Chapter 10: A Whole New World

Nearly five months ago, the smoky atmosphere of Oricon had proven to be an entrapment to any being who set foot on the planet's surface. The bright illumination of the smoke ridden sky from the lava did little to negate the overwhelming and looming presence of the moon's newest Masters; twisting and corrupting any element of the moon into an ominous, foreboding warning to the arriving guests of the Republic and Empire.

On this day, five months ago, that presence vanished from the moon as easily as an awakened soul trapped in an eternal nightmare; free of the terrible world their own minds concocted at the command of the Dread Masters. In time, the smoke covered sky of the moon also vanished with the nightmare. The encampments soon grew into full fledged operation bases, the Empire and Republic still waging war against the elusive remnants of the Dread Host, who fought against each faction in guerilla warfare. Lord Hargrev had grown accustomed to their battle plans; a missing ration crate here, a destroyed comlink and dismantled turret there.

He even recalled his conversation with the new commander that had been instated into running the Republic base nearly three weeks ago, detailing how three soldiers had been found in their barracks with their throats slit. But no matter what action or tactic the Dread Host committed against them, it was always minor in circumstance. Their forces were weaken, beaten nearly to extinction without the Dread Masters' mind control guiding their actions and platoons of their remaining forces surrendering to the two factions now that they had become free.

Despite their severe condition, however, the remaining Dread Host endured. Lord Hargrev turned his eyes up away from the small computer console he sat at towards the looming tower off a few miles in the distance. The bright, pulsing light that had originally engulfed the atmosphere on that fateful day was no where to be seen, the gap between the two stone columns dark and empty in its appearance.

The Sith Lord sat for a moment in silence, reflecting on the appearance of the structure he could see. How strange, he wondered, seeing the horrific architecture endure in such a manner; how little it touched his mind without that consistent mental barrage from the Masters who called the grounds "home". How strange, he thought, now that the stone columns appeared to be straight and square instead of jagged and bent.

"Mi'lord, we need you."

Lord Hargrev turned his head slightly at the sound of the woman's urgent voice. He sat silently, his eyes stuck on the scars on the side of the woman's face as she spoke.

"Have you come to a decision yet?"

The Sith Lord raised an eyebrow, slowly rising up to his feet.

"You know, I recall the destructive and wounding adventure we must have endured when our task force was forced to crash land on this moon all those months ago. But I must ask: did you truly get those scars from that crash? Or have you always had them?"

Mayia fidgeted lightly with her pant leg, recollecting her thoughts.

"With all due respect, mi'lord, perhaps this can wait for another time? Master Leda has been uncompromising on her desire to see those soldiers return back to their service and we need to give a response."

Lord Hargrev bowed his head lightly, placing his hands on his hips.

"I know, I've spoken with her before. I see no choice; let them return to the Republic base."

Maiya instinctively frowned back in response.

"Forgive me sir, but they are Republic soldiers after all. Master Leda may be a friend, but we are still fighting a war here. We shouldn't give them troops to aid them in keeping us away from that Palace."

Lord Hargrev narrowed his eyes.

"I know this, but I can not go back on our agreement. Darth Nox told those soldiers they would be free once we stopped the Dread Masters, and we have. We can not hold them prisoners against their will now just because they may pose a threat to us, and we can not fight against the Republic with the Dread Guard still breathing down our neck."

The Sith Lord slashed the air in front of him with his left hand.

"No, I will not discuss this any further. Let the men go, diplomacy is our only hope in securing the Palace and taking back the Phobis devices."

Maiya bowed her head lightly, her gaze to the ground.

"As you wish, mi'lord."

Lord Hargrev gave an acknowledging nod in response, watching the woman straighten up and keep her eyes trained on him.

"But if I may, the men are beginning to become unnerved. The mentally damaging atmosphere of the moon may be gone and the original task force returned home, but the new guards are beginning to become reckless. They have not been able to engage against the Republic with our cease fire order, and the Dread Host are merely shadows in the dark, merely helping the Republic keep us away from the Palace grounds."

Lord Hargrev frowned.

"Send them out into the field for a bit then, have them try to uncover more of the Dread Host's hiding ground holes again. I suppose I need to have another walk with Master Leda, and we can hopefully come to an agreement."

Maiya remained stone faced.

"Permission to speak freely, sir?"

Lord Hargrev narrowed his eyes, caught off guard.

"What is it?"

"Do you really want to secure the Phobis devices as Darth Nox instructed?"

Lord Hargrev paused, staring at Maiya blankly. The Sith Lord opened his mouth to speak, only for the woman to cut him off in the middle of his breath.

"Or did Master Leda convince you that the best course of action was to destroy them so that no one else could follow in the Dread Masters footsteps?"

Lord Hargrev stood in silence, his eyes glancing away as he attempted to think of a new strain of words. His eyes turned back to Maiya, however, landing on her half smiling face while she turned her body to the side.

"Because they are the only reason why we are here still, after all this time. And if I am still allowed to speak freely sir, I wouldn't mind it at all if they somehow managed to get destroyed in the crossfire from a botched Imperial operation to secure them."

Lord Hargrev watched her head towards the prison cells with her orders, suppressing a small smile from arising on his face after hearing her words. He couldn't help but sigh in relief at the cryptic approval of his true motivation, the exhaustion of repressing the Dread Master's mental assault on his entire strike force still strong in memory despite his mind now clear.

The Sith Lord sat back down in his seat towards the terminal, prepared to contact the commander of the Republic forces a few miles away at the Republic base via holoterminal. His mind returned back to that fateful day, his own raised voice resonating loudly in his head.

"Stop them! Show the Empire that their depravity leads to weakness, not strength! Make sure no Sith is ever tempted to follow their path..."

A strange feeling warmed his stomach as he thought the speech, unfamiliar to his memory. After all these months, he had finally gained the means to achieve the goal of his words and truly bring about an end to the Dread Masters' influence. Yet, despite all of his adversaries and foes, the strange feeling he felt was not one of his usual armory of anger, hate, or pride.

He thought once more of the Jedi Master's words to him, urging him to join forces with the Republic in a final push to exterminate the last of the Dread Host and destroy the devices. With his mind now absolved of following his commands thanks to the approval he had longed for in Maiya, he now understood the feeling that swelled within him.

The Sith Lord felt his strength increase with the strange feeling in a way he had not experienced in his life, yet now, understood what the feeling truly was.

"So," he thought.

This is what hope feels like.