Korriban

[Telperiën Ar-Pharazon]

Sleep did not come easily to the mind of the daughter of the golden lord. Exorcised as she was, a thread of him still lurked in the deepest reaches of her mind, speaking softly, always whispering, engaging her in a ever flowing conversation through her dreams. Though the touch of the dark side had left her body, she was left with a void that her spirit longed to feel. She could feel and hear the whispers of the court through her slumber until a voice hissed in her ear.

 

Wake up

 

Eyes a deep royal purple opened against the harsh torchlight and she covered her eyes with a thin arm before yawning awake. She blinked sleepily a few times and started with a gasp. Her mother was lying beside her but her father was nowhere to be seen. Where was he, she gulped down a rush of air and popped her head up enough that she could glimpse the whole room and spotted the familiar blackened armour across the way at a comm terminal. Busy away as ever. She elected to not bother him, though the stun burns along her face and chest told her that he had tried to intervene in the possession at least a little. She giggled at the thought of him shooting at her and then nudged her mother.

 

Wake up

 

She pushed softly at her mother’s arm and upon receiving no response she reached down to hold her hand. Gently squeezing it she tried again.

 

Wake up

[Raia Montar]

 

Raia drew back, her hand closing protectively around the now-darkened crystal as the ghostly figure extended his hand to her. “I-I’m not a Witch...not any more,” she found herself insisting. “I’m just the daughter of Master Quietus, no one special. You must have me confused with someone else. I’m nobody important.”

 

From behind the relative safety of Vex’ader, she regarded the ghost suspiciously and reached out for Raynuk, unsure of what the she or the tuk’atas could do to defend her against this ghost should he choose to attack. The ordeal with Telperien had left her feeling physically and emotionally drained to say the least. Maybe that is what brought this ghost out of hiding now.

 

The only reason he could feel any power within the crystal she carried was because it now trapped the curse, the malevolent spirit of Telperien’s father, or both. Even after death did the old spirits still seek power in whatever form they could get it?

“What do you w-want from me?” she demanded again, mustering a bit more force behind the question, despite the stutter.

 

The shadow passed a hand through the pale starlight once more, letting the silvered light play through the transparency of his undead form. His cloaked head slowly shook in response to her words, a pause growing between the two as he turned his attention once again to the stars as they painted the canvas of the heavens

 

“Never cast y-yourself as unimportant. The Force works in you w-with the strength of m-masters long dead.”

 

The stars stretched in their heavens, appearing to start to fall to the horizon, leaving streaks in the night’s sky. As the starfall continued, the vast emptiness of space became more apparent, a creeping and eternal blackness, mirrored in its emptiness in the Force. Lifelessness, an everlasting nothingness.

 

“You are a beacon in this n-night. Hide not, and accept your place in the Force, as one blessed with its power.”

 

A kindness seeped into the voice, its hand dropping out of the starlight, back into the shadows

 

“I am no succubus, no spirit that wishes to inhabit flesh. I wasted my life, I would not see you do the same.”

“I never asked it to,” she remarked flatly, relaxing a bit and frowning. “Are you trying to tell me that the Force is like Andracca and I have to find a way to tame it?” Her tone was thoughtful now.

 

Taming a beast as wild as the Force was no mean task, but she knew the Ghost was right. She could continue to let her fear of the power rule her, leaving her to its whims, or she could find it within herself to build trust with this raging beast until it responded to her wishes instead.

 

It wasn’t a path she felt she could walk alone, and it was comforting to know that she really didn’t have to be alone. Raynuk had offered to train her. Master Sheog had offered to train her. Even Qaela had offered her knowledge freely as well. “I don’t know what to do,” she admitted. “I don’t know that I’ll ever be the kind of Sith the others are.”

 

The visions that Ar-Pharazon’s madness had impressed on her mind replayed with every bit of vibrant detail in a matter of seconds. The fact that the man she’d come to respect and even love as a father had had his hand in some of those visions made her mind whirl and her stomach feel uneasy. “What is it about destroying things that draws them? What do they have to gain in the pain of worlds?”

 

The spirit’s shadows began to consume the failing starlight as it listened to the girl’s doubts and wonders. As the shadows crept over the valley, the darkness deepening, the figure itself seemed to shrink in size, its cloaks twisting as if spurred by the wind off the valley.

 

“The Force is untamable, Andracca brought himself low to join with Scatha for a greater purpose. If you try to wrestle the Force into submission, it will only leave you weak.”

 

The cloaked shadow passed a hand across the valley and torchlight began to spread from tomb to tomb.

 

“The Sith are not some monolith to be considered as a group in unity of vision and type. You do not have to value destruction in order to be the greatest amongst them… The pain of worlds produce their goals.”

 

The darkened sky alight with the outline of a world, spanning with cities and light. Like a holoscreen, the entire horizon began to be filled with the planetscape, until there was only a view of a landing pad, covered in equipment and the milling of assault squads. At their center was a luxury craft, beside which a cadre of Jedi Master and Officers made their plans. In an instant they were swallowed in the jaws of flames and death, as was the entire cityscape, ripped into ruins by an explosion

 

“Pain and death is a tool wielded by the Force as much as a hydrospanner is. You do not need to kill everything in your path to be a Sith… Their deaths solidified Sith power in the galaxy to a much greater effect than the slaughter of a hundred worlds. What are the tools you would craft from the Force?”

 

She paused and considered his words for several long minutes. The one thing she wanted most of all was a place of belonging, a home. The wound of the loss of her childhood home was still fresh, but Raynuk’s adoption and Sheog’s confirmation that the Sith Master did indeed love her had acted as a salve on that very wound. Choosing Raynuk meant that she would have to build her home among the Sith, with acceptance of whatever risks and dangers that included.

 

From the vision that her Ghostly Guide had shared, the Jedi weren’t without their own risks and problems. Perhaps it was the arrogance she’d seen from half of the Jedi she’d met, but she was beginning to wonder if they brought it on themselves with their tangential meddling in the affairs of others, never sticking around to see the solution through once the immediate problem was fixed.

 

At least the Sith appeared to stick through things long enough to see the ends of their actions as conquerors. Specific tools didn’t come to mind in response to his last question, so she simply answered, “A place for myself. A place within the Force where I don’t fear its partnership.”

 

The shadowed figure nodded slowly, his cowl dipping as the shadows concealed him further. He held out his hand and the shadows and visions disappeared, the night restoring itself in its sounds and beauty. The Valley of the Dark Lords was again its normal hive of tombs and catacombs, marked by torches and disuse. His voice carried a kindness in it.

 

“You will always have a family in The Force. The best way to deal with your fear is to face it head on. Unleash what fears you most, we are safe here.”

 

“That’s just it,” she answered quietly. “I think I have...mostly anyway.” Just idea of being on Korriban and in the seat of the great Sith power again terrified her. Being in the presence of this newest Dark Lord scared her more than she’d been willing to admit to Raynuk. However, she’d stuck with it because she trusted his promise to protect her, even while questioning his own motives behind claiming her as his daughter in the first place.

 

She moved around Vex’aedr and came to join the figure next to the pillar, still silent as her mind presented her with the evidence. She’d spoken up to a Great Krath Master when she would have stayed silent a month before. Even with what happened when she’d tried to draw the curse from Telperien, she knew it was different from how she’d been swept up before.

 

“I don’t really know all this galaxy has to offer, or what the Force has in store for me, but I’m willing to be open and learn what I can from my father and the others that have offered me their knowledge. From there, I might build a better idea of the possibilities that I want to create for myself.” She tilted her head sideways to glance at him. “I don’t think that’s what you were expecting, but it’s all I have.”

 

The spirit bowed his head as she approached. As she moved into his shadows, she would begin to feel a swirling storm of emotions, that rivaled the typhoons of Kamino. The storm moved about her, catching her for a moment in its winds. She would feel the heat of battle, smell the tang of ozone from the cut of lightsabers through the desert air, the deaths from an ancient war. The shadows receded, and as did the storm, until all that was left was a voice.

 

“Go to your masters, Raia of Montar, a world of possibilities await.“

[Raynuk Montar]

Raynuk felt the rising surges of power from the other members of the Trinity, his face growing to stone as the bulwark of their efforts to repell the taint of Ar-Pharazon. He made no reply or acknowledgement of the spirits parting words, for to Raynuk in that moment they were but chaff against the wind. When Ar-Pharazon finally retreated back to the hell he had crawled from, only then did Raynuk show signs of relaxing. He allowed himself an elongated blink, as he sighed softly, more an expulsion of air than anything else.

 

He vaguely heard Raia’s words, his eyes still watching Telperien for any lingering signs of her father’s taint. He could tell both girls were deeply rattled by the experience, but he would not always be there to pull Raia out of a mess. He decided to let the girl go, and sort herself out without his presence, faintly remembering a lesson Barohm Zar had once forcefully taught Raynuk in his days as the Sith’s apprentice…

 

Isolation breeds knowledge; of one’s self worth, and one’s fears. In isolation, only the Force and our inner turmoil reaches our ears…

 

Raia had stumbled upon power that was beyond her, and how she came away from that experience on her own, without his input of guidance, would speak volumes about the girl herself. Finally breaking from his meditative reflection, his eyes refocused on the the spawn of Ar-Pharazon before him, just as Qaela and Delta moved in. He silently studied her as her ‘parents’ fussed over her, and in the end merely gave the girl a nod, his face neutral, before he turned and walked the few steps back to the table, and poured himself a drink in silence.

 

Few people in the galaxy, let alone within these halls, had spent enough time around the golden lord to rival Raynuk’s own experiences with him. The presence was familiar to him, like that one friend you’ve had forever, despite the fact that you hate them. And now that he knew Ar-Pharazon could manifest himself through this daughter, Raynuk was more wary of that presence; the presence that he still could feel a whisper of within Telperien. It was likely she would never be rid of that tendril that connected her to her bastard of a father, but for now, it was contained.

 

Delta’s voice broke the silence of the room, and as Exodus responded, Raynuk’s gaze shifted to each participant of the conversation in turn. First to Delta, then to Exodus, then back to Delta, and then to Sheog as the Dark Lord spoke of the feud between him and Draken. And when Exodus turned his attention back to the Warrior King, Raynuk met his gaze steadily, and nodded his understanding.

 

With all the commotion and discussion, Raynuk was slow to realize he could feel the presences of Draken and Alora again, although distant. In truth, it had been the sudden scampering of Sheog’s servants to set two more places at the table that triggered the realization. Still, Raynuk remained on the quieter side as Delta moved to fulfil the Dark Lord’s request, and the Hutt discussed politics with the Dark Lord, a subject that had never been much of an interest to Raynuk. He was the brute Force representation of the Sith, and he knew what he was good at. Still, listening to the exchange proved almost comical to Raynuk as Sheog fumbled around with the technology that was clearly made for smaller beings.

 

His slightly jovial observation of the others was pushed aside as he felt Raia reach out towards him through the Force. He took the time to pause and extend his own connection to the Force back towards her, and found more than he expected. The tuk’atas were both still with Raia, as he had commanded them, but he felt an edge of uneasiness and heightened alert from them. He felt the same from Raia, along with a dash of worry, but he knew it was possible that was simply her still reacting to Ar-Pharazon’s presence. What tipped Raynuk over the edge of concern was the additional presence he suddenly felt.

 

It was not a presence he had ever recalled feeling before; it was foreign to him, as well as oddly transparent, as though it was not entirely there. Quietly and slowly, Raynuk rose from the table again, bringing his cup with him as he took another, and final, long sip.

 

“If you’ll excuse me brothers… I think it is past time that I examine the Temple of the Warriors for myself… See what we have to work with.” He spoke, only slightly interrupting Sheog amidst some tirade about Mon Calamari and a ban on hunting them for sport. He turned to look at them, and gave Sheog and Exodus low nods of respect as he moved from the table.

 

“I am at your disposal as needed Dark Lord.”

 

He exited the great hall, and true to his word, Raynuk did head towards the section of the Temple that housed the halls of the Warrior. It was merely coincidence that Raia’s presence was likewise in that direction. He kept track of her presence as he moved, ready to react should another crisis arise, but until then, he would do his due diligence and examine what Sheog had built to offer the Warrior caste.

 

The halls were mostly barren, selecting function over form, and as he walked the echoing hallways Raynuk passed dueling arenas, open lecture rooms, and dormitories. For the most part the halls were empty given the time of day, but Raynuk spotted several acolytes and newly minted Sith soldiers practicing and refining their combat prowess along the way. There were even a few who spotted and recognized the Warrior King, stopping their exercises to greet Raynuk with respect until he commanded them to continue their work.

 

All in all, by the time Raynuk reached the top of the temple, he was impressed and mostly satisfied with the state of the Warrior Temple, a fact that he knew he was going to have to express to the bloated Hutt himself later. But with his tour of the temple completed, and lacking any sudden rise in alarm from his apprentice that would have forced his hand sooner, Raynuk decided to check in on Raia. The path towards her was straightforward, and a few minutes later he found her atop one of the spires that overlooked the valley.

 

He exited onto the balcony, stopping just outside the doorway. While he still felt apprehension and a bit of confusion from her, there was no longer alarm, a fact that seemed to have spread to the tuk’atas as well. Both Roe’gall and Vex’aedr were now sitting just behind Raia, as if waiting for a command from the girl as she looked out over the darkening valley below.

 

Along the way of his ‘tour’, Raynuk had finally gotten close enough to confirm what he suspected; a spirit of a Sith long past had manifested itself atop the temple, and had been speaking to Raia. It explained why the presence felt transparent, but by the time Raynuk arrived, the spirit had departed apparently, for now it was only Raia and the tuk’atas that remained. Vex and Roe both looked back over their shoulders as Raynuk approached, who gave them a silent command to stay, as he looked back to Raia.

“Find the air you were seeking?”

[darth shadowlord]

Draken returned to the cockpit and took control of the ship back from the droid. He had Raia’s location and would land nearby and go from there. It took him mere moments to broadcast the ship’s ID, then find a landing site suitable for his ship. He guided the ship down through the atmosphere and then landed lightly on the planet, almost immediately Krakis headed for the ship’s hatch.

 

“No Krakis, you and Shadow will stay here for the time being.” He leaned a bit closer to the panther then spoke in a whisper. “Keep her off the bed.”

 

The panther growled then headed to the bedroom as he chuckled and called his staff to his hand. Draken glanced over at Alora with an arched eyebrow as the hatch opened to the parched land of Korriban.

 

“Shall we?”

 

They strode from the ship, Draken let his senses extend a bit farther and found the crystal that he had given Raia. He frowned when he noticed how corrupted that it was, it would take a bit of work to purge it permanently but he could purge it for a moment. He sent a small blast of purging power through the crystal that would last for a moment.

 

A few minutes later he crested the hill and saw Raia and Raynuk talking at the top of a nearby tower with the tuk’atas sitting behind him, he nodded his head and headed towards the tower. It took him a few minutes to climb up to the tower and stood for a moment looking out over the valley.

 

“Quietus. Hello Raia.”

[Keenava Dira]

• Pant.

 

One leg, then the other.

 

• • Strike!

 

Stifle the sounds of your feet, of your heart.

 

Heavy breathing; slow.

 

Monitor weight… Silence.

Seconds wore into minutes and dragged for what felt like hours. Keenava didn’t stop pushing; she waged a silent war against the weakness that lingered in her heart. Clotho’s cold steel met the warm pads of her grip and snapped out into a barbed whip. She cracked it against a rock, scraping against the hard granite surface. Each barb that didn’t find its mark bit back at Keenava and raked against her arm.

 

Wincing, Keenava struck again and again.

 

Your form is off.

 

Too soon.

 

Too much power.

 

Again…

 

Blood flowed down the delicate skin of her fingers when he called, filling her ear nub with direction; a new challenge. Before, like a herd creature, she followed the will of whatever alien held her leash. Before, she would compromise strength to cower beneath the one that held her under falsehoods. Before, she lashed out with anger and violent emotion. Before, like a child, she accepted ignorance to remain blissful and depend on everyone else to give her everything.

 

This was her choice. Choices had power. She chose Exodus as much as Exodus chose her. She chose to stay a Sith. She chose to train and push. She chose to survive. And it was those choices that led her here.

 

A soft hand rubbed at the crux of her thigh, a leering eye fell on her skin and a cruel liar held her with the soft spinning of his venomous words. No more.

 

Gritty air bit at her mouth. Red sand rubbed at her new calluses.

 

Weapon of the Sith…

 

Shadow hand of the All Father

 

The bane to all those that would betray the Sith.

 

Nightshade

 

Thy will be done. All Father, Lord Exodus

[Raia Montar]

“Tētis,” she breathed before throwing her arms around him for a few moments before pulling back to answer his question. “I'm okay now. Is Delta's daughter okay? She's not worse, is she? I didn't mean for that to happen.”

 

The fear he may have suspected to have followed in the wake of what had transpired was absent. Raia's tone carried only genuine concern and only a hint of her remorse that she might have brought greater harm to the frail girl.

[Raynuk Montar]

“Telperien is fine Raia. Delta and Qaela are taking care of her. Likely she is simply tired and worn out, as you were following your own… Force manifestations.” He replied calmly before reaching over to scratch Roe’gall and Vex’aedr behind the ears.

“Korriban… never a dull moment it seems.” He mused, attempting to fill the silence that had befallen. He knew of the spirit, but wanted to wait and see if the girl would offer the information of her own accord. Truthfully, he had no idea what conversation had occurred, but through it or simply through coming up here, Raia had clearly calmed herself and erased most of the doubt and fear she had displayed in the moments following previous ‘mishaps’.

[Raia Montar]

Turning back to the desert sands Raia leaned on the railing and thought over all the new experiences this planet had brought her. “Be careful what you wish for…”

 

Her words were so soft that the winds carried them aloft and away almost as soon as they escaped her lips. She'd made the choice to seek adventure in what had been the dense, green jungles of her Dathomiri home - a life of freedom from Mitral and her rules. Never in her wildest dreams did she ever think her small insignificant world would give way to a larger galaxy, that stars were someplace you could go.

 

“I've seen and experienced so much, Tētis. I was not prepared for what happened. I don't want to fail like that again. I don't want to embarrass you again.”

[Raynuk Montar]

Raynuk slowly walked forward, stopping next to Raia as the girl leaned against the railing. He scanned the horizon, taking note of the words that Raia had chosen. He allowed the silence to fall over the pair of them as they both gazed out over the planet before them. In his mind, she had not failed; he knew her goal was to heal Telperien, and as far as he could tell, she had done just that by drawing out the curse that had tainted the girl’s very soul. And she had not embarrassed him either; she had remained strong in the presence of so many Sith, and when the situation had become too much for her to handle, she had excused herself and kept her composure until she was gone.

 

But the choice of words had been hers, and he took note of that as he considered a next step. Almost immediately however, the idea, the path forward came to him.

 

“Then it is time to begin your training in earnest.” He spoke evenly, breaking the silence before he pushed off the railing and turned to re-enter the temple. With the snap of his fingers, Roe’gall and Vex’aedr stood once more and began moving towards him, and he greeted them each again with scratches and pats of attention.

 

“Tell me, do you know anything about Sorzus Syn and Darth Zannah? Have their names come up in any of the texts you have read?” He asked as Raia herself moved from the railing towards him.

[Raia Montar]

Raia shook her head as she walked to his side. “If I did, it was one of the ancient texts in Furion's collections before I could read your languages. I'm guessing they were Sith? At least the one that has ‘Darth’ in her name.”

 

Raynuk nodded, “Indeed they were. I am not surprised that you have not heard of them however; they were Sith from eras long past, though I think their memories and teachings may prove useful for you.”

 

He turned to regard her as he spoke, entering back into the temple interior. “They were both Sith Sorceresses of note… I imagine their names will arise when you do end up training with one of the Krath Masters. But for now, I would have you learn of them on your own. That, is why we are heading towards the library.”

 

As they entered one of the smooth-walled corridors, she reached out and gripped his gauntlet. Her lips parted and closed again a few times before she finally took a deep breath and managed, “Telperien is also the daughter of a previous Dark Lord. One that caused a lot of destruction…” She paused, looking up at him, a small knot of confusion forming on her brow. “You were a part of his Trinity? You killed all those people? Why? What was gained? Help me understand,Tētis."

[Raynuk Montar]

A few heartbeats passed in silence, his gaze pointed forwards and slightly up to the ceiling as the questions of the apprentice -- of the daughter -- hung in the air. When he finally did turn to answer, he wore no smile that would reassure her, but rather an almost blank slate. If the girl looked hard enough though, she would see the struggle that lay behind his eyes.

 

“Foolish of me not to think you would have picked up on the claims of the spirit… But, the truth, as always, is a bit more complicated than it ever seems.” He began, looking as though he was attempting to come up with the words to explain.

 

But by the wisdom of the Force, Draken came around the corner in that moment, greeting them both. Raynuk turned fully to Draken, momentarily remembering the last time they had met on Korriban and the amusement that brought him now.

 

“Draken. I did not expect to see you so soon. I figured the Dark Lord would have been your first stop upon returning here.” Raynuk greeted the other, changing the subject from Raia’s inquiries as naturally as possible.

[Raia Montar]

For her part, the girl offered a nod to Draken and Alora, but her gaze only briefly shifted to the other Sith before looking back to Raynuk. She knew she'd have to wait a bit longer for her answers, it didn't mean she had to like it or be rude to the other two Sith. “It's good to see you again. Have you found Emily?” She asked hopefully.

[Exodus]

Lord Exodus nodded towards the Hutt knowing his questions were of course rhetorical, yet he found his strange nature slightly amusing no less. His expression did not show this in the least. All parties began their departure and offered brief condolences as they did, while the Dark Lord returned the gestures and made his move to continue phase two.

[Alora]

Just as Krakis headed towards the hatch, Shadow began to scamper after him. When Draken told the Panthers they wouldn't be going she could almost feel the disappointment radiating off the black felines. She laughed at Krakis' special instructions to keep Shadow off the bed, "He'll keep her off by lying on it himself I dare say," Alora laughed as she picked up the cub for a quick cuddle before putting her back down. Turning back to meet Draken's eyes she added, "What's the bet we find them both curled up on the bed when we get back."

 

Alora linked her arm through Draken's as they made their way into the temple and towards where they could feel Raia and Raynuk to be. When they greeted each other, her violet eyes lit up when she saw the young Dathomiri girl. Inclining her head towards her former Master first, greeting him while Draken filled him in. "Hello Raynuk." The Sith Mistress then turned back to Raia, observing her for a moment before she stepped closer and pulled the girl in for a hug. "I am happy to see you Raia. How are you?" Her expression showed concern as she answered, "Not yet but we have the Black Guard seeking some answers that we cannot obtain in person. The Imperial Remnant put out a holocast stating that they had a female Sith in custody but not who she was. I think they might have Emily."

[Darth Nyrys]

When the prison block door opened with a sudden thwishing sound, a pair of black and red armored guards smartly marched into sight, displaying the precision of fanatics. In an odd way, this actually helped, as the source of Ailbasí’s panic had been dispelled, and replaced with an entirely new thing to be terrified about, but the about face was so jarring it left her temporarily numb. Words that she knew were being spoken, but sounded alien to her ears as she struggled to cope with everything that was happening. As they opened the cell door she walked between them in a dazed state of non comprehension through the cool, dry halls.

 

As they moved through the complex, the air changed dramatically, or Ailbasí’s nerves went into overdrive, and heat and wetness seemed to make the air feel thick, like being in a primordial swamp. The hall opened up to a feasting area with tables set to serve Sith being tended by robed servants. An ominous throne loomed over the room, and at first that’s where Ailbasí thought that she was being taken, but as they got closer, their course changed to bring her in front of a large dais, upon which loomed a massive hutt, made even more imposing with his black battle armor. Ailbasí didn’t even know that was a thing Hutts did. The guards placed her on her knees in a position of supplication before the being that clearly had come from Ailbasí’s nightmares because armored battle slugs with powers over death and suffering were not things reality allowed for.

 

With the knowledge that the next for moments might define the rest of her possibly very short life, Ailbasí fell back on what she knew intrinsically, and that was the stories in her father’s library. Speaking in delicately intoned Huttese, she addressed the figure before her.

 

“Your Eminence, I hope that we can resolve this matter to the profit of us both.”

[Drilcea]

Her palms became wet as her ship cleared the outer atmosphere of the planet and she made her way down to the landing pads. She ground her teeth as she awaited instruction on which pad to use, cursing herself the weakness of her nervousness. She'd kept to herself most of these years since leaving Ziost. She did not mourn it's destruction - it was the place she strove to escape for most of her young life. Now she was entering one of the more popular planets, so full of people there was bound to be noticing eyes of a young Sith hybrid such as herself. No matter, she told herself as she was cleared and circled to the correct pad. Landing was never one of her strong suits, and she groaned along with her craft when she hit a little harder than she could have.

 

'This is it,' she chanted over and over to herself as she prepared to disembark. She was going to find a Master here, one to teach her the ways of the dark side of the force that called to her every hour of her life - waking and sleeping. If there were any to teach her, they'd be on Korriban.

 

She began preparing her speeder to be unloaded, but thought better to walk as that would bring less attention on a crowded street. She'd been stationary a little to long and would relish the exercise anyway. Double checking the security of her ship, and making sure she hadn't done any damage, she finally opened the ramp to leave. She justified her hesitation to just be acclimation of the atmosphere that blasted its way into her senses. A light wind fluttered her robes about her legs, but she held herself with her normal air of confidence and a little bit of self-importance. Her staff was strapped to her back, in full view, but her fingers toyed with the concealed blades strapped beneath her robes. It was a nervous habit that brought a small amount of comfort as she made her way towards the crowds of the city.

[Delta73]

Delta started awake with a gasp. He ran his hand through the short blond hair on his head and stood. He hated flashbacks. He could still feel the cold of that Mygeetan winter storm, and the feeling of that eerie cold frightened him. As he walked, he ran through the nearly century old encounter in his mind. The feeling of pulling a trigger and seeing a IGBC leader’s head explode and the hunk of durasteel fired by the slug thrower made a mist of his brains. They had used slugs for their lack of laser trail, that and battledroids couldn’t track the shot very well. Especially in the middle of a storm. Delta Made his way past the landing zones, passing a Ace starfighter, that was getting dismantled by a large group of Sith and Black Sun slicers and scientists. He rounded the corner to enter a meeting room where a Male Duros awaited him.

 

He bowed to the alien and extended his hand.

 

“They call me Delta, Vigo of the Black Sun Corporation, a pleasure to meet you, how can I be of assistance?”

 

When their hands met, he could feel warmth that wasn’t there. Soft hands that projected love and support. Her hands grabbed his and the giggling filled his head again. Her beautiful eyes filled with mirth as they undressed after the week long mission. The warmth of the sanisteam clung to him under his armour. He tried to ignore it as he talked to the strange Duros. Walking a line between gripping memories and reality.

[AVATAR Kain]

The AI spoke in perfect Basic, not bothering to change his voice or accent from his preprogrammed neutral Corellian accent. A rarity for Duros to be without an accent, but Kain didn't care.

 

"You may call me Kain. I am the liaison to help coordinate the integration of Black Sun assets underneath the Sith hierarchy. Or rather, beside. For while it is intended that we have access to your finances, your more tangible assets, warships, buildings, et cetera, will be yours to retain command of. Albeit with a small Sith escort...which will be more for protecting Sith interests than ensuring Black Sun falls in line."

 

Kain tactfully omitted that they often were the same thing as he paused briefly, as he steepled his fingers.

 

"Protection, though, will also be for your interests. I am authorized to speak on the Dark Lord's behalf on this matter, and he wants Black Sun to not simply be absorbed, but take its rightful place beside the Sith. Your organization is a shadow of its former glory, let there be no confusion about that. But, it has helped the Sith in the past, and in your time of need, the Sith wish to repay the favor. To be the crutch, the shoulder to lean on until you are once again ready to walk. But the Sith currently need resources, finances, political power. Black Sun will help act as a framework to prop the Sith to loftier heights, and will swiftly pull them up as well."

 

Kain pulled a datapad from under the table, thumbing through it.

 

"I see you've already turned over the majority of the desired assets to Sith control...but what I wanted to specifically discuss was the facilities and fleet capabilities of your organization. I have already had construction crews sent to Bespin to aid in reconstruction and fortification efforts...and perhaps to construct additional collectors and refineries to make the planet as a whole far more efficient at producing tibanna. Do you have any other facilities that might benefit from...optimization?"

[Delta73]

Delta nodded. He didn’t quite like this duros’s tone when it came to discussing the downfall of the Black Sun. Although Delta had nothing to do with the downfall, he did still carry some degree of the blame, and considering that he had personally dispatched several Sith during the last battle of Coruscant, working with the Sith seemed a tad bit odd. But these were drastically different times. There was no reason for war between the Sith Empire and the Black Sun, and if they could work together and both thrive then that was what must be done. Delta pulled out his own Datapad and began flipping through the Holopages.

“We have the Shipyards at Fondor. Which were once used to construct Super Star Destroyers, though the facility itself is in need of reconstruction if it were to produce anything other than fighters and smuggling vessels. The corporation there has fallen onto hard times. We also have a base near Nal Hutta called the Darkhaven Sovereign and of course the meager assets of the Benediction Firebrand. There is of course the magnificent palace at coruscant, those are the physical assets we retain for now. We do have several agents inside CoreSec and an owning stake at the CelCon shipyards, but we have not yet made inroads to the Galactic Senate.”

 

With a flick of his wrist the clone trooper sent a long list to the other man’s datapad.

 

“As for fleet assets, we have: Two actionable corvettes, a captured Imperial cruiser, a captured starliner. 60 heavy fighters, several smuggling ships, and an assortment of ground troops. Though they would need to be transferred from our base at Bespin.” When all was compiled on the sheets, it appeared pitiful compared to the glorious days of Smash. He did not mention the remains of the black sun fleet that had bombarded Dordjooba back a decade before. They would be found and rebuilt in time. When Fondor was recommissioned perhaps. For now he would keep those as a bargaining chip, or if he lost the current ships in play.

[Raia Montar]

Raia drew back from Alora and glanced up in horror at Raynuk, the memory of a conversation they'd had only a few days prior bubbling to the surface of her mind as soon as Alora made mention of the suspicion that Emily had found her way to the Imperials and their purported "rehabilitation" center.

 

Nothing I would even wish upon my enemies Raia...

 

Suddenly she felt torn as the worry knotted her brow and her self-preservation instincts attempted to war logically with the instincts to go after her former teacher. "What do you think they'll do to her, Tētis? To the baby?" The young girl's imagination filled in the gaps with visions of monstrous people who were impossibly strong doing all they could to try to bend the kind woman who'd taken her away from Spite to their will.

 

She understood why they couldn't go themselves, lest they also be captured. "Who are the Black Guard?"

[AVATAR Kain]

Kain poured over the information for a moment. To Delta, it would look like simple reading, but Kain was running algorithmic inquiries on whether or not another attack could and should be mounted.

 

"Very good. I was largely wondering as well, if your networks themselves were operating efficiently. Gangs, casinos, money laundering, that sort of thing. Have those who report to you send me an operational report in the next three days, then the ones directly under them can send me a report as well without their bosses' knowledge. Meanwhile, I will begin to integrate the financial networks to ensure your transfers remain 100% secure."

 

Kain finished, sitting up, the glowing red Duros eyes burrowing into the other man.

 

"Do you have any questions or concerns for me?"

[Qaela]

There was an inevitability to death that was, from time to time, strangely comforting. While her body was deep within a coma, Qaela's conscience was experiencing a hyper alertness. The greatest cruelty of the curse the Nightsisters had placed on her daughter was that she was able to feel the most exquisite pain and anguish while being utterly unable to even cry out in pain. While the girl had only experienced that for a few minutes before her mother had interfered and lessened the effects somewhat, Qaela was not as fortunate. Her anguish went for hours. Worse, the spells she cast to draw the curse to her and contain its soul searing effects meant that she was utterly isolated here: none of the Force sensitives around her could sense what was going on within her.

 

Time passed, things changed, and Qaela was stretched and molded anew in many ways. The woman learned many things and made many decisions in this time, much of which she would spend years sorting through. Time would reveal what changes she came upon as she battled to reclaim her soul.

 

* * * * *

 

After what seemed to be decades from the perspective of her soul, Qaela's violet eyes opened to see her daughter sitting next to her. She was no longer on the floor, someone had moved her to a couch which was at least more comfortable for her physical body. To her bemusement, despite the intense anguish she experienced, her body, after the first few seconds of absorbing the curse, had been utterly unaffected. Rather than being covered in sweat or bruised from thrashing around in pain, her body was cool and surprisingly well rested.

 

She smiled up at Telperiën and said softly, "Hello, my sweet girl. Feeling any better?"

[Lusef Aryan]

A comm arrives directly for the Dark Lord. The voice of Faust's servant Gamma can be heard, his tone calm, steady, though there's an underlying hint of concern in it. He choses to use voice only, foregoing the hand signals that his Lord used in the last communication. Plausible deniability and all that were secondary at this juncture. Gamma still felt comfort in the ysalamir he wore on the other end.

 

 

Lord Exodus. My name is Luciferian Gamma. I serve Darth Luciferian, Lord Faust. Our lord is currently being hunted on Onderon. He tried luring in some shadowy Cult to turn them into his hounds to facilitate his full revival. Instead it brought the Jedi and CoreSec. He subdued the Jedi Master Skye Organa and is holding off CoreSec in Iziz's palace, intending to go underground if needed to outmaneuver them, but anticipates more forces being marshaled to facilitate his capture. I believe he intends to escape with her prisoner if he can as it offers great value to the Sith. Any aid or assistance provided would be repaid in full. My lord just needs to know if the aid is forthcoming or if chances must be taken to escape the noose before it tightens.

 

He is working still on the Coruscant project. Things are proceeding as he communicated last time with the wild card he facilitated bearing fruit beyond his anticipation. Once he is off Onderon with what he came for, he will bring that project to its conclusion. Luciferian Gamma over and out

 

[Sheog the Mad]

The overlarge Hutt shifted in his battlearmour, letting the chainlinked plates move with the pattern of his inconsistent breaths. He leaned heavily upon his ebony staff, feeling the gentle reverberations of the Force through the Ewok-fur rug that adorned his dias. The comings and goings of the temple were marked with subtle changes in the flow of the Force, and he enjoyed the way the Force changed its whispering stream with each individual. It was as if each individual was a thread in a mighty tapestry, weaving together an intricate design.

 

A new feeling appeared in the chambers of the Dark Lord, and the Hutt’s eyes opened to observe a snow-white Cathar being escorted towards his dias. He picked up his pipe, filling the chamber with the ribbon-cut Talosian Tobacco, and tamping it down as the group approached. The gnarled briar pipe was lit by a flash of lightning from his oily fingertip, and he settled the ember as the small Cathar was placed in a submissive post before him. The ember glowed to awash his misshapen face and crimson eyes with dim firelight.

 

He listened to her words about profit and an inkling of greed passed through his stormy mind. The Lord of the Krath pulled the sweet-smelling smoke into his maw and let it mull across his tongue before expelling it in a curling cloud about them. His words were in the language of the Sith, but came to the mind of the listener in their native tongue

 

<

 

He leaned forward on the dias, and passed his staff between them. The smoke curled about her legs, but not in malice. In the smoke one would see vast treasure chambers overflowing with jewels and gold, as if reflected in a dark mirror

 

<>

[darth shadowlord]

“Draken. I did not expect to see you so soon. I figured the Dark Lord would have been your first stop upon returning here.”

 

“There will be time for that. There is something that needs to be taken care of first with Raia.”

 

He turned so he was facing Quietus directly so that Raia couldn’t see his lips then silently explained his suspicions regarding the crystal and the fact that it appeared to be corrupted based on the way it had reacted to his probing twice.

 

“Let me talk with her and see if she has noticed anything. It can be a further test for her to see where her sensitivities lie in the realm of power. If worse comes to worse, the crystal will have to be destroyed. I don’t yet know how bad it is but it is enough that i could sense it in orbit.”

 

He turned to where Raia was talking to Alora and caught the remainder of the questions that she was asking.

 

"What do you think they'll do to her, Tētis? To the baby? Who are the Black Guard?”

 

“I do not know, I have my suspicions but until the Guard make contact I won’t know for certain. There was no word as to her condition apart from that she was alive. The baby?”

 

He looked over at Quietus with an arched eyebrow before answering Raia’s final question. “The Black Guard are my personal guard, Oathsworn to live and die at my command. In addition to guarding the Palace, they also carry out various tasks for me that I prefer not to send a diplomat for.”

 

He paused for a moment and looked at her and the crystal hanging around her neck.

 

“What have you learned about your crystal?”

 

This was the start of her second test although she wasn’t yet aware of it.

[Keenava Dira]

Alright… Looks like I’m heading to Hutt Space. Might be worthwhile to check Nal Hutta and ask around. I might find something there.

 

The obsidian skinned Twi’lek was wreathed in the robes of her trade once more and fiddled with the edge of her hood when her comm device fell silent. The utter lack of information shocked and worried her. Vidaya was normally a font of information – a former slave that ran a slave info network – and anytime she didn’t have information, she would have a direction for Keenava to follow. But nothing? Hutts could generally range from complete showboats to subtle knife-in-the dark criminals. But to have no real information at all was weird and vaguely unsettling. It wasn’t something she was used to and made it incredibly hard to work. Yet, it was Exodus’ will. And, as his shadow hand, it was her task to complete.

 

Keenava’s feet, clasped within the confines of black vornskyr leather, carried her toward the Praxeum’s bustling star port while she strategized. Thoughts danced with her feet and any anxieties withered to dust. With grace, she wove her way through acolytes as they milled to the hand of their shepherd. And, without pause, she worked her way past a few notably strange people before stopping at the feet of several interesting looking ships. Keenava tapped her foot on the metal of the fifth landing pad and worked her way over to a nearby wall panel. When prompted for the transponder code, the machine displayed the name and important info for the docked ship. Hmm… The Ravenhammer sounds more like a racy holo-film and less like a ship. Also, look at the rump, woof.

 

Keenava was engaging in what she liked to call, ‘ship shopping.’ The Twi’lek didn’t own a ship of her own. So, often, she had to steal a ship to get from point A to point B. She was a bit skeptical, stealing a ship from a high-ranking Sith. But the risk of danger made the prospect even more tempting. Exodus’ ship was out of the question - she knew which one that was, and refused to get anywhere near it. His rank and dominion over the Sith Empire as well as her previous indiscretions helped push her from any further carelessness. And, despite the interesting name, the Ravenhammer was too big and blocky for her. So, she let it go, vouching instead to walk down the line and look at the other models.

 

It was this concession that led her eye to a very sleek looking ship at the end of the line. Keenava sprinted the distance toward it, ignoring the robed figure she almost barreled over and gawked at its shape. It looked lethal and dangerous; perfect. She walked over to another wall panel and went through the motions again to get the necessary info. Its name was, ‘The Dark Edge.’

Bloody hell… If you were a lady I’d… Damn

 

Keenava bent down toward her metal leg as if to tie the laces on her boot. Then, with one casual flick, she released the compartment on her prosthetic and retrieved a set of small slicer tools from underneath the hilt of her lightsaber. She wriggled her hands around, pretending to struggle with the 'laces' of her boot and palmed the tools before standing and leaning against the Dark Edge’s landing gear. Her eyes were on a swivel, keeping the focus on any who would notice her, then let her physical form fall into the force, blanketing her in shadow. She slunk her way to the landing prop and worked the ship’s main outer console until the landing platform came down. And, finally, when the platform touched the metal of the tarmac, the shadow hastily departed through the opening. A few curious acolytes noticed the irregularity, but all they saw was a possible ship malfunction. They forwarded the necessary information to the relevant owners and went back to their business.

 

A few switch flips and Keenava could hear the lethal hum of the Dark Edge’s engines as they shuddered to life.

 

Ooooooh… This will be fun

[Drilcea]

The crowd was so dense she’d nearly lost herself in it, to the current of the flow of movement. She was so focused on her own steps and on scanning the crowd for dangers - including her own race - she didn’t notice the figure rapidly make its way along her path until they collided. Well, she collided with them and made her seem like a wisp of smoke to them. She staggered in shock for a moment before anger took hold of her.

 

Her lips tightened to a thin line and her golden eyes smoldered as she turned around, ready to give the stranger all of her righteous fury, but the crowd had started moving again around her and nearly swept her up with it. She worked against it, straining to claw her way in the direction the offending figure had so easily travelled.

 

She finally broke through the crowd and looked about to find her target, but quickly became distracted from her goal when she spied the door of her ship lowering.

 

“How…,” she stuttered to herself before rushing forward.

 

She swiftly made her way onto her own ship before closing the door - or at least she thought it was her closing the door, perhaps it closed by itself - just as the engines sounded to life once more and drew both her curved blades before demanding, “Who has made the mistake of attempting to steal what is mine?”

[Raynuk Montar]

When Draken moved to speak with him in secret of his idea, Raynuk simply nodded, sharing his own insights into what had occurred in hushed tones.

 

"She pulled an ancient Dathomiri curse from the being of another; the daughter of Qaela that was sired by Lord Ar-Pharazon. He made his presence known following; I suspect a part of him is intertwined with the curse within the crystal now. if that's true..."

 

He trailed off, knowing that Draken would indeed know what that meant. Draken had chosen to set his back to Raia, leaving Raynuk full view of Raia. It took him a moment, but his face went soft for a moment as he realized the spike of emotion that Raia was suddenly feeling. He had learned of the Remnant's 'trophy' only a short time ago when he confronted Delta about possible Black Sun involvement, and had not had the time to share that news with Raia. And what was worse, was that he knew he had no answers for the girl really; but that wouldn't prevent him from dealing with it. He fixed Raia with what was his best attempt at a comforting gaze before he attempted to answer her, but his sudden realization that Raia had said 'the baby' in front of Draken and Alora stopped him cold. Thankfully, a heartbeat later Draken weighed in on the question, to which Raynuk nodded until he caught Draken's inquisitive eyebrow, from which he sheepishly shrugged and glanced at Alora.

 

"Yeah... Turns out, Emily found out, before we split up, that she was pregnant, and decided to hide that from me as well. I'm afraid that serves to only raise more questions instead of providing us with answers. I take it your hunt did not yield any more answers?"

[Keenava Dira]

Snap hiss…

 

A crimson blade sparked to life two-inches from the soft skin covering Drilcea’s esophageal pathway. One move and her head would leave her shoulders, spreading her fragile life all over the deck-plating of the Edge’s cargo bay.

 

“The same ‘who’ that is going to kill you where you stand if you attempt to act on that threat. Now, be a good girl and sit in that corner while Otto prepares for liftoff.” Keenava said, her tone lethal and her pace slow. She indicated with the smoldering plasma in her hand at a small part of the cargo bay a few feet from where they both were standing.

 

When Drilcea did as she was told and situated herself, the ship released from the tarmac and maneuvered itself out the star port. Docking procedures were followed and the Dark Edge left just as quickly as it came.

 

“The autopilot has the reigns for now,” Keenava remarked, turning her eyes and the tip of her blade to the robed humanoid. “I am taking your ship for the moment. If you rise to threaten me, I will not hesitate to put you down. If you try to steer the ship or wrest control, I will strike you down. Understand?”

[Delta73]

Delta cradled his helmet under one arm as he extended the other to the Duros in the human sign of farewell. “I have nothing further, if you need me of the black sun armada, feel free to call my comm at any time.” He left his card in the duros’s hand and turned to make his leave. He still had a bad feeling about the whole adventure, but he trusted Sheog. Not enough to fly in his ship with a jedi council on board, but enough to know he wouldn’t screw him over for a mere fleet and credit resource.