A/N Huge thank you to Dark-half-raven and GreyJedi 722 for reviewing. It is greatly appreciated! There is a four-year time skip (roughly) between this chapter and the previous one. This lands the story around the Phantom menace.
Xeraph and Kitnandor hacked there way through a few more thugs. Technically the mission was meant to be a hostage negotiation but 'unfortunately' the negotiations had quickly descended into violence. Xeraph was disappointed with her progress with Kitnandor in turning him to the darkness. She truly expected him to have fallen by now but he was still clinging to the weak light (it was truly pathetic).
Xeraph's theory was that he had a rock that was holding him to the light. In that sense all that she needed to do was remove that rock.
"Siri! Stop day dreaming and search through some of these computer files will you?" Kitnandor asked from the other side of the room that they had just cleared. Xeraph obliged and started digging through the computers encryption was extremely tough. It took about half an hour before Xeraph finally got onto a new screen. But the new screen was not much better; this time all it showed was symbol. The symbol was two chains crossing each other whilst seamlessly binding someone head together.
"Master. Have you seen this symbol before?" Xeraph asked. Kitnandor walked over to inspect the symbol whistling a heroic tune. He glanced at the symbol for a second and then almost immediately collapsed on the floor in a pathetic heap. In his head with increasing velocity terrifying visions began to race in: first came cruel laughter and then came bone-chilling screams.
Sidious' base (Coruscant)
Maul and Eldra stood together awkwardly for a moment. Both have them had managed to keep up their relationship secret from Sidious (or so they thought) and in the past four years it had developed into what was actually quite a stable long term relationship.
"I am going on a mission tonight. I won't see you for a day or two. Try not to let Xeraph get to you that much." Maul said tenderly stroking Eldra's cheek.
"So soon after Tatooine? Its fine of course but before you leave I need to tell you something." Eldra said.
"What is it?" Maul asked hurriedly already walking to his ship.
"I'm pregnant." Eldra said. Maul stopped dead in his tracks and turned to Eldra looking her dead in the eyes.
"Are you sure?"
"Positive."
"But what are we going to do? I mean about Sidious?" Eldra asked.
"If the child is powerful enough in the force we will train it in the dark side. Sidious will find that acceptable." Maul said.
"Is that really necessary? I don't want to put our child through the suffering we have both gone through. I our child to a relatively normal childhood." Eldra replied with her maternal instincts already developing.
"It is very necessary. Sidious would never accept a 'normal' upbringing. Besides, I would want our child to be trained in the dark side. It is our legacy that will be filled." Maul said showing his fanatic loyalty to the Sith.
"Even if that training was nothing but pain and suffering?" Eldra replied.
"Yes."
"I don't believe you! Do you even give a crap about our child?" Eldra shouted slapping Maul across the face. "Go on your precious mission for Sidious if that is what makes you happy!"
"That I will!" Maul shouted as he marched into his ship. Almost immediately after the brief clash both Sith felt a twinge of regret. Neither of them wanted to argue but both were too stubborn to admit they were equally at fault.
The Jedi temple
Xeraph sat by Kitnandor's bedside. She did not want to spend her time in the Jedi temple surrounded by weak healer's who could barely close a cut but Xeraph had decided that whoever cared about Kitnandor would come to visit him. From that person Xeraph could possibly use a weak friendship to turn her 'master.' It was the first opportunity Xeraph had gained in months and she was not going to waste it. Whilst, she waited Xeraph dug through Kitnandor's mind. She was genuinely curious about what caused such a sudden collapse and wanted to know why. Unfortunately for Xeraph Kitnandor had incredible mental defences built up over years so her progress was very slow.
"Tell me Siri. Why are you looking through your masters head?" Shaak Ti asked having just arrived in the med bay. Xeraph almost fell off her chair in surprise. Shaak Ti was the only Jedi in this temple that Xeraph respected to a degree. Because of Shaak's closeness to Kitnandor it was normally best to be honest with the Togruta master.
"I wanted to know why he fainted master. It just does not seem right." Xeraph said trailing off at the end. It was an invite for Shaak to 'spill the beans.' Shaak glanced over her shoulder before turning to Xeraph.
"Considering your masters condition I believe it may be fruitful for us to take a walk tonight. Be ready at 0:00." Shaak said before leaving the med bay. Xeraph hesitantly left as well trying to figure out the most effective way for her to do some dark side meditation without the Jedi noticing.
That night
Xeraph was turning her Sith light sabre in her hands. It was infinitely better than her Jedi sabre. The face that she still had to wield the pathetic purple blade sickened Xeraph to the core. All of a sudden, Xeraph sensed the force presence of Shaak Ti outside her door. Stuffing her Sith sabre into her hidden draw Xeraph left her chamber to greet Shaak Ti.
"Good evening Siri. Coruscant is beautiful tonight don't you think? Maybe a walk outside the temple would do us both some good." Shaak said showing that whatever she was telling Xeraph the Jedi knowing would be bad.
"Of course master." Xeraph replied. The two walked rather quickly through the temple. They went pass three other Jedi none of whom challenged the pair. It was a stark contrast to the way Xeraph normally had to sneak through the corridors. After walking through the darkened corridors some more Shaak took a sharp left followed by a right before force jumping across a ventilation shaft. Xeraph followed. Where was Shaak taking her? Finally after a few more successive force jumps they were outside the Jedi temple.
Before Xeraph could even take her bearings Shaak was already on the move again. The Togruta Jedi was threading her way through the crowded streets greeting a few people as she went. After what seemed like another age they finally came at the entrance of a dingy apartment. After letting Xeraph in and inviting her to sit Shaak disappeared into the bedroom. This gave Xeraph to observe the flat. There was a small cooker that had obviously come with the apartment but had never been used. There was also an outdated holo set with a few holo films on it. Most of them were what were from the same franchise, which was about heroes with varied abilities from a fictional planet called earth. Most of the powers the heroes had were pathetic compared to the force but the most recent holo film's main antagonist, a guy called Thanos, was pretty powerful.
Shaak Ti walked out of the bedroom again now carrying a small Holo; as the door slid shut Xeraph noticed a double bed.
"Now let us begin Siri. Tell me: do you know anything about Kitnandor's mission to Felucia?" Shaak asked.
"Apart from the fact that the mission destroyed the councils faith in him and the fact that he took a huge hit to his 'vibrant energy' I know nothing." Xeraph replied quoting a council meeting she had eavesdropped in four years ago.
"Then we are going to be in for a long night. Do you want a cup of Caff?" Shaak asked referring to a colossal box on the side.
"Not a chance am I going to drink that bantha piss." Xeraph replied with a smirk.
"Agreed. I cannot stand the stuff myself." Shaak said. That was odd to Xeraph. Why did Shaak have such a huge box of Caff if she hated it? Xeraph had only seen Kitnandor drink that brand of Caff anyway.
"So. Why here?" Xeraph asked.
"Siri. The council would not approve of me telling you this. Therefore, what you shall tell you will not go outside of this room. Understood?" Shaak said sternly.
Xeraph nodded in reply. "Now where to begin?" Shaak asked to herself.
"Felucia." Xeraph said trying to get straight to the point.
"Very well. So have you heard of Jerec the slaver?" Shaak asked.
"Yes. He was some kind of crime lord that did a lot of slave trading." Xeraph replied.
"That is understatement. He was a unique kind of monster. Every time we got witnesses to bring him to justice they would seemingly 'disappear.' It was impossible to put him on trial until by some kind of fluke a couple high-ranking members of his organisation were captured.
Jerec panicked and tried to assassinate them. That was his mistake. After the failed assassination attempt the men wanted to act as witnesses as long as they were given pardons. We took him to court and pulled the witnesses on him. The judge gave him the death penalty." Shaak said in her monotone voice.
"But how does this link in with a mission to Felucia?" Xeraph asked impatiently.
"I'm getting their Siri. On the night before his execution some of his thugs broke him out. And the greatest manhunt of the generation began. It was the most fucked game of hide and seek imaginable. All the Jedi including Kitnandor and myself were sent to catch him. It was by our bad luck that we found him first." Shaak said almost sadly.
"We found his ship and managed to shoot it down on Felucia. We landed there and followed his party. Three days into the hunt we stumbled across a village. It had been burned to the ground but we found no bodies. Just Jerec's symbol." Shaak said.
"The chains and the head." Xeraph muttered.
"Indeed. The lack of bodies led us to the conclusion that he had taken the villagers hostage. We tracked him for another week before we stumbled right into an ambush. Then the trail split. It was obvious that the hostages went one way and Jerec went the other way. We argued about whom to pursue. It was a rough argument that neither of us won and ended with us splitting up and going separate ways. I went for the hostages whilst Kitnandor went for Jerec. It was an awful mistake." Shaak said with a shiver at the end.
"I do not know what happened with Jerec but when I finally found the hostages I fought the thugs who had been guarding them and was going around freeing them. All of a sudden I saw a massive laser blast coming from the top of the mountain. Two more quickly followed after that. The blasts annihilated the hostages in all consuming fire. I do not know what happened on the mountain but the next thing I knew there was a ship leaving the top of the mountain. I presume that was Jerec but I have not gotten round to asking Kitnandor. It is the one thing I think I will never be able to get out of him." Shaak said.
"So then is it safe to presume that the symbol that Kitnandor saw triggered a memory of what happened on the mountain which triggered his faint?" Xeraph concluded.
"Spot on Siri." Shaak said.
"Now if you will forgive me Shaak I want to ask another question." Xeraph said.
"Fire away Siri." Shaak said confidently.
"Why is it that Kitnandor lives here with you?" Xeraph asked with a malicious glint in her eyes.
"What are you talking about Siri? I think the late hour might be getting to you." Shaak said nervously trying to deflect Xeraph's accusations.
"Oh I know exactly what I am talking about. Your old Holo set and unused cooker shows that whoever lives here does not have the time or skill to cook extended meals and does not care for worldly possessions both signs of Jedi. The Caff you have is a brand that I have only ever seen Kitnandor drink. Furthermore, you said you hated the stuff meaning someone who likes the most disgusting Caff in the world lives here. Next you have a table for two as well as a sofa. If you were living alone you would not need those."
"The furniture came with the lease. And the Caff was a 'gift' from the landlord." Shaak said stumbling on her weak excuses.
"As if a landlord can afford to give their leasers and entire box of fucking Caff. Not a chance. Also Kitnandor was whistling the theme song of your most watched holo film in our most recent mission." Xeraph said.
"That holo film is very popular Siri. Besides Kitnandor whistles the theme to a lot of the holo films he has seen recently. He had a phase when all he would whistle was the theme of some dumb alternate universe film called star trek."
"And how do you know that?" Xeraph asked. "And the final nail in the coffin is the fact that you have a double bed. Why would a Jedi have a double bed?" Xeraph asked menacingly. "Prove me wrong. I dare you. This would be a good story to tell Kitnandor in bed wouldn't it?"
"Fine you've got me. Your right about everything." Shaak admitted knowing that the sharp Sith apprentice would not take no for an answer.
Xeraph's eyes glinted in triumph. She had found Kitnandor's rock to the light. It was ironic that the very Jedi master who had tried to pull Xeraph away from her love was in love herself. It was so ironic. It was time to milk this cow for all it was worth.
"When did your relationship start?" Xeraph asked.
"Oh fuck you!" Shaak shouted breaking character very quickly. Shaak knew that if she did not answer all of Xeraph's questions the council would stumble across her love life very quickly.
"When we were younglings our rivalry was quite impressive. It was also quite destructive. We were constantly trying to outdo each other in every way possible. When it came round to finding our crystals on Ilum we were in a race to see who could find our crystal first. We went separate ways almost immediately but then about half way through the trial both of us were led down opposite ends of the same passage. At the end of the passage we had to work together to both get our crystals. The force taught us that pointless arguing is foolish and we are more powerful together. Much later we went on a mission together and the rest is history." Shaak said. "Does that satisfy your curiosity or do I need to tell you when we first fucked as well?" Shaak joked.
"Does that mean that I could still find someone who loves me?" The girl inside Xeraph asked. Desperately Xeraph squashed Siri's thoughts and wishes as they propped their ugly head up. She was a Sith. She did not need such weak emotions. Love was a tool that was to be used to manipulate people into getting results.
"Only the force can tell you that Siri." Shaak said cryptically. Xeraph nodded hurriedly desperate to not let Siri sprout up again. "We should get moving. It will be dawn soon and we need to be back at the temple." Shaak said. Xeraph nodded and escaped into the night.
The med bay (Jedi temple)
Kitnandor rolled over and over on his bed. If there was a god of dreams the bastard was deliberately making his life miserable. His dream was playing out the worst moment of his life.
Kitnandor ran up a mountain and at the top stood a small man. In one hand he had a blaster and in the other he held a girl.
"Let her go Jerec!" Kitnandor shouted.
"And why would I do that master Jedi? She would make a very fine wife" Jerec snarled. At this the girls eyes widened in fear. Suddenly a ship started landing on the mountain.
"And now I must bid my leave master Jedi. But before I go I think it would be only fair if Narcissa said goodbye to her family." Jerec snarled referring to the girl he was holding hostage. As if waiting for a signal three colossal bolts of pure energy emanated from the ship decimating an area below the mountain. Narcissa shrieked realising the massacre that had just happened. Jerec strode into his ship as the slaver escaped justice.
"Your code is weak Jedi. It has failed you and it will again." Jerec shouted as he finally left the planet.
Frantically Kitnandor recklessly charged down the mountain to where the blasts had landed. When he arrived it was a scene of chaos. A man grabbed onto Kitnandor's hand and began shouting rapidly. "Where is my daughter? Where is Narcissa?" the man shouted frantically before fading back into the crowd. That was death he had caused. If he had been a bit faster and caught the bastard this would not have happened. It was better if he never went on a mission again. That way he would never be able to harm anyone again.
The council blamed him. That much was obvious. It was there bloody fault. It was they who stuck to the damn code all the time!
Sidious' base (Coruscant)
Eldra was lounging around on one of the sofas. She was trying to meditate. She was trying to focus her anger but nothing would work. For the hundredth time she opened up her Sith sabre and took a look at her orange crystal. For the hundredth time she tried to turn the damned thing red. And for the hundredth time she ended in miserable failure. The orange crystal was mocking her.
"What's wrong sweetie? To weak to finish the job?" The crystal said mocking Eldra.
"Your weak girl. Your to dumb to be a Jedi and to weak to be a Sith. You can't even agree with the man you love about how to raise your child!" The crystal continued. With all the rage she had Eldra threw the crystal against the wall. Using the force to pull it back Eldra noticed a thin crack in the orange crystal. Moodily Eldra stuffed it back into her sabre and went to get a drink. However, as Eldra stood up a flash of pain struck through her waste. All of a sudden, Eldra felt Maul in her head
"I'm sorry. Jedi got me. I love you." Maul said through there mental bond. And then he was gone. It took about a second for Eldra to process what Maul had told her. Then another second for the boiling rage at the Jedi order to overtake her. And then another second for Eldra's eyes to turn golden yellow…
A/N I hope you enjoyed this chapter. There was a lot to cover here and I hoped I covered Kitnandor and Shaak pretty well. I just wrote this chapter in one sitting and I am absolutely exhausted. Reviews are always appreciated.
