

     "But that is not something we should discuss now. Let me introduce myself. I am Plaash Kard, a Kel-Dorian, and you, young one, are?" he said sternly but not aggressively, like a man on a mission that needed to get to his point across. Isorak answered quickly "I am Isorak Kanto, a.... human" he said, letting the last part drag for a moment, as he was ashamed to be a human. He felt inferior for being one compared to his Kaleesh brothers, whose abilities seemed to surpass his own. "There is nothing wrong with being human" Plaash assured the boy, then changing the subject, he asked "Do you want to know something, Isorak?". The boy looked at the man confused but never the less he answered "Sure." "You are different from your Kaleesh brothers, though not because you're human." he said, now focused on Isorak, who looked even more confused. He let out a bewildered "What do you mean?". Plaash responded quickly as if he was expecting the question, "I mean that you are Force Sensitive, you are able to cast on what your priests call magic." Isorak stumbled backwards a little bit, stunned by the information given to him. "But I... I am not Kaleesh, I cannot be a...a priest" he stuttered. Plaash chuckled "You do not need to be Kaleesh to call on the Force. I can call on the Force as well." he explained to the bewildered boy. "So I...I can become a Priest?" he asked astounded by this newly discovered information.

     "Well, yes and no...you can become a priest, but I advise you not to. Instead I want you to become an Imperial Knight" the Kel Dorian stated, finally revealing why he really wanted to see Isorak. "An Imperial Knight?" Isorak asked. He had never heard of them before and was confused as to what they were. "An Imperial Knight is a Force user, a warrior, who protects the Emperor, the leader of the Empire, and fights for the Greater Good" The Kel-Dorian explained, trying to make it simple for the boy. Isorak thought on what the man said "So they are like the Izvoshra?" he asked, since the Izvoshra protected Kaleesh of great importance. The Kel-Dor chuckled "In a way, yes, but we fight for justice and the Good in the galaxy, while still protecting the Emperor" he explained in a kindly manner, trying not to make the boy feel stupid. Isorak nodded and thought on the request presented to him. Join the Imperial Knights, leaving his tribe, or stay here where he is a loner. After a few minutes, he concluded that he would need more time to weigh the consequences and opportunities that each option holds. He looked at the Kel Dorian and said "I'll need some time to think on it..." Plaash nodded. "Go ahead take your time."