Sith is what you make of it

[Jokad]

Hi everyone!

 

I’m new to fan fiction and haven’t posted or commented before, but I’ve read several threads here and really enjoyed them, I’m just too shy. Maybe I’ll gather my courage and start commenting.

 

This is a Sith Warrior Story and will contain many spoilers for that storyline, probably also for others later on. I’ll mark those if they come up. I’d really appreciate any feedback, most of all, of course, constructive criticism.

 

Note: English isn’t my mother language, so please forgive any terrible mistakes you might come across.

 

 

 

Prologue - Dromund Kaas, 7 ATC

 

Naga Sadow was an idiot. Not for losing the Great Hyperspace War, though that was bad enough, but because of the way he did it. Every would-be important Sith Lord was betrayed by his apprentice, you’d think they learned what to expect. Vesa understood the benefits of that practice, but sometimes the timing was just worse than the Jedi’s. As she scrolled through the text on her datapad, Vesa became sure of that. Still, he was an important figure in the history of the Sith, and she had to read this. At least the tale of the War was pretty fun. And she couldn’t read about Sith philosophy all day, as interesting as that was.

 

Vesa rubbed her eyes and looked about her room. In a corner, Sia was mending the door that had suffered in her last force push practice. As she caught Vesa’s gaze, the green Twi’lek smiled at her before going back to her work. The light sparkled on the slave collar around her neck.

 

With a small sigh, Vesa turned her attention back to her datapad, where she continued reading the long-winded tale of Naga Sadow’s life. Somehow, musing about the popular bets concerning how long this Cold War would go on seemed much more interesting. Today, she just couldn’t concentrate so well.

 

Just as Vesa finished her text, she heard footsteps approaching. Before the man stepped through the door, Vesa sensed him in the force. She put her datapad down and sat up straight while watching her visitor.

 

Darth Sers didn’t seem any different from the last time she had seen him, although he had been away for two weeks on some Sith business he hadn’t told her about. His black armor had two more scratches, indicating that whatever he had been doing had involved combat. She’d be surprised if it hadn’t. Sith were nearly as hungry for confrontation as Jedi in her experience, just more honest about it. He scrutinized her thoroughly, but Vesa was used to his infrequent visits and didn’t show any surprise or discomfort under his gaze. Somehow, all Sith seemed to think that “look intimidating” was top of the list of Sithy things to do. It got old really fast.

 

“Hello, Vesa”, Sers began. “How are your studies progressing?”

 

“Well, my lord”, she answered. “I’ve read everything you told me to and l

earned several new lightsaber attacks.”

 

“Well done, child.” Darth Sers paused a moment. Following his gaze, Vesa saw the bunch of flowers standing on her nightstand next to her holostatue of Darth Revan. Sia had brought them today, and the words “Happy Birthday” on the card must have caught his eye.

 

“Ah, yes.” He turned back to her. “You are turning twelve today, are you not?”

 

Vesa nodded, anticipation starting to build up inside her.

 

“It is time”, Darth Sers announced. “My dear Vecordia, your true training as a Sith begins tomorrow.”

 

“You’re sending me to Korriban?” Vesa didn’t hide the excitement in her voice.

 

Sers shook his head. “No, you are still too young for that. You will train here, on Dromund Kaas. When you are deemed ready, you might be moved to the Korriban academy.” He watched her intently. “We both know that, should you survive your trials, you will most likely become my apprentice. I don’t invest so much in someone just to throw it away. However, should you fail, I will not help you. You will die like every other unworthy acolyte.”

 

Vesa gave her best cold smile. “I will survive. Thank you, my lord.”

 

Sers nodded and turned to go. He went in his usual I’m-a-big-evil-Sith-lord-be-afraid-of-me-way-of-walking, but he didn’t notice Vesa making faces at him behind his back. He never did.

 

Sia chuckled. “Maybe when you’re at the academy, you’ll finally grow up all the way, Vesa.”

 

Vesa raised her eyebrows. “I am grown up, more than any other twelve-year-old I know”, she said seriously. “You know, it’s not forbidden for Sith to have a sense of humor that doesn’t involve taunting Jedi or frightening Imperials.”

 

Sia’s smile quickly faded. Vesa didn’t need the force to feel her worry. “Are you sure this is what you want, Vesa? Acolytes die every day. I don’t want you to join them. You could still run. You’re smart, you can make it, he’ll never find you. If he bothers to look.”

 

Vesa grinned. “Come on, Sia! You shouldn’t talk like that, you could get in serious trouble. And I want this, it’s what I’ve wanted for years. I’m already stronger in the force than many Sith twice my age. If anything, I’m more likely to survive the next few years than Sers. Don’t worry, I didn’t defect from the Jedi just to die with the Sith.”

 

Vesa knew Sia was dying to ask why she had left the Jedi, but didn’t dare bring it up. That was good. Vesa enjoyed the fallen Padawan image, but being a mysterious fallen Padawan was even better.

[Jokad]

Just something I wrote to get to know my characters better. I hope I got Vette right.

 

 

 

One - Vaiken Spacedock

 

Vesa was glad to finally leave Korriban behind. She knew she had changed during her trials there. Not just becoming an apprentice, there was more to it. Memories that were shaping her life. Her first kill, her first lightsaber. Sith lightsaber, anyway.

 

Vesa forced herself to concentrate on her surroundings. She decided she had a little time left before continuing her journey to Dromund Kaas. But the heart of the Imperial fleet was certainly a place to be cautious. She noticed it hadn’t changed much since her brief visit many years ago.

 

The blue Twi’lek beside her interrupted her musings. “So, uh, my lord? Any plan on what you want to do here? Not that I have anything against standing around staring into space, of course.”

 

Vesa turned her attention to Vette. Her new master, Darth Baras, had given the slave to her. Vesa admitted she was a bit uneasy about that. It didn’t help that Vette was older than her and could be a pain, judging from what she’d heard. But you had to make the attempt, right?

 

Vesa took off in a random direction, walking at a casual stroll. Vette followed her.

 

“So, Vette,” she began. “Seems I’m stuck with you, or rather you’re stuck with me. I admit it’s probably not the safest career path. Sith don’t seem to have a high life expectancy, and their followers have a hang for getting caught in the crossfire.”

 

“Can’t imagine why”, Vette murmured. “ Because of their notorious over-confidence, or is it their fondness of betraying and killing each other more than the Jedi ever could?”

 

Vesa smiled. “Both, of course. But I haven’t recently betrayed any Sith who’d be wanting revenge. Dead ones don’t count. Anyway, it seems like we should take care. I’m an apprentice fresh from her trials with a power-hungry and scheming master – more than most Sith from what I’ve heard – and even for Sith apprentices I’m still very young. That spells trouble. Any suggestions?”

 

Vette shrugged. “Maybe we should try being inconspicuous, flying under the radar. I’m just not very good at keeping quiet.”

 

“Don’t worry.” Vesa smirked. “I’m sure you’ll get the hang of it.”

 

That should do the trick. Vesa halted and looked around. She wasn’t particularly eager to return to Dromund Kaas, but there she got fresh air at least. Continued storms could do wonders for clean air. In the meantime, she planned on enjoying herself a bit. Holed up in a Sith academy, you didn’t get any chance to see the real world and relax. Not that Imperial military was the best environment for that, of course, but where was the fun in being Sith if she couldn’t annoy the Imperials?

 

After the second pointless but entertaining attempt to get directions for the junior head of maintenance of non-stationary space stations’ office, Vesa’s mood had significantly improved. Even Vette seemed a bit impressed.

 

“Hey,” she hesitantly began, “I’ve been thinking. Maybe you want to take this shock collar off? You know, as a reward for my hard work on Korriban? Not that I don’t enjoy the perpetual fear of electrocution.”

 

Vesa nodded. She knew this was going to come. “We’ll see. First, let me ask you a few questions. After all, I only want the best for you, you know?” She smirked. “How many Sith normally set their slaves free?”

 

Vette glowered and gave the only possible answer. “None. But you aren’t most Sith, are you?”

 

Vesa shrugged and continued. “And how do Imperials treat an alien who is supposedly an escaped slave? Not very nice. On the other hand, how many Imperials want to anger a Sith by abusing their property? Finally, how much attention do you think a teenage Sith and a free Twil’ek will attract? And didn’t we agree that it would be best to fly under the radar and avoid drawing unnecessary attention?”

 

Vette shook her head. “You don’t expect me to find an answer to these questions you can’t turn into something that forces me to agree with you, do you?”

 

Vesa smiled. Victory felt good. “See? You don’t want that shock collar off.”

 

“Sith,” Vette muttered. “Why didn’t you just say no?”

 

The young Sith shrugged. “What good is a slave if you can’t even train your debating skills on her?”

 

After a moment, Vesa added: “Hey, you could have gotten it worse. And you know what, I think we’ve earned a drink. A drink each, of course. I don’t suppose this place has a cantina?”

 

 

 

Vette didn’t know what to make of her new master. That she was a Sith was bad enough, but if you thought about it, Vesa didn’t seem too bad. Just a bit mysterious. Vesa couldn’t be her real name, but she hadn’t told Vette. Maybe if she drank a little, Vette could try getting some answers out of her.

 

The cantina wasn’t very full, luckily, and the Imperials didn’t seem to care much for them. Vesa chose a table to the side and went to get drinks. When she came back, she muttered: “I hope Baras pays good, we’re a bit short on credits. Well, there are enough Sith and Imperials willing to pay handsomely for playing problem-solver.”

 

Vette just shrugged and tasted her drink. It was unmistakably alcoholic, but other than that, she had no idea what Vesa had gotten them.

 

Behind her, said Sith took a gulp and coughed. “Damn it,” she muttered. “Well, that wasn’t what I expected.”

 

Vette raised an eyebrow. “Good to know you’re not the drinking type, at least.”

 

Vesa laughed. “Don’t tell anyone, but I’ve never drunken alcohol before.”

 

“Never? Why’s that?”

 

“Well, I just never got a chance. Sith academies aren’t the place for that.”

 

Vette decided this was as good an opening as she was going to get. “How comes you got to Korriban so young, anyway?”

 

“I’m not sure. I’ve been training on Dromund Kaas for years when Overseer Tremel called me to Korriban for my trials. I suppose he thought I was his best bet to stop Vemrin. But don’t worry, I’m perfectly capable. I’ve been training with the force and for using a lightsaber my whole life. Ever since I can remember.” She took a sip of her drink and grimaced.

 

Deciding she didn’t want to risk anything today, Vette didn’t ask any more questions. They sat in silence, occasionally taking a sip. After a time, Vette got bored and started browsing the Holonet.

 

“Hey, Vette?”, Vesa broke the silence. “Can you do something for me?”

 

Vette rolled her eyes. “Considering that you’ve left the shock collar on, that you’ve still got the remote right there and that we’re in a place full of Imperials, I’d say the answer to that question is self-evident. What is it?”

 

“I’d like to know about some Sith Lord. Darth Sers. He must have died shortly before I was called to Korriban.”

 

That was interesting. What did Vesa want with a dead Sith Lord? Vette didn’t need to look long before she found what she was looking for. “That’s right, he died a few months ago. Looks like he was killed by a Jedi.”

 

“Yeah!” Vesa pumped her fist into the air. “I’ve won! Looks like someone owes me a few hundred credits. Let’s hope I run into his apprentice some time.”

 

“You bet on how he would die?”

 

“Of course. Don’t give me that look, I didn’t care for him that much anyway. Was he at least killed by a Knight or Master?”

 

“I think so. They’ve got a picture.”

 

When Vesa saw the image, she winced and sat up straighter. “That one! I think that’s called fate’s sense of humor.”

 

“You know him?” Vette didn’t bother to hide her surprise.

 

“Better than I’d like to. Originally, I didn’t plan on seeking revenge, but him … Makes for one more reason to kill him.”

 

Vette took a closer look and noticed Vesa was a bit drunk. Wow, she really wasn’t used to alcohol. “How do you know him?”

 

She shrugged. “Maybe I’ll tell you someday. Really,” Vesa changed the topic, “I hope I can get some other clothes on Dromund Kaas. I’m tired of these acolyte robes. I think I’ll go for the simple black robes style, I’d look ridiculous in heavy armor, don’t you think?”

 

She had a point. Vesa’s flowing blond locks and delicate features didn’t exactly make her look intimidating. At least Vette knew that Vesa really was trying not to draw too much attention.

 

After a moment, Vesa said: “Enough about me. But you should know that, if you want to, you can talk to me.”

 

“And if I say something that makes you angry, you won’t shock me?”

 

Vesa paused and shrugged. “Probably not.”

 

“Now that’s a relief.” Vette rolled her eyes.

 

“Well,” Vesa sighed. “I suppose we had better get going. Back to Darth … oh, forget it, I can’t think of a nickname for Baras that isn’t either stupid or entirely unfitting.”

 

Vette grinned. “My lord, I believe I can help you in this endeavor.”

[Jokad]

Two - Fury

 

Following an impulse, Vesa stopped and took a closer look at the bridge of the Fury. They were on the way to Nar Shaddaa, and the newest addition to her crew seemed to run a thorough check on the systems. Normally, Vesa wasn’t the type for watching men without them noticing, but Captain Malavai Quinn was obviously engrossed in his work and didn’t look over.

 

Vesa had to admit to herself that he looked rather good. Quinn was probably somewhere in his twenties, some years older than her. She liked his blue eyes, and he looked cute when he blushed. Vesa wanted to go in and talk to him, but for some reason she walked away instead. The young Sith cursed inwardly. It seemed old habits were hard to break, and a part of her was still trying to keep her from emotional attachments to men. Damn Jedi. In the past, she didn’t have any problems flirting or anything, yet here she was, behaving worse than Quinn. She really had to like him, then. Oh well.

 

Sighing to herself, Vesa went to talk to Vette instead. Leaning against the door of Vette’s room, she asked her, “So, what do you think of Quinn?”

 

“He’s a particularly bad case of stiff Imperial, from what I’ve seen. Seems to think ’m beneath him, not that I complain about him leaving me alone. What do you think?”

 

Vesa shrugged. “You aren’t wrong about the stiff part. But he’s pretty intelligent and capable. I think I’ll ask him about military strategies. Doesn’t hurt that he looks good, either. But I think we have to be careful, it’s possible Baras had something to do with his desire to be reassigned here.”

 

“So far, he seems pretty devoted. Which could mean you’re right, of course.”

 

“Look for any hidden cameras or something like that when he’s away. I think I’ll take Quinn with me to Baras’ next kill-my-spy-job. That guy really could be more creative with his job ideas, by the way.”

 

Back in her room, Vesa began practicing her lightsaber form, but her thoughts seemed adamantly convinced that men were a much more interesting thing to focus on. Frustrated, Vesa quit her practice and started meditating instead. As always, it calmed her mind and helped her see where her concerns lay. This time, she stumbled upon a subject she normally avoided. Thinking about Quinn and about the Jedi brought back questions about her parents. The young Sith sighed. It was time to do something about it. And maybe tell her crew a bit about her past. Not everything, of course.

 

Getting to the bridge, Vesa saw Vette was already there. It wasn’t surprising she wanted to get to know him better.

 

When they caught sight of Vesa, Vette stopped talking and Quinn stood at attention. She got straight to the point, “Captain, I’ve got some work for you. You can stay here, Vette, no need to go, “she added.

 

Vesa called up some data. “I want you to find someone, Quinn. This is a former Jedi who left the Order years ago. Name and description are there, though she probably goes by another name now. Get me anything you can on her whereabouts or any person she’s in contact with.”

 

“As you wish, my lord.” Quinn hesitated before continuing, “If I may ask, what do you want with this individual?”

 

“It’s a personal matter.”

 

“You can tell us, I’m not going to betray your secrets,” Vette urged.

 

Vesa sighed and closed her eyes for a moment before carefully choosing her words. “I’m aware I haven’t told you much about myself or my past, but I think I owe you a bit of an explanation. Actually, I’m a former Jedi. Well, Padawan anyway. I’ve been raised by them since I was a baby.”

 

She could see Quinn’s surprise, though he hid it well. Ignoring it, she continued, “You see, my mother was a Jedi, but she was forced to leave the Order when they learned about my father and me. She left us, I’ve never seen her. I was given to the Jedi when I was a baby. Wasn’t exactly a happy childhood. Among other things, I didn’t want to ignore my emotions, and I’ve always been hungry for knowledge. I often got in trouble for trying to learn more about the dark side, which only encouraged me. They could see my potential, but they’ve made it clear I was a disappointment. ”

 

“So you chose to show them and go Sith instead?”, Vette asked.

 

Vesa shrugged. “That was one reason, but as I said, I’ve always been fascinated by the dark side. I couldn’t imagine a life without the force, anyway. Most of all, I wanted to escape the Jedi. It wasn’t that hard. When I was ten, I met a Knight who I sensed was falling to the dark side and convinced him to make me his Padawan. When he defected to the Sith, I followed him. Not that I had anywhere else to go. This way, I knew I could even go back to the Jedi if I really regretted it. But I’ve never been tempted to do that. Anyway, it turned out my master’s former master was also a Sith, a Darth. He sensed my strength in the force and took me in when my master was sent to Korriban, where he died. He was weak.”

 

“That’s quite the story,” Vette commented. “So that’s where you learned meditating. Most Sith don’t do that. Don’t you feel bad fighting against the Republic and the Jedi?”

 

“Not really. The Order was never really my home. I hate the Jedi, for personal reasons. Anyway, the Jedi never accepted me, but the Sith did. Here I can fulfill my true potential and do something that actually matters. The Empire is my home now more than the Republic ever was.”

 

Quinn seemed to like that, as Vesa had known he would. Always appeal to Quinn’s patriotism, noted.

 

“My lord,” he asked, “am I right in assuming the person you ordered me to look for is, in fact, you mother?”

 

Vesa smiled. “Of course. I’m just too curious, I suppose. But there are some questions I want answers to.”

 

After a moment, she told him, “That would be all, Captain. Unless you have something to report?”

 

Quinn cleared his throat. “My lord, as you recall, you have ordered me to report any problem or possible improvement I might become aware of. As such, I feel compelled to point out that Vette’s weapons are in rather bad shape and her ammunition is nearly spent.”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me you needed more ammo?”, Vesa asked her.

 

Vette shrugged. “I didn’t want to give you an opportunity to convince me that slaves shouldn’t carry weapons.”

 

Vesa laughed. “Touché.” She got over to Vette and removed her shock collar.

 

“What happened to ʽIt’s safer for you this way?’”, Vette inquired, rubbing her neck.

 

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Quinn here will protect you. Won’t you, Quinn?”

 

“As you wish, my lord,” the Captain dutifully answered. Vesa didn’t miss his discomfort.

[Jokad]

Three - Taris

 

Vesa liked the feel of Taris. Not just the death and destruction, they were easy enough to accomplish. But Taris had an atmosphere of history. Vesa understood why it was an important symbol for the Republic to rebuild and the Empire to destroy. She felt content to just sit on this hill and feel the lives around her in the force. Taris was going to be fun.

 

“There you are, Vesa!” Vette climbed the hill and looked around, hand on her blaster. “I was wondering what you’re up to. It seems you aren’t exactly excited about this mission, judging from your work attitude.”

 

“What can I say, I’m tired of running Baras’ errands and doing his dirty work. Soon he’ll send me to look for his lost lightsaber, just wait. Fancy title or not, I feel like a glorified personal assassin. But what are you doing here? Scared to be alone with Jaesa?”

 

“Of course not!” Vette protested. “But she was training and left me alone with Quinn. The guy’s no fun. Speaking of Jaesa, don’t you think you were a bit overeager with her? Maybe you shouldn’t have tortured her master.”

 

Vesa sighed. “I didn’t particularly enjoy it, Vette, but I had to lure Jeasa to me. I’m not the kind of Sith that tortures others for fun, but I’m not afraid of doing it if it’s necessary.”

 

“Seems like Jaesa thinks differently about this topic. Seriously, that girl is more dark side than you. Couldn’t you have left her as a bit more of a Jedi?”

 

“Hey, when I turn someone to the dark side, I do it right! You think she would have followed me while being a Jedi? I’d gladly convert every Jedi I come across, anyway. Jaesa’s better off now.”

 

Vette shrugged. “Who am I to get in the way of your revenge? Still, she’s a bit scary, you have to admit it, Vesa. Just talk to her about showing a bit of restraint. You’re Sith, and you aren’t a psychopath. No offense.”

 

Vesa nodded. “I guess you’re right. I’ll talk to her. But for now, let’s get back to work. The War Trust won’t kill itself. And I don’t want to miss a chance to make fun of Moff Hurdenn.”

 

A short time later, she left the Imperial base in the company of her apprentice and Quinn. Vette didn’t seem to mind staying behind with the Moff’s soldier, Pierce. Vesa decided a stroll through a destroyed warzone would be a good test for the Captain and a valuable learning opportunity for Jeasa.

 

After ordering Quinn to scout ahead, she began teaching Jaesa about the Sith code. Hopefully, she’d also learn to always pay attention to her surroundings. Debating on how best to approach the issue, she quoted, “through passion, I gain strength. That is obviously the opposite of what the Jedi code teaches, there is no emotion. In my opinion, one of the basic differences. You feel strong using your emotions, don’t you, Jaesa?”

 

“Of course, master. I can feel the strength of the dark side, and I hunger for it. Giving my emotions free reign has been exhilarating.”

 

Vesa rolled her eyes, out of sight of her apprentice, who walked behind her. “That’s all well and good, but let’s take a closer look at that line. Through passion. Passion is just a tool to give you strength, which itself is just a means to an end. The dark side is about more than pure emotion, Jaesa. I feel you still have much to learn about using your passion.”

 

“But master,” Jaesa protested, “aren’t my emotions what gives me power? I should embrace my emotions, isn’t that the point?”

 

“Of course you should embrace you emotions, Jaesa. Using your anger and hate to fuel your power is the way of the Sith. But Sith aren’t morons who do everything they feel like at the moment. Most of us, anyway. You have to use your emotions, my apprentice, but you must not let them control you.”

 

She glanced back at her apprentice, who bowed her head. “I think I understand. Thank you, master.”

 

Suddenly, Quinn emerged from the trees and snapped to attention. “My lord, there is an Imperial outpost under attack not far from here. I have counted at least as much Republic as Imperial troops, and they have Jedi with them.”

 

Vesa noticed the expectant faces of Quinn and Jaesa. They were no doubt dying for a fight. Oh well. “Lead the way, Captain. Apprentice, I believe this is a good opportunity to test your skills against Jedi.” She grinned. “If I leave you any.”

 

It didn’t take long for them to arrive at the scene. Clearly, the Imperials wouldn’t last much longer without help, they were already being beaten back. Vesa surveyed the area, looking for weaknesses they could exploit.

 

Quinn seemed to have noticed something. “My lord, this Jedi looks familiar. I believe this is the one who killed Darth Sers, your benefactor.”

 

Lacus Fin. Vesa felt her pulse quicken and her power grow as her anger and hate bubbled to the surface at the sight of the Jedi master Quinn mentioned.

 

Straight away, she drew one of her lightsabers and charged into the Republic troops. Cutting their soldiers down left and right, she made for the Jedi and didn’t stop when her companions fell behind. She got closer to her target, but he moved away from her like the coward he was.

 

With the fire inside her growing, she called, “Stand and face me, coward!”

 

The common soldiers around them had the good sense to seek distance and let the two force-users alone. Vesa stopped and stared her foe in the eyes.

 

He returned her stare. “Vecordia. You should not be here. Didn’t you learn anything from our last confrontation?”

 

She didn’t fall for that. “That was hardly a fair fight. I am no longer a Padawan of your weak order. Now I am a Lord of the Sith, and I will make you pay!”

 

His lightsaber twitched. Vesa smirked. “Come on, attack me!”

 

He took a step forward and his face hardened. “Turn away now or you will regret the day you were born.”

 

“No, old man, you will regret that day.”

 

“I always have.”

 

He force-jumped to her, lightsaber at the ready, but Vesa was prepared for it and blocked his attack, following up with one of her own. She noticed he still used the Shien form, but he didn’t anticipate her Juyo. They tested each other, changing form offense to defense and back. But Vesa still had a trick up her sleeve.

 

She pressed the attack, beating him back step by step, not giving him a chance to take initiative, even though she knew it couldn’t last long. Feigning an attack on his left side, she seamlessly drew her second lightsaber and targeted his knee.

 

Lacus had to leap back to avoid a hit, but Vesa didn’t give him time to recover from his surprise. Now using her two-handed style, she began to wear him down. Just as she broke through his defenses and sent him tumbling to the ground with the force, she felt a new danger in the force.

 

Vesa rolled to the side and narrowly avoided the lightsaber from the young man in Jedi robes behind her. Looked like Lacus had a Padawan. Poor boy.

 

As she launched a counter-attack at the Padawan, her enemy got back to his feet. Vesa quickly overpowered the boy and beat his lightsaber out of his hand, but in the meantime, she had lost her opportunity with Lacus.

Vesa turned around and saw him retreating. She cursed. In the time it had taken her to dispatch his Padawan, Lacus had gotten away.

 

She turned back just in time to see Jaesa cutting down the boy. Looked like even finding his lightsaber hadn’t helped him in the end. Vesa didn’t really care about his fate, anyway. He was a Jedi and therefore a potential threat, after all. Not to mention he had attacked this outpost.

 

Vesa looked around and just now noticed that they had won. Most of the Republic soldiers were dead, the rest running for their life.

 

Quinn and Jaesa came over. Jaesa raised an eyebrow and asked, “Master, who was that?”

 

Vesa sighed and turned to her companions. “Looks like you met my father.”

 

They just stared at her.

 

Rolling her eyes, Vesa brushed past them. “I’ll explain once we have completed our mission. This delay took long enough and we have a Republic general to kill.”

 

For the next few hours, she refused to mention the Jedi and the others didn’t dare force the issue. Vesa knew it couldn’t last long.

 

As soon as they were back and Jaesa had filled Vette in, they both insisted on an explanation. Vesa relented, with one eye searching for the nearest cantina. She so needed a drink.

 

Eyeing her crew, Vesa explained. “This man is the primary reason I hate the Jedi. Well, not him alone, of course. My parents both used to be Jedi, but they fell in love and secretly married. Not long after I was born, they were discovered, however.

 

My mother decided to leave the Order, but my father chose the Jedi over his family. Claimed he saw the error of his ways, that he had been seduced by the dark side and wanted to redeem himself. He was allowed to remain a Jedi and has been a good little follower of their Order ever since, even gaining the title of master later.”

 

She thought for a moment. “I’ve heard he and my mother had quite an argument. She left them and me and hasn’t been seen since. At least that’s what the Jedi told me. With no one there to care for me and my strong connection to the force, I was raised and trained by the Order. Well, you know how that turned out.”

 

Vesa was silent for a moment, before she shrugged and said, “Anyway, that’s the reason I seek revenge from Jedi master Lacus Fin. Hope you enjoyed the story, but now, you all have work to do, don’t you?”

 

“Not really,” Vette answered, Jaesa agreeing. Quinn just left. Good guy.

 

“Okay.” Vesa impatiently waved her hand. “Jaesa, go practice your combat skills. Vette, I could use a drinking partner.”

 

And so Vesa experienced her first real case of being drunk. She didn’t particularly enjoy it.

 

 

---

 

(Note: I’m not really satisfied with the last two chapters, but I figured I should get on with the story. I don’t have much time left till my subscription runs out and I’d like to finish it.

And I’d like to repeat that I would really appreciate feedback. )

[Jokad]

Four - Fury

 

“Don’t these people realize that life doesn’t have any happy endings?” Vesa asked.

 

“Who cares?” Vette countered. “What did you expect from sentimental holovids?”

 

Vesa shrugged. To her surprise, she had found that she liked watching Republic holovids on holiday. Sometimes they were just too stupid, however.

 

It was good to get a chance to relax. Apparently, even Baras gave her a little free time after a success like killing a Dark Council member. “It really is unusually quiet today,” she remarked.

 

Vette agreed. “You should let Pierce and Broonmark go on a hunting trip more often, if you insist on keeping that monster furball on board.”

 

“Hey, what girl can resist having their own pet monster? He can come in handy when I want to scare someone and Jaesa’s away.”

 

“Where is Jaesa, anyway?”

 

“On Dromund Kaas. I sent her to an anger management training program.”

 

Vette laughed. “You really did? I mean, that’s excellent! So it’s just the two of us now. Well, and Quinn. That guy wouldn’t know the meaning of free time without a dictionary. At least he keeps to the bridge.”

 

The mention of Quinn made Vesa smile. Yesterday, she had had her first kiss with him. Maybe now he would start to loosen up a bit.

 

As if on cue, she heard him call her from the bridge. Leaving Vette to decide on their next holovid, which she would probably regret later, Vesa got up and entered the bridge.

 

“My lord, I have had success,” Quinn declared. “I have gotten a fix on your mother’s location. She seems to be the leader of a team of mercenaries currently on Nar Shaddaa.”

 

Vesa smiled. “That’s excellent news! Well done, Captain.”

 

“Thank you, my lord. I will set a course for Nar Shaddaa immediately.” He hesitated. “I also ask that you let me accompany you. It’s my duty to guard your back, and the situation is potentially dangerous.”

 

Vesa thought about it. She wasn’t afraid of danger, but it would be nice to have company. “All right. Call me when we arrive.”

 

 

A few hours later, Vesa found herself standing before a run-down building in one of the less dangerous areas of Nar Shaddaa with Quinn. Vette had wanted to come along, too, but Vesa didn’t like leaving the ship unguarded.

 

Taking a deep breath to calm her nerves, she opened the door and entered the building. The hall they were in didn’t look any nicer than the outside, with crates littering the floor and paint peeling from the walls. At the end of the room, she could see several doors leading deeper into the building.

 

To their credit, it didn’t take the mercenaries long to block their way, weapons drawn. Vesa noticed that most of their equipment had probably seen better days, but was still high quality, and their faces showed no sign of fear.

 

Vesa slowly drew and ignited her lightsaber, Quinn behind her raising his blaster. But she didn’t attack them yet. No need for this to end in bloodshed.

 

One of the mercenaries stepped forward. Vesa recognized her immediately from the image she had seen, though she had acquired a few wrinkles and her hair was beginning to grey.

 

“Lower your weapons!”, the woman barked. The others obeyed her. Relieved, Vesa extinguished her lightsaber.

“Vecordia?” The woman asked, as if she didn’t dare to believe her eyes.

 

Vesa shifted uncomfortably. “Call me Vesa.”

 

“Of course.” The woman smiled at her. “Look at you. A Sith. I should have known the Jedi wouldn’t be able to hold you.”

 

Vesa stayed silent.

 

Her mother turned to her people. “What are you standing here for? Give us a little privacy, there is no danger. Vesa, why don’t we go somewhere we can talk?”

 

Her pulse hammering in her ears, Vesa followed her through a door in the hall to a little office, where they sat down. Vesa watched her intently. With her mothers brown hair and grey eyes, they didn’t look much alike. Vesa knew she looked much more like her father.

 

Her mother began. “I know you’re probably angry that I abandoned you.”

 

Vesa didn’t deny it. “I’m willing to listen to you.”

 

“I really am sorry I couldn’t be there for you, my daughter. You probably know how I fell in love with your father, a fellow Jedi, and we secretly started a relationship. A year after your birth, we were discovered. He rejected us, wanted to go back to the Order.” She closed her eyes for a moment.

 

“What did you do?”

 

“I knew I had no future there. I didn’t regret anything, aside from falling for this particular bastard. But this is a rough galaxy, Vesa. I knew that I didn’t have a lot of options of what to do. I knew the line of work I was forced to choose wouldn’t be good for a little child, and I thought that you would be better off as a Jedi. I told myself that it was best for you, that you could find peace and purpose there. Looking back, that was a mistake.”

 

“So you left me to my father to bring me to the Jedi.”

 

“Yes, I did. I tried to keep in touch with you, though. In the following years, I kept visiting Coruscant and asked about you. But the Jedi never allowed me to see my daughter. They wanted to keep you from forming an emotional attachment. Since then, I’ve been going from one more or less legal job to the next, until I ended up with this bunch. They don’t seem like much, but we care about each other. Now I’m working as a mercenary for the Republic or the Empire, depending on how much they pay and whether it’s in line with our work ethics. I don’t get to use the force anymore, and I’m grateful for that.”

 

Vesa nodded thoughtfully. “Did you consider joining the Sith?”

 

Her mother shrugged. “That I wasn’t a Jedi any longer didn’t mean I had to become Sith. I admit I was thoroughly tired of force-users and their ideologies. You know how they talk about the Sith, I didn’t want to lose myself to them. But I don’t disapprove of your choice, Vesa. It’s your life and if you’re happy being a Sith, then I’m happy for you.”

 

“That seems fair.” Vesa paused for a moment. “Do you happen to have a method of contacting my father?”

 

Her mother nodded. “Yes, I have his holofrequency. He said he’d help me if I needed him, but that’s just his code of honor. I don’t think he cares anything for us.”

 

Vesa smiled bitterly. “He doesn’t.”

 

“Do you want to tell me?”

 

Vesa sighed. “When I was a child, I used to talk with the other children about their parents. Most of them were older than me when the Jedi took them in, nearly all of them orphans. But they had memories of their parents. The masters never told me about mine and they didn’t like me asking about them, but I learned the story. A few times, I saw my father, but he was a stranger. He never even acknowledged me.”

 

Her mother listened, a sympathetic expression on her face. It felt good to talk about it. “When I was ten, I finally confronted him. I had just become a Padawan to a dark-leaning Knight and planned to defect to the Sith with my master, so I knew it was my last chance. My father was so righteous in his attitude. He made it clear he didn’t care about me any more than about any other Padawan, that he was a Jedi and his duty to the galaxy, not to a family. But it got worse. He sensed the dark side in me and fed me the usual lines about serenity and so on. I can’t tell you how angry I was at him. When he discovered my intention to become a Sith, I was dead to him. We fought, and naturally, I lost. If I hadn’t narrowly managed to escape, he would have killed me. I hate the Jedi.”

 

Her mother sighed. “I assume you’re going to kill him?”

 

Vesa nodded.

 

“Then I’d say he gets what he deserves. Here’s the code to communicate with him.”

 

Vesa sat in silence for a moment. “Thank you, mother. You made me realize that you’re not the one who abandoned me. You left me, but I don’t hate you for it. He abandoned me. Well, I guess that’s it. I have to go.” She stood. This was all she could take at the moment.

 

Her mother gave her a smile. “Good luck. And Vesa? I want you to know, if you need a mother, I’m here for you.”

 

Vesa didn’t know what to say, so she just nodded. She returned to Quinn and beckoned him to come with her. They left the building without looking back.

 

On the way back, Vesa told Quinn about the code. “I have a method of communicating with my father now,” she concluded. “I might need it one day.”

 

“You won’t try to contact him for now?”

 

“I have nothing to say to him.”

 

Quinn seemed confused. “Are you just going to leave this Jedi alone, my lord? Surely there is a way to use this to your advantage, to set a trap for him.”

 

Vesa shook her head. “He’d never fall for that. Setting a trap would require him to trust me or me to have a means of forcing him to come. Neither is likely. I can be patient. We will meet again, I’m sure of that.”

 

The Captain didn’t seem convinced, but he didn’t continue. On the way back, no one spoke. Vesa was too busy sorting out her thoughts.

[Jokad]

Five - Transponder Station

 

As soon as Vesa set foot on the transponder station, she had a sense of foreboding. Well, her senses were correct as always, but this time they really were lagging behind. As if she wasn’t prepared for it already.

 

Calm as ever, Vesa followed Captain Quinn through the station. She felt his nervousness in the force, but as usual, he was hiding its signs well. Vesa didn’t feel the need to speak. For now, she was content just to watch the events unfold. Last night, she had barely slept, but now she was calm. It wasn’t the first test she encountered, and she had prepared herself for danger.

 

The resistance they encountered was ridiculous. When possible, Vesa tried to knock the Imperials out instead of killing them. Quinn followed her lead.

 

As soon as they entered the central room of the station, Vesa stopped. At the same time, the door closed. She crossed her arms and watched Quinn, who was standing in the middle of the room.

 

She listened to his explanation without reaction. “My deep respect for you … Baras is my true master …” and so on. Vesa let him have his monologue time.

 

When he was finished, she began clapping slowly. “Dear me, how long have you worked on this? I hope you still had enough time to plan the real fight.”

 

She could tell he didn’t expect this reaction. In fact, he probably expected her to attack him any moment. But she was having too much fun.

 

“This was a nice speech, Quinn,” she said. “But we both knew what’s going on. I know you found out about me monitoring your communications with Baras. Let’s just drop the act and get on with it, shall we?”

 

She didn’t like the smug look on his face when he sent in his war droids. He really was convinced of his success. But no matter.

 

Vesa reached in her pocket and took her remote control out. After pressing the button, she watched the sonic wave that would shut down his droids.

 

Only that it didn’t. They were still standing, apparently unharmed. Vesa raised an eyebrow. The Captain was better than she had given him credit for.

 

He smirked. “My lord, I see you didn’t anticipate me knowing that you knew that I knew about you knowing my plan.”

 

Vesa paused. “Great job, Quinn.” She eyed the droids. “Last minute modifications to cancel out the sonic receptors I installed? Very good indeed. Looks like we have to do this the old-fashioned way, then.”

 

“I truly am sorry it had to come to this, my lord.”

 

The droids attacked. Vesa drew on the force and jumped to one of them, igniting her lightsaber. She didn’t bother with her second one, knowing that Quinn expected it and must have programmed the droids accordingly.

 

It wasn’t easy blocking blaster fire from Quinn and two advanced war-droids simultaneously. Vesa reached deep, drawing out all the anger and hate she could. She felt the dark side roaring in her. But with all her power in the force, this wasn’t an easy fight.

 

Vesa jumped on top of one of the droids, positioning the other one between her and Quinn. She swept at the droid’s hull, but her lightsaber didn’t reach deep through the heavy armoring. It tried to dislocate her, and instead of hanging on, she let herself be thrown down.

 

Using the force to propel her forward, Vesa changed her trajectory and rolled under the droid, her red blade cutting through its underbelly. She sprang back to her feet and swung at the crumbling droid, deepening the gap on his top. One down.

 

Shifting her attention to the remaining droid and her Captain, she managed to block their shots just in time. Vesa sent Quinn’s blaster bolts back at him, forcing him to duck to avoid hits. She turned to the remaining droid. Instead of attacking him with her lightsaber, however, she released the force building up inside her in a stream of lightning. It engulfed the droid, frying his circuits. She had guessed rightly that Quinn hadn’t anticipated this form of attack form her, since she’d never used it before.

 

Turning to the traitor, Vesa reached out with the force and tugged on his blaster, sending it flying toward her. Then she jumped to him, parrying his vibroknife and beating it out of his hand. A kick to his chest sent Quinn down.

She sheeted her lightsaber and stood over him. “Game over, Quinn. Do you still think I am not worthy to be the Emperor’s wrath? That Baras is better for the Empire?”

 

She let him stand up. Quinn coughed. “I should have known.” He looked up. “I have betrayed you, conspired with you most hated enemy. I know it is meaningless to express my deep regret. I don’t expect your mercy.”

 

Vesa raised her hand. “It’s useless to defy me.” She used the force to send him flying into the wall.

 

As he was standing up, she choked him with the force. It felt satisfying to see him like that, but she held her anger in check. He crumbled to the ground.

 

As he was standing up once more, she felt the elation of the fight waning. Now, she had to focus. “I will not kill you, Quinn. If that was my intention, I would have done it before you ever mentioned a special signal emitter.”

 

He seemed confused. “Why, my lord?”

 

She guessed what he was asking. “Why this little game? Why take the risk and not just kill you the second I got wind of your plan? I admit, I wanted to catch you in the act. To see how you would go through with that. You’re right, this was a game to me, but also a test. A test I passed. I am Sith, Captain. Had you killed me, I might have deserved it. But I won, and I have proven myself. To myself, but I think also to you. Isn’t that right, Captain?”

 

“Yes, my lord. I don’t know what to say. Darth Baras would never forgive such a failure. My dedication to you will never come into question again.”

 

“Good. You nearly managed to kill me, Quinn, and I would expect nothing less from you. Trust can be rebuilt. We will see if there is a future for us.”

 

She turned and left the room, slowing her step so that Quinn could catch up. She was beginning to realize how narrowly she had avoided death. But there were worse ends.

 

Before they boarded the ship, Vesa turned to Quinn once more. “Make no mistake, if you ever betray me again, I will kill you. Eventually, the others will have to know what happened here. But for now, I will keep it quiet. Come on, Quinn.”

 

She smiled at him and boarded the Fury. Quinn followed her, thoroughly shaken up, as she could feel.

 

All in all, Vesa reflected, this could have gone much worse.

[Jokad]

I had to cut the story short and jump straight to the ending. Hope you enjoy.

There are spoilers for something you learn in the Jedi Knight story or at the end of the Makeb storyline, I think also at the end of the SIth Warrior storyline. And spoilers for the Sith Inquisitor final name/title, though I hope you won’t notice it if you don’t know about it.

 

-

 

Six

 

In all her time as a Sith, Vesa realized, this was actually her first time in the middle of a major battle. As they were attacking a Republic battleship and didn’t see much of the rest of the fighting, however, it made little difference.

 

She waved her crew forward and gave the Imperial troops the signal to advance to the next intersection. Through the blasterfire, she saw the enemy seeking cover in front of them. She drew on the force and jumped forward, landing in their midst.

 

The elation of battle began to overtake her. Vesa grinned as she bore down on the Republic soldiers. Since defeating Baras and officially becoming the Emperor’s Wrath, she didn’t have to feel slightly guilty in a fight anymore. She was finally fighting the Republic again, not her own people.

 

The Imperial attackers quickly defeated any remaining opposition in the majority of the starship. The surprise attack was a full success. But Vesa remained on guard. There was a reason she had picked this ship to join the fight in. The intel about a particular Jedi master being on board.

 

While the Imperials were busy routing out the last Republic soldiers, Vesa continued on, deeper into the bowels of the ship, toward the unmistakable presence in the force that was now coming closer.

 

She didn’t have to wait long until he showed himself. His green lightsaber ignited, Lacus walked confidently into her view.

 

Vesa felt a smile beginning to form on her face as she stood and drew her own weapons, feeling her anger and hate rise. “Hello, father, nice to meet you again. I missed you so much. So much, in fact, that you won’t get to leave.”

 

Her father didn’t seem fazed. “You are welcome to try, Vecordia. I will finally purge your darkness from this galaxy.”

 

Always the Jedi. They both knew a daughter with the Sith wasn’t exactly an accomplishment for a Jedi, which was why he wanted her dead. Part of the reason, at least.

 

Without bothering to reply, Vesa leaped over him, turning mid-jump. She launched a furious assault on him, trying to get through his expertly established defense.

 

This time, her father was ready for her two lightsabers. He managed to hold his ground, even go on the offensive. He feinted to the left, changed his course to strike at her right side. Vesa had to use the force to push him away to avoid getting hit.

 

Her growing anger fueling her power, she continued attacking him. Her twin lightsabers swirled through the air, testing his defenses, pushing him back. He held his own, but Vesa knew she was stronger. She felt the dark side roaring inside her, giving her strength. Vesa relentlessly attacked the Jedi, pushing with the force every now and again to upset his balance.

 

In a desperate attempt, her father jumped toward her, his lightsaber aiming for her head. Vesa ducked and brought her own weapons forward. He barely managed to parry them, but she had gotten her advantage and used the force to strike out. Breaking through his barrier while he was trying to regain his balance from her force-push, Vesa scored a hit on his leg while battling his lightsaber away with her other blade. He crumpled to the ground.

 

Just as Vesa raised her lightsaber, the ground under her shook violently. The sudden movement caused her to fly backwards and crash against the wall.

 

As she was trying to stand up, a boot came down and pushed her back down. She looked for her lightsabers, but the impact had pulled them from her hands. Her father had apparently survived the shake of the ship better, being already on the ground. He smiled at her and raised his lightsaber.

 

Vesa looked up at the green blade, fear beginning to rise inside her. This was not the way she had wanted to die. But just as he prepared for the strike, her father suddenly convulsed. Seizing her advantage, Vesa used the force to blast him away.

 

Standing up, Vesa saw Captain Quinn standing a few meters away, blaster in hand. She looked from him to her father, who lied unmoving on the ground.

 

“My lord, we have to go. The ship is going to explode.”

 

Vesa blinked and rushed to him. “Let’s go, then.”

 

A new quake shook the ground. Vesa steadied herself against the wall, then began to run back, Quinn at her side.

They reached the airlock just in time and boarded the Fury. Just as her ship fired away, the Republic battleship was torn in half.

 

She turned to her crew, who stood in the entryway. “What are you waiting for? Let’s get the hell out of here.”

 

As the others moved away, Vesa grabbed Quinn’s arm. “Thank you, Captain.” She gave him a quick kiss and went away, leaving Quinn staring after her.

 

As soon as Vesa had finished contacting Command and learning about the Imperial victory, her thoughts turned back to her father. Finally, he was dead. The end of the Sith code came to her mind. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. Vesa smiled. This chain was definitely broken. But she also felt an emptiness.

 

She had her revenge. What had motivated her for so long was now done, and she didn’t feel anything like she expected she would. Vesa sighed. She did feel a bit of regret, not for the man they had just killed, but for what her father could have been to her. But there was no point dwelling on it now. Learn from the past and move on.

 

Vesa decided to pay Quinn a visit. He was, as always, working on the bridge.

 

“This was a great victory, Captain. You have done extremely well.”

 

Quinn looked up. “Thank you, my lord. It has been an honor, and I greatly appreciate your praise.”

 

Vesa nodded thoughtfully. During the last weeks, she had spent more time with Quinn. She had learnt much about tactics from him, but also gotten to know him better personally and come to value his advice.

 

She decided she needed it right now. “I’m going back to Korriban to meet with the Dark Council. This will be a crucial session. With the Emperor attacked and rumored to be dead, there’ll be chaos.”

 

“I understand, my lord,” Quinn answered. “You have to make sure the Empire stays strong.”

 

“I intend to. With the Voice of the Emperor missing, I’m the nearest there is to him. I’m planning to make clear that we all have to stand together in this time of war and that I intend to see the Empire through it. If any of the Councilors have a problem with that, they’re welcome to challenge me. Knowing them, I don’t think anyone will actually dare to. Nox might, but he’s too smart for that.”

 

“You would do well to ensure at least some of them stand with you.”

 

Vesa nodded. “You’re right. I will be leaving for Makeb shortly after. I’ll tell Darth Marr he’d better make sure I don’t have to fight on two fronts. He won’t have a choice but to support me if he wants to win there.”

 

She fell silent and watched her Captain. It really was time to move on.

 

“Captain,” she began. “You probably saved my life back there. I don’t need any other proof for your loyalty, and this makes up for quite a bit. We haven’t talked about the transponder station, and it doesn’t matter. I forgive you.”

 

She couldn’t quite read his expression. “My lord, thank you. I promise you will not regret it.”

 

Vesa took a step closer. “I believe there is something you want to tell me, now that we’re all close and friendly again.”

 

Quinn stepped forward and looked her in the eyes. “I love you, Vesa.”

 

“I love you too, Malavai.”

 

The following kiss really was worth the wait, in Vesa’s opinion. As they finally broke apart, she was a little out of breath. “Took you long enough. “

 

When she left the bridge, she felt the happiest she had in years. Vesa smiled. The future held so much opportunity.