The viewport of the Phantom was filled with stars hung on the black of space. Below was the arc of orange light that was Nar Shaddaa, with the faint lights of ships transiting in low orbit. Essan took notice of a young woman sitting at the navicomputer. She stood at attention, only breaking salute when he acknowledged her with a nod.

"Lord Skordus," she gasped. "Ensign Raina Temple. It is an honor to have you onboard."

"Are you also from Central Intelligence?"

She sharply nodded. "Indeed. I am soon taking candidacy to become a Cipher."

"You have a great referral with Cipher Nine."

She bit her lower lip, hesitant.

"Actually, I thought I could mention your name in my activity report. Your insights would be so valuable-"

"I'm not the one you should talk to about this," he interrupted. "Besides, I'm here on unofficial business. Your discretion is required."

"Oh," she stood aback. "Uh, understood. My Lord."

She bowed her head and left the cockpit. Essan enjoyed a quiet minute and sat down for the first time in almost a day. Being on someone else's personal transport was a strange position to him. Malavai Quinn was still at the Fleet, surely pestered and vexed. Essan kept that concern aside. He needed to help Cipher Nine.

Eventually, the Twi'lek came out of her cabin and joined him. She smelled of cleanliness.

"How are you feeling, Cipher?"

She took a seat in the pilot's chair and pensively looked through the viewport.

"I feel ready to make some changes."

"Mellenis was not alone to abuse his freedom. Nar Shaddaa needs order and security."

She scrunched up her nose, frowning as if she had smelled something foul.

"It would be easier to move innocent people from there. How can you uproot the criminal corporations and drug cartels? They only understand violence, using civilians as meat shields."

Essan let his thoughts trail back to occurrences of Imperial defense strategies that involved positioning civilian habitats within potential blast zones. Cipher certainly knew about them as well, having studied military tactics.

"War is just about to start," he thoughtfully said. "We'll have to find the way we want to rebuild this Empire."

Staring back at him, her blue eyes had gone a shade darker, she remained silent though sadness had vanished from her face.

"I'm just not sure whatever we do will matter on the long run. You say there is hope if we fight, but those who come after us aren't like us. They're not like you."

"Then we'll have to find those who are."

He was grateful for the mask because he hadn't the slightest clue of where to start. Cipher gave him a long skeptical look, leaning her elbow on her command console.

"Darth Jadus is my superior," she said. "What about him?"

Essan had heard of Jadus and the way he had faked his death and had his own daughter killed for his ascention to power. There was no compromise among Sith. Hadn't Darth Baras attempted to kill him, Essan would have spared the old man and simply exposed his treachery. The Dark Council and the likes of Jadus could slaughter each other.

"I suggest not to share your private thoughts with him."

"But with you, I should?" she provocatively asked.

"I would listen," he answered, pausing as he smiled. "And I would share my own."

"That's a trick," she retorted with a tired glare. "You're trying to use me. Believe me, I've seen it all."

He frowned behind his mask and took in a breath. "It must have been hard growing up in the ranks as a Twi'lek female."

"You don't say," she said, sarcastic. "And Sith Humans have all the perks."

"They do. Why do you think I wear this mask?"

She chewed the inside of her cheek and squinted as if to see through it.

"Bad, ugly scars?"

"To fool Humans, they fear what I might be. They place a large importance on looks, much to their own detriment."

"So you aren't Human? What are you?"

"Rattataki." He waited for a reaction from her but got none. "It makes no difference to you."

She smirked and leaned against the back of her chair. "It could, if you removed that mask."

"There's no point in that. You can understand me clearly."

"Are you afraid, Lord Skordus?" she asked as she crossed her arms and legs.

"Simply cautious, Cipher."

"I can see how having no face could help in combat. Or playing mind games. Lord Jadus is good at it."

She turned away but couldn't hide the emotion on her dark lips and hands that began navigating the galaxy map. Essan shifted in his seat to appear considerate of her state.

"Members of the Dark Council are corrupt by their own power," he said, reflecting on his own past. "They live in constant fear of assassination and betrayal. You can be glad you're free from that."

The ship's engines hummed and the viewport panned to move towards a different sector of the galaxy. Cipher Nine - he was tired of not knowing her true name - hit the confirmation switch and the Phantom's hyperdrive roared.

"Someone tried to kill me numerous times," she corrected during the jump, facing him again and this time she looked stern. "He was vicious and arrogant, hunted me like a prey... Needless to say he payed for it. But I don't know who will be next to stand against me."

She stood once they were in hyperspace and sighed.

"I'm tired. Lord Sith, sir. I programmed a course to the fleet. Thank you for helping me today." Cipher walked towards the captain's quarters and looked over her shoulder. "It was nice talking to you."

He did as Cipher wanted and left the ship as soon as it touched down at the Fleet. Next to the hatch stood the Rattataki mercenary that traveled with Cipher. Essan stopped in front her; she looked like a henchman, always angry and over-protective of her job.

"She's still sleeping," she snarled. "She never sleeps that much, and I know my girl. Something ain't right, Sith. Give me a reason not to kick your butt off this ship."

"I- was leaving anyway?" he attempted, parting his hands innocently.

"Funny," she propped her own hands on her hips, squinting at him. "What did you want from her, back there? Tried to mess with her head?"

"Your accusations are below me," he growled. "Cipher Nine needed support, and I happened to be there at the time. We discussed matters that don't concern you."

"What goes on with Tayleen is also my concern. She gave me a decent life, made me respectable. I owe her a big deal. Now you come in and she's all emotional and I have never seen her this way."

His heart seemed to stop in his chest and he took a few deep breaths despite trying to appear calm. He instinctively looked back to check the cabin's door, and it was still closed. Her name was Tayleen?

"Tell you what, big Sith," the mercenary continued, pointing a finger at him, "you will fix this. Men are all alike: stomping all over a woman's life and marching the kriff away when things get complicated."

Guilt gnawed at him, and the gray-skinned woman had him at loss for words. Her tattoos and jewelry were the mark of many exploits and strong personality. He knew better than to cross her.

"What should I do?" he humbly asked.

She smiled and folded her arms, standing tall and proud. "Tough Sith is ignorant of how to deal with a woman. So predictable."

"Well, in that case I will do the only thing I know that will ease her mind."

He stepped down the loading ramp and pressed the hatch lock switch.

"It's not my job to recruit people," said the merc, "but we could use you on our team. Big, intimidating Sith with super powers? No one would dare to stalk her again."

Walking down the ramp was more painful than he'd anticipated. Once he heard the hatch hissing closed behind him, Essan turned around, looking up and hoping it would slide open and that she would be in the frame, coming after him. Not even the Force could make that happen.

Back in the Fury he washed and inspected his face, the very thing that he hid from the woman occupying his mind, absorbed all other thoughts and kept him from talking to his crew yet. The mask had preserved him from wounds and scars all of his life as a Sith. Maybe she would have been surprised to see it.

The mask also prevented all personal attachments beyond a professional trust. His friends didn't get to see that he barely had any tattoos or jewelry. His eyes were almost black instead of the common silver among other Rattataki. Splashing water on his face, he squinted his eyelids shut and breathed in deep, centering his focus.

Everyone would end up alone. His life of solitude was simply an honest take on that philosophy. If the Rattataki merc was right about Cipher Nine, he now had the moral responsibility to check on the Twi'lek's well-being. She was an adult however, probably as old as he, and strong enough to handle her life. She had no reason to be afraid since her crew looked after her.

"My Lord," Quinn casually saluted as he stepped in the cockpit. "How was your excursion with the Twi'lek female?"

He looked back at the man through his visor and tried not to bark when he spoke.

"There were unresolved issues." He took place in his seat and opened up the galaxy map. It took him a moment to realise he didn't know where to go. "I have research to do. It might take a while but I need to do this alone."

The words had flown out of his throat almost on their own accord and Quinn nodded slowly.

"If you ever need assistance, I will be on leave but reachable."

Essan nodded back to him. "Let the others know."

The Imperial Intelligence officer had once attempted to betray him. Essan had made him understand the limit of his patience and never once allowed him to feel comfortable again. It kept Quinn on his toes.

For the first time in months, he felt free to use his time as he pleased and not to fulfill the whims of a Sith or Imperial. Essan opened up his journal in this quarters and entered the name of Cipher Nine's target. Devo Mellenis, deceased. He downloaded the criminal case files from the Imperial databases for later use. He launched a quick search for remote relatives of a Tayleen, survivor of one of his attacks. The search came up empty.

Imperial Intelligence must have erased all of it.

Essan switched to his datapad and synchronised it with his mask's recording interface. The playback reviewed his last encounter with Cipher Nine, inside the cockpit of the Phantom with her sitting at the commands, her face bland with tiredness. He captured the frame and sent the image to his computer for a wide search on the holonet.

Several results popped up, and three were lucky picks from civilian lookalikes. The other ones showed recordings and pictures of an orange-skinned Twi'lek much like Cipher Nine, dressed in dark attire, carrying weapons. She had been visiting public places across the galaxy and that didn't help him. He needed to know her name.

He wasn't going to contact her directly yet. First, he didn't have her contact information. And second, he was certain she would find his curiosity misplaced if not rude. There was another clue to find.

At the Cartel Bazaar, the bounty terminal displayed the available missions but also the completed ones. If Cipher hadn't completed her task, it would still be displayed for others to know who was already on the job.

Essan accessed the computer and quickly scrolled down to... Who was that again? Drakal Verrl. He thanked his onboard recording viewer.

The bounty was displayed as in progress and dealt by no other than Agent Cipher Nine.

He snapped the device shut, making a Chiss mercenary perster after him for having to turn the device on again. Essan ignored the critics and insults and headed towards the Trade center. He had nothing to buy or sell but he knew that he could stand there and look inconspicuous and observe people. There were Sith dressed in garb more flamboyant than parade dancers. Powertechs fitted with machines bigger than laser turrets. No one payed attention to one man dressed in black.

Behind his mask, he closed his eyes and let his heart beat set the rythm for his lungs, taking in just enough air so as to stay awake and aware. The Force was pitted with pools of darkness all around, and he could feel them dragging him down. Refusing to acknowledge the void, Essan let his thoughts trail back to the memory of his first encounter with Cipher Nine. Her mark in the Force was bright, singular, and fleeting.

Opening his eyes, Essan headed through the crowd and stepped along the railing that kept people from falling down the station's vents. Across the bridge, he sensed the singular presence and he calmly walked towards it.

She was sitting on a bench, reading her datapad while people were bidding on the network terminals. As soon as he was near she lifted her gaze to first look surprised, then annoyed at seeing him.

"Are you stalking me, My Lord?"

"I may have been looking for you," he answered, genuine. "And I believe we have unfinished business."

She stood, warily taking notice of onlookers in that populated place. When she talked to him she barely made eye contact.

"What if I told you that I want to retire? What happens then?"

"At your age? You'd be AWOL. Darth Jadus would have you arrested."

She let out a humorless laugh. "He's merely a shadow at this point, just like the Emperor. They set a good example..."

He himself had never even been in contact with the Emperor. The Voices and Hands spoke to him through other means and no one was sure how. Then Darth Malgus came around, accusing the Emperor of playing dead, abandoning the Empire to a rotting peace treaty.

"Where would you go?" he bluntly asked as they walked through the artificial gardens of holographic trees. The colors of green, blue, orange danced around them. Cipher Nine dug her hands in her pockets as she searched for words.

"Wherever it feels like home. My plan was to buy a place, and see where that would take me."

"I own an apartment on Dromund Kaas," he told her. "If you need a place to stay in the mean time..."

She finally looked right into his visor. "Do you realise how easy you're making it to ambush you if I wanted to?"

"It's worth risking. At least you wouldn't be homeless."

"But it wouldn't be my own place. I want my life back in order, I won't take your charity."

Essan took a moment before speaking again.

"I don't like knowing you are worse off today than the day we met. There must be something that I did that changed you."

"Of all the locations, you choose this public place to start this discussion?" she murmured.

He came to notice that he was enjoying seeing the colorful projections of light upon her skin and into her kind eyes. When they moved back to her ship, the fluorescent blue lights made her look pale and distant. This time, none of the crew was in sight and she took him inside her cabin. She poured herself a glass of water while he stood near the door.

"I don't know if I should offer you a drink."

"Only if the lights were off," he tried to sound pleasant.

Cipher leaned against her work desk and sized him up and down, as if memorising his outfit.

"You haven't been Sith for very long, have you?"

"Only my entire adult life."

"And how old are you?"

He gave himself a second to think. "As old as you. I was plucked from my family at a young age. Both my parents were pirates and their clan raided the wrong Imperial freighter. There was a Sith Inquisitor on board."

She took in a breath through her nostrils, drumming her nails on her desk top. Essan sensed her doubts and apprehension and that made him cross his arms against his armored chest.

"So you're a rebel," she commented suspectingly.

"We're all products of our environment. Refusing to conform to others should be a sign of intelligence, don't you agree?"

"I believe we're all different," she answered. "But we're defined by our actions, no matter what mask we wear."

"That's how I keep people interested."

"Ah," she chuckled lightly. "It takes more than Force tricks and fancy armor to draw me in."

"So what's your method to keep people away?" he asked back at her.

Cipher shrugged, rolling her blue eyes. "A rough bodyguard named Kaliyo."

Upon hearing the name, Essan was struck with the sudden reminder that he was on sensitive grounds. No matter how comfortable he felt in the room, he could still hear the Rattataki's threats.

"She and I spoke before I left earlier," he confessed. "She is very protective of you. And out of respect, I understand if you'd like to keep your distance."

Confusion settled on her face and she frowned sadly. "So, you two met," she hesitated, and shook her lekku. "Well, I apologise for making a fuss. Sometimes I forget my place."

"Does this happen often?" he asked, intrigued. "Do you let your merc decide who gets to spend time with you?"

The Twi'lek, much like a child, bit her lower lip and looked away as she mustered a response.

"I do use her as a buffer. But that's not the issue here. She is Rattataki and so are you."

Essan let his shoulders drop and took upon himself to step closer. She nervously stared at him.

"All you need to do," he spoke as quietly as his mask allowed it, "is to tell me to go away, and I will."

She whispered and it tore him apart to see her unable to face him.

"Don't go."

For the first time in years, he felt scared and frozen in place. He'd done his best to keep everyone at arm's length in his life, for their safety first but more importantly to stay clear of being hurt. Passion was encouraged in the Sith code, but affection was a liability. It was engrained so deeply in his mind psyche that he was left defenseless in front of this woman. Tayleen, the first person for whom he cared enough to want to know her name.

"You can call me Essan," he heard himself say, but felt no remorse as she lifted her sad eyes. "That's my real name."

"Essan," she repeated softly. "I'll remember it."

Looking down, he found her comlink terminal. It dawned on him that he had no means to communicate with her without going through a third party. He brought up his gauntlet and extracted the chip from his own comm. The transmitter linked with her computer as he approached it.

"You can call me any time," he explained.

"I wouldn't want to bother you."

"I know... That's why this line is secure and private."

She watched him retrieve his chip and let out a sigh. Essan stood just a step away from her and his heart was racing. Why did he not dare to move?

"What will happen when someone knows you've been here?" she worriedly asked. "Someone who wants you dead?"

"I am entitled to meet with Imperial officers," he tried to answer. "It's part of work."

She shook her head again, losing patience in her eyes. "This isn't work, at least I hope it isn't."

As much as he wanted to give her reassurance, he couldn't deny the warm feeling he got in his chest.

"Then there would be no point in hiding."

"Are you suggesting I join your team again? Because that didn't go so well the last time."

"That's not the best plan." He pause for a breath. "We need time to think."

She nodded, unable to hide the emotion from her eyes. "Yes."

He smiled and remembered she couldn't see it. He allowed himself to touch her arm. She shuddered, staring at his gloved hand.

"I should leave now."

He was ready to pace his way back to the exit when all lights dimmed and if not for the electronically enhanced night vision, he would have been completely blind. She had flipped a switch on the wall near the bed and she stood facing him.

What happened next was a blur, Essan only registered that he had his mask off and could suddenly smell her subtle scent of citrus. He leaned down and met her lips as they kissed. He couldn't see in the dark but all of his other senses were alert if not for the storm of emotions rattling his head.

"I have to go," he whispered as she held his hands. There was nothing awaiting his attention but leaving was necessary.

She did not object as he put his mask back on. She did not stand in his way when he left the Phantom.

Reaching his hangar he stopped dead at the gate, sensing a familiar presence tainted with ill intent. It made his stomach knot and his spine went cold. The door hissed opened on the Fury, but a black hooded figure stood there, a double-bladed lightsaber ready to be ignited.

"I've been expecting this moment," menacingly said Jaesa Willsaam. "Master."

Against his better judgment, Jaesa had taken on the role of inquisitor of the dark side. She was skilled in detecting the light in Sith lords.

"Have you run out of students to murder?" he spat at her.

"I was blind for so long," said the young woman, squinting her yellow eyes under her hood, "and now I finally see through your lies and deceit."

"Jaesa," he called to her with a calm, but firm voice. "You used to be on the light side yourself, had it not been for your old Jedi Master, you and I would have been on a similar path."

She sneered at him then smiled manically. "Prepare to meet your end, Master."

On those words she lunged at him, lightsaber ignited and striking high. Essan barely had a second to react and parried with his crimson blade. Red light shone against all surfaces and armor, and Jaesa's face looked twisted with rage and fear as they locked in place. He pushed her away and called to the Force to throw her across the hangar.

The Human woman tumbled backwards and slid on the sleek floor, one palm down as she gathered herself to run towards him for another assault. Essan was already on his way to leave her there, and remotely programmed the Fury to commence takeoff sequence.

Jaesa tossed her weapon in the air, a dangerous maneuver for her as it was double-sided, nearly slashing her own head off. Essan threw himself to the floor in order to avoid the lightsaber, rolling over his head and using the Force to keep her from catching her weapon. In a split-second thought, he also dismantled the casing of the power crystal contained in the silver hilt.

"No!" she cried with anguish, picking up the useless pieces of her lightsaber. "I will kill you, Darth Skordus!"

As she spoke, she got on her feet and extended a stretched arm and crooked fingers. Essan felt the tightening of his throat and windpipe, but his power was superior. She struggled to break past his atunement to the Force and the invisible barrier that countered her insidious attack. Essan took that respite to climb up the boarding ramp and got into his ship the moment it was lifting off its struts. He rapidly paced up the corridor towards the cockpit, swearing to himself that Jaesa would no longer be part of his crew.

Unless she would come back to her senses, as Quinn had. Still, he would have to make her pay somehow.

Before jumping to hyperspace, he sent out a message to Cipher Nine, hinting at her that she would know where to find him and that someone was after him. She didn't have to worry but it would be wise for her to leave the Fleet.

Hitting the send key, he felt a pang of regret in his gut. He had once cared for Jaesa before she became a disappointment. The woman didn't know who she was and he had meddled in her quest for self-affirmation. What if he was repeating that mistake?

The viewport turned to the familiar blue whirlwind and he got up from his seat. Only a Sith would deal in absolutes and not forgive. Only a Sith would accept the ruin of a person's life, only to find personal satisfaction in being right.

And he was Sith, and as such his range of action was limited. Essan left to find his room and all of the research he had done on Cipher Nine. It was all pointless now that he knew her in a way very few did.

He opened up his comms system and let Quinn know about Jaesa. With the message, he attached the video capture of the fight in the hangar. It was best that no one among the crew tried to contact him or know where he was.

Wherever he stood now on the Force spectrum, he was going dark.