The Jedi From Earth: A Star Wars Story, Part 2 #Wattys2024

Ch.20

Imperial Palace, Coruscant

Of all the more humiliating experiences that Riosovsky had had in his life, being led to his most dangerous enemy in shackles was something he had never anticipated. The large opaque halls of the palace were as he remembered the last time he was there, albeit before he had been an honored guest. Now he was a prisoner, and not just any ordinary prisoner either. He and Alexi were being escorted by a group of the Emperor's royal guards, with an Imperial officer in a white uniform led them. "<<Papa, I'm scared>>" Alexi muttered in a shaky tone. "<<Do not show that man any hint of weakness now, he is a clever calculating rat">>. The officer then looked back over his shoulder, "I thought I made this clear Mr. President, no foreign languages are to be spoken in the palace" he said in a harsh tone. Riosovsky was irritated by the remark but decided to try a different route in resolving the situation, "my apologies Colonel, my son does not speak English very well and I do not think there is anything foreign about my own mother tongue" he explained in his usual clam manner. The officer cocked an eyebrow, "understandable but His Highness will not approve" he said as they approached two large metal doors that slid open.

Riosovsky spotted the Emperor sitting in his throne with two other officials beside him. One of whom was a alien man with blue skin and two sets of horns on his head, two pointing upward and forward while two hung down from his neck. He was dressed in ornate black and red garments and held a long bronze colored staff. The other official was a human looking bald woman, who was so pale Riosovsky could see the veins in her face as they got closer. He also realized that the irises of her eyes were an unnerving silver gray color that stared back with a look of superiority.

The guards parted and pushed Riosovsky and Alexi forward. The officer then gave a bow, "Your Highness, I have brought you one of the leaders from the planet Earth" he said in a curt manner. "Thank you Colonel Gideon, you may leave us", The Emperor replied with a little wave. Gideon then turned around and walked past them out of the throne room. "President Viktor Riosovsky, allow me to introduce my associates" The Emperor said before gesturing to the alien man to his left, "Mas Amedda, my Grand Vizier", then he gestured to the woman on his right, "Sly Moore of Umbara, one my most trusted advisors". Then he turned his gaze back toward the two.

"Are these really needed?" Riosovsky asked and held up his shackled hands, "I'm not going anywhere". "They are merely procedure" Mas Amedda replied in a posh voice. Riosovsky glared at him a little, "at least unshackle my son" he asked. The Emperor then nodded at one of the guards who undid Alexi's shackles, which made him rub his wrists. "Boy, come here" the Emperor then said to Alexi before gesturing him over. Although Alexi did in fact speak English, his father had instructed him to pretend that he did not in dangerous circumstances. Alexi looked over at Riosovsky with a confused face as they had rehearsed. "Your Majesty, my son has a limited understanding of you-" Riosovsky said but the Emperor held up his hand in a silencing gesture. "I see through your charade, but if that is indeed true tell your son to approach me" he said in a scolding like tone. "<<Aloysha, he wants you to go to him>>" Riosovsky said and Alexi cautiously walked up to the Emperor until he was a few feet away.

"You understand me?" The Emperor asked in a slightly irritated tone. "Y-yes I do" Alexi said in his heavy Muscovite accent. "Good, now tell me, do you wish to return home?" The Emperor asked. Alexi looked back at his father with what seemed to be an expressionless face, yet Riosovsky could see fear in his eyes. "I want to see my brothers again" Alexi replied. "And how do you think that might happen? By having your father continue to fight a war he cannot win?" The Emperor responded, "surely you must understand the futility of the situation facing your country at this moment, which I believe your uncle now has control under". "Then you should know my uncle will not yield to you even if my father does" Alexi replied. The Emperor's expression turned sour and he then looked at Riosovsky with contempt. "It seems the tales of your countrymen are true, you are a very proud people indeed" The Emperor said as he rose from his throne, "your pride will be your undoing" he said before gesturing for the guards.

Then two of the red robed royal guards walked up to Alexi and one grabbed his arm and turned him to face Riosovsky, who then understood what might happen and he was now genuinely afraid for his sons safety. "Guards, show the President what happens when you defy me" then the guards lowered their electropikes at Alexi and jabbed him. The shock of the pikes made Alexi cry out in pain and he fell to the floor, squirming and contorting. Riosovsky could take it no longer. "Stop please!" He shouted. The Emperor then raised his hand and the guards ceased their torture before resuming their robotic like stances. "What do you want from us?!" Riosovsky asked in distress. "I want your loyalty, side with me and your ambitions for your nation shall come true, you will be governor of your world and be free to do with it as you wish, dominate your enemies once and for all" the Emperor said as the guards yanked Alexi off the floor and tossed him in Riosovsky's direction.

*****Winterfell

The sounds of hammers on wood and metal began to faintly enter Shawn's mind as the crackle of a fireplace accompanied them. As he slowly opened his eyes he saw a figure standing over him, and tying a brace around his arm. It was Maester Wolkan, who noticed that Shawn had woken up. "Be still, you are quite injured" Wolkan said but Shawn tried sitting up anyway only for Wolkan to push him back down. "Please don't, my lord" Wolkan said. "I'm not a-" Shawn said but then coughed slightly, "I'm not a lord" he managed to utter before finally coming to his senses and seeing he was in his room in the castle. Wolkan then set Shawn's arm back down, "I'm afraid that you cannot use your left arm in a fight for some time" he explained and then opened a small vial and poured it into a cup, "drink this" he said. "What is it?" Shawn asked. "Milk of the poppy for the pain" Wolkan explained then handed the cup to Shawn who held his hand up in a polite refusal, "no thank you but I'm not in any pain, just a bit sore" he said.

Wolkan sighed, "very well then just drink it if you feel any pain" he said setting the cup down on the nightstand until the door opened slowly and in walked Tyrion. "Any smart man knows when to heed the advice of Maesters Shawn, even those from the stars" he said in a scolding like tone but Shawn took the cup and set it down anyway. Tyrion then walked up to him and handed Shawn a small object wrapped in a rag. Shawn unfurled the rag and inside was a tooth that resembled a crocodiles. "A small prize of victory, a tooth from the dragon the Night King rode" Tyrion explained as he pulled up a chair and sat in it. "You mean Viserion?" Shawn said before setting the tooth on the nightstand. Tyrion then nodded, "yes but that wasn't Viserion, it was merely his body being possessed or however it was the Walkers controlled their foot soldiers".

"Well the Force has a funny way of working" Shawn said as he sat up a little. "Ah yes, this mysterious 'Force' that controls everything or everyone, you've never explained it or shown how it works beyond making items float or reading my brothers mind" Tyrion responded. Shawn chuckled slightly at the remark, "what next? We head south now?" He asked. Tyrion then clasped his hands, "given how only three days have passed since the battle, we've yet to discuss that move" he explained, "for now we shall rest unless you wish to come receive some thanks from our hosts first".

_________

After managing to dress himself and fashion his arm into a sling, Shawn walked with Tyrion into the Great Hall where all the lords and high ranking officers were gathered. At the head table sat Sansa, Daenerys and Jon with Arya standing in front of the table as well glancing over as they walked in. Shawn then stood next to Arya as Sansa began to speak, though Shawn sensed and saw the distraught in her eyes including Daenerys's. "My sister has explained to us that you assisted her in slaying the Night King, is that true?" Sansa asked. "It is my lady" Shawn replied with a curt nod.

Sansa's blue eyes seemed to show a sign of admiration, "then you have my gratitude and that of the North from this time until the end of time, your part in ending the Great War will never be forgotten". Shawn was flattered but did not feel like he needed any recognition, yet decided to accept the appreciation nonetheless. "Thank you my lady". Then he suddenly sensed something was off and thought he could hear the sound of a high pitched whistling sound. After the gathering was dismissed he began to follow the sound. Wandering out into the courtyard he sensed the sound coming from the depths of the crypt. Descending into its depths the sound became more prominent. "What're you doin, 'ere?" One of the Stark soldiers asked in a confrontational manner. "I thought I heard something, sorry" Shawn said apologetically before coming back the way he came.