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[Raia Montar]

The Dathomiri girl looked up as Emily entered the room, pushing Quietus to the side as she scooped up Raia’s sketchbook and began flipping through the pages. Raia fought down the impulse to run over and snatch it back. She'd never let anyone see them before (not that she'd ever had anyone to show them to on Spite Station) and hadn't intended to share them with anyone.

 

Swallowing she looked at Emily, her mouth going dry as she answered, “I just do. No one taught me. It...helps. I try to make sense of you, well and the Sith, F-Furion, and…” she broke off not able to find the words in Basic to express that those drawings felt as though they were a part of her, private, and something of her own she could control in a life where much of that had seemingly been ripped from her violently.

 

“May I have them back?” She held out her hand towards Emily as tears formed, unwelcome, at the edges of her eyes and she fought hard to suppress them, managing against all but a couple that ran down her cheeks. Her emotions seemed far out of her control in that moment, and she wasn’t sure why.

 

Part of her was scared to open up with Emily, and certainly with Quietus. She hated not having someone to trust and still felt very much as isolated as she had on the station, despite it only being three days into her time with Emily. She'd seen so much death, so much anger, and she wondered at her own ability to survive in the outer galaxy, even without Emily.

 

Taking another deep breath, she fought to regain control of herself and remembered Emily's words to her on the station.

 

I want to train you in the ways of the Force and give you the ability to make your life whatever you want it to be. The Force will free you. You will never be forced to do anything you don't want to do, ever again, and no one will be able to tell you otherwise.

 

What did she want? Despite everything that had happened, she knew she liked Emily and wanted to stay with her, however things played out. Even if this meant learning how to deal with this unpredictable male that Emily had brought with them.

[Emily]

"Of course," Emily said, handing the book back immediately. "I'm sorry for prying." But Emily's words weren't enough to stop the tears from trickling down Raia's cheeks. Emily sighed inwardly. It was possible the girl was just hormonal, but at the same time, she had just had her entire world upended. It was only natural that she was losing control. But perhaps that could be a lesson Emily could teach.

 

"Hey, it's okay, Raia. You need to process everything that has happened. I understand. We all face things that we are unprepared for. It is those moments that show us who we really are." She motioned for Raia to sit down next to her, hoping the girl trusted her enough to do so, and sending soothing feelings from the Force in her direction. "But I apologize for how crazy these past few days have been for you. I should have done better at shielding you from the realities of the Sith. I made assumptions and jumped to conclusions that weren't true, and I'm sorry for that." She attempted to meet the girl's eyes. "I owe you some explanation, and I'll answer any questions you have. But I want you to know--you need never fear while I am around. It is my duty to ensure that nothing happens to you, at least nothing that you are unprepared for. At times, I may push you out of your comfort zone to challenge you, but know that my actions are designed to make you the best you can be."

 

It was kind of terrifying in a way, Emily realized. She had a responsibility for this other person, a person she had deliberately taken under her wing. She was responsible for how Raia turned out, in a way. It was in her power to turn her into a powerful Sith, or a confident gray knight. She was painfully aware that if she failed, Raia would be a broken shell of a person, and might never recover. It was a lot of pressure. But Emily had to believe that she could do it. Regardless, she was determined to try, and to give her all while doing it.

 

Vex'aedr had righted himself by this point, and padded out of the room, which was something of a relief, as the room had felt cramped with his massive bulk. "As for Quietus, pay him no mind. He might seem intimidating, but because you are my apprentice, he wants you to succeed, if only for my sake. I told you he was my own master, right? We've been together for many years, and now our relationship has developed beyond teacher and learner. We are lovers, and now that he's back from the dead, it's my intention to never be far from his side." She suddenly remembered that Raia was Dathomiri. The Dathomiri Witches, she knew, had a very matriarchal society, where men were used only for slave labor and for procreation. "It's not like on Dathomir...he and I are equals." This is awkward... she thought. She didn't know at what age Dathomiri took mates for the first time, but she hoped she wouldn't have to explain more. "Anyway, he's much more of a Sith than I am. What happened in the tomb is how he is to his enemies. When you let the darkness control you, it takes everything you are and turns you into a weapon.

 

"That's a path many choose to take. I have chosen to go another direction. The Jedi take yet another." She studied the other girl. "Your path is yours to choose." She suddenly realized she was saying a lot. "But I promised to answer your questions," she said, a self-deprecating smile crossing her lips. "I'm sure you have many. What can I answer for you to put your mind at ease?"

[Raia Montar]

Clutching the book to her chest, the girl seemed to relax a bit as she sat next to Emily. She didn't look at Emily as she spoke, listening quietly as she absently thumbed the edges of the pages of her book.

 

"I am glad you didn't shield me, Emily," she finally said after several moments of quiet. "There are many ways to be Sith, it seems. Qaela trusted me as a fellow Dathomiri over them. I still don't know if she was one of their numbers or not. She didn't seem much of a Nightsister either." Raia took a deep breath, closing her eyes and drawing on her memories from her earliest days among the Order.

 

"She told me of her experiences at the hands of the others. Told me frightening things I still don't know the truth of, but haven't seen much to say she's wrong either. No sooner had she given her warning when we were attacked by another Sith...Shadowlord," she paused on the name, the man's face etched into her memory. "Draken Shadowlord, if I remember his name correctly. He had Nightsisters with him, but they didn't seem whole. Up here." The teen looked at Emily, touching her had to her temple. She shivered slightly as the memory replayed itself in her mind.

 

"There were some that liked the battle, Rose was one. But even she and Master Furion seemed different than what Qaela had described of internal killings and deception. He said I didn't need to fear either...then he left me alone..." The tears had returned before she could stop them.

 

The pain her solitude had caused her wasn't anything she'd really let herself acknowledge before, and it hadn't seemed a big deal until she'd met with Emily, who'd been nothing but kind and patient with her. "I hate him," she admitted, wiping at her eyes. "He promised to teach me, then left me among the acolytes. They wear different faces when the masters aren't around."

 

"Which kind of Sith is the true face? The cruel murderer?" She looked at Quietus for a moment before turning back to Emily, "Or the manipulator? Is it something different?"

[Raynuk Montar]

Raynuk frowned deeply as Emily shoved past him into the room and made her comment about freaking her out... again. Not my fault this time... he thought. But to a point, he knew that his mere presence after the display of horrors in the tomb was enough to scare Raia. And for him, that simply would not do. A Sith Master he may be, but Raia was Emily's apprentice, her first real, untrained apprentice, and he wanted nothing more than to watch the both of them succeed. He even began to make his stance known as Emily pushed past him, but decided to instead observe.

 

And thats what he did. Leaning against the doorway, he watched and listened as Emily and Raia had their exchange. He felt a twinge of compassion as Raia seemed unable to stop from shedding tears, but was distracted as Vex'aedr rolled over, gave another whuff in Raia's general direction, and padded towards him, choosing instead to sit behind his master rather than next to the emotional women-folk. He gave the tuk'ata a pat on the head and spoke through the Force to the pet as Vex'aedr looked up at him sheepishly.

 

I know buddy. New ship, slippery floors, jumpy apprentices, and youre not used to it. Dont worry about it.

 

Yet another whuff was the only answer he received, or needed. he turned his attention back to the conversation just as Emily began to stumble over how to explain their own relationship.

 

""As for Quietus, pay him no mind. He might seem intimidating, but because you are my apprentice, he wants you to succeed, if only for my sake."

 

Raynuk nodded, silently agreeing with Emily's statement as she continued, which made a small amused smile grow on his face as Emily attempted to explain it. As the silence pressed on before Raia spoke, the Sith continued to watch the two of them interacting. Raia's words however, proved to be far more interesting, and far more pressing. As Raia fell into tears again, the twinge returned, and actually spurred the Sith into action. He pushed off the door frame, and walked calmly and slowly into the room before crouching down in front of both Raia and Emily. His eyes met Emily's before he turned to address Raia. Not as the scary Darth Quietus, but as the human being, Raynuk Montar. For a long time the two had become one in the same, but now, things were changing.

 

"There is much in this galaxy that is unknown to you Raia, and I worry that in your life, you have only seen the worst of what it has to offer. Fear grips at the edges of your mind, and threatens to overwhelm you, even now, in comforts and safety of this ship. The people that you have met along your journey that brought you here... Qaela, Furion, Rose, Draken... I knew all of them in my time as a Sith. I can firmly say that I was a part of the reason Qaela did not trust the Sith, for I once raised a weapon against her when there was no cause other than following orders. Furion I once called brother, but even I was not immune to becoming a puppet of his. Rose... she was perhaps the best of those you met in your time on Spite Station, but even she was beholden to her desire to please her father."

 

Raynuk paused, searching Raia's face to see if there was still fear behind her eyes as she looked at him, and extended his hand to her, palm up as if to ask her for her own hand, before covering it with his other hand.

 

"And then there is Draken Shadowlord... I ask you to trust, not what you've heard or seen of Shadowlord in a slice of time, but to trust Emily, and I hope me as well when I tell you something in a moment. Much as I continue to hope to undo the fear I caused you within the tomb. Draken Shadowlord, is a friend. To both of us. That other woman you saw on Korriban? That is his future-wife, Alora. Draken was on Korriban as well; After you returned to the ship, Emily and I met with both of them, and now we travel to Coruscant to track down the cultists who brought me back, and they are going to be there to help us. I do not ask you to trust him or tell you that your fear of him is irrelevant. But much like myself, there are times when Draken can be an absolute nightmare. If nothing else, trust that Emily will not allow anything terrible to happen to you without a fight. And because of that fact, neither will I. And because we both deem you worth of our vigil, so too will Roe'gall and Vex'aedr. Isn't that right?"

 

He turned at the last phrase to Vex'aedr, who was still sitting on the floor just outside the room. The tuk'ata had of course been listening, and once addressed gave out a mighty woof of acknowledgement before taking it upon himself to walk gently into the room, and rest his snout on top of Raynuk and Raia's hand. The Sith flashed a smile and released Raia's hand to give Vex'aedr a scratch behind the ear and stood back up, still addressing Raia.

"If you do not wish, or do not feel capable of being in the presence of Shadowlord again while we are on Coruscant, I would not hold it against you, for I have seen the fear in your eyes. And as for your last question... there is no true face of the Sith. Each is different, but we all believe in the same code. The Sith code, as it were. 'Peace is a lie, there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength. Through strength, I gain power. Through power, I gain victory. Through victory, my chains are broken. The Force shall free me.' To each Sith, the code means something different, and can be stretched and bent to fit any number of evils one can think up."

[Raia Montar]

Raia looked at the Sith Master, sensing some sort of change within him from how he'd been before, and tentatively placed her hand in his as he spoke. When he broached the subject of Draken, she pursed her lips, but said nothing. The galaxy was going to be a lonely place indeed if she didn't take a chance and trust some of the others.

 

The more she thought about it, the more she realized Qaela's intent behind warning her of the dangers of the Sith had likely been a measure to hamper Raia's ability to trust in the outside galaxy. Lack of trust made it harder to learn the lessons from the others. "You said you attacked Qaela on orders. Was it from the Dark Lord at the time? Qaela mentioned the title passed through several in almost equal months time. Are you truthfully as free as your code says if you carry out a request even though you know it is wrong?"

 

She reached out her hand to Vex'aeder, letting him get to know her similarly to how she first met Roe'gall outside of the bacta chamber.

 

The teen also considered how some of the Nightsisters had begged to be released back to Draken when Furion had remanded them to Qaela's care. "I do trust Emily. And there's two sides to every story. Something had to have brought Draken to her quarters, and I don't think it was her brilliant personality." Feeling a bit braver she scratched the white tuk'ata behind the ear, feeling calmer all the while.

 

"He is your mate, then? Your champion?" The girl asked, glancing back a Emily. "It would make sense to keep him by your side," she remarked casually, as though it made all the sense in the world. Her brow furrowed after a moment though. "What does this 'equal' mean though? He just said he'd help protect me, but he is your champion. We can't share a champion..."

[Jaina Jade Skywalker]

The Traitor's Hope hung in loose orbit around Coruscant. Having sent out her distress signal into the void, Jaina saw no reason to hang around the planet indefinitely, given that she had a lead--however small--on Tirzah's whereabouts. She had run an air sanitizing protocol once the ship had gotten off the ground, and consequently, no longer felt like she was colonizing dust mites in her lungs with every breath. Her first trip to the onboard sanisteam unit was nothing short of exhilarating. As she scrubbed away the dirt and grime of the Coruscant underbelly, it seemed to her that she also scrubbed away the years of death that held her in that stagnant shale burial chamber. When she stepped out and dressed in her typical light tunic, clipping her weapons belt around her waist, she paused in front of the mirror. While nothing in her features had changed over the long years, there was a quality that Jaina noticed in her own reflection. It wasn't sallow, or pallid even--she simply looked haunted. Gone was the youthful glow that shone out in every wedding picture, that beamed with fervor and passion for life. No, her body didn't show the age that she felt, but inexplicably, the twenty-three years she had waited in that stuffy Hapan tomb had effected a change in her soul.

 

Tearing her eyes away from her reflection, she meandered back to the cockpit of the ship, wringing water out of her thick hair into a towel, when she heard the comm pinging. Heart pounding in anticipation, she keyed playback of the message.

 

"Aunt Jaina? This is Emily Zsahra-Skywalker, Sirvani's daughter." Her voice was breathless, melodious, sweetly unfamiliar. "I thought you were dead! I want to see you. I'm coming to Coruscant. Just tell me where to meet you. And...it's good to hear your voice again. It's been a long time."

 

The comm cut off all too soon. "Wait," Jaina murmured softly to dead air, her fingers laying listlessly atop the console. Emily. Little Emily, six years old, hand in hers on a Corellian shopping excursion... playing games in the hangar with Andon instead of readying the ship for departure... falling asleep with her head on Jaina's shoulder on the long flight to Raxus Prime. The little girl who bore her adopted uncle's brandy-brown eye, a mark of the Force left when the souls of two brothers bonded inseparably. She remembered the quiet moments with her erstwhile niece that cemented, irreversibly, the value of every single life in Jaina's convoluted mind. This woman was once the child who taught Jaina how much she stood to gain, to learn, by being a mother.

 

Suddenly, it dawned on her that Tirzah was not the only casualty of her absence.

 

WIthout a second thought given to what she was going to say, she rekeyed Sirvani's comm code. When the line crackled to life, she found her mouth inexplicably dry. Clumsily, she swallowed. Across the stars, Emily was reaching out with the Force, and Jaina reached back, as small children run with arms wide open to embrace one another. Small children. Tirzah.

 

Like the abrupt snap of a cable breaking, Jaina retreated into herself, gathering the Force around her like a cloud. She couldn't sit still and wait for Emily now, not knowing the whereabouts of her own daughter. The knowledge that she now knew how to find Emily would have to suffice for now. And, she pondered, frowning slightly, this might be a setup. A comm number long unused, a girl Jaina had irrevocable ties to, who Raynuk would have known well--there was no proof in the message that this unfamiliar voice even belonged to Emily Zsahra-Skywalker. She toggled the comm device back off with a single keystroke.

 

Irritated by her indecision, Jaina stood to deposit her towel in the refresher unit when the comm pinged again. Dreading a response to her dead-air comm, she hesitated. If this was Emily calling back, maybe she'd get some answers. If it wasn't...well, she'd cross that bridge when she came to it.

 

But it wasn't Emily. It was another woman's voice, bright and clear, coming over the old wartime channel for Jedi personnel. "This message is for Jaina Jade Colos. Go to the planet Tython in the Core. The Jedi will be there, and will grant you whatever asylum you're seeking." A brief pause, and then-- "Don't worry. You're not alone."

 

Jaina gripped the edge of the console to steady herself, sinking slowly into the pilot's chair. The Force had not abandoned her. Whether or not Tirzah was on Tython, all likelihood was that, if they had ever landed among the Jedi, someone might have record of her and Ashley. Her hands were nearly trembling with elation and dread as she punched in the coordinates for Tython into the ship's navicomp. In the brief space between activating the hyperdrive and accelerating to the appointed speed, the Jedi woman's words rang in her head, and Jaina practically sang them through the Force, reaching out in the hopes of touching her estranged daughter.

 

Don't worry. You're not alone.

[Alora]

While she prepared the meal, the Sith Mistress also activated her cybernetic comm. link. She was glad when the comm. connected her direct to the manager she had left in charge of Darkknell Shipyard Industries. As she suspected, they had thought the worst had happened to her, even when reassured by Draken that she was still alive and well. She now reassured them herself, telling them to step up security and to run thorough background checks on every employee and visitor to the Shipyards, especially anyone new. Alora informed them of her brush with the Cult of Morthos and to be on guard against them infiltrating her company. She ended the comm. after getting their agreement.

 

To begin with she had kept her affiliation from her Shipyards management team, only telling them that she was Sith years after she had become a Master. She still recalled vividly the intense face to face argument she had with her management board when they insisted she distance herself from ‘that Sith Lord’ they had seen her with on the news holos. She had kept her emotions in check during that argument, calmly telling them, “That Sith Lord was My apprentice. Did you think I was still the shy teenager that went to Coruscant with her parents so many years ago? Where do you think my ‘new found confidence’ came from? What I didn’t tell you was that I was the apprentice of Raynuk Montar. I also learned from Jedai Geki and Kakuto Ryu. Yes, I learned the ways of the Sith from the three most feared Sith Masters in the Galaxy.” When they hadn’t taken her at her word, she demonstrated some of her talents, nothing lethal but enough to prove her claims.

 

Bringing her thoughts back to the present, Alora opened the oven to check on the braised bantha steaks and inhaled deeply. She was looking forward to having a decent home cooked meal. She added the vegetables and a little more stock and put it back in to finish cooking. It would be another half hour before it would be ready. Cooking was just one more thing that the cultists had deprived her of… and when they found them she would make sure to deprive the cultists of much more than they took from her.

 

Draken stood up and walked to the galley, pausing for a moment to enjoy the sight and smell of her cooking before slipping up behind her and wrapping his arm around her waist. He leaded forward and kissed the back of her neck. "Feeling better?"

 

Feeling her lovers arms slide around her, Alora leaned back against his body with a contented sigh. “Much better now.” Turning in his arms, she raised hers to circle his neck. “I missed you, more than words could say…” The Sith Mistress touched her lips to his and proceeded to show him just how much…

 

**

 

The buzzer on the oven drew their attention back to it. Alora served and brought their meal over to the table, “A nice wine would go down well with this…”

[Emily]

Raia spoke of the many faces the Sith she had met wore. Emily wasn't sure how to answer, but then Quietus stepped fully into the cabin and came over to them. Crouching down by the bed where they were sitting, he spoke, addressing Raia's concerns and fears, his hand held out to hers. As he spoke, Emily's heart melted. This was one of the reasons she loved him so. He always had the exact right words to say, whereas she would stumble out awkward explanations that would most likely end up only confusing Raia more. But there was something different about his manner, some side of him she hadn't seen before. He seemed to be...changing somehow, and she thought she'd like the man he was changing into. It intrigued her, and she resolved to watch him closer in the future.

 

As Vex'aedr added his massive snout to their hands, Emily herself placed a hand on Raia's shoulder. Then Quietus rose, adding how the Sith Code could be applied in many ways. Raia seemed to understand, although she questioned the idea of freedom. Emily decided to speak up. "I think the key in what you just said is 'even though you know it is wrong'. Is it wrong to attack someone because another person said they deserved it? Especially when the orders come from someone whose judgement you trust?"

 

She left it at that, feeling pleasure when Raia said she trusted her. It was an important step for the girl. As she listened, however, she felt something through the Force. A calling, or an embrace of some sorts, from a presence that somehow felt familiar. But before she could asertain who it was, the presence drew back suddenly and vanished. She frowned inwardly. That was strange... She didn't have time to ponder it, however, because Raia had turned back towards her. "He's your mate then? Your champion?" she asked.

 

For some reason, Raia's words caused Emily to blush. Raia was only trying to fit the situation into her own worldview, she reminded herself. "Sort of," Emily replied. "It's not the same as on Dathomir. Equals is like...we're part of the same clan, the same family. We care for and value each other." She wracked her brain for a way to define it for her. "In your culture, a man can be free, can be almost equal with a woman if he saves her life, right? Maybe think of it that way." She shrugged. "You're just going to have to get used to the fact that the rest of the galaxy doesn't work the way you expect it to." Emily knew that would take time, and that was okay. The best way Raia would learn would be by observing, and that took time.

 

Just then, a loud thud echoed from the direction of the storage room, along with a startled yelp. Emily reached out with the Force and sensed that Roe'gall was the source of the disturbance, but that he wasn't hurt, just surprised. She sighed, but it was lighthearted. "Sounds like that big knucklehead is getting himself into trouble," she said, rolling her eyes. She rose to her feet to stand next to Quietus. "Is there anything else you wanted to ask, Raia? We should be arriving at Coruscant in a few hours."

[Raia Montar]

"'Someone whose judgment you trust'..." Raia echoed back, looking from Emily to Quietus and thinking about what he'd just told her about Draken. "I gain nothing by continuing to give in to my fear. I stood before you and...I...I will find a way to stand before him if he is your ally." She'd just admitted to trusting Emily and by proxy that meant trusting Quietus, Draken, and Alora as well. She sensed none of the manipulation that seemed to flow undercurrent to most everything she'd seen from Qaela, and certainly everything she'd experienced with Furion. At the very least, both Quietus and Emily were being truthful with her as Rose had been. Was it possible that everything the others had told her and the others had put her through had merely been illusionary to keep her for their benefit, or worse, their pleasure? What made her so special? Her own uncertainty whirled around her within the Force. Without realizing it, her hand found a spot behind Vex'aedr's ears to scratch.

 

"'Peace is a lie,'" she began, her brow furrowing as she recited the words back to Quietus, "'there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength.' But what if I don't know where my passion lies? How is the Force supposed to free me if I don't know, myself?"

[Raynuk Montar]

"'Peace is a lie, 'there is only passion. Through passion, I gain strength.' But what if I don't know where my passion lies? How is the Force supposed to free me if I don't know, myself?"

 

Raynuk found the question just amusing enough to crack a grin as he began pacing around the room absent mindedly.

 

"I suppose that depends on how you define passion, mazais" he began, slipping into the Sith tongue as he turned in his pacing and noticed a piece of paper lying under the bunk where the two woman sat, one that seemed to match the crude-ish binding that Raia had clung to moments before. He did not move to retrieve it, instead reaching out with the Force and plucking it from the ground before floating it over to him. Only then did he take it with his hand and looked at it. It was a sketch by all accounts, but one that was detailed enough that Raynuk recognized the setting to be the Memorial on Coruscant; the exact place they were heading for. Only, it appeared to be in the midst of conflict, as three defined figures seemed to be clashing blades; who the combatants were eluded the Sith at the moment, but the page would serve a purpose in the meantime.

 

"For instance, it could be said that you have a passion for this... art of yours. you enjoy it, and you appear to be quite good at it. Passion, in the most basic sense, comes from your heart. The things you love, the and the people you love. The Jedi would have you cut yourself off from love, or any sort of attachment. 'Attachments bring pain' they would say, and pain clouds their minds. But for a Sith, nothing is forsaken, everything is permitted. Passion for art makes you more creative, more prone to being able to adapt to situations. Passion for others, such as the love I have for Emily, gives a Sith a reason to fight. For a Sith, passion can be anything. Some Sith are passionate about manipulating others; they get enjoyment out of it. Others are passionate about weaving fear through the galaxy for the same reasons. And others are quite literally passionate, getting their kicks out of... the carnal pleasures, procreating with as many partners as possible. Some Sith find passion in all three, and some switch.

 

What if you dont know where your passion lies you wonder? First I will tell you; that is why you are an apprentice. That is why Emily will guide you. So that you may expand your horizons, so that you may explore anything and everything you wish to. So that you may find your spark of passion to fuel your fire. The choice, and the path, is yours. The rest of us can only guide you to the answers you seek. The path is long; you need not worry about the end of the code for now."

 

He returned to the bunk, and held out the page, but held it so that Emily could likewise get a good look at its contents, his eyes looking to her for her reaction, before he handed it to Raia. As far as he knew, Raia had never even been to Coruscant before, and yet she drew a scene of the Memorial.

 

The Force was beginning to act suspiciously coincidental. And Raynuk did not like it very much.

[Emily]

Emily continued to be impressed with Raia. There was a brave woman buried deep inside her. With some time, that woman would come to the forefront. For now, Emily appreciated Raia's willingness to trust them and to try her best. That was all Emily could ask of her, and it was more than enough. Quietus answered her next question, and Emily nodded as he explained. It also further elaborated on Raia's earlier question as well, about Sith wearing different faces. When Quietus finished, Emily added, "He's right. Don't worry about it now. You will find what you are passionate about soon enough, and when you do, new applications of the Force will be at your disposal to use as you see fit."

 

Quietus held out the page from Raia's book that he had discovered. Her brow wrinkled in a puzzled frown as she recognized the scene at the Coruscant Memorial. Three figures clashed in it, surrounded by a whirl of darkness. Emily didn't need to look into the Force for answers--she knew that somehow, Raia had drawn the final showdown at the Memorial between Darth Luciferian, the former Admiral, and the Jedi Grandmaster. She could tell Quietus was as unnerved by it as she was. This kind of thing was rare, very rare, even in the multi-millenia history of the Sith and Jedi Orders.

 

"Raia...when did you draw that? It is of a real event that took place while you were still on Spite Station." She considered the young woman. "The Force speaks to you with unusual clarity," she said softly, pondering. "I'll have to study this. It's a good thing," she quickly reassured her. "The Force sometimes speaks to us, showing us glimpses of the past, or the future, or people connected to us. Occasionally, it shows us what is happening at this very moment, halfway across the galaxy. But for one like you, with no training, to have seen something this clearly..."

 

Her voice trailed off. There were just too many coincidences going on here. Everything was connected so intimately. They were walking the strands of destiny right now, and there seemed to be little they could do to veer off that path. There was some story the Force needed played out, and it had chosen them as its' vessels. It was even using Raia, an untrained apprentice. She met Quietus' eyes, and could see that he too had picked up on this. Her face set into a determined look. If there was an answer, she would find it.

 

"For now," she said, turning back to Raia, "I'd like you to let me know if you ever have the urge to draw something like this again--something that you've never seen before. The location you drew is where we are going now. When we are there, I want you to keep your mind open. Be observant. If there is anything you see or think or feel that seems abnormal, come and tell me immediately. It could be the Force is using you as a conduit for larger things." She smiled suddenly, the lines of worry disappearing. "You are an extraordinary woman, Raia, and I sense that you will become very powerful, and that your destiny may be pivotal for the galaxy as a whole."

 

She rose and turned to go. "Take the next few hours to relax. I know we've given you a lot to think about, and when we arrive on Coruscant, you'll need to be clear-headed."

[Raia Montar]

"I suppose that depends on how you define passion, mazais."

 

Raia's brow furrowed as she couldn't place his last word as being Basic, but from the tone, it almost sounded as a term of endearment, or at least something close. Movement and a slight pull through the Force caught her attention as he pulled one of the pages from her sketches off of the floor and to his waiting hands. Her eyes widened and the urge to snatch it from mid-air flared within her but was quickly quashed by a more subtle calmness that urged her to be patient and trust this most curious male before her.

"For instance, it could be said that you have a passion for this... art of yours. you enjoy it, and you appear to be quite good at it. Passion, in the most basic sense, comes from your heart. The things you love, the and the people you love. The Jedi would have you cut yourself off from love or any sort of attachment. 'Attachments bring pain' they would say, and pain clouds their minds. But for a Sith, nothing is forsaken, everything is permitted."

 

She considered him for a moment, steadily growing less afraid of him and more intrigued by what she might learn from his as well as Emily.

 

"Passion for art makes you more creative, more prone to being able to adapt to situations. Passion for others, such as the love I have for Emily, gives a Sith a reason to fight. For a Sith, passion can be anything. Some Sith are passionate about manipulating others; they get enjoyment out of it. Others are passionate about weaving fear through the galaxy for the same reasons."

 

Like Furion and Qaela, she thought acidly. The longer she spent talking with Emily and Quietus, the more she felt she could see what she'd been to Qaela and Furion - a mere pawn to bat about within whatever game they were playing with each other, the Sith, and the greater galaxy.

 

"And others are quite literally passionate, getting their kicks out of... the carnal pleasures, procreating with as many partners as possible. Some Sith find passion in all three and some switch," he continued explaining as he paced.

 

What if you don't know where your passion lies you wonder? First I will tell you; that is why you are an apprentice. That is why Emily will guide you. So that you may expand your horizons, so that you may explore anything and everything you wish to. So that you may find your spark of passion to fuel your fire. The choice, and the path, is yours. The rest of us can only guide you to the answers you seek. The path is long; you need not worry about the end of the code for now."

 

Relief she hadn't expected flooded through her as the sixteen-year-old regarded him for a minute as he handed the drawing back to her. Whatever the strange events of the day, she felt like things were finally going to be alright for the first time since she'd left her clan on Dathomir.

 

When Quietus finished, Emily added, "He's right. Don't worry about it now. You will find what you are passionate about soon enough, and when you do, new applications of the Force will be at your disposal to use as you see fit."

 

As her teacher's brow furrowed at the drawing, Raia's expression echoed Emily's own, unsure of what she'd done.

 

"Raia...when did you draw that? It is of a real event that took place while you were still on Spite Station." She considered the young woman. "The Force speaks to you with unusual clarity," she said softly, pondering. "I'll have to study this. It's a good thing," she quickly reassured her. "The Force sometimes speaks to us, showing us glimpses of the past, or the future, or people connected to us. Occasionally, it shows us what is happening at this very moment, halfway across the galaxy. But for one like you, with no training, to have seen something this clearly..."

 

Raia shrugged as she looked back on the drawing she hadn't given a second thought to since it had come to her. "I don't know. Time was hard to gauge with no sun to tell me the cycles. I didn't start drawing a lot until after Furion took me on." Her face grew grim. "Do you think he knew I could do this? Did he see through the Force?" Why was it for every answer she was given it seemed like twelve more questions arose in it's wake?

 

"For now," Emily said, turning back to Raia, "I'd like you to let me know if you ever have the urge to draw something like this again--something that you've never seen before. The location you drew is where we are going now. When we are there, I want you to keep your mind open. Be observant. If there is anything you see or think or feel that seems abnormal, come and tell me immediately. It could be the Force is using you as a conduit for larger things."

 

The girl nodded absently, not quite sure whether or not she liked the sound of that. It seemed a rather large weight for her to have to shoulder. Her grey eyes met Quietus's, Vex'aeder's, and, finally, Emily's and she relaxed a bit knowing she wouldn't be doing it alone at least.

 

As though able to pick up on her apprentice's doubts, Emily smiled suddenly, the lines of worry disappearing from her face. "You are an extraordinary woman, Raia, and I sense that you will become very powerful and that your destiny may be pivotal for the galaxy as a whole."

 

Emily rose from the bunk and joined Quietus near the door. "Take the next few hours to relax. I know we've given you a lot to think about, and when we arrive on Coruscant, you'll need to be clear-headed."

 

Raia nodded, tucking the image back in with the rest of her sketches. She only had one last question for her teacher. "Does him being your mate mean I don't have to share a room with him?" She asked.

[darth shadowlord]

Draken cursed when the buzzer brought them back to reality. The delicious smell of food leaving him less then angry about being interrupted and the subsequent rumbling of his stomach persuaded him that ignoring the buzzer would be a bad idea. He sat down at the table, the steak in front of him cooked to perfection as were the vegetables.

 

“A nice wine would go down well with this…”

 

He chuckled and winked at her. "I do happen to own the only winery in the Galaxy where the wine is made is made from a rose. It is possible that I may have a bottle or two aboard." He stood up and went to the storage bay and retrieved a chilled bottle of the red rose wine. He brought it back to the table along with two glasses and popped the cork out of the bottle with the force and sent the cork floating towards her.

[Emily]

"It's possible that Furion knew," Emily replied. "I wouldn't put it past him. But regardless, it doesn't really matter to the here and now."

 

When she was done giving Raia her final instructions, the girl nodded and tucked the page back into her book. But as usual, the girl had one more question. This one however, made Emily burst out laughing. "Yes," she replied. "You don't have to share a room. I'll make him share with the tuk'atas." She smiled at the look on Quietus' face. "Well, maybe if he asks nicely he can share with me."

 

She headed out of the bunk room, motioning to Quietus as she did so. "Come on," she told him. "Let's let Raia rest. I'll give you a tour of the rest of the ship." She led the way to the cargo hold, where the reason for the loud crash from earlier became apparent. Roe'gall had pushed over some crates that were next to his bed to clear some extra space. He had also just finished chewing up a cushion that Emily recognized belonged to the chair in her personal cabin. It was clear that he had been making space for his brother. Emily was torn between amusement and annoyance that he had chewed up the cushion, but she supposed he was only following his instincts. The black beast jumped towards her with enthusiasm when it saw them, resting his chin briefly on Emily's head and nuzzling Quietus' arm before tackling his brother playfully. The two tuk'atas circled each other, then Roe'gall pounced again, and the two rolled around on the floor, play-fighting, before Roe'gall showed Vex'aedr his new sleeping place.

 

From the cargo hold, Emily showed Quietus around what was left of the ship, ending at the captain's cabin. She smiled. "It's a lot bigger than the Ogariv II. Your ship was tiny. But this place is like a second home for me. And, what's mine is yours, so make yourself at home."

[Khargav]

Khargav nodded silent affirmation to Zalis’ greeting. He then answered with a bow of his own, which signified a customary greeting of his people, and used a common hand gesture to show her respect. He then resumed his place at the side of the ship and followed behind her when she went to climb the ramp.

 

"We are heading to a Casino that was recently bought by Black Sun. I have a need for a new room there and new policies. Let’s travel together. Along the way, you may tell me your story and what your desires are. Don't mind the droids, they follow me for security reasons and can become background noise."

 

Khargav nodded his head once more, but realized a slight problem as the pair climbed aboard the Nimbus. Namely: Khargav had no tongue. He couldn’t tell her of his story because he couldn’t make words. He could growl, but that would only tell her so much. Realizing this, Khargav thought it over as the two of them got settled and the ship took off.

 

With one final look, back at Coruscant through a side window, Khargav settled himself in the Cargo Bay. He was a large humanoid - - standing at a good ten feet tall and lumbering around at a good six feet wide - - he wouldn’t comfortably fit in a lot of places. When the course was set and the ship had taken off at a good speed, Khargav sent for Zalis. He tried to use hand signs with the droids to ask them and it took him a few tries, but they finally understood his request and went to retrieve her.

 

In the meantime, Khargav removed his Durasteel Breastplate, revealing all his battle scars. He made his injuries visible to her. He exposed the nub where his ear had been, the small bump on his right paw - which was the size of a large dinner plate - where the claw on his hand used to be and, if asked, he would even show her the flesh left behind in his mouth after the pit owners cut out his tongue. It was meant to be a visual display of his story. He knew it might be grizzly to her and it wasn’t the best way to introduce himself, but without power of speech, he really had no other way to communicate with her.

 

He looked down at the Durasteel, bearing his history for all to see. It wasn’t shameful, but it didn’t feel pleasant either. They were memories of the shame that he left his family for. They were memories of his misdeeds. And they were memories of the pit manager and loathsome lackeys. He had no qualms removing them from existence. Their absence meant a positive end for a great few that suffered back in the pit fighting ring.

[Raynuk Montar]

Raynuk shared Emily's amusement at Raia's final question, but while she burst out laughing, he managed to keep it to just a devilish smile as he allowed Emily to respond. The smile shifted to a furrowed brow and slight frown as she mentioned the tuk'atas however, but followed her out of the room none the less, giving Raia a small nod of goodbye. As they walked to the cargo hold, he could not resist the urge to get a little payback for her sly comments, and managed to goose Emily along the way and then feigning innocence. When they arrived at the cargo hold, Raynuk was equally amused to see that Roe'gall still had a need to not only nest for himself, but to help make the ship more comfortable for Vex'aedr as well. He gave Roe'gall a hearty pat on the side as the beast nuzzled the two Sith.

 

"Nice place you got here bud, and I completely agree; that torn apart cushion half covered in drool really ties it all together." He said amused as the two tuk'atas reverted to play-time. "Now you two behave! No more smashing into things; Im looking at you Vex'aedr!"

 

The subsequent tour of the Shadow's Shine both left the Sith longing for the comforts of his own ship, while at the same time making him insanely jealous of all the space she had. Why the hell did we fly around on the Ogariv all those times when she had this? he thought curiously. Maybe it was time for an upgrade of his own personal ship; not that he exactly knew where the heavily modified Starviper had ended up. He did take mental notes however of things he liked about Emily's ship to remember when the time came for Raynuk to claim another ship. By the time the tour reached the captain's cabin, Raynuk had pretty much confirmed his decision that he needed a bigger ship now.

 

"It's a lot bigger than the Ogariv II. Your ship was tiny. But this place is like a second home for me. And, what's mine is yours, so make yourself at home." She had said with a smile, almost teasing him.

 

"Yeah, no kidding. But remember, I came from the good old days when a ship's combat capabilities was more important than luxury for the Sith... Though, clearly things have changed, and I dont even know where the Ogariv II even is. Perhaps... it is time to upgrade." He said as his eyes swept around the bulkheads in admiration. "But that can wait; if I am to make myself at home, I suppose I best get started."

He reached out and quickly wrapped his arm around her waist, pulling Emily harshly against him before planting a deep kiss on her lips, which lasted far longer than would have been decent in public. But the moment the kiss broke, he winked at her and unceremoniously hoisted her up and slung her over his shoulder with one arm while he hit the door release with the other. With the door open, he strode confidently inside and tossed Emily playfully onto the bed, standing at the foot.

 

"So, captain shall I be snuggling with the tuk'atas tonight?" He asked as the door closed behind him.

[Emily]

She was surprised to hear that he might like an upgrade, but it made sense. That way they wouldn't have another thing to track down in the galaxy.

 

But suddenly, he drew her forcefully to himself, and all other thoughts flew out of her mind. He kissed her, deeply, so much so that Emily was left breathless. When he suddenly lifted her off her feet and threw her over his shoulder, however, she couldn't help laughing, ruining her half-hearted attempt to pound at his back in protest of his unceremonious treatment of her. He tossed her onto the bed as the door slid shut. "So, captain, shall I be snuggling with the tuk'atas tonight?" he asked roguishly.

 

She laughed again. "You'd better not. I'd rather not Roe'gall tear up another one of my cushions." Oh, how much I missed him...

 

An application of the Force pulled him forward on top of her. She kissed him again, and after that, there was no more talking for quite a while...

 

***

 

She did sleep a little, after. Her body was still not fully healed after the pounding she had taken on Almas, and there was something so attractive about not having to sleep alone anymore that she let herself nap for a few minutes. When she woke, she let herself just lay there, enjoying the feeling of Quietus lying beside her, watching the steady rise and fall of his chest. "Mmm," she finally said appreciatively. "I could just lie here with you all day. But I think we'll be arriving at Coruscant pretty soon." She sat up and began to dress herself, choosing a clean outfit from the wardrobe instead of the one she had been wearing that was filthy with Korriban's blowing dust. She hooked her lightsabers to the belts that crisscrossed her waist, then slung her father's axe on her back before tucking her throwing stars in their pouch. Finally, she threw her hair into a long braid. Frankly, it needed to be washed, but now was not the time for that.

 

Just as she finished with her hair, the chime rang signalling their final approach to the galactic capital. She glanced over at her lover. "Are you ready for this?" She knew the answer; he was always ready. Add it to the list of things she loved about him.

[Alora]

Alora laughed with him as Draken went to get the bottle of wine. Her laughter abruptly cut off as she ducked away from the flying cork. It hit the wall behind her and rebounded back to bounce in the middle of table before coming to rest on Draken’s plate. Alora placed a hand over her mouth to help smother the laughter that threatened to escape again. Her eyes showed her amusement as he poured the wine into both glasses. She lifted her glass, taking a sip and savoring it’s sweet taste. “I’d forgotten how good this wine tastes.”

 

As they enjoyed their meal, the two discussed what had happened on Korriban. “I have no idea why the Cultists wanted me there when they brought Quietus back… unless it had something to do with him being my former Master.” She shook her head and shrugged her shoulders. “I’m not sure how long they were watching us before they caught me.” She was still mad at herself for being tricked like she had been. She hadn’t expected the lengths of planning the Cultists had gone to, right down to the mannerisms used by Slaanesh’s disciples so she wouldn’t become suspicious when they approached her. It hadn’t helped that her mind had been more on planning their wedding than anything else at that time. Maybe that was why they timed it like they did. The two Sith also discussed what they could likely expect once they reached Coruscant.

 

Once their meal was finished, Draken headed back to the cockpit while Alora cleaned up the galley before she went to join him. She slid into the co-pilots seat just before he began the final checks before they reached Coruscant.

[Zalis Krales]

Zalis had gotten comfortable with silence from a few missions she had been on since before her time with Black Sun and even after she joined the team. However, upon being summoned back by one of her droids for the Togorian, she was a fast learner and picked up really fast that the Togorian could not speak. She did her best to watch his tale as he tried to explain his life story without words, which was difficult, but she managed. After he was done, or at least she thought he was done, she spoke bluntly.

 

"So you're a mute. That could be a problem and a huge advantage depending upon which way you look at it. There is technology to help you speak or communicate if that is something that you wish, as the resources of Black Sun are immense. If you so choose not to though, we had better come up with a way to have quicker communications with each other and future agents. That would be a key in the work that we do. And I am sorry to assume that you want to work with us, or else you had the option to leave."

 

She sat in a chair and awaited the Togorian's responses through hand gestures and other signs. He had talent that could still be used, but he would need to meet her halfway in order for it to work out for all parties involved. Otherwise she may end up dumping him at the Casino to look for other avenues of work.

[Raynuk Montar]

Raynuk had never been as obsessed and driven by carnal desires as some other Sith were, but he could not deny how intoxicating the feeling of connecting with someone else physically, mentally, and spiritually; especially when his partner shared a connection to the Force just as he did. It allowed the time spent enveloped with one another to be even more fulfilling, opening doors that those who shared no connection with the Force could only dream about.

 

This, was one of those moments; everything he remembered and more. But while Emily had fallen asleep beside him as the pair descended from the clouds of the experience, Raynuk knew he would not sleep. Having been dead for so many years, he reckoned he had slept enough to last him a very long time. So, there he remained, awake, with his gaze scanning the ceiling as he retreated into his own mind, analytical and focused as ever. He could not help but once again think about the events that had brought about his return to the living, knowing that there was so much more to this Cult of Morthos than even he could realize for the time being. The answers were hidden, below and behind numerous amounts of subterfuge and careful planning on their part. But as much as their existence concerned him, Raynuk found that he was still being tugged in another direction, one that tore off from the path him and his closest allies were on; one that would see him returning to the task of stalking Jaina across the stars. By all rights he should have been filled with happiness and joy given his current bed-fellow and the acts they had just committed, but the more his mind was tugged towards Jaina, the more he could feel it.

 

The whispers and echos of sadness and fear that came to him through the Force, barely lapping against the shores of his mind, but ever present for the past minutes. But even more troubling was the fact that he knew those precise emotions and feelings; they were familiar to him. He had felt them before, only so much more intense and present. Raynuk knew, that wherever Jaina was in the galaxy, the whispers and echos were from her. She was fearful, and she was increasingly upset and torn. For the next ten or so minutes, Raynuk allowed his eyes to close, and he focused on those whispers. He dared not reach back towards their source, for he had already known when he awoke in the tomb, that Jaina was hysterically afraid of him, and in that moment it would serve to only send the rabbit deeper into her hole. Instead, he sought to understand and glean some sort of information off of the feelings. But as time passed, the whispers grew fewer and less intense, until one last thing came to his mind.

What has become of us, Raynuk?

 

And that was it. After that, all Raynuk felt, was silence. But it was enough to catch even Raynuk by surprise. Whether it was a concious question pushed out into the galaxy or not, it had come from Jaina, and it was enough to answer questions that he dared not even ask himself. For all the fear and pain he had caused her, he had not lost her completely. But with that realization came another; that it was possible she feared what he had become more than anything else.

I have failed you, Jaina; I have failed you.

 

It was the only thing that he could think to say in response given everything that had happened. But once again things were changing, and he had the woman lightly snoozing beside him to thank for much of that. More and more, Raynuk began to accept and acknowledge the fact that this time, this life was for him to make amends and set things right. But for now, his focus needed to remain on the cultists. His time of reckoning with Jaina would come in time. He felt Emily stirring beside him, was enough to snap him back to the present and devote all his attention to her.

 

"I could just lie here with you all day. But I think we'll be arriving at Coruscant pretty soon."

 

Raynuk merely nodded with a small smile before adding, "Plus I dont think Raia, Roe and Vex would give us enough peace to do so."

 

He sat up in the bed, and just watched appreciateively as Emily dressed, enjoying the show as it was. When she began braiding her hair however, Raynuk figured the show was over, and made moves to dress himself as well, donning the same armor and robes that he had awoken in, mentally noting that he really did need to find his ship, if for nothing else than to get all his clothes.

 

"Are you ready for this?" She asked him as he stood, adjusting his bracer slightly.

 

"The better question is; are they ready for us?" He proposed, adding another rougeish grin as the two exited the cabin.

[Khargav]

Khargav toiled for a few minutes, trying to communicate without the use of his mouth. He accented his thoughts with growls and tried to play some of the scenes out with sometimes disastrous – albeit hilarious – results. A droid carcass was still smoldering on the ground when he turned back to Zalis and listened to her response.

 

"So you're a mute. That could be a problem and a huge advantage depending upon which way you look at it. There is technology to help you speak or communicate if that is something that you wish, as the resources of Black Sun are immense. If you so choose not to though, we had better come up with a way to have quicker communications with each other and future agents. That would be a key in the work that we do. And I am sorry to assume that you want to work with us, or else you had the option to leave."

 

Khargav watched a for a moment while the human sat. He understood what she said and he realized that, in the end, he was given a choice. It was the same choice that he knowingly followed earlier, but she was giving it back to him, which was… Odd. He hadn’t had one before. At least, not since Togoria. Ever since Togoria, he was passed around like a prized animal and only allowed out when there was combat. It worked in the short term and was enjoyable, but Khargav felt incomplete. He still felt incomplete. He decided, he would travel with this woman and with her organization. He would fight with her and see what he could do to earn her trust. He was, after all, an honorable warrior. But, first things first…

 

Khargav motioned to one of the droids to move closer. Based on his last spectacle though, the droid was a bit skeptical. It paused and looked at the Togorian with cold robot eyes - as if to say, “are you crazy?” - but after a moment or two of persistent urging, the droid moved closer. Then, Khargav began pointing inside his mouth and made a few gestures toward the mechanical man in the hopes that it might be able to translate his movements.

 

The droid paused for a second or two. It was trying to process his request. The Togorian’s communication was rather rudimentary and involved a lot of cross referencing. Yet, when the Togorion made one last attempt at his gesturing, the machine signaled that it had received all necessary data to give a basic translation.

 

“Miss, I believe the Togorian is asking for a synthetic tongue implant. He tried to say that mechanical prosthetics are not desirable. But, he continued, if they are the only way, they would be okay as well.” The droid intoned. It looked back at the Togorion for confirmation, but Khargav’s hand was placed on his head. “Either that, or he said that his grilled fambaa tasted awful…”

[Karys Narat iv-Adas]

Karys Narat iv-Adas considered his current predicament carefully, long gone was the defiance and arrogance he had once shown. He had spent what seemed like a lifetime behind the stasis field that held him in place, and kept his abilities from ripping those whom had delayed his journey...and his destiny on Korriban from being fulfilled and he had come now to understand. He truly was a speck in a far greater game at play. Bounty Hunters. That is how he was caught. The scum of the universe so he thought, had delayed his destiny...that he had been caught by some was slightly embarrassing but none the less he had to admire their skills. They had proven quite the match when they shot him down shortly after his departure from the Shadow's Gambit. On the ground they were clever enough to use Yslamiri and stop him using his Force given gifts and set a trap. A trap meant for one like him a Force-User. The bounty placed on his brethren had proven quite lucrative to some hunters, and these six that remained of the initial number sent after him intended to collect on him. He would deny them if a chance presented itself.

 

One had been spending the past week constantly barraging him with taunts in his off hours while drunk about what he intended to do with his half of the credits once he collected. He found it a bore, if he were free he would of emptied his entrails by now and used them to hang him and his friends from the rafters of the ship. But fate decided otherwise. The leader he found was far more respectful of his quarry and what he was capable of, something he found he appreciated. The respect went both ways. Afterall he had taken out 12 of his best before being caught, Karys martial skills, tactics and intellect causing quite the problem before a sacrifice made in blood had assisted his capture. Now the captain expected a return for it, a return he hoped to deny.

 

His eyes widened at the man, speaking in basic so he could understand completely. Just what he had in mind, if he were ever to get free.

 

''Go on talk, yes talk if that is what you will. But it will not save you. This barrier will only hold me for so long and your captain knows it, when I break free...and I shall, you will beg me for death before I am done with you and your comrades. You will not see those credits you so vehemently keep reminding me of you will be spending on hookers and whores. The Force looks after it's chosen hunter, who looks after you? Your commander? He is smart yes but it is a fool's folly to think he can contain a Sith forever in this cage. Even those little critters you brought with you won't stop me from taking what's mine you know...I am that who see's your every waking dream, your nightmares and makes them true. You are as an ant to the will of the Force. The Force has found you wanting hunter and it will get it's due.''

 

Stunned a moment the man shouted back drunkenly ''Oh really? If your so high and mighty then how come we caught you?'' Karys considered his answer a moment before methodically he answered. Smiling back through the field.

 

''Your commander is a clever man. Which is something I don't say often of my enemies, the same can't be said of you. Toruk was it? If you were wise you would not be taunting me right now or have been since my stay. The Force always has a way of making those who tempt fate of getting what is owed them. And you are owed in spades my young friend.''

 

The human laughed, yet Karys was calm.

 

''Your saying some mystical Force is gonna come and free you. And that I am going to die by your hand? Fat chance! Some hippy dippy Force mumbo is not gonna help you outta this one bub. Just as it's not gonna stop me from doing this.''

 

Pressing a button, Karys resisted the urge to yell as immense pain shot threw his body, the bounty hunter had pressed a button sending searing hot electricity through him, burning his insides. Gritting his teeth, he swore revenge the first time he did it few days ago, now he was certain of what he would do when free. His first victim would be this human. And he would revel in it. Karys spoke.

 

''Do what you will but know this. I will have my vengeance upon you...and the Force shall see it through...then we shall see who is laughing at whom.''

 

Turok laughed once more, sending another jolt before he departed.

 

Make no mistake, it will come. Karys thought as he lingered. Meanwhile on the bridge, the commander of the bounty hunter unit currently assembled stood looking out into the stars, arms crossed behind his back. A blonde haired human called 'Memphis' a veteran of the wars, he knew much about Force-Users...and just what they were capable of so even now he was cautious. Almost unconsciously he felt the scar across his face where a saber from a Sith had burned a reminder. He remembered the horrors he had seen unleashed and took heed of the lessons he learnt fighting those who could command the Force. Disturbed by the voice of the communication officer he turned and arched a eyebrow.

 

''Sir, we are arriving at Coruscant shortly. Should I inform the others to secure the prisoner and prepare for landing?''

 

Memphis replied ''Yes. Tell the men below to take some Ylsamiri with them and bring him to the shuttle...we shall...'' he was about to answer when a siren started blurring and several ships appeared in his scope. Pirates. They were looking for an easy score by stealing his bounty and thought to bring it in themselves to claim the credits. However fate and the Force it seemed had other plans for all of them. Him included. ''Open fire!'' he said as they ships drew closer, taking damage his ship the ''Razor's Edge' shields held for now but without the initial hit damaging some systems...and little did he know what else it had done. Damaging the stasis field and killed the Yslamiri as they slept in their cages when some heavy machinery knocked lose landed on them.

 

Karys simply smiled when he felt the Force enter him once more. The first time in a week since he felt it, it had felt like a lifetime however. Again he felt like the Sith he had been, complete. The rush of it's return as he dropped to the floor and his knee's was exhilarating to say the least ...and now he had a promise to keep. After re-acquiring his weapons and gear of course.

 

Using the Force he ushered speed unlike a tornado. Rather quickly he located the armory, and his weapons...killing the guard on duty with a reckoning and abandon unparalleled in malice. His vengeance had come upon all on the ship which had sort him as a prize. Avoiding the blaster-fire, he used Telekinesis to send the man into the far wall, breaking his spine and he finished up by slicing his head off, with his own blade.

 

Soon enough once Karys had acquired his weapons...hell followed as the ship was torn asunder from the inside. Bodies soon littered the halls in every direction, entrails lined the sides and blood smeared the walls. Soon he was on the bridge where Toruk and Memphis stood with only the strongest left. Karys smiled darkly as he spoke.

 

''I commend you captain for my capture. But the Force does not favor you today, it favors me...let us dance one more time shall we.'' Memphis gritted his teeth and went to war a final time. The fight was spectacular, but in the end he fell and Turok like the coward he was ran. Karys spoke briefly to Memphis before he departed as he left him holding his now severed arm and lay on the floor with no legs.

 

''As much as I enjoyed your hospitality captain, I had a prior engagement you delayed me from meeting. But alas such is the Force and the fates. Now to business, first however a good captain should go down with his ship wouldn't you agree? And what better death than to to die in glorious battle.'' Lifting him with the Force, Karys placed him in the captain's chair and placed several straps across him...preventing a attempt to escape his fate. Then set a collision with the pirates before departing the bridge.

 

There was but one final task before he left completely.

 

Now where is that sniveling worm got too? Karys considered of Turok. Ah there you are...I might have known...the toilets. Like the terd you are you will be flushed away.

 

Toruk was now feeling a very human shiver run down his spine as he hid in the toilets after witnessing many of his friends die in ways that resembled only his worst dreams. As promised by the Sith. He truly was the stuff nightmares came from, where he went death followed.

 

And then he saw him. Staring at Turok...eye to eye, this time a saber in his hand.

 

''Ah Turok? What's wrong? Looks like you've seen a ghost, don't worry I won't kill you..oh no. I have much grander plans for you. I promised you vengeance didn't I? And I am ever a man of my word. So here we are you and I, our fates entwined. Now let's begin shall we.''

 

The next minutes seemed as a lifetime as Turok had limbs and skin removed, piece by slow piece. Before he made a example of him...ripping the skin from his body, flaying him. And leaving him very much alive but in utter torment. Noting the ship was closing to the pirates vessel, Karys made a mad Force assisted dash to the hangars where he quickly saw his ship. The cursed bounty hunters were planning on using it to their own ends if not for the Force aiding his escape....they might have succeeded. Firing the ship up he was soon gone, hidden among the carnage of the battle.

 

In the Force he felt a calling...a familiar feeling almost. That called him to Coruscant, and so he input the co-ordinates and departed for the city planet.

[Zalis Krales]

Zalis acknowledged the droid's response for the Togorian. She herself didn't like mechanical prosthetics as they were a pain to maintain and cost much more in the end. While synthetic implants were most costly upfront, the end result was always better. She made a mental note to get the Togorian setup as soon as possible. They may even be able to do so on the Golden Link Casino. She was about to respond when an alarm went buzzing off alert her that they had made it to their destination.

 

"I will setup an appointment for you to get one as soon as it is possible. For now, let us see how this investment is going to work out."

 

With that, she marched herself to the cockpit to have Nimbus exit hyperspace so that they could board the Golden Link Casino.

[Emerald]

"Ya know, that was half-decent flying, Flame-top," Emerald remarked, sauntering into the cockpit of the Nebula's Glory. "Except for that part where you didn't even let me get a shot in."

 

The ship was hurtling through hyperspace, practically limping after the encounter with the Hapan fleet off of Harterra. The mission had been a success, albeit a messy one. In hindsight, making success contingent on the Hapans ignoring strangely behaving droids was probably not a great Plan A, but they had pulled it off nonetheless. And, for that matter, when had eliminating risk from their plans ever brought them a return worth having? Lachesism ran strong in the veins of the Blood Gems. These women, among whom Emerald was proud to count herself, had bucked societal expectations in favor of the company of rogues and scoundrels. But someday it would be nice to get away from a job like this without the ship looking like a piece of Alderaanian nerf cheese.

 

Settling into the copilot's seat, Emerald started running a systems analysis and showed an overplayed grimace at the results. "Looks like repairs are the next order of business, ladies. And the only place I know of to get parts and get the old girl fixed up while we try and sell off some of these mines is in Hutt space, if ya know what I mean."

[Judyc Viba]

Over his career, which was extremely long for a beroya, Judyc had built up an enormous number of contacts and assets, both people and machines, spread out across the galaxy, and Ab'ki had reinforced that network considerably. They searched news reports, camera footage, police frequencies. Right now, he had all of them looking for Mandalorians outside of the Sector, particularly ones matching the descriptions of ShadowFett and Mirdala Ad'Goran.

 

One of them made its way in. Something innocuous -- a report to the police that a Mandalorian in black armor had entered a grocery store in Coronet City. The cops had sent someone by to make sure nothing happened, but there was no incident, so the report was filed away and forgotten.

 

Judyc set his course for Corellia. He was back on the hunt.

[Sapphire]

Sapphire rolled her eyes. "Thanks so much," she said dryly. She rummaged under the dashboard and emerged with a bottle of Ilum whiskey. She opened it and took a swig. Her adrenaline was still running high. They had escaped, with their payload intact, had stuck it to the Hapan military, and had narrowly avoided being blown up. What she needed was a lot of alcohol. And maybe a "roll in the hay", but that would have to wait until they got to their destination.

 

After taking another swig of her drink, she felt fortified enough to look over the damage report. She winced. Her ship had taken a beating. Emerald was right--this was going to take some work, and that meant a fully stocked spaceport. "Nar Shaddaa it is then," she replied. The Hutt moon was a pirate's haven. The Blood Gems preferred to operate outside of Hutt Space, but every pirate and smuggler worth his weight in credits kept a safe house on the Smuggler's Moon.

 

Sapphire dropped them out of hyperspace, then punched in the new coordinates. Once they were in hyperspace again, she turned back to Emerald. "You thinking of selling our loot? I thought we were going to keep them for ourselves. Unless we got a lot?" She wasn't sure how many they had managed to grab.

 

Rising, she replaced the bottle and then left the cockpit, heading back to the cargo hold. "So Rube--how did we do?"

[darth reaver]

Reaver sat in the cockpitt of the 'Grey Kestrel', after so many years flying starfighters and shuttles the star yacht felt large and ungainly as he manipulated the controls. His eyes moved from gauge to gauge and from control to control as he attempted to perform the functions of the usual sized crew of three, the specs may have said that this ship had a minmum crew of one pilot, but flying it by himself the middle aged human wished he had at least one more arm as he reached anod stretched fror various controls, knobs and levers situated across the dashboard panel. He grimaced as he reflected that it would be a whole lot easier if he could still use the force, but ever since the Jedi attempted their ritual, his sense of the force was muted. He could still sense it and feel it all around him, but he could no longer consciously access it.

 

If it hadnt been for the incidents where he knew he had used the for ce purely on instinct, crude and uncontrolled as those incidents had been, he would have been in despair. Cutting off his force sensitivity, preventing him from ever using it again, in his opinion, his master and fellow padawan would have been kinder to kill him outright. He was determined to relearn the old skiils, and if the only way he could now access the force was through the darkside, then so be it, and they would regret what th8ey had done to him.

 

His mind went back to the Sith who had picked up the crippled remains of his fighter with his unconscious body inside it. They had refused to identify themselves, but they had recruited him and helped him choose a new name. Thay had also given him a destination, but not told him how to get their. A test they had said, was he truly worthy to join their order? Now he reflected back on the actions he had undertaken since they left him, including the aquisition of this yacht from its former owners.

 

Finally he was making his way to final destination, Korriban, a place he had only heard of in legends and stories. He gritted his teeth, in all the stories it was described as an evil place, home to nightmares and psychos. Definitely the last place he had ever wanted to visit, now it could be his last hope, his hand moved to the hyperspace lever, and unconciously taking a deep breath he reached ou and pulled the handle towards him, wathcing as the stars outode the cockpitt tunred to long streaks of light

[Sheog the Mad]

The Massive Hutt bid the droid pilot make best haste to Korriban, while settling down to the new feast. He glanced over to the sprawled Massassi, propped up unceremoniously beside the feasting table against a spread of silk pillows. The Hutt shrugged and glanced to the Seven who sat together in a huddled group. He pointed to the body, and the Sins grabbed it, bringing it towards the Forging Table. The great Hutt watched with disappointment as they slipped, dropping the hulking body into the cart of frozen desserts that a serving droid was wheeling towards the feasting table. He watched the spray of broken dishes, creams, and frozen dairy products showered Hayley and a new presence in the Force (Pryden). The Hutt laughed uproariously, reaching down to wipe away a spot of cream from Hayley’s scarred cheek with his oversized handkerchief

 

<<Well boy, seems Hayley brought you to me for approval. Before you two are wed, I must know…>>

 

The Hutt spread his meaty fingers out before him, letting a drip of oil fall to the shag carpeting

 

<<Do you want a Dowery? Because I don’t have the traditional thirty nerfs on hand…>>

[Karys Narat iv-Adas]

Karys did not remember the days prior to his return, save the fact he had been killed. Although he had been to Chaos before this time it was different...he was different, changed by the experience, corrupted even after such a violent and explosive death. So when he arose in the Force as a spirit the effect was rather noticeable by those of the arcane crafts, Sheog especially. At first it was a small difference, a flicker at most in the force, followed by what seemed a chill and cold wind. This would seem normal in the depth's of space if not for the fact this particular wind seemed almost to the trained ear to scream, barely imperceptible to the kids at least or the soon to be apprentice Pryden. Only Sheog would truly be aware of it. That and the cold was tainted with a aura of rage and anger would make one take notice if they focused enough.

 

This whispering 'wind' and screams of agony, soon subsided but was followed in the Force by a eruption of sorts. One that even Pryden would feel despite not knowing what it was. Not truly. Had a miraluka been present the display would have been akin to a firework display going off...as fiery orange and red erupted from the ground and out into the shape of a man as chaos itself spat Karys out. The massassi centered about the corpse, dazed and confused a bit. He tried to get his bearings, looking about he soon remembered the events that happened but found no emotion for his prior mistake. No pity or remorse, only disgust at his weakness and arrogance. Such feelings as arrogance and pride barely existed now, they had been wiped clear of his mind by the torture he had endured and the pain over the 3 days he had been dead. In Chaos 3 days was as a life age to the outside world, what was only minutes would seem like hours.

 

Soon enough he tried speaking to Sheog only to find he could not hear him. Or if he could was not listening, yet he was surprised to find he was in the presence of a Hutt. He hadn't met one before now let alone knew they could possess the force in such a way as he seemed to suggest, given his aura. Karys could feel the power emanating off him.

 

''Hello can you hear me?'' Dammit can't hear me, need to get his attention I think. Hmm what's this, kids. Now this could be fun...I think a prank is in order. One only the dark could love and maybe this Hutt. Strange that a Hutt can command such power though...interesting. I'll need to investigate how this is possible when I return...if I return. Maybe he might even explain it. Ha ha! Doubt it though, these masters never like to reveal their secrets, spoil sports. Now what to do to grab attention? Hmm.

 

Pacing about, the 'ghost' Karys thought on it before he went searching about the ship and kitchen. At least he can walk he thought, luckily the force and the darkness was feeling generous about that particular thing. And so he made use of it. He was bemused by the kids antics, kids being kids he supposed despite the fact they seemed mutated or something. Soon enough he followed one or two into the kitchen, and saw the mess they made the serving droids accident, sighing at the state of his body and where it may end up and the shouting of one of chef's for them to clear out while he was cooking. Karys did not intervene, but did observe. He wasn't entirely sure he could intervene even anyways.

 

Karys walked over to the oven just as the chef was about to cook some kind of meat. He wasn't sure what type, given he had no smell currently...however Karys saw an opportunity to get attention and make people take notice. Enough to alert the Hutt that something or someone was making trouble in his kitchen. Well enough to get attention anyways and maybe see about his proper return. If that didn't work it was to the traditional 'poke' and prod the guy until he noticed he fathomed, not that he held much faith in that. He wasn't certain but something about this Hutt seemed...different than the other sith he had encountered. That he possessed perhaps a gift that they did not, eitherway the Force told him something about the Hutt would help him and his predicament.

 

Soon enough frying pots and pans were clattering about the place like a hurricane as Karys found despite the fact he was a spirit, he could still manipulate objects to great effect. Each pan was soon floating about like some kind of ghost movie montage and making a right noise. Enough to perhaps garner attention from the other room if it hadn't already.This in turn hopefully would grant Karys a audience and the means to return. The 'sins' no doubt found the sight amusing as now some were looking on at the sight however it soon ended as the massassi spirit of Karys thought it had not done the trick as anticipated. So he headed back to where Sheog was hosting and practically poked him with a cold and raspy darkside tainted hand. He just hoped that did it or else he may be trapped as a eternal passenger to torment them for a while.

[Aira Cadan]

I had set our coordinates for Tython, but it wasn't meant for us to get there right away.

 

An hour into our hyperspace flight, we were jerked violently out of the tunnel. The engines whined. I leapt to my feet from where Apollo and I had been eating some bad flight food and ran to the cockpit. Red lights were flashing everywhere on the board. I groaned. "Looks like something got jarred in the violence back on the ship," I reported. "The rear stabilizers are blown, and the hyperdrive is leaking. There's no way we can make it to Tython without some serious repairs."

 

Apollo opened a panel and pulled at some wiring. "Where are we? I can try to override some systems to get some power back. We can maybe make a short jump or two."

 

I pulled up the charts. "Let's see...we're near Carida, but I'd rather not stop there if we can help it. The Imperials are part of the GA, but there is still a little bit of lingering bad blood there..." I continued to peruse the charts. "Actually, if we can get to Chandrila, that's only one jump further, and it'll bring us close to Tython. Think we can make it?"

 

He looked over the systems, then looked at the navicomputer. "I think you're right, we'll need to try. It might take us longer, but I think I can hold the ship together until we get there."

 

At his command, I set the jump and hit the lever. "I'm really glad you know your ships," I commented as we entered hyperspace once more.