Sometimes Fate Decides for You...(Hob)

[Darth Imperios]

Alexi (Lex) Petrovich Vlachko sat calmly on the steps of Tarkin Hall on the Imperial Academy campus, reading his copy of "New Republic Strategies for Deep Space Conflict." A dissertation written by some Imperial War historian, whom obviously felt that his opinions on the matter of Rebel strategies was second only to a supreme being and that only because he didn't want to anger a supreme being by being smarter than it.

He was bored with this overly self-important desk jockey who thought himself a great strategist though he never commanded a vessel or even piloted a transport craft. He put the book down and leaned back enjoying the warm Thyferran sunshine as it beamed on his face. While he was proud of the fact that he had been accepted into one of the premire Imperial Academies in the Sovereignty, the beuracy and blind loyalty irked him. He didn't understand why he ever need risk his life for anything other than himself.

"What's up Lex?" Cadet Frier, a tall, raven-haired Corellian male asked.

"Nothing just reading for NRS 305, you?"

"I've got ISB 293 in five minutes."

"Sounds dull."

"It's not too bad, we're talking about the Moff Tarkin era."

"Yeah sounds thrilling."

"Eh, to each his own, I've got to go. You gonna play Speedball later?"

"I guess, there going to be any competition this time."

"Look just cause you got some sixth sense doesn't mean the rest of us are horrible?"

"Yeah that's why no matter who you put me with, I win."

"Whatever Lex," Frier said with a laugh as he rolled his eyes.

"See you later, Frier enjoy class. I'll try to bear this Thyferran sun."

"You're such a Sith sometimes," Frier laughed as he headed in.

At least I'd do something a little more interesting than quote dates and times when Mon Cal cruisers drove us out of our territory...

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Just as the future had been predicted, it had happened.

For the next five minutes Lex Vlachko would be alone in the courtyard. After that, an officer of the Thyferran military doing a security sweep would pass through. On his heels would be another student who had just been released from a class across the campus would reach the courtyard, plop down, and start studying.

But the future had changed itself. Being written allowed it to be rewritten.

"All the studying," said a gravelly voice from somewhere behind Lex. "But what learned, have you?"

[Darth Imperios]

He was feeling a bit surly when he heard he voice. It was definately not the voice nor the grammar of any one he had to worry about.

"Not a cursed thing," he replied not looking up. He had returned to his book forcing himself to continue so he didn't get a reprimand during class.

"I mean who really cares about what somebody who's never even fought a battle thinks? Has he felt the pain of loss, the euphoria of victory. Has he smelt the stench of burnt flesh or felt the stickyness of blood between his fingers. What does some desk jockey know about war?"

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"Wars not make one great."

Slyness crept into the voice.

"What know you of war?"

[Darth Imperios]

"Only what they let me read in these books and what I've done in the simulator." He replied. For some reason he still hadn't turned to face the voice which spoke to him. It almost felt as if he was talking to a part of himself.

"There will never be a resurgence of the Empire, they fear the New Republic too much. No one has the gumption to rise against them or the cunning to corrupt them from within as Palaptine."

He grew angry as he spoke and it seemed the angrier he got, the more certain he was that this man had nothing to do with the Empire.

"And what will I spend my life doing?"

There was a pause and he spat.

"Sitting in some tin can with mock medals and false ranks floating around protecting the Empire and her greatness. While my talents go to waste."

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"What talents are those? The ability to follow orders and repeat phrases that pay lip service to duty and honor."

A small snort sounded.

"What good are duty and honor if one is dead?"

[Darth Imperios]

"I'm not sure what talents, but I'm destined for more then just this... I'm destined for great things, to rule, why should I die for those who don't care?"

Lex put his book down.

"Honor and glory mean nothing. Titles given to dead men to make those who wouldn't fight and die feel better about their cowardice. True glory comes in victory without death, true honor is seen in the eyes of those who worship you for being stronger than them."

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"And has this Academy told you this? Or have all these fools ever taught you were lies?"

[Darth Imperios]

"Oh I've learned things here," Lex replied.

"How to survive the battlefield of politics, carve through the jungles of beuracracy, and urge men to follow me. But these were things I could have learned on my own." He grunted

"I just feel like I am destined for more. That I have talents that haven't been realized." Then as if he had just awoken from a dream he turned to face the man whom had been speaking to him.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"Correct, are you," Hob said gravely. He peered over his gnarled root cane at the man before him. "Strong, your will is. Strong enough, I wonder?"

The dwarf seemed to lose himself in pondering.

[Darth Imperios]

Lex gazed at the strange creature in front of him.

"Strong enough for what?"

Lex fought back a look of disgust at the non-human. The Empire had engrained in him the predjudice against non-humans well, but his own personality and curiousity at what this thing had to offer allowed him to tolerate it.

[Evil Hobgoblin]

The small and curious being seemed to settle on something, and his gaze levelled out onto Lex. "Capable, are you, of casting off the chains that hold you here?"

[Darth Imperios]

"The only thing that holds me here is the lack of anything better to do," Lex replied.

He stood up, towering over Hob.

"And just what do you think you have to offer me that could be possibly better than this?"

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob held out a three-fingered hand, focused, and created a fireball from nothing.

"The opportunity to burn it all down," he said.

And then he hurled the ball of flame at the grass beside the building, where it sprang into a flame that licked at the walls of the Academy.

[Darth Imperios]

Lex looked at the fireball as it shot across the quad and burned the dry foilage next to the old stone building. He then spun round and grabbed the green dwarf by the arm and pulled him behind one of the small monuments that littered the area.

"You are obviously a powerful Force user but are you mad, there is enough firepower on Thyferra and enough nutrient packs to make sure that if they don't want you off the planet you won't get off."

Lex looked around as a crowd started to gather around the fire looking for a reason it started.

"We've got to get out of here. They are going to start looking for a reason that the fire started and regardless of the fact that you did they'll kill you for simply being a non-humanoid."

[Evil Hobgoblin]

"Think what yer sayin, lad," Hob smirked. He held his out, palm up, and a great gout of flame shot forth, coming dangerously close to Lex's face. "D'ye really think they'll be troublin me any great measure?"

[Darth Imperios]

Lex grinned as he realized this was no mere Force magician, this was a master of the force and for some reason he was interested in him.

"So what do you suggest sir?"

[Evil Hobgoblin]

Hob leaned close to Lex and lowered his voice. "If ye could say anything- do anything- t' these whelps who did constrain ye, yer time is now."

[Darth Imperios]

"If I could do anythin, say anything I would not waste my time on the likes such as these." Lex replied.

He grinned for a moment at the thought of such power, then he looked at the man who was offering him that.

"What's the catch?"