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A sliver of ice tickled the base of her neck. Her feet brushed steel through thick boots, pounding hard with desperate speed. Panic, fear, and terror spread from her shoulder; it was a familiar touch, gripping hard. But she saw no assailant, nor any looming darkness. Yet the dread she felt was exigent. Hello darkness, my old friend… A young Falleen collapsed at their feet. But Keenava could not see her. She felt the floor drift, and her gaze shifted. The gashes began to blister on her back, and fresh whip lacerations stung as air rushed by. Her heart pounded the melody of suffering. Hot salt bit at the skin of her face, and her mind warred… Keenava stood, her body limp and forgotten—a prisoner of the cologne of misery that the victim effused. The twi’lek’s eyelids drooped, and her gaze focused on nothing. Her body felt numb from the waist down. But, in a way, so did her mind. She tore at her own lekku, trying to feel something—anything—but nothing happened. She was nothing…just meat… Only meat… "Focus on the light. Find it within yourself and drive the darkness back from her mind." Leena’s voice washed across her; cold water brushed over her sordid trance, shaking her from her reverie. She slowly flexed her hands and felt as her mind rose from the murk bit by bit. "This girl needs you." Keenava felt Leena’s gaze on hers, and a rush of ice cracked against her mind. Awareness was restored like a flash of lightning, which almost brought Keenava to her knees. Warm streaks tickled her cheeks, and now she could see the injured girl at their feet. "Right… yeah, we need to move her." The Twi’lek looked around quickly, spotting a pile of crates that seemed just large enough to obscure them from view. "Alright, help me get her over there." She made a sign with her lekku. On the way, Keenava tried to do as Leena asked, but… how? She'd just given up on twisting the force to her advantage. How did she…find the light? Did she just ask nicely? Would the force respond to that? Fake it til you make it, I guess? __ She imagined herself going outside and seeing stars, a moon, a sun, or any other brilliant astral body; she pictured herself lighting torches, candles, light emitters, flashlights, etc. But she couldn’t ‘find the light’ as Leena said. What a beautiful little one! Confused, Keenava probed her mind, but nothing was there. She looks lost and afraid. You remember that, don’t you? A song of regret and pain gripped her for a second, to be replaced by a ballad that stung with a visceral sadness. A voice called from somewhere. It was soft, gentle, and familiar. M-m-mom? Kiki. It’s nice to hear my strong girl’s voice. But I’m not strong. I ran away for so long. I killed so many people. I caused so much anguish.I’m not worth forgiveness. Why am I here? Why did I come back? Why didn’t I just stay floating in that void? Free from the confidence she’d built to protect herself, Keenava’s heart was bare, and streaks of tears flowed freely now. Whether her tears were real or imagined, she didn’t know, nor did she care. You’re right. You did run. You ran from a world that threatened to consume you. All the cards were stacked against you. And yet, you never gave up. You kept fighting. Do you remember this? __________ A cloudy scene enveloped Keenava. She was pre-pubescent again, and the darkness of her cell was a dim black, lit only by a sparse arrangement of blinking light emitters. It had been a few years since she volunteered to take her mother and sister’s place. She sat staring at the space between the bars, hoping for things to melt away and go back to how they were. Scratches throbbed up and down her lekku. They made her a little lightheaded, but she barely noticed. "You gave us a lot of trouble, you druk. And, as punishment, you get to watch us do this!" The cruel face she had known for so long swept across her vision. And, in his hands… "NO! MOM?!" "Oh, so this lady right here means something to you. It’d be a shame if something happened to her." "YOU GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF HER RIGHT NOW!" Flames erupted from Keenava’s arms and lit her mother’s captor ablaze. Her mother’s eyes widened with concern, but her mouth was gagged. __________ Why are you showing me this? I lost control. Yes. But why did you lose control? To protect you from them, but it didn’t mean anything. I know what comes next. I couldn’t save you. And you can’t save everyone. But maybe that’s okay. How could you say that? You’re gone, and I didn’t even get to say goodbye! Her mother appeared to her in a spectral form of lavender light that bent down and put a hand on her shoulder. People die. I never got the chance to talk to you about it, but it happens. If I hadn’t died there, I would’ve died somewhere. The important thing is that my strong girl held on. She kept on living. And if she hadn’t, none of us would be around anymore. Your sister would’ve been alone, and you would likely have passed away sometime later than me when they deemed you too much trouble. You may be lost now. You may have a hard time forgiving yourself, but I’ve never blamed you. Never once did I look at you and see anything but my strong little Kiki. You even have my eyes now, which makes my heart soar every time I look at you. Keenava sniffled. The beauty of her mother's aura transfixed her. I don’t deserve you. Of course you do. They do too. Keenava’s mother stretched her arm out, revealing Kana, Kara, Kava, Malive, and all of her daughter’s alters. Many people made a strong impression on you, giving you a voice to speak for yourself. But, in all of that, you lost your voice. Now they’re all here to remind you that there’s only one Keenava. There has always been one, and she’s right here. The figment of her mother touched a hand to Keenava’s chest. All the alters joined hands. And the closer Keenava looked, they all looked a lot more like her than they used to. They all cried together. The murdering, the sadistic, and the chaotic were all weeping in tandem. And then all of them faded into Keenava’s mother’s hand. They are only fragments of you. And now that you can think again, the whole galaxy—no, the universe—gets to hear your voice: my fierce, protective Kiki. Now you get to be the beautiful soul you were always meant to be. And maybe, just maybe, you can help others do the same. Thank you for everything, Mom. The Twi’lek looked up to see her mother once more, but she wasn’t there. All that remained was a vivid light glowing in the palm of her hand. __ Keenava smiled. It was a small gesture, but it echoed in her physical form as she bent over the Falleen that lay mired in darkness. She stretched her hand out and connected to the light she still felt in the palm of her hand, letting the force flow through her. She gently ran her fingers along the young woman’s brow as a mother would her child, tucking stray strands of hair behind her ear and wiping the blood from her cheek. Under her breath, Keenava hummed a lullaby that her mother used to sing. Soft tears continued to flow across her cheeks as she tried to share her light with the young woman.

Bernon Mrrgwharr rose from his seat as the ship landed, standing like a soldier ready for the march. He picked up his light repeating blaster rifle, and turned on his heel. He began to march out alongside the Sith Masters and others. Earlier he had directed a question towards Darth Akheron, but when he did not respond he took it as a sign, that he already had a plan. During the time of the trip he had been exercising to keep up his physical strength, making sure to wear his heavy armor at all times, as it made him stronger and tougher that way. Once he had completed his exercises he had rested for a while, before the ship had landed and he made his way out of the ship. He had noticed the pilot had come as well, so he had deduced that he would become the next victim of Krath Inmortos' possession. Why else would a pilot accompany them while they traveled to the throne of Krath Inmortos? Bernon Mrrgwharr by now had come to the realization that he would not learn the secrets of immortality, he was a Warrior, not a Sorcerer, and he had accepted that. He would be powerful either way. One thing he had noticed as he walked the surface of the world was that it was also a place strong in the Dark Side, or maybe it was just resonating off of the other Sith here, either way, the power was impressive, and he realized that he truly had chosen the right side. His yellow eyes scanned around him, looking for any sort of threat, just in case. When he found no threat he decided he may as well ask an important question to his second Sith Master. He turned to look at Darth Akheron and asked "Darth Akheron, does this mighty order have a Code of some sort, one that I should memorize?" As he waited for a response he thought a bit more. He had wondered for a bit what the new army the Sith would come to use would be, and realized it would probably be made up of several allied forces, such as allied planets security forces, battle droids, and even mercenaries. In the end, they would have an army that would utterly annihilate the disgusting monstrosity that was the Galactic Alliance. No being of the Light Side could truly take out such power in the Darkness, or so he believed, anyways. He also had noticed some Mandalorians nearby at the scene on Ziost. If they were to be allies of the Sith, that would certainly be a boon to their war effort, given that they are highly competent warriors and mercenaries. He thought a bit about his past and his parents as well. His parents had sent him away to a Mercenary Academy when he was young. He knew it was meant to discipline him, and looking back on it, he is very grateful for the experience, as it gave him valuable combat training and a good amount of discipline. Back then he was a delinquent, now he was a well trained man who knew when to suck up to people and follow orders. If he had decided to behave as he did when he was very young towards these Sith, well, let's just say he wouldn't be here today to tell the tale. Maybe that Mercenary Academy was more than just useful, maybe it was a blessing for him, after all, it did make him a much more competent person capable of being highly successful. @Karys Narat iv-Adas

Darth Mavanger considered her words for a while before responding. The truth in her words was evident in her passion and the Dark Side's reaction to it. But what wasn't was whether she included the current Sith in her hatred of the Galaxy. She spoke as though she intended to lead them on the path of destruction, but had left it ambiguous as to whether or not that would include their own. He sighed, looking at her. "I must tell you Calypso. I have lost everything for the Sith. Brothers, friends... lovers. I've protected our empire at Kuat and Corellia countless times, and I've burned theirs to the ground at places like Naboo and Nar Shaddaa. I've defied one Dark Lord, and followed another into madness. I have slain a Queen and claimed a world, and I have slain an Empress and toppled and empire, all in the name of the Sith Empire. Even though my life is not dictated by the whims of the Empire, I will not stand idly by and watch as you burn the results of my suffering and sacrifice down alongside the Alliance to satisfy your lust for destruction. I've made that mistake once before. I have no plans on getting between you and your enemy, as long as that doesn't include the Sith." He let his words sink in for a moment before continuing. "But these are not words of war, nor a declaration of my opposition. Make no mistake, when the time comes I will challenge you for the throne, as is the way of the Sith. But that day is not today, and until it is, our interests align. If you learn of someone who needs to be slain, simply inform me and I will do so."

Vangar relinquished his grasp on the cylinder, and with it his grasp on the helm of power to steer the Alliance. Standing, he stepped around the desk. “It is my belief that Empress Raven is still out there, somewhere; but until such a time as she is found, you have my loyalty.” Vangar offered a crisp brow-level Imperial salute before clapping a fist across his chest in a much more militaristic one. “The threat of the Sith is still out there. A warship was seen assaulting the Helvault before all contact was lost. With your permission, I shall resign myself to The Bespin Storm. From there, we will scour the Outer Rim and hunt what remains of the Sith scourge.” ”May you live long and prosper Emperor Pilon.”