Scourge hurled his vibroshiv at a crate. It struck dead center, quivering until he recalled it with the Force. He tapped his fingers against his knee and repeated the action for the fifteenth time. Only three more hours until they reached Ord Mantell. He had a relative amount of solitude in this part of the cargo hold, and for that he was grateful. He had woken again to the smell of frying nuna eggs. The captain of the ship hadn't charged much for passage aboard the vessel, and Scourge could understand why, with the meager sleeping accommodations. But apparently, the man's wife was determined to feed everyone aboard. Scourge had retrieved his food and retreated to the privacy of his pallet, but not before he had made sure to glower at two particular Zabraks who were still curled around each other at the small dejarik table. The Twi'lek from last night had skipped past him and waved, and he had studiously ignored her. In better lighting, he had realized that she was much younger than he had previously thought. She couldn't have been more than fifteen standard years. Her men had followed behind, and one had nodded in greeting. The other had just been glaring at the girl's back. Scourge had left it be. Whatever squabbles the three had were of no concern to him. All that mattered was finding Revan. When he reached Ord Mantell, he wasn't sure where to begin looking. Hopefully, the Force would provide some aid. If it didn't, he might be searching for a very long time. Scourge heard a rustling behind the crates he leaned against, and he turned. The Force was filled with anxiety, and the little Twi'lek from earlier stepped into his view. The man flanked her, his arms crossed. Scourge scowled, even though he knew they wouldn't be able to see it behind his cowl. Why did this child's goal in life seem to be his annoyance? She glanced down at her boots, lekku twitching almost imperceptibly. A light blush colored her green face, and she folded her hands together.
"Tee, say what you need to say," the man instructed sternly.
Scourge felt her irritation flare, but she did not give voice to it. "I wanted to apologize for my behavior last night. I was wrong to bother you when you obviously wanted to be left alone. I hope that you can forgive me," she said. Scourge wanted to reply that her apology was even more of an annoyance, but he merely nodded. Hopefully, that would be enough to make the pair leave. It was not to be.
"I wanted to thank you for your patience, as well. We had a bit of a run-in with some characters on Coruscant. She is lucky that you were not as dangerous as them," the male Twi'lek added, glaring at the girl pointedly. This time, she had the presence to glare back. Scourge bit back a snarl at the man's assumption, but he hurled the shiv at the crate again, knowing that it hit the target perfectly. The man frowned, and the girl's eyes widened in awe. Scourge recalled the knife with the Force.
"Assume nothing, Twi'lek," he warned. "I hunt more dangerous things than adolescent females. I prefer prey that can actually challenge me."
"Indeed," the man said, placing a hand protectively on the girl's shoulder. He pulled her back before turning to leave. The pair departed, and Scourge strapped the shiv back to his thigh. Only two hours and fifty minutes left. He leaned his head back against the crate and sighed.
The night was still, but Scourge could feel the promise of action waiting on the horizon. It was in the back of his mind, the feeling of being watched as he walked through the grassy plains. A cold breeze stirred the dead foliage, and he stopped. Scourge heard a faint whispering, like the rustling of leaves; a shiver trailed down his spine. He recalled the tales from his youth, the adolescent rumors that ghosts haunted the academy on Dromund Kaas. When he and his allies had grown bored, they would journey to the abandoned part of the temple, daring each other to go further and further. He had often felt the presence of a spirit in the ancient passageways. At the time, he had thought it was just his imagination. Over time, he had learned better. The whispering continued, and he stood still. He felt no malice in the Force, but he also realized there was more than one spirit. Finally, one of them spoke.
"You violate the temple with your presence," it whispered. "The dark side has no place here."
"I have not come to corrupt your temple," he answered. "I come seeking an old ally."
"An ally?" a familiar voice chuckled. Scourge felt a presence behind him, and he turned to see the pale representation of Meetra Surik. "I hardly think you qualify as allies, Scourge."
Scourge swallowed, disconcerted by the ghost of the woman he'd slain long ago. In theory, they were fascinating. In reality, they were a unique experience. She gazed at him calmly, though. He could sense no anger or desire for revenge. "Perhaps not, given our history. But he is one of the few Jedi I can tolerate," Scourge said. "I seek his knowledge."
"He will not be willing to part with it so easily," Meetra warned, holding up a hand. "Do not expect a warm welcome. Events of late have left him…conflicted. Time has changed his perspectives."
"As well they should," Scourge agreed. "But Revan is the only Jedi who can help me find what I seek."
"And what is that?" Meetra asked.
"You can hardly expect me to answer that question," he replied.
"You've already killed me, Sith. I'm not a threat to you," she chuckled. "I can hardly draw my lightsaber and attack. Whatever happened to it, anyways?"
Scourge hesitated a moment before answering. "I collected it upon leaving the Emperor's throne room. It stayed in my private collection on Dromund Kaas. I did not have it with me when I chose to defect. As for its location now, I cannot say."
"Ah, well, it hardly matters now," she sighed. "Do you ever regret the actions you took?"
"No," Scourge answered. Meetra raised an eyebrow, but he continued. "I'll admit that your death was not what I desired. Given better circumstances, I would have chosen a different path. But I did what was necessary to complete my vision. Although it took three centuries, your sacrifice eventually saved trillions of lives."
"I know Revan will not see it that way now. It is a consolation, though. But a small one, given what you took from me," she smiled bitterly. Scourge could sense her regret in the Force, and he cocked his head. She blinked and glanced down. "I had a lover waiting for me, when I left to find Revan. Jaq eventually went on to become a Jedi. He died, thinking I'd abandoned him. My loyalty to Revan was the only thing strong enough to tear me away from him, and I wanted nothing more than to return to his embrace. But we both know how that turned out."
"That was an unfortunate outcome," Scourge nodded.
"He has long since been one with the Force. I feel him brush my presence now and then, seeking answers. I wait for Revan to be at peace, so that I can finally give them to him," she admitted. "I wait for the day that we can truly be one. But Revan will never have peace, until he can put his conflict aside."
"Tell me where to find him," Scourge said.
"The Force must guide you," Meetra instructed. "But the answer you seek is close. Be wise, and do not fight the Force's pull."
Scourge woke to a hand on his shoulder. The little Twi'lek stared down at him, her brown eyes wide. He cursed, and she backed away several feet, waiting. Scourge stood and crossed his arms, glaring down at her. This ended now. "Twi'lek, if you do not leave me be, I will not be so merciful as this morning," he growled. "I am not to be trifled with." She gazed up at him, unperturbed. What came out of her mouth next made Scourge lift an eye ridge.
"Would you like to have lunch with us?" she asked, motioning back to her companions.
"What?" he asked disbelievingly.
"Lunch. Food," she repeated. "We still have two hours before Ord Mantell, and it's time to eat. We would welcome the company."
Scourge sighed deeply and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Will you never cease this vexation?" The girl blinked in confusion. "Leave me alone," he translated.
She hesitated for a moment. "You remind me of my sister," she admitted finally. "Since you're all Force-sensitive and everything. You're a lot meaner than her, but you seem lonely."
"I do not seek companionship," Scourge admonished. "And if I did, it would not be with children."
"My brothers aren't children," she argued. "We won't bite." Scourge opened his mouth to reply that he would start soon if she didn't leave, but a sudden impulse stopped him. The Force seemed to pull him towards her like a magnet. As the seconds ticked by, he became more sure. He could almost feel the hands on his back, pushing him forward. He frowned fiercely but decided to heed the advice from his dream.
"As you wish," he nodded. The girl's tattooed eyebrows shot up in surprise, and a wide grin split her face. Her happiness flooded the Force for a brief second, and she pulled him with her towards the other Twi'leks.
"Vuren, Karawn, we have a guest," she burbled, pulling him into their circle of crates. One's mouth dropped open, and the other stiffened rigidly. Scourge lowered his cowl. Both brothers frowned upon seeing his face.
"Teeubo, you are in enough trouble. Do not make things worse," one seethed. "Once Ilar hears of this…"
"Vuren," the other interrupted, motioning for Scourge to sit. The girl bounded over to him and sat down. "My name is Karawn, stranger. This is my sister, Teeubo; and this is our brother-in-law, Vuren." Scourge nodded in acknowledgment.
"What's your name?" Teeubo asked, grinning widely.
"Not important," Scourge answered, raising an eye ridge.
"You are right on that account," Vuren ground out.
"Vuren, please. Have something to eat," Teeubo said, rustling through her bag and handing him two strips of blackened nerf jerkey. Karawn smiled apologetically and shook his head. Scourge sat cross-legged beside Karawn and tried the strange-smelling meat. The first bite nearly broke his teeth, and he grimaced. He pulled the bite off with some effort, and the men both chuckled. The youngling smiled in chagrin. "That would be the first batch I've made in almost a year. Seela said I didn't tenderize it correctly. I guess she was right."
"A pity is was still edible," Vuren snorted. "We have nothing else to eat until Ord Mantell." Scourge stopped chewing and held the other slice out to him.
"I insist," he said.
"Oh, no. I would never steal food from the mouth of a stranger," Vuren laughed sarcastically. "To do so would be a great dishonor." Scourge glared at him, and Teeubo started laughing.
"Among Twi'lek society, it is customary to share what we do have, even if there is not much. To give back a gift, especially food, is a great insult. Even if the food is not so…desirable," Karawn explained.
"I'll pay better attention next time," Teeubo promised.
"If Seela lets you back in the kitchen, I will lock her in our room for fear that she's gone mad," Vuren retorted.
"I'm sure she'll mind that sooo much," Teeubo replied suggestively, "especially given she's in her fourth month and how often I catch you two going at it."
"Teeubo," Karawn hissed. "No one wants to hear that!"
"Well, it's true!" she scoffed. "Why do you think I wanted to get away? Every night, I hear their bed hitting the wall."
"That's enough," Karawn snapped. "Do not dig your grave deeper. Strangers do not need to hear our family's private matters."
"It matters nothing to me," Scourge shrugged, taking another bite of the rock-hard jerkey.
"My wife is pregnant," Vuren explained. Scourge sighed in exasperation. Did this whole family believe that their inner workings were his main concern? "She has been…hormonal of late."
Teeubo rolled her eyes. "And by 'hormonal', he means horn-" Vuren threw a strip of the meat at her, striking her on the forehead. Her mouth dropped open, and she quickly returned the favor. Karawn reached over and snatched it away from his brother. He shook his head.
"If only Dae could see you now," he reprimanded. "She would tell you both that you're acting like children." The comment caught Scourge off guard, and he gazed at Karawn curiously. He felt a tugging in the back of his mind, a foresight perhaps. The way these Twi'leks talked, their mannerisms, suddenly seemed very familiar. He recalled the way the girl had taken her caff last night, the way she stood, the men's accents, and the tilt of their heads when they said certain phrases. He took stock of their presences in the Force, the easy way they conversed and the quick way they had taken him into their circle. Only one other person he knew acted like that. Did the Force truly work in such mysterious ways? The little Twi'lek had mentioned that her sister was a Jedi, but certainly, it could not be Daesha? She was no Twi'lek. Although, the more he thought of it, the more he realized it was plausible. Daesha and Ven were both Ryl words, and she was fluent in the language. Her attitude mirrored that of Teeubo's, although she was far more mature.
"I might believe it, from her," Teeubo muttered mutinously.
"Who is your sister?" Scourge finally asked. Karawn's eyes narrowed slightly, but he answered.
"Aside from Seela, we have only one other sister. Her name is Daesha; she is a Jedi Knight," he replied. "The galaxy knows her better as the Hero of Tython." Scourge nodded, feigning vague recognition. The less these Twi'leks knew about him, the better. The fewer complications he had, the more quickly he could find Revan. And the more quickly that was accomplished, the more quickly he could get back to his less-than-honorable goal of corrupting their sister.
"The Hero of Tython is your sister?" he asked disbelievingly. "But she is no Twi'lek."
Karawn shook his head mournfully. "We have all heard the way your government treats our people, Sith. We are only slaves in your world, but things are different here. Our parents were both from Ryloth, but they resettled to a small farming world called Keeli. After my brother Nabat and I were born, our mother was told she would have no more children. She went into a deep depression, and our father took her away to Ithor for a month. When they returned, they brought Daesha back as well. They found her in a pile of trash during their layover on Corellia. She is only a year younger than I am biologically, but she was always…different. She seemed too old for her body, and she always knew when things were about to happen. She was seven when the Jedi found her. Master Coren was running a reconnaissance mission on our world, and he ran into our father. He invited him to stay with us during his time there. The first time he saw Daesha, he knew what she would become. Our parents were reluctant to let her go, but he assured them that she had a great destiny. He took her as his apprentice, and time has proved him correct."
"You know what she would say to that," Teeubo laughed. "She would start lecturing you about pride."
"She is very good at lecturing," Karawn agreed. "The Jedi taught her well with that, at least." The comlink at his belt began beeping, and he answered it. Scourge felt the surge in the Force before the image appeared. "Speak of the nexu," Karawn joked as Daesha's image appeared. She placed a hand on one hip, tilting in the way that Scourge remembered so vividly.
"And just why do you have Tee's comlink?" she asked.
"I took it from her after Coruscant. She is lucky I didn't smash it," Karawn snorted. "How are you?" Daesha bowed her head, and Karawn sat forward in concern.
"I've had better weeks, nerra," she sighed. "My heart is heavy, and this whole situation has not helped. Seela contacted me and asked for my help before you all reached home. She wanted me to talk to Teeubo before father got a chance to." Scourge noticed the way that the young Twi'lek paled at that. "She thought perhaps I could reason with her."
"I'm sure you can, but what else troubles you? I know this is not the only matter," Karawn asked.
"My latest mission is bound to be distasteful," Daesha revealed. "I also lost a member of my crew this week. He left us to seek personal enlightenment."
"I thought the Jedi were all for that," Karawn said in confusion.
"We are," she nodded. "But…still."
"You are just like Mother. You worry too much," Karawn smiled.
"Just let me speak to Tee," Daesha sighed. "I have much to say."
"I will, but we have a guest. Perhaps afterwards, you could work on him as well? He is proving most disagreeable," Karawn frowned.
"I will do my best, Karawn. But Teeubo comes first," she admonished. "Give her back the comlink." Scourge smirked as the girl took her comlink and stood. Daesha had crossed her arms again and was giving her the glare he received so often. "Good luck, Tee," Karawn winked.
"Shut up," Teeubo hissed. "Daesha, let me explain…" she trailed off as she walked away.
"Have you lost all sense, Teeubo? What in the name of the Force possessed you to go into the lower levels alone? That is something that even the most seasoned of Jedi Masters would do with caution. And they spend years honing their fighting skills. An adolescent girl with no weapons training is a ripe target. Do you realize what might have happened to you?" Daesha lectured. "You are just lucky that Vuren and Karawn managed to find you before…before someone else did."
"You worry too much," Teeubo sighed. "Nothing happened. Besides, I was having fun for the first time in forever. Things are so boring on the dam-on the farm."
"Where did you learn all these bad words?" Daesha asked crossly. "I know it wasn't from our parents."
"Oh, like you never curse? Please, I could write a book on your colorful descriptions of the nine Corellian hells! You're the reason Seela got her mouth washed out until she was ten," Teeubo argued.
"I never taught you those words, numali," Daesha reprimanded. Teeubo frowned, and her voice rose.
"Don't call me that! I already get enough of it from Seela and Karawn, and I don't need it from you!" she argued. "I'm not a little girl!"
"Then start acting like it," Daesha commanded. "You're almost sixteen, and you are still acting like a toddler. The twins are more mature than you some days!"
"Oh, so just because you're a bigshot Jedi, you think have the right to tell me that? At least I'm there for Mom and Dad! When was the last time you even commed them? You haven't talked to Mom in almost a month! When she heard that you went to Drommund Kaas and faced the Emperor, do you know she actually fainted? It took us almost half an hour to revive her! Dad can't even remember what you look like! Not to mention that I had to tell you Seela was pregnant again! You're such a hypocrite sometimes!" Teeubo argued. Daesha glanced down in shame; although her sister was taking cheap shots, she still was correct. But this wasn't about her. It was about Teeubo and the very real risk she had put herself in. Still, admitting her failure to her youngest sister required Daesha to swallow her pride. It was not a pleasant sensation, but she knew that Teeubo would be more responsive if she gave her something.
"You are correct on that account, Teeubo. I should comm them more often, and you as well. I could make excuse after excuse about how saving the galaxy takes up my time or about Jedi nonattachment, but we both know the truth is I've just been…lazy. I don't want to have to face Dad's constant interference in my affairs. I don't want to have to admit that I missed my own nephews' birth just to stop some moronic Sith from destroying Tython. I don't want to acknowledge that I missed your birthday because I was on Balmorra stopping some rebels from getting run over by Imperials. Or that I'm going to likely miss Seela's new baby because of the war. And, worse, I don't want to admit that I'm worried for Mom," Daesha admitted. "That, more than anything, I want to avoid, even though trying to deny the truth goes against all my training." Teeubo bit her lip and looked down. The tips of her lekku quivered, and her eyes watered.
"Don't talk about that," she sniffled. Daesha regarded her silently, arms still crossed. Teeubo avoided her stare.
"You know what I'm going to say. If something ever happened to you, Mother might die from the shock. As much as we both want to pretend otherwise, that is the truth," Daesha lectured.
"Kriffing Jedi and your peace!" Teeubo hissed. "How can you say that as if it means nothing?"
"It does mean something," Daesha snarled. "But that doesn't change the fact that what I'm saying is true. Teeubo, do you realize what might have happened to you? The district that you were in is controlled by a group of gangsters called the Raquors. That cantina was only a mile away from their headquarters. You are so beautiful, so incredibly young and inexperienced. If someone had caught up to you before our brothers got there, do you realize what that means?" Teeubo refused to answer. "You could have been raped and sold into slavery, Tee. You would be at the mercy of strangers for the rest of your life, forced to do detestable things all for their sick amusement. You would never see any of us again, and you likely die on some unknown planet, completely alone. Is that what you want? Does that sound like adventure?"
"You know it's not what I want," Teeubo finally whispered before looking up at her. "I was just bored, Dae. I just wanted to have some fun; I never meant to hurt anybody."
"I know you didn't, but that doesn't change what might have happened. No one is saying that can't have a life brimming with adventure. But you need to gain some experience. You need to learn how to defend yourself, both physically and mentally. Ask Vuren to show you; within a year or two, you'll be ready to take on the whole galaxy," Daesha smiled.
"Never like you with that flashy sword," Teeubo chuckled. "I wish you'd teach me how to use that."
"You'd cut your hand off," Daesha laughed. "I almost have, several times." Teeubo smiled, and Daesha felt herself relax. She opened her mind to the light side, relishing the feel that only family could bring. She knew that the Code forbade attachment, but it was a strength here. Their support and love were one of the few anchors in her constantly changing life. It was similar to the connection she felt to her crew, although there had been a hole there since Scourge's departure.
"Are we…cool?" Teeubo finally asked.
"Of course we are, Tee," Daesha grinned. "Now, enough of this. Tell me about your trip." Teeubo bounced in place and did just that. Coruscant was so big and shiny. It was never quiet, and it smelled weird. The one shop that Karawn had taken her to had everything you could imagine, even turbolifts! There had been so many species, and she had finally seen a Cathar. There were so sleek and powerful. After they had gotten on Loretta's Lament (that was a stupid name, huh?), she had met these two Zabraks that had started going at it. They were nice enough, but the man smelled like cheese. Where had he even found that much cheese? They had woken her up by having sex, although she wasn't really fazed by it. Since Seela had gotten pregnant again, she and Vuren were on each other all the time. It was so distracting and annoying! Vuren had been really agitated the whole time, and Teeubo thought it was because he hadn't gotten any in almost a week. Did Zabrak males get that antsy without any too? Speaking of Zabraks, she had met the most bad-ass guy the other night. He was scary, but he had knives. Actual vibroshivs! He was really tall, and he only wore black. Like a ninja! She had made him try some of her jerkey, but he hadn't liked it. At that, Daesha had begun laughing. Teeubo's lack of cooking skills was legendary.
"But, Daesha, you've got to meet this guy! He's so awesome, even if he doesn't like me," Teeubo grinned.
"Tee, it sounds like you have a little crush," Daesha chuckled. Teeubo's face screwed up, and she rolled her eyes as if the very idea was insulting.
"Ew. Um, no. He's red…like blood red! Thank you, but I prefer my men a different color," Teeubo scoffed. Daesha hesitated, the Force seeming to pull her towards her sister. She felt a niggling in the back of her mind, like fingers stroking against her spine. The hair on the back of her neck raised.
"Is he a Lethan or something?" Daesha asked.
"No, he's not a Twi'lek. He's an alien of some kind, I think a Sith," Teeubo grinned. "He's so exotic."
Daesha's mouth dropped open at that. "Let me…let me speak to him," she instructed.