One Hell of a CONVOLUTED COMBO
IC: Voidwalker, Voxyn, Samael, Apollo, Brooke, Keldro, Catalyst, Eva, and Arach
The Tsushima
Once again the Cursed Champion had to leave his family, once again he'd have to watch them go on without him. Kain was gone, but his mission to protect the galaxy still lived. He knew that he had to get the followers of Kain to join him so that they could decide on what their next move would be. He had to contact every one and convince them somehow to trust in him, he would have to get Apollo to safety. But first, he had to find a way off of this ship.
If he was going to get off the Tsushima, he'd need help, and luckily he had at least one ally on board. He pulled his commlink and opened a channel to Voxyn. "
Voxyn, this is Voidwalker. Do you copy? What's your status?"
"
I copy. Where were you Voidwalker? I lost sight of you after that creature burst through the wall back in the flight lounge." Voxyns' voice sounded over the commlink in response.
"
I was being chased by a demon. But we have bigger problems right now, Kain's dead. Which means that nothing is holding the Father of Shadows or his forces back. We need to regroup, where are you?"
"
KAIN'S WHAT?!" Voxyn shouted over the intercom, the shock of what he was just told getting the better of him. "
Nevermind, you can fill me in face to face. I'm in the med bay of Lady Kolasi's ship. King Avery has allowed me to put my sister in their bacta tank."
Voxyn's answer was surprising, he'd just left from where Voxyn was and he had no idea. Was he so exhausted that he couldn't even pick up on Voxyn's Force signature, or was the shock of Kain's sudden disappearance and the Force screaming out the cause? Either way, he had to act quickly and keep moving forward.
"
I just saw Avery in the hangar. Arach is returning with them back to Onderon. It's safe to say that you'll be joining them. I have to follow up on some things before I can return. But first I'll need to find a way off of this ship."
"
If it's that important then I can provide that. My sister's ship is here. It's a Providence Dreadnought so it isn't exactly discreet but it's well-armed and fast enough to get you wherever you need to go. I can contact her ship's crew and have them send a shuttle to pick you up and get you to them."
"
That seems like the best course of action. I'll return the ship in a few days. Contact them and send them on their way."
Finding a way off the Tsushima was a relief, now he could carry on and focus on the next part of his plan. "
Like I said, Arach is also on Kolasi's ship, try to get in contact with her. You and your sister are both welcome to return with her to our home for the time. Be ready Voxyn, I'm counting on you."
"
Very well, I'll meet you on Onderon.." There was a pause in the communication for just a moment. "
And if you owe me you can pay me back by teaching me how you do that demonic transformation of yours when you get back." With that Voxyn ended the transmission.
After a short brief amount of time, a small shuttle docked within the hangar of the Tsushima to retrieve the Cursed Champion. Voxyn had obviously come through on his word. Wasting no time, Voidwalker boarded the small craft and they departed to the flagship of Lady Vitani, The Iridescent Spear.
Upon arriving onboard the Iridescent Spear, Voidwalker had instructed one of the many droids about to lead him to the bridge. As he walked upon the bridge, he commanded another droid to open a line of communication, he just had to decide on who to contact first.
His black boots darkened the chrome shine of the Iridescent Spear's floor as he stood firm, a determined look upon the face of the dark figure that now loomed over the command of the ship. Even though his body was exhausted and his Force reserves were all but gone, the Cursed Champion still held his composure. He wasn't here to impress the droids or the living personnel that kept the ship running, he did it for himself. If he could hold himself together then he could continue on with whatever would come next.
With the line of communication being opened, Voidwalker contacted none other than the Lightbringer himself, Samael. He was accompanying Kain to Tython, and with Kain and the Jedi Grand Master both showing up together at the Howling Hawkbat, Samael was his best chance to find out where Apollo was.
"
Samael, this is Voidwalker. Do you copy?"
Samael sat before the flaming throne, contemplating what he needed to do next. Should he continue to instill control over the planet? Or was what he just did enough for now? Maybe working slowly at securing everything for God’s Avatar was enough for now. Should he contact the Avatar’s allies?
Just as he began to consider that last option, his holocom began to chirp, alerting him to an incoming call. He sighed, expecting the call to be coming from his Temple, he didn’t have time for that right now. But it wasn’t. It was the self-proclaimed Cursed Champion who refused to believe there was anything good about himself, even though he had unknowingly shown his good heart to the Deveronian.
As the blue hologram of Voidwalker appeared, Samael gave a kind smile. “
Perfect timing. I’ve just secured the Citadel for the moment. I don’t know what happened to Kain, but there is something wrong in the Force. It feels just as Dark, if not worse than it was back then. I could do with some advice on what to do next.”
The swaying tone of Samael was concerning, though the sight of his usual smile and lightheartedness was a nice relief at first. Voidwalker had to decide whether to tell Samael the dark truth about Kain's demise or to hold that information back. Knowing how much Samael revered Kain as an avatar of God, Voidwalker decided to hold back the details. "
You've done the right thing Samael, keeping everyone safe is the top priority."
As far as what advice to give the young man, that was a more difficult task. He needed to know where his next course of action would take him too. "
If you're back on Hastur, I can only assume your and Kain's trip to Tython was a success. Before I can give you any advice, I need to know something first. Tell me, do you have Apollo there at the Citadel?"
"
Apollo is safe under the care of some of the Avatar's old friends. They are here. I've instructed them to stay in the Citadel for at least a few days while I make sure things are safe for a departure if they want to leave. Brooke seems to care the most for him and his safety. I will let her decide the best course of action for him. But until I can guarantee safe passage, I have requested that they stay within the safety of the walls of the Citadel."
"
I'm glad to hear that Apollo is safe within the Citadel, though I don't know who this Brooke is, but if she's keeping the boy safe then that's good enough for me. The other friends that you mentioned are an unseen event, just keep everything under control as best you can. I'm on my way to the citadel. Once I get there, we can discuss our next course of action. My advice to you Samael, remember your training and trust in your allies and your own abilities. I'll be there shortly."
With nothing left to say, the line of communication closed, and Voidwalker knew for certain where he needed to head. "
Head to these coordinates, and don't delay." He commanded to the droid crew that was overseeing the navigation charts.
The droids were as quick as they were efficient in inputting the coordinates that had been provided to them. Once their navigation had been charted, no time was wasted in making the jump to hyperspace. It would take them some time to make the journey, but they were on their way, leaving the site of the Tsushima in a flash as the stars themselves seemed to elongate and colors swirled around them.
Citadel of Fire, Hastur
Two days later
The hull of the Iridescent Spear swayed and shuttered silently like a leaf caught in a gentle summer breeze as the elongated colors of hyperspace retracted, giving views back to the stars and vacuum of space. Two days had already passed since leaving the Tsushima, two days already too long. The current acting captain, clad in black, stood as a dark star in contrast to the lights and chrome of the bridge. The dreaded one, who'd inherited this war, now loomed over Hastur as the crew made preparations to descend planetside.
"
Sir, we're ready to depart for the planet on your orders," a droid informed him as it approached.
"
Good. I do not require an escort; I only need a droid pilot for the transport. Maintain orbit until I return," was the only command he gave as Voidwalker departed the bridge to head for the hangar.
By the time he had made his way to the transport shuttle in the hangar, a lone droid sitting in the pilot seat was waiting. It was the same one that had retrieved him from the Tsushima. After giving the command, the small shuttle's engine fired up, and they made their way to the hangar of Kain's citadel.
After only a few minutes, they touched down. Out of the viewport, it was easy to see that another ship had arrived since Voidwalker left. Also, there was evidence of something else that had seemed to happen. It appeared that a small explosion had gone off. It concerned Voidwalker. Even if Samael had caused an accidental blast, why in the hangar? Or had something else happened that Samael didn't mention? Either way, he would get answers soon enough. The engines powered down, and the door opened. Voidwalker stood from his seat and made his way to the exit. "
Be ready to leave as soon as I return." He said over his shoulder.
The pilot responded with a basic response, "
Roger Roger."
After exiting the ship, it was obvious that besides the explosion evidence in the hangar, everything seemed to be just as it had been before he'd left. The Hasturians still stood guard or made their rounds. None of them gave any second look as he made way for the throne room. It was almost eerie that there hadn't been any sign of these so-called
friends of Kain's. It only doubled his resolve to find Samael and Apollo, and to get moving.
Entering the throne room, Voidwalker was still taken aback to find it empty. Kain's throne sat cold with him now gone, and Samael was nowhere to be seen. He pulled him out his comm unit to contact the Lightbringer, "
Samael, this is Voidwalker. I'm in the throne room. I need you to meet me here immediately."
Samael was on the other side of the Citadel, taking care of some minor inconveniences when a guard informed him that a shuttle was getting ready to land in the hangar. Though he rushed to meet whoever was coming in, it seemed he was too late to get there as all he found was a new shuttle and a pilot droid. Who showed up? Why didn’t the guards stop them from continuing into the Citadel? Where were they now? All these questions were answered when Samael’s holocom went off.
“
It seems I just missed you. I’ll be there in a moment.” Samael ended the communication with a sigh of relief. It was Voidwalker. Finally. With that, he quickly moved to the Throne Room to meet the Champion.
Voidwalker stood, eyes fixated on the vacant throne, lost in his thoughts. It hadn't taken long from his brief conversation with Samael until he heard the doors of the throne room open. As he approached, the familiar warm aura and glow of Samael's flames washed over the room. Voidwalker turned to face Samael and greeted him, forcing a look of certainty and one that didn't reveal the absolute doubt and despair that swirled within like a maelstrom.
"
Samael, thank you for getting here so quickly. I'm sure you felt it and realized that Kain is gone. Even with him gone that doesn't mean that our mission is done. It simply means that we have to make sure this war is brought to an end, we just need more time. Where is Apollo?"
As Samael entered, he took a couple of deep breaths as Voidwalker spoke to him. “
Apollo is with Brooke. Hopefully up in his quarters. She is apparently an old friend of Kain’s. She was taking care of Apollo at the Jedi Temple.” Samael’s breathing steadied now. “
While we were there, there was an attack, like the one on Korriban, except the zombies were coming out of reflective surfaces instead of ships. We had to act quickly, so we brought them both through a portal back here. Since she was already looking after him before, and the child trusts her, I asked her to continue watching out for him after he disappeared,” He paused for a moment to make a note of Kain’s disappearance, “
but to remain in the Citadel. Do you know any more of what happened to him? I feel guilty that I haven’t had the chance to look more into it. I’ve been too focused on keeping things together here.”
"
I know who is responsible for Kain's disappearance," Voidwalker's tone and expression grew dark as he thought back to the sight of Kain being stabbed. "
I swear to you, if he hasn't been killed already, he will die. He will BURN!"
His emotions had gotten the better of him as his words moved justly past his lips. Voidwalker took a deep breath to try and regain his composure before continuing. "
You said that Apollo and Brooke had come with Kain and yourself through a portal. Then whose ship is that in the hangar? Also, there's debris and evidence of an explosion. What happened?"
Samael was caught off guard by Voidwalker’s response. He didn’t realize the man might have already followed the true faith in Fire. It wasn’t a subject he had broached yet, not wanting to cause problems while working together under the Avatar of God. But it felt right just hearing it.
All enemies of God will BURN!
“
To go in order of events that happened, the debris came first. A Jedi from Tython, Keldro, came to ensure that Apollo and Brooke were safe. I was sent with Brooke and Apollo to greet him. That’s where things went wrong. The Jedi got out of his ship, and his droid apparently malfunctioned and blew up the ship. He was caught in the blast and was badly burned, barely surviving, while the shockwave itself must have hit Brooke and me. Thankfully, Apollo wasn’t harmed. I got the Jedi to the med bay for healing immediately, and Lord Kain sent Brooke with his son to the med bay as well to get him checked out, just in case. And that was what happened with the explosion and debris.” He recounted it all to the best of his abilities, leaving out the fact he had somehow, in that event, been gifted another lightsaber by the Force.
“
After all that happened, Lord Kain and I had a small discussion on the different sides of the Force while we waited for even more guests that were set to come according to him. Old friends of both his and Brooke’s apparently. He described them to me, but I couldn’t really keep it straight. Honestly, I just remember their names and that he told me to be careful with summoning God around them. Something about them probably not being able to handle the heat. Their droid is D-3PO, and the other two are called Zo and Kwin. I haven’t had much interaction with them other than the initial greeting, as that was when he disappeared and I knew I had to make sure the Citadel remained safe. I informed them all to stay in the Citadel for a few days while I made sure things were safe. After addressing the Guard Lieutenants, was when you called. And I have been focusing on the Citadel since then. I haven’t had much sleep since then, that Dark feeling has been bringing nothing but nightmares from the war. Keeping busy is the only thing that seems to be helping for now.”
"
The war left many of us with dark feelings and nightmares." Voidwalker tried to offer some guidance to Samael, but he also decided to provide him with some reassurance. "
You've done a good job at keeping everyone safe. Now we need to continue to do just that and try to get everyone to safety. With Kain gone, it's not hard to think that his enemies might come here. We should relocate everyone, especially Apollo."
Voidwalker looked to the ground for a moment, feeling like he'd let others down moving over him. "
Truthfully I don't know Apollo basically at all. Before the chaos that was Denova, I hadn't seen his sister, Eva, in years." He looked back up to Samael, with a look of determination on his face. "
But I'll do everything in my power to keep him safe, and the others for that matter. Samael, if you would, I'd like to speak with Apollo and the others that you spoke of. Please, go and bring them all back here."
Samael was internally cursing how vast the Citadel was. “
Sure, I could. Or, you could come with me, and meet him where he feels more comfortable, in a place he knows better.” Samael counteroffered, shamelessly hoping to save himself a return trip so soon.
Voidwalker's annoyed look hid none of the annoyance in his voice. "
I'd rather speak to everyone at one time. But you know them better than I do, so lead the way."
Samael hid a sly smile as he was relieved he didn’t have to go any farther than he had to now. In reality, he didn’t know what Apollo would be comfortable with, having been trying to keep his distance, but it was a reasonable guess as people are more comfortable in places they know better.
Samael led the way to Apollo’s room within the Citadel, stopping outside the door. There were muffled sounds behind the door; hopefully, that meant everyone was there. He knocked on the door to announce his presence, stating that he was there with another acquaintance of his Father and Sister who would like to meet with him.
Brooke stared down the new figure from the other side of the closed door. The man was powerful, not so much as Kain, but it was still nearly overwhelming for her sight to behold. She couldn't glean much more than that from him, though. T1-FA had told her the man's name was Voidwalker, and that he was an old friend of Kain's. Brooke knew what that meant, and his Force aura more than confirmed her suspicion.
Sith.
Samael was at least with him. The Devaronian had taken surprisingly good care of them since Kain's disappearance. Then again, Brooke sensed little malice in him. Devotion, passion, idealism, but no intent to cause direct harm. It was oddly comforting, though her unease was still apparent whenever she spoke to him. Today, she took that as a sign of comfort. Familiarity in a series of unknowns.
The door opened before her, and she stared ahead through the leather strap over her eye sockets. "
Hello, Samael," she spoke softly, keeping a close guard on her emotions. She had been working on breaking the shell of shy detachment that had been built up her whole life, but it was still a challenge around new people. Her eyeless gaze settled on Voidwalker, staring through him. "
Hello, friend of Kain."
Keldro, too, had felt the innate dark side pull as two new arrivals approached Apollo's room. His eyes first settled on Samael, a warm sense of camaraderie spreading through him. Keldro had heard that Samael had been quick to action in helping Keldro get the medical attention that likely saved his life. Keldro opened his mouth, ready to voice the sincere thanks that sprang to mind when he heard Brooke acknowledge the second of the two visitors.
Hulking and brutish, he certainly made a man feel small.
“
You. What in the Force are you doing here?” Keldro uttered, surprising even himself at how level and calm his voice was. Brooke had beaten him to the door; there was no way he could get between them without appearing hostile.
Samael was confused at why Keldro seemed to have a problem with him being there but stepped through the door regardless and got lower to Apollo’s level. “
Apollo, this is Lord Voidwalker. He is a very honorable man. He has known your Father much longer than I have and has mentioned he knows your sister as well. He asked to meet you. I hope that’s okay with you,” Samael said, trying to give a kind smile. That dark feeling was still in the back of his mind, making it harder to truly feel happy for now.
Multiple people were already speaking before Voidwalker could even step through the door. To him, about him, it seemed all attention and eyes now laid upon him. He could sense feelings of distrust, suspicion, and a slight resentment coming from those in the room. There was nothing to do but respond to all of them as one unit.
"
Hello to you, fellow friend of Kain," Voidwalker addressed the covered-eyed woman, trying his best to convey a feeling of genuinely pleasant to meet her. Noticing that she was present with Apollo, Voidwalker assumed that this was the girl that Samael had spoken of. "
Brooke, I presume?"
He then turned his attention to the stockier man, who seemed aggressive in his introduction. "
Apologies, but do I know you?" he asked as he had to get a good look at the man before realizing who he might have been.
"
Wait, I do believe I remember you now that I look at you. Aren't you the Padawan that was with Master Sho Temm on Denova?" Voidwalker asked as he tried to place the pieces of the puzzle together in his memory. Then, a look of sadness crept across his face as his tone lowered to a sound that almost seemed remorseful, "
It's a shame what happened to him."
Remembering that he had a mission to complete, and the entire reason he'd returned to Hastur, Voidwalker turned his attention to the true heir of the stars, Apollo. Voidwalker reminded himself that Apollo was around Scarlett's age, and he'd have to speak to him the same way he would his own child. His face looked more light and kind-hearted, and he spoke gently. He knelt down as he spoke. "
Hello, Apollo, my name is Voidwalker. It's nice to meet you. As Samael said, I'm a friend of your dad's. I remember when Eva was about your age. She's really grown up, and you've gotten pretty big yourself. You know, I have a little girl myself that's about your age. Her name's Scarlett. I'm sure she'd like to meet you, too. I need to talk with Brooke, but I'd like to talk with you again if that's okay."
Keldro eyed
Voidwalker as he called himself. There was no need to escalate things by indignantly correcting him on Keldro’s rank. Besides, he seemed passive enough for the moment.
Still, the Jedi Knight kept his eye on the behemoth as he addressed the boy.
What had he meant by his comment, had something befallen Sho? What about Master Cal? Had that been why Grandmaster Durron had so quickly departed the Temple?
Brooke watched carefully as Voidwalker knelt down to speak to Apollo on the boy's level. His words were gentle, and it was apparent that this wasn't his first time interacting with a child. He mentioned his own daughter at home, and Brooke wondered just how many Sith there were being caring parents while also being bloodthirsty killers. The mental gymnastics caused her to second guess the nature of what it meant to be a Sith in the first place.
She was lost in thought when Voidwalker mentioned her name. For some reason, a shiver ran up her spine. He wanted to talk to her? Why? What did he want? Her discomfort wasn't wholly unnoticed, as Zo also seemed to key into it. The Corellian pilot stepped forward, addressing Voidwalker coldly. "
What do you want with Brooke?" She spoke with the air of a protective parent, even though she knew if it came to blows, the large man would have no problem killing her quickly if he wanted.
The woman who unexpectedly spoke up came off as brash, yet it seemed to come from a place of caring and protection towards Brooke. Voidwalker couldn't help but grin slightly; was this how he sounded at times? Rising to stand back up fully, Voidwalker turned his attention to the woman who spoke. "
I assure you that I don't mean Brooke or anyone else here any sort of harm. I simply wish to discuss a matter of great importance. If you'd like, you're more than welcome to be a part of this conversation. I have no secrets to hide from anyone."
Brooke stepped forward, placing a hand on Zo's arm to reassure her. This was a safe place, at least at the moment. All who gathered here were friends and allies of Kain in some respect. "
Please, speak freely Voidwalker," the name danced from her lips. It was an uncomfortable sensation, but in the presence of strangers, Brooke could do little to avoid it. The fact that he had sought her attention specifically made her curious more than anything.
His flesh was peeling from his bones. The eyes melted, forming and reforming into sludge that trickled down his cheeks like bloody tears. His rage was sustaining him momentarily. But thoughts of his family tore through his shattering mind like a blade, fracturing his resolve further and further until nothing was left. Even the bones were soon gone, rotted with millions of years of entropy in the span of agonizing minutes.
Apollo tried to smile as these visions bombarded his thoughts, to ignore them. These waking nightmares had been haunting him for days now, and without his father here to quell them, there was no end in sight to them. They weren’t real. They couldn’t be. All he could do to convince himself was to ignore the sight of all melting into nothing, to try and pay attention to their inane conversations, and act as if they could lead themselves toward some better, less gruesome fate.
"
Thank you, Brooke." His words were kind, yet the look on his face changed, showing a more serious side of himself. "
There is a great danger coming. A force of darkness that's more dangerous than any Sith. Any of you that have any connection to the Force, I'm sure you felt it screaming out two days ago. If you do not believe me, you can ask Samael or the Jedi there." He gestured towards Samael.
"
The truth is, Kain was holding the enemy back, and now he's gone. Nothing is holding this evil back from spreading across our galaxy. Kain's goal was to stop this enemy and keep everyone safe. With him now gone, I wish to do exactly that. For those of you that remember the war that the galaxy found itself in a decade ago, that was tough, but that'll look like nothing compared to the destruction this enemy plans to bring." Voidwalker realized that while his words seemed harsh, he knew he spoke the truth with no hint of deception.
"
Kain wanted the various factions of the galaxy to come together and unite as one against this coming enemy. Getting everyone to agree is a difficult task, but not an impossible one." Voidwalker looked down towards Apollo as he continued. "
Kain wanted to make sure that his son and everyone he cared about were safe. With Kain now gone, it's hard to tell who all knows about this place. Anyone could show up at any time. That is why I returned to the Citadel to ensure no enemy had arrived."
Turning his attention back to Brooke, "
To put it simply, I wish to ask you and Apollo, and the rest of you for that matter to come with me."
“
To go where?” asked the boy. He cared not that all eyes fell on him now. He sensed the evil Voidwalker now spoke of like some odd oracle. “
There’s nowhere in the galaxy safe from them.”
Apollo's question was valid: where would they all go? He could take them to Onderon, but was that really the best place to try and hide everyone? There had to be somewhere, a place where there weren't many people but with resources such as food and water.
Where would I go if I couldn't go home? He wondered to himself, then it hit him. He'd been to a place before when he couldn't go home. A place that had almost no people and plenty of wild resources, and it just happened to have a spot they could use as their staging grounds and base of operations.
"
We'll go to Dxun. It's a planet that's pretty secluded, there's not many people and plenty of wildlife. I won't lie to you Apollo, it'll be rough but I know your dad wanted you to grow up and be strong. I can promise you two things though, I'll protect you like I would protect my own daughter. And, I might not be as strong as your dad, but I'll train and teach you everything that I can so you can grow up to be stronger than myself or your dad. If you can put your trust in me, I'll put my trust in you and do everything I can to keep you safe. It's not just me, your dad has lots of people that cared about him that would do anything to keep you safe. Just as we'd do anything to keep Eva safe."
Samael, still on one knee, listened to them intently but stayed quiet. Thoughts and ideas whirled through his mind, but he was sure of one thing. If Hastur was no longer safe, and they were all planning on leaving, he would go separately. He would join them again in time, but not yet. But he would wait to leave until he knew for sure that Apollo was able to leave the planet safely.
"
Dxun?" Zo spoke up once again. "
You mean Onderon. They're basically one and the same, every spacer worth their salt knows that. There's nothing there but dangerous beasts and the insane folk that ride them." She looked at Brooke protectively, and then Apollo. "
Civilized folk don't go there and expect to survive. Safest thing to do is keep moving, if you're planning on leaving."
Brooke thought quietly for a moment. If what Zo said was true, then Voidwalker's plan was a danger to Apollo, even if it was in his best interests. She turned her head to Keldro, wondering his thoughts on the matter. The Jedi had taken incredible efforts to keep Apollo safe, and she trusted him far more than an old Sith friend of Kain's. While she was sure Voidwalker's intention was noble, she would not allow Apollo to be endangered any more than necessary. "
Uniting the factions," she finally stated, seemingly lost in thought. "
If Kain truly wished to bring everyone together against this threat, we shouldn't be hiding on a secluded planet." She turned to Voidwalker.
"
Before Kain brought us here, Apollo and I were on Tython, under the care of the Jedi Grandmaster. I believe that his power would be of great help in keeping us safe." Brooke looked around the room, recalling Samael's presence at the temple as well. "
If you wish to honor Kain's goals, why not extend a peaceful hand to the Jedi?" She looked back to Apollo. The darkness swelled within him. She secretly hoped that whatever was affecting his spirit would be something the Jedi at the temple could detect as well, and possibly cure the boy from.
Keldro had kept quiet up to this point. Diplomatic missions or not, he clearly wasn’t in the majority here. However, a smile did come to his face, as Brooke suggested the Jedi as protection.
“
Madam Brooke is, of course, correct. Grand Master Durron extended a warm welcome to Brooke, Eva, and Apollo.” Keldro's eyes moved from Voidwalker to Samael. “
He even welcomed both yourself and Kain, if you’d recall, friend. We will be strongest together, and it is the height of our combined strengths we will need to keep young Master Apollo safe.”
Brooke’s initial dismissal of Lord Voidwalker’s intended destination of Dxun was not unnoticed by Samael. Then, her recommendation of Tython upset the Devaronian slightly. Of course, Keldro would agree that the Jedi Homeworld would be the best place to go, but Samael did not. “
I agree safety is important. I’ve spent the last two days ensuring everyone was safe for the time being, after all. That being said, Tython was attacked two days ago by enemies we encountered during the war with Typhojem. Uniting the factions would be great, but Tython is not the ideal location to do so if it was so easily invaded as it was. I don’t know what happened during the meeting of the leaders of the factions, but a Sith World would also be a viable option if you don’t mind the danger we witnessed on Tython. No, I believe it should be in a more neutral destination. Preferably one without reflective surfaces.” Samael paused for a moment before continuing. “
That being said, the one whose safety is the most important is Apollo. We should hear where he feels would be the safest place.”
Though clouded by the crimson swirls of something far darker, the Force was not remiss to offer the child images of the correct course. He closed his eyes, taking in the flashes of a strange nebula fraught with deadly clouds of cosmic energy. Then he broke through the tunnel, finding himself in a star system he had never seen and a planet he had never heard of. Lands of violet amidst seas of blue. A Jedi Temple. Ancient. Abandoned. Briefly revitalized during the Galactic Civil War, then vacated once more. It was too difficult to reach, too unstable to warrant connection with the rest of the galaxy. Echoes of a name floated in his mind; some were whispers of contempt, some were screams of dynasty, and some were utterings of madmen.
“
Tanalorr.” His voice was quiet, he realized. Apollo repeated it, louder. “
Tanalorr.”
Voidwalker was seemingly stunned by the young boy's choice. "
Tanalorr, huh? So that's where you think we should go?" Voidwalker asked, a hint of surprise in his voice.
I wonder what made him think of that. Is the Force guiding him there for some reason?
"
Okay, Apollo, we'll go to Tanalorr. Last I knew, there wasn't much there. It'll make a good place to hide as we prepare and to keep you safe." He turned his attention back to the others to clarify some of their concerns. "
I had already intended to speak to Grand Master Durron and Master Cal Vastrom in hopes of receiving aid from the Jedi. Perhaps our Jedi friend here," he gestured to the unnamed Jedi in the room, "
could help me in that aspect?"
"
As for the peace summit, that was interrupted before any real decisions could be made. Shadow Beings, dark agents of the coming enemy infiltrated the summit and attacked. There were many casualties on all sides." He had to stop and take a breath before carrying on. "
Regrettably, Master Sho Temm, was among the casualties. He'd been overtaken by a Shadow Being." He said with a hint of sadness in his voice. "
I just want you to know Jedi, that while Master Temm and I had different views, I respected him as a warrior."
It took him a moment before the Cursed champion cleared his throat to carry on, "
Brooke, I have no issue with going to Tanalorr if that's where Apollo feels would be the best place to go. I can only ask that you all agree and come with us."
At Voidwalker's words, sadness flooded Keldro's face, though just as fast or hardened again. He stepped out, around Brooke and face to face with the Sith. He paused briefly, his eyes studying Voidwalkers. He saw no signs of deceit. He extended a hand, palm open, and began to speak before the other man could take it.
“
Thank you, he was indeed a commendable warrior. I myself would not be here without some of his original tutelage as Battle Master of our order. Though I take solace in knowing or better yet hoping his strength has now been lent to the living Force. In time I would like to speak with you more if you’d grant me the audience.”
The sudden movement of the Jedi was surprising but not uncalled for; even if he didn't trust him, Voidwalker understood the pain of losing someone close. Now, he experienced that pain twice, over the same person. Voidwalker extended his own hand to the Jedi in respect. "
I will gladly hear you out when that time comes. But for now, we should focus on getting Apollo to safety. Also, knowing your name would be a good start to this future conversation."
A smile tried to fight its way to Keldros' lips as he recalled the encounter on the ship leaving Denova.
“
Of course, how obtrusive of me. Keldro, Keldro Unmar.” Unfortunately, try as he might, Keldro couldn't stop the grin from tugging at the corners of his mouth as he followed up with Voidwalker's request. “
Your name, of course, has been made well known to me as of late. But for the sake of clarity, what would you prefer? Voidwalker, Draven, or Uncle?”
Voidwalker's eyes narrowed as the Jedi, who introduced himself as Keldro, spoke his given birth name. Voidwalker started to take the question as a mocking sign of disrespect but quickly remembered that Keldro had been present when Eva had addressed him as such. He pushed down any sort of dark feelings before replying. "
I would prefer it if you addressed me as Voidwalker. My birth name is reserved more for my family, such as Eva, who you know addresses me as Uncle. If Apollo wishes to address me as such, that would be fine. But I'd prefer that the rest of you address me as Voidwalker."
“
Voidwalker,” Apollo said, looking up into the man’s crimson eyes, “
it won’t be easy to go there. That’s why it will be safe. But we need Eva. I won’t go there without her.”
The boy's words were innocent, but they rang true. They'd need everyone who could protect Apollo to be on their side, and Voidwalker had also been concerned about Eva. Knowing where she was would be a good start in getting her to safety. "
Don't worry, Apollo, we'll find her. If both of you were at the Jedi temple with Brooke and Keldro, someone has to know where she is."
“
She didn’t tell anyone where she was going,” Apollo answered. “
Just that it was important.”
"
That certainly makes things more difficult, but no need to worry." Voidwalker replied. "
I'll do everything I can to find her. In the meantime, I'm leaving it up to you to help everyone to start getting ready for the trip." Looking back to the rest of the group, Voidwalker gave them all a nod before turning on his heel, prepared to exit the room. "
Samael, come with me."
Brooke piped up once more as Voidwalker turned to exit. "
Maybe I can help find Eva." So far, she had yet to contribute significantly to the conversation at hand. Indeed, her idea to return to Tython had been brushed off rather unceremoniously. She didn't know anything about Tanalorr, nor why everyone was quick to agree with it, but if it was a consensus, then at least that was a start. "
She and I spent a lot of time together after Kain found me and kept me safe. I would recognize her Force aura anywhere. Let me help you search."
Zo looked on disapprovingly as Brooke offered herself to the Sith, but there was a glimmer of pride in her features. It was rare to see the Miraluka take the initiative, and the fact that she felt comfortable enough to do so meant more than any of the people in this room save for her and K'win knew. She jerked her head sharply at the Twi'lek, who, until this point, had been silent, indicating that it was time to head to the ship. "
We can fit most of us in the Tranquility if need be," K'win offered, her bubbly personality coming to the forefront. "
If the way is as dangerous as you say, it'll be better to take as few ships as possible, and I've got ours tuned to be the best in the 'verse." She smiled proudly, clearly happy to have a place in the conversation.
Voidwalker stopped at the edge of the doorway at the sound of Brooke's voice, turning his head to look over his shoulder. "
That would be greatly helpful." He said as he turned to look at her. "
Finding Eva is a top priority. Thank you, Brooke. Feel free to come along, and we shall get started." Turning his attention to the other woman who spoke for the first time, he said, "
Thank you for offering everyone passage. I have a ship in my possession that will be making the trip as well. If you'd like to dock your ship within mine to save your resources, I would welcome it and your navigational expertise from the sounds of it." Voidwalker turned back to the door and passed back out into the hallway.
Keldro nodded to Voidwalker as he departed, and was ready to assist Brooke and Apollo while they waited to leave when it occurred to him that with Kain gone, perhaps Samael would have some answers. He turned to face the Devaronian.
“
My apologies, Samael, but I thought I’d ask. It seems when Ardee went rogue my lightsaber ended up as collateral damage. Now, hopefully, when we make it to Tanalorr, I should be able to scrounge up the parts for a replacement. Would you know if Kain would have anything lying around that could be used as a replacement until then?”
When Samael was summoned to leave with Voidwalker, he initially wanted to decline. He had been running all over the Citadel the past few days and was enjoying the rest. But time waits for no one. He internally groaned as he stood back up. But before he could go anywhere, Keldro requested a replacement for his lightsaber. Samael considered the green one in his possession, but the Force gave him that one, he couldn’t hand it over lightly. “
Lord Kain will likely have something you can use in his armory. Just try not to take too much. We don’t want to anger the good people helping us here.” And that was the complete truth. Samael wasn’t sure how long the peace would last with the Hasturans. He was trying to keep things under control. He had quite a lot of experience with multiple opponents. But the Hasturans were strong; he might not be able to last long if they turned on them.
When Samael returned to his natural height, he gave Apollo a kind smile. “
We will do our best to make sure you are safe and happy. I hope you know that.” With that, he turned and followed Voidwalker out the door.
Voidwalker had already walked halfway up the corridor where he waited for Samael, and to see if Brooke would be in tow behind him. Truthfully, he wasn't sure where they should start looking in search of Eva, but with Brooke knowing her signature, she was a valuable asset and ally to have. In the meantime, he realized that it was essential to try and contact the others that Kain had dispatched across the galaxy. Thinking back to everyone present at the initial meeting, only three people had yet to be accounted for. Catalyst, Nathemus, and Volacius.
Reaching for his comm unit, Voidwalker opened a line to the three of them. "
Catalyst, Nathemus, Volacius, this is Voidwalker, what's your status?" He remembered that Kain had sent them to hunt down the True Sith cultist, but he couldn't remember the planet's name. Hopefully, they were still alive.
Brooke followed behind Voidwalker and Samael, anxious to help. Truthfully, she wasn't exactly sure how, but she was worried about her friend, and these Sith seemed to care about her as well. She nodded at Zo before taking off after the tall Sith Lord.
K'win raised a hand to speak as the group was leaving, but her voice caught in her throat. Voidwalker had complimented her, and she was still unsure how to feel about that. She cleared her throat and looked at Zo, who was leaning against the wall with her arms crossed. The Corellian shrugged, and K'win turned her attention to Apollo. She was never great with children. They made her feel awkward and like she had to present a facade of adulthood. She knelt next to the boy and tried her best to sound bubbly. "
So, Tanalorr…" She paused, unsure what to say to the boy. "
I've, uh, never been there. Can you tell me about it?"
Keldro had a few moments of hesitation as he watched everyone depart. Realizing he wasn’t immediately needed, he quickly shuffled to take up a position at the door, defensively putting himself as the primary target should anything hostile come through the door. Keldro cocked an eyebrow at the question about Tanalorr. Much was lost in the Jedi archives. So the Jedi Knight was most curious to see precisely how much Apollo knew.
Apollo looked up at the kneeling Twi’lek, who was only slightly taller than him at this level. “
I don’t know much,” he said. “
I just hear the name when I think of a safe place. I see where it is. I don’t know how.”
Keldro turned towards the door; they seemed safe enough for now. He had favored the boy with a smile as he had explained how Tanalorr had come to him as a safe place. He crossed back over to the son of Kain, gave the Twi’lek a smile, and turned his attention to Apollo.
“
It’s the Force. You sought peace and a safe place, and it’s guiding you to one. You’ll get many different explanations from species and groups throughout the galaxy.” Keldro spoke gently, trying to keep things in a simple enough description for Apollo to follow along. “
But the Force is immense. It flows through all living beings. We Jedi allow it to guide our actions; we work with the Force, spreading its will. In time, I’m sure I can help to teach you more. There may very well be a treasure trove of archives left on Tanalorr for which to begin your instruction. But to keep this simple and brief, I choose to think of it like a river. For some, the river is narrow, and water can only trickle through. The river is wide for others, and the water can surge thunderously through it.” Keldro paused to give Apollo time to think through the analogy. As he did, he considered when he had last taken the time to meditate. It seemed like months since the morning he, Brooke, and Apollo had been in the classroom. He moved to a sitting position in front of the boy.
“
Here, try it with me. Sit opposite me and close your eyes. Feel the room around you, how it all connects, the energy that connects all of the room to yourself. Don’t worry too much about reaching the items or manipulating them. Just concentrate on feeling them.”
A river. No. To Apollo, it was not a river. He sat before the Jedi as instructed, crossing his legs but diverted no thought to it. His mind looked across an endless expanse, an infinite ocean. Waves rushed to and fro, and through it all, crimson oil began to spread. This was not a safe place, here within the wellspring of his power. Even if it was his, it was not his place to command the ocean. He simply had to hope he wouldn’t drown.
This conflict made it impossible to follow any more of Keldro’s instructions. No matter how hard he tried, he could not see the world around him. Only the infinity beyond, and the darkness that awaited them if they did not reach Tanalorr.
Voidwalker placed his comm unit back away as he turned back to Brooke and Samael. “
Our search is over just as quickly as it began. Eva is with Lord Catalyst’s party and they're on their way back here. I will tell Apollo, and then once the others arrive, we can be on our way.”
The Cursed Champion walked back down the corridor and stepped inside the door. Everyone had essentially been where they had been moments prior, except for Apollo and Keldro, who now sat opposite one another. “
Apollo, I have good news. We have found Eva, and I promise you she's safe. She's with some other people that were friends of your father. They're on their way with Eva and should arrive in a few hours.” Turning his attention back to the other two that remained in the room. “
Once the others return, I'd like for us to leave as soon as possible. I'd recommend preparing everything and navigating the best route for us, if you could. That way, we don't have any surprises along the way. I leave it in your capable hands.” With nothing left to say, Voidwalker turned on his heels and started to walk out, but stayed just for a moment to gaze upon Apollo and Keldro before leaving.
Within the next few hours, the skies of Hastur were blotted with the arrival of more allies of Kain. The Super Star Destroyer Harbinger, flagship of Lord Nathemus, hung threateningly in orbit, followed closely by the Angelus Mortis. Dwarfed by the others, the Solution, helmed by Lord Catalyst and carrying the adoptive daughter of Kain, descended through the atmosphere to an appropriate landing pad for the significantly smaller corvette. The ramp lowered, and the Lord of Linguistics stepped onto the platform to reconvene with the rest of the convocation.
Samael watched the kind Lord of Linguistics appear after the lowered ramp. While he was usually quick to be excited, there had been a shift in his mood since the Avatar’s disappearance. Instead of running up to meet his friend, whom he still wished to catch up with, he gave him a kind smile and a respectful bow. Right now, there were, once again, more important matters to attend to, and he would hear what each of the Lords had to say before giving any input. He might not be as knowledgeable as them, but they seemed to be at least willing to listen to suggestions to decide if they might help further their goals.
Keldro had sat in silent contemplation. It felt like hours had passed since he tried, unsuccessfully, to sit Apollo through his first meditation. The boy wasn’t just a Force Nexus; he was a damn calamity waiting to happen. And Keldro? Keldro was scared. Following Dantooine, he had been recommended to take on a padawan initiate. He hadn’t felt ready. He still wasn’t. Still, he knew he couldn’t leave this boy's fate up to chance. Come what may, he would guide Apollo as best as the Force willed him to. Receding from his thoughts, he opened his eyes and his mind to Apollo. The boy was standing a few feet away, and with one of the two pilots taken to distracting him, Keldro had made up his mind.
He rose from his kneeling position, yet before he could take a step, he was engulfed and suffocated. The dark side of the force surrounded him from all sides. His mind wandered back to Thala on Tython. Had she managed to rouse the scattered Jedi and send reinforcements? His hand naturally dropped to his empty hip. He was weaponless and alone on a hostile planet that just got a whole lot more dangerous.
“
I have a bad feeling about this,” the Jedi Knight uttered under his breath.
As he made his way to the hangar in anticipation of the others’ arrival, Voidwalker entered just as Lord Catalyst was stepping off the lowered ramp. Continuing on his path, he stepped next to Samael to greet the good lord. “
Lord Catalyst, welcome back. I wish there were better circumstances, but we both know how these things go,” he joked as he grinned. “
I know Apollo is eager to see his sister. I suggest we reunite the siblings, and then we can discuss our next move.”
“
Can't have things too easy, you know,” Catalyst responded to Voidwalker's jest. “
We'd all get fat and lazy and forget how to use the Dark Side.” He shot a sly wink at Samael, acknowledging the Devaronian's respectful greeting. “
As for Eva, I'm sure she'll find her brother when she's ready. She's just lost her father for a second time. Let's give the girl a chance to process. We can discuss our next steps in the meantime. I trust Nathemus to keep our little True Sith prisoner safely holed up in the interim.”
Brooke had also followed Voidwalker and Samael to the hangar, excited to see her friend. When Eva did not immediately follow Catalyst down the ramp, a crestfallen disappointment flashed across her features. Brooke could still sense her within the ship, but something that Catalyst said resonated within her. She had felt Kain's disappearance once more, just like the rest of them, but she never considered how Eva would have felt. Kain had been a rescuer to both of them, but had only truly taken in Eva as family. Her heart ached for her friend, and she stood silently behind the Cursed Champion as the Sith spoke.
As if Brooke’s empathy was her queue, the form of a young woman descended the boarding ramp of Catalyst’s corvette. Thankfully, she had a change of clothes, discarding the dust-covered robes of her trek through Verdanth. She now wore a thin, long-sleeved shirt of navy blue with silver armbands at her biceps. Lighter blue trousers and a belt, which holstered her lightsaber, sat above the almost knee-high boots that accompanied the rest of the outfit. Her hair was tied into a loose bun, and her brown eyes were still a light shade of crimson.
She smiled when she saw her friend, rushing to Brooke and giving her a firm hug before even acknowledging the existence of the others. “
You’re all right,” she laughed. “
Thank the Force.”
Watching as Eva made her way down the ramp, Voidwalker felt a small amount of relief in knowing she was safe. He knew she was well protected being with Catalyst, but seeing her here was a confirmed relief. Even after their last encounter, Voidwalker forgave her for what she had done. She did what she thought was best, something that he had done many times in life. Even though she was no longer a child, she would always be his niece in his eyes.
Eva and Brooke were having their reunion, and what Catalyst had said was true. Instead of interrupting the girls from their embrace, Voidwalker nodded to Catalyst for them to step out and give the reunited friends some time together. He tapped Samael on the shoulder and motioned for him to follow along.
While Eva was at the top of the ramp, Samael, though relieved to see she was physically safe, knew that Lord Catalyst would never let any harm come to her if he could help it. She had always been kind, and Samael considered her a friend because of it, though time seemed to have a way of removing friends from his life for long periods of time. She was physically safe, yes, but how was she mentally?
While Brooke and Eva embraced, Voidwalker motioned for him to follow away and give the girls some time. It was then that Samael lost his composure that he had been trying so hard to keep. “
Eva. I-I-I I’m so s-s-sorry.” He turned to follow Voidwalker, but truthfully, it was to hide the tears from them. As his shoulders slumped, he followed on.
The embrace between Brooke and Eva was tight enough to squeeze the breath from a Wookiee. Brooke's eye wraps were stained with happy tears in little time. “
Thank the Force,” she wept into her friend’s shoulder. Pulling away, she tried to collect herself. “
We were attacked on Tython,” she started explaining. “
Shadows coming out of the floor and the walls. Monsters made of pure evil. Kain found us,” she shook her head, trying to manage the thoughts spilling from her mind. “
I know you told me to protect Apollo, but Kain saved us and brought us here.” She stared through her wraps at Eva. “
There's something else. Something happened in the hangar. You need to come see Apollo.” She took her friend's hand and began leading her down the halls toward the chamber where Apollo and T1-FA were.
Catalyst looked on for a moment as Eva greeted her friend. He hadn't met the blind girl before, but assumed it was another of Kain's adopted brood. For a Sith, the man seemed to have a propensity for helping wayward youth. Catalyst smirked and followed Voidwalker as they left the girls to share their reunion. “
So,” Catalyst spoke to his contemporary, “
how are we looking? Dire as per usual?”
“
A decade ago, I thought that Typhojem was the worst disaster we would ever have to face. Now we're facing an entirely new enemy,” Voidwalker grimaced as he walked with Catalyst and Samael in tow. “
Just like the war with Typhojem, Kain has been taken out of the equation.” Voidwalker thought about telling Catalyst what Kain had said regarding his original plan concerning Apollo’s dark gift, but decided to hold off until they were further away from listening ears. “
We need to get to safety with both Eva and Apollo. Then we can gather our forces and prepare for what's to come.”
“
Given that we're gathering here, I can only assume this isn't the safe place you had in mind,” Catalyst couldn't help but chuckle as he thought back to the True Sith uprising. While he maintained a cavalier and jovial attitude about it, the horrors of war had taken their toll on him as much as anyone else. He had fought off years of grief and mourning after the fact; could he really stand to be at the forefront of yet another conflict? He shook the thoughts away. It would do none of them any good to get bogged down in the trauma of decades past. “
We made it through one galaxy ending nightmare already,” he quipped, "
how hard can another be?”
“
At least this time, we weren't caught completely off guard. Kain knew this threat was coming and did what he could to get us prepared. I only hope it was enough,” Voidwalker replied as the three of them continued on their way. Time was running short, and he knew that the longer they stayed on Hastur, the more the chances of anyone else showing up grew. They needed to get moving soon.
Voidwalker stopped midstep and turned to face Samael to include him in the conversation. It wasn't that he'd been ignoring him; he was simply trying to give him some time to collect himself. “
I'm sure the two of you, and everyone else for that matter, are exhausted. Take a few hours to rest and to get ready. In a few hours, everyone will meet back here in the hangar, and then we can decide on the next move.” Voidwalker said all he needed to. Everyone needed to be prepared for whatever came next. They all needed to rest, but he still had affairs to get in order.
**********
Voidwalker sat alone in the quarters that had once been his private chambers while he'd stayed on Hastur, under the tutelage of Kain. The dimly lit room felt small, everything was weighing down on him. It had been two days since he entrusted Avery with getting Arach back to Onderon and taking command of Vitani's ship. And two days since Kain had become a sacrifice for him. It wasn't right, Kain should have been here to lead them, not pulled to oblivion by the Hellpriestess.
His anger was growing at the thought of it. Why? Why was Kain the one to suffer again? Voidwalker lived a life of suffering and hurt, but Kain just wanted the chance to be a father and know his son before what needed to be done. He was thankful to be alive but at the cost of Kain? It wasn't fair. Voidwalker felt a darkness growing in him that he hadn't felt in a long time, this darkness fanning the fires of his hate. When he saw Vaer again, he would kill him!
While his anger built, his mind remained unclouded. Not allowing himself to be driven by his emotions, Voidwalker remembered that he still had work to do before meeting up with everyone else. He had to make contact with Arach.
Retrieving his holocom he opened the private channel to his wife.
Arach stood off to the side of the training room, carefully watching her daughter spar. Scarlett was making excellent progress with her training, but she still had a long way to go. Though she was pleased with her daughter’s efforts, she couldn’t help but wonder if it was enough to keep Scarlett safe.
A shot from a remote fired from behind Scarlett. The child barely managed to bat the bolt away and Arach barely managed to hold back her wince. She saw the sweat pouring down Scarlett’s face and her increasingly sluggish movements. “
Enough,” Arach said, waving her hand to deactivate the remotes. “
Get some water, eat, and rest. This afternoon we’ll practice control over your abilities.”
Arach watched as the exhausted child took off her blindfold and deactivated her training lightsaber. She quickly nodded at her mother and began to trot towards the door. Once alone, the assassin allowed a small proud smile to grace her lips, though it was gone as suddenly as it came. In a perfect world, Scarlett wouldn’t have discovered her heritage until she was old enough to handle this rigorous training better. She would have had a proper childhood, free from dark times and the war that was surely coming.
Arach let out a sad sigh and shook herself from those thoughts. She was about to leave when the holocom chimed. She quickly answered it and grinned at her husband. “
Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes?”
The sight of the holoimage of Arach's smile, mixed with her words was enough to pull at Voidwalker's heartstrings. He missed her, and he missed his daughter. For so long he'd been gone, doing all that could be done to prepare for the coming threat. Yet the truth remained that he missed them incredibly so. A feeling of sadness briefly sat in.
Reminding himself that the reason for this call was to be reunited with them, he pushed the feelings of sadness away. Quickly replaced with a smile of his own. "
I wish that I had more time, but things are moving fast. We're preparing to leave within a few hours. Can you get a message to Voxyn and his sister for me?"
Arach tilted her head ever so slightly, watching the different emotions flicker across Voidwalker’s face. She felt her mood somber a little in response but managed to keep her tone light and teasing. “
Of course I can, but it might cost you later. What do you want to tell them?”
"
Tell them that I'll be needing this ship a little longer. The plan has changed." From outside of the door it sounded as if someone was passing by, Voidwalker turned his head towards the door, prepared to cut off the holocall the moment the door opened. Yet it never did, and whoever had passed by must have continued on as the sound of their voices faded away.
Turning his attention back to the image of Arach, he continued. "
I don't want to be too loud, since Kain's disappearance, I don't know how long we have before enemies find us. We're heading to a remote planet, I'll send you the coordinates as soon as we depart. As soon as I send them, I want you and Scarlett to leave Onderon and come to where I am. Tell the twins that they're to come with you. We're going to need all the resources that we can. So until then, Arach, I want you to bring everything from the armory, and I need everything from the library. Every holocron, scroll, tome, all of it."
The assassin gave her husband a quick nod, all teasing replaced by the seriousness of the situation. “
It’s probably safe to assume that we don’t have much time, if any. The five of us will be ready to leave once everything has been packed.” Arach, then, leveled a meaningful look at Voidwalker. “
You be careful, please. I know your penchant for making friends.”
"
You know me, I'm already making all kinds of new friends." Voidwalker shot back light-heartedly. The moment had come and passed, and his tone shifted again. "
I want all of you to be careful. Soon as I know more and a better pathway, I'll send the navigation path and the coordinates. I'll see you soon."
“
See you soon,” Arach responded.
The small image of Arach faded out as Voidwalker continued to sit on the edge of the bed. He wanted to rest, he wanted to see his family, he wanted answers, and action needed to be taken. He stood from the bed and returned the holocom to his pocket before exiting the room. There were still preparations to be made.
After the transmission ended, the assassin allowed herself a brief moment to feel the sadness and nostalgia she had for leaving her home. Perhaps it would be for the last time. Arach gave her head a shake, pulling herself out of her thoughts before following the path her daughter took. She took her commlink out and opened a channel to Voxyn in orbit. “
Voxyn, are you there?”
The terrain of Dxun lay before him; every tree, stream, and hill was in his sight. Their pale blue glow filled the air with cold light as Voxyn circled the holographic table, studying the massive stretches of land to find a spot to land his laboratory.
“
This should be a good spot,” Voxyn said, pointing to the spot on the map as he spoke to Shasar Laheera, his second in command. He was an older Keshiri man standing six feet, he was slender, with short silver hair, skin colored a soft lavender, and inky black eyes.
“
Give the order to prepare for…” he was cut off by the beep of the holographic table between them. Someone was trying to contact him. He gave Shasar a look to silently tell him to wait a moment before answering the hail and Arach's voice came over the table's speakers.
“
I’m here, has something happened?” He said and waited to hear her response.
Arach wasted no time. “
I have a message from Voidwalker. He says the plan’s changed. We need to pack the library and arsenal, then meet him at the coordinates he’s sending us. Also, he needs to borrow your ship for a little longer.”
By this time, she began to climb the stairs toward her daughter’s room. “
I’m about to grab Scarlett to help pack. Also,” her tone took on a slightly more lighthearted edge. “
If you can help, that would be appreciated.”
“
Well it's a good thing you told me now,” Voxyn replied. “
Another minute and I already would have been trying to land this ship.”
“
I shall dispatch some transports and a team of droids to help gather and load everything onto the ship, my Lord.” He said, then turned and exited the room, leaving Voxyn alone.
“
I'll be down soon to help load everything you need into the ships. There's plenty of storage space here for all of it, then we can leave.”
“
Then the timing is fortunate,” Arach chuckled, coming to a stop in front of Scarlett’s door. “
Thank you, Voxyn. See you soon.”
With that, she switched her commlink off before knocking on her daughter’s door. There was a few seconds of silence before it slid back to reveal Scarlett's freshly scrubbed and black hair. “
Is something wrong?”
“
I was just wondering,” Arach began, choosing to ignore the question for now. There would be plenty of time later to tell her of darker things. “
If you would like to come with me to go see your dad?”
Scarlett’s crimson eyes immediately lit up with excitement. “
You know where he is? Is he ok? When are we leaving?”
Arach, grinning, raised her hand to quiet the questions. “
We’re leaving as soon as everything is packed. I’ll explain more when we’re underway. Pack everything you think you’ll need. We might not be coming back for a while. When you’re done, come find me in the library.”
At Scarlett’s enthusiastic nod, Arach turned away and began to go to her own room to pack and prepare for the oncoming war.
The Hangar, Hastur
Hours had passed since he was last here. Now, Voidwalker walked through the hangar back to the group of allies and friends of Kain that had gathered here on Hastur. So far, it seemed that everyone was on the same page. Volacius had been contacted and instructed to be ready to prepare a fleet for them. The Wrath of Kain was always a valuable ally to have given his military knowledge and resources.
Standing before them, it was now time to see where the rest of them stood. “
Thank you all for gathering here. I know this is a dark time with more darkness to come, but I ask you all to stand with me to help keep those we care about and love safe. I cannot promise you that things will be easy, but what I can promise you is that I will stand and defend each and every one of you that is willing to stand with us.”
“
I know that not all of you are fighters or even Force-sensitive. Some of us don't even view the Force in the same way. We are a diverse group of individuals that together can help, teach, and learn from one another. But we can be more! We can shed the shackles that kept us separated and divided. We can act and work as one. As a dear friend once said, we can be reborn and be heirs to the stars themselves. The one thing we all have in common is the stars; we all see the same stars as one, and that's exactly how we will be. We will be seen as one combined force, ready to protect our loved ones and stand against the encroaching darkness. Now the choice is yours. So I ask you, who will stand with us and join us on this journey to Tanalorr?”
He'd given a more inspiring speech than he'd intended, but the words simply felt right, and he'd said his piece. Now, it was up to the others to make their own decisions.
Keldro stood stone-faced. The tension in the room was thicker than a Hutt's backside. Though it was the tension of conflict, for the first time, Keldro knew the conflict wasn’t between the Jedi and Sith. No, Voidwalker was right. They had to be in this together. Too much was now at stake.
“
I’ll go. That much, I’m sure you already knew. I promised Apollo to give him every ounce of protection I could, and I intend to keep it.” The Jedi knight spoke calmly; he wasn’t trying to rally or inspire, simply to show this was a cause he was devoted to now. “
Whatever aid and guidance the Force allows will flow through me to each of you. Those that do come will never need to worry about being left behind or sacrificed. And those that don’t, I hope the Force guides you and shields you from misfortune.”
Eva looked around at this merry band of misfits with something between a solemn and curious look. Her father may have gone mad in his final days, but he had lived a full life. All of these people here… these friends, colleagues, or even strangers that had only heard of him in legend… he had united them behind a common purpose.
It had taken some bit of convincing over these past few hours that the threat Kain had been prophecizing was real. She had long believed it to be another delusion in the sea of his delusions. But that utter despair she felt in the Force was far more than just his disappearance. It lingered, and it was growing. A cancer, a plague upon the universe. And most of all, she knew in her heart that the home she’d been raised in this past decade was gone. Not just the house, but the very foundations, the very world itself.
Apollo’s powers seemed to have grown over the past week since she had gone to save Catalyst from Nephthys and Kain’s mistakes. Something dark swirled within him, something that reminded her of Abaddon all too much, the worst parts, the parts that she only showed in the most dire of moments. Eva only hoped that her influence would push Apollo toward a more righteous path. And with both Brooke and a Jedi Knight aiding her in those efforts, she had little doubt that Apollo would grow into a good man. If he felt that Tanalorr, the world lost to time far before the fall of the Republic, was the safest place to be, then she would be there alongside him.
“
You know I won’t leave his side,” she said, squeezing his hand. Apollo looked up at her with those mismatched eyes of green and gold. She smiled. “
Never again.”
Samael smiled kindly at them. The show of familial love brought a sense of warmth in the constant darkness that appeared a couple of days ago. “
For now, I have to part with you all. My journey is going to take me somewhere else. I need guidance that none of you can give me.” He looked down slightly forlorn. “
I know in my gut that we will meet again. But I can’t go with you all for now.”
Samael then crouched down to Apollo’s height to speak directly to him. “
Remember, the warmth and love you feel towards others will guide you on the right path. You have a good heart. Never forget that.”
Standing back up, Samael looked to Lord Voidwalker and Lord Catalyst. “
This is where our paths part. We will meet again, I know that much. You have my frequency now. If you need anything, feel free to call.” He chuckled as he gave a respectful bow to them all before he turned and left to take a shuttle off-world.
It worried Keldro that Samael would not join them, but he knew he couldn't let him leave just yet.
“
Samael… thank you.” Keldro’s voice nearly broke. He knew since coming to that it was likely only by Samael’s quick acting after the explosion that the Jedi survived.
The rest of the conversation was a blur to the young Apollo. Men and women lamenting over the future to come, their worries clashing with the hope they attempted to wear proudly. But he could see through it all. This would not be an easy trip, and it would be an even worse existence beyond. They would have a safe haven to return to in times of need, but the galaxy would still need them. And in order to save it, they would have to risk themselves in this war of darkness and light.
Many of them still did not know which side they were on. They mistook the true nature of the dark, believing they could wallow within it and survive. But such things would be mutually exclusive, he sensed. The light was life; it was the temporary existence of something more. The dark was the void, the hollow emptiness that would come the day the last stars faded away. Those who dwell in darkness only hasten their own ends. He knew that now.
But now, there was a darkness swirling within him, not of his own accord or in any manner that could be removed by personal choice. Perhaps he was meant to be swallowed with the rest of it, in the dark. But that would not come today.
Today, they would be in Tanalorr.
It would have been a perilous journey had it not been for the Force’s aid in Apollo’s thoughts. Legend had it that abyssal compasses were once required to penetrate the Kobal Abyss, the vast expanse of impassable space that shielded the paradisical Tanalorr. They possessed the astronomical coordinates of Dagan Gera’s initial venture to the world. There was also an array that temporarily opened a path through the abyss, but it was destroyed. Without those coordinates, there was no surefire way to reach Tanalorr.
It was quite fortuitous then, that Apollo was given the way by a powerful benefactor. A being renowned for his mastery over space and time.
The planet was beautiful even from orbit. Shades of vibrant violet and cerulean sat amidst a sea of chaotic cosmic clouds.
It was here that they would find their oasis. Here, at the start of the War for Skyriver.
Outside the Jedi Temple, Tanalorr
Two days later…
It had been days since they had first touched down on Tanalorr, everyone doing their best to get settled in. Making sure the once Jedi temple was secure, and preparing rooms for everyone. The now-former Jedi temple would serve as their base of operations. It was large enough to house them and many more should the need arise, as well as store all of their supplies. Uprooting one's life wasn't always easy, but for most of those who now gathered here, it was just another cog in the cycle of life. Another temporary home.
Having kept his word, Voidwalker had transmitted the coordinates and the safest route to take back to Arach, who had shared them with Voxyn and Vitani. The five of them had arrived only hours ago.
The sight of Voxyn's ship shadowing the sky had been a welcomed sight. They had made it safe and Voidwalker was now reunited with his family. It had been far too long. He'd spent some time with them when they first arrived. But after some time, he knew he had to get back to his duties of getting everything in order. Now came the hard part of unloading the supplies that Arach had brought.
As Voidwalker was unloading crates of supplies, he spotted Keldro walking past, assumingly to check on Apollo. "
Keldro, come here and give me a hand," Voidwalker shouted out to him as he waved him over.
Keldro paused as his name was called, he had been in the middle of moving the last of their emergency rations off the ship. Outside of Brooke and Apollo, Voidwalker was the next that Keldro could say he knew best, if by best you meant had had the most interactions with.
“
Voidwalker.” Keldro greeted the other man with a nod. “
How can I be of assistance… friend?” The word hung loosely in the air, Keldro was more than aware that things were changing rapidly. No longer was it an us versus them situation, now…now they were all in it together.
It sure has been an interesting turn of events. The Jedi Knight thought to himself as he awaited Voidwalker's reaction to his bridging of the gap and the offer of comradery.
“
Give me a hand with this crate, would you?” He asked nonchalantly. “
It doesn't have to go far, just over to that cart so we can get it down to wherever we're going to use as the armory.” Voidwalker gestured towards the hover-cart that was already looking loaded down. “
I've already got most of it loaded up, just have to get this last one on there. I thought it was a good idea to have Arach bring everything we had, but I didn't anticipate unloading it.” He said jokingly. “
But with the way things are going, I'd rather us all be armed and prepared for whatever comes.”
Keldro stepped to the side, getting a secure grip and preparing his muscles to lift in conjunction with Voidwalker. “
You’ll have to forgive me, I’m great with names but I don’t yet know which one is Arach. There’s been so many new faces. As for being armed and prepared well... It's a good thing the Force is my ally. I seem to have lost my saber in the confusion of my droid blowing up the hangar.” Keldros voice started optimistic and genuine but dropped darkly at the mention of Ardee. He had a burning desire to figure out just how his droid had been programmed to attack them as he did.
Voidwalker gripped the other side of the crate securely as the two of them lifted it together. “
There are plenty of new faces around, I'll certainly give you that. Arach is the one with pale skin, raven hair, and golden eyes. You'll know her when you see her. She stands out compared to some of our other companions, but I couldn't ask for a better wife.”
Of all the new people, whispers could be made for each of their individual prowess. While each Sith's full legacy was likely unknown to Keldro, and the Jedi order. From what he did know this group was among the most accomplished of Sith agents.
As such it was no surprise that Keldro let out an internal gasp, clearly Arach would be the one to ally with most of all. You had to be equal parts tough, and insanely scary to have tied down Voidwalker. “
I look forward to more formal introductions once we're all settled in.”
As the pair sat the crate down, the cart tilted just slightly before stabilizing, luckily with nothing falling over. “
As for your lost saber, that's certainly an issue.” Voidwalker opened the crate before reaching in and retrieving a lightsaber. “
Here, take this.” He offered the lightsaber to Keldro. “
Try not to lose this one. Consider it a payment for helping.”
Keldros's face was solemn as he reached a hand out, his word of thanks dying on his lips, as his fingers brushed the saber. His connection to the Force echoed in his mind with the pain and anguish of the saber, it was as though he could feel all the pain and suffering this blade had inflicted across the galaxy within a single moment. The young Jedi Knight did his best to close his mind to it as he took a step back, not wanting to harm Voidwalker or appear threatening.
He thumbed the ignition, and the blade screeched to life. As the blade illuminated the Jedi and his comrade in its scarlet glow. Keldro pondered what the Grandmaster would think if he could see him now. What assumptions would he make? He extinguished the blade and hung it on his belt. It felt heavier than he expected. Still, he was grateful for the gesture.
“
Thank you, it’s an immaculate weapon, and the hilt is rather similar to my old one. I vow to use it well” Keldro looked at the Sith.
Maybe we’ve been wrong all along to segregate our two groups for so long Keldro silently pondered to himself.
“
There's no reason to make any sort of vow to me. You're here along with everyone else, and that's enough for me. We all have the same reasons for being here. But I will offer a piece of advice, in the coming times remember this; losing your weapon in battle is like losing your life. So be sure to hold onto that. Jedi or Sith, none of that matters anymore. We all have to become more than what we were.” It didn't take but a second after the words passed from his lips for Voidwalker to realize that what he'd said had been a mix of ideologies that he'd picked up from others in his life.
Walking to the back of the cart, Voidwalker grasped the handle with both hands as he started to push it. Just before he was on his way, he looked back to Keldro. “
Thank you again” Then he set off to finish his task.
“
Say Voidwalker,” Keldro quietly spoke again, an idea forming in his mind. “
I wonder if you could help me with one more thing?”
Voidwalker walked through the halls of the old temple, heading to the once noble Jedi Council Chambers. He paused just outside the doorway, everything had come together so quickly, and it was all thanks to Kain. The Beloved King had been the sacrifice that allowed all of this to happen. It wasn't ideal, but his vision was coming to light. But it was a light that was being threatened to be swallowed by the darkness. Voidwalker pushed the thought from his mind as a voice called to him within his mind. A voice that seemed to call to him from a vast distance. His eyes grew wide at the realization of who this chilling voice belonged to. The voice of Lord Xarxes.
Without saying a word, Voidwalker headed down a series of hallways until he reached his destination. A room where he'd stored all of the items that Arach had brought from the library of their home.
Closing his eyes and opening his mind to the Force, he called out to the Hand of Order. "
Lord Xarxes, I will accept your offer to traverse the Eye of Typhojem and speak with the Architects. It's time we got some answers. Contact me with a location and a time."
Opening his eyes, Voidwalker looked upon the collection of Holocrons that adorned the room. Many that he had never tried to open or learn their secrets. Each one a potential wellspring of knowledge, all at his fingertips. Ever since the war with Typhojem and the betrayal of the Sith Order's former Emperor, Darth Dreadwar, Voidwalker knew that he'd been running from the truth. Trying all that he could to deny who he was, what he was. He knew that if he truly believed that Father of Shadows and his brood could be beaten, then he had to stop trying to rip his identity in two. Voidwalker would have to be more than he was.
His eyes danced over the Holocrons, various markings, and designs of each one, showing how different each Sith truly had been. One holocron seemed to catch his attention as if it were calling out to him. Voidwalker sat down in front of the Holocrons, with the one that beckoned to him sitting in front of the others. A darkness seemed to lure him in. If he and Xarxes were going to speak with the Architects, then there couldn't be any surprises as to who he was. He was the descendant of a greater darkness, a darkness that he now had to walk into. He had to walk head-first into the very being he'd come to hate. In a cultist-like fashion, Voidwalker whispered his dark prayer. "
Unholy Father, teach me the secrets you'll bestow. Show me what the Jedi never wanted me to know. Unholy father, lead me through the dark below. Take me to the places that even Sith fear to go.” Reciting the words, Voidwalker felt as if he could feel the presence of his ancestors swirling around him. “
I feel your blood within me. A debt to you, I owe. I'll stay awhile and listen if you'll grant me knowledge and power."
Tag:
@Darth Kain,
@Hadzuska_The Jester,
@Darth Voxyn,
@Undying Master Xiannarr,
@Catalyst,
@Arach,
@Drakul_Xarxes
