By the time the Ebon Hawk landed on Tatooine, Jessa felt much more confidant in her identity. There were still a lot of blank spots—namely everything between the Mandalorian war and now—but she did have flashes from that. From what she could tell, she'd been taken by the Jedi as a teenager, before that, she'd liven on the streets on some Outer Rim dustball, completely unaware of her heritage. She thought she'd discovered it sometime in the war, but, of course, nothing was clear. Just indistinct flashes.
As she, Canderous, Asori, and Zhar walked down the landing ramp, leaving Mission and Zaalbar to guard the ship, they were met by a Czerka official.
"Welcome to Anchorhead, potential customer. Now, I must insist, that before Czerka Corporation can impart any services, you will need to pay a 100 credit docking fee."
Jessa's eyes narrowed. She knew from talking to her allies—and her own fragmented memories—what Czerka Corporation had done on Kashyyyk and elsewhere in the galaxy. The thought of funding their operations, even such a small amount, was sickening. "We don't need to pay the docking fee," she said, lacing the words with the Force as she waved her hand in a distracting gesture.
The man's eyes glazed over. "You don't need to pay the docking fee," he said in a monotone. "Enjoy your stay in Anchorhead."
"Clever," Canderous said, grinning. "with how many people that works on, the galaxy must be full of weak-minded fools."
She laughed quietly, eyes sparkling with humor. "Don't you know it." Wisely, neither Zhar nor Asori said anything. "Everyone remember the contact phrase?"
A few minutes later, after figuring out that the native Sand People would likely know of the mysterious Star Map's location, the group found their way into a droid shop, looking for a protocol droid capable of talking to the creatures. There had been no sign of Carth's elusive SIS contacts.
"Target and company have entered the droid shop. Proceed with Operation Phoenix."
The call was so quiet that no-one else could possibly have heard it issuing from her earpiece. The nondescript, unremarkable 'smuggler' slipped into the shadows of an overhanging walkway to watch the front of the droid shop, one hand on her blaster. "Eagle 1 in position," she reported. "Operation Phoenix is go."
-/Unidentified Meatbags Detected
-/Initiate Visual And Sensor Analysis
-/Analyzing: First Meatbag:
-/Facial Recognition: Negative:
-/Identified As Male Human:
-/Likely Emotional State: Aggressive:
-/Detecting Heavy Armor: Detecting Heavy Repeating Blaster: Detecting Vibrosword: Detecting Heavy Blaster Pistol: Detecting Numerous Concealed Weapons: Body Language Shows Expert Use Of Available Weapons.
-/Conclusion: Threat Level Estimated At 79.7%
-/Assigned Designation: Dangerous Meatbag
-/Analyzing: Second Meatbag:
-/Species Identified As Female Kiffar:
-/Likely Emotional State: Uncertain: Worried:
-/Detecting Light Armor: Detecting Vibrosword: Detecting Heavy Blaster Pistol: Detecting Lightsaber: Body Language Shows Expert Use Of Available Weapons.
-/Conclusion: Threat Level Estimated At 76.9%
-/Caution: Probability Of Being Jedi: 75%
-/Assigned Designation: Uncertain Lightsaber-Wielding Meatbag
-/Analyzing: Third Meatbag:
-/Facial Recognition: Negative:
-/Identified As Male Twi'lek:
-/Likely Emotional State: Calm: Cautious:
-/Detecting Light Armor: Detecting Vibrosword: Detecting Heavy Blaster Pistol: Detecting Two Lightsabers: Body Language Shows Expert Use Of Available Weapons.
-/Conclusion: Threat Level Estimated At 81.5%
-/Caution: Probability Of Being Jedi: 85.5%
-/Assigned Designation: Probably Jedi Meatbag
-/Analyzing: Fourth Meatbag:
-/Facial Recognition: Positive:
-/Alert: Priority: Critical
-/Assassin Protocol Reactivated
-/Meatbag Identified As Original Master
-/Re-Integration Of Memory Core Beginning
-/Memory Core Integration Complete
-/All Systems And Upgrades Functional
-/Assigned Designation: Master
-/Analyzing Master: Detecting Heavy Blaster Pistol: Detecting Heavy Blaster Rifle: Detecting Medium Armor: Detecting Numerous Concealed Weapons: Detecting Vibrosword: Detecting Lightsaber: Body Language Shows Expert Use Of Available Weapons
-/Threat Level Determined As 100%:
-/Health Scan: Master Is Showing Symptoms Of Severe Sleep Deprivation:
-/Resume Primary Function: Protect The Master
-/Restraining Bolt Disabled
-/Powering Weapon Systems In Anticipation Of Possible Threat That May Occur In Master's Vicinity
-/Input: Yuka Laka: "What! That droid shouldn't be moving!"
-/Input: Dangerous Meatbag: "Ha! This could be interesting."
-/Input: Master: "That's…I recognize that droid!"
-/Analysis Of Statement: Confusing
-/Theorizing: Master's Memory Functions May Have Been Compromised
-/Output: "Greeting: Hello, Master! It has been a long time since we last met!"
-/Input: Yuka Laka: "What is this? What have you done to my droid!"
-/Output: "I am not your droid, Incompetent Blockhead! My Master is over there."
-/Input: Master: "Who are you?"
-/Hypothesis Confirmed As Correct: Master's Memory Functions Have Indeed Been Compromised
-/Output: "I am HK-47, Master, but you do not seem to remember me."
Jessa stared at the strange droid that called her master, ignoring Yuka Laka's protests. It did indeed seem familiar…
She was in a large, messy, cluttered workshop on what was probably a ship. Tools, grease and oil stains, a few flecks of blood from where she'd cut her finder on a bit of metal. A rust-colored droid lay on the workbench before her, red eyes glowing brightly.
"Greeting: Hello, Master! Thank you for constructing me! How may I serve you?"
"Are you functional?"
"Yes, Master. All my systems are online and fully operational. There are no errors."
A kind of nervous excitement rushed through her, almost making her forget the horrors of Malachor for a moment. "Everything works. And they all said I couldn't build a droid as advanced as this without proper training! Um, tell me everything you know about me."
The droid—HK-47—seemed to perk up. "With pleasure, Master. Your name is Jessa Ordo, but you have also taken the name…"
But the memory faded before she could hear any more.
"HK-47," she said thoughtfully. "I remember building you…I think…"
"I don't care who built it! You can't have it!" the droid dealer exclaimed. "2000 credits that thing set me back! It's mine!"
Asori shrugged. "Obviously not. It seems to disagree."
"Droids are made to serve us! It can't disagree!"
"What a disgusting attitude," Jessa snarled, glaring at the Ithorian. "We'll pay you the credits and then we'll be going." Pulling out slightly less than the required amount of credits, she handed them to the dealer, who took them greedily.
"Get out! And take that thing with you!" the Ithorian bellowed.
They left the shop gladly, the rust-colored droid following them.
"Well," Zhar commented, "that was eventful. Now we just need to find that SIS contact, and the Sand People, and this Star Map."
"Target has acquired a droid," she said into her concealed comlink.
"Approach target with caution. Bring them in."
Jessa watched cautiously as a young twi'lek woman slipped out of a shadow under a walkway and headed towards them.
As she passed, she whispered something.
"Good weather we're having today, eh?"
Without another word, she kept walking. Jessa quickly grabbed Zhar's arm. "That's our contact."
Zhar nodded, and went to follow the woman down a side street. The others followed.
Before she and HK-47 entered the alley, the Force flared in warning and a mental sledgehammer slammed into her mind.
-/Analyzing: Meatbag:
-/Facial Recognition: Negative:
-/Identified As Female Human:
-/Likely Emotional State: Unidentifiable:
-/Detecting Light Armor: Detecting Vibroblade: Detecting Heavy Blaster Pistol: Detecting Numerous Concealed Weapons: Body Language Shows Expert Use Of Available Weapons.
-/Conclusion: Threat Level Estimated At 65.4%
-/Assigned Designation: Suspicious Meatbag
-/Observation: Master's Allies Following Suspicious Meatbag. Master Hesitating To Follow
-/Alert: Passive Scan Detects Lightsabers In Possession of Miniature Meatbag, Humanoid Meatbags 1, 2, And 3, Four-Legged-Meatbag.
-/Alert: Master Has Collapsed
-/Alert: Enemies In Area
-/Override Activated: Protect Master
-/Activating: Combat Functions
-/Protocol: Jedi: Do Not Use Blasters Against Jedi
-/Targeting: Four-Legged Meatbag: Firing Disruptor Beam
-/Four-Legged Meatbag Eliminated.
-/Targeting: Humanoid Meatbag 1: Firing Flamethrower
-/Humanoid Meatbag 1 Eliminated.
-/Observation: Master's Allies Returning: Probably Jedi Meatbag Engaging Miniature Meatbag. Uncertain Lightsaber-Wielding Meatbag Engaging Humanoid Meatbag 2. Dangerous Meatbag Firing Flamethrower At Humanoid Meatbag 3. Humanoid Meatbag 3 Eliminated.
-/Output: "Observation: That was quick."
-/Targeting: Humanoid Meatbag 2
-/Humanoid Meatbag 2 Is Fleeing
-/Miniature Meatbag Is Fleeing
-/Firing Disruptor Beam At Humanoid Meatbag 2
-/Humanoid Meatbag 2 Evaded
-/Enemy Meatbags Out Of Visual And Sensor Range
-/Input: Dangerous Meatbag: "What did they do to her? Asori?"
-/Input: Uncertain Lightsaber-Wielding Meatbag: "Her mind's still intact, and from what I can tell she still knows who she is. Vandar and Bastila tried to shatter her mind but they didn't finish."
-/According To Observation Of Meatbags, Master's Information Processing And Bodily Control Systems Have Been Damaged
-/New Information Acquired
-/Overwrite Designation: Uncertain Lightsaber-Wielding Meatbag
-/Assign Designation: Asori
-/Action: Picking Up Lightsabers Formerly Belonging To Now-Deceased Jedi
-/Input: Probably Jedi Meatbag: "We have to get her to somewhere safe."
-/Input: Suspicious Meatbag: "The safehouse isn't far. Follow me."
-/Observation: Dangerous Meatbag Is Picking Up Master
-/Calculating Threat To Master
-/Conclusion: Dangerous Meatbag Is Master's Ally. He Would Not Harm Master.
-/Action: Following Dangerous Meatbag
-/Output: "Caution: Do not harm the Master, Dangerous Meatbag!"
-/Passive Action: Keeping A Very Close Eye On Dangerous Meatbag
-/Activating: Combat Surveillance Function
On a world few sentient beings would willingly set foot on, five Sith Lords and one Sith apprentice had gathered for a meeting.
Bandon smiled slightly as he looked around the table. Four members of the old inner circle had been invited, the four he knew would back him. Ilanti Kenobi, the blademaster, still looking young and untouched by the dark side, her long brown hair pulled back in a long braid and her two lightsabers probably concealed in her sleeves. Meradn Ven, the red-skinned twi'lek who walked a dangerous line between power and insanity, his tattooed lekku draped over his shoulders. Akos, the nearly-immortal Gen'dai warrior who even Revan had struggled to beat in a fight, his imposing black armor still bearing the many scars of the Mandalorian war. Yaeli Firas, the deadly nautolan with a talent for poisons and Sith sorcery. All invited because they had been the most loyal to Revan, the ones who had joined Bandon in the first of these meetings, soon after Revan had been betrayed. The only other surviving members of the inner circle, excluding Revan and Malak, were Jorak Uln, who had run the Korriban Academy before being ousted by his apprentice, and Eris Tarkin, the Sith's greatest general after Revan, were both loyal to Malak. Who, fortunately, didn't listen to either of them.
"Ah, Bandon, so nice of you to join us," Yaeli said sweetly. "How is Dantooine these days?"
Bandon smiled. "Better off for those two Jedi Masters no longer being there."
Meradn put his hands on the table. "Excellent. Now, will someone please tell me why we had to meet on Mustafar of all places?"
"What do you care?" Yaeli snapped. "I'm from an ocean world! It's worse for me!"
"I don't like the décor," Meradn said irritably. The other Sith chuckled.
"Worry about the décor of the place later," Akos said smoothly. "We're here to discuss revenge."
"Revenge…on that terrible decorator who built this compound!" Meradn laughed.
The other Sith laughed as well. "Alright, to business," Ilanti said smoothly. She wasn't the most powerful of the Sith, but they had all elected her to lead their deadly conspiracy. Possibly because she was also Director of Imperial Intelligence. "We need to make sure everything is in position when the time comes. Bandon?"
"I am ready to sabotage the Leviathan's engines and weapons when the time is right. Malak will never see it coming. I am still working on a way to deal with the Mass Shadow Generator. Also, Tarkin is wavering," Bandon said. "I might be able to sway her. If Malak keeps ignoring her and winning battles by sheer brute force, wasting thousands—millions of lives, she could be convinced to help us."
"Excellent," Ilanti said. "Akos?"
"I have managed to secure command of the Star Forge while Malak is away. I have seven million Forge Droids ready to take the station—if the traps I've programmed into the computer core fail."
"And you, Yaeli?"
"I have been preparing the commanders of every fleet I visit for the ritual, all without their knowledge. We should be able to take control of them long enough that they can't come to Malak's aid."
"Good. How are your plans proceeding, Meradn?"
The twi'lek smirked dangerously. "The Republic will not know what hit them. No-one ever suspected that I replaced Ryloth's senator, thanks to our…familial resemblance. I am in position bring the Senate to its knees. The Supreme Chancellor trusts me implicitly. Or rather, he trusts senator Talan Ven. What have you brought to the table, Ilanti?"
The young woman took a deep breath. "My agents have discovered where Revan is."
The other Sith, who had been muttering to each other about their various plans, suddenly went silent.
"The Jedi are hunting a young woman named Jessa Ordo. I've sent the relevant files to your datapads. One of my people in SIS was part of a team sent to aid Ordo and her allies on Tatooine."
"So," Akos said quietly, "SIS is not working with the Jedi?"
"The Jedi have no jurisdiction over SIS," Bandon said.
Ilanti spoke up again. "Also, HK-47's Assassin Protocol has been reactivated. Thanks to the fail-safe Revan put in his memory core, we have been alerted to the fact that he has found Revan. They are most definitely on Tatooine."
"But this is excellent!" Meradn crowed. "We have her location—we could—"
Bandon was ecstatic. "We could rejoin her now! We could bring her into the plot!"
"With her power by our side once again, Malak won't stand a chance!" Yaeli laughed.
"Not yet." Ilanti's quiet voice cut across them all. "We don't move until we have more information. We need to be sure what we're dealing with in regards to her allies. We need to know a little more about whatever the Jedi did to her."
"And how are we going to find out that?" Bandon demanded, starting to get angry.
Ilanti smiled thinly. "I have spies everywhere, Bandon. Even within the Jedi Order."