Evalina couldn't sleep. She found it odd, because she was so exhausted. She had taken the trials of becoming a Jedi Knight that evening, and now she rested, because in less than ten hours, she would face her sister. She still had to guess where Jillian was since no one knew. The only people that would know where her lackeys, or Quis Arcana. But, he didn't know they knew he was a traitor, so they couldn't just waltz in and demand to know where Jillian was hiding. It was dark and cold in Evalina's room. She shivered. It wasn't that cold, Evalina was just tired and just thinking about Jillian kind of scared her. She sighed and closed her eyes. No rest for the weary, she thought. Finally though, she fell asleep.
Evalina woke the next morning feeling extremely tired. When she actually slept, she slept well, but that wasn't saying much. She drifted in and out of sleep until about five in the morning. Then, she thought, would be a suitable enough time to see Regiman. Together, they were going to go to Vinco's house and collect Logan and Toby. Evalina was a little reluctant to let them come, but they were very persistent.
"So," Regiman said as they walked toward Vinco's house, "Where do you plan on finding her?" Evalina shook her head.
"I don't know. I think I'll just try to sense her."
"Well, go ahead." Evalina closed her eyes tightly and focused hard. In her mind, she saw many planets, some she couldn't even name, and then one stuck out to her. Mustafar. At first, Evalina thought her mind was just playing with her, but she sensed Jillian's presence. Evalina opened her eyes.
"Mustafar," she said. Regiman nodded thoughtfully.
"That makes sense."
"Why?" Evalina asked.
"She was brought up there," he explained. "It is the same place she knows."
"Hmm," Evalina said, deep in thought. Soon they reached Vinco's house, and Logan was there to greet them.
"Hi," he said to Evalina. She smiled at him.
"Hey,'' she replied.
"Ready?" Toby called from inside the house. Evalina nodded, though she doubted he could see her. "Good," he said, appearing behind Logan. Evalina smiled at him and he smiled back.
"Well, we should probably go," Evalina said, and then frowned. "Jillian is waiting." Logan and Toby nodded. Evalina looked into the house. "Is Vinco here? I want to say goodbye."
"Yeah," Toby answered. "He's in his room." Evalina walked inside the small house and walked to a wooden door. She knocked once.
"Come in, Evalina." She was not surprised that Vinco knew it was her. She entered the room. Vinco looked up at her. He was on the floor, and she guessed that he had been meditating. He smiled at her. "Come to say goodbye?" Evalina nodded solemnly and watched him as he stood.
"Goodbye," she said quietly.
"Is this really goodbye?" Vinco asked her. She shrugged a little sadly. "Do you really believe you will not return?"
"No..." Evalina trailed off.
"I have full confidence in you, as do your friends. Just think clearly, and don't hesitate to do anything. Now that doesn't mean do everything in rashness, but if it needs to be done, do it." Evalina nodded slowly.
"I will," she promised. "Thank you, Vinco, for everything. You and Toby have been so kind to Logan and me." Vinco patted Evalina's shoulder.
"Ah, you're welcome, my girl. Good luck, and May the Force be with you."
"May the Force be with you while I'm gone, Master Nutus." Vinco nodded, and with that, Evalina left.
Evalina rejoined the small group of people in the front room. Claudia and Riscelle had joined them there.
"Hello, Evalina," Claudia greeted her. Riscelle nodded at her.
"Hi, guys," Evalina said. "I guess we should be going." She shook hands with both of Toby's siblings, and Toby hugged them. "It was nice to meet both of you." They both nodded their assent. Evalina took a deep breath and turned to Regiman. "Bye," she told him quietly.
"May the Force be with you," he said simply. Evalina hugged him.
"Thank you," she told him. "You taught me so much."
"Thank you for being so attentive," Regiman replied. Evalina let go of her mentor, and held onto Toby and Logan's hands.
"Goodbye," she said again. "May the Force be with all of you."
Evalina, Toby and Logan all boarded a small transport ship in the main hanger area of Coruscant. They had picked this ship not only because of its size, but because it was one of the rare transport ships that had an offense system. They didn't know if they would need it, but they felt it would better be safe than sorry. They had settled it earlier; Toby would drive, Logan would co-pilot, and Evalina would meditate on what she was about to do. She didn't complain when they insisted she do this, as she knew her head had to be clear. Evalina sat cross-legged on the floor in the main chamber of the transport. She had her eyes closed and was keeping all her mind straight. She didn't let herself go off on tangents, and she remained focused on what laid ahead of her. Mustafar wasn't as far as Naboo was, so it would take them two hours at the most to arrive. Evalina let the time pass her by, and sat in the same position for an hour of the journey.
Logan flicked a switch and leaned back in his chair. Toby had kept him busy the past sixty minutes, and he was worn out.
"You can rest if you want," Toby told him. Logan looked at him.
"Are you sure?" he asked. He hadn't failed to notice how tired Toby looked as well. "Maybe you should rest." Toby was shaking his head before Logan had finished.
"No, no, I'm fine." Logan again studied his acquaintance.
"Do you think we'll do any fighting?" he asked Toby. He shrugged.
"I'm not sure," he admitted. "Whatever Eva wants us to do, we will. I'm pretty sure she'll want to do this alone, though." Logan nodded and stood.
"Maybe you're right. It wouldn't hurt to have some rest." Toby nodded absently. Logan looked at Toby, the open space around them, and then left the cockpit.
Roy looked at his sister side-long.
"She's coming," Jillian said finally. Roy flinched a little. It wasn't that his sister scared him, it was just that they had sat in silence for the past two hours. It didn't exactly help that Jillian's accent was sharp and almost piecing. Of all the years that Roy had been in the army, and traveling planets, he had never heard anyone like her.
"Are you sure?" Roy asked a little skeptically. "You said that last week, and," he spread his arms. "She hasn't come yet." Jillian glared at him and he shrunk back a little.
"I know this time, for sure. She is too much of a coward to not come when I tell her to." Roy studied one of his siblings.
''It was more of a suggestion," he offered. Jillian was giving him one of her trademark glares, and he decided to change the subject. "In the letter you left her, what did you mean by 'We have the key to all the things you live of off'?" Jillian actually smiled at him.
"I was talking about you. And me, really. Evie has always had a problem with obsessing over her family. I know that if I threaten my life or yours, she will do whatever we want her to, just so we don't hurt ourselves."
"That's nice," Roy said quietly, and looked away. He spotted someone out of the corner of his eye and smiled. It was her. Lady Jessa, he thought, and sighed to himself. She was so pretty, with her long curly dark red hair, and sea green eyes.
"What are you gawking at?" Jillian demanded. Roy was shaken back to reality.
"Nothing," he stammered. She studied him, but let it go.
"Well," she said as she stood, "I should go. She will be here in about an hour I assume. I must speak with my master. Remember, you will get to meet him. That is what I am going to ask him."
"Bye," Roy said a little glumly. Jillian exited the room, leaving Roy alone to his thoughts.
Jillian walked quickly to her master's chamber. When she opened the door, there he stood, standing over a window.
"It is perfect," he said.
"Hello, my Master," Jillian said and bowed stiffly.
"I was just observing our empire," he said, answering the question she never asked. "It's perfect," he repeated. Jillian knew exactly what he was talking about.
"Master, my brother would like to see you."
"Yes, he would," the sith lord said. "Well, then, send him in."
"Thank you, Master," Jillian said, and then left to find Roy.
Lady Jessa laughed. This boy really was funny! She didn't know who he was, but he was very funny. She was glad there was someone there that wasn't so melancholy. Jessa spotted someone that made her smile disappear. Jillian was making her way towards the two of them.
''Hello, Jessa," Jillian said dismissively.
"Hello, your highness," Jessa greeted. She wanted to roll her eyes. Jillian's megalomaniac attitude was very annoying and it required everyone call her 'your highness', or 'your majesty'. But, Jillian had captured Lady Jessa, and there was no hope of escape, so she complied patiently.
"Hey, sis," Roy said casually. Jessa sighed. This younger boy was a little bit odd.
"My master will see you know," Jillian said, very businesslike.
"Okay," Roy said, sounding a little unenthusiastic.
"Well, come on then," she said as she shooed Roy away.
"Bye, Jessa," Roy smiled to her as he left. Jessa waved a little, and then turned away. She left the sight thinking to herself how much she wished she had asked his name.
Jillian led Roy by the hand again to her master's room. Jillian entered without even a pause.
"Here he is, Master." The sith turned to them and looked Roy up and down.
"Hey,'' Roy said. Jillian glared at him.
"Be more polite," she hissed. "He is first in command here." The other man looked at Jillian. Roy took this moment to study him a little. He was young, and couldn't have been more than thirty-five. He had blue eyes, and brown hair that was barely shorter than Roy's. Jillian shifted from one foot to the other. "Roy, this is my Master, Darth Maven. He sometimes has me call him by his real name, Senn Widen. Master Widen, this is my brother, Roy Skywalker."
"Ah," Senn said. "Another young Skywalker? It is a pleasure to meet you." He smiled at Roy and he shivered a little. Senn scared the young boy. "So," Senn continued. "How can I help you?"
"I want you to teach him how you taught me," Jillian said. "I want him to become a sith and rule with me when we take over."
"Ah," Senn mused. "Another apprentice. We do need some more firepower." Jillian again shifted.
"But, Master, we have a whole army-"
"Darth Vonlaus," Senn interrupted, and Jillian stopped immediately. Roy was slightly surprised. His sister was usually demanding and powerful, but in her master's presence, she seemed almost human. He also was a little confused as to who this 'Darth Vonlaus' character was. He leaned over to Jillian.
"Who is that?" he asked, guessing that she knew who he was talking about.
"Me," she replied in a whisper, and sounding a little sad. Roy blinked. He had forgotten that when a Jedi crosses over to the dark side they get a different name for their position. He didn't want to know what his would be if he was trained like Jillian.
"Well," Senn said finally, "We will start soon. I sense great power in you, and you already know much. Perhaps we can start tomorrow?" Roy just stood there, not knowing he was addressing him. Jillian nudged him.
"Oh," he said. "Um, yeah."
"Good," Senn nodded approvingly. "Goodbye, than." Jillian nodded and ushered Roy out of the room. As they walked back down the hall they had came from, Roy noticed how upset Jillian looked.
"What's wrong?" he asked her. Jillian shook her head.
"My name," she said. "I don't like it."
"Why? What does it mean?"
"It mean 'hopeless'." Jillian shook her head again. "I think my master has seen something I haven't. I wish he would tell me. All he tells me though is, 'It's just a name'. I don't believe him."
"I'm sorry," was all Roy could say.
Lady Jessa shifted uncomfortably. He was doing it again. He had been staring at her for the past twenty minutes at least. That little teenage boy from earlier and Jillian had joined her in one the system's rooms. And ever since, the boy had been looking at her. Still. Now, she did think he was cute, but one thing she didn't understand was his hair. It looked like he had washed his hair with a mop, and then left it in his hair. Jillian tapped her fingers on the monitor. Jessa knew she was waiting for something, but what, she didn't know. Suddenly, she saw Jillian tense.
"She's here," she said. Jessa frowned. Who? "Roy, go to your room. Jessa, stay here at the controls. If things start to go wrong, hit this button." She pointed a blue button.
"Okay," Jessa said a little uncertainly.
Senn looked up. A small ship was approaching their system.
"She will deal with it," he told himself aloud. "My time is over."
