Chapter Four
Vowrawn escorted Vector out of Nox' chambers and all the way to the entrance of the enclave.
"Thank you for removing us from that…. situation, my lord," said Vector, wondering what the price would be for Vowrawn's assistance.
Vowrawn laughed. "I know all too well of Nox' vices and they are many, plus I do still love to tweak her nose when given the chance. Old habits, you understand. You would do well not to entangle yourself further with her since, I fear, she sees you as a bit of a challenge now. She does enjoy a challenge and will not give up until she has you between her sheets, or more to the point, between her legs.
"One would think that she would see just how fragile the empire's situation is, and adjust her priorities accordingly but, that woman has never been able to leash the carnal side of her nature. Not that I haven't bent the rules of protocol many times in my endeavors, and I have been far from celibate but I fear an era is coming to a close where we can take the time for such petty entertainments. So, where are you off to now?"
"Alderaan, for one. We will be reporting to Minister Beniko with any findings and you may learn to rely on her more as time goes on. We have little knowledge of the other lords on the council, but we can only hope that you can make them see reason before it is too late.
"If we may ask, my lord, what of the Wrath and the Hand? Any news from them?"
"The Wrath is deployed on some mission of her own and we have heard nothing from the Hand. I assume that they were consumed by the emperor along with Ziost, but who can say for sure. I bid you safe travels, although safety may soon become a forgotten commodity.
"Oh, one more thing. I expect you to report anything you find to me as well as Beniko. That is not a request. I will send my private code to your ship."
"As you wish, good day, my lord." Vector gave a little bow to Vowrawn and walked out into the rain to catch a taxi back to the spaceport.
He was more thankful to the sith lord than Vowrawn could ever comprehend. Any intimacies with that woman, in particular, would be such a deep betrayal to Rey'elle that he might never be able to forgive himself. Reporting to Vowrawn was simply an inconvenience and he hoped the ship was ready when he returned because he could not wait to be off Dromund Kaas.
The moment he walked into the common room he was met by a furious Kaliyo. "So what, Vector, you think you could get rid of my ass so easily? Shuffling me off to Nar Shaddaa without even asking? Well, I won't go, do you hear me? I won't go!"
Lokin joined them from the med bay. "Calm down, Kaliyo, your caterwauling is disturbing my bacteria samples. Now what the hell is going on?"
"I don't give a shit what I disturb. I'm not going to Nar Shaddaa, I've spent enough time in shit holes and I won't stand for it, never again."
Vector struggled to keep his voice even. "Alright, Kaliyo. Perhaps we misspoke, but we need the intel from Hutt space. Nobody but you has the cunning or insight to work your way around the cultures of Nar Shaddaa. Dammit, Kaliyo, we need you to do this."
"And why should I? I don't owe shit to the empire, what has it ever done for me?" Vector could almost see the wheels turn in her brain. "On second thought, it might do me good to be out from under bug boy's thumb for a while. Ok, I'll go Vector, and I'll report back but only until I get a new gig that suits my purposes and my lifestyle. Don't say I didn't warn you."
"Fair warning taken, Kaliyo, we understand perfectly. And how about the rest of you? We desire honesty."
"I need to go back to Hoth, Vector. I want to be part of the Chiss unit again and you know why," answered Raina.
"Got a secret blue lover, Raina?" snarked Kaliyo.
"Perhaps I do, but it wouldn't be a secret if I told, now would it?"
Kaliyo pursed her lips. "Well if it's that Saganu fellow, I'll gladly trade places with you."
"I will stay until I no longer can, Vector. I will explain soon," said Lokin.
Scorpio walked into the room. "There is no reason, at this time, for me to leave. This ship allows me freedoms I might not be afforded elsewhere and it is to my benefit to remain."
"Very well, that is settled. Our first stop will be Hoth and then on to Nar Shaddaa. How long until we leave, Raina?"
"Fueling is almost done, just waiting for supplies. Best estimate I could get is sometime within the next four hours. Seems military provisioning is taking precedence."
"We will be in our quarters until then."
"Why doesn't that surprise me," sniped Kaliyo as he left the room.
He leaned against the door as soon as he shut it and breathed deep of Rey'elle's scent which was strongest in this room. He wanted to drown in her smell and cursed his lungs for continuing to bellow life giving oxygen in and out of his chest. He felt full and empty at the same time and wondered what he would become without her.
He stripped off his armor and then his underclothes and stepped into the refresher, studying his reflection, now fractured by the shattered mirror. He had showered during the long trip but running through raindrops would have accomplished more and this was the first time he had stopped to look at his face.
He ran his hands along his jaw, feeling his fingers comb through the growing stubble and took the jar of depil cream from the medicine cabinet to rid his face of the lengthening shadow.
He had never had to worry about facial hair while he was in the hive. Something in the pheromones stunted the growth of facial and cranial hair. He had only started shaving and getting haircuts again as the saturation of the pheromones in his body lessened. Even now all he had was long stubble where another man would have a full beard.
He turned the shower on and stepped in, letting the water wash away the depil cream and whiskers then reached for the soap and inhaled the fragrance of apple and sandalwood, so light it barely teased the senses. He could almost feel her hands on his back rubbing in lazy circles through the lather and craved her touch so deeply that he tipped his head back and roared at the ceiling. The primal sound invaded the waking dream and he was alone, sharing space with only the water and steam.
He exited the shower, dried off and wrapped the towel around his waist, walked to the bed and sat down. This room, their room, was the only place he could drop the facade of leadership and fall shamelessly into that pit of self pity that he abhorred. He could coddle his misery like a child and sometimes sleep when he lowered his defenses enough that he could hear the nests lullabies.
He knew that he could not dwell forever in this room, that he would need to re-enter the hive and little by little his humanity would fall away until he no longer felt pain or remorse or loneliness, but what he feared most was the day that he might no longer feel love.
He had spent months unlocking those parts of his brain that stored his most human emotions and thoughts. He remembered the first time he had kissed her, the first time they made love when he was still getting reacquainted with all the sensations he thought lost. He recalled telling her that he would never have to go through that process again and now he was not so sure. Without her there as a constant reminder, he could lose it all again.
He could never let that happen, not as long as there was even the sliver of a chance she still lived. He would need to walk that very fine line between absorption and individuality and as Dawn Herald he would exercise that right. The song would change and he would learn to dance to the new melody, but the Dawn Herald would dance alone.
The long travel time between worlds was the hardest on the crew. The silence became part of the very air they breathed, circulating from room to room through the vents, settling in their nostrils and in their throats, choking off any discourse that should have come so naturally. Isolation became the norm for Vector and haven for a heart that was almost too heavy to beat.
It was a little over thirteen days from Dromund Kaas to Hoth, a planet Vector hated almost as much as Voss. In truth, he would be hard pressed to name which one topped his list as most despised in the galaxy.
Too much personal history remained frozen to that unforgiving landscape, too much blood and pain. Old losses combined with the new to make a bitter broth that gagged him when he tried to swallow the enormity of it all. And still, he had to go to fulfill a promise to Rey'elle that he would protect Raina's secret, no matter the cost.
The Phantom exited hyperspace amid debris that was too reminiscent of the recent attack on Darth Marr's convoy and below they could see the slowly rotating white and blue ball of ice that was Hoth. They were all thrown to the left as Raina cut course to avoid a large section of what appeared to be an imperial Harrower class dreadnought. The sky was full of corpses, made of metal and of bone.
"What the hell happened here?" exclaimed Raina as she cut to booster rockets. "Stars, look at Adamos, entire bays have been blown out."
"What is that in the distance?" asked Lokin.
"Raina, get as close as you can, then activate the cloaking device, that should allow us to take a quick look," said Vector.
"The cloak won't last long, but should be ok for a quick fly by," answered Raina.
None of them could believe the size of the structure that was just in the framing stage. Droids, of various design, scurried about the structure, some welding, some carrying huge girders and holding them in place, while others drove rivets into metal with hydraulic hammers.
A small fleet patrolled nearby, perhaps fifty ships, all in perfect formation. "Like nothing human was at the controls," whispered Lokin.
"What?" said Raina.
"Like that spacer said, back on Bakura, perfect formation like nothing human was at the controls," answered Lokin.
"Raina, get us out of here before the cloak fails and calculate a trajectory to land on Adamos. And let them know we're coming, we don't want to get shot down by our own people," ordered Vector.
Vector and Raina went to get their cold weather gear and Raina's duffels with her personal belongings once the ship had settled onto its landing struts. Lokin and Kaliyo were by the exit door when he and Raina arrived to go down the ramp. There was an uncomfortable silence for a few minutes and then both Lokin and Kaliyo moved forward to shake Raina's hand and wish her well. Vector had expected at least a hug to pass between them, but no such signs of affection were exchanged.
"Looks like they are running on emergency energy reserves. See about getting refueled and have everything ready to depart, Kaliyo," Vector said before he followed Raina down the ramp to find a working shuttle to the surface.
Vector checked in with the ensign that had come to greet them as they disembarked the shuttle at Dorn base letting him know that they were there under orders from Minister Beniko. The ensign led them to the speeder depot, apologizing for the commander's absence in greeting them himself. Vector waved off the apology as he and Raina mounted the speeders and set off toward Zero Station, the Chiss' base of operations.
The planet was just as bitter cold as he remembered and his heart was just as bitter toward it as well. The ride would be difficult and long with so many memories, too many. Vector tried to sweep them aside, but they kept crawling back on silent paws, sniffing out those weakest places that would hurt him most.
He finally gave in and faced the dark demons of this pale planet, staring them down, one by one. Forcing them to retreat and pulling the gray curtain of closure shut in front of their snarling, snapping faces.
It was nearing dusk when they pulled up in front of the Chiss controlled base and dismounted. A small squad of armed guards came to greet them, allowing them to take their speeders to a vehicle storage room where they would be safe from the falling temperatures.
They led Raina and Vector to the control area where both recognized the tall figure dressed in a white uniform with a long cape draped around his shoulders. Aristocra Saganu was speaking with two of his team, pointing from time to time to a monitor that hung over a panel of levers and keypads.
Finished with his instruction, he walked over to them, extending his hand to Raina and giving Vector a cursory nod. "So glad to have you back with us, Ensign Temple, although the times are dire."
"It is agent Temple now, Saganu, or at least it was before Imperial Intelligence was disbanded. I am not sure of my designation now that I have left the crew of the former Cipher 9."
"Well, we can work out the details later. Please follow me to our briefing room where we can talk and I can order some tea to warm you after your long trip."
They followed him down a passageway and into a small room with an oval conference table surrounded by chairs and a bank of several monitors on one wall. Saganu motioned for them to enter and sit down.
Tea was delivered and Saganu began pouring and placing cups before his guests. "I was deeply saddened by the news of Darth Marr's passing, he was perhaps the only sith I truly respected and admired. And I cannot find words to express my sorrow over the news of the agent, I had hoped to see her again someday. She did leave quite a lasting impression. Such a woman of intelligence, warmth and beauty, the galaxy will be a darker place without her."
"We are well aware of her attributes, all of them," said Vector over the top of the steaming cup, his eyes never leaving the Chiss' face.
Saganu's red eyes narrowed and he frowned but pressed the issue no further. He knew that Vector knew of his and Rey'elle's brief romantic encounter and now was not the time for some testosterone fueled confrontation.
'The joiner has changed since last we met,' thought Saganu. 'He is more dangerous now than he was during that whole Serevin ordeal, and he loves her, he grieves her loss. He hides it well, but I wonder if he knows just how close he is to the edge of the abyss?'
Raina broke the tense silence. "What happened out there, Saganu? We exited hyperspace into a debris field of Imperial ships and Adamos is damaged almost to the point of uselessness."
Saganu eased back in his chair. "The distress calls were almost deafening, Raina, and nothing ever prepares one for the dying screams of men and women. We watched from the ground and all we saw were multiple explosions in a myriad of colors. It was like the very stars themselves were putting on a fireworks display."
"And what of this new structure they are building in orbit?" inquired Vector.
"We are as perplexed by its purpose as you are. There has been no communication, no demands, nothing. Any ships that have been deployed for a closer view have been immediately shot down by the fleet of ships the intruder left behind.
"The imperial fleet, that was destroyed, was sent by Grand Moff Regus in response to a build up of republic ships in hopes of a surprise attack to dismantle the republic fleet. It did not turn out as the Moff envisioned and now our supply lines are all but cut off as well since nothing larger than small freighters are allowed through. They are slowly strangling us, blockading us from any hope of succor, but why and who, are unknown.
"As far as we know, the Republic has experienced much the same, with their spaceport nearly destroyed along with their fleet. Whoever this is, means to decimate us both, but to what end?
"Has there been any word from the Ruling Circle on Csilla?" asked Raina.
"To the best of our knowledge, they have no intention of embroiling themselves with this current conflict. There have been no attacks within Chiss territories and they prefer to remain neutral and not garner any attention from this new threat. I fear there will be no assistance from the Ascendency. For the time being, we are on our own," answered Saganu.
"You are aware that I am here to report any findings back to Minister Beniko. I do not want that to be a point of contention between us and of course, I will share what I learn with you as well," stated Raina.
Saganu smiled in her direction. "I am well aware of your purpose, Raina, though why you should want to come back to Hoth is beyond me. However, we have always worked well together and trust will not be an issue between us considering what we now face
Saganu glanced at his crono. "The hour grows late and night on Hoth is not conducive to travel by speeder. I will make sure you have quarters, Vector, and assume you will want to get an early start to return to your other comrades. I still have work to do and will have ensign Ch'lan escort you to your room.
"Raina, your previous accommodations are still the same, I believe you know the way. Now, if you will excuse me, I must bid you good evening."
Saganu rose from his seat and with a swish of his cloak, he walked to the door and exited. Shortly, the chiss ensign entered and took Vector to his room, small, with a bunk and refresher but no shower of any kind, not that Vector cared, it was too damned cold to bathe anyway, even a sonic would prove uncomfortable. The room was near the back of the base and little heat was provided from the tiny vent.
He sat on the bunk in the cold silence, watching his breath form tiny clouds in the frozen air. So quiet, no ship sounds, no muffled voices of the crew, no intrusion from the nest, it was perfectly calm. Even his mind had stopped its unbidden thoughts of sorrow.
For one fleeting moment he could hear Rey'elle's voice, soft and frightened, barely above a whisper call to him. From a great distance he heard her plea to find her, save her, love her, and then it was gone. It was like a fragment of an echo caught adrift in the song, something he had missed until now, when all around him was still.
Perhaps it was just a figment of his imagination or wishful thinking or the universe being kind and cruel at the same time. He had survived the Chrysalis of Tranquility which deepened his bond with the universe, he could feel the birth of distant stars, feel the radiation like rain upon his skin, see the magnetic pulse of gravity and taste the aura of every living thing.
His link with Rey'elle was more profound than anything he had ever experienced, but he never dreamed of anything like this. That the instant she loosed her prayer could be caught like a tiny flicker in a solar storm and that he would hear it across the vast ocean of space and time was a miracle beyond his understanding.
Instead of peace, the knowing brought new agonies and questions he did not want to ask. He buried his face in his hands to stave off the growing dread of what her fate would now be.
"She's alive," he murmured between his fingers. He did not know where or how, but he knew for a fact that she still lived and was waiting for him.