The Jedi From Earth: A Star Wars Story #Wattys2023

Part 171

Imperial Palace, Coruscant

Shawn slowly walked down the hallway hindered by the lingering pain of every muscle in his body feeling like it had salt being rubbed in it now, he hoped no one would see him as he wanted to be alone now so he took other less traversed halls to the dormitory one which was already secluded but they were all spaced apart due to the others being kept secret for many years. He clicked the door that opened to his room and walked in as the door slid behind him. Shawn removed his weapons and gloves setting them on the desk before laying down to allow himself to have a momentary lapse from any movement.

Now he felt angry and afraid both were conflicting with one other, on one hand he was angry at anyone who'd done him wrong and that while he had others to talk to he couldn't ever trust them completely and wasn't sure it if would be mutual now that Vess had probably already said something. On the other he was afraid of something worse happening, whether it was being thrown in a cell or torture any outcome with any sort of harmful effects made him scared. Shawn clenched his fist and hit the wall hard but didn't know why now, nothing made sense to him anymore.

He stood up and paced a little as the soreness subsided for a moment, "you know nothing of suffering" a familiar dark voice said, Shawn turned around but instead of Malgus he saw Vladimir or least what he looked like with a more human appearance, black hair that touched his shoulders and dressed like a nineteenth century nobleman while holding a black walking stick that had what looked like a skull on the top of it, his eyes were a bluish color "This is but an apparition of me that you are seeing, Pope Paul II had looked like he saw a ghost when I met him a long time ago" Vladimir said and he waved his hand.

Shawn saw images of him walking toward a man of papal appearance seated in a chair. "<<Your Holiness, this man claims to be a the father of Nero!>>" a Cardinal said with objection in Italian to the man in the chair. Vladimir stood before the man and kneeled, "<<holy father>>" he said in Latin then rose, "<<you will leave>>" he said to the cardinal but when he did his eyes glowed red for a few seconds. The cardinal looked hypnotized and walked away leaving him alone with whoever the Pope in the vision was along with the Swiss guards. "<<Your Holiness might we speak in the Anglo-Saxon tongue?, I wish to be sure we aren't overheard" Vladimir asked, the Pope nodded, "why hast thou cometh?" He asked in Middle English.

"<<no Your Holiness, I meant...the royal Anglo Saxon tongue>>" Vladimir interjected. "That is explicitly for royals only Count Dracul, how did you learn it?" The Pope asked in Basic, "I did not learn it, it is my mother tongue" Vladimir replied and the Pope seemed intrigued. "Why have you come all the way from Walachia to Rome Count Dracul?" The pope asked. "To seek Your Holiness's help on a matter gaining traction, you see every year my kingdom is asked to pay tribute to the Ottoman heretics on pain of being burned to ashes, with the support of the Holy See my kingdom won't have this issue" Vladimir explained.

"You're not part of the Holy See, your kingdom is predominantly orthodoxy, why ask the papacy for assistance?" The pope asked him with an unsure look. "Because you are above the laws of common men, not even Kings are exempt from your justification Your Holiness" Vladimir replied but the pope was displeased, "I have no authority over the Ottoman heretics, no go this matter is done with", "<<escort the Count out at once>>" the pope replied before calling over the guards. Vladimir turned around and faced them but he waved his hand to the side and knocked one of them into other. He looked back and said " good day sir" before walking out of the room and the flashback ended. Shawn looked around and saw he wasn't there anymore, but it was clear in the time he was hiding he didn't stop using his powers, how could he? He was practically a god among men anyway.

********, Buffalo
Clara and Ezra walked back to the Ghost which had returned to the landing pad when they noticed a large crowd of people gathering around one spot but parted ways. "Must be someone important" Sabine said while removing her helmet and then Clara spotted a woman in her late forties shaking hands with some of the civilians and being trailed by a young man in his early twenties in a Royal Navy uniform doing the same. The woman looked vaguely familiar but when Clara realized who it was she nearly gasped, it was President Johnson. Johnson kept a slow pace while the Secret Service looked closely at everyone while she either shook hands or was thanked, at one point she even knelt down to say hello to a little girl who seemed shy which the mother and Johnson found amusing as evident by their laughter.

"Uh Sabine it is someone important" Clara commented as the group got closer to the Ghost and now Johnson was met by many salutes before shaking hands with the many National Guardsmen but returned them all the same. Clara dusted herself off a little as Johnson came before the Ghost and looked at it then them, Hera walked out too along with Zeb as General Merrik explained what the ship did. "This ship help destroy many Imperial fighters, it's got quite a reputation on both sides" Merrik said, "and this is its pilot, Captain Syndulla". Hera saluted Johnson who returned it, "this ship of yours is impressive" Johnson remarked to Hera.

"Thank you ma'am, this is my crew" Hera said then gestured at them all, Johnson turned to Sabine and extended her hand, "hello who're you?" She asked. "Sabine, I'm from Mandalore" Sabine replied, "is any different than here?" Johnson asked, "yes, there's endless salt flats on Mandalore" Sabine replied. "Well that is quite different" Johnson remarked and everyone chuckled a little, she then extended her hand at Ezra who shook it, "my names Ezra, I'm from Lothal" Ezra said. "All these neat places, maybe when the war is over I'll travel the Galaxy" Johnson said then came before Clara who was practically frozen in awe so much she felt a second of vertigo.

"I'm Clara, from Toronto but I'm actually from Chicago" Clara said while shaking her hand. "Oh really a home recruit?" Johnson said in a friendly manner, "well, it's different a little the other planets out there" Clara said, "I only got to meet the Emperor and another president from some other world, but let's just say I was glad to leave the capital world he was very creepy" Johnson replied and the young man in the Royal Navy uniform approached while shaking hands with other people. "Well it was nice meeting you all" Johnson said to them before heading off down more into the encampment saying hello to more people. Did that really just happen? Clara thought.