Remi the Grey

[kabeone]

Part 2.36 Trust

 

 

 

“My lord?” Quinn asked as he entered the bridge. “Vette said you wanted to see me as soon as I awoke.”

 

Lord Ninka gave the Captain a measuring look, “The droid has been running data analysis of our logs, we might need your help with them.”

 

“Of course, my lord.”

 

“T7 found some hidden encrypted files, stronger encryption different key.” Remi tilted her head gauging the Captains response. “Would you happen to know anything about that?”

 

“Ah, yes.” The Captain was not exactly nervous but his demeanor changed ever so slightly. “If I could just have access to a console…”

 

“Just tell the droid the key, he’ll do the decrypting.” Ninka ordered. When they told her about the files her face had drained of all emotion, Remi hoped she would not try to kill the Captain before they got their information.

 

“The encryption is quite complex, it would be better if I do it,” Quinn protested.

 

“Quinn,” Lord Ninka said softly, “If you have betrayed me again, I will kill you, but I promise it will be painless.”

 

The Captain struggled, several emotions flitted across his face, indignation, fear, annoyance, anger, then finally resignation. “You’ll kill me, but I have not betrayed you.” He entered his decryption key into the console.

 

T7 beeped, analyzing the data as it decrypted.

 

Quinn snorted and waited for his execution, “You let your droid do your data analysis? No wonder you have to resort to using bombs.”

 

Pasty Imperial = Been to any good brothels lately?

 

Remi had been telling T7 stories of her time as a bounty hunter. He liked hearing about the people she had met and the contacts she had made. Morencai was his favorite.

 

“That’s Captain, droid.” Quinn looked down his nose at T7.

 

Captain Pasty Imperial = Transmitting information to the Hand //

Information = Strengths and weakness of crew + strategies on defeating each

 

Lord Ninka drew her lightsaber, Quinn stood at parade rest looking Lord Ninka in the eye.

 

Information = Inaccurate + Strategies would not work

 

The Sith lord paused, Quinn saw his chance and spoke, “I’ve been feeding them misinformation. When they asked me, I saw it as an opportunity to gather more information from them. I sent them reports that underestimated your strength along with faulty strategies to eliminate you and the crew.”

 

“That is hardly proof of your innocence, Quinn.” Ninka remained unconvinced, “You always underestimate us and your strategy to kill me didn’t work.”

 

Quinn pinched the bridge of his nose, “I wouldn’t make the same mistake twice.”

 

“Then why didn’t you tell me you were sending the Hand information.”

 

Now Quinn seemed embarrassed, “I wanted to surprise you with the information I gathered from them.”

 

“I take it back, I will kill you painfully.” Lord Ninka brandished her saber, “Quinn, how can I, how can anyone trust you?”

 

“It’s the way I am,” the Captain shrugged helplessly, “sorry.”

 

“Did you discover anything?” Remi asked. Quinn had forgotten she and Lord Scourge were there.

 

“I have a way to contact them, it can help pinpoint their location but only if I’m actively transmitting. Aside from that I understand they are also collecting individuals for the purpose of the ritual, I believe they are to be sacrificed.”

 

“Did you know they would order our execution?” Lord Scourge asked in a deceptively mild tone. Remi did not like the dangerous amount of anger building on the bridge, she was surprised the Captain did not drop dead where he stood.

 

“No, my lord.” He answered quickly, “I would have warned you.”

 

Lord Ninka snorted with disgust but put her saber away. “Give them the frequency,” she ordered. Quinn entered the information into the console he seemed very subdued.

 

T7 beeped.

 

Ship logs = Indicate several transmissions to unknown frequency in the past 24 hours.

 

Everyone looked at Quinn. Lord Ninka did not give the Captain time to protest, she did not even speak, she just clenched her fist and began choking him. His face turned bright red, his eye began to close.

 

“As much as I’d like to watch you kill the Captain, my lord.” Pierce interrupted, “I’m afraid that transmission came from me.”

 

 

 

 

[kabeone]

By the way, great read still, and now I want giant cream puffs from this little chain called Beard Papa's, I wonder why...

 

I love Beard Papa's

 

I laughed out loud. Fun fact, this is actually the entire motivation for my signing up for the forums in the first place, and, a while later, for starting to write fanfic.

 

Same here! I needed to mentally explain to myself why that man was still on my ship. I wish sincerely they would at least let me choose who stands on my bridge.

[kabeone]

Part 2.37 Pierce

 

 

 

Lord Ninka dropped the Captain, he collapsed on the floor sucking in deep breaths.

 

“I was going to tell you after your meeting,” he said apologetically to the Wrath.

 

Lord Ninka folded her arms, waiting for him to explain.

 

“When I joined black ops a lot of our missions ran long.” He began, “Sometimes our families would get the notification we were dead. We all set up a drop so we could let our people know we were still fighting.”

 

“That’s against protocol.” Quinn choked out from the floor.

 

“I set up a message for Amilla,” Pierce continued, ignoring Quinn. “I didn’t want her to worry, she knows not to tell anyone.” He looked like he wanted to say more then stopped.

 

“Is there something else Pierce?” Lord Ninka asked.

 

“She hasn’t checked the drop since I left it.”

 

“Maybe she hasn’t been informed of your death?”

 

“I checked the public wire,” he said shaking his head, “they’ve been informed, her mother probably already planned a party and filed for my benefits.”

 

“I know someone who could find out,” Remi offered tentatively. “She’s a Jedi but she’s there with our Embassy, she works with the Imperial diplomatic core.”

 

The idea of asking more Jedi for help angered Pierce, but the worry for his daughter overrode his pride. “If it’s alright with you, my lord.” He said deferring to the Wrath who in turn nodded to Remi.

 

“You can all listen in, but please don’t talk and stay out of sight.” Remi said as she secured a line to contact Kira.

 

“Afraid the pubs will think you’ve gone over?” Pierce asked.

 

She shrugged, “If they’re worried about me they won’t look for your daughter.” He snorted but agreed.

 

She called Kira’s holo, someone answered, but it wasn’t Kira.

 

“Master Satele,” Remi blinked with surprise, “I was trying to contact Kira, what are you doing on Alderaan.”

 

“Remi,” Master Satele said. “We didn’t know how to contact you. Kira is missing.”

 

“What? Start from the beginning.” Everyone leaned in to listen closely but stayed silent and out of sight.

 

“There’s been an incident. Kira was attending a meeting between all parties here on Alderaan. The meeting was invaded by House Rist.”

 

“House Rist are assassins. Did the Empire hire them?”

 

“We don’t know, but Imperial Ambassador Trenton was killed at the meeting, the other diplomats are being held hostage. I’m here to help with negotiations but I can’t sense Kira, I don’t believe she’s dead but she’s no longer on Alderaan.” At the mention of the ambassador Pierce left the bridge swiftly, Lord Ninka followed him.

 

“What are the Jedi doing to help end the conflict?”

 

“Right now we’re waiting for their demands, they haven’t made any yet. The situation here is volatile, neither the Empire nor the Republic wants to make a hostile move, but we won’t let them kill the hostages.” Master Satele hesitated, “There’s something more, I’m here because several other Jedi have gone missing. I would ask you for your help, but I know you have your own task.”

 

“I would like to help, Master.” Remi faltered.

 

Master Satele shook her head, “I sense this is all connected though I don’t know how. You must continue, find the child. I have to go, may the Force be with us.” She ended the transmission.

 

“Trenton’s my daughter’s boss,” Pierce said from the corridor. “She’d have been with him at that meeting. Take me to Alderaan.”

 

Remi got up to face him, he stood in the corridor with his arms crossed and his feet set, Lord Ninka stood next to him looking concerned, Vette and Broonmark watched from the cargo bay doorway. “Alderaan is two days away at best,” Remi said slowly. “There are a lot of people already on Alderaan working to find a solution.”

 

“House Rist are assassins not negotiators, if they haven’t demanded a ransom yet they never will.” He said angrily. “They got what they wanted, now they’re waiting for the trail to get cold before they kill everyone there.”

 

“If we leave now we would be too late to stop the ritual.”

 

“At this point I don’t care about the ritual or revenge on the Hand. I’m going to get my daughter out of there.”

 

“I’m sorry Pierce, we can’t go.”

 

Pierce had hoped it would not come to this. “We’re wasting time talking, and I’m not asking anymore.” He held up his hand, he was holding a detonator. “Take me to Alderaan, you can even just drop me off. If we leave now you might even be able to save the kid.”

 

Lord Ninka saw the detonator in his hand, then looked at the face of her most loyal companion, she turned to stand at his side facing the Jedi. She drew her lightsaber, she could hear Vette softly drawing her blasters, and Broonmark’s vibrosword charged. She glanced into the bridge; Lord Scourge watched Quinn but otherwise did not move. Remi paid no attention to any of them, only Pierce.

 

“I can’t take that chance, Pierce.”

 

“You either take it or none of us get what we want.” He smiled without humor, “A little trick I learned from you.”

 

“I like you Pierce,” Remi said walking toward him slowly. “I don’t want to kill you.”

 

“I’d like you too, if you weren’t a Pub, a Jedi, and in the way of rescuing my daughter.” He nearly choked on the last part. “Do you really think you can kill me before I set off this charge?” He held up the switch.

 

“Yes.” Remi stared into his eyes. “I understand how you feel,” she said softly, “so I’m giving you one last chance to back down.”

 

“You can’t possibly understand.” He had enough of her annoying Jedi calm. “We’re not talking about some nebulous Jedi code about preserving life here. All you Jedi are hypocrites, the Sith send hundreds of kids to their death all the time, it’s called Korriban Academy and you don’t seem to want to do anything about that. You don’t know what it means to actually care for a new born, to raise her and watch her grow, to worry about her when you’re away.” Remi flinched which only made him angrier. His volume had been steadily increasing, now he was yelling. “But you would trade Amilla’s life for some boy, just because he was taken from your precious Jedi? She’s my daughter!”

 

“He’s my son.” Remi said angrily, not quite shouting.

 

Pierce froze, the large vein on his head throbbed, and anything else he was going to say died on his lips.

 

“He’s my son, he’s two years old, he’s surrounded by Sith who plan to sacrifice people in a ritual that I would stake my life does more than send an announcement.” Remi said through clenched teeth. “So if you’re asking if I’d trade her life, yes I would, hers, yours, mine, and everyone else’s in an instant if it meant saving my son.” Her eyes turned pleading, “I promise you I’ll get help for your daughter, we just can’t go there personally.”

 

He deliberated for a long moment, “Fine, you win,” he handed her the detonator and backed away, she quickly disarmed it, “we’ll save your son. But if anything happens to Amilla, we’re going to have this conversation again.”

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2012 by kabeone

[greyjedibp]

I don't blame Pierce for thearthed to kill everybody I mean he care for his child.

[Earthmama]

AAah!! I was wondering when the truth would come out!

[kabeone]

AAah!! I was wondering when the truth would come out!

 

had to happen.

[kabeone]

Part 2.38 Killing Jaesa

SW Ch 1 spoilers

 

 

 

Jaesa woke from her dreamless sleep, the sedatives had worn off again. She heard people yelling outside, she felt anger from Pierce, fear from Vette, and anticipation from Broonmark. She opened the door and peered outside. Pierce was backing away from the Jedi who held a detonator in her hands. The same Jedi had used that trick to capture Captain Quinn years ago.

 

“You see!” She shrieked, “She’ll kill us all.” She gathered lightning and threw it at the false Jedi hoping it would short out the detonator.

 

The attack was not enough to kill, but it should have stunned the Jedi, it should have sent her to her knees, but the woman simply reached out and absorbed most of the lightning into her hand. She took the small bit that was left and sent it back, the shock felt like the gentle rebuke of her first weapons master.

 

Jaesa’s eyes clouded with rage, she sent bolt after bolt, only to have them absorbed. The Jedi stood with her feet apart, her left hand behind her back with the detonator, and her right held out loosely in front of her. Her expression was calm she made no move to attack.

 

Jaesa remembered trying to feel that calm, she remembered fighting Lord Ninka, the Sith had taunted her into a rage showing her calm was only a façade. Now she would show this false Jedi the power of the dark side. She built her rage and channeled it into lightning, she cast it at the Jedi then followed it with an attack, drawing her lightsaber as she charged. Pierce and Lord Ninka cleared away, they were letting her have the glory of this fight.

 

Remi moved before Jaesa could finish her attack, the killing strike Jaesa had planned swept through nothing but air. She whirled to face the Jedi, Remi was only inches away, and now Jaesa found herself unable to move her arms.

 

“Enough,” The Jedi said, her voice was calm but stern, speaking as she would to a child throwing a tantrum. Her eyes locked with Jaesa’s, they seemed to be getting larger, invading her thoughts. Jaesa felt a chill of fear and tried to look away, the Jedi reached out and grabbed her neck just under her jaw forcing Jaesa to meet her gaze. She found herself trapped in those terrible golden eyes. Her control of the Force fizzled with her terror. She fainted and fell into golden light.

 

***

 

Master Zyel had challenged Remi to think of as many alternatives to fighting as she could. She had tried avoiding Jaesa but her obsession had only grown. Running was impossible on the ship. She was too dangerous to be locked up and she was not sure Lord Ninka would let her, sedation was the same and it wore off too quickly. She had considered healing the Sith earlier, but she did not think Jaesa would be willing. Remi hoped healing would work, because killing was the only other option she could think of.

 

The inside of Jaesa’s head was not a pretty place. Remi walked through the halls of Organa palace only purple silk and black velvet was draped everywhere. The carpets were black with purple trimmings. The walls were adorned with portraits of Lord Scourge. Remi grimaced, she did not care about interior decorating but this was horrendous.

 

Remi had never been in a dream before,* but she had read about it. She needed to find Jaesa and talk to her. She heard the Sith before she saw her, the sounds were decidedly enthusiastic. Remi braced herself and entered the throne room. The room was enormous and as garishly decorated as the hall, the only people within were Jaesa and Lord Scourge engaged in vigorous amorous activity on the large throne. Remi sighed, apparently Jaesa wanted to be the Emperor, or the queen of something, she pitied the unbalanced Sith. She walked up to the couple trying not to look.

 

“Ahem,” She cleared her throat facing away slightly.

 

“You,” Jaesa said angrily, “Get out, he’s mine, you can’t have him.”

 

“I’m not here for him,” Remi said staring fixedly at a spot on the wall, “I’m here to talk to you, you’re hurt and you need healing. Let’s get on with it and then you can get back to whatever.” Remi made the mistake of looking. She laughed, heartily wishing she would remember this, she would tease Lord Scourge mercilessly. “You realize that’s anatomically impossible right?”

 

“Jealous?” Jaesa asked kissing Lord Scourge sloppily. He turned his head to face Remi.

 

“I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.” He said, then he turned to Jaesa, “I love you.” They resumed their previous activity.

 

Remi made a face. That was not something Lord Scourge would say, “Has he told you that before?”

 

Jaesa faltered, the question broke her control over the dream, Lord Scourge stood, fully clothed and moved to stand behind Remi the place he always seemed to be.

 

“He’s mine!” Jaesa screamed, “You corrupted him, get out!”

 

The dream shattered and Remi found herself in a forest next to a small cottage. Master Zyel had warned her that someone unwilling to be healed was more difficult, a Force user doubly so. Remi looked at the cottage, it was not purple, and it looked battered and dilapidated. Curious, she walked through the door, and found three men and a woman drinking tea. Two of the men were Jedi.

 

The woman spoke but did not look at her. “You cannot see Jaesa, we don’t want anyone to harm her,” She was thin and looked like a servant.

 

Remi was surprised Jaesa would be here. “I don’t want to harm her, I just want to talk.” Remi said.

 

They all laughed.

 

“We’ve heard that before,” one of the men said. Remi looked more closely at each member of the group they were all dead. The woman had a broken neck, as did one of the men, the two Jedi had smoking lightsaber wounds.

Remi walked around them heading to the only other room in the cottage, none of them could rise to stop her.

She found Jaesa sitting on a bed hugging a pillow she wore the robes of a Padawan.

 

“Jaesa?”

 

She looked up at Remi and sniffled.

 

“Where are we?”

 

“The place Jaesa puts things she doesn’t want.”

 

“But aren’t you Jaesa?”

 

“Not anymore,” she answered sadly. “I fought the Sith and I lost. Then she took over. The darkness is stronger than the light, that’s why I couldn’t beat the Sith.”

 

“You were just a Padawan.” Remi said sitting next to her. “You hadn’t fully come into your power yet, you couldn’t have beaten Lord Ninka.”

 

“Master Karr said that.”

 

“Is he one of the men outside?”

 

“Yes, I killed him, I killed all of them.” Jaesa burst into tears. “I should have hid my powers, I never should have tried to be a Jedi.”

 

“Why did you?”

 

“I wanted to prove I was special, and,” she hid her face behind her hair, “I didn’t want to marry that noble.” She pointed to a painting of an elderly man dressed in the livery of House Organa.

 

“He’s umm, distinguished.”

 

“He’s sixty and he didn’t love me. He said he did but I saw the truth, nobody loved me, not even my parents. They just saw me as a way out of servitude. Even Master Karr wanted to use me to get revenge on that Sith, he didn’t care about me either.” She was crying now the last half of what she said was almost unintelligible.

 

Remi frowned. “You should fight her, take back control. I can see the Force is strong in you, and you’ve survived in here all this time. You can beat her.” Remi ran out of things to say, she was not very good at pep talks.

 

“She’s stronger than me.” The whine in her voice grated on Remi.

 

“This is a dream Jaesa,” Remi said sternly. “You’re the same person, equal strength. Get up or I’ll make you get up.”

 

She looked at Remi with surprise.

 

“People tried to protect you, cosset you because they wanted to use you. Your parents, the old guy, the Jedi, even Lord Ninka and her crew. Now you’re a spoiled whiner and you need to get up and go get your life back.” Remi stood and pulled Jaesa to her feet. “Let’s go.”

 

“I don’t want to.”

 

“You want to stay here in this tiny house with four dead people until someone finally kills you because crazy is running your life?”

 

She paused, thinking over the idea, “Could you kill her?”

 

Remi frowned, “It would probably kill you too.”

 

Jaesa’s eyes widened, and then she looked speculative, “If I lose, will you kill her?”

 

“I don’t know…” Remi said reluctantly, she would probably have to fight Lord Ninka if she killed her apprentice. She did not think Sith cared about self-defense.

 

“I don’t want her running around by herself,” Jaesa said firmly, “I’m the only thing that keeps her loyal to Lord Ninka or she’d have tried to strike out on her own a long time ago, then she’d just kill anyone.”

 

“Huh,” Remi digested that piece of information, “interesting point. Ok, if you lose. I kill her.”

 

Jaesa nodded and squared her shoulder, holding her lightsaber in her hands. “Let’s go kill crazy.”

 

They did not need to walk anywhere, Jaesa willed them into the castle.

 

“Ugh, I hate purple.” Jaesa looked around shuddering.

 

“Could have fooled me.”

 

“That Sith is so gross,” she looked up at the portraits of Lord Scourge. “Do you know what they do all day?”

 

“Yes,” Remi said drily.

 

“I have no idea what she sees in him, I mean he’s cold, angry, super old, and red! I mean he’s entirely red, I mean you know, entirely, with weird things on his face. Yuck.” She looked at Remi who was carefully not saying anything. She stopped walking, “Oh, you two are together aren’t you.”

 

“Mmhmm.” Remi stopped and faced her.

 

“Sorry, she didn’t want to believe it. I could never understand the appeal. Sith pureblood are kind of ugly and weird looking.”

 

“My son’s a Sith pureblood.” Remi said pointedly, Jaesa looked more horrified.

 

“Oh no, I’m sorry, I’m just going to shut up now.” She covered her face.

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Remi laughed putting a hand on her shoulder. “I won’t remember any of this.”

 

“You won’t?” she said looking sad, “We won’t be friends when this is done?”

 

“Probably not,” Remi grinned and continued walking, “there’s time for that later but only if you win. Otherwise I’ll have to kill you.” She called over her shoulder. The look of determination hardened Jaesa’s features, she ran to catch up.

 

Remi led the way into the throne room, partially hiding Padawan Jaesa from view. Sith Jaesa sat on the throne with Scourge, the Wrath and her crew stood in a line to observe.

 

Remi wrinkled her nose, “Is everyone always naked in your dreams?” she asked looking at the crew.

 

The Sith crossed her arms, “I see through everyone. They can’t hide anything from me.”

 

“Makes sense,” Remi shrugged looking at naked Pierce and Quinn. “Is it supposed to be cold in here?” she asked.

 

“They aren’t Force users.”

 

“Is that a metaphor for something?” Remi grinned.

 

“I told you to leave,” Jaesa said standing, she caught sight of the other Jaesa. Her expression became a mask of rage and hatred, but Remi saw something else, fear. “What’s she doing here?” she demanded.

 

Padawan Jaesa saw no reason to talk to herself she simply launched an attack. Remi stood back and watched. Obviously, they were equal in strength, Remi had no idea how this would play out.

 

The Sith cast lightning and shouted, she attacked with a flurry of blows, Juyo form Remi thought, unsurprised at the purely aggressive choice. Her red double sided lightsaber spun in a blur of attacks. Remi saw her weakness, Juyo left the practitioner open to Force attacks. She wondered if Master Karr or Lord Ninka had taught her the strengths of the different forms.

 

The Padawan used a combination of defense but attacked when she saw an opening. She flipped over the Sith. Shien form and Ataru. Remi was impressed but neither fighter seemed to gain an advantage.

 

Suddenly the Sith launched a flurry of attacks backing the Padawan slowly to the wall. Padawan Jaesa stumbled and fell, with a victorious cry the Sith went for the killing blow. Padawan Jaesa desperately rolled and threw a wall of Force, not at Sith Jaesa, but at Lord Scourge.

 

“No!” Sith Jaesa screamed as she ran toward the injured Sith Lord.

 

Padawan Jaesa rushed behind her running her through with her lightsaber. Sith Jaesa looked at herself in surprise. “He’s not real stupid.” She said to herself. Sith Jaesa disappeared.

 

Remi walked up to Padawan Jaesa, the dream was already fading to gold. “That was weird to watch, good job.”

 

“Thanks,” Jaesa replied smiling, she looked down at Lord Scourge shaking her head. “You can have him, really.”

 

Remi stuck her tongue out in reply and disappeared.

 

 

* When Master Zyel trained her, Remi healed more than a dozen minds in this dream state. She never remembers what happened so each time she thinks it’s the first time. If Remi could remember, she would know that there are a lot of naked people in dreams.

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2012 by kabeone

[kabeone]

Part 2.39 Rescue

 

 

 

Lord Ninka watched her Padawan attack the Jedi. She wondered if she should help. She wondered whom she should help. When the lightning was absorbed harmlessly and she felt no anger coming from the Jedi she decided her apprentice needed this test. She held up her hand and backed away, Pierce followed. Jaesa had fought and killed a number of Jedi, what she lacked in control she made up in raw power. Her raw power did not seem to mean much to the Jedi.

 

Lord Ninka saw the look of terror in her apprentice’s eyes before she fainted. The Jedi broke her fall lowering her gently to the floor. She could sense the Jedi using the Force, and then it was over. Remi got to her feet using the wall to steady herself.

 

She looked up at Pierce whom she had fought only a few moments earlier. “I haven’t forgotten about your daughter,” He had been stunned by Jaesa’s attack, now he returned to looking angry and worried. Remi entered her quarters and changed into her armor, years of practice allowed her to make the transition with remarkable speed. She headed to the front of the ship, “I’ll make a call.” She shoved Quinn out the door and locked the bridge.

 

Lord Ninka exchanged a glance with Pierce, “Help Jaesa back to her room, Pierce.” She approached the subdued Captain. His neck was bruised and his real eye was bloodshot. She felt a twinge of guilt that she had hurt him for what Pierce did but then she remembered he had still sent the Hand information without telling her, he still could not be trusted. She reached up and stroked the scar on his cheek. “I haven’t forgotten about you either, Quinn.” She said dangerously, he swallowed with difficulty, whether it was from his injury or fear she could not say.

 

***

 

Amilla Pierce hugged her knees. It had been over a day, no news or word from the outside, and the hostages had not been fed or given water. The Rist assassins kept guard, but she had a feeling they were not making ransom demands.

 

The ground trembled. “What was that,” she whispered to Roston.

 

“A ground quake?” he suggested, “They don’t usually have those here.”

 

They heard a series of shots fired, and the sounds of fighting coming from outside. The guards sent a man to investigate. He screamed from the next room. Two men ran to assist him, more shots were fired, their screams were short lived, the rest stayed. Their orders were to execute everyone if a rescue was attempted.

 

The ground trembled again. This time, the quake was strong enough that the assassins, who were the only ones standing, were thrown off their feet. Six large Killiks burst through the floor, the assassins fired but the Killik tunnelers had heavy plated pinchers they could use as shields. Smaller Killiks followed their tunneling brethren and leaped at the assassins, their acid spit dissolved the guns the men held, and then dissolved the men. The Rist assassins died, impaled on sharp pinchers or bludgeoned with staves, their bodies bubbled as the acid ate into their armor. The smell of burning flesh permeated the room.

 

The killiks gathered their dead along with the bodies of the assassins and pulled them back into the ground. The hostages sat frozen in place wondering if their “saviors” would return to snack on them as well.

 

A man climbed out of the ground, he was dressed as they were. He knelt in front of Amilla. She thought she recognized him, though his eyes were completely black now.

 

“James?” she asked, he had been her first friend on Alderaan. He was thought to have died in a shuttle accident.

 

“We were once known as James, now we are Field Wanderer of the Oroboro nest. We remember you, Amilla Pierce, you are safe now, we have cleared the area of Rist assassins.”

 

“Please,” she begged, “I don’t want to be a Joiner.”

 

He smiled a little sadly, “We understand, that is not why we are here.” He turned to the group, “You are free to go, you will not be harmed by Killiks on your way out, if you do not try to harm us.”

 

He looked back at Amilla before slipping back into the underground tunnel, “If you ever tire of the violence of the world, you are always welcome to the peace of the nest.”

 

***

 

Vector smiled over the comm, “The hive reports the diplomatic group is safe including Amilla Pierce.”

 

“Thank you, Vector.” Remi faltered, “It means a lot to me, I owe you one.”

 

“You owe us nothing. Ambassador Trenton was a great friend to the nest. He was one of the first to support our Treaty. We will remember him.”

 

“Did your friends recognize any of the other dead?”

 

“There was a Jedi, but we did not recognize his scent. The rest belonged to Rist.”

 

Remi let out the breath she had been holding when he mentioned a Jedi. “I have to go, still on the hunt.”

 

“We wish you luck, Hunter Grey.” He replied and ended the call.

 

Remi pulled off her helm and rubbed her eyes. T7 beeped and spun. She smiled down at the droid, he had not interfered during her standoff with Pierce or her fight with Jaesa, she wondered what he thought of her passengers. She enjoyed Quinn’s new nickname, Captain Pasty Imperial.

 

Remi = Friend of Killiks?

 

“Some of them,” she agreed, “I saved the life of one of their representatives.”

 

Remi = Tell T7 the story?

 

She smiled, T7 seemed to be compiling an archive of her tales. “I promise I will later.”

 

Healing = Makes Remi tired //

Remi = Should Rest

 

“Yes, sir.” Remi replied getting out of her seat.

 

She raised an eyebrow at Lord Scourge who had hardly moved or spoken since everything had come to a head. He had been ready to help if she needed him but he wanted to observe how she handled things as a Jedi. She managed to turn the situation around without any deaths. While he considered it a waste of time, it was a remarkable feat.

 

“You’ve been quiet.”

 

“I felt my interference would only escalate things.” He replied.

 

“I appreciate your restraint,” Her armor felt heavy as she walked to the Sith Lords corner, she leaned against him. He wrapped his arms around her holding her up.

 

“You are worried about Kira,” he stated.

 

“She’s missing, and I can’t help her.”

 

“You cannot be everywhere at once,” he admonished, “If you try you will accomplish nothing.”

 

“Doesn’t stop the worrying.” She replied resting her head against him, she let him support her for another minute then pushed away. “I’ll go tell Pierce the news.”

 

Scourge recaptured her for a kiss, then he whispered into her ear. “The next time someone threatens the mission to save our son, you kill them or I will.”

 

***

 

The Jedi poked her head into the cargo bay. She looked paler than usual and there were circles under her eyes. She was still worn out from whatever it was she did to Jaesa.

 

Remi knocked on the wall to get their attention.

 

“The hostages are safe. I have confirmation Amilla is ok.” She left without waiting for acknowledgement or thanks.

Pierce checked the HoloNet, he found a particular site that posted entertainment newsfeeds with ridiculous headlines. Rakghoul Plague to be used for a new cosmetics line, Havoc Squad commander defects again!, Saresh caught cheating with a Darth!.

 

He browsed until he found one particular headline: Imperial Soldier, proud father of a mynock. He looked at the comments then grinned, there was a new one posted in the last hour. The mynock’s mother won’t be pleased.

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 2, 2012 by kabeone

[bright_ephemera]

Part 2.38 Killing Jaesa

SW Ch 1 spoilers

 

 

 

Jaesa woke from her dreamless sleep, the sedatives had worn off again. She heard people yelling outside, she felt anger from Pierce, fear from Vette, and anticipation from Broonmark. She opened the door and peered outside. Pierce was backing away from the Jedi who held a detonator in her hands. The same Jedi had used that trick to capture Captain Quinn years ago.

 

“You see!” She shrieked, “She’ll kill us all.” She gathered lightning and threw it at the false Jedi hoping it would short out the detonator.

 

The attack was not enough to kill, but it should have stunned the Jedi, it should have sent her to her knees, but the woman simply reached out and absorbed most of the lightning into her hand. She took the small bit that was left and sent it back, the shock felt like the gentle rebuke of her first weapons master.

 

Jaesa’s eyes clouded with rage, she sent bolt after bolt, only to have them absorbed. The Jedi stood with her feet apart, her left hand behind her back with the detonator, and her right held out loosely in front of her. Her expression was calm she made no move to attack.

 

Jaesa remembered trying to feel that calm, she remembered fighting Lord Ninka, the Sith had taunted her into a rage showing her calm was only a façade. Now she would show this false Jedi the power of the dark side. She built her rage and channeled it into lightning, she cast it at the Jedi then followed it with an attack, drawing her lightsaber as she charged. Pierce and Lord Ninka cleared away, they were letting her have the glory of this fight.

 

Remi moved before Jaesa could finish her attack, the killing strike Jaesa had planned swept through nothing but air. She whirled to face the Jedi, Remi was only inches away, and now Jaesa found herself unable to move her arms.

 

“Enough,” The Jedi said, her voice was calm but stern, speaking as she would to a child throwing a tantrum. Her eyes locked with Jaesa’s, they seemed to be getting larger, invading her thoughts. Jaesa felt a chill of fear and tried to look away, the Jedi reached out and grabbed her neck just under her jaw forcing Jaesa to meet her gaze. She found herself trapped in those terrible golden eyes. Her control of the Force fizzled with her terror. She fainted and fell into golden light.

 

***

 

Master Zyel had challenged Remi to think of as many alternatives to fighting as she could. She had tried avoiding Jaesa but her obsession had only grown. Running was impossible on the ship. She was too dangerous to be locked up and she was not sure Lord Ninka would let her, sedation was the same and it wore off too quickly. She had considered healing the Sith earlier, but she did not think Jaesa would be willing. Remi hoped healing would work, because killing was the only other option she could think of.

 

The inside of Jaesa’s head was not a pretty place. Remi walked through the halls of Organa palace only purple silk and black velvet was draped everywhere. The carpets were black with purple trimmings. The walls were adorned with portraits of Lord Scourge. Remi grimaced, she did not care about interior decorating but this was horrendous.

Remi had never been in a dream before,* but she had read about it. She needed to find Jaesa and talk to her. She heard the Sith before she saw her, the sounds were decidedly enthusiastic. Remi braced herself and entered the throne room. The room was enormous and as garishly decorated as the hall, the only people within were Jaesa and Lord Scourge engaged in vigorous amorous activity on the large throne. Remi sighed, apparently Jaesa wanted to be the Emperor, or the queen of something, she pitied the unbalanced Sith. She walked up to the couple trying not to look.

 

“Ahem,” She cleared her throat facing away slightly.

 

“You,” Jaesa said angrily, “Get out, he’s mine, you can’t have him.”

 

“I’m not here for him,” Remi said staring fixedly at a spot on the wall, “I’m here to talk to you, you’re hurt and you need healing. Let’s get on with it and then you can get back to whatever.” Remi made the mistake of looking. She laughed, heartily wishing she would remember this, she would tease Lord Scourge mercilessly. “You realize that’s anatomically impossible right?”

 

“Jealous?” Jaesa asked kissing Lord Scourge sloppily. He turned his head to face Remi.

 

“I hate you, I hate you, I hate you.” He said, then he turned to Jaesa, “I love you.” They resumed their previous activity.

 

Remi made a face. That was not something Lord Scourge would say, “Has he told you that before?”

 

Jaesa faltered, the question broke her control over the dream, Lord Scourge stood, fully clothed and moved to stand behind Remi the place he always seemed to be.

 

“He’s mine!” Jaesa screamed, “You corrupted him, get out!”

 

The dream shattered and Remi found herself in a forest next to a small cottage. Master Zyel had warned her that someone unwilling to be healed was more difficult, a Force user doubly so. Remi looked at the cottage, it was not purple, and it looked battered and dilapidated. Curious, she walked through the door, and found three men and a woman drinking tea. Two of the men were Jedi.

 

The woman spoke but did not look at her. “You cannot see Jaesa, we don’t want anyone to harm her,” She was thin and looked like a servant.

 

Remi was surprised Jaesa would be here. “I don’t want to harm her, I just want to talk.” Remi said.

 

They all laughed.

 

“We’ve heard that before,” one of the men said. Remi looked more closely at each member of the group they were all dead. The woman had a broken neck, as did one of the men, the two Jedi had smoking lightsaber wounds.

Remi walked around them heading to the only other room in the cottage, none of them could rise to stop her.

She found Jaesa sitting on a bed hugging a pillow she wore the robes of a Padawan.

 

“Jaesa?”

 

She looked up at Remi and sniffled.

 

“Where are we?”

 

“The place Jaesa puts things she doesn’t want.”

 

“But aren’t you Jaesa?”

 

“Not anymore,” she answered sadly. “I fought the Sith and I lost. Then she took over. The darkness is stronger than the light, that’s why I couldn’t beat the Sith.”

 

“You were just a Padawan.” Remi said sitting next to her. “You hadn’t fully come into your power yet, you couldn’t have beaten Lord Ninka.”

 

“Master Karr said that.”

 

“Is he one of the men outside?”

 

“Yes, I killed him, I killed all of them.” Jaesa burst into tears. “I should have hid my powers, I never should have tried to be a Jedi.”

 

“Why did you?”

 

“I wanted to prove I was special, and,” she hid her face behind her hair, “I didn’t want to marry that noble.” She pointed to a painting of an elderly man dressed in the livery of House Organa.

 

“He’s umm, distinguished.”

 

“He’s sixty and he didn’t love me. He said he did but I saw the truth, nobody loved me, not even my parents. They just saw me as a way out of servitude. Even Master Karr wanted to use me to get revenge on that Sith, he didn’t care about me either.” She was crying now the last half of what she said was almost unintelligible.

 

Remi frowned. “You should fight her, take back control. I can see the Force is strong in you, and you’ve survived in here all this time. You can beat her.” Remi ran out of things to say, she was not very good at pep talks.

 

“She’s stronger than me.” The whine in her voice grated on Remi.

 

“This is a dream Jaesa,” Remi said sternly. “You’re the same person, equal strength. Get up or I’ll make you get up.”

 

She looked at Remi with surprise.

 

“People tried to protect you, cosset you because they wanted to use you. Your parents, the old guy, the Jedi, even Lord Ninka and her crew. Now you’re a spoiled whiner and you need to get up and go get your life back.” Remi stood and pulled Jaesa to her feet. “Let’s go.”

 

“I don’t want to.”

 

“You want to stay here in this tiny house with four dead people until someone finally kills you because crazy is running your life?”

 

She paused, thinking over the idea, “Could you kill her?”

 

Remi frowned, “It would probably kill you too.”

 

Jaesa’s eyes widened, and then she looked speculative, “If I lose, will you kill her?”

 

“I don’t know…” Remi said reluctantly, she would probably have to fight Lord Ninka if she killed her apprentice. She did not think Sith cared about self-defense.

 

“I don’t want her running around by herself,” Jaesa said firmly, “I’m the only thing that keeps her loyal to Lord Ninka or she’d have tried to strike out on her own a long time ago, then she’d just kill anyone.”

 

“Huh,” Remi digested that piece of information, “interesting point. Ok, if you lose. I kill her.”

 

Jaesa nodded and squared her shoulder, holding her lightsaber in her hands. “Let’s go kill crazy.”

 

They did not need to walk anywhere, Jaesa willed them into the castle.

 

“Ugh, I hate purple.” Jaesa looked around shuddering.

 

“Could have fooled me.”

 

“That Sith is so gross,” she looked up at the portraits of Lord Scourge. “Do you know what they do all day?”

 

“Yes,” Remi said drily.

 

“I have no idea what she sees in him, I mean he’s cold, angry, super old, and red! I mean he’s entirely red, I mean you know, entirely, with weird things on his face. Yuck.” She looked at Remi who was carefully not saying anything. She stopped walking, “Oh, you two are together aren’t you.”

 

“Mmhmm.” Remi stopped and faced her.

 

“Sorry, she didn’t want to believe it. I could never understand the appeal. Sith pureblood are kind of ugly and weird looking.”

 

“My son’s a Sith pureblood.” Remi said pointedly, Jaesa looked more horrified.

 

“Oh no, I’m sorry, I’m just going to shut up now.” She covered her face.

 

“Don’t worry about it,” Remi laughed putting a hand on her shoulder. “I won’t remember any of this.”

 

“You won’t?” she said looking sad, “We won’t be friends when this is done?”

 

“Probably not,” Remi grinned and continued walking, “there’s time for that later but only if you win. Otherwise I’ll have to kill you.” She called over her shoulder. The look of determination hardened Jaesa’s features, she ran to catch up.

 

Remi led the way into the throne room, partially hiding Padawan Jaesa from view. Sith Jaesa sat on the throne with Scourge, the Wrath and her crew stood in a line to observe.

 

Remi wrinkled her nose, “Is everyone always naked in your dreams?” she asked looking at the crew.

 

The Sith crossed her arms, “I see through everyone. They can’t hide anything from me.”

 

“Makes sense,” Remi shrugged looking at naked Pierce and Quinn. “Is it supposed to be cold in here?” she asked.

 

“They aren’t Force users.”

 

“Is that a metaphor for something?” Remi grinned.

 

“I told you to leave,” Jaesa said standing, she caught sight of the other Jaesa. Her expression became a mask of rage and hatred, but Remi saw something else, fear. “What’s she doing here?” she demanded.

 

Padawan Jaesa saw no reason to talk to herself she simply launched an attack. Remi stood back and watched. Obviously, they were equal in strength, Remi had no idea how this would play out.

 

The Sith cast lightning and shouted, she attacked with a flurry of blows, Juyo form Remi thought, unsurprised at the purely aggressive choice. Her red double sided lightsaber spun in a blur of attacks. Remi saw her weakness, Juyo left the practitioner open to Force attacks. She wondered if Master Karr or Lord Ninka had taught her the strengths of the different forms.

 

The Padawan used a combination of defense but attacked when she saw an opening. She flipped over the Sith. Shien form and Ataru. Remi was impressed but neither fighter seemed to gain an advantage.

 

Suddenly the Sith launched a flurry of attacks backing the Padawan slowly to the wall. Padawan Jaesa stumbled and fell, with a victorious cry the Sith went for the killing blow. Padawan Jaesa desperately rolled and threw a wall of Force, not at Sith Jaesa, but at Lord Scourge.

 

“No!” Sith Jaesa screamed as she ran toward the injured Sith Lord.

 

Padawan Jaesa rushed behind her running her through with her lightsaber. Sith Jaesa looked at herself in surprise. “He’s not real stupid.” She said to herself. Sith Jaesa disappeared.

 

Remi walked up to Padawan Jaesa, the dream was already fading to gold. “That was weird to watch, good job.”

 

“Thanks,” Jaesa replied smiling, she looked down at Lord Scourge shaking her head. “You can have him, really.”

 

Remi stuck her tongue out in reply and disappeared.

 

 

* When Master Zyel trained her, Remi healed more than a dozen minds in this dream state. She never remembers what happened so each time she thinks it’s the first time. If Remi could remember, she would know that there are a lot of naked people in dreams.

 

 

 

 

Oh, my. I love all of this very much. Fun idea, and an excellently crafted sequence for Jaesa.

[greyjedibp]

From last two chaper I must they preey.

 

1.I glad LsJaesa kill her dark self (I never did like DsJaesa)

 

2.I find it funny that LsJaesa is not love with Scourge unlike her DsJaesa.

 

3.I glad Pierce's daughter is safe.

[kabeone]

Part 2.40 Fate

 

 

 

Scourge was sitting on their bed in their quarters, his head resting against the top of the headboard. Remi pulled off her armor and crawled into bed next to him, she lay on her stomach her muscles twitching with fatigue.

 

“Healing, tires you more than fighting.” Scourge observed.

 

“I’m better at killing things.” She replied, her voice partially muffled by the pillow. “I’ve read healing takes resources from within you, they take longer to replace even with the Force.”

 

“That could be why it is harder for those who use the dark side to heal. The Sith do not give of themselves so easily.”

 

“Hmm.”

 

“You realize you have told Lord Ninka and her crew about our son. Any of them could use it against you.”

 

“I know, but I would have had to kill them all if Pierce didn’t back down.”

 

“You may still have to.”

 

Remi made a frustrated sound. “Mph ired agh eww am iferals ah eekin ith!” She yelled into her pillow.

 

He reached over and began rubbing her shoulders and back, “I’m sorry you feel that way.”

 

She sighed after a few minutes as her muscles began to unknot. “Om ith ur ognay.” She muffled.

 

He almost smiled. “Is something else bothering you?”

 

Remi was silent for a minute then turned her head to the side, “We have no fate here. No destiny, no visions, I’m not trying to save the galaxy. When I was fighting the Emperor, I never expected to survive, but I always believed I would succeed. Now, anything could happen.”

 

He pondered her statement. He had wrestled with deciding his own path for the past three years. Now that he had Remi back, he decided it was a good thing. “It is good that we can make our own fate,” he said echoing his own thoughts. “It means we are free.”

 

When she did not respond, he looked over at her. She had fallen asleep. He lay on his side facing her; taking her hand in his he kissed the back of it. He thought about how little time they had actually been together. A month or two before they fought the Emperor again, he had spent half of that time torturing her to make her Sith. A year after defeating the Emperor, she had spent large spans of that year consumed with madness. They spent more time as wary allies than as lovers, and more time apart than either, time wasted.

 

He silently promised her he would find a way to stay at her side from now on. He knew he would do anything for her and the son he had never met. He realized the trend of his thoughts; it made his blood run cold. He touched her cheek with both wonder and fear, “What did you do to me?”

 

 

 

 

Edited November 1, 2012 by kabeone

[kabeone]

Part 2.41 Doc

 

 

 

Doc stood in his office, it was a part of the suite he shared with Kira. He flipped through the various Alderaanian newsfeeds. He even sliced the terminal to pick up the unencrypted Imperial feeds, nothing. The standoff was over, Killiks had inexplicably saved the hostages and left. He knew Remi had called, but he was not allowed in the room during the conversation. Good ole Remi. Doc was sure she had arranged the rescue. He remembered she met with a Killik representative on Alderaan years ago and as far as he could tell, the Killiks never bothered her or her ship at the abandoned landing pad she had used. If anyone could arrange to rescue a bunch of hostages with a handful of bugs from parsecs away, it was Remi.

 

The feed reported a dead Jedi, but no other details were released. Fear gripped Doc’s heart. The door to the suite opened, he rushed to the receiving room. Master Satele and three other Jedi he recognized looked up at him, but no Kira.

 

“Master Weiz is dead.” She began.

 

Doc processed that for a moment, Weiz had been the other Jedi diplomat, he was a good man, he was kind and never looked down on Doc or his marriage to Kira. He looked up again at the four Jedi, “Where’s Kira?”

 

“She was not with the hostages. I believe she has been taken.”

 

Doc was stunned but it did not last, he had not survived for so long without being quick on his feet. “Do you think they took her back to House Rist?”

 

“I do not sense Kira on this planet, wherever she is, it is far away.” Master Satele hesitated to say more and fell silent.

 

“What? What’s going on?”

 

“We believe-” she began.

 

“Satele, he’s not a Jedi.” Master Kavil interrupted.

 

“Doctor Kimball has served the Republic faithfully and deserves to know.” She said sounding tired. “Several other Jedi have gone missing, we believe they are related to Kira’s disappearance.”

 

“Who else is missing?” Doc had not even heard about missing Jedi, he wondered why they had not been warned.

 

“Leeha, for one.” One of the other Jedi said. He was a Zabraak, he had looked familiar before, and now Doc recognized him, Jomar Chul.

 

“Master Kavil was leading the search for our missing Jedi when the hostage situation broke out.” Master Satele continued, “Now that we know Kira is missing we will return to the site of the attack to see if we can find any clues as to where they might have taken her.”

 

“I think I know how to find Kira.” Doc said, he hurried to a console. “She has a tracking beacon in her lightsaber, if she knew she was being taken she would have activated it.” He did not mention Remi put the tracking device there because Kira kept getting lost in her first few solo missions. He stared at the console willing it to give him a result, “Aha! There she is.” He downloaded the coordinates.

 

“Give us the coordinates,” Master Kavil ordered, “We will go there and find her.”

 

“I’m coming with you,” Doc said firmly.

 

“You are not a Jedi, you cannot come on a mission like this.”

 

“Why not? I went to the Dark Temple and the other one in space. I don’t have to fight anyone I just want to be able to help. I am a doctor you know, and unless one of your Jedi has gone to medical school in the past hour you might need someone like me.” Doc realized he was rambling and decided to quit before he made himself look like a fool.

 

“Jomar, can heal and Seth has medical training.” Master Kavil waved his hand dismissing medical school and over a decade of medical practice as irrelevant.

 

“Actually Master Kavil,” Jomar said firmly but with perfect respect, “I can heal only basic wounds and I’m not good for much after, Seth can keep a person from bleeding to death but not much else. If any of our people are wounded the doctor would be a valuable asset. If he’s willing to come, we’d be lucky to have him.”

 

Doc remembered Jomar was in a relationship with Leeha. After he and Kira wed, Leeha had confided in them hoping she would one day receive permission to make their union official. It made sense that he would want a doctor to be present if Leeha were injured.

 

“I do not want someone who will jeopardize the mission.” Master Kavil protested.

 

“Bethos,” Master Satele admonished gently.

 

The man struggled for a moment, “Fine,” he said turning to Doc, “You will follow my orders to the letter, Doctor. I do not run the kind of ship your friend Remi used to run.”

 

“Yes, sir.” Doc replied with as little irony as he was capable.

 

Master Kavil frowned but said, “If you’re ready doctor, we’ll leave for those coordinates immediately. We’ll keep you apprised of our status Satele.”

 

“I will continue our investigation here, perhaps I can discover who is behind this. Good luck, and may the Force be with you.” Master Satele left the suite, Doc stood alone with the three Jedi.

 

Master Kavil glared at him. Doc shuddered; the Jedi Master always put him on edge. There was something about him, he had seen it in some of the resistance fighters on Balmorra. He could never put his finger on it, but now he understood what it was, fanaticism.

 

Master Kavil was obsessed with the Jedi code. He believed that the Jedi were the only good people in the galaxy, everyone else was flawed and required control. Now he was leading the search for Kira. The whole thing made Doc uneasy.

 

He looked at the other two Jedi, they seemed perfectly at ease and confident in their leader. Somehow, it made Doc feel even worse.

 

 

 

 

[kabeone]

Part 2.42 About Quinn

 

 

 

“What do you think about our Jedi, my lord.” Pierce asked. Broonmark and Vette were throwing cards into an upturned helmet across the room, Quinn was sleeping off some kolto and pain killers for his neck. Lord Ninka and Pierce leaned against a case of explosives sharing a flask of brandy they found in one of the supply crates.

 

“I think you’re lucky, a Sith would have killed you.” Lord Ninka smiled at her companion.

 

Pierce snorted, “Thanks for standing by me.” He frowned realizing the risk he had taken. He took a long pull from the flask before handing it to her, “Think she could have done it before I could press that switch?”

 

“She doesn’t seem like the sabacc type to me.” She thought about the events of the day, “She took Jaesa apart as well.”

 

They sat in silence thinking about what they had witnessed. Neither wanted to talk about how powerful the Jedi must be.

 

“So we’re after her son, aye.” Pierce said changing the subject.

 

“It explains a lot. I wasn’t buying the idea that the Jedi would send her after one child.”

 

“Gives us some leverage if she wants to turn us into the Pubs when we’re done.”

 

“Perhaps, though, she seems too straight to betray us. Besides, given whom the father probably is that information is more dangerous than it is useful.”

 

“Huh, probably. Wonder why he didn’t just kill me.”

 

“Apparently, he follows the Jedi. Interesting dynamic.”

 

“Nothing wrong with a strong man taking orders from a powerful woman, my lord.”

 

Ninka smiled, taking a sip and handing the flask back to Pierce. “I almost killed Quinn,” she said thoughtfully, “I was going to do it that time. One betrayal too many.”

 

“One betrayal, is one betrayal too many, my lord.” Pierce drank the last of the flask and closed it. The Jedi had good taste in bombs, brandy and pastries, if more Jedi were like that he might feel guilty about killing them.

 

“What are we going to do with him?”

 

“I overheard the bit about his special communications,” he answered with another snort of disgust. “There’s an abandoned mining outpost not far from here. We can set up for him to contact them, trace it back, bet we find their station.”

 

“A fine idea, but that’s not what I meant.”

 

“We could leave him there.” He grinned at the idea.

 

“I’m always afraid he’ll do even more damage when he’s out of my sight.”

 

“He does enough when you’re watching him.” Pierce frowned, “You think he was intentionally feeding them the wrong data?”

 

“Yes,” she replied, “do you?”

 

“I think it doesn’t matter, I think he doesn’t know how to be trustworthy.”

 

“So, we keep him?”

 

Pierce shrugged, “As long as you kill him the next time he betrays you, I figure we won’t be keeping him long.”

 

 

 

 

[kabeone]

Part 2.43 Debt

 

 

 

Lord Scourge watched Remi sleep. She hardly stirred at all, and she would have pillow marks on her face when she awoke. He smiled at the thought before turning more serious. Much had happened in the past few hours, and the Wrath knew about her son. They were no fools. They would guess who the father was. Perhaps now would be a good time to learn what would come of this, and who he would have to kill later to keep them safe.

 

He left the room quietly and moved to stand in the doorway of the cargo bay. They looked up at his appearance.

 

“Lord Scourge,” Lord Ninka greeted, “I hope you haven’t come to silence us.” Her words were spoken in jest but her body was tensed for a fight.

 

“Do you require silencing?” Lord Scourge asked.

 

“No, and I think I trust you more now that I understand why you chose to side with a Jedi in all of this.” Lord Ninka smirked, “Though I do question your taste.”

 

He returned her smirk with his own dark grin, “You would be the last person who should question my taste.” He eyed the still sleeping officer.

 

“Touché.” She acknowledged, Pierce glared.

 

“What do you plan to do with him?”

 

“Nothing for now,” she answered in a tone that mean he was not to do anything either. “We want to use him to locate the station.”

 

Lord Scourge nodded, “He still has his uses.” He was silent but did not seem ready to leave.

 

Vette had not spoken much since becoming a passenger on Remi’s ship. Perhaps she did not want to annoy everyone in such close quarters but the strain of silence was wearing on her and she could no longer hold back her questions. “Why didn’t you kill Jaesa when she attacked Remi earlier today? Is her name Remi or Grey, and how did a Jedi end up a bounty hunter? How does she know all those weird people? Why does she have so many bombs?” She stopped talking when Broonmark chirped at her. She looked guilty but relieved to be able to ask.

 

“For one thing, Remi hardly needed my help. For another,” he looked straight at Pierce, “I did not want Pierce to win any bets.” The big man actually looked startled. “As to the rest of your questions, you should ask her when she is idle. She would probably tell you some of it, she is very patient and kind.” It was the longest conversation he ever had with Vette.

 

“Her patience seems to have rubbed off,” Lord Ninka said raising an eyebrow at Lord Scourge. “No offense, my lord, but her influence is obvious.”

 

He shrugged, not caring what they thought of his current mild disposition. He decided if they thought he was going soft they would underestimate him. He also wanted to broach a topic he was not certain they had considered. “I wondered if you had thought of her influence on your apprentice.”

 

“Jaesa?” Lord Ninka frowned, “What exactly did the Jedi do to her?”

 

“I do not know, and I do not think she knows exactly either. Your apprentice had a problem that needed healing, Remi healed it.”

 

“Interesting,” Lord Ninka thought about her apprentice’s instability. She had driven the young woman to the edge of sanity so that she would switch sides, but she had never recovered enough to focus her rage. “Are you saying she may wake up a Jedi?”

 

He snorted, but he did not want to explain that being a Jedi was not that simple or easy, “Unlikely, but she will not be the same. We will have to deal with the changes before we assault the station.”

 

Lord Ninka did not care for the implications of what it might take to deal with Jaesa, but she acknowledged the idea.

 

Having said what he intended he left the cargo bay and returned to Remi. He did not need sleep and he was not in pain, but he climbed in next to her. Her color looked better, and she stirred a little when she sensed his presence. She snuggled closer replacing her pillow with his arm.

 

“Did you talk to your friends?” she asked softly.

 

He had already told her they were not his friends; he did not bother doing so again. “They want to use Quinn to locate the station.”

 

“It’s a good plan, I’m glad they thought of it.” She murmured.

 

“We may still need to kill them.”

 

She sighed “Well we’ll try really hard not to, I owe them that much.”

 

“Why?” he asked, “They hate the Jedi, and the Republic, they’ve done nothing for you, they attack you whenever they have the slightest excuse. Even the Jedi would want to kill them, you owe them nothing.”

 

“They took care of you while I was away,” she replied hugging him tightly, “I owe them everything.”

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2012 by kabeone

[kabeone]

Part 2.44 Trace

 

 

 

“Is this really necessary?” Quinn asked as Pierce leveled a blaster rifle on him.

 

They were preparing to contact the Hand, hoping to trace the call that would bounce over several signal relays to the station where the ritual would be performed. They rigged the ancient equipment on the abandoned mining outpost to transmit. Remi, T7, and Pierce stood out of view of the holo-terminal. The rest of the group scouted the facility to make sure that it was abandoned.

 

“Nah,” the big man grinned, “We know you won’t try anything stupid.” Despite his assertion, he did not lower his rifle.

 

Quinn rolled his eyes. “I hope you’re enjoying yourself, Lieutenant.”

 

“Nice of you to care, Captain.”

 

T7 beeped.

T7 = Ready for trace //

Captain Pasty Imperial = Talk to the Hand

 

“I don’t understand why you don’t have a bolt on you.” He said stiffly. He eyed Remi who frowned at him and patted her lightsaber at the mention of a bolt. He swiftly entered a series of transmission signals, along with his current frequency. The Hand, if they received the transmission, would contact him.

 

“How long do you think we’ll have to wait?” Remi asked.

 

“How should I kno-,” the comm beeped. Everyone went silent, Remi nodded at Quinn and he answered.

 

“Captain,” Servant Two said with surprise, “We thought you were dead, your ship was destroyed along with our first recovery team, there were no escape pods. How did you survive?”

 

“They rigged the ship to explode, my lord.” Quinn replied. “They are quite sadistic people, obsessed with the superiority of bombs over tact. Working with them was excruciating.” Identical smiles quirked the lips of Remi and Pierce, Quinn did not glance at either of them. “I managed to get to an escape pod and I was picked up by a salvage ship. They left me on a mining outpost.”

 

“Did anyone else survive?”

 

“I escaped before the fighting was over, my lord. I cannot be sure what occurred.” Pierce looked at him sharply for that statement but said nothing. Remi was monitoring the progress of T7’s trace they needed more time. She pointed to the fingers on her hand.

 

“Did you notice anything else?”

 

“I did, I particularly noticed some weakness in the Five.”

 

“Impossible.” Servant Two argued, “The Five cannot be killed.”

 

Quinn shrugged helplessly, “It’s not something I can speak to with a great deal of authority, but I saw some weaknesses in their attacks, it could be why the Wrath’s crew managed to take out the entire ship rather than being subdued. I did give you explicit instructions on the weakness of the Wrath and her underlings.”

 

“You did.” Servant Two said thoughtfully.

 

“I have recorded the relevant part of the fight with my ocular implant.”

 

“Upload it to me.”

 

“I’m afraid this outpost lacks the equipment.”

 

“I see,” Servant Two considered his options, “You have done well Quinn, we will send a transport to your location to come get you.” Servant Two out, he cut the transmission suddenly.

 

Quinn looked over at the droid.

 

T7 = Traced location //

Station = Orbiting Korriban //

T7 = Recorded cloaking frequency

 

Remi blinked and had to look away for a moment. She cleared her throat, “Good. Let’s find the others.”

 

***

 

The group reconvened in the cargo bay of Remi’s ship.

 

“We don’t know anything about the station except it’s probably not Imperial. We don’t know the defenses, the layout, anything, we’re going in blind.” Remi bit her lip.

 

“We have a few days before the ritual starts,” Pierce pointed out, “One of us could sneak aboard for some recon.” He frowned, “Of course we don’t know anything about this station to so sneaking aboard will be fairly difficult too.”

 

“They probably have other ships that supply and dock with it. We could follow one of those.” Lord Ninka suggested.

 

Remi nodded, “We just have to hope there’s an incoming ship soon, we’ll also have to avoid detection while we gather intel.”

 

“The solution is obvious,” Quinn said with disgust. The group turned to him, “Allow the Hand to collect me, and I will send you the intel from the inside.”

 

“Thought of that, don’t trust you.” Lord Ninka and Pierce said simultaneously. Remi hid a smile at Quinn’s sour look.

 

“I assure you, my lord. I would not betray you.”

 

“Can you assure me that you’ll send me everything,” Lord Ninka asked, “Every last thing, you won’t hold back information so you can arrive at the last minute and save the day?”

 

Quinn gazed at her for a long moment, “May I speak with you privately, my lord.”

 

Pierce eyed him suspiciously. Lord Ninka stared thoughtfully at her captain then rose from her spot on the floor and led Quinn to her quarters.

 

“You know,” Vette mused, “With all that’s happened with Quinn I would have thought you two would have gotten together by now.” She tilted her head at Pierce.

 

Pierce snorted. “Not interested and not relevant, Vette.”

 

Remi raised her eyebrow, “Why not?”

 

Pierce looked up from the datapad he had been studying, everyone looked at him expectantly, even Lord Scourge regarded him with amusement. Bloody Vette, always stirring up trouble. “I don’t want her to choose me because I’m the safe one. It’s insulting.” He muttered with disgust. “Can we get back to strategy now? We have a kid to save and Hand to kill.”

 

 

 

 

Edited August 4, 2012 by kabeone

[kabeone]

Part 2.45 The Eyes Have It

 

 

 

“Do you think there’s any hope for us?” Quinn asked once they were alone in the Wrath’s quarters.

 

Lord Ninka eyed Quinn suspiciously. His question was blunt and honest, much like his apology. It was entirely unlike him. Quinn had also been healed by the Jedi, perhaps she had done something to his mind. She could not be sure if it was a good or a bad thing.

 

“Us?” she replied, “I wasn’t aware that ‘us’ was something you thought about.”

 

“All the time, my lord. Despite what has happened between us,” he hesitated, she could almost see the calculations he was making, “I’m in love with you.”

 

She softened for a moment then remembered her earlier question. She looked at him sternly, “Are you trying to distract me, Captain?”

 

He gave her a small smile, it looked like approval, “Not exactly, but my habit of saving information so I can ‘save the day,’ as you call it, was a part of my need to impress you. It is difficult to be a Force-blind in love with a Sith, especially one such as you.”

 

Lord Ninka narrowed her eyes trying to find the meaning behind his words. This conversation had her confused, he started by being completely open and blunt but now that she asked real questions he was more evasive than ever, “Oh, that’s very good Captain. I cannot trust you at all, can I?”

 

Quinn’s prosthetic eye twitched.

 

She tilted her head to the side. “Do you know anything about the ritual?”

 

“Servant Two was not very forthcoming when I asked him for information,” he said blandly, his face perfectly still except for his false eye, “I only could collect what they said by accident and interpret, and I’m not an expert in dark rituals.”

 

“That wasn’t an answer, Quinn.” She crossed her arms, “What’s going on?”

 

He tried to speak but froze, he took a deep breath and said, “I’m afraid I don’t know what you are talking about, my lord.”

 

Lord Ninka lost her patience, she held Quinn in place with a light Force-choke. “Tell me about the ritual,” she remembered something the Jedi had said earlier, “Why do they call the child a vessel?” She increased the pressure around his neck, “Tell me or I’ll just kill you now.”

 

Quinn’s mouth opened but no words came out, he grit his teeth his eye still twitched, “The ritual,” he began, then he convulsed, foam began to form at his lips. Alarmed Lord Ninka let go of him and lowered him to the floor. She wrenched the door open and yelled for Remi.

 

The Jedi arrived at a run followed by Lord Scourge and Pierce who naturally had his rifle out. Quinn’s body shuddered on the floor, Remi ran to him and checked his vitals, she yelled for a med-kit. Vette squeezed past the two men with the kit, the Jedi administered kolto and closed her eyes. Lord Ninka could feel the Force draining out of her, in a few moments, the Captain stopped twitching and his breathing evened out.

 

“What happened?” Remi asked checking the Captain’s vitals with a medical scanner.

 

Lord Ninka had backed up against the wall to give the Jedi room to work, “I was asking him about the ritual. It seemed like he was hiding something, I tried to force him to tell me, and then he collapsed.”

 

Remi raised an eyebrow at Lord Scourge, “Same thing happened to The Five when I questioned them. I used SLV serum to force them to answer, that’s how they died.”

 

“I didn’t know,” the Sith Lord whispered, she looked pleadingly at the Jedi, “Will he be alright?”

 

“Physically, maybe. His mind, I’m not sure.” She sighed, “I’m better at killing things. Did he ever meet with the Hand in person, alone?”

 

“Not that I know of,” Lord Ninka said. “He has gone on missions and leave on his own though. If they tampered with him it could have been at any of those times.”

 

Remi touched the scar on his face, she raised an eyebrow at Lord Ninka. “I can think of one opportunity where they could have done anything to him and none of you, including him, would have known about it.”

 

“His prosthetic,” Lord Ninka said draining of color. “He kept twitching his eye at me.”

 

“Didn’t he say it recorded information on the Five?” Pierce said.

 

“He did,” Remi agreed, “I thought it was a clever bluff. Maybe he was trying to tell us something and not the Hand.” She reached over, plucked his eye out, and rose unsteadily to her feet. She walked to the bridge where T7 was monitoring for signs of a ship. They did not know how long it would take for the Hand to retrieve the Captain.

 

T7 beeped.

T7 scans = No sign of incoming vessel.

 

“Good.” Remi acknowledged, “Download the data stored in here.” She said hooking the eye into his universal data port. “Analyze it and see if you can find anything about the Hand, the ritual, the Five, or anything else.”

 

Captain Pasty Imperial = Betrayer again?

 

“Maybe not, this time.” Remi said tiredly but she smiled. “Maybe not.”

 

***

 

Fire burned every nerve when Quinn tried to force out the words, he fought past the pain and managed two, then he was lost in a sea of torment. He heard Lord Ninka shout for the Jedi, golden light then darkness followed. When he awoke, his prosthetic was missing, he was on Lord Ninka’s bed, and she, Pierce, Vette and Broonmark sat around him.

 

He was grateful they never killed him for all the times he had betrayed them of his own free will, and even more so for all the times he could not help it. He would never tell them he had grown fond of them all, even Pierce. He had to keep them away he could not be trusted.

 

He touched his limp eyelid with a sigh of relief they finally figured it out. Lord Ninka looked at him and reached for his hand.

 

“Are you alright?” She asked.

 

“For now.” He replied. “Will you allow me to be collected?” He did not really want to go, there was a good chance the group coming for him would simply kill him and take his eye. If they did collect him, they might torture him or force him to work against Lord Ninka again. However, he was willing if it would extend the ruse for a bit longer.

 

“They might just kill you.”

 

“Perhaps, but if you don’t let me go they’ll know something’s amiss.”

 

“I don’t know what to say, Quinn.”

 

He was about to say something but the Jedi hurried in. She had saved his life again. The blocks they had placed on him were fatal under specific circumstances. He had searched for her alias Grey, to little avail. He even returned to that brothel but the Nautolan who ran the place could not be bought or intimidated, when he returned a second time with reinforcements, he was gone. He had imagined all the ways he would torture and kill her for humiliating him. Now he was glad he had failed, but she was still a Jedi and her disposition, equal parts serenity and cheer, made him cranky.

 

She slipped past Lord Ninka and briskly refitted his eye. He tested it and looked at her with offense; she or her incompetent droid had damaged the prosthetic.

 

“We made it look damaged so we could erase the recordings of the past few days and damage the rest of the logs. The Hand won’t know what we’ve been up to and they won’t be sure what you know.” Then she kissed him full on the lips and grinned at his disgusted expression. “You did it Captain, we have a full set of plans for the station and security codes to boot. I knew I let you live for a reason.” She kissed him again, this time on the cheek. She hopped up and motioned to Pierce and the others. “Come on, we’ve got a raid to plan, and I need you all. Let’s give the Captain and Lord Ninka some time before we abandon him at the mine, hmm?”

 

The Jedi grinned infuriatingly at them. Quinn wiped at his face as the others filed out. She shut the door winking at Lord Ninka. The Sith rolled her eyes.

 

“I don’t know what she expects me to do with you.” She said shaking her head. Despite her words, she climbed into bed next to him and rested her head on his shoulder. She sighed, “I don’t think there’s a chance for us Quinn, not without one of us ending up dead.”

 

He smiled a little, she was probably right. He kissed the top of her head, “I wasn’t planning to live forever, my lord.” She laughed a little choking on a sob, then she held him until it was time to let him go.

 

 

 

 

[kabeone]

Part 2.46 Purple

 

 

 

Jaesa sensed Lord Ninka’s presence. She did not remember anything about the last twenty-four hours. When she awoke, she felt different as if a haze had been lifted.

 

“Master?” she asked.

 

“How do you feel?” Lord Ninka sat beside her and studied her face.

 

She thought about the haze, how she could now think clearly, how everything felt sharper. “I feel, different. It’s hard to explain, what happened?”

 

“What do you remember?”

 

“I saw Lord Scourge and the Jedi talking in the corridor,” she thought hard about what she had seen. “You came and gave me a sedative, that’s all.”

 

“You don’t remember attacking her?”

 

“What?” Jaesa sat up, Lord Ninka put her hand on her shoulder to keep her from running outside. “Is she alright?” She felt her master’s amusement at the question.

 

“Oh yes, you are the one we were worried about.” She decided to prod her apprentice. “She defeated you quite easily.”

 

Jaesa’s eyes widened, “She must be very powerful.”

 

Lord Ninka raised an eyebrow, she felt no anger coming from her apprentice a day ago there would have been rage. “I suppose, it’s one of the reasons why Lord Scourge is with her.”

 

Jaesa cringed; she remembered pursuing the Sith Lord for the past year. She hid her face in her hands, wondering what she had been thinking. She felt nothing for him now.

 

“You’re not angry?”

 

“I should be shouldn’t I? I- I mean I would have been before right?” Jaesa stammered. She thought about several things at random, all her feeling were different. “What did she do to me?” She felt her fear rising to panic.

 

“She tried to heal you,” Lord Ninka said, her eyes narrowing, “But if she hurt you I will have to speak with her.”

 

“No!” Jaesa said clutching her arms, she let go immediately. “I just,” she closed her eyes trying to think of what she wanted to say. “Will you still be my master if I’m different? I don’t want to be a Jedi.” The last part came out in a whisper, as if she were afraid Remi would hear.

 

Lord Ninka laughed. “Well that puts my mind at ease for one thing at least. You will have to tell me what’s different as you discover it.”

 

She searched her feelings carefully then nodded raising her chin. “I am still Sith.” She looked down and grimaced. “One thing I can tell you, I really hate purple.”

 

 

 

 

[kabeone]

Part 2.47 Betrayal

 

 

 

Jedi Knight Seth guided the Paladin into docking position with a derelict vessel. According to Kira’s signal, this was her last known location. Master Kavil insisted they all board the ship including the doctor. Doc was not going to argue, if Kira was there he wanted to be the first to see her.

 

They entered the ship cautiously, there were signs of a fight involving blasters and lightsabers. Main power was down and the emergency lights flickered. Doc checked the ships secondary systems at a nearby console, at current power consumption there was less than fourty-eight hours of life support left on the vessel. Master Kavil extended his senses. Someone was still on the ship.

 

The group approached the ship medical bay. It was not part of an average ship’s specifications. It was much larger and looked as if it was built to hold half a dozen people in restraints, several tables for surgery or dissection, and a few lockers for corpses. Master Kavil frowned at the equipment, the life he sensed was coming from the locker. He pointed at the drawer and motioned for one of them to open it while he prepared to defend against whoever or whatever was inside. Seth put his back against the wall and grabbed the handle, he pulled and quickly leaped back. A half frozen Kira drew her lightsaber and prepared to defend herself.

 

“Kira,” Doc shouted. He knew the freezing temperatures of the locker would make her blind.

 

“D-d-doc?” Kira answered. She shivered and deactivated her lightsaber, she tried to move and fell off the drawer, Doc ran forward to help her. He injected her with several stims and kolto throwing his jacket over her.

 

“I need to get her to the medical bay,” he picked her up and briskly walked past the Jedi.

 

“Doc? Is it really you?” Kira asked, she still could not see.

 

“It’s me, beautiful. What were you thinking, freezing yourself?” He said holding her tightly as he made his way onto Master Kavil’s ship.

 

“Extending life sssupport.” Kira stuttered as she shivered uncontrollably.

 

Doc hurried into the ship’s medical bay. He placed her on the table, covered her with warming blankets, and turned on the lamp. He gave her another round of stims to manage the shivering.

 

“They’re going to want to know what happened.” Doc said checking her eyes. “Can you talk?”

 

“Yes,” she said, “I managed to get free and fought. They took a small craft and abandoned the ship with the others, they assumed I would die out there so they left me. They have Leeha, Warren, and Tol Braga.”

 

Doc’s eyes widened. “They’re after everyone who helped Remi against the Emperor?”

 

Kira tried to answer. “Thank you doctor, I’ll speak with Kira from here.” Master Kavil interrupted. “Seth and Jomar are trying to determine where the ship was heading, we’ll need the coordinates. I need you to get back to the other ship and find out what they might have been doing there. I don’t like the looks of that medical bay, I want to make sure they did not do anything harmful to Kira or our friends.”

 

Doc was alarmed at the idea, and experimenting on Jedi is something the Sith would do if they had a chance. He squeezed Kira’s hand, “I’ll be back before you know it.” She squeezed back and let go.

 

Remembering that all the terminals in the medical bay had been smashed, Doc ran to the ship’s bridge to download the medical bay logs. Seth and Jomar were already there.

 

“Master Kavil,” Seth said into his comm. “We’ve located the coordinates of where they were headed. It looks like there was some kind of adjustments they made to the ship sensors, probably for a cloaking device. I’ll transmit it to you now.”

 

“Well done, Seth.” Master Kavil said. “I am proud to have worked with both you and Jomar. You are exemplary Jedi.”

 

“Master Kavil?” Seth said uneasily.

 

“I’m sorry,” the Master continued as the whole vessel shook, “I’m doing this for the good of the Republic.”

 

Doc felt uneasy when Master Kavil started getting sentimental. He ran when the man apologized. He was fast enough to see the docking door close. The ship shook when the Paladin detached. Master Kavil had abandoned them.

 

***

 

Quinn was nearly blind. They had taken his prosthetic and then beat him until his real eye was swollen shut.

 

“How did you manage to survive but the ship was destroyed?” Servant One asked. He did not personally administer the beating. That was done by an Imperial Guardsman. The man made Pierce look like an emaciated runt.

 

“I was injured early and took an escape pod when the fighting began, I do not know the circumstances that destroyed the ship.” Quinn kept to his simple story this was the eleventh time Servant One had asked that same question.

 

“You were injured, by whom?”

 

“One of the Five, my lord.”

 

“How did you survive this injury?”

 

“I don’t know what you mean, my lord.”

 

“The Five were instructed to kill you first, then the rest of the crew, then capture the Wraths.” Servant One brushed an invisible speck off his sleeve. “How could they fail so miserably that you alone managed to escape?”

 

“I do not know, my lord.” Quinn responded he did not need to feign surprise. “Perhaps the data stored in my eye will help you answer that.”

 

“Conveniently, your eye was damaged. But, it seems you must be telling the truth.” He walked over to the beaten man and knelt so that he was eye level. He administered kolto, so that Quinn could see through his eye. “One last question, Malavai.” He caressed the Captain’s cheek absently.

 

“Of course, my lord.”

 

“You have perfect memory,” Servant One said bringing his finger under his chin so that he could see the Captain’s face. “So you can tell me everything about this salvage crew that left you on the abandoned mining outpost, including identifying ship marks so that I can find and question them.”

 

Quinn froze. Servant One nodded to the Imperial Guardsman who punched the Captain in the gut.

Servant One smiled and helped the Captain back to his knees, “I enjoy your company Captain, it does not have to be this way, this does not have to be painful, but unlike your Wrath I will not be made a fool by one such as you.” He leaned closer and whispered into Quinn’s ear. “Why do you force me to do this every time?”

 

A ghost of a smile passed over Quinn’s lips, “You are Sith, my lord. I know you enjoy it.”

 

First shock then rage flitted over Servant One’s face before he stood and resumed his place, he nodded at the guard who punched Quinn in the ribs. “Let’s begin this again.” He said regaining his mask of calm. “How did you manage to survive but the ship was destroyed?”

 

***

 

The vessel was Republic, a Corellian Defender-class ship most commonly used by Jedi, but it had the proper codes and identification. A security team met the ship in the hangar. A familiar figure walked down the ramp.

 

“Lord Bethos,” Captain Isen bowed.

 

“Captain,” Master Kavil nodded. “I’ve brought Jedi Kira, apparently your delivery team lost her.”

 

“Yes, my lord. We will see to her immediately.” The Captain signaled his men. They boarded the ship to retrieve the Jedi.

 

“Is Servant One available? I would like to speak with him.”

 

“Of course, my lord. If you would follow me.”

 

The two men left the hangar. Master Kavil looked around at the station as they passed through the halls. The boxy geometric designs and colors were very different from an Imperial ship.

 

“Remarkable isn’t it, Captain?” He said, “Thousands of years old yet still we cannot match what it can do.”

 

“Yes, my lord.” The Captain agreed without inflection.

 

The Captain led the Master Kavil to a receiving room, Servant One was waiting.

 

“Lord Bethos,” Servant One greeted. “Welcome home.”

 

“This is hardly my home,” Master Kavil was a bit testy from the complications of his trip, “but I appreciate the sentiment.”

 

“It was your scholarship that made this possible.” Servant One said warmly, he was in a very good mood. “I have been informed that you’ve brought us the Jedi Kira. Daughter of the Emperor and defeated the Emperor’s Voice. This is very good, the Force is with us it would seem.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Yes, we have just discovered the both Wraths survived our little housecleaning, they are probably on their way as we speak. We will begin the ritual immediately; your addition of Jedi Kira will give us even more power than we anticipated.”

 

“That is good to hear, it is unfortunate the Wraths could not be collected.” Master Kavil felt he was above emotion most of the time, but he especially disliked Lord Scourge.

 

“True, but the Hand is committed to bringing back our Lord Emperor. What we will lose in number can be replenished when our Emperor is back with us. It will be a pity to lose Servant Two.”

 

Master Kavil was too shocked to respond verbally, Servant Two was said to see the galaxy differently from his exposure to the Emperor. His visions were where the Hand’s true leadership came from, Servant One merely interpreted and strategized.

 

“Don’t look that way, Bethos.” Servant One’s eyes glittered, “He volunteered.”

 

“I look forward to being one of the first to welcome our Lord Emperor back.”

 

“Yes, about that.” Servant One’s smile faded, he eyed the Captain, suddenly the room was filled with Imperial Guard. They surrounded Master Kavil, took his lightsaber and seized his arms. “This reign of the Emperor will be starting anew. I will be the only one left of all our Lord’s servants.”

 

Master Kavil managed to look outraged before they knocked him unconscious.

 

 

 

 

 

[kabeone]

Part 2.48 Joker

 

 

 

“Something must have happened,” Jomar said angrily as he tried to get main power online. He was not good at maintaining a serene exterior. “Master Kavil would not abandon us.”

 

“That speech he gave before he took off sure made it sound like he did.” Doc said scanning the comm waves. He tried all the neutral and Republic frequencies he knew, but found nothing but Imperials within range.

 

“Someone must have snuck onto his ship and forced him to say that.” Jomar crossed his arms.

 

“That guy has given me a bad feeling since the first time he talked down to Remi.” Doc replied scanning for ships of any kind.

 

“Remi went over to the dark side, and had a child with a Sith.”

 

“How did you know about that?” Doc asked, “No one but the Council was supposed to know, and they weren’t supposed to tell anyone.”

 

“Master Kavil told me.” Jomar faltered.

 

“Wonder who else he told.” Doc frowned at the scanner.

 

They worked in silence. Seth ran onto the bridge, he was still wearing a Zero-G suit. I think I got one of the engines online, we don’t have much fuel but if I can get us heading in the right direction I might be able to get us to a planet before we run out of air.

 

“Now just to pick a direction,” Doc muttered to himself, he saw a blip on one of his scans it looked like stray radiation. He narrowed his scan to search for a stealthed ship. He found a small neutral class ship. “I found a ship,” he called to the two Jedi.

 

“What kind?” Seth asked looking over his shoulder.

 

“Stealthed? Small? Does that help? I’m a doctor not an avionics-droid.”

 

Seth pushed the doctor out of the way and stared at the movement of the radiation blips. “It flies like a Mantis, but it’s too small.”

 

“Did you say Mantis?” Doc said excitedly. “It’s Remi. It has to be.”

 

“Why would Remi be out here?” Jomar asked looking uncertain.

 

“She’s looking for her son.” Seth answered studying the ship’s movement further, “Master Satele believed his kidnapping was connected to our missing Jedi.”

 

“She did?” Doc asked. “Why did no one tell me that?”

 

“I can use our engines to lay in an intercept,” Seth said ignoring the question. “But if it’s not Remi they’ll probably shoot us down.”

 

“Remi will probably shoot us down.” Jomar said sullenly.

 

“Would you rather argue about it until we run out of air?” Doc asked tired of the Jedi mistrust for his friend.

 

“Strap in, this is going to get bumpy.” Seth said taking the console, he fired up their lone engine and made a line for the stealthed vessel.

 

“Last time Remi said that I was green for a month.” Doc muttered.

 

“What’s wrong with that?” Seth asked grinning.

 

“Haha Mirialan jokes.” Doc grumbled strapping himself in and closing his eyes.

 

***

 

Remi was calm and focused, they had the location and frequency to detect the station, they knew the layout and likely defenses, and they had a plan. Everything had come together, and they would make their assault as soon as they could reach the station. Her scanner picked up an Imperial vessel heading in their direction.

 

“Heads up,” she called back to the Wrath’s crew, “Incoming vessel, Imperial, I don’t know if it’s spotted us.” She tried to identify the vessel.

 

“The Wrath’s working with Jaesa, can’t be bothered.” Pierce leaned into the bridge from the doorway studying the vessel on the display. “That’s an intercept course, Jedi.”

 

She rolled the ship and used thrusters to change their course, she did not want to break stealth by firing the engines, and the Imperial vessel matched her new trajectory perfectly.

 

“Got any guns on this ship?” Pierce asked, Vette popped up at his elbow.

 

Remi turned to look at him, insulted, “Why do you think there’s no crew space? All this ship has are engines and guns.” She pointed to the lift that would take him to where two turret guns and a missile bay waited.

 

“Ahh, if only you weren’t a Jedi-Pub.” He said heading to the lift. He caught Scourge’s angry expression on the way down, he grinned fiendishly at the Sith Lord.

 

Vette took the lift down after Pierce, “If Pierce likes your style, you have issues,” she said pointedly to Remi, “but we already knew that.”

 

She changed course again only to be matched immediately, the other pilot was very good. She studied the ship as it drew closer, it looked damaged, and ran with only one engine.

 

“Ready when you are Jedi,” Pierce said through the intercom.

 

“Firing is going to break stealth.” Remi replied. “I want to get away from here as soon as that ship is down so I can re-stealth, so make it good.”

 

Pierce started firing as soon as she stopped speaking. His aim was true but the single engine ship kept course and speed, and dodged everything he threw at it. They watched in amazement.

 

“That should be impossible.” Pierce muttered. Missiles fired, the ship stalled for a split second then shot forward, the missiles detonated harmlessly as the ship rolled away then resumed course. “If we had someone that good I’d have heard of him from the corps a long time ago. I’ve never seen anyone fly like that.”

 

“I have.” Remi whispered, she closed her eyes, the Force was faint but familiar. “Hold your fire.” Vette stopped firing but one of the turrets continued.

 

“He’s not dead yet.” The Lieutenant said angry and bloodthirsty.

 

“I think it’s a friendly, hold your fire.” Remi yelled.

 

“You think? I need better than you think.” More missiles fired some were getting perilously close to their mark.

 

“Dammit Pierce,” Remi screamed into the comm, “I swear on the Force I’ll jump into your head and turn you into a Pub if you don’t hold your fire!” The firing ceased. The Imperial ship rolled just below them and stopped, it was in the perfect position for the Mantis to dock with it. She maneuvered the ship into place; Pierce came up the lift with his rifle ready and headed toward the exit, Remi and Scourge followed him.

 

The Wrath poked her head out of Jaesa’s room, “What happened?” she asked the procession heading toward the airlock doors.

 

“Nothing,” Pierce called over his shoulder, “But if I ever start singing the Republic anthem, kill me.”

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 7, 2012 by kabeone

[kabeone]

Part 2.49 The Long Con

 

 

 

Betrayed, Master Kavil thought, I should have known, they are Sith. He had spent his life working toward this moment, when he and a few others had set out to infiltrate the Sith Academy. They were never told who the other Jedi were, safer for all of them. Later he found out Nomen Karr was one of them, Karr had been discovered by a Sith named Baras. Kavil had managed to fool them all. He maintained his status as Lord Bethos, never becoming powerful enough for the Jedi to take note. He convinced the Hand that he could infiltrate the Jedi when really he was only returning home.

 

He was a true Jedi, he followed the code, unlike these young Jedi who thought the rules did not apply to them because they were special. He had collected information on the Sith doing his part to help the Republic, then an opportunity presented itself. The Sith named Baras tried to become the Emperor’s Voice. He had failed of course but the idea was sound, if the Emperor’s place could be taken by someone who followed the light, true peace could be won for the Republic. It would mean an end to the dark side, and an end to the Sith.

 

He almost had his chance when Kira killed the Voice, he had planned to take the Emperor’s vessel while he was still stunned by the attack. He would replace the Emperor and bring peace to the galaxy, but that idiot and her Sith lover thought they would destroy the Emperor instead. They did nothing but create a power vacuum and the war raged on worse than before.

 

The Hand cast about desperately for an Emperor, it was then that they revealed to ‘Lord Bethos,’ a known scholar of the Infinite Empire, the existence of this station. He saw it for what it was immediately. When the Rakata lost their connection to the Force, they were desperate to learn why. The machines they built channeled and collected energy, created life, extended it in stasis, restrained dangerous spirits, and brought back the dead. This station could do all of that, he convinced them to use it to bring the Emperor back, but he had planned to take the power for himself.

 

He was to be there when the ritual was complete, but he had been betrayed. Now for the first time, he let himself feel his seething hatred for the Sith.

 

***

 

Kira opened her eye just a little. The room looked empty aside from the other captives. She found herself locked in magnetic restraints again. Something must have happened to Doc and the others. We’ve been recaptured. She tried to reach out with the Force but she was blocked.

 

She wondered if her kidnappers had gotten any smarter. She turned her head to the side and slid down a little, as a child on Nar Shaddaa, she had gotten out of a number of tight spots because restraints were normally built for men, not women or children. She bent her knees sliding through the restraints, the magnetic field pressed on her, she held her breath and yanked herself downward, the field closed over her head but only seared her ear and singed her hair. She let out a slow breath thankful to have a head. Bad guys never learn. With her upper body free she wrenched her arms out of the restraints with little difficulty, soon she was crouching behind the machine examining her surroundings.

 

The design of the room was familiar but definitely not Imperial. The geometric patterns and odd pillars reminded her of the ruins in the depths of Belsavis. She found a stack of metal cylinders and hefted one. She examined the other captives, she did not recognize any of them, most of them were Sith pureblood. They were arranged in a circle around a floating stone, grooves in the floor led to the center of the room, the floating stone pointed to a large crystal set into the ceiling. Something about the arrangement made her shudder. She crept to the doorway and checked the hall. It was unguarded.

 

The hall turned out to be a short corridor that led to another room. Kira found Master Kavil lying on the floor unconscious, he had been beaten and his arms were restrained with simple chains.

 

“Master Kavil,” she ran to him and shook his shoulder. He was old but not as frail as he looked, he coughed weakly and began to rouse.

 

“Kira,” he said, “I’m so glad it’s you. I know what they are trying to do, we must stop them.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“They are trying to resurrect the Emperor.”

 

“What? How?”

 

“This station is machine that can resurrect him. That’s why they wanted you, the power of the Emperor is held within those he has touched. You and the others were to be sacrificed.”

 

Kira’s eyes widened, “We have to save Leeha and the others.”

 

“No time. We must stop the resurrection.” He gripped her arms hard enough to leave bruises, “There’s more. We can use their plan against them. If someone destroys the Emperor’s vessel they can take that power for themselves. Don’t you see? If the new Emperor follows the path of the light there can be lasting peace, the Empire can join the Republic and the Sith will be no more.”

 

“That sounds kind of crazy, Master.” She said prying his fingers off her arm.

 

“We must try, at least we will destroy the Emperor’s power for good.”

 

“So we destroy this vessel and it’ll destroy the Emperor?”

 

“That is what I understand.”

 

“Now that, I can get behind. We need to arm ourselves; do you know which way we should go?” She went to the door the hall was still clear, and she slipped outside.

 

“Yes,” Master Kavil answered, Kira did not see him smile, “Follow me.”

 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 11, 2012 by kabeone

[kabeone]

Part 2.50 Alliance

 

 

 

“Remi!” Doc said with relief as Remi ran up to hug him. Everyone else had drawn their weapons she ignored them.

 

“Did you find Kira?” she asked.

 

“Master Kavil betrayed us. He’s working with whoever kidnapped Kira. He took her and abandoned us on this ship, he left us to die.”

 

“So much for righteous Jedi.” Pierce spat.

 

“You shut your mouth, Imperial.” Jomar said angrily.

 

“Seth, it’s good to see you.” Remi said smiling at the Mirialan.

 

“Master Remi,” he greeted and deactivated his saber.

 

“Seth! We can’t trust them, a few minutes ago they were shooting at us.”

 

“Well we didn’t kill you now did we, Jedi?” Pierce said grinning.

 

“Maybe you have lousy aim.” Jomar sneered.

 

“Maybe I should show you what my aim is like.” He leveled his rifle at the Jedi’s head.

 

“Think you can take a Jedi, Imperial scum?”

 

“I’ve lost count of the numbers, Jedi.”

 

Jomar raised his lightsaber to Pierce, the Wrath strode forward and crossed her blade with his. “Move a hair and I’ll cut you down.”

 

“This ship looks like it’s seen better days,” Remi said continuing to ignore the drama.

 

“Yep and only ten hours of oxygen left,” Seth chuckled following her lead, “we had to use up a lot of power for flying.”

 

“I’ve got plenty on my ship, come on.” She started walking to the Mantis.

 

“You’re still consorting with these Sith?” Jomar demanded. “You’re a Jedi, you can’t do this, I can’t let you.”

 

Remi turned on him, her voice held no anger but her eyes blazed with a strange intensity, “The Hand has my son, I’m going to save him. Anyone getting in the way of that will die.” She turned to stare at Pierce, “Problems?”

 

“Long as he doesn’t give us any,” Pierce answered trading her stare for stare.

 

“You heard the man, Jomar; don’t make me kill you all.” She called over her shoulder as she led Doc and Seth to her ship.

 

***

 

Seth piloted Remi’s ship through the perimeter defenses without any problems. They were about to use their codes to open one of the docking bays but they found a large freighter entering the station, Seth stayed stealthed and tailgated the massive freighter past the station doors. He landed the ship among other non-Imperial transport vessels. So far, it did not appear they had been detected at all.

 

“Wow, that was some nice flying, I’m not even nauseous.” Vette said.

 

“Thanks,” Seth replied ducking his head. “I’m Seth.”

 

“Vette,” She grinned, “I was one of the ones shooting at you earlier.”

 

“If you two are done?” Pierce said not even raising an eyebrow, “We’re getting ready to move out.”

 

They convened in the cargo bay, with the addition of Doc, Seth, and Jomar the space was fairly cramped.

 

“T7, what can you tell me about this place now that we’re in it?”

 

T7 beeped.

Station = Rakata Infinite Empire //

Architecture Indicates = Energy focus + containment //

Purpose = Unknown

 

“Sounds like a weapon.” Pierce said uneasily.

 

“I wonder what this thing was for originally.” Remi mused, then shook her head to clear it. “We have the plans for the layout of the ship from the Captain, T7 will find the nearest place to plug in, feed us target information, and keep track of us.”

 

T7 beeped confirmation.

 

They exited the ship quietly, T7 found a port in a small niche of the hangar and began slicing through the network to monitor communications and relay it back to the group. The power fluctuated and a low hum began to build.

 

“I don’t like this,” Vette said softly.

 

T7 beeped.

Receiving data = Power consumption + Comm chatter //

Indicates = Ritual started

Remi’s jaw clenched. “That means the sacrifices will start soon, can you locate our targets?”

Servant One = Section 1 //

Sacrifice Chambers = Section 2 + Section 3//

Vessel = Top //

Our Presence = Discovered //

Security = Dispatched

 

“We split up,” Remi said in an undertone, “Lord Ninka Section 1, Jomar and Seth Section 2, Doc and Scourge Section 3, and I’ll take the Top. Free any sacrifices you find if possible, when you’re done head to the Top.” No one argued.

 

Lord Ninka put a hand on Remi’s arm before they moved to the exit.

 

“I know you think my task is simple revenge on the Hand.” She said quietly, Remi stared back at the Sith Lord saying nothing, “But that includes seeing them fail completely. They will not succeed. We will save your son.” Remi nodded and turned away.

 

The group walked to the hangar exit where the hall branched. As T7 had warned, security teams were already headed toward them. The Wrath paused on her way down the corridor when she caught sight of five Sith pureblood blocking the ramp that led to the next level. Remi drew her saber and walked toward them.

 

“The Five cannot be killed.” The tallest said.

 

“We should help her,” Lord Ninka said to the other Force users before they could head to their assignments. “With all of us we’re evenly matched even with their special connection.” The two Jedi and three Sith drew their sabers and turned to follow Remi. They were only half way up the ramp when she leaped at the Five, the shockwave of her landing stunned them all.

 

A single stroke beheaded two of them before they could adjust position to surround her. She pulled the lightsaber of one of the fallen Sith to her hand and ignited it. She parried and slipped through the attacks of the remaining three a blur of blue and red blades. Almost too fast to see, she spun and made a low sweeping cut with both sabers, the three toppled, their legs taken out before they could move to avoid her. She made a few sweeping passes to behead them then dropped a small device on the pile of bodies. The device sparked several times then ignited, quickly burning their remains to ash. It was unlikely they would rise again. Remi hurried on not noticing her friends behind her.

 

Lord Ninka exchanged a wary glance with the Jedi, then they all turned and ran their separate ways.

 

 

 

 

[kabeone]

Part 2.51 Triangle

 

 

 

“Ahh, Wrath,” Servant One said smiling, “I’m so glad you could join us.”

 

Lord Ninka’s eyes scanned the room. The way to Servant One had been relatively clear, she could only assume this was intentional and that Servant One was saving his defenses. As she suspected, several squads of the Imperial Guard moved in to block the exits. The Imperial Guard were the best fighters that rigorous training and fanatical devotion could build. Rumor was the Emperor enhanced their abilities with the Force though they had no connection to it themselves. A guardsmen was often considered the equal of a Sith in martial combat now they faced more than twenty.

 

“You don’t seem surprised to see me.” The Wrath said.

 

“I’ve been well informed,” he said motioning. Quinn stepped forward and moved to a console. He had been treated for his injuries and most of the swelling in his face had gone down. He knew it would not be apparent how badly he had been tortured for his information. He held his chin up and looked the Wrath in the eye.

 

“It’s too late to add you to the ritual, it’s a shame, your power would have contributed greatly to our cause.”

 

“Why are you talking, why not attack?”

 

“I want you to understand what we are trying to do, then perhaps you will join us.”

 

“Alright, what does this ritual do?”

 

“Resurrection of course. It will bring back our Lord Emperor. That is why we wanted you and Lord Scourge, you both have been touched by his power, sacrificing you would return it. When The Five failed we were forced to improvise.” He flourished his hand, “We’ve had to sacrifice nearly all our brothers and sisters of the Hand to compensate.”

 

“All except you I take it.” Lord Ninka said rolling her eyes.

 

“Of course, someone has to rebuild.”

 

“And this vessel, the child?”

 

“It will hold the spirit of the Emperor.”

 

“His mother would have something to say about that. How did you even know about him?”

 

“Ah yes,” Servant One said sourly, “the Jedi. The traitor told us about the child, he was supposed to bring the Jedi to us as well, but he failed in that task.”

 

The Wrath and her crew looked at the Captain. “Why is everyone looking at me?” Quinn asked frowning at them. “I didn’t even know the Jedi.”

 

Servant One laughed and stroked Quinn’s cheek. “Apparently you have a reputation dear Captain.” He turned back to the Wrath. “I’m disappointed in you Lord Ninka. You had a hundred opportunities to remove the Jedi but you chose not to. Regardless, I am aware of the other groups that are trying to sabotage our efforts, help us defeat them and you will rise to a new place when the Emperor is with us again.”

 

Lord Ninka raised an eyebrow at the display but instead of commenting she replied, “The Emperor wants to consume all life in the galaxy. I like the galaxy the way it is, give or take a few Jedi.”

 

“Everything is his to consume,” Servant One responded his voice growing intense, “It is our purpose to serve him. You belong to him, you are nothing but a slave.”

 

“I was never, nor shall I ever, be anyone’s slave.” *Lord Ninka brought her lightsaber to guard position.

 

Servant One gave an exaggerated sigh. “Very well, Quinn, you have been invaluable to us, despite some rough spots, you will have a place among the Emperor’s servants provided you complete your task.”

 

“Of course, my lord.” Quinn said. He tapped the console and a pair of giant droids appeared. Lord Ninka was not sure if she should be disappointed in Quinn or laugh at him.

 

“You’ve got to be kidding me.” Pierce said with disgust. “That didn’t work the first time, idiot.”

 

“I assure you, Lieutenant, I do learn from my mistakes.” He stared at the Wrath as he executed his attack command, his scarred eye winked.

 

Lord Ninka leaped at Servant One and the droids opened fire on the Imperial Guard.

 

“Traitor,” Servant One shouted drawing his lightsaber to defend against the Wrath, he retreated as his personal Guardsmen hurried to intercept her.

 

“Of course, my lord.” Quinn drew his blaster, “It’s what I am, only this time I’m choosing the right side.”

 

Pierce took cover behind a support beam picking off any guardsmen that tried to help Servant One. The red clad soldiers had their hands full trying to defending against the barrage of blaster bolds the giant mechs unloaded on them. He had to hand it to Quinn, those droids were much better than the last two.

 

Broonmark slashed through the sea of red with his vibroblade. He had been cooped up for too long on the tiny ship. Now there were traitors to cleanse, and foes to massacre. It felt good to bloody his claws for the Sith Clan.

 

Jaesa fought with lightning and saber. She used her anger at Servant One and her own fear to increase her speed and strength. She had never fought this well before, she cut down an Imperial Guardsman, he looked impressed before he died. A clear mind and strong emotions, emotions and peace, I’m finally free. Jaesa thought and leaped at her next target.

 

Vette absently covered Broonmark, Jaesa, and the Wrath. Occasionally, she shot at guardsmen coming after Quinn though she was not sure if she was supposed to. She wondered what they would do when this was over, she had a feeling they would need new bosses.

 

Lord Ninka smiled at the terror in Servant One’s eyes. His superior attitude had worn on her nerves as much as it had Lord Scourge. This pathetic Sith had not had to fight for himself in a long time and it showed. She drank in his fear as her last brutal blow ripped his saber from his hand. She did not waste time to let him talk, he had done more than his share of that, she separated his head from his shoulders. When she turned the Imperial Guard were down, and her people were fine thanks to Quinn’s droids.

 

Quinn looked at the severed head of Servant One.

 

“Was he…” Lord Ninka was not sure if she should ask.

 

Quinn raised an eyebrow but kept a straight face. “Permission to join you for the next objective, my lord. I assume you will be going to the top level to help the Jedi with the vessel.”

 

“Granted Captain,” she nodded at him, “lead if you know the way.” He saluted smartly and led them out of the room.

 

 

 

 

 

* My favorite line from the end fight with Baras

Edited August 11, 2012 by kabeone

[kabeone]

Part 2.52 Two

 

 

 

Scourge and Doc arrived at another sacrifice chamber. They had passed through half a dozen similar chambers, all the captives were Sith, and all were dead. The bodies of four Sith held in place by magnetic fields showed no signs of life. The blood had been drained from them. The red liquid pooled in the center of the room where a stone floated in the air. The floating stone seemed to attract purple light and smoke from the blood, it focused the energy through a large crystal in the ceiling.

 

Doc shuddered, even he could feel the dark power in the room. There was a spot where a fifth captive should have been. Someone had escaped from his or her restraints. He examined the way the restraints were broken, Kira had broken her restraints on the last ship in the same way. His heart leaped with hope.

 

“Doc,” Seth said urgently into the comm, “We found Leeha and the others, they’ve been poisoned by something. Nothing I’m doing is working and Jomar almost knocked himself out trying to heal Leeha. You have to come quick or they’ll die.”

 

“Is Kira there?”

 

“No, and we haven’t run into her.” Seth said.

 

Doc looked up at Lord Scourge, he was not sure what the man would say. The Sith certainly did not need him in a fight, but if his son needed a doctor, that could be important. He would stay with Scourge if he asked.

 

“Go. Return if you can.” The Sith Lord replied to his unspoken question and left the room.

 

“Seth, I’m on my way.” Doc replied to the young Jedi’s relief, “T7 give me the fastest route to Jomar and Seth.”

 

T7 beeped and began guiding the doctor to his friends.

 

 

***

 

Remi ran into several teams that called themselves The Five, her heart ached as she fought them, technically they were not much older than her son. The next room she approached was dark, she moved cautiously and turned off her lightsaber, the light it cast only illuminated a few feet in front of her, it would make her a target without helping her see. She walked into pitch-blackness.

 

“The Jedi walks in darkness.” A voice quavered from the center of the room. A ball of lightning the size of Remi’s head formed, for a moment it illuminated a Sith pureblood then it flew at her, she rolled out of the way. He bombarded her with a dozen more; she felt the heat and strength of the attacks. They scorched the wall behind her. The smell of ozone filled the room.

 

“What good is the disembodied Hand?” the voice asked. Lightning arced toward Remi she dodged again.

 

“The mother cannot stop the rebirth. A child of visions born of power and darkness, the vessel will hold the Emperor.” A storm formed from the ceiling lightning arced all around her. She shielded and absorbed the lighting but it drove her to her knees. The diminutive Sith was powerful. She remembered that Servant Two had been exposed to the Emperor, it caused his strange view of the universe and speech. She wondered if they shared the same nightmares.

 

“Servant Two?” she asked.

 

“The mother knows the Hand.” He agreed, this time he did not attack, he waited as if he was listening to something.

 

“Do you see the faces of the dying, do you hear them ask you why?” she asked.

 

He was silent, but she could feel he trembled.

 

“I see their nightmares and their deaths. They knew what he took when they died.” She moved closer to the man, she could sense his power, though she could not see him.

 

“He takes what is his, all is his.”

 

“We all fear death, but their fear is greater, their fear never died. They did not return to the Force when they lost their lives, they are in him, they are in me,” she hesitated, “they are in you.”

 

“No,” he said covering his ears, “The dead do not speak. The faceless are gone.”

 

“They tell me their pain, a planet’s worth of pain, all asking me to let them go. I can’t do anything for them. Neither can you.” She stood next to him she could hear him whimpering under his breath.

 

“They have no voices yet they scream.” He sobbed, crumpling to his knees.

 

She knelt next to him and touched his shoulder. “Stop the ritual,” she pleaded, “Don’t sacrifice yourself, I can help you block the voices. I can teach you how.”

 

“Shadows cannot rid itself of the shade,” he whispered, “only light can break darkness.”

 

“Then turn to the light,” Remi urged, “You don’t need to listen to them anymore.” She tried to touch him with her healing. He grabbed her hand and squeezed. She felt the Force collecting in him, she wondered if he would attack.

 

“Save yourself,” he said with effort, his voice shook but sounded different. “The ritual cannot be stopped, this room will take my power, I cannot stay here.” Remi helped him to his feet and half dragged him to the outer room. She saw that his skin was flayed, sharp pieces of metal were placed in an intricate pattern in his flesh, he would die of his wounds but painfully. He sank to his knees in agony.

 

“I can help you,” Remi said touching his face, “brother.” He looked into her eyes and nodded, he collapsed into her arms. She hugged him close as he sobbed.

 

“Thank you,” he whispered. She grabbed his head under his chin and twisted, snapping his neck.

 

She laid him down gently and ran to the next room.

 

 

 

 

 

[kabeone]

Part 2.53 Sith

 

 

 

Scourge reached the last of the sacrificial chambers. He was too late to save any of them, he could not feel too sorry, they were all members of the Hand. He thought he saw a pair running up a ramp to the next level, it was Kira and Master Kavil. Scourge’s eyes narrowed at the man who had opposed him the moment he set foot on Tython.

 

He ran toward them, Master Kavil heard his footsteps and whirled. “Sith!” Master Kavil yelled and threw a wall of Force at Scourge. He blocked the power with his saber and dodged the rest. With a cry, Kira leaped at Scourge to help the Jedi Master. Scourge spent a second cursing that he let the doctor go to save the other Jedi.

 

“Kira,” Scourge said staying focused on Kavil but parrying her attacks. “This man betrayed you, he abandoned your doctor on the other vessel. The doctor is with Seth and Jomar.” She withdrew for a moment, Lord Scourge did not pursue her.

 

“The Sith lies!” Kavil attacked as he spoke, “He’s been working with the Hand for the past three years destroying the Republic and killing Jedi. Go on deny it!”

 

Kira looked at Lord Scourge, who would not deny the truth. Her mouth formed a thin line as she renewed her attack.

 

“How could you Scourge,” Kira said angrily, “after all we’ve accomplished, why would you help the Hand resurrect the Emperor?”

 

Scourge barely managed to block Kavil’s attack, the revelation itself rocked him back on his heels. “How?” he asked, his anger focused on Kavil, “Did he tell you that?” He renewed his attack on the man.

 

“You’re saying you didn’t know?” Kira said with disbelief. “He overheard them speaking, we have to destroy the vessel or the Emperor will come back.”

 

“The vessel is my son.” Scourge yelled at her, she faltered just long enough for him to kick her feet out from under her. He pushed off the wall, flipping over the older Master; he wanted to keep Kavil between himself and Kira.

 

“He knows about the ritual.” Kavil hissed, “You cannot believe his Sith lies, he thinks his son will become the Emperor. He’s been working towards this all along. We must destroy him then we must destroy the vessel.”

 

“You would kill an innocent child?” Scourge felt his anger rise he focused the rage in to a flurry of attacks, Kira backed away to give Master Kavil room to retreat.

 

“He’s a Sith,” Master Kavil spat, “They’ll never be innocent. They’re born to the darkness. No matter how we teach them, it’s all they’ll ever be.”

 

Scourge’s fury peaked when he heard his own words echoed back at him by the Jedi Master. He disarmed the man and Force-pushed him against the wall. The brutality of the push left a dent in the metal surface, the man dropped to the floor unconscious.

 

Kira circled Lord Scourge warily, “I knew you were behind the kidnapping, how could you do that to Remi?”

 

“I did not know I had a son.” Scourge said parrying her attack. She had fixed many of her weaknesses since defeating the Emperor’s Voice. She was a better fighter than she had been.

 

“I’m supposed to believe you?” She said attacking with a flurry of blows managing to score his armor a few times, “You abandoned Remi when she was no more use to you. You just left her when she was too crazy to help you on your little killing sprees.”

 

“I gave her up to save her,” he said through clenched teeth he was past a killing rage but he did not press forward, “I would give my life for her.”

 

“You would never do that,” She said coldly, convinced now that he was lying. “Sith don’t know self-sacrifice, not for anyone.” She saw her opening and attacked to kill.

 

“Then I am no longer Sith.” He replied calmly seeing his opening, if he met her next strike he could kill her.

 

Kira’s eyes widened, she heard the truth in his words but she was too late to stop her attack. He dropped and rolled under her, had he tried to meet her attack they would have killed each other. Instead, she tripped over him and he Force-pushed her away. He followed with a strike of his own but he saw her lose her saber when she struck the wall; he quickly reversed his grip so he hit her with his fist instead of killing her.

 

“Kira!” Doc yelled as he ran toward them. He was panting with exertion, T7 had alerted him to their fight, he swore he would get rocket boots the next chance he had. He jumped between Lord Scourge and his wife, his back facing Lord Scourge. “Kavil’s the bad guy, Kavil’s the bad guy.” He repeated.

 

She looked up at him then at Scourge, her eyes widened at what she had almost done and more so that Scourge had spared her. “They’re trying to resurrect the Emperor through Remi’s son.” Doc blanched at her words.

 

Scourge turned to Master Kavil’s unconscious form, “Watch him, or kill him,” he said looking at Kira, “I’ll let a Jedi choose.” He hurried up the ramp to reach his son.

 

 

 

 

[kabeone]

Part 2.54 Is all that we see or seem

 

 

 

Remi ran to the center room at the top of the station, she could see Koa in a stasis field. He floated above a stone box that glowed dully. The defenders hurried to meet her, it seemed that their waves never ended, she cut them all down. She watched as streams of light gathered through a lens in the ceiling, they pierced the stasis field, she wondered if she was too late. She sprinted to her son as a dark cloud coalesced above the lens.

 

She ran, no plans, no strategy, no idea what would happen, the cloud reached for her child, she leaped. Her body collided with the stasis field. It captured her, holding her in place, but not before she could curl around her son. She shielded him with her body and the cloud enveloped them both.

 

***

 

Remi’s eyes fluttered open someone touched her face gently.

 

“Did you have a good nap?” Scourge asked. He sat at the edge of the bed next to her. She stretched and looked around; she was safe and warm in Scourge’s suite on Nar Shaddaa.

 

“What?” she asked, she thought she was supposed to be somewhere else.

 

“You fell asleep,” he said smiling a little, “I couldn’t wake you. You’ve done that a lot since we defeated the Emperor.”

 

She blinked, the fight with the Emperor had drained her the first few months, and she slept almost all day sometimes. She thought that was past. Was she still recovering?

 

“Oh.” She answered looking around, everything was just as it should be. She smiled snuggling into the soft bed, the suite was the closest thing they had ever had to a home together. “I had a very weird dream.”

 

He watched her with a bemused expression, “What did you dream of?”

 

“A lot of things.” She said with a yawn, “Too many things to even remember.” She sat up, and he kissed her. He felt real, he smelled real, she tried to draw him down to her, she needed reassurance that this was real and what she had dreamt was an elaborate nightmare brought on by the Emperor’s memories.

 

He pulled away reluctantly, “As much as I would like this,” he raised an eyebrow at her, “It would only lead to us being late to dinner.”

 

He pulled an elegant dress he had obtained for her out of the closet, “Do you dance?”

 

Remi giggled, “No, do you?”

 

He frowned with mock seriousness, “It would be terrible to live three hundred years and never learn to dance.”

 

“I thought you wouldn’t want to because you couldn’t feel. Isn’t dancing something people do for pleasure?”

 

He chuckled, “That is true, and I learned before I became the Wrath.”

 

“So Sith society has a lot of dancing?” she could not imagine Imperials or Sith indulging in such things.

 

He shook his head “No, but there is a certain level of social engagement expected among the lesser Sith, jockeying for power. You never know the tools you will need to gain favor. It is best to learn all of them.”

 

“Then you’ll just have to teach me,” she smiled and got out of bed to get ready.

 

They went to dinner at one of Nar Shaddaa finest restaurants, the private booth atop the highest building gave them a view of the city from far enough away that everything looked like colorful lights. They ate all of her favorite foods and drank the highest quality brandy. She thought it was strange, how he knew she would like these things, even she did not know she would.

 

They were alone in the little room meant for a small private party. Music played softly, he pulled her to her feet to teach her how to dance. She was not used to seeing him wear anything but armor, he looked different but still handsome in his formal attire. She smiled and leaned against him, letting him guide her around the small dance floor.

 

“You seem distracted. Are you not pleased?” he asked.

 

“I am,” she smiled up at him and accepted a kiss, “I just keep thinking about my dream.”

 

“What did you dream of?”

 

“A young pureblood sith.” She teased.

 

“Should I be worried?” he asked with amusement.

 

“Well, he was handsome and strong in the force,” she looked up at his expression, “he was two years old and looked just like you. He was our son.”

 

“A son.” He paused savoring the words, “I did not know that was something you wanted.”

 

“I didn’t either, it just was so real.” She shook her head, she could still see his eyes.

 

“He would be Sith.” Lord Scourge said.

 

Remi hesitated, “Does he have to?”

 

“No,” Scourge said comfortably, “he will have a choice.”

 

Remi frowned, he said that too easily, it did not seem like him. “His name was Koa.”

 

“That is a good name. Koa it will be.” He whispered, his voice a little rough. He tilted her head back and kissed her deeply. She closed her eyes trying to believe it was real; she wanted it to be real. “I love you.” He said softly.

 

Remi clenched her fist, she felt a lightsaber form in her hand. She slashed at Lord Scourge and he broke into shadows and darkness. “That is not something he would say.” She said to the shadow it exploded around her covering her in darkness.

 

Remi woke up in a stark white room. She looked out the window and saw the mountains of Tython. Master Zyel, Kira and Doc stood around her bed. She pointed her lightsaber at them, but realized her hand was empty.

 

“What happened?” she demanded sitting up.

 

Master Zyel kept her from jumping out of bed with a hand on her shoulder. “We thought we lost you.”

 

“What happened?” she repeated, “Where am I?”

 

“What do you remember?” Master Zyel asked, always a question with another question.

 

“I was trying to save Koa.” Remi said as tears leaked from her eyes, “And don’t you tell me he’s not real.” She pointed a finger at her former master.

 

“He’s real Remi.” Master Zyel soothed.

 

“Where is he?” she said looking around as if she could make him appear if she looked hard enough.

 

Her three closest friends were silent, “He’s the Emperor.” Master Zyel said as gently as she could.

 

Remi’s heart clenched, “Where’s Scourge?”

 

“He serves the Emperor.” Kira answered, “He abandoned you again once he had what he wanted, he wanted his son to be the Emperor the whole time.”

 

“He didn’t know.” Remi whispered. “He told me he didn’t know.”

 

“He lied.” Kira said angrily, “That’s what Sith do, he lied, he doesn’t love you.”

 

Remi focused on her hand the lightsaber formed again, she slashed at the three, they exploded into shadows.

 

Remi woke up by the waterfall above the training grounds. The sun-warmed rocks had lulled her to sleep. Bengal Morr, Sajarr, and Ako Domi stood beside her.

 

Bengal Morr blinked his large Nautolan eyes, “How can you tell you’re imagining things when it all feels so real? How do you know if you’re crazy or not?”

 

“I remember this conversation.” Remi said, “You weren’t real then, you aren’t real now.”

 

“Makes it no less true,” he said with a toothy smile, “And no less fake than the first time.”

 

The lightsaber came quickly to her hands, she slashes at their faces but this time they laughed.

 

“What do you think you are doing in reality when you strike at your dreams?” he asked. His sharp teeth made his smile look menacing.

 

The dream shifted, she sat in the middle of a swath of land torn to the bedrock. Corpses of flesh raiders were strewn everywhere.

 

“Did you think no one was hurt when you did that?” Ako Domi asked, “Did you think the flesh raiders could outrun your anger? Why do you think they have not returned?”

 

“The few that survived succumbed to fear and the wildlife,” Sajarr said, “The flesh raiders are no more. How does genocide feel?”

 

“You fight yourself in your mind,” Bengal said, “But you fight others in life, sometimes, others you love.”

 

The dream shifted, she looked outside the stasis field, Lord Ninka, her crew, Kira, and Lord Scourge, all lay dead or dying. She had killed them while she fought her nightmares, just as she killed the flesh raiders.

 

“Accept the dreams,” Bengal urged. “They can be pleasant or would you take the chance? You know who it is you hold in your arms, you could kill him with a thought.”

 

She looked down, she held her son but he was dying. She had attacked him with her power. The light in his golden eyes began to fade.

 

“No,” Remi panicked, she closed her eyes and tried to heal him, but she could feel no connection to the Force at all.

 

“Stop fighting. Accept the dreams.” Bengal urged.

 

Remi wanted to scream in fear and frustration, but the words struck her. Stop fighting. Remi focused and cleared her mind, she had dealt with the nightmares before, she would do so now and fighting was not always the solution, “I don’t need to fight the dreams to make them go away.” She whispered to herself and the shadows.

 

Bengal glared at her, his eyes a swirling darkness.

 

“There is no emotion, there is peace.” She calmed her fears, if it was a dream she could control it.

“There is no ignorance, there is knowledge.” She knew was in a stasis field shielding her son, none of this was real.

“There is no passion, there is serenity.” The lightsaber in her hand disappeared.

“There is no chaos, there is harmony.” The visions of Tython and Bengal Morr started to fade.

“There is no death, there is the Force.” She looked down, Koa was alive in her arms and smiled up at her, then he too disappeared.

 

Now she stood in a white room, before her loomed a hulking black mass, the shadow had the merest hint of a face, the face had eyes like the void.