Dathomir

[Qaela]

"Wait," Qaela said in a far softer voice than before. "You have come all this way to speak with the Nightsisters, surely you can wait a few more hours. Return with me to the camp, I will consult with the other Nightsisters and attempt to persuade them to give the Sith one single chance. After that, I will pack what few possessions I have and join you wherever you are going. I have almost nothing and certainly no way to get off this planet, and I want to see about getting my children."

[Darth Furion]

He stopped dead in his tracks, his mind racing a mile a minute. One moment she was angry, another almost meek. You wish to work with us yourself? After all some of my brothers have put you through? He asked, but felt he knew the question already. It was her children, now, that spurred her into action. At least, that is what she presented. Julio couldn't help but feel there was an alternative motive behind the decisions she faced. Earlier, when she just let go her opinions of the Sith Order, she felt almost...defeated, broken in some way in her complete openness. I'll find your children regardless of what your clan decides. I do not want you to feel you owe me anything. If you join us, you do so of your own free will.

[Qaela]

She scowled and said, "What I suffered at the hands of the Sith is precisely why I am the only one who I would allow to work with them. Any other of my Sisters that I sent would go into the Rancor's nest without any true idea what she would be facing. I at least know what is there and what to expect. Besides, the Sith only value strength, and none of the others here can match any of the Sith in raw power because of my. . . unique experiences. I won't be joining the Sith, not until and unless they seriously remold themselves, but I will work with you should the Sisters agree."

[Darth Furion]

So she was protecting her clan by offering herself up to the potential dangers she'd already been victim to. Admirable, certainly, if not somewhat brazen and self destructive. The girl had a strong will to push herself back into what she considered hellfire. Then by all means, lead the way. Julio stuck to his comfortable shield of formality as he turned pace and followed the sister's lead, Rose not far behind.

[Qaela]

Qaela led them back to the camp without a word. She was nervous about this, but kept as much of it to herself as possible. The other Nightsisters might reject the very notion of what she was wanting, or worse, they would find her too contaminated simply because she accepted the offer to work with a male. She could only hope that the promise of plenty of young girls and teens who were strong in the Force to replenish their ranks would be enough to dampen their indignation at negotiating with Master Furion. She would have to be careful when presenting what the Sith could do for them. If enough of the Sisters demanded that the Sith come here in force and destroy their foes, Qaela feared that it would only lead to fraction within their ranks. She hoped to scare them by mention that once the Sith came here, there was absolutely nothing to force them to actually leave except the word of a male whom they already wouldn't trust.

 

The other Sisters eyed the three of them as they approached the camp itself. She motioned for the two Sith to stay outside the camp under the watchful eye of several of the lesser Nightsisters and two of their rancors. She didn't care to place odds on who would win that fight, but it didn't matter to her. It took over an hour of debating and negotiating and threatening and haggling to convince a majority of the others to go with the offer. Plans were made, instructions were given to each of them, and they began to break camp.

 

Qaela gathered a few of her things, mostly belongings that were her mother's, but also all of Ca'Aran's things and weapons and the armor of any of his captains that had fallen. Teyati's slaves would take care of the rest and go to one of the several campsites that the dead hag had preferred and that Qaela was familiar with. Despite them taking the bulk of things, what she had was far more than she could carry herself, but she didn't need to. She managed to acquire one of the bull rancors as her mount. It wasn't as glorious as one of the larger females, but the bull was plenty capable of carrying what she needed as well as herself. She had always liked riding on the monstrous reptiles on the occasions she was able to do so. It felt so powerful to command such a mount.

 

She returned to the two Sith on foot with the rancor behind her. "The Nightsisters have agreed to a conditional alliance, but these are not all of them. The others are going to spread the word and find the consensus of the other Sisters while we are gone. I must return within two months or they will assume that I have been betrayed and will attack any Sith or Sith representative on sight."

 

She climbed up on the top of the rancor and looked down at the other two. "If you desire, the rancor can carry the two of you with ease."

[Darth Furion]

They waited patiently outside the camp, but Julio could feel the disturbance in the tents where the meeting took place. Emotions flared, voices were raise, but ultimately the Sister's words moved them. She offered them to ride a tamed rancor, but Julio declined, letting Rose take the seat behind the Nightsister while Julio would keep stride on foot. The run would do him good, and seeing the male have to stay grounded might make these women feel a little a little better about the awkwardness of his arrival. Opting to cut through the tight forest where the Rancor couldn't follow, Julio made it to the ship before they did. He prepped it for launch while they loaded her things.

 

Apologies, but I do not have the cargo space for a rancor.

[Qaela]

Before they left, Matala approached them with a girl that Qaela didn't recognize in tow. "Since you will be going out all alone into the very nest of the treacherous Sith, the other Sisters believed that it might be good for you to have some backup."

 

Qaela's eyes narrowed in wariness. "Who is this?" she asked.

 

The other woman shrugged, "We don't know. She came to us and wanted adventure. Her name is Raia.

 

It was an insult, but it was not one that she felt like fighting. This was just one more sacrifice to be made to the brutal Sith. She didn't really feel up to watching out for someone else, but there was little she could do. Perhaps watching out for the girl would help her heal the wounds of her recent past. This girl was no younger than she was when she first took her tentative steps into the greater Galaxy. Qaela only hoped that she didn't suffer the same things she herself did. She nodded her assent and motioned for the girl to climb up with her and Rose.

 

The trip to the Sith's ship didn't take nearly long enough for Qaela. She would have preferred to be riding for hours on end, but that was not to be. They arrived at the ship and she unloaded the nets full of armor that the rancor had been carrying wherever the Sith directed.

 

When Furion said he couldn't take the rancor, she nodded. "I was aware of such. It is for the best because I doubt you have enough food to feed him. My purpose for him is complete, he will return to the wild either to live out his life or be ensnared by another of my kind."

 

She was on his turf now, so she would do what she was told. If he had a cabin for her, all the better, but if not, she would sleep wherever there was flat space. She had been in far worse.

[Raia Montar]

Two galactic standard weeks ago...

 

Raia tried to keep her focus on the murky pot of water in front of her, but the Lyria's droning voice made it hard to keep up with the lesson. She already knew what the old bat was droning on about - how to craft healing elixirs. She'd watched her own mother prepare them enough that she knew when the right time to add each ingredient was and what not to mix. The fact that it was a nice day outside didn't help, and the cruelness of keeping her inside, chained to these boring lessons in a meaningless life, was beginning to eat away at her day by day. 

 

She knew that she wanted more than to simply repeat the never-ending cycle of monotony that was village life among the Force-wielding witches of Dathomir. Nothing even remotely interesting ever happened. Just the ever-constant cycle of wake, wash, chores, meal, lessons, meal, lessons, meditation, meal, and sleep repeating over and over with no real breaks that were driving her crazy. 

 

Something told her that there was much more to be learned outside the small static community, and since she was seven, she'd begun to venture further and further from the tiny group of witches. 

 

It was in the woods that she'd honed her hunting skills, at the insistence of her mother that she at least do something useful with her time in the forests. Raia had taken that to heart and not only was now excellent at  creating and laying traps, she'd also taken to practicing the rudimentary combat instruction provided by one of the male slaves in secret. She had the gift of magic, weapons were supposed to be beneath her as she was slated to become a healer like her mother. 

 

Raia was galled at the prospect of having her entire future decided without so much as an inquiry to her as to whether or not she wanted to follow that path. The woods held so much more, and the deeper she ventured the less she felt tied to the village. She was ready to see what was beyond a day's walk from her home. Something told her that she was meant for bigger and better things than to be a lowly healer in a village that had no shortage of them. 

 

"Raia!" Lyria rasped sharply. "Pay attention! How many times do I have to repeat that to you! The wrong component at the wrong moment can kill instead of heal!"

 

In response, Raia did sit up straightly, but instead presented her perfectly finished concoction to the instructor for inspection, then rose and left without waiting for the verdict she knew would come. 

 

The sounds of protest became muffled as she let the doorflap fall behind her as she stepped into the welcoming sunlight. It was time to see what was beyond a day's walk from this dull place. 

 

She crossed to the hut that she shared with her mother and gathered her knife, medicine bag, food, extra clothes, and a rolled hide for warmth. Her spears were hidden in the woods, waiting for her, and, without a word to anyone or even a look back to her home, she moved deeper into it's green refuge. 

----------

One galactic standard week ago...

 

Within a few days of being drawn by the smell of decay to the site where two larger forces had been embroiled in bloody battle, she'd managed to track one of the groups back to the camp of Nightsisters. She wasn't long inside their perimeter, when she was apprehended and brought before a representative of the Matron. 

 

With her belongings torn away from her she now sat, bound and kneeling, before one of the most fearsome dangers the forests had to offer. The Nightsisters weren't simply just tales to frighten young girls into behaving. They were a rare but deadly reality on Dathomir. She doubted they knew what to make of her, but at the very least, she was glad she hadn't been killed on sight. She knew that she was expected to be frightened, and to shy away from them. The fact that she hadn't resisted and that she didn't flinch now at the fearsome woman who could literally be the one that would decide life or death for her, must have been to her credit. She also had the sense not to speak unless she was addressed directly.

 

"What's your name whelp?" Matala demanded.

 

"Raia Selik," she responded, looking unblinking, but unchallengingly into the elder's eyes. 

 

"Business?"

 

"Don't know." Matala's hand connected with her face for the assumed smart comment. Raia just looked back up at her, silent. She'd given an honest answer, she really didn't know why she was here.

 

"Put her with the female slaves for now, maybe some hard work can get her to remember," the Nightsister waived her hand dismissively, then turned back for a moment, a wicked smile on her face. "And if she runs, or disobeys. Kill her."

----------

Present...

 

Just like that, she was back to routine tasks, only, this time, it was more like waiting on the other sisters in addition to her regular routine. She was smart enough not to complain because the taskmaster was quick with her punishment. The other slaves avoided her because she could use the magic, though not much. The other Nightsisters weren't about to train a potential rival outsider. She was quite alone. 

 

She didn't mind one bit, except the others kept trying to find ways to get her into trouble, and apparently the latest supposed infraction had landed her back in Matala's tent. Raia sat quietly waiting for the woman to appear, hearing heated exchanges from elsewhere inside the camp, only just managing to reign in her curiosity and stay rooted to where she'd been instructed to stand. 

 

It wasn't long before Matala came storming in angry about something Raia knew better than to ask about because the taskmasters weren't the only one with a zeal for punishment. As the old woman rounded on her, seeming to forget that the girl had been summoned in the first place, Raia actually felt a slight pang of fear as a sadistic smile crossed the old woman's face. 

 

The old woman reached out and grabbed her harshly by the arm, drug her through the camp and towards a retreating set of figures and a rancor, and practically flung her at them. "Since you will be going out all alone into the very nest of the treacherous Sith, the other Sisters believed that it might be good for you to have some backup."

 

The girl's eyes calmly moved to the woman on the rancor, watching her reaction. Matala was lying, there was no consultation of the other Sisters. Raia wondered if the other knew this as well. 

 

"Who is this?" the dark-haired woman retorted, clearly not happy with the development. 

 

Raia stayed put, conscious that this was some greater play of power between the two of them that had nothing to do with her, other than as an inconvenient pawn. She did glance at the young blond girl and even more briefly at the male accompanying them, mentally trying to figure out where they figured in this exchange, as Matala relayed her name to the other.  

 

It was then that the teen was able to place him as the male that had caused much gossip amongst the slaves and Sisters in the camp. One of the loathesome and dreaded Sith. 

 

At least that's what the general concensus had been. Raia dared to watch him out of the corner of her eye further and suddenly felt as though some larger pieces on some cosmic game board had shifted and she was finally in play. 

 

She almost missed the other's nod and calmly moved to obedience. 

 

The dark-haired girl remained silent as she climbed up behind Rose with graceful speed. While she wasn't quite sure where she was going or where this latest turn in her life was taking her, she wasn't scared or nervous. She wrapped her arms tightly around both the girl and the woman and watched as the trees whizzed by with the Sith apparently able to keep pace. 

 

It was amazing. If she could run like that, then there was no telling how much she could explore. 

 

It wasn't long before the four of them were at the Sith's ship, slid off the rancor and quietly waited for further instruction.

 

She didn't really like being at another's whim, but accepted the situation for the opportunities it presented. 

[Darth Furion]

I have one, yes. He said as the loading ramp descended. You'll have to share it with Rose, however.

 

He had never personally used the room. Honestly he hadn't had a full night's sleep in years, taking only a couple hours every now and then when he was utterly alone and supplementing the need with a couple hours meditation. As he passed the cabin a thoughtless passing of his hand made the door to raise, but he continued on toward the cockpit. Falling tactlessly into the pilot's seat he just sat there for a moment as the girls dropped their things off. Did he do everything right? Was this how it was supposed to go down? Apparently so, since this was what happened. That thought shook him from his stupor and he pulled the ship from the planet.

 

You can catch some sleep if you want. We'll be at Spite in a couple days.

 

When the last slivers of gravity finally let go of his ship, Julio kicked the hyperdrive into gear. The first of many broken jumps necessary to ensure protocol was followed. Had he taken the most direct path, they'd get there in a day and a half, but misdirection was always crucial to keep eager trackers at wits end.

[Onderin Starlisk]

A shuttle reverted from hyperspace. Its IFF marked it was belonging to the Jedi Order, and aboard were two Jedi... and one Nightsister.

 

Onderin was sitting in the pilot's seat, but his attention was on Qaela. He had only barely heard of the witches of Dathomir, and had certainly never been here, so he didn't really know what to expect. From what Qaela had told him, it sounded as though the witches weren't particularly technologically advanced, so there would be no planetary traffic control or patrolling ships. But what they lacked in technology they made up for with the Force. Entering this airspace wasn't necessarily safe, even without those modern measures.

 

The Jedi Master wasn't particularly worried, though he wanted to do things correctly. It was ultimately a diplomatic mission that he was on, and any significant breaches of etiquette could have an effect of the civility of the talks to come.

 

Presently he stretched out with the Force to get a sense of the planet and its inhabitants. There was something... primal down there. He didn't know what kind of predators Dathomir had, but the planet felt somewhat perilous to him. He could sense pockets of sentient life as well, and they almost uniformly had a remarkably strong Force presence. He wasn't sure why the Dathomiri had such a high rate of Force sensitivity, but his sense matched what he knew of their culture.

 

Now he looked back at Qaela, awaiting some direction.

[Qaela]

Home.

 

It was good to be back. It had been far too long since she was here and a lot had happened since then. For her children, it would be their first time here, but they would learn to call it home as she did.

 

Dathomir was a wild place, one where nature dominated. Women, the most cunning and strongest of the genders, ruled here as it should be. A brief smile graced Qaela's lips as she thought of how Starlisk and his pup would fare in this society without her guidance and protection.

 

This time, they would be among her people and she would have the power, not the Jedi. Until this point, he had always possessed the upper hand. She had bent her will and controlled her pride and instincts to accommodate him. It would be interesting to see how he accommodated her, or if he would at all.

 

Ads, she figured, would follow his master's lead, but he might have an independent streak within him if prodded that could prove amusing. She had felt him train enough to know that he wasn't weak, just untrained. Even though he was no Ar-Pharazon, he was at least as inherently strong as she now was and that meant he had potential.

 

Having been in this situation approaching Dathomir from space several times, she already knew where to look. Even without the Force, she could probably get them within a thousand square kilometers just from the contours of the coastlines and landmasses. She pulled up a hastily scanned holographic map of the planet and gave him some coordinates. That would get him going in the right direction. As they got closer, she would stretch out with the Force and find her Sisters. They would need to land ten or so kilometers away from the encampment, so it would be a good walk.

[Onderin Starlisk]

((Not sure if I should be waiting for Ads.))

 

Onderin followed Qaela's instruction and set the shuttle down about eleven klicks away from the community he could sense quite clearly in the Force. The sense he was getting from them was quite curious. Most of the settlements he had felt from orbit had given off a very neutral Force sense, not pure like a Jedi Temple nor dark like the Sith. But from here, he was getting a very different sense of the Nightsisters that sent a slight shiver up his spine. The dark side was with them, and it clouded his ability to get a better impression of what he would find.

 

The Witches of Dathomir were not dark siders, but the Nightsisters were, he decided. It helped to explain why they had come into conflict with a Jedi before and why the Sith were interested in them, as opposed to the rest of the world. Onderin hoped he could walk into the settlement, craft a peace treaty between the Jedi and Nightsisters, and walk away in good conscience. His traditional approach to evil was that it needed to be destroyed, and he had fought for many years against the Empire and their Sith lackeys. But in this case, the Nightsisters weren't an enemy before he had come, only a potential one. By limiting their exposure to the Sith, he might be able to avert future hostilities.

 

There were going to be some challenges, that much was certain. The Jedi could no more associate themselves with the Nightsisters as they could allow the Sith to do so.

 

Onderin stood up from the pilot's seat and lowered the shuttle's boarding ramp. "I'm ready when you are," he told Qaela. He just stopped to grab a ration bar. It had seemed forever since he last ate.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

((I was just about to post in case you were waiting for me.))

 

It always excited Ads to land on a new planet. Going to a planet full of Qaelas was different though. Ads dreaded any encounters he might have with them. Based on Qaela's actions there would be a wide gulf between the customs of the Jedi and the Nightsisters. He knew that Onderin wouldn't use him as bait to forge an alliance but Ads was still unsure of how the Nightsisters would want to use him. And of course it seemed likely that the Nightsisters would attack with vengeance at one faux pas. Not really Ads' idea of a great planet to visit. Ads ducked his head into the cockpit and looked to Onderin.

 

"Do you want me to come with you or to stay with the ship?"

[Qaela]

Though it wasn't exactly the way she would have wanted to return to her people, Qaela had no choice but to go out in her dress and with three infants in tow. Normally, she would change into her black lizard hide leathers and other features of life as a Nightsister, but those were still locked up in the ship she was forced to leave behind on Dubrillion. She wasn't too bothered, though. She might not be coming back attired as one of her own, but she did have Jedi and more strength and skills than any of her other Sisters.

 

There was one more thing to consider before they set out. She looked at Ads and could feel his hesitation. "Oh do come," she quipped. "It will be fun and full of enlightening experiences. I promise that no harm shall come to either of you as long as you follow instructions."

 

Her brown eyes fell upon Starlisk and a devious smile graced her lips. "Though, I don't believe it would be very wise to have two Jedi march into a Nightsister camp while armed. Might I suggest that things would go far more smoothly if you were to surrender your weapons to me, at least until we can establish that you are not a threat."

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin smiled at Ads. "You should come along," he said. "It should be a most... enlightening experience." Despite the somewhat ominous sense he was getting from the Force, the Jedi Master was quite determined that this mission would be a good thing. If nothing else, Ads could learn from being exposed to a culture so dramatically different from the ones they were both most comfortable around. They would just have to be cautious and continue to represent the Jedi ideals so that, perhaps, the Nightsisters would cease to see them as enemies.

 

He gave Qaela a frank look. "I think we should be holding onto our lightsabers," he answered. "We can conceal them if necessary, but hopefully your people won't attack us on sight when they see how you are accompanying us, whether we're armed or not."

 

Qaele he could trust as long as they were working toward the same purpose, but he certainly wasn't going to stand before a whole tribe of people like her--who had been raised to believe that the Jedi were their ultimate enemy, no less--without a way to defend himself. He had seen how easily she gave herself to spontaneous emotions, how quick she was to anger. She had been able to reign herself in, but he suspected that even against her best efforts, there was some danger involved with this trip. He suddenly hoped the fact that Ads hadn't gotten any formal lightsaber training wouldn't be an issue.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

((Sorry I took so long, for some reason the website kept logging me out immediately after I logged in.))

 

Qaela's suggestion concerned Ads. Of course it made sense to not anger the Nightsisters; no good could come from upsetting a society of Qaelas. Having to deal with that society would be irritating but Ads was relieved when Onderin recommended keeping the lightsabers. Ads realized that perhaps he wasn't quite ready to leave yet.

 

"Do you think that I should maybe leave behind some of my other weapons?" Ads asked, pulling out a concealed hold-out blaster as he spoke. He would obviously have to leave behind his holstered blaster. "Especially my knife. Would they like that or see it as a threat?"

[Qaela]

Qaela was more than a little hurt. The Jedi didn't trust her, after all she had done and not done. She had only herself to blame because she should have expected as much. Starlisk found it easy to trust her when he had all the power, but once he was in her element, that trust was as fleeting as mist on Mustafar. After all the seeming trust he had been courageous enough to show, now he decided to show her that it was all just a show. Her earlier suspicions attempted to resurface, but she shut them down before they could fully blossom. Maybe she was truly a fool to think that he had ever trusted her. Either way, after having her fate entirely within his hands for weeks, Starlisk had shown her that he couldn't reciprocate that trust even in something as small as this. It was a slap in the face of all the restraint and swallowed pride she had demonstrated during that time.

 

Her eyes narrowed and her face lost all traces of the playfulness that once touched it. "So be it," she said in a voice as cold as Hoth. "If you truly believe that a lightsaber will avail you should my Sisters attack, then keep it. You clearly do not trust me to keep my word, so maybe your Jedi weapons will give you the comfort you seek."

 

Without bothering to hide her disappointment, she set out with the hovering stroller that contained her children toward the encampment and the hunting party that was surely on their way. She reached out with a basic spell to let her Sisters know that one of them was approaching. Within this particular empathic greeting was a warning that they would recognize as her having come with neutrals. She wouldn't yet classify the Jedi as friends, but neither were they enemies to attack on sight.

 

At that point, she didn't care if the Jedi followed or what they brought with them. She was home and in her element, so she didn't need their permission to do anything anymore. Part of her almost wanted the Jedi to break their charade and attack her just so she could know how much of this entire trip was a setup. Reinforcements were on their way on the backs of rancors, so it would be an interesting delaying battle for her until they could arrive and tilt the balance of power in her favor.

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin could feel Qaela's disappointment radiating off of her in what seemed to be a very strong reaction to his cautiousness. She seemed to be having doubts about his intentions all of a sudden, despite everything that he had accomplished on her behalf in the last few weeks. It would be a tremendous shame if she now drifted away and what he had worked hard to teach her failed to stick only now.

 

"Look, Qaela, don't mistake this for a sign of mistrust," he said. "I believe you will do everything within your power to keep this from becoming a confrontation. We've come too far and stand to gain too much for anything less. However, you are asking me to walk blindly into a meeting with a completely unknown people--who are strong in the dark side, I might add, as well as predisposed to attack me on sight--with no means to defend myself." If they really viewed Jedi like Qaela seemed to--or at least did when they had met on Ilum--he wasn't sure he could let his guard down for a moment until they were off Dathomir again. The constant threat of one of the witches taking it upon herself to test a Jedi's strength or put an end to his perceived meddlings would be impossible to ignore.

 

And it was possible that a display of his strength, which he had not fully revealed even to Qaela, might be required to gain the respect he would need to succeed in these negotiations. He was not of the mind that power should be blindly followed, but he also knew that negotiations were best approached from the perspective of the opposite party. He would do whatever he needed to do, and he would trust in the Force to make the path clear.

 

"While we are here, I can do nothing but trust you. I wouldn't be here if I thought you were leading us into a trap. But I would be foolish not to plan a contingency in case factors beyond your control put me and my apprentice in danger."

[Ads-Gop Flif]

Qaela strode past Ads, clearly disappointed by what Onderin had said. It seemed like a reasonable decision to Ads, but Qaela wasn't always the most reasonable person. But Ads' appeared to have not been heard so Ads made the decision himself.

 

"I'll be right back; I'm going to go put these guys away," he announced as he stepped out of the cockpit. Upon reaching his pack, Ads removed the holsters for his blasters and set them next to the bag. Before picking it up, he also unclipped the rifles hanging on either side of the pack. Ads stuffed his lightsaber in the bottom section of the pack and left it open just enough that he could pull it out telekinetically. He made sure that his knife was secured on his left thigh before heading out to meet Onderin.

[Qaela]

So he was attempting to defend his actions after so long without doing so. Qaela found it darkly amusing, but it wasn't enough to edge out her anger and disappointment. She stopped and glared at the senior Jedi. It was good that Ads was going back into the ship and emptying himself of most of his weapons because a Nightsister would have shot him on sight. It would also mean he wouldn't be here to hear her response. "You fear coming to a planet of my people, yet you had no qualms of taking me to a planet of yours with naught but my ritual knife for protection. Did you see me balk at the notion of trusting that one of your Bothan friends wouldn't take my Force alignment personally and try to kill me?" Her voice dropped an octave. "No, Jedi Starlisk, it is quite clear to me. I trusted you, and not simply because I had to. I could have left on Bothawui and been in hiding before the mob formed. I could have betrayed you there and brought Sith to the planet. I could have led you into an ambush elsewhere or even slit your throat while you and your apprentice slept. Did I do any of those things? No."

 

She was fully angry at this point. Perhaps it was being so close to her Sisters and in a familiar environment, but the anger seemed much easier and purer than before and she had cause to use it. "I trusted that no matter the situation, you would keep your word and I would be safe, even as a mob bore down upon my and my children. I didn't lash out with the dark side and spill Bothan blood in rivers even though my every instinct told me to. I played by your rules, did what you told me to do, and trusted that you would be able to handle your people. Now when the situation is reversed, you do not show the same trust in me. I have not lied once nor done anything to cause you or yours harm since the first time you walked through the door of my cell. I have answered every question fully and without holding back and even opened up to you in ways I have done for no other. I did all that yet now you insult me and blatantly reveal that my trust was entirely one sided."

 

She shook her head in frustration and anger at this situation. She had been a fool to think that a Jedi could ever allow themselves to trust one of her kind. If they couldn't even trust her to protect them here, how would they ever be able to trust her to abide by whatever agreement they might make? Even more painful was the realization that no matter how hard she may try, Starlisk was never going to see her as more than just another dark sider. She wanted to find a way to protect her people, but she would not blindly give her trust to beings who refused to trust her with something as simple as leaving weapons behind. Even if he were to relent now, the damage was done.

 

With a frustrated wave of her hands, she said angrily, "Do what you will, Jedi. Come with me and attempt to salvage things or go back to be among those who follow your own path. I am home and you have fulfilled your part of our original bargain. I will leave you in peace because you returned my children to me, but do not expect me to stand on my own planet and be insulted."

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin very nearly rose to the bait, but rationality kicked in and he choked down the scalding response that came to mind--perhaps you'd like it back in your cell, separated from children cut off from the Force. The dark side was calling to him in this place. He could see how it was already affecting Qaela, feeding her anger. If both of them had kept a level head, this wouldn't be an issue. He wondered if she realized what was going on... and if she really wanted to raise her children in such a place. Surely she realized how destructive her tendencies had been in the past, how unstable she had been, and understood that her children would be the same way if they remained here. Apparently, it affected her so profoundly that this small disagreement was capable of undoing all his work to change her perspective on the Jedi.

 

Perhaps she could still see, and another chance would arise before they parted ways for reconciliation. He did not regret anything he had done or said, but hoped for restored standing for Qaela's own sake. Arguing here certainly wasn't doing any good, though.

 

And so he remained silent, merely gesturing for Ads to follow and setting out after Qaela toward the dark side haze that marked the Nightsister camp. As he walked, he quietly drew on the light side, filling himself up to hedge out the darkness around him, hoping he could keep a clear head and act passively in the negotiations to come.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

Ads followed a step behind Onderin, unsure of exactly what the plan was. Qaela was storming off ahead, leading them to a quite possibly hostile group while she was clearly not feeling particularly benevolent toward the Jedi. "Master," Ads piped up, "what exactly are we going to do? And what do we want?" Ads was quite concerned that divisions, even ones stemming only from a lack of a stated plan, could become apparent to the Nightsisters who would, for all he knew, pounce upon them like wild predators. Of course that was only if they were cunning enough to notice any such possible divisions.

[Arleigh Burke]

Shadows whispered from the pure darkness of the haunting dreams. Lightning crackled and sparked in a thick midsummer rain. The shadows bulged and grew to quick contrast in the shade of the lightning, drawing taught as they outlined the crooked branches of the foliage. The scene was definitely Dathomir. The Grey faced rock, soaked evenly, showed her face in its reflection. Red hair, clumped into messy braids, her face half caked in mud. When Arleigh's eyes locked with her reflection, she awoke with a start. She gasped for air, she was covered in sweat and her blankets were twisted around her legs as if she had been running full tilt while laying down. She groaned loadly and stumbled out of bed and onto the damp stone floor. She winced as the cold in the room filled her lungs and woke her fully.

 

The small stone built hut seemed much smaller now that there was only her living here. With a splash of water from the urn she quickly washed herself to rid herself of the sweat from her nightmare. AS she rubbed er arms she winced at the deep scratches that had not yet healed. Hunting was a dangerous art, especially now that she had to fend for herself. She clutched at the pendant given to her by her father and then at the scars across her face given to her by her mother. Arleigh forced a smile and forced the scar tissue to contract. Only a year now had that been done. She cursed as the pain from the still frayed nerves on her face reacted to her smile.

 

“Kriffing Hells” Arleigh groaned.

 

She punched into the carved stone wall and smiled as the pain and fresh blood coursed down her hand. She quickly bound her bleeding knuckles and collected some of the smoked rat meat that she had caught the last night. She retrieved three of the carcasses and looked to the corner.

 

“Wally, wake up buddy...”

 

Wit ha ferocious growl Wally awoke and strode over to her outsretched arm. He was the newborn descendant of Arleigh's mother's mount. As the mother had abandoned him Arleigh had taken him in. Most likely stemming from her own history with her Mother, Yqilitch. Arleigh, had taken pity and quite unlike most of the nightsisiters, was now raising something that most would deem unworthy.

 

Arleigh's mother had deemed her so after she had caught Arleigh crying next to her father's grave. Needless to say, Arleigh would never make that mistake again. She had not shed a tear in a year. Not even when her mother was slain during the last great battle against the Knights. The opposite in fact.

 

Arleigh deposited the three rats into Wally's mouth and sat down upon her bed. She was just about to give Wally a tongue thrashing for sleeping too late when there was a knock on the door. It was one of the Elder sisters of the clan and she looked angry.

 

“Apprentice Burke, Get up and dressed in your armour. The Sisters have sensed an arrival. Be in the square in no less than 5 minutes.” With a spi of a dark heel, the woman left.

 

Arleigh sprang into action and slipped on her leather boots and armour, complimented by the Black Sun emblazoned belt that she had scavenged from the ruins of the Black Sun forces. It was nice, metal, and bulky. Plenty of room for her knives. She ran full tilt to the square and took her position at the left flank of the greeting party. Wally squared up next to her in his red paint. With no sounds the group began to march up the trail. Arleigh clutched her spear and attempted to look as menacing as possible.

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin turned his attention to Ads as they walked. "The goal is to prevent the Nightsisters from becoming a potent enemy of the Jedi Order," he answered. "If they ally themselves with the Sith based only on the misconceived notion that the Jedi Order seeks to destroy them, then we will have gained a powerful adversary. We cannot yoke the Jedi Order to the Nightsisters, as we share no common direction, but I hope to forge an agreement, some sort of mutual peace, so we can avert hostilities that should never take place."

 

He shrugged. "What the actual terms will be, or how such peace will be enforced, will take some discussion." Not for the first time since resigning his commission--and, he suspected, not for the last time today--he wished he had someone like Rasil Talis with him. That man had been an excellent Ambassador and had, over a long career, slowly learn to understand the Admiral and his goals to the point where he could represent them even better than Onderin could himself. Onderin was no diplomat, but here he was trying to forge some sort of peace treaty on behalf of the Jedi Order.

 

Hopefully his experience with such things would overcome his sometimes frustrating inability to make himself clearly understood.

[Qaela]

Qaela noticed the Jedi following her and wasn't sure how to feel about it. She was definitely angry with Starlisk, but securing a peace agreement was still of value to her and her people. The camp had already sent out a group of Sisters to investigate. She could sense their dark presences as they approached.

 

Four kilometers from the camp, she could sense them forming an ambush party, just in case. It was an optimal location along the rim of a small clearing about fifty meters wide. They would be able to see whoever approached and, if they choose to attack, would have the benefit of cover while their prey was in the open. Two of them were mounted on rancors, but the rest were concealed in the trees. Qaela didn't fear them for they were her own clan and, more importantly, she was stronger than any of them. She had sacrificed a great deal to Ar-Pharazon to ensure that was true and had suffered even more at the hands of the Sith to develop that strength. The seven of them could easily overwhelm her, true, but probably not with Starlisk and the Jedi pup behind her.

 

She stopped in the middle of the clearing with the hover stroller and called out to those gathered. "I am Qaela of Clan Darksong, returning home with my heir and gifts for my Sister. With me are two Jedi, a master and a learner, who have come under my invitation and my protection. The master has saved the life of my daughter and therefore cannot be made mate or slave. They have come to conduct a council of war with us to determine if we might cast aside our fear of the Jedi and live in peace. If any of you wish to challenge my intentions, do so here and now."

 

She readied herself just in case, but it seemed that her presence and that of the Jedi behind her were enough to give them pause. Some of these would have witnessed her blind rage during the battle with Black Sun and were probably not eager to challenge her. There was a reason why they had decided to spare her life. She had the strengthened Force potential that they so desperately desired, as did her three children. Those three were the future of Nightsisters, the key that would allow them to finally produce undeniably stronger Sisters who could destroy the Witches. To attack her now would endanger them ruin that chance.

 

The two on rancors urged their mounts forward into the clearing. The two women were older than she was and held higher status among the Clan, but that would change soon. One of them looked disdainfully at the black dress she was wearing, and Qaela didn't blame her. The dress had become dirty and had a few snags from the journey through the wilderness. Qaela had hoped to spend some more time shopping for better clothing back on Bothawui, but the mob had cut that short leaving her with only this dress and the Jedi robe which she would not wear here for any reason.

 

"I see you, Qaela, and must question your sanity," the woman sneered.

 

"When outnumbered among an enemy, one adapts to be like them so that they might go unnoticed," replied Qaela evenly. "Even children know this, Nateth. This is the attire of the people of the Galaxy and with it, I am able to walk among them unseen and unheeded. When we return to camp, I will joyfully don the attire of our people."

 

"Perhaps," Nateth said. She eyed the Jedi with unbridled hostility, but made no move to attack. "You bring Jedi here, Sister. They could destroy us all."

 

Qaela shrugged and gave them all a wicked smile. "I do not fear them for I have faced those who make even the Jedi tremble. You need not fear them because they have given me their word not to cause harm unless attacked. Unlike us, the Jedi are bound by their own laws to abide by their word."

 

Nateth clearly wasn't entirely buying that, but she didn't dispute it. "Then come with us and we will hear their words." With that, she wheeled her rancor around and began leading them to the camp.

 

Without giving the Jedi a single look, Qaela followed her Sisters.

[Ads-Gop Flif]

Approaching Qaela, Ads was able to hear what she was saying to the hidden Nightsisters.

 

"I am Qaela of Clan Darksong, returning home with my heir and gifts for my Sister. With me are two Jedi, a master and a learner, who have come under my invitation and my protection. The master has saved the life of my daughter and therefore cannot be made mate or slave."

 

Ads gave a feeble "me too," before Qaela continued speaking. Two hideous beasts, each ridden by a woman, approached. Ads made himself ready to pull out his lightsaber at a moment's notice. The Nightsisters clearly did not come in peace and Ads did not want to be caught off-guard. Ads looked around, sensing several other dark presences in the vicinity. He remained alert even after it was decided that they would head back to their camp. Ads couldn't trust a group of untamed Qaelas. He turned to Onderin.

 

"Are you sure this is a good idea, Master?"

[Arleigh Burke]

Free men were odd creatures, Arleigh decided. Her father had been one, the glimpse of his memory caused her to clutch the pendant again as they rounded the corner in formation. There were two men, one hideously old and the other several...she looked at him again, maybe more years older than herself. Then there was Qaela, Arleigh's mother had cursed her name and fought actively against her. So in Arleigh's book, this woman was a hero.

 

Arleigh inclined her head admiringly as Qaela glanced across her. As she was the lowest rank of sister, there was no reason to expect anything more. Arleigh's green eyes lingered over the young man again as Qaela explained their presence. They were Jedi.

 

Jedi- the word came screaming back at her in her mother's hideous voice. Jedi filth, they seek to destroy our way of life, our customs... Her mother would disapprove. Which made it perfect. She grinned at the young man as he glanced across their female ranks. She made sure that her young rancor was in check as she fell behind the senior sisters. Angling herself so that she would be beside the young man.

[Onderin Starlisk]

Onderin raised his eyebrows when the Nightsisters approached, some of them on rancors! That explained the somewhat dangerous, primal undertone he had gotten from Dathomir as a whole. Rancors were apex predators, but in order for the ecosystem to sustain them, it had to say something about the rest of the beasts native here as well. He wondered briefly if they originally hailed from Dathomir or if they had been introduced here, since he had heard of them living in the wild on other planets such as Lehon. Dathomir's isolated nature might indeed mean they were here first.

 

The Jedi Master listened quietly as Qaela exchanged words with the Nightsister greeting party. He was apparently very relaxed, listening with interest instead of searching for signs of deceit or danger. When they started moving again, he glanced at Ads. "Trust in the Force, Ads," he said quietly so that the assembled witches wouldn't overhear. "It is fear that has driven the Nightsisters' hate for Jedi. They would not risk attacking until they knew what they faced, and by then I hope to make our intentions clear."

 

Meanwhile, Onderin maintained his strong connection to the Force, feeling it flow through him even as he walked. He was using it to help keep a clear mind in this place of darkness, but he also knew it would make him stand out in the Force. Perhaps it would make an impression upon the Nightsisters who observed him and affect their first impressions. The light side was not oppressive and chaotic like the dark side energies that swirled through them--it was pure and serene.

[Qaela]

Qaela was on alert as soon as they encountered the Nightsisters. Even if they were of her own clan and even if it was fairly rare for Nightsisters to actually kill each other in fights of dominance, she wouldn't put it entirely past one of these women to strike out at either her or the Jedi. Until her authority and power were firmly established, she would be cautious. Her claim of protection for the Jedi was not an empty one. If it came to a fight between her Sisters and the Jedi, she would protect the Jedi as she had pledged no matter how distasteful. As angry as she might be at them, Starlisk did return her children to her and that was a debt not easily balanced.

 

They were mostly silent along the way back. The Sisters sent two of their number back to follow a hundred meters behind the Jedi while the rest stayed in front of them. One women ran forward to report back to the camp. As they neared the camp, Qaela could sense that the rest of the women were alert and ready. The Sisters had assembled in full battle regalia, ready to link together for defensive spells should such a thing be needed. The male slaves of appropriate age had been armed as well and the rest were sent to secure locations away from the camp.

 

The itself wasn't large. There were no more than two dozen Sisters living here with an additional two or three hundred slaves. The battle with Black Sun had cut back their numbers drastically. The entire place was designed to be broken down and transported within a few hours notice, so there were no permanent structures to be seen. After seeing the grand cities and planets of the Galaxy made of rigid metal and glass, Qaela was glad to be back among familiar sights. For a moment, she almost wondered what the Jedi thought, but decided that she didn't care. Much.

 

When they reached the edge of the clearing around the village, Qaela stopped and looked at the Jedi for the first time since setting out from their ship. She felt it only right to give them one final warning before it was too late. The light belonged among the dark even less than the dark could tread among the light. Within this camp, the Sisters would be harsh and unforgiving, no less than she would be.

 

Her voice was absent warmth or levity. "Regardless what you may personally think, as soon as you enter this clearing, you are in Nightsister control. Your ways and laws mean nothing here, only our ways and laws. Starlisk, you are afforded some freedom because you saved my children, but Ads, it would not be wise to wander far from him until I say it is acceptable. Both of you should do as I say without hesitation or I will not be responsible for what happens." She gave Starlisk a cold look. "You must decide whether you trust that what I tell you to do is in your best interest or not. If you do not trust me, then turn around and leave this place at once. If you enter this place, there is no going back. If you question me here in front of the others, you will weaken my standing here. If you weaken my standing and hamper my plans, you won't need to worry about the other Sisters harming you, I will do it myself."

[Ads-Gop Flif]

The Nightsister camp appeared to be a relic from tens of thousands of years prior. They clearly were no threat to the Galaxy at large, but if they joined the Sith, another group might join and another and another and another. It could be the domino that starts a massive change in the region. At Qaela's warning, Ads took a step closer to Onderin. They would likely be opposed by a tribe full of dark witches, but their abilities were unbridled and primitive. At least Ads hoped they were. He hoped that there would be no altercation but he also hoped that they would have the advantage if one did arise. Or at least that they wouldn't be at so great of a disadvantage that they wouldn't be able to escape. At least Qaela was promising to protect them and do what she could for them. Of course she was also threatening to attack them but at least that was something under the control of the Jedi. Ads made up his mind to stay quiet and close to Onderin. Just to be on the safe side, Ads surveyed the camp for an escape route. He slowly started to pull the Force in near to himself, slowly stepping into the Flow like earlier. He didn't want to be too lost in the Force but he did want to be as un-noteworthy as possible to the Nightsisters. He felt ready for anything.