Space

[Emily]

Emily awoke...

 

Her grey-hazel eyes shimmering from the light off of the control panels before her, the R4 droid beeping incessantly... his red-chrome dome glistened as the light of a far-off shooting star... it was telling her that her journey was complete.

 

Raxus Prime was a grim memory, a page long-since turned in her past... her father's instructions were fairly clear. He had left her all his musings on all he knew about the Force, about his strange connection to it and the Jedi Knight known as Andon Colos. He left his warnings of the seductive nature of the dark side and how easily it is to fall under its wings... but most importantly, was a picture of her mother. It was not something that Bekka knew he had taken, nor had Sirvani ever asked... but it was for a day like today. When she was going to forge a path of her own... and the nav-computer signaled the start by mentioning the Alliance base of Gala.

 

Her nimble hands gripped the controls of the midnight-black A-wing, it was only as customized as her gear-head father had managed to make it with the junk-piles strewn about his fortress, rigged-engines and a faster computer... some slightly more powerful lasers.

 

The Noghri who had served her had passed on, her step-mother had joined her father in the Force. Nope, now, she had a new chapter to add to his theories... the Chapter of a Jedi Knight.

 

She smiled, muttering to herself, "Well, R4... Dad really left me a challenge."

[Emily]

The events of the past few days were almost impossible to believe, but nevertheless, Emily almost suddenly found herself in the Shadow's Shine, traveling through hyperspace. She remembered very little--for example, she had no recollection of getting her ship--but she did know that Master Quietus was dead. That, she remembered very clearly. It burned in her, a searing anger that once again, anyone she had attached herself to had abandoned her.

 

The ship was heading for Coruscant, but Emily's hands rested on the controls. She had the oddest feeling that she wasn't supposed to return to Coruscant just yet. Remembering Quietus' words, she gritted her teeth and dropped the ship out of hyperspace, ignoring the warning beeps that told her she had not reached her originally programmed destination.

 

What am I supposed to do now? I want to learn the ways of the Force, but I'm left with no one to teach me.

 

She idlly pulled up the planet charts as she thought. When she stopped, she realized she was looking at a chart of the planet Naboo, a pleasant-looking world of fields and mountains and lakes. Perhaps I need a vacation. I've never had one...

 

She shrugged. It wouldn't hurt to go there. She could always use that time to decide where she was going to do next and what she was going to do. Besides, it felt like the right decision.

 

That was enough for Emily, and she quickly punched in the coordinates and sent the ship on a course for Naboo.

[Emily]

The Shadow's Shine drifted aimlessly in dark interstellar space.

 

Emily had sat there for a long time, feeling lost and purposeless. She knew what she expected of herself, but felt no drive to accomplish her goals. And she hated that. She wished she could conjure up some determination.

 

"You know what the Sith would say of you, Em?" she spoke aloud. "That you're a pathetic weakling who doesn't deserve to even live. And the Jedi would look at you with pity in their eyes and pat you on the head and say some blathering nonsense."

 

She snorted with self-disgust. "What are you living for?" She paused, her tone growing contemplative. I wonder if this is how mother felt after father died. She told me she felt she had no purpose left. But at least she had already done something with her life. She was a Sith Lady, and a powerful one too. Same with father. And I'm a disgrace."

 

She took a deep breath. "I know that if I simply go on with my life, my plan, I'll get over this. But why can't I muster the strength to take that first step?"

 

Over the next few days, she pondered her future. One night, she had a vivid dream. The galaxy was changing, on the brink of some momentus event that would be for good or evil, but that would change things as she knew it. She saw herself getting swept away in the flood, lost and confused, unable to affect events, and dying before she truly lived.

 

When she woke, tears were running down her face. She made a vow, right then and there, that she would not let that happen. She would not be doomed to anonymity, a random face and life that meant nothing to anyone. She ran to the cockpit and queried the Force. Finally, she laid in a course and entered hyperspace, ready at last to take up the reins of her destiny.

[Emily]

Emily only hesitated briefly before climbing onboard the Serenity, and that was to cast a glance back over at the Shadow's Shine. She knew it had state-of-the-art anti-intruder systems installed, so she wasn't worried about it being stolen, but she knew the Sith were always interested in destroying Jedi bases. It'd better still be in one piece when I get back, she thought. She was not about to let anything happen to her mother's ship.

 

The Serenity was a nice ship though. Spacious, but not too large, which would allow Nishant's master to travel alone without feeling lost in too big a ship, but also allowed her to take on passengers. As the woman showed them around, Emily remained silent, simply taking in the layout of the ship so that she wouldn't get lost later. When Skye showed her the room she'd be staying at, she placed her things on the bed. The news that it had belonged to the Jedi's daughter surprised her. She didn't think Jedi had children. Wasn't it forbidden or something?

 

Of course, she thought, she had heard it was forbidden for Jedi to be in romantic relationships too, and that beautiful woman and the Jedi Master with her were clearly in one. Perhaps it had just been another misconception circulated by the Sith.

 

Nishant's room was right across the hall from hers, so after she had freshened herself up a bit and washed her face, she knocked on his door. "Shall we be social?" she called.

[Emily]

As the pair approached the main cabin, Emily felt suddenly shy. She didn't know any of these people, and didn't know if they'd like her or not. She got the sudden inexplicable feeling of being in over her head, and she didn't like it.

 

But then she chastised herself. What would Master Quietus think of your behavior? she asked herself. He'd laugh at you. It was your boldness and nonchalance that made you stand out at the academy...what happened to that Emily? It was funny, she had barely noticed that a change was taking place, but looking back, she was a different person now. Very strange.

 

The Jedi were chatting about some kind of invitation. Emily helped herself to the pot of caf and took a seat off in the corner, not really segregating herself from them, but also trying not to be in the way. Just as she sat down, she was startled to feel her comlink buzz.

 

It startled her so much that she spilled caf on herself. That drew attention to her, and she blushed. "Sorry, I just...my comlink startled me, that's all. I never get messages."

 

She checked it and saw that it was an invitation to Alora's wedding. She was surprised. From what she remembered of Alora, her mother's friend had never been the type to settle down. At first she wondered if she should accept, knowing that Alora probably would have wanted to invite her mother if she could. But then she sent back a message accepting while she was in the kitchenette cleaning the caf off her shirt. Alora was the closest thing to family she had left.

 

Eyes turned to her when she came back in, still a little red, with a wet patch on her shirt from the caf. She felt like she should explain. "It was a message from my mother's best friend. She's getting married and wanted to invite me to the wedding." She sat down in her seat again. "It should be interesting. Aunt Alora was never the type to get married, so I was really surprised." She thought she might be talking too much, so she fell silent.

[Emily]

"You're friends with Alora?" Emily asked, surprised. "Even though she's a Sith Master?" She was extremely curious. "Perhaps...you might have known my mother." It was time to lay it all on the table. "My mother was a Sith Master, a red Twi'lek named Sirvani Zsahra. Alora was her best friend for many years."

 

Her mind was filled with images of her mother, Alora and this other woman standing together. Perhaps they had all been close, a group of friends going on adventures together. But Emily couldn't see that being the case. This woman was a Jedi, wasn't she? It was startling enough to think that this Jedi had been close friends with a Sith.

 

"If you don't mind me asking, who are you, and what is your connection with the Sith?"

 

And what the blazes were the chances of the two of them meeting each other? Emily had never given much thought to the Force when it came to destiny and fate, but now she was beginning to change her mind. The odds of the two of them meeting seemed astronomical in a galaxy so large.

 

And then there was the fact that she was hanging out with Jedi. If she was a Sith, then what was she doing? Did these Jedi know that? Or was she, like Emily, more interested in a broader view of the Force? Had she walked the same path that Emily was determined to embark on? There were just too many questions.

[Emily]

It was so ironic; funny even. Either her parents had been more illustrious than she had known, or there clearly was a bigger picture going on around her. How else could it be that wherever she went, she met those who had known either her father or mother?

 

She listened with growing interest as the woman told her story. As she did, she felt a growing rapport with her. Here was someone who had walked the very path Emily herself hoped to walk and had begun to walk. She had been both Sith and Jedi, and now walked the path of neither.

 

"So you believe that there is a way to explore the mysteries of the Force beyond the labels of Sith or Jedi? That is what I have always believed, and something my parents felt very strongly about. But there are very few who share that belief." She didn't know why she was speaking, but there was just something about Darla that made Emily instinctively trust her.

 

"I must admit though, I'm surprised that your friends don't judge you." She didn't mean to ignore the others, but it was awkward to address them directly right now. "My experience with the Jedi has been quite different. As soon as they find out who I am, it's disdain and even outright hostility."

 

She glanced at Nishant, knowing that while she had revealed much to him, parts of her story might be new to him. She then faced Darla. "My parents died when I was young. My father died first, and my mother stayed only a little while longer in this world. She loved him very much, and I've always believed she couldn't bear the grief any longer." She shook her head to clear away the memories. "I was left alone. When I was old enough, I left home and sought out the Sith...my family. I was apprenticed to Darth Quietus, Raynuk Montar, right from the start. He was open minded and did everything he could to help me succeed and learn and grow in my knowledge of the Force."

 

She glanced at the Jedi Master. "He was a good man."

 

Looking back at Darla, she continued. "He was killed during the battle over Gala where the Republic fleet defeated the Sith armada. I managed to escape, and I fled. I saw the Sith scattered and secluded, so I figured it was a good time to fulfill a promise I made to my father and to seek out the Jedi for training. Plus, I wanted to see if I could find my uncle, a Jedi named Andon Colos."

 

She sighed and tucked a strand of black hair behind her ear. "I met the grandmaster, who was very stern and cold with me. My uncle has not been heard from in years and is presumed dead." Another family member out of the picture forever...

 

"The rest is recent history. I started hopeful classes, met Nishant, and here I am. But I find myself exceedingly puzzled by the Jedi." She hoped Darla or the others would be able to answer some questions for her. "The grandmaster was cold to me, and another Jedi Knight almost attacked me when he learned who my father was. The former grandmaster, a woman named Darkfire, was rude and abrupt to my ma--Lord Montar--when we were attacking Gala in retaliation from a Jedi attack on the Sith temple. If the Jedi are truly the accepting, forgiving, peace-loving people from the holovids, I certainly haven't seen it. Why do they insist on slaughtering Sith? Just because they believe them to be evil?"

 

At this point, Emily didn't know what to consider herself. She viewed both orders as flawed and prejudiced. But she certainly was interested in what Darla would say in response. This woman seemed like she had a strong opinion, given her experiences, and Emily was fascinated to hear what that opinion might be.

[Emily]

Emily grinned. "Indeed they do, but my view definitely corresponds to yours."

 

Finally she felt completely at ease. The Force had clearly brought her here for a reason and the knowledge that it was guiding her path was a comforting one. It still felt a little reckless when the rubber hit the road, but she had grown up trusting the Force. So it was a comforting thought.

 

She also thought it another amazing coincidence that Darla's master had been Lord Montar. She held Montar in the highest regard, and nothing would ever change that. He had been kind and yet strong, and given her a family again. She would never forget that, no matter where her path took her in the future.

 

Skye's news about Andon was welcome. "I hope so, Master Organa," she replied. "Yes, I knew Aunt Jaina as well. Of course, they aren't my real aunt and uncle. My father and Andon were rivals, really, until...well, I don't know exactly what happened, but they grew as close as brothers. My father always claimed it be the workings of the Force. These," she said, pointing to her mismatched eyes, "were my inheritance from their bond."

 

It was funny that she was on a ship with a bunch of people who didn't necessarily see eye-to-eye with the Jedi. Skye's philosophy was deemed radical for being willing to heal Sith, and Darla was caught in between the two orders, never really belonging to either and being an outsider to both. As she looked at Darla, she realized that this woman had everything that Emily wanted, and was exactly the kind of person Emily wished to become. She laughed and cried and raged and lived. She used the Force in it's entirety, and laughed in the face of dogma. She was completely true to herself, and Emily knew that was the goal that she herself would desperately cling to. No matter what happened, she needed to remain true to herself and not let others dictate who she should be.

 

She smiled broadly at Darla. "Thanks. For sharing, and for inspiring me. You're exactly the kind of person I want to become." She met Darla's green eyes, and felt a connection to this woman who, a few moments before, had been a stranger.

 

Then she glanced away, turning her gaze towards Nishant. She wondered what he was making of this entire discussion. She was especially interested to hear what his opinion of her was now that she had been very outspoken about the goals she had heretofore only alluded to. She wondered what the Jedi Master nodding off in the corner would have to say, but it was Nishant's opinion she really cared about.

[Emily]

"That's funny," Emily replied. "I never would have expected that advice from someone so surrounded by Jedi. What does your...husband?...think about that? And what exactly makes you say that? You say you wouldn't change being both Sith and Jedi. If you had a fresh start, would you have only been Sith?"

 

She leaned back on the sofa. "My parents wanted me to have an open mind, to explore the Force as a whole. That is why I'm here. I know how the Sith view the Force. I want to learn how the Jedi view it. Then I can put those two beliefs side by side and make up my own way that combines the two. For I do believe that both sides believe some aspect of truth. How could they not? But like you said, I think they are also bogged down by dogma--in the Jedi's case--and vengeance in the Sith's case. If one were to look at the Force from both viewpoints without other things blocking one's mind, what would be the result?" It was clear that Emily was extraordinarily curious about that, and she had inherited her mother's determination.

 

The girl sighed and smiled a little. "Thanks for the advice, really. But I'm really determined to explore this. Besides," she said, lightening up, "I'm a 19-year-old young woman. It's in my nature to ignore good advice from those older than me."

[Emily]

Ar-Pharazon's infamous ship, whose name Emily had already forgotten, traversed the weave of hyperspace.

 

At first, Emily had been a little disappointed when she found out they were going to Bespin. Even if Korriban was in a ruined state, it would still be more interested than a gas giant with a floating station in it's clouds. But she reserved her judgment. Maybe it would be more interesting than she was expecting.

 

As she took a seat on a cushy, practically sofa-sized chair and watched the two Sith Masters interact, she realized that the most interesting part of their trip would be watching the two men, not seeing the planet. She stayed quiet, as was her custom, more interested in observing than participating. She did however munch on some of the refreshments, the cat in her lap. She didn't want to appear rude, after all. And indeed, she was quite enjoying herself. The two Sith amused her greatly, and she knew she would have plenty to discuss with her master when they were alone about the more subtle things passing between him and Ar-Pharazon.

[Emily]

Emily was amused by the tales. Or rather, not so much the tales of the men themselves, but the way the two Masters were swapping them back and forth. Despite her amusement, though, she knew that the stories were true, and that it was good knowledge for her to have. It appears that with the Force, the only limits you have are the ones you put on yourself. That was the thing she knew she'd take away the most. It was one thing to know it, and it was another to really believe it and let it influence the way you viewed life. Emily determined that she would do the latter.

 

Munching on some finger-sized extremely delicious cakes, she wondered at Ar-Pharazon setting down and then setting up again of the picture. It had a woman in it, and she wondered not only why he was messing with the picture, but who the picture was of. She shrugged and decided to ask. "Master Ar-Pharazon, who is that in the picture? She's lovely."

 

Emily wondered if the woman was Ar-Pharazon's lover. She hoped that if so, the woman was alive, for she would dearly enjoy speaking with her. Little did she know that her mother had gotten the occasion to speak with Tarrian quite a few times in her life, and that it had always left quite an impression on Sirvani.

[Emily]

Now that Ar-Pharazon explained who she was, Emily could see the family resemblance. It wasn't strong, and much of it might have been her imagination filling in the gaps, but there it was. She was interested in what he said about her relationship with Darth Heretic, but part of what interested her most was the fact that Ar-Pharazon clearly missed her. Just another proof that the Jedi view of the Sith is limited. Yes, they slaughter just for fun. These stories are further proof of that, if I needed any. But they also care, and love, and have families. It was dichotomous to be sure, but for Emily, what it really came down to was the Force-users' conception of self. If they believed that they were the most important, that it should be look out for number one, then their philosophy would fall more in line with the Sith--for who mattered but oneself in that point of view? They would have n issue slaughtering strangers and yet still caring about those they loved. If, however, one's view became that others were equally as important, then their philosophy would fall in line with the Jedi, who cared enough about others to desire to protect them.

 

She was silent, thinking through everything, when Quietus suddenly blurted out his question. She raised an eyebrow. She would be interested in knowing about the Jedi Master on Ar-Pharazon's wall as well.

[Emily]

((OOC: Uh uh, no way, Brian))

 

Emily was astounded when everything came together. Tarrian was revealed to be the wife (she noted the title) of Bishop. Emily was very familiar with Bishop, even though they had never met. For it had been Bishop who had taught her father in the ways of the Sith. He was part of her 'Force-lineage' as it were. Quietus' earlier comments about how Tarrian and Sirvani had been friends fit even better with that knowledge. She could just see her mother and Tarrian with her father and Bishop, sitting around swapping tales much like Ar-Pharazon and Quietus were doing now. She didn't know if it had ever happened, but it was a happy picture in her head.

 

The tale of Tarrian's turn to the dark side was a plan that Emily couldn't help but admire as pure genius. While she felt bad for Tarrian and Bishop being put through all of that, the plan itself was brilliant, and Emily applauded it. Quietus didn't seem to know any more about it, but when he mentioned being punished for overstepping his boundaries, she perked up. "Why, what happened, master? What did you do, and how did this infamous Zar deal with you?" She was quite interested in what he, one whom she held in very high regard, had behaved in his brash youth. And given the stories she had just been hearing about Zar, she wished to know what had happened. Besides, Quietus looked uncomfortable remembering and she wanted to make him squirm a bit.

 

She sobered though as the tone of the room changed and Quietus prodded what even Emily realized might be a wound. But she was nevertheless curious to see how Ar-Pharazon responded. There was something there, something that had been in his tone when he spoke of her earlier that made her wonder.

[Emily]

Emily raised an eyebrow at Ar-Pharazon's sudden angry Force display. Must have hit pretty close to the mark to get him riled up like that, she thought. That or he just doesn't have much self-control. She knew that the Sith were infamous for their lack of self-control, but that was one aspect she never aspired to. Without self control, you were just a mindless shell, subject to your every whim. Besides, Emily privately thought that displays like that were a bit childish. Though she made sure her mental shields were up before she thought it.

 

At the same time, perhaps it was a very painful topic. Her imagination went wild with possibilities. Perhaps he had loved her and had to see her die. Or he had tried to turn her to the dark side and had had to kill her when she remained strong. Or he had tried to save her from another Sith but had been too late. Her personal love of the dramatic fueled her imagination as each scene she imagined got progressively more angsty and dramatic.

 

But he calmed down as Quietus spoke, diffusing the tension with his story. As he reached the climax, Emily clamped a hand over her mouth, but she couldn't help but laugh aloud. She knew he still smarted over it; she could see the anger simmering behind his eyes. She had no idea how he would respond to her laughing, but she couldn't help it. The laugh burst forth from her as she pictured it in her mind's eye. It was good to know how he had been back then, and she had to give Morpheus credit for a very creative and memorable death. Much more interesting than, say, pulling someone's skin off like Quietus had just done to the acolyte. If you are going to kill someone, she mused, might as well do it with style.

 

Mirth continued to dance in her eyes as Ar-Pharazon turned the conversation back to Kenobi. She wouldn't forget that story. It amused her greatly to imagine her cold, aloof master with a lightsaber up his rear end. Just thinking about it made her giggle again, and she fought to keep a straight face. She was sorry for him in that he hadn't done a single thing to provoke Morpheus--indeed, she was sure she would have personally disliked the man if they had met--and she was sorry that Quietus had been humiliated, but if he couldn't laugh about it now, all these years later, then what good was life? For what do we live for but to make sport of our neighbors and laugh at them in our time? she thought.

 

But Ar-Pharazon was still angry, so she sobered herself. She was interested in the necklace (if it could be called that) that Quietus wore, but she was more interested in Ar-Pharazon's relationship with Kenobi, and wondered if he would tell it.

[Emily]

Quietus' response set Emily's blood tingling. He was reminding everyone in the room what a powerful Sith Master he was, and the tone of his voice echoed with that suppressed energy and strength. He was indeed a legend, just as much as Ar-Pharazon. In a way, Emily privately wondered if he was even more so, at least in terms of his achievements. Actions spoke louder than words, and Quietus had not only destroyed these Tiamat bugs, but had also risen to the mantle of the Dark Lord of the Sith. She didn't think Ar-Pharazon had ever done that. True, his power and fame were considerable, but she had never heard of him doing more than random slaughterings.

 

But perhaps that was partly the awe of an apprentice to her master. If Emily was biased, she certainly didn't know. Although, she admitted deep down that she probably was. She was indebted to Quietus for many reasons--for accepting her for training, for opening her mind to the larger world, for the small kindnesses he had shown her over and over again. In her book, that made him a better man that Ar-Pharazon, despite the other Sith's legend and near immortality.

 

But she kept her expression carefully thoughtful and her mind guarded save for a brief Force touch to Quietus' mind. It was her trying to repeat what he had done to her; a mental touch that expressed her high opinion of him and showed him the effect his speech had had on her. As soon as she did it, she marveled at her own daring.

 

She was glad that Ar-Pharazon had decided to address the issue. Emily was only slightly surprised to hear that Kenobi had been his wife. She had, after all, been picturing something dramatic. But she was equally curious as to how it had all come to pass. What had Krissi seen in Ar-Pharazon? How had they even met? And what had happened to her, and consequently him?

 

She was glad when the other woman, Terra, asked the details. Terra had been quite silent, although not as much as the other Black Sun agent, only tossing Emily a few glares now and then. But Emily wasn't about to be intimidated by the woman. Perhaps Ar-Pharazon was teaching her some arrogance.

 

She also silently marveled at this sometimes hidden but clearly quite common practice of Sith matrimony. She had always thought as a child that her parents had been in the minority. Now she was discovering that it was in fact quite the opposite, a knowledge that began to soften her own perceptions.

[Emily]

"You can be assured of my secrecy as well, Lord" Emily added. She didn't know why he cared so much, but the subject had been dropped and Ar-Pharazon was starting some kind of ritual. That interested Emily, as she had never heard of or seen other Sith doing such a thing.

 

She opened her mouth to question the purpose of what he was doing when she suddenly felt Quietus in her mind. All at once, her mind flooded with sheer pleasure. She gasped involuntarily, and was forced to lie through her teeth when the others in the cabin glanced her way. "Sorry, I just...remembered something I forgot to do." She rose and moved towards the back of the cabin.

 

It got their eyes off her, and she was glad of it, for her heart rate accelerated and she began breathing faster as her body made physical changes in response to the signals her brain was sending. Her eyes closed as she struggled to maintain her composure. It took all her considerable willpower not to rush to him. If they had been alone, Force only knew what would have happened, but as it was, she pressed herself to the bulkhead by force of will. When her eyes opened again, they were turned on Quietus. A smoldering look lingered upon him, and for the first time, there was desire that she couldn't hide.

 

As the feeling trickled away, she knew he had been manipulating her, and while she resented that, she couldn't blame him. He had been teasing her, and she chose to take it as a harbinger of what might be yet to come. She reached back out to his mind, but this time, she spoke into it, much as he had done with her on previous occasions. That, she said into his mind, was mean. She withdrew then, but her own thoughts continued in the privacy of her own mind. Next time don't manipulate me; provide it for me yourself, if you dare.

 

It was the first time that she had ever felt like he truly was beginning to feel something when he looked at her. Sure, he had said he was interested, but she had seen no other manifestations of his supposed regard, save for him being kind to her. The fact that he had chosen to apply his mental touch in such a way hinted that perhaps he did feel something real underneath his impassive exterior. That, or he was just being evil. She smiled to herself. Always unpredictable, that one.

 

In her distraction, she had missed the first parts of the ritual Ar-Pharazon was preparing. She came and sat back down in her chair. Now she did everything she could to pay attention, but she couldn't control how her mind would disobey her and linger on Quietus.

Edited April 13, 2012 by Guest

[Emily]

The sudden appearance of the Sith Falleen had been the last thing Emily had expected to occur from Ar-Pharazon's ritual. She hadn't known what to expect, but it certainly hadn't been this.

 

Delta was saying some kind of weird phrase, his weapon pointing uncomfortably near Quietus, and it was only due to Emily glancing that way that she wasn't blinded when the Falleen's ethereal chains shattered into blinding sparks. The explosion drew her attention back to the newly materialized Sith. She could feel his power, his malevolent presence. She suddenly got the feeling that this man...he was one who had given himself over to the dark side completely. Had embraced the storm in all of its wild untamed power. Just as clearly as she knew that, she knew he was unstable.

 

But even that didn't prepare her for him to leap over and grab her by the throat. Her instincts were to toss him back with a Force push, or at least to break his grip on her neck with a quick hold break that the Nohgri had taught her back on Raxus Prime. But something stayed her, held her in check. Instead, she merely took some of the pressure off her neck by using the Force as a cushion, a tiny barrier between his fingers and her neck. It wasn't complete--it still hurt, and she was having a hard time getting breaths--but it helped a little.

 

She looked into the Falleen's eyes and saw his madness. But she wasn't afraid. For Quietus' voice now cut across the room, and it contained that same measure of pure power as he had used earlier. Only these words reminded her of his promise. He had promised that he would protect her. And so she was not afraid. She met the Falleen's glare as evenly as she could, letting only a bit of anger seep through as she struggled for each breath.

[Emily]

Everything suddenly moved quickly. Ar-Pharazon gleefully sent the demon-Sith back to where it had come from, and Emily resisted the urge to massage her throat as the Falleen's hands left it. She did glare at Ar-Pharazon, but he didn't see it. What was the point of even summoning him if you sent him back a moment later? As the Sith lead them back into the ship, she decided he had been showing off, pure and simple. She sighed, and let her anger at him fizzle away.

 

When he revealed the three women, Emily's heart sank. She knew that these women were as good as dead. It was only a matter of time before Ar-Pharazon used them. The knowledge that he had been behind the gruesome slaughter at Naboo didn't surprise her. She had known that it had been a Sith, and Ar-Pharazon and his lust for slaughter fit the bill perfectly. Part of her was angry at him and the Black Sun commandos at the wanton, senseless loss of life, but she forced herself to look for another viewpoint. Quietus had told her that all death had a purpose. What could possibly be the purpose for slaughter on that scale? It couldn't be to prove to the galaxy that Ar-Pharazon was powerful, for he had remained disguised. It couldn't be to get the Jedi in trouble, for anyone who had seen the footage would not be fooled. The only thing she could determine to possibly be the motive was to make the galaxy remember that the Sith were to be feared. It was a pretty poor justification in Emily's mind--after all, was there any doubt whatsoever that the Sith did stuff like this? And the time of relative inaction on the part of the Order had only increased the common people's fear.

 

As they made their way up to the cockpit, Emily knew an instant before it happened that now was the time for those women to die. She glanced away until she heard the blast of the turbolasers and felt their presences wink out. It was her only outward sign of disapproval, and if Quietus had looked at her, he would have noticed that she was not protesting as she had done when he skinned the acolyte. He believes their deaths have purpose. If he believes it, is it really wrong? Her gut told her yes, but she was striving to be open-minded. After all, this is why she had sought out the Sith--to learn their viewpoint and perspective, and then ultimately to make up her own mind. Her father had urged her not to be brainwashed into believing one thing or another, and she was determined to keep an open mind as a result.

 

All that said, she still thought Ar-Pharazon's use for them was quite pointless. She sidled up to Quietus and spoke softly in his ear. "Is this then the only way the Sith can determine the future? I confess myself surprised. The Jedi can do it simply by meditating. I would have thought it would be easy for the Sith if the Jedi can do it without much thought at all." She truly was interested. This might be a weakness of the Sith, something that the Jedi were indeed better at.

[Emily]

((OOC: Wow, you guys. Just wow. ))

 

As she heard Ar-Pharazon's words, Emily suddenly had a very bad feeling about all of this.

 

She suddenly felt herself flying backwards. She slammed into the bulkhead with a thud, but she didn't have time to recover. All she had were her instincts. Everything was as if it were in slow motion. Guns were being drawn and pointed in her direction. Confusion threatened to overwhelm her mind, but suddenly, one thought burst through to the forefront. No.

 

And with that thought, she suddenly found a high mountain in her mind, a wind-swept plateau of ice. From there, she could look down at herself and her emotions and dissect them. First there was anger. That was expected. She hadn't trusted these companions, but she hadn't expected this. Second, there was her survival instinct, raring it's head and demanding that she do everything possible to live. Third, there was betrayal. From her plateau, the sensation was interesting. Had she really been so foolish as to not expect betrayal? It was, after all, the way of the Sith. But away from her plateau her heart was screaming in agony. It wasn't the betrayal of the others that stung. They didn't matter. It was Quietus. She realized now that all his promises had been false. That he had been manipulating her all along. And that was the thing she hated the most. His words barely touched her after that realization, only adding to her now boiling anger.

 

But from her plateau, she understood that she had no one but herself to blame. Never again, she vowed emotionlessly. I will learn from this mistake.

 

All of this happened in a millisecond. Meanwhile, her body was moving, sensing it was threatened and working to defend itself. Emily knew it would be ultimately futile, but she wasn't going down without a fight. A feral snarl crossed her face, and she reached for the weapon she carried in the small of her back, a weapon she didn't even think Quietus knew was there. Her mother's lightsaber. The silver blade snapped into being and immediately wove a defensive shield around her. It was the skill she had always been best at during her lightsaber training, and these were mostly flechette rounds, much slower comparatively than blaster bolts. Delta's blaster bolt reached her first consequently, and she batted it aside with the blade. From her plateau, she realized another truth. She would have no problem killing them.

 

But already the flechette rounds were reaching her. Her lightsaber danced and twirled, and she raised a hand, creating a powerful Force shield into which she fed her anger, her fury, and her sense of betrayal. The Force swirled around her, more powerful than she had ever felt it. And in that moment, she didn't care if it overwhelmed her mind. Her anger grew and mixed with pain as a few pieces of metal made it through and battered her body. The armor helped considerably””Ha, bet you didn't count on that when you gave it to me, Quietus””but a few managed to pierce it and dig into her left arm and right leg. Whether her defenses would be strong enough to protect her from the rest was still to be seen”¦

 

(((Killshot defense post...for what it's worth.lol)))

[Emily]

Emily was determined to stoically accept what path fate was leading her down, but she still found herself sitting silently in her chair as they entered hyperspace. After a short time, they dropped back out into the blackness of the dark space between systems, drifting in the void of emptiness.

 

That was when Furion told her to get some food for them. She bristled at his tone and choice of words. She was not some slave to be ordered around! And she didn't fail to notice that being the only woman onboard, she was the one being sent to get the food. She snorted. Would have guessed he's a chauvinist on top of everything else.

 

But she couldn't hide the ripple of hunger that passed through her. How many hours ago had she eaten? Quite a while. After a moment, she glared at Furion, then unstrapped herself and headed back into the cargo area. It was easy enough for her to find the rations. She took her temper out on the cabinet, however, slamming the cover shut with more than necessary force. It felt good.

 

After a moment, she controlled herself. There was no point throwing a tantrum; it was childish and beneath her. But she was pissed off at everything right about now, and Furion's casual dismissal of her rankled already raw nerves. Getting a grip, she headed back into the cockpit. It took more self control not the throw the ration pack in his face. Instead, she tossed them onto the control board, keeping one for herself. Settling back into her chair, she began to munch on the flight food, seething, but determined to listen to the men's conversation.

[Emily]

Emily was still seething, but Furion wasn't paying attention to her anymore, and her anger cooled a bit. I am not a Nohgri, she thought contemptuously. If only her mother could see how she was being treated. Emily almost smiled at the thought. Sirvani would have no scruples laying into this man for not showing the proper respect.

 

But the question that was asked and the answer that was given drew her attention towards the present and not the past and hypothetical possibilities. She turned Ason's answer over in her head and decided that was a terrible price to pay for power. It was a balance. He had freedom, he had ability to do what he chose, but at the cost of his humanity. Was it really worth the trade-off? Certainly, Emily desired power. But power without a sense of morality and humanity? She didn't think she was willing to go that far. Life still had much to offer her. She was a young woman and had not seen much of the galaxy. There were many pleasures she had not yet tasted or experienced, and those still had sway over her.

 

Nevertheless, Ason's philosophy was fascinating. Emily sincerely enjoyed learning about other's outlooks, especially on the nature of the Force. She hoped they would come to that eventually. She truly believed that only a careful examination of many people's individual beliefs and outlooks would reveal something of the true nature of the Force.

 

But for now, the thought of the price Ason had paid, the confusion he sensed, was foremost in her mind. "So which will you become?" The question slipped out, catching her by surprise. She had had no intention to speak. But she wasn't apologetic for it. Instead, she asked the second question that was on her mind. "And was it worth it?"

[Emily]

Emily followed Furion to a point. She had seen, even in her compartively limited experience among the Sith, those who strove for power as the end. But Emily had always struggled with that. In her mind, power had always been a means to an end. Yes, accumulation of power was important, but as a tool, a method of achieving whatever it was that in the end you desired. Precluding all other ambitions, dreams, passions, and desires was foolish, for if you lost all of those, what would there be left worth striving for? Power was a tool, not an end in of itself.

 

But she lost the train of understanding when he began to talk about the path being themselves. Don't all Sith have the freedom to choose their own path? Or is he talking about losing oneself to power so completely that they become controlled by the power? This too, Emily had seen, and almost tasted for herself. She felt the edge whenever she reached into the Force; the glorious vortex that was as deadly as it was entrancing. She had always known that if she slipped up for one instant, she could easily lose her mind to the sheer power of it. Perhaps that was the distinction Furion was making--the difference between those who slipped across that line and those who retained the control to use the Force for their own sane desires.

 

As Ason spoke again, she gave a slow nod. "But how do you know what to sacrifice? And how do you know when you have found the truth? What does that even mean in a galaxy so full of different viewpoints?" Emily was quite skeptical of anyone who claimed to have found absolute truth. There were many in the galaxy who would claim so, and yet often their truths disagreed with others'. It was from those observations that Emily's own viewpoints originated.

[Emily]

Ason launched into a much longer explanation than Emily had been expecting, and it gratified her. She listened as he explained his perspective. It was fascinating. For the most part, she found she agreed with him. All one could do was forge forward on the path they felt was right. She did find it a little strange coming from a Sith; other Sith she had met had been so set on forging their own path, making the galaxy bend around their will, that they hadn't stopped to think if it was the right path. Ason, it seemed, had. To her, that was what seemed like the most important thing. To have the ability to look down the road ahead, see what was best, and have the power to shape things so that the best did come.

 

It was the biggest way she differed from the Jedi philosophy. The Jedi accepted whatever the future held, believing that the all-knowing Force would work things out for the best. Emily didn't really believe that. She couldn't, having seen what she had seen and experienced the things that had happened to her.

 

She burned to question him more, but held her tongue. She had satisfied her curiosity enough for now, and though she wished to hear Furion's take on it, she somehow got the feeling the Sith Master would not be as accomodating.

[Emily]

The two Sith began to debate some of the finer points of view that they shared, and Emily listened, though with less interest. There was definite merit to discussing worldviews, but there was a point when the philosophy began to go around and around in circles of rhetoric. Emily got the feeling that this conversation had reached that point.

 

So she stared at the starlines of hyperspace, listening with half an ear to the men talk, until they came out of hyperspace and she beheld the beautiful twin worlds of Talus and Tralus, both members of the five shining gems that made up the Corellian systems' Five Brothers. She had never visited here before, and the sight of so many beautiful planets in one system was breathtaking. She looked forward to stepping foot down on whichever planet in the system was their destination, and being once more under an alien sky.

[Emily]

Pirates and slavers had been operating in increasing frequency over the past several standard months. It was partially in response to the formation of the new government, and partially in response to the seclusion of the Jedi, and certainly there were a whole other host of reasons.

 

Emily hadn't really been listening to the holonews recently. She had been too busy being wrapping in her own affairs to pay attention to what was going on in the wider galaxy. And really, no one could blame her if they knew what she had been through these past few months.

 

But as a result, she wasn't on alert for danger. And it was then that the pirates swooped in.

 

She had been feigning sleep, not wanting to be disturbed, when the ship suddenly gave a huge lurch. Immediately the cabin was filled with a few shouts of alarm, warning klaxons blaring, and the hubbub of talk from the passengers. Emily squinted out the viewport and saw several ships surrounding them. It looked like an old Corellian gunship, a Firespray-class ship, and several others. She swore under her breath. This is the last thing I need right now!

 

The pirates were efficient. In no time they were clamping boarding tubes to the transport ship and were cutting through the hull. Emily wasn't sure what she should do. She had a small hold-out blaster tucked in her boot, but that was it; all of her other gear, including her mother's lightsaber, were back on Coruscant. Glancing around at the other passengers, most of whom were now in a state of outright panic, she decided that she would stay out of the way and hope to be ignored. The pirates would raid the ship for valuables, and hopefully leave the passengers alive. Sure, they'd probably shoot one or two of the heroes just to make a point, but Emily thought that she would be able to make it out in one piece if she kept her head down.

 

There was a clunk of durasteel falling to the deck, and the pirates poured through the opening. "Round 'em up, boys!" a human with dark skin ordered, his long dreadlocks framing his scarred face.

 

Emily suddenly had a really terrible feeling. Her worst fears were confirmed when she saw the motley crew grabbing people left and right, binding them, and hauling them off to the side, stunning those who resisted. They're not pirates. They're slavers.

 

The time for keeping her head down was gone. She would not let herself be captured by these brutes! She snuck her hold-out from inside her boot and readied herself for when they approached her. She didn't know what she was going to do, but knew that she had to act. So when a Weequay approached her and made to grab her, she stood and shot him right in the face.

 

That got the slavers' attention. "Get 'er!" the human captain shouted. Three more slavers advanced on her, maneuvering her into a corner. Emily waited until they were close, then with a mighty Force-shove, hurled them back against the wall of the room. They slumped to the floor.

 

"Jedi!" the dark-skinned man cursed. He had a greedy gleam in his eyes. "She'll be worth more than the rest of them put together!"

 

There was no where to run. Emily managed to Force-push several more slavers away, but she knew she was in a bad situation. Even if she managed to take out all of these slavers, there were bound to be many more in the other ships. She ducked as one man made to grab her, then tripped over the body of one of the passengers who had been made an example of.

 

That moment of distraction was all the slavers needed. Stun bolts rang out, and her body lit up for once second with blue fire before she slumped to the ground. The slaver captain strode up to her. His nasty grin was the last thing she saw before he pumped several most stun bolts into her. The world went black, and Emily knew no more.

[Emily]

When Emily woke again, the first thing she noticed was the cold and the hum of engines. Her mind was fuzzy, and she struggled to remember what had happened. She blinked several times, noticing that it was quite dark, but that the room she was in was lit by several dim widely-interspersed lights.

 

There was movement next to her, and she glanced around. There were several other people in here, and from what she could tell in the dim light, they were all women. Memory struggled back into her mind, and she remembered the slavers attacking the ship.

 

She sat bolt upright, and immediately wished she hadn't. The world spun around her and she was almost sick. Clenching her head in her hands for a few minutes caused the world to at least slow down some, but she still felt ill--dizzy and foggy.

 

She reached out to the Force to clear her mind, then frowned. She couldn't access the Force. It was like something was blocking her. She wondered vaguely if the stories she had heard about those lizard things from Myrkyr were true. But how would they know they would pick up a Force-user?

 

Things didn't make sense, and Emily didn't have the strength to try and figure them out. She slipped back into sleep, dead to the world once more.

 

The next time she awoke, things were much clearer. She sat up slowly and glanced around the room again. As she did so, she realized that she had been right that all the captives were women. More than that, they were all quite scantily clad. She glanced down to see that she herself was in a silver-and-black bikini that had to be two sizes too small.

 

I've got a bad feeling about this.

 

A slot opened in the door about four meters away, and a pail of water was shoved through. The woman closest to the door--a blue-skinned Twi'lek--grabbed it, took a deep drink, and then passed it around. Emily drank deeply; she was parched.

 

"What's your name?" The cracked voice of the woman next to her issued out of the darkness.

 

"Emily," she responded.

 

"I'm Rina."

 

Emily nodded. The world was beginning to get fuzzy again, and she was having a hard time thinking. "Rina. We need to get out of here."

 

The older woman gave her a hopeless look. "I've been here longer than you. I've tried to escape. There's no way."

 

"If I can just...concentrate," Emily replied, struggling, "I can use...Force to get us out."

 

Rina's head was dipping as she tried to stay awake. "No...chance." Her head met her shoulder and she was asleep.

 

Something about the situation set off alarm bells in Emily's head. She had just woken up? Why was she...so...sleepy...

[Emily]

When Emily next awoke, her head was much clearer. She lay where she was, not moving, as she tried to think things through.

 

She was captured by slavers, and no one knew. That was the most striking blow. The fact that no one would be coming to rescue her. Furion had kidnapped her in the middle of the night from the Sith temple; no one there would know she had even left. Besides, few Sith would take the time to rescue an apprentice. It wasn't their way. If she was able to be captured, then she was weak, and not deserving of being a Sith.

 

No, she had to figure out a way to get out of this on her own. She took a deep breath and reached out to the Force. Once again, something was blocking her. But it was weaker this time. She could feel the Force deep in her mind, behind a cloudy barrier that was normally transparent. She pushed, and managed to get the tiniest trickle of power. That was enough for her to enhance her senses just the littlest bit.

 

When she did, her eyes fell on the bucket of water that had been provided for them to drink out of. She reached out for it, but then stopped herself. Realization hit her. The water is drugged! That's what is keeping me from accessing the Force and keeping me sedated!

 

She resolved not to drink another drop, nor touch a bite of food. It would make her weak, but as long as they didn't notice and inject her with the drugs, she should hopefully be able to touch the Force again soon.

 

Rina stirred next to her, so Emily turned. "Rina? You awake?"

 

"Mmhmm."

 

"Can you tell me anything about these slavers? Where are they taking us?"

 

The older woman hesitated. "I heard them mention the Hutts. I assume we're headed to Nal Hutta, Nar Shaddaa, or Tatooine."

 

Emily grimaced. That made sense. Not only were the Hutts the most notorious for supporting the slave trade, but they were always more interested in pretty, scantily clad women, which explained the outfits her and the others had been put into.

 

She did some calculations in her head. "Do you know how many days we've been flying?"

 

Rina shook her head.

 

"So we could be arriving at Nal Hutta as soon as tomorrow." Her heart sank a little. She didn't know if she would have time to purge the drugs from her system in that short of a time. She shook herself. If that was the case, she'd just have to wait to escape until after she had been sold.

[Emily]

((Legal double post))

 

Just then the door slid open, spilling light from the hallway into the room. Framed in the doorway stood several of the slavers that Emily recognized from the ship. Her heart sank, but she rose to her feet defiantly.

 

"Well, well, well..." one of them drawled, looking at her. "You clean up pretty well for a Jedi scum."

 

She gritted her teeth. "I am no Jedi," she said. "I am Sith, and you will regret capturing me."

 

The man laughed, but she could tell some of the others were rattled. The reputation of the Sith was much more intimidating than that of the Jedi--as it should be. She jumped on the chance and continued talking. "My master is the Dark Lord of the Sith. When he finds out that you have captured me, you will beg for death."

 

She wondered, for a brief fleeting minute, if the words were true. She wished they were. The thought that her master cared about her was, however, too much to hope for. He had proven that to her. She grimaced in anger.

 

The leader laughed again. "Well then, I suppose we're lucky he don't know. No one knows what happened to you. You disappear off 'da grid. No one cares. And we be getting good credits fer you. A Sith slave? Lots o' credits." There was a greedy gleam in his eyes.

 

Emily wished nothing more than to wring this scum's neck. The Force was slowly returning to her, but she didn't think she had enough control back yet to Force-choke him. Not when there were all those other men with blasters right behind him.

 

The leader motioned to some of his goons. "Take her." Pretending she was weaker than she was, Emily offered little resistance as they dragged her through the ship, finally depositing her in a room that looked a med bay turned torture chamber. Her heart sank even lower, and her anger grew.

 

"Now missie...let's have some...fun. We've got plenty o' bacta patches to get you back lookin' yer best when the Hutts see ya, so in the meantime we can do whatever we likes with ya."

 

She was quickly restrained, and they injected her with more drugs. As her tentative grasp on the Force slipped away again under that influence, the torture began...

 

*** (edit 10/2) ***

 

((another legal double post...))

 

There came a point when Emily almost didn't feel the pain anymore. They had tortured her so thoroughly, and for no reason but their own twisted amusement, that she had almost become desensitized. The pain had become a part of her...and it had taken her to a far darker place than she had ever been.

 

Nevertheless, it was a relief when they finally approached their destination. Emily knew that she'd stand the best chance at escaping once on planet. She may have lost hope, but she would never lose determination.

 

There was just enough time for her to heal up with the assistance of bacta patches, and to be crammed into a newer, cleaner, metal bikini, before they landed on the planet of Nal Hutta.

[Emily]

The man gave her quick instructions and then left her to her own devices. Emily took him up on his offer of new clothes and went through the door he had indicated. There were a few boxes of clothes--mostly men's clothes, naturally--but she managed to find a pair of blue pants and a white t-shirt that fit her reasonably well. The pants were a little big and the shirt a little tight, but they were better than the alternative.

 

She took the clothes into the room marked "Five" and found a bunk and a refresher. Her first order of business was a sanisteam. Sand had managed to get everywhere and had been chafing and rubbing against her skin for hours. It was a relief to be free from that irritation.

 

She dressed in the new clothes, then brushed her black hair dry. She usually pulled it back, but this time let it hang loose to cascade down her shoulders. She eschewed the soft-soled boots she had been wearing, preferring to go barefoot onboard for now, wearing only the thick socks she had found in the storage room.

 

She slept then for a little while, and when she woke up half a standard hour later, she felt like she was back to normal. The drugs had passed through her system, and she could think clearly again. It was a bittersweet realization, for with clarity came thoughts and memories that had been easy to push away when her mind was befuddled.

 

She rose and headed up to the cockpit. The--pirate? smuggler? bounty hunter?--was there, and she silently slid into one of the chairs and stared at the mesmerizing whirl of hyperspace outside the cockpit window.

 

After a moment, she broke the silence. "What is your name?" she asked softly. She didn't know if he would answer, but it bothered her not even knowing the name of this Mandalorian. Another thought struck her. "And whose clothes were these?"

[Emily]

She nodded. "Archer," she repeated, essentially to herself. She accepted the tray of food gratefully. She hadn't realized how hungry she was. In truth, she couldn't remember her last meal.

 

Silence reigned in the cockpit while she ate. Emily didn't mind. She still had much to process and think through. It had been two months ago that she had been kidnapped by Furion. She still didn't know what his purpose had been. Perhaps he had been in league with Ar-Pharazon and had kidnapped her to take her away from Quietus. It doesn't matter now, she thought. She had quickly tired of the Sith Master's hints and insinuations, and when her tolerance finally snapped, she had left.

 

Emily had had some time to think over the past few months. Now that she sat down and actually processed those thoughts, she realized that she had come to some conclusions. There was no sense at remaining angry at Quietus. He had gone back on his promise, yes, but she couldn't blame him for being who he was. He had seen the potential for power and everything else had dimmed in comparison. Didn't that make him the perfect Sith? She couldn't blame him for being exceptional. Indeed, she had been a fool to trust him. She should have kept him at arms' length--learned from him, soaked up his knowledge, obeyed him, but not let herself trust his promises.

 

No, she only had herself to blame when it came to Quietus. And now she had lost her chance because of it. She knew that if he hadn't come looking for her, he wasn't going to. She'd have to find another path, like she often did.

 

She also wrestled with another thought that had been haunting her for the past several weeks. If everyone I allow myself to get close to is taken from me--Dad, Mom, Uncle Andon, Nishant, Quietus--then I should simply shut down and not allow myself to get close to anyone. That's what makes the most sense. But being a Sith is all about desires, and attaining them. If I desire a friend or companion, then I should, as a Sith, have no qualms about taking what I desire. She didn't know what to think. She took another bite of food and chewed slowly. She couldn't see a solution, not now anyway.

 

Her thoughts were interrupted by Archer, who inquired after her status as a slave. She put her fork down and made a wry face. "I was onboard a passenger ship bound for Chandrila. The slavers attacked the ship, and I was stupid enough to not hide when I had the chance." She shrugged. "They captured me and were intending to sell me on Tatooine when a fight broke out in the arena. I escaped in the chaos."

 

She finished her meal and set the tray and canteen to the side. Drawing her legs up to her chest, she crossed her arms around her knees and met the visor of his helmet with her mismatched eyes. "Why did you agree to take me if you knew I was an escaped slave?"